Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

     They weren't sure who had bumped in to who first, there was just a sudden flash of light that originated from his gem and suddenly they weren't them anymore, but him again. It had started off with a movie night gone wrong from the very beginning in Lars' opinion, first he had a later shift than usual at the Big Doughnut, due to new management and new opening hours, then Sadie calls in sick so he actually has to do work, afterward on his way to the lighthouse he realizes he forgot to turn off the lights and lock up causing him to jog all the way to do so. Now it wasn't too bad, Lars just figured it was a little streak of bad luck, but then as he walks back to the light house once more, he gets a call from his mother telling him that his older brother was back in town for the week, meaning he had to deal with his parents constantly comparing how great Lawrence is doing in college compared to him and then to add insult to injury, in his annoyed haste up the final stretch to the door of the light house he trips and lands face first in to what he swears is the only puddle in Beach City, ruining his once nice outfit he was going to impress Ronaldo with. Then, because the universe is just against him at this point, he opens the door to find that the bane of his existence is on the couch next to his childhood friend.

     Lars was about to speak up when he saw the apologetic look on Ronaldo's face as Steven ran over to him, hugging his waist tightly." Lars! I didn't know you were coming over!" He looked down and saw stars in the kid's eyes as he squeezed tighter." Ronaldo must be pretty cool then."

     Ronaldo smiled as the scene played out in front of him, he honestly didn't know whether or not Lars would show up, sure they were getting their friendship back on track but he was worried that this was a step too big for him since they only started talking again a few weeks ago and that took a push from both Sadie and Steven."What happened to your shirt?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity, he even noted that he was wearing a nice blue polo shirt instead of his green snake shirt and a well fitted pair of black dress pants, he smiled lightly.

     "Don't ask." Lars growled as he was finally able to shake Steven off his legs, he was about to take a seat on the couch next to Ronaldo, but the over eager half gem was too excited to notice the direction Lars was head and jumped on the cushion next to the blonde, bouncing in his seat, forcing Lars to sit in the recliner by himself."What movie are we watching first?" He asked with a bored tone as he leaned back and rested his chin on his palm and used his other hand to try getting some of the dirt off his shirt.

     Steven looked up at Lars in confusion." Movie?" He then looked at Ronaldo." I thought we were gonna have real fun on guy's night, like board games, pillow fights, video games and dance battles." While Ronaldo wanted to tell him the night was originally going to be just a movie night, the pout on his face was way to hard to resist giving in to.

     "Well, how about this, we can do somethings you want to do before we start watching movies alright?" Ronaldo asked, glancing at Lars to see what his opinion on the compromise, all he got was an expected shrug of indifference." So what do you want to do first?" Ronaldo asked, turning back to Steven, who hoped off the coach in excitement, pulling Ronaldo off the coach with him.

     "Dance with me!" Steven yelled joyously, he let go of his hands to take out his phone and play a song." Since I need to learn more about fusion I've been making up a new dance routine, Amethyst said I need to add more bounce to it, but Pearl said I need to have more form. Wanna see it?" Before he could get a reply the young gem was already moving his body as best as he could to the beat, Ronaldo rolled his eyes playfully before dancing along with him, though he admittedly didn't have a lot of rhythm, but it still didn't stop Lars from staring at him every time he rolled his hips a certain way.

     Lars was getting irritated as he watched them from his seated position, his glare shifting from Steven to Ronaldo, he groaned and tried to look as disinterested as possible, but then something happened, Steven belly button had started to glow then the two clumsy idiots had stumbled in to each other. He had to shield his eyes as a flash of red light nearly blinded him, he blinked a few times before standing up." Ronnie?" When his eyes readjusted to the light he found that it was neither Steven nor Ronaldo that was there, but some one entirely new." What the hell!?" He shouted, stumbling back and falling back on to his backside.

     Who ever this new guy was looked around for a moment before chuckling." Oh, it looks like I'm back." He stretched his arms above his head before running his hands down his broad chest." Damn it feels good." He looked down at the frightened boy below him and smirked holding out a hand." Sorry Sweetness, I guess I didn't introduce myself, the name's Stevaldo."

     Lars reached a shaky hand up to grasp the proclaimed Stevaldo's hand, he was hauled up to his feet so fast that he nearly stumbled forward." Y-You're....: Words failed him for a moment as he tried to process what was happening.

     "You can't tell by my handsome mug?" He let out a big chuckle." I'm a little bit of Ronaldo, a little bit of Steven, and all awesome." His tone turned more serious." I'm sorry it took so long for us to be introduced, but isn't it worth it, I've wanted to hang out with you for so long now. Pretty much since the moment I was made." A pink blush flushed across Stevaldo's plump cheeks as he ran a hand through his hair.

