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While there have been many instances in which the seaside acted as a haven for those attempting to escape scorching summer days, a sunny spot like Beach City can still fall victim to the changing of seasons. Once autumn hits, the beach loses much of its appeal to raw ocean breezes and the frigid temperature of the water. As a result, residents and tourists alike were out enjoying the warm weather while it lasted, trying to stretch the summer out for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, Steven Universe couldn’t say the same.
From the moment his eyes popped open that morning, something had felt off. His vision had blurred a little when he stood up, and his face had felt oddly warm compared to the rest of his body. It wasn’t until Steven found himself curled over the toilet vomiting last night’s dinner that he realized it was a fever that had overtaken him. And once this little realization came to light, his symptoms seemed to intensify, rendering him shaky and weak.
Now, Steven lay atop his bed, shivering under his comforter. Despite the beads of sweat sliding down his paling skin, he felt as though a chill had settled in his bones, and no matter how many layers to his little cocoon he tried to add, the cold remained inescapable. A migraine pounded against his skull, a pain that worsened every time his head jerked when coughed. Breathing through his nose was now impossible, and in his daze he struggled to picture a time when his nose worked properly.
Steven moaned as another wave of nausea crashed over him. Seeing as the Gems still hadn’t emerged from their rooms and he lacked the strength to go searching for them, it was all he could do to be still and wait for this whole thing to pass. Steven vaguely recalled getting sick when he still lived with his dad in the van. Greg would hold him close and gently rub his son’s back, softly singing classic rock songs until the boy drifted off to sleep. But that was years ago, and Greg was out of town for some car washing convention anyway. No matter which way he looked at it, he was alone, and it would be like that for some time before one of the other Crystal Gems took notice. Sighing, Steven shifted onto his back, hoping to ease his aches in his body and make the rest of the day slightly more bearable.
And that was when he saw her.
For one long, heart-stopping moment, Steven stilled under his mother’s gentle gaze, taking all of her in. Of course, he had never met his mother, but he had studied her picture and seen her video message to him enough times that he thought he could picture her in his head with acute detail. What he never realized until now was that no painting, photograph, or video could accurately display the natural starlight she seemed to possess in her eyes. Steven’s heart began to swell and, his emotions momentarily granting him strength, he shot out of bed and propelled himself towards Rose’s arms, letting out a startled wheeze as a multitude of dots obstructed his sight and his room appeared to spin.
He slowly looked up as his vision cleared, his heart beginning to ache more than the rest of his body once he saw who was in his arms. No longer was he staring at thick, spiraling locks or a welcoming smile; rather, a wild pink mane framing a long feline snout greeted him. Steven released his grip and flopped back down onto his bed, all of his newfound energy vanishing. He felt as though a lesion formed in his heart where hope had been ripped out, one whose throbbing seemed to intensify the longer his mind dwelled on the cruel trick his illness played on him, the trick he foolishly fell for. While Lion was a good friend, if somewhat unsympathetic at times, he could never compare to an actual person.
An actual mother, Steven thought, a small tear trickling down the side of his face. The physical pain had been bad enough, but the added struggle of attempting to tell a hallucination from reality was becoming too much. All he wanted to do was sleep away the pain and the solitude, but even a simple relief such as that seemed impossible at this point.
As if understanding the boy’s pain, Lion lowered himself onto the bed, lending Steven as much body heat as he could manage. The two stayed like that for quite some time, Lion dutifully standing by as Steven hacked and sneezed and blinked away the illusions that came to pass.
Eventually, Steven heard the sound of a Gem door opening, indicating that someone had finally emerged from their room. He would have passed the sound off as another hallucination had Lion not perked his ears and lazily raised his head to see who it was for himself.
“Hey, Stee-van,” Amethyst tiredly called from below. Steven tried his best to sit up and respond, but found that he lacked the strength to complete a simplistic task such as that. The best he could manage was a hoarse whimper, listening as his friend shuffled around the kitchen in search of some food. A few moments later she called again, sounding slightly more alert this time. “Steven?”
