Me: [They asked me to go shopping with them! Do I go?!]

I was already flying down the highway at a speed that would kill me on impact if we crashed though, so I guess it was happening anyways.

Peridot: [Well, duh! You have to try to fit in and gain their trust! Plus... Alex and I have a proposition for you.]

Alex: [Ugh don't drag me into this! I'm helping decide the musical for this year!]

Peridot: [ >:( ]

Alex: [Fine. Steven Universe is pansexual, but a lot of people don't know he's also demisexual. Meaning, he won't fall in love with you. But you're cute, and you just might be naive enough to get past his defenses.]

I glanced up at him, smiling softly as he started to slow down. He seemed like a very unstable, dangerous person to have be in love with me. Sure on paper he seemed rather average and even friendly, but he out of an energy much bigger and more dangerous than he presented.

Peridot: [If you can get him to fall in love with you, school might actually be a non-stressful place for us to be for once. All we have to do is get him to fall in love and then we'll have access to all of his weakness in the palm of our hands. If he softens up, think about what that means for you too.]

I'd be popular. I'd fit in and not only that, I could even be considered hot too. And... and Steven would be in love with me. Me! The homeschooler who apparently looks like a toddler. But was that something I wanted? I barely knew him, and I already sort of liked Artez.

What cost would this all amount to?

Me: [I'll think about it.]

Peridot: [See? I told you she was cool.]

Alex: [I guess I owe you a milkshake then. I'll bring one to the mall for you.]

I shut off my phone and grinned. They thought I was cool!

Steven adjusted the mirror and looked at me through it. "What a sweet smile. You talking to your boyfriend back there?"

I blushed and shook my head frantically. "N-no. I've never even had a boyfriend."

Stupid, stupid, stupid...

Pearl and Spinel gasped in disbelief.

He raised an eyebrow and his eyes sparkled with mischievous intent. "Hm." He fixed the mirror and we pulled into a parking lot to the largest mall I've ever seen, which in all fairness wasn't a very high bar.

We walked in and I gasped to myself. It was even bigger on the inside, with what looked like at least a hundred stores stretching so far out I had to squint to see the end.

They lead me past the food court where I saw Peridot and Alex, who both mimed making out. I wrinkled my nose and choked back a giggle, looking away before I blew my cover.

Just ahead I saw a gorgeous fountain and a woman standing on the highest point. People were throwing coins and making wishes as the water danced in magnificent patterns impossible to be made by a mere fountain.

Her hair was so black it was almost navy, with skin rivaling Pearls paleness. She wasn't curvy, but she somehow pulled it off with her lithe body. When she turned I could see a gem between her shoulder blades, royal blue and smooth.

"That's Lapis, she's a water performer around here," Pearl informed me. "She used to go to school with us before she dropped out."

The wishing well reminded me of when I was a little kid, tugging on my dad's arm and begging my mom for a quarter so I could make my wish. I always wished for more friends, and I guess it sort of came true. But not in the way I'd hoped.

Typical.

The woman took a step off of the fountain and I gasped as she began to fall. Instinct rushed in and I moved forward to catch her, but Steven placed a hand against my stomach. "Wait."

Warm. His hands were so warm I could feel them through my top.

Just as she was about to hit the floor, liquid wings burst from her back and she landed gently. A closer look told me they were made of water.

"Steven Universe, as I live and breathe," She said dryly, coming toward us.

"Lapis Lazuli." He reached for her wings and pushed a hand through, coating it with water. He flicked some at me and I squeaked. "Say hi to our newest Crystal Gem."

She rolled her eyes. "That poor girl looks 12, Steven. Please don't tell me you found her on a playground or I'd have to kill you."

"I'd have to kill me too. Nah, she just started going to EU." His hand rested on my shoulder and pulled me in front of him so Lapis could look me over. I could feel his gem firmly pressed against my back. It was where his bellybutton should be. Logically, if he was half gem I could assume his mother was full gem. And if there was no umbilical cord, that's where a gem would go. But it did not ease my anxiety one bit. He dipped down to rest his chin on my shoulder and I tensed. He was cuddling me in public and we'd just met. "Isn't she pretty?"

Lapis laughed. "Steven look at her face! She's so red she looks like she's going to faint!"

They all laughed at me and I dipped my head in humiliation. Steven tsked and tilted my chin up.

"She's as red as a strawberry," Pearl chuckled.

"Berry. I like that." His hand dropped away as he picked up a conversation with Lapis about how she was doing.

