Jacob held Steven while he cried. "Steven, she'll be back, I promise."

"I miss her so much," He whimpered, pushing into his chest more. "I hate when she goes to Homeworld by herself."

"I hate when either of you go to Homeworld in general." Jacob sighed and squished his cheeks. They were soft and these feelings were heavy, he missed Connie a painful amount too. The bright eyed and smart woman was the closest thing to a second twin flame he had, Adam being his first. She was intelligent like he was, they bonded on a deep level.

But it broke his heart for Steven to cry this hard. She'd left yesterday and wouldn't be back until tomorrow of today. Normally Steven was just fine but some days he really needed his wife, she was above all his ultimate comfort.

Hazel walked in and poked out a lip. "Oh, Puppy... She'll be home soon. It's just until tomorrow."

He sniffled and reached out his arm to motion Hazel to join the hug. "I know. It just hurts sometimes more than others."

He was unnervingly quiet the rest of the day and ended up passing out on the couch at five. The man really was a golden retriever; he waited by the door just because he couldn't wait for his love to be home. She protected him, she kept him alive and mentally well and he hated when she had to go alone anywhere far where he couldn't do the same.

Hazel and Jacob had been snuggling downstairs on an impromptu movie date when they decided they were hungry. Both boys had massive appetites, all of the boys ate like they'd never had a meal before for every meal.

They found Steven crying in his sleep and decided they couldn't take it anymore. Hazel pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, P-dot. Sorry if it's late, but we were wondering if we could pay you to make us something. Jacob came up with it."

Jacob blushed and tried to turn away but Hazel pulled the excitedly rambling gem on his phone away from his ear to kiss him. "I love you."

Jacob heaved a shuddering sigh against his lips and pressed them together again. "I love you, too."

When Steven woke up sore and grumpy, Hazel had to encourage him to come with them to Little Homeworld. "Come on, baby. It'll be fun!"

Steven crossed his arms and huffed. "No, it won't."

Jacob grinned. Grumpy Steven was so rare and he was so bad at being grumpy as opposed to angry (which he was very good at). Steven was too cute. His pouting was adorable, the gruff voice was adorable, Steven existed adorably and there was very little he could do to change that. "Come on, Steven. Don't you wanna go on a W-A-L-K?"

There was a tiny bit of interest in that, his brow raised because he loved to be outside. They could almost hear him asking, "Do I wanna go outside?"

Hazel caught on and gasped excitedly. "Come on, boy! You're so much fun to go on walks with and you almost never take me for a run!"

Steven blushed and tried to smother a laugh in the couch. Sometimes when he was holding hands with someone and he saw something that excited him, he'd take off and they'd get dragged along because his legs were so ridiculously long. "St-stop it, I don't wanna."

"Okay," Jacob said with a loudly false acceptance. "I guess me and Hazel will go on a walk without you!" They started slowly heading for the door hand in hand while Hazel fake cried. "All the other puppies that are out today are gonna be so sad when they see us and not you but oh well! Oh the trees are so green! The sun is up there in the sky with sunglasses and everything!" He racked his brain for a second and then beamed at Hazel.

He loved that they were on the same wavelength as they started to coax him with his other true love, music. "Bright sunny day,
Don't cost nothin
Light summer breeze,
Don't cost nothing—,"

They paused and Steven rolled his eyes rather dramatically, heaving a sigh and slumping off of the couch onto the floor. "How do I spend all this free time?
I'd rather just spend time with you."

They cheered. There was nothing better than when Steven would sing to them, his voice was porcelain doll beautiful and mountain shaking mighty. This pouty, mumbled against the floor version was still impressive.

He got up and stuck out his hands with a snotty huff. "I'm selfish. I wanna hold both of your hands cause I'm jealous."

Jacob chuckled and took one. "Come on, it'll be quick."

Peridot greeted them flying on a trashcan lid. "I was wondering when you guys were coming. Hopefully I wasn't going to interrupt anything."

