Steven just didn't want to talk about it. It wasn't that he thought it was wrong or weird, and Hazel and Adam knew that, he just still struggled with being a shy and sheltered little potato at times. He hadn't really gotten the chance to explore all of the relationship dynamics there were, and he guessed he'd be learning forever now what with how the group interacted with each other.

Anna just simply brought it out of him without him even noticing. She was bubbly and adorable and bouncy, she reminded him of Spinel with no murder or family relations and added romantic attraction. Anna was just a little different, a little crazy, and every single kind of sweet the definition had to offer.

Oddly enough, he'd been thinking about the last time Adam called him out for knowing when Anna liked to take a nap throughout the day. She liked to say it was her beauty rest, but the truth of the matter was she would get high maintenance and easily upset if she didn't. Steven hadn't made the connection yet, though for a while he didn't have to save for a kiss on the forehead and a head pat. Then he'd scrolled past yet another TokTok hyperanalyzing the band and the relationships within.

A lightbulb moment came on and he just fell into the habit. It came to him easier than he thought it would've, not that he tried even a little.

Anna came in sluggish and a little pouty. The first thing she did was grab the entire carton of (the right) milk and plop down on the island bar stools. She didn't say anything at all, which was concerning for the little ball of energy. She poured the milk into a sippy cup and faceplanted on the table, clearly miserable.

Steven watched her out of the corner of his eye. He was supposed to meet up with The Gems today for a quick, very quick, catching up. Her head of blonde hair against the counter made his heart so sad, but his phone timer dinged. He was so torn. The Gems had been cancelled on once already when he was having a tough mental day and he couldn't just do it twice, right?

He whined under his breath and cursed Adam and Hazel for taking so long. He didn't want to leave her alone when no one else was around.

"Anna, what's wrong?"

She fell out of her chair in surprise, laid on the floor and sighed for so long that under the concern he was impressed. "I'm just feeling lonely today."

His heart ached and he raced to scoop her up into his arms. "Oh, sweetheart..." He pressed a healing kiss to her forehead and swayed in time to a song he was writing in his head. "I'm headed out but I need an excuse to be back in 20 minutes, could you–,"

She looked up at him with her soft blue eyes and wrapped her arms around him tighter. "Please don't go."

Steven huffed. He took heavy hit of damage from that. Cupping her cheeks, he tried to console her. "Anna, baby, I–,"

"Stay," She begged, grabbing onto his wrists to keep him in place. "Please don't leave me alone."

Hundreds of flashbacks of himself feeling alone in this world made him pull out his phone to call The Gems. "Hey Garnet, I'm sure you already predicted this, but I need to stay home and take care of one of my partners. I'm indefinitely not going anywhere."

He held the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he hooked his hands under her arms to pick her up. She was so little it was almost too easy. Her legs wrapped around him as did her arms again and a renewed sense of purpose had him smiling as Garnet explained she was just about to call and cancel herself. A bit of relief found him and he squeezed Anna's butt with one hand to grab his phone and set it down.

"I'm sorry..." Her guilt was quickly hushed by a kiss and another and another until she giggled.

"Don't be. I didn't wanna go. If Anna needs cuddles I am more than happy to give them." He grinned when her cheeks and nose turned red and she burrowed back in his shoulder to hide. "You're so cute, I don't know how your Daddies don't spend all day trying to breed you." He outright laughed when he could feel the blush spreading.

"They can't," She mumbled.

"There is no can't, only try."

She started laughing too as he brought her outside of all places. "That's not the quote, Steven."

Steven found the porch swing, then thinking better, the rocking couch and sat down with her wrapped around him. He grabbed her head and ran kisses down her jawline and neck. "If you take a rest with me, I'll give you so much more."

It was like he'd turned on a magic switch, if by magic switch one meant Anna. She nodded quickly and bashfully gave him a kiss too. "O-okay."

*

When Adam, Hazel and Connie came home, they couldn't tear their eyes away from the sweet image of both entangled and snoring on that couch they all hated. Stevens arm safely kept Anna in place and his other one was shoved up the bottom of her dress where they could safely assume a few bruises had been put by the lack of his button up and Anna's hair all kinds of fucked up.

Connie took a short bust of 7,000 pictures and reached her arms out. "Ugh, I just wanna cuddle them!"

Hazel and Adam glanced at each other and Hazel picked Connie up like a toddler. "I'm so sick of Steven ignoring his destiny."

"Put me down, dammit! I am not a baby!" Connie went limp anyways when Adam crossed in front of her face to raise his eyebrows.

"You're acting like a baby."