From what I knew on TV, nicknames were not a good thing. Having Berry as a nickname sounded even more embarrassing when paired with his teasing voice. I wanted to disappear, but the first law of thermodynamics made it so I could not.

He smiled down at me and I realized I was gazing up at him as he talked. An arm rested on my shoulder as he winded down the conversation with the aloof gem.

"We're going to go pick out this Berry some new outfits." He looked down at me again and my idiot self realized I was still looking at him. My face burned hard as I turned my head to the floor, trying to count the tiles.

"Well, you guys shouldn't need to try too hard. She's a little hottie, you've just gotta bring it out." Lapis' wings reappeared. "Alright, I'm leaving so I don't have to keep looking at you."

Steven laughed. "I know, I'm just so incredibly attractive it hurts to look at me for too long. Get lost, Lapis." He smacked her ass as she turned around and once again I was being led by the shoulders into a store behind us.

It was filled with aisles and aisles of expensive clothing there was no way I could even buy one of without starving for the next few weeks. But I kept my mouth shut as Pearl and Spinel spread out around the store to find me something to wear.

"I like being able to admire you without taking things off," Steven explained as he pulled out a top. "But you have a certain sweetness to you I want to keep without going too heavy on the sexy side."

I almost burst into tears with confusion and anxiety. "Okay," I whispered.

"The thing is: once you're a Crystal Gem, it's sticks to you forever. Everything you learn, every addition to your personality stays with you forever. And I can tell you don't know who you are yet. I'm going to bring her out by her hand and introduce you to her." He pulled out a top and the price was so high I burst out laughing.

"There's no way I can afford–,"

He lifted me in the next second so I was at his eye level. "You are so tiny. Don't ever laugh at me."

My eyes widened slightly. "Yes, Steven. Okay."

He smirked. "So obedient, too." He set me down and handed me the top. "Go to the dressing rooms and wait. I'll be right back."

He walked off and I clutched it to my chest, trying to remember how to breathe normally. I think he may have almost attempted to kill mr, but I couldn't think. After a moment I wandered around until I found the dressing rooms.

What was I doing? I didn't belong there, not with them, not in this store. Normally I'd be doing homework and studying...

I looked up to see both Spinel and Pearl with knowing grins.

"Ya look like you've seen a ghost, doll," Spinel giggled at me.

Pearl ushered me into a room. "It looks like he went off to take care of something." She winked at Spinel and Spinel giggled.

"Alright honey, take off your clothes down to your bra and underwear." Spinel pointed to each article of clothing they wanted off and I internally cringed. "Our next stop is one to replace those too, at least until you get your official ones."

"My official–?"

"Chop, chop. We don't have all day, and Steven is an impatient man." Pearl sat down the clothes and turned me around to face the wall. Her hands were cool to the touch and I shivered as she pulled my top off and they grazed the sides of my body.

Spinel took the liberty of wiggling under me and unzipping my jeggings to tug them down over my hips. "Wow she's got incredible hips too," She told Pearl. "Why do you hide these? They're gorgeous."

I braced myself against the wall with my hands and lifted each foot so they would come off completely. I never really looked at my body, it hadn't really crossed my mind to do so.

Then again, I'd never had to worry about looking popular before.

Pearl wrinkled her nose at my plain beige bra. "You're lucky Steven doesn't see that, he'd rip it right off of you."

I couldn't speak I was so shocked, so I didn't try.

"These panties are a little better, but you need something that shows off this behind a bit more." Spinel grabbed my butt and I squeaked. No one had ever touched me there before, much less another girl. "Don't worry, Connie. You'll become acquainted with our touch soon enough."

Her words sent electricity I wasn't familiar with down my spine and I nodded blankly. "Okay."

"First things first." Pearl tugged a top and a skirt off of the pile. "We're going to dress you to his liking. Stevens very strict about what we wear being something that makes us feel pretty, and worthy of second glances."

I had been about to ask about him being controlling, but now I was confused. Sure, he was definitely telling them what to do... but not so much so it benefited himself. He was requiring their self esteem and egos to be at acceptable levels.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked nervously. "He told me he doesn't like too much skin."

Spinel laughed. "Your innocence is adorable honey. Yeah he's not big on showing his things off too much."

"Arms up."

His things? Was I considered one of his things? Oddly enough, I felt a little proud. I was fitting in.

Pearl slid a white turtleneck over my head that cut off just before my bellybutton while Spinel slid a skirt up. Their hands both made me tense and relax at the same time. They paired it with a matching pink sweater that fell off my shoulders. Looking in the mirror made me feel...

"I feel pretty."

They smiled.

