I saw him at my graduation. It was just a brief flash when I grabbed my diploma but when I did a double take he'd disappeared.

I know he was there though. Every time my eyes shut for the next hour I could see the trail he'd left behind, the pink trail of speed unattainable by a human.

Steven isn't fully human, he's half alien. It sounds concerning but truly he's pretty nice. The definition has changed dramatically though, he's not quite the bright eyed chubby kid I once knew him as, or even the emotionally distressed teen. He's changed.

"Come on, we can do this," I mutter to myself as I drive my rickety car into the next lane. I'm about to miss the Beach City exit, and if I do I'll have to wait until I hit Ocean Town to turn around. It's still on fire, and I can't afford to look anything but perfect because today I am officially reuniting with my long distance boyfriend.

Don't get me wrong, we've seen each other often, it's not like it's been three years since the last time we've touched. But... every time we did see each other after the first year passed, he was more and more different.

It started off with him dropping the pink jacket, he ran warmer as he started to have more magic to access from his gem, so it made sense for the most part. I liked seeing his arms more anyways, he was starting to finally lose some baby fat everywhere but his cheeks.

Then he started growing his hair out. My jaw dropped into Hell when I found him on my dorm bed texting away with hair half way down his neck. Part of it was up in a bun while the rest hung naturally. As for how he infiltrated an all girls dorm with multiple levels of security? Well, he broke in of course. As androgynous as he was, most couldn't tell the difference by a glance.

After that was the ear piercings, two black star studs and a chain that connected to an industrial on one side. It took everything in me not to stare or touch, but my Steven is perceptive and sharp with intention, and he pulled me onto his lap and turned his head so I could do both. That's when I saw the tattoo starting just under the top of his shirt on his back. It's a bunch of stars and planets, with Homeworld at the center. I have to believe it's 100% accurate by the intentional placements of each addition... I think he did it to hide his scar from turning into a monster.

That's when the changes started happening faster and faster.

Suddenly when I was in his Dondai I was hearing all different kinds of music, especially metal. He'd quickly try to change it but like any good music lover I insisted he let it play. It's not like the music was bad, I actually really liked most of it.

Then he wasn't smiling as big as he used to. I panicked; I thought he was unhappy with me and was growing weary of coming to see me. It ate away at me so badly I had to come clean (though how it happened was rather messy) and ask him if he still felt the same. He stared for a second with no expression, ice filled my veins until he laughed. He was sitting at the dinner table and I was standing, so he stood and hunted me back against a wall to trail his fingers over my lips and tell me he was simply growing up.

The word 'jaded' comes to mind in retrospect, and then another change had me wondering if I was even dating the same boy who'd once hopped onstage in a crop top and skirt. He wore... a lot of black. Not really super edgy, but it came to the point that when he happened to have color in his wardrobe I'd giggle to myself. He looked good in black, especially after his last growth spurt, finally settling him at 6'7 1/4. I kind of expected to be taller than him forever when he hit puberty and stopped at 5'6, but no, one day I opened the door to run out and greet him and when he got out of his car to smirk at me I nearly tripped head over heels.

So much has changed, and I feel more or less the same.

I'm still 5'8, and after finishing my poly-sci degree, I have to admit I didn't think ahead enough to remember most good jobs require years of experience and pay in peanuts you already can't afford to save because of student loans, housing, groceries, insurance and gas. So I'm moving back in with my parents for the time being until I can get an apartment.

I kept cutting my hair but then I stopped and now it's down to my hips. It's a hassle but I took such good care of it I can't bear to cut off more than the split ends. I slimmed out from eating salads in place of ramen every day, and then jogging every morning before class. I never realized how uncultured (at least by human teen standards) Beach City was. I've got a much broader vocabulary now, and I was pleased to find that interacting with more humans had done the same for Steven.

It's odd to me to miss a man I'm pretty certain I don't know very well anymore, but I do. I miss my Steven.

I zone back into the real world to a jarring jolt just as I hit something hard and immovable. "Shit!" My engine is smoking and I can't see ahead so after checking to make sure I didn't break anything, I bolt out of my car to see the cause.

The cause is currently smoking a modded vape of Blue's clouds with a playful twinkle in his eye. His head is tucked into a beanie today, and his jeans and tank top are unremarkable as usual, and black. I don't know why he would bother to wear such cool combat boots with star charms on them on the beach, but it puts him another inch up so I suppose it's acceptable.

He is unharmed, but I'm horrified. "Oh my stars, Steven I'm so fucking sorry!"

Steven chuckles and blows a stream of smoke into the sky. It's starkly blue, unlike any other smoking device on the planet. "You should be more worried about your car. Didn't even leave a scratch on me."

His arms do wrap around me firmly, he holds me against him like it's where I'm supposed to be. I can tell he missed me and it gives me butterflies. "Why didn't you move out of the way?"

"Curiosity."

I scoff. "Haven't you heard the phrase, 'Curiosity killed the cat'?" I scold him. Gosh, he really is warm to the touch, I have to pull away before I start to get sweaty and gross. Thank the stars I stopped at a hotel nearby last night so I could shower.

"And satisfaction brought him back." He pulls me easily and walks backwards to sit on the broken and probably boiling hot front of my car so he can look into my eyes from a closer distance. With my comparatively tiny hands against his lips he murmurs, "Welcome home, Connie."

See, my Steven would have been bursting at the seams with excitement and blushing like a rose. He'd already have plans, probably a bouquet in each hand and a bottle of wine in a bubble.

The man in front of me pulls me into a kiss better than any one I've ever had from him, and this is a consistent pattern. Steven does not need to bring me roses, or wine, or throw a party complete with a parade. This Steven is a little more aware, both self aware and generally, and he is selfish with his time. All of that partying and whatnot could not surpass in pleasantries what one kiss could.