Steven stirred from sleep just enough to laugh. "Ha-ha, that's what you get from disturbing me from our nap. Why don't you guys just switch out a cuddle princess for a whining brat?"

Connie sulked in Hazels arms as he plopped down next to Steven closed his eyes. "Why don't I just take a nap with you while Connie complains about being babied? Her constant moaning and groaning will lull you back to sleep."

"It'll do a lot more than that."

Adam checked his watch and sighed. "I'll be back, I'm gonna make tea."

"For your boyfriend~," Connie teased with a series of kissy faces. "Are you guys gonna make out in there too? We can just have you here in spirit, Daddy."

Her mocking tone made Hazel belly laugh. He cherished the moments when Adam put Connie specifically in her place after spending so long at Nova borderline terrified of her. Connie's bravery translated to almost reckless with Adam. She liked testing his limits sometimes just to see where it would take her. Right now, it was taking her to a place she hadn't really expected.

Hazel flipped her around and cuddled her tighter by conveniently hugging over her arms so she couldn't move them, Steven reached out to press his hand over her mouth firmly, and Adam grabbed her ponytail and knelt down in front of her with a friendly little grin. But she wouldn't mistake the friendliness of his grin from the look in his eyes. Punishment happy is what they called that wicked gleam. And it called to her. "There are worse things than being overstimulated, Connie. That's my sleeping baby over there in Stevens arms, and I'm positively certain he wouldn't mind missing out on a few hours of the day with you if it means you come back docile and aiming to please for once."

She made a face of irritation and rolled her eyes as hard as she could.

"Drop the attitude or I'm going to give you a real reason to be a whiny little brat."

She shook her head and Steven laughed, gripping her chin in place. "Either she just licked my hand or she was trying to stick her tongue out at you." Connie made a betrayed, indignant sound but it only served to egg him on. "Ni thinks she's in charge in this house. I already reminded her yesterday but you know brats and their short term memories."

Adam released her hair and pulled off his beanie. "Yeah, okay. I understand now, you just need a reminder that you aren't in charge. Got it." His eyes lifted from hers to watch Jacob and Jasmin pull into the driveway. "Punishment increased. Good job."

Connie was let go from the hold as he walked off cheerfully, a skip to his step. "You'll protect me, right Steven?"

He hummed and leaned over to give her a long kiss. When he pulled away and stroked her cheek with his thumb, she smiled until he whispered, "No, ma'am. You'll reap what you sow and take it so I can be proud to call you mine."

*

Apparently, Adam wasn't going to fake bully her in the way she'd become accustomed to. He smacked her sore ass hard to spur her into the living room and locked the door to his house behind him.

Steven glanced up and super speeded to pick her up and coo at her. "You're so cute! Look at her!" He proudly showed her off to the rest of them in midair as she squirmed and cursed.

"Awwwww," Jacob patted over his heart. "What a pretty girl!"

Connie crossed her arms and glared at the girls laughing at her until they were red in the face. The outfit was nothing short of humiliating as promised, and her hair up in pigtails and swinging as she shook her head in distain were not helping her case of being adorable. "You people are the worst."

Steven squealed and nuzzled into her with all of the adoration in the entire universe. "My sweet babygirl." It took his very best effort to ignore Adam and Hazel shaking their heads at him. He tried to muffle his laughter in her neck as she growled at him. "Shhh, do you need a nap too? Are you fussy, sweetheart?"

Adam coughed into his hand at the same time Alex did. "Coward!"

Alex laughed and fist bumped Adam. "It's so obvious it's almost sad."

"Steven, I have fought tyrannical rulers on another planet with my very own custom sword and Adam put me in a onesie!" She whined emphatically. All of this stupid coddling was getting on her last nerve. Connie dug out the damsel in distress act from deep inside her and pointed poutily at Adam, who grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "Steven, he's being mean to me! Attack!"

Steven ignored her and set her on top of the fridge. The mistake of turning his head to thank Adam gave Connie just enough time to readjust herself.

"Steven no do–,"

She used the leverage to push herself off, wrap her legs around his neck and take him off balance. He tripped backwards onto his ass, nearly blue in the face at her tight grip. "I may look like a baby, but you guys are the next people about to meet the wrong end of my sword."

She chortled at her own joke and released Steven, who took a huge gasp of air. Unfortunately, nothing would deter him from picking her up again and using her as a teddy bear. "I was going to die happy anyways. You're gonna be so good today because you don't wanna see what happens in stage two. And I will 100% snitch on you."

Adam quirked a brow. "How do you know stage two?"

He shrugged. "Common sense."

"Steven."

"I am not having this conversation!"