     Being a good head shorter than the fusion Lars was a bit intimidated, but that emotion was pushed aside." Have you...existed before?"

     Stevaldo gave an enthusiastic nod." Yeah a couple times, Steven is always around Ronaldo when he isn't fighting gem monsters or hanging with Connie, which is kind of rare and Ronaldo always likes having some one listen to his theories. So I've been around long enough be more than them, impressed?" He asked with a smirk.

     Lars' features contorted, he scrunched up his eyebrow and scoffed." What ever man this is weird, you two being together is kind of freaky." He said, looking away from him and stuffing his hands in to his pockets." But I guess it's better than you both wondering around."

    Then two different voices started coming Stevaldo, first a higher pitched voice then a deeper one." W-What?"" He doesn't like us!"" No, no, no he just has to get used to this."" No he's always like this, always pushing everyone away!" After that there was a popping sound and the two were back, separately.

     Steven was jumping up and down." That was amazing, we haven't done that in awhile!" But Ronaldo didn't share his joyful expression, he silently stood up and dusted himself off before fixing his glasses. Steven looked at him with a frown." Ronaldo are you okay?" 

     The blonde nodded." I'm fine Steven." 

     Lars gave him a questionable look." Ronnie?"

     "Why did you even come tonight Lars?" The tone in Ronaldo's voice told Lars that he was anything but fine, he didn't even look at him, but rather the ground. There was complete silence, even Steven had nothing to say in order to lighten the mood." Maybe you should just leave."

     Lars was a bit shocked, but more confused than anything." Seriously?" When no answer came he scowled and kept the hurt in his voice back." Fine, I got better things to do anyway." He said as he walked out of the lighthouse, carefully avoiding the puddle this time as he marched back to his house, practically stabbing the lock with his keys as he twisted his knob and slammed the door behind him so hard the house shook. He stomped loudly up the stairs causing his worried mother to come out of her room as he made his way to the attic, but he only slammed the door in her face. Lars muttered swears under his breath as he stripped down completely before flopping down on his bed, not bothering to put on some clothes as he tossed and turned on the bedspread." To hell with that guy." He growled as he laid on his back, he closed his eyes but an image of Stevaldo's smirking face, his eyes snapped open and he flung one of his pillows somewhere in the room, causing something to fall to the floor and break. He groaned and rolled over to lay on his stomach, it took around thirty minutes for him to finally get to sleep.

     It had been a week since they had last talked and Sadie decided that if Lars was just going to mope and not take any of the advice she was giving him around then he should just head home for the day, the mohawk wearing teen just shrugged her off and walked out after changing out of his work shirt. He could see Jenny, Sour Cream and Buck hanging out in front of Fish Stew Pizza, but he didn't have it in him to go over and try to impress them right now, so he glumly walked in the other direction, heading toward the beach. He was looking down with his hands stuffed in to his pocket, he was so busy being wrapped in his thoughts he had almost ran in to Steven, who was just standing there on the beach as if he was waiting for him.

     "Hey Lars." Steven chimed, the kid didn't seemed to be as eccentric as he usually is, which made Lars raise an eyebrow." You know it's been awhile since we've seen each other, why don't you come over, we could just chill at my house." Something about the insistence in his voice had Lars on edge, but with more strength than a normal boy his age should have-then again he was anything but normal-he pulled Lars by his wrist through the beach until he saw two people coming in to view.

     Lars stiffened when Ronaldo turned around and their eyes locked, the blonde immediately turned away and the more unexpected person turned to look at him through triangle shaped glasses." Glad you could join us." Garnet said before looking at Steven." We'll be needing some privacy." He nodded, the brightest smile now on his face as he ran off, the tall gem looked at the two boys." Steven told me about you two, and I offered to help, but only for Steven's benefit." She then sat cross legged on the sand and waited for them to do the same." It's simple, you two just have to fuse."

     They both looked at her with shocked expressions, but Lars was the first to speak up." Fuse?! You mean that thing Steven and Ronaldo did, that's not normal and I don't see how joining with him will help at all." He could see out of the corner of his eye Ronaldo tensing and his fists clenched tightly.

     Garnet remained silent for a moment before saying." Nothing about this city is normal, especially the both of you. Now if you're done wasting time, please stand." Ronaldo was the first to move, getting to his feet but still looking at the sand, Lars sighed before standing as well." Begin."