Hazel snorted. "Steven's a little bit of a grumpy Gus today and—,"

"It's Steven," Peridot corrected emphatically. "Ste-ven..."

Jacob choked on another bigger laugh. "He's being a Grumpy Steven. Did you have time to make the thingies?"

Peridot hopped off the lid and ushered them inside of her office. "Of course. The watches are complete." She turned to the sulking Steven. "Okay, Grumpy Steven, Jacob gave me an excellent idea I want you guys to try before I release it. It's an amazing concept for gems and humans alike and with my expertise and Jacob's..." She glanced over at him bashfully and changed the subject. He suspected Alex talked about him enough that there were things Peridot knew that maybe Peridot didn't need to know. "Here."

She reached under her desk and presented a regular looking watch with a small screen. Steven frowned and grabbed one. "What's this? A whine counter? A shock strap for every time I'm pathetic?" He chuckled bitterly. "Write that down, P."

"Don't do that, he's just being a brat." Hazel grabbed one of the eight and Jacob grabbed another to strap on. "Peridot already programmed these ones for us. So if I do this..." He cycled through the colors on the screen by hitting the side button until he found green. He tapped it and Jacob's wrist vibrated to show yellow hearts. "See? Now you can send Connie your love and she can send it back even if she can't have her phone out and it's discreet. They are really hard to break and—," He cut himself off as Steven's eyes welled with tears.

He leaned against Hazel and they fused instantaneously. Heaven was shocked for a moment, but then his eyes went glassy and his face erupted with a smile.

They were two again and Steven repeated the process with Jaden. He hiccuped a small sob and put a hand over his heart, grinning all the while.

Peridot watched curiously, concerned for Steven's crying but very used to it. "What... just happened? Why did you fuse?"

Hazel sniffled and wiped at his eyes. "He just did it to show us how much he loves us."

"He's wordless," Jacob murmured through a gasping cry. "He's probably the best person on the planet."

Peridot snorted. "Actually that's very false. The best person on the planet is me, and then Steven." She handed him a tissue and he grabbed it gratefully.

Later that evening, Steven had to convince himself he wasn't being the world's worst husband by bringing her the device. Since he'd left, every polycule member had sent their love save for Hazel, Adam and Jacob. It was only because they'd come with him, he'd wanted their company. It sent rushes of joy through him, but nothing could penetrate the cloud of darkness. He missed Connie so much, he didn't know why but he did. Maybe he was stressed. Maybe he was gearing up for another panic attack.

He poked his head into the throne room, eyeing his own with distain. Since he'd achieved Diamond height by shapeshifting he'd found he was not in fact the smallest Diamond. White was still taller than him, but he could tank any number of direct hits from her. If her strongest power couldn't defeat him, if she couldn't possess him, she would always lose to Stevens shield alone, let alone his wrath. Rock always beat scissors even though both could be used to rock someone's shit. And now he was so traumatized that his defenses were as fast and potent as the way he'd flinch sometimes.

Jacob gasped under his breath. "This brings the Kings throne to shame."

"This is the most color I've ever been able to tolerate," Adam whispered in awe. "This is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me."

Hazel glanced at Steven and caught his disgusted look. "We love you."

The other two boys smiled at Steven in confirmation in their own ways and it gave him the courage to attempt to lead them past the creepily sentient golden walls, but first he had to make sure they were Homeworld proof. "You guys need to act like my security just until we get to that door way ahead of us. Can you do that?"

Three yes's turned to Stevens relief when they assumed formation without him having to direct. It looked tacky if he didn't and he wasn't as "invincible" here as he was on Earth. This was once again a monarchal/matriarchal system and he was expected to act a certain way. It wasn't suffocating as Earth Royalty as in he could disappear and work from home for most things but it was still important to keep up appearances.

Hazel, the tallest and heavy hitter  was at the back. The quickest and most trained toward security, Adam, was on his left protecting his important organs that lie on that side like his heart, and the intuitive, energy sensing empath was on his right, Jacob.