But better than that, this is not the first time he's said such to me. He's not talking about this town, though it could be considered my home. He's not talking about my parent's house that I'm haphazardly parked in front of either.

He's talking about himself, and despite my growing suspicion that I have to let this creature reintroduce himself to me, I feel as if what he said is true. I have to melt into his arms to hide my alarmed giggle and blush. I hate that I can sword fight giant alien dictators but when the Universe Charm comes out I'm a giggling blushing fool. It used to be the other way around, but with Steven being so much quieter and emanating a steady grace and power, he's turned my world upside down. My Golden Retriever boyfriend is starting to look more like a German Shepherd boyfriend.

But try as he might to be moody and quiet, I can still always make him laugh. I squish the still thick with baby fat cheeks of his, pleased with the little beard scruff he's got going on. It's giving 'I don't care I don't care I don't care but I kinda do' and it's genuinely the most Steven thing I've ever seen. He laughs when I squish them. "You're being flirtatious."

And like magic, that one eyebrow that raises when he teases me lifts. "Is Steven not allowed to flirt with his girlfriend?" Just to fluster me more his eyes turn pink and a smirk now accompanies everything. "Stars and Diamonds, you're so fucking red. It's adorable."

I pull him up and laugh because he's lighter than he usually is. He's extremely happy even if he's being a little elusive with his motives. "Connie still thinks it's weird for Steven to refer to himself in the third person."

"Steven thinks that's too bad. Connie can't change everything about Steven she finds weird, it's part of who Steven is."

As soon as he comes in behind me I shut the door behind him and pin him against it. His hands go to my waist on instinct and he squeezes, signaling his delight. "That was so hot," I tease, rising onto my tippy toes. His head tilts down and the way his lips brush against mine, how his shaky breath hits my ears, is addictive. "I love how you stand up for yourself now."

My lips press against his for a four second count. His tongue flickers out to taste me but he doesn't do anything else until I pull away. "Well, I'd better unpack."

His hand goes to the back of my neck to squeeze, a brief look of faux annoyance crossing his face. "Where do you think you're going?"

Steven's lips lock with mine aggressively, but with skill. He's insistent and I let him insist. I've learned he likes to have moments of control. It's not toxic, and if anything it makes our intimate time together intense and passionate.

When he pulls away it's only to press his forehead to mine. "Sorry. I missed you these last couple of months."

I could just light up and explode with joy. I always worry so much before I get into his arms, and then he does stuff like this. "I missed you too."

My eyes drop and he sighs wistfully. "No."

"But why?" I whine. "No one is home! And my parents will get over it!"

His hands go to either side of my face to tip up my head. "Ni, baby, no. I don't think I could look your mom in the eye when they get here..." He smiles at me and leans back into my gaze when I break the eye contact. "Hey, we have all the time in the world. No rush."

I sigh and accept that I won't be a blissed out mess for the rest of the day. "Sentences I never thought I'd hear you say for 500, Pat."

Steven chuckles softly and presses his lips to my neck. He takes a big sniff that tickles me but he holds my squirming body in place and rumbles his appreciation. "You smell like vanilla and sandalwood."

"Does the perfume you picked out make you want to take me to bed?" I turn my own head to kiss under his ear. His hiss gives me a boost and I drag my tongue over just an inch of his skin. "I mean, I'm actually perfectly content with this."

Steven hums and nods firmly. "It does. A lot. But I'm not outwardly a pervert."

He moves away and we walk back to the car to start unpacking after he picks it up and moves it. It fascinates me that Steven can just do that and stack suitcases one after the other on his shoulder while I'm struggling to carry the tote with all of the canned goods. It's at least 100 pounds and I'm not kidding; I've got every canned vegetable in the world either pickled or as pure as I could buy them and not go broke. "Does that mean you're inwardly a pervert?"

His shit eating grin says it all. "Connie," He singsongs to me in a quiet note. "You're going to get yourself in trouble."

College did not make me a party animal, nor an alcoholic or drug addict. I didn't sleep around, I didn't fail classes or have to take summer classes unless I wanted to and I did. College was not necessarily what changed me.

Steven stops and his gem glows to life with a brightness I'm still getting used to. Lion charges out of a portal and Steven grunts his hello. "Giant Pink Asshole, please make me a portal. Thank you."

"You shouldn't talk to him like that!" I exclaim as he does that and pads over to nuzzle into my breasts. I set my stuff down and lavish him with scratches and kisses. "No, Daddy is being mean to you. He is! You're not an asshole, you're a baby!"

I glance over to catch Steven glaring jealously at Lion nestled between my breasts. "So not fair."

College didn't change me; I changed me. I got tired of hard work and little pay. I got tired of being a true good character, I got tired of dressing like Laura Ingalls Wilder (I went through an ultra modest phase near the beginning of my college journey), and I got tired of being a gold star child.

I was nervous at first with my body, but my new style is between full time sword fighter or cutesy and meticulously put together outfits. I guess now that I think about it I don't even really have a style, I have every kind of clothing from a school uniform (not sexy) to overalls and striped tees (cute) to red light district harlot (sexy). I experimented and now I do whatever. I'm not sure how my parents will react but at this point I'm jaded enough that I don't really care.

We walk through the portal into my room, and of course, Steven surprises me.

There's roses everywhere; deep, rich and velvety pinks and reds. I'm obsessed with the decor, and he grins at me. "I asked your parents for a few extra hours alone." When I turn a horrified red, he shrugs and that eyebrow raises again. "My time is important, and when I'm with you I am going to make every second count."

Our clothes come off in sync.