After another brief silence, Steven could hear Amethyst’s footsteps approaching the ladder leading up to his room. “Hey, dude, I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not cool to-” Steven turned his head slightly just in time to see Amethyst’s head pop up over the top of the ladder. Whatever she had been about to say was cut short the moment she spotted her charge, as if the words got tangled in her throat and were unable to push past her slightly parted lips. Steven watched through blurred vision as her face transitioned from mild annoyance to confused fear.
Slowly, Amethyst pulled herself onto the platform, never taking her eyes off Steven. She crawled toward him with caution, her hand hesitantly reaching for his face the closer she got. Just as she made contact with his clammy skin, however, he burst into another coughing fit. Hurriedly, she retracted her hand and instead chose to call out to her companions as he gasped for breath. “G-Garneeeet? Peeaaarrl?” Steven cringed at the sound, the intensity of her tone only making his head pound more. Had he been paying more attention, he would have noticed how her voice was wavering, how her normally carefree façade seemed be cracking.
After a few more calls, the Gem door could once again be heard opening, this time Pearl’s voice coming from below. “Honestly, Amethyst, what could be so important that you couldn’t have come and gotten me yourself?” she asked exasperatedly. Amethyst finally tore her eyes away from Steven, turning just slightly to address the new arrival. No words were exchanged between the two; Amethyst’s somber expression was seemingly the only indication Pearl needed that something was amiss. In an instant she, too, was by Steven’s bedside, gazing down in horror at the poor boy that lay before her. “O-Oh, Steven...” she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
“Hello...” Steven finally managed to croak out, the one word being enough to set his throat on fire. Amethyst and Pearl simultaneously jumped when they heard how gravelly and hoarse it sounded. Lion, who was watching the scene impassively, was the only one among them to give no reaction at all. The Gems shared a look when they recovered, both looking as if they were trying, and failing, to put on a brave face.
“What’s wrong with him?” Amethyst inquired, her voice taking on a desperate edge.
“I-I’m not sure,” Pearl replied, wringing her hands together as her eyes jumped from Steven to Amethyst and back again. “Is it his gem? Oh, stars, is something wrong with his gem?!” Amethyst reached over again and tugged his shirt up, leaning forward with Pearl to inspect his bellybutton. After they determined there was no visible damage, the two sat back, Pearl looking moments away from having a breakdown. Steven opened his mouth again to speak, to tell them he’d be alright, when two hands clamped down onto Amethyst and Pearl’s shoulders. Everyone had been so invested in Steven’s situation that none of them noticed Garnet had left her room and joined them.
“Amethyst,” she said, gently pulling them back. “Pearl. It’s going to be alright. It’s just a fever.” She pulled her hands away and adjusted the shades concealing her eyes, sounding as calm and confident as ever. “Greg told us this might happen, remember?”
“B-But Garnet!” Pearl exclaimed. “Just look at him! He’s, he’s...” She risked another glance at Steven, taking in the pallor of his skin and the shivering of his body. He made an attempt to smile when her eyes met his, but it only prompted her to choke up and look away once more.
“I know,” Garnet replied, “but panicking won’t help.” She stepped past the others and crouched beside the boy, adjusting his comforter as he sneezed. “What will help is taking care of him until he’s better. Isn’t that right, Steven?” She stuck out a finger and poked his nose, prompting a soft giggle from him.
Amethyst’s lips broke into a grin, his laugh bringing energy back into her. “Heh, yeah! We’ll send that fever running in no time. Just you watch!” she promised, pounding a fist into her hand for emphasis.
Pearl crawled over to join them, she shoulders slightly less tense than moments before. She smiled a little nervously as her fingers brushed the hair off of his forehead. “Well,” she murmured, “I don’t know much about human disease, but I suppose I’ll look into a few treatment methods and see what we can do.”
Steven gazed up at the three gems, the fog in his mind beginning to clear. Just being around them, seeing them care, meant the world to him. He knew now that the Crystal Gems would never leave him alone if he were in trouble, and if there were some way he could repay them for all they’ve done, all they’re doing, and all they’ll be willing to do, he would. But Steven had a long way to go before he tried anything like that. First and foremost, he needed to get better, and sleep was calling to him. After being so elusive all day, he welcomed it with open arms.
The last thing he saw before shutting his eyes was the Crystal Gems and their love written all over their faces.