Just to be testy he stopped and almost turned pink in surprise. They stopped exactly when he did. He'd never really experienced having his own guards or thought about what gems his boyfriends would be but it was suddenly clear then: Adam would be a sapphire, Hazel would be an amethyst and Jacob would be a lot like Garnet.

It startled him, he'd always expected Jacob to be an amethyst but no, he mustn't forget the guys supercomputer brain. Every math problem and most random trivia Jacob just knew, he didn't need to take long to sift either. It was just under the surface, but he was an internal flame if he'd ever seen one. He was incredibly passionate, too, and that's just when he realized why Adam and Jacob were twin flames; they'd actually more likely both be Garnets but Adam's Sapphire was far more pronounced as opposed to Jacob's Ruby being front and center. Adam was icy and cool to the touch even. His temper was seldom but fierce, sometimes he got lost in the future or problem solving, he was often quiet like a Sapphire and only really spoke to keep the balance.

But his Hazel, he'd be an Amethyst. He didn't know how to feel about that, but he couldn't help the blush that came over his cheeks when they met eyes briefly through the golden walls. Hazel would be a smoking hot amethyst soldier. The very thought made him nauseous and horny and stressed out even more than he already was.

Sighing, he found his way to his quarters where now a smaller handprint sit next to his own pedestal. He pressed his hand on it and it opened to see Connie sitting on the bed crying like a Queen: silently and beautifully.

Her head swiveled and her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?!" She whisper yelled as she dabbed tears away. "White will throw a ball and they aren't ready for space and Adam has poor circulation! This was a stupid, stupid idea, Steven! And—,"

Steven pulled her into his chest and squeezed, holding a hand to her head so he could kiss the top of it. She immediately started crying again and for a moment only they existed. It seemed that was all Steven really needed: a hug. They hadn't gotten to before she had to leave, he'd forgotten he was so disappointed over it. He pulled away and Connie spread her arms to the rest. "All my men came to see me. I miss you guys so much."

Jacob hesitated. "Are you aware you're in royal attire cause as a Brit I can't in good conscience ruin this." She smiled and nodded bashfully. "My god, Connie you're so beautiful." He almost sounded mildly annoyed but she pouted so he joined the hug.

Adam kissed at her neck gently. "How's work?"

"Kill me," She replied dryly. "As quick and painless as possible."

Hazel chuckled and met with her for a kiss. "But I thought you loved politics!"

She scowled. "Not when I'm involved apparently..." Her eyes skimmed over them all and she sighed. "Someone unzip me, I'm not due for a few hours and I can show up whenever I want."

They made Jacob do it and he almost looked a little green as he delicately slid the zipper down. "My ancestors would be spinning in their graves but Newtons stupid laws won't let them." He planted a chaste kiss as the dress slipped into his hands. He ran his thumbs over it and snorted. "Still not as soft as your skin. Come, come, love."

They collapsed on the bed and Steven groaned his content. "I keep forgetting to take this home. It's Steven sized and so comfy."

Hazel grunted and scooted closer to Steven. "Smells like you. Like roses."

Adam smiled, already half asleep and content with Connie's boobs in his face. "Rose water," He corrected with a sigh. "It's always a little diluted and sweet."

They passed out for around two hours before Connie cared enough to ask, "What did you guys bring in the box?"

Steven grunted and pulled a velvet one out of his pocket. Honestly, she thought he was proposing again already years into their marriage. It was such a Steven thing to do, but she was met with a regular looking watch. "A watch?"

Steven lifted his arm and cycled through until it was blue without even opening his eyes and drew a heart. Connie's watch vibrated shortly after with the glow of pink and a heart being drawn.

She smiled through tears as the other boys reciprocated and explained they were integrating it to tell each other when they missed each other but were apart.

She fought the urge to tell them they were looking for a device called a phone, and let them teach her how to send it back.