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Tom was a bit reluctant to hang out with Pearl’s kid at first but as it turns out, Steven was pretty cool.
Tom liked him because he didn’t ask annoying questions about his horns or his three eyes.
He didn’t mock him for having a pet bunny. He actually thought Squiggles was a cool anger management tool and would sometimes steal him so he could cuddle and pet the rabbit.
And when Tom apologised profusely for nearly destroying Steven’s game console and setting his room on fire, he said it was no big deal and that he was proud of Tom for controlling his temper.
It was just like hanging out with Marco, only without the really awkward… feelings getting in the way of a good time.
“You’re going to hang out with Steven? Again?!” Marco asked.
“Yeah… Got a problem with that?” Tom pet Squiggles to calm his nerves.
“No, no it’s just uh… you’ve been spending a lot of time with Steven.” Marco said.
“Well yeah, the dude’s pretty mellow and he’s got some retro video games.” Tom was also working up the courage to tell Steven something really important and personal, but Marco was the last person he was going to tell that. “If Steven’s mums are okay with it, you should join us some time.”
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass.” Marco crossed his arms and looked in the other direction. “Video games uh, can rot the mind and stuff if you play them too much.”
“Fine.” Tom snapped, clutching onto Squiggles’ fur. “Me and Steven will have lots of fun with our mind rotting games without you!”
“Fine!”
“Fine!” Tom slammed the door to his carriage hard and started petting Squiggles. The little bunny made a sympathetic noise and Tom sighed. “I definitely need to talk to Steven.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Tom.” Connie said as she smashed the buttons on Steven’s controller. She was this close to beating him. “Everything okay with you guys?”
“Yeah, we’re cool.” Steven said as he stuck his tongue out, going all out to beat Connie’s avatar in the game. “I just think Tom needs some extra chill time. He and his friend Marco have been really… on edge lately.”
“A fight?” Connie asked.
“Nope, something else. I just can’t put my finger on it though… A couple more friend therapy sessions and I’m sure he’ll tell Uncle Steven all about it.”
“You’re very confident.” Connie chuckled as she dodged an attack from Steven’s avatar.
“Yeah, well I’m a good friend.” Steven smirked.
“The best.” Connie blushed. “Although I hope Marco and Tom work out their problems soon because sometimes I miss it when it was just the two of us.”
“You don’t like Tom?!” Steven gasped, hardly believing it. And here he thought Tom and Connie really hit it off during one of their playful sparring matches!
“It’s not that. Tom is cool, once he mellows out.” Connie smiled. “I just like you best.”
When Steven just blinked at Connie, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek for five beautiful seconds.
“Figure out what I mean.” She said when she broke the kiss and waved goodbye as Tom’s carriage came flying towards the window, leaving Steven in a loved up haze. The demon prince jumped in gracefully with Squiggles happy and unharmed in his arms. He gave Connie a smile and friendly wave as she left. “See ya later Tom, I gotta go meet my mum but I’ll spar with you later, right?”
“You know it sister!” he smirked. “Get ready to get your butt kicked again!”
Connie snickered. “We’ll just see about that tomorrow.”
Tom laughed until he saw Steven’s face.
“Hey, you okay man? Are you getting what is called a fever?” All three of Tom’s eyes blinked in confusion. “Pearl told me to get her next time that happened.”
“No…” Steven paused, touching the cheek where Connie kissed him. “I… think Connie likes me.”
“Of course she does dude, you’re great!” Tom grinned and patted him on the shoulder.
“No, I mean likes me likes me. Like the way Sapphire and Ruby like each other and the way Dad and Pearl liked my mum before she became me. She kissed me on the cheek and everything.” Steven turned an even darker shade of red when Tom gave a delighted scream. He backed further onto the bed when Tom leaned in towards him. “What?”
“This is too good man!” Tom cried and shook Steven’s shoulders. “You’ve got to ask her on a date!”
“What? No, m-maybe I’m just overthinking things!” Steven said. “I’ve gotten these things wrong before. Remember that story I told you about Lars?”
“Pfft, Lars is a jerk Steven! You’re not Lars.” Tom pointed out flatly. “I’m a loser in love and even I can see Connie digs you. I turned on the charm up to 56.7 Degrees Celsius, but when our fight was over all she cared about were your sweet little compliments at the end. I don’t know much about human biology, but I know that if a human girl blushes in your presence it’s a good sign that she has a crush on you.”
“Gee, I don’t know Tom.” Steven shyly sighed. “I don’t want to make things awkward.”
“What’s awkward about it?” Tom laughed. “I mean it’s not like she’s the wrong gender and you’re the heir to the throne of hell! Making it impossible for you to pick the right partner that will live up to your parents’ expectations!”
Steven stared at Tom when all the colour in the demon prince’s horrified face disappeared.
They stood there in silence and stared at each other for what felt like five minutes before Tom quietly uttered the next few words.
“We are never to speak of my outburst ever again.”
“Y-Yeah of course! If that’s what you want, we don’t have to talk about what you just said ever again. Whatever it was.” Steven chuckled sympathetically and wrapped an arm around Tom. “But if you do want to talk about it with say, one of the gems, then it’s okay. Whatever you are feeling I’m sure they will understand and help you. Okay? There’s no need for you to be scared.”
For good measure Steven gave Tom a reassuring pat on his right shoulder.
Like Tom said, Steven was pretty cool.
“The only thing I’m scared of is how badly you’re gonna get wrecked at Mario Kart!”
“Bring it on Tom!”
Tom did want to talk about… what he said with Steven and his mums. But after a couple of rounds on his game console.