     They had no music to move to, there was no sound except for sound of the waves splashing, they both looked everywhere but each other until Ronaldo extended a hand out to Lars, the letter was finally looking in to his eyes." Come on, let's just get this over with." Lars nodded as he slowly took his hand, he gasped as he was suddenly pulled flush against Ronaldo's body, he blushed darkly as Ronaldo rolled his hips as he did when he danced with Steven. Lars awkwardly tried moving his lanky body with the motion of Ronaldo's, he stumbled as he was twirled, his hand automatically reached out as he stumbled back, grasping on to his shoulder, the blonde took the chance to dip him down. Lars froze as he looked up at Ronaldo who was looking down at him with a dark red blush, he leaned up and  and closed his eyes as he kissed his cheek. When he opened his eyes again he looked up at Ronaldo." Uh...is this what fusion is like?"

     The blonde shook his head and lifted up his dance partner, slowly letting go of him." No, when me and Steven fuse we just faze in to each other and become one being. Our feelings keep us bound to each other."  He tried to explain the experience." Besides I think only gems could fuse."

     Lars growled upon hearing this, he looked away and shoved his hands in to his pockets." Great I'm glad that twerp is better than me in more ways than one."

     "That's not what I said Lars." Ronaldo said causing Lars to look up at him.

     "You didn't have to say it."

     Ronaldo released a sound that Lars thought was a grunt but he wasn't to sure." Do you have to be so damned passive aggressive?" 

     "Why do you have to be dense as hell?" Lars barked back. When Ronaldo only gave him a questionable look he turned away."Stevaldo," He said after a brief moment of silence, looking back at him" he's been around more than once though, right? When did you and Steven get all chummy?"

     "Well when your only friend leaves you at nine years old and you have no one else to turn to, you settle for what you can get."

     "I didn't mean to leave that day." Lars said raising his voice a little." I came back didn't I?"

     "Nine years later, and if it wasn't for Sadie or Steven you would have went along acting like nothing happened between us......and you still d-do." Hearing that crack in his voice made Lars' eyes widen, he had never known Ronaldo to cry much in their youth, not even at his mother's funeral, he stayed strong for Peedee and his father. He bared so much weight on his shoulders and Lars had been to worried about his own problems to care about his, he sighed realizing what a jack ass he had been this whole time, putting his feelings above Ronaldo's all these years and he can finally make up for it but he's standing there just watching as he lifted his glasses to wipe his cascading tears away." I wish I knew what made you hate me so much."

     Lars sighed and took a step closer to his childhood friend, he pulled out a tissue from his pocket and handed it to him." I don't hate you....." He paused as Ronaldo dried his eyes and blew his nose."I just....I-I thought, you wouldn't want to see me again after our fight....so I decided not to come back, it was easier to pretend like we had nothing instead of realizing you hated me."

     Ronaldo blinked in surprise and yelled." That's why you left?! You thought I was that mad at you?"

     Lars' face flushed with embarrassment." Well yeah, I-I mean I said some pretty shitty things and ripped up your picture, if it wasn't for me you could've had a big news story."

     A chuckle was not what he expected to hear from Ronaldo's mouth, but it was better than more yelling." Lars that picture had no evidence of supernatural entities, it just looked liked someone it you in the face with a 2 by 4. I was naive then, now I really know how to get an authentic believable photo."

     A sigh escaped his lips." Maybe but if I had just grown a pair and talked to you then you wouldn't be hanging with Steven all the time or be pissed at me now."

     Ronaldo rolled his eyes playfully." I told you I'm over it, I just got a little angry because of what you said yesterday, it just seemed like you regretted spending time with me again. Besides I can't stay mad at you for long, you were always there for me growing up....." Ronaldo took Lars' hand in to his," my best friend...." he intertwined their fingers,"my first kiss." The look in his eyes when Ronaldo said those last words had Lars blushing like it was the night it happened.

     He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand." Y-Yeah, right..." He didn't know what to do but luckily Ronaldo did, the blonde stepped forward an gently placed his lips on Lars', the kiss was pretty awkward as well as sloppy since neither had much kissing experience since their first time with each other. Lars boldly moved his hand to cup Ronaldo's cheek and the other placed his spare arm on the latter's hip, drawing him closer. The moment felt absolutely perfect until Lars had remembered something, his eyes widened as he gently pushed Ronaldo away, he was about to question his actions when the realization dawned on him and his face paled a little as both boys snapped their heads in the direction of where real fusion was sitting, grinning at them.

     "Please, don't stop on my account."