"That's good. I wanna see how pretty you look." Stevens voice appeared out of nowhere to buzz against my exposed skin and I turned to see his arm resting on the frame of the dressing room door. "Show me."

Spinel sent me out with another squeeze of my butt and I stood in front of him, shyly tucking my chin to my chest and trying to gather my courage.

He blew out a breath that puffed out his cheeks. "You two are miracle workers," He sounded strained and I looked up to see him coming closer.

In a moment of rare silliness, I spun around so he could see the whole outfit. "Do you like it?"

His lips curled in over a sweet smile and he nodded silently. He took his time circling me, taking in every bit of it with careful eyes. "You're going to get yourself in trouble looking like this, Berry."

I turned my head to look back at him and found he was already looking at my face. "You think so?"

He pulled me in by my hips, turning me to face the mirror. He towered above me for a moment, looking at us both in the mirror with a pleased little grin. I was made acutely aware of something against my back that was most certainly not his gem. He chuckled at my face and dipped down. "I know so."

"Oh." I tried to fight off my shaking but he felt it and pulled away. I made a tiny sigh of relief... or maybe disappointment.

"Bring her back in ladies," He told them. "I want to see all of it."

The next hour and a half was a complete blur.

There were immediate no's and ones that he nodded with approval toward. It didn't matter if I wanted it or not, Steven's word was final and after the third outfit I decided to just shut up. I'd fit in better if I did and he had a better eye for style than I do anyways.

There was no way in hell I could afford this without going bankrupt, but I was having too much fun to say anything. Still the anxiety ate away at how disappointed he would look when my card declined.

The last outfit was simple enough: a jean skirt barely reaching an inch past my thighs, a tanktop with a strawberry on it, and another pink sweater buttoned up once in the middle.

They fussed over me, adjusting and ordering me to lift my arms or turn to the side.

Pearl stood back and summoned a necklace for me to wear with locket in the shape of a strawberry. When had she gotten that? Was it for me? And how?

"Hm. This outfit might call for a high pony, dontcha think?" Spinel took hers down and gathered my hair expertly up into one. "Oh, this is perfect."

I was left with more questions than answers when I stepped out and they came out behind me.

He'd been on his phone, scowling at something when his eyes glanced up to take me in. He came for me so fast I backed up, hitting my back on the mirror.

He caged me in, apparently not caring that there were other people in the store aware of the interaction and looking ready to help.

Those brown eyes turned pink again and I held my breath, somehow reasoning that if I didn't breathe he wouldn't hurt me. A hand rested on my waist and he scowled at me now. He hated the outfit.

"We've gotta get rid of those glasses."

My glasses? I'd forgotten I was wearing them with him so close but I swallowed. "H-how?"

"Well, humans have plenty of ways to get rid of glasses. There's lasik, we could get you contacts though those can be complicated–,"

"Or," He mumbled and Pearl stopped short.

"Hm..." She tapped her chin and eyed me. "I suppose that could work."

He cupped my cheek and ran his thumb over it. I knew what he was going to do before it even happened.

Or rather, didn't happen.

His lips missed mine and instead pressed to my neck. My entire body lit on fire and I gasped at the new sensation. That felt really nice. It felt even nicer when I felt his tongue darting out to trail over my skin. I froze and he pulled away slowly, watching my face carefully.

"Looks like it didn't–," Spinel started but then I winced.

"Ow." I blinked rapidly as they all became incredibly blurry. I pulled off my glasses and started wiping them on the smooth fabric of the skirt. "I think something's wrong with my..." I looked up at them and I could see them. I could actually see them! I dropped my glasses and pressed my hands against the mirror as I flew into a minor panic attack. I'd never been able to see without my glasses, I had terrible eyes. But I could see the details of his face, how there was one curl that dangled over his ear, how his eyelashes were thick and long, and his lips were so femininely shaped. He moved away and I lifted my hand to flex in front of my face in horrified curiousity.

I could see every detail, every wrinkle and curve and... "Oh my stars..." I looked for the burn mark I got from baking cookies 7 years ago but it was completely gone. "What's going on?"

Pearl placed a hand on my shoulder. "Steven has healing powers. He healed your eye sight, and any cuts or scrapes you might have."

"So if you find yourself with another nasty injury, just let em know. He drops everything to take care of his girls." Spinel put in and rubbed his back. "Easy there, Pink. We gotta be careful with this one."

He erected to his full height, eyes still shining pink as his heated gaze trapping me where I was. "I know." His expression softened. "I'm sorry."

I couldn't get a read on this guy. One minute he was pressing his... thing against my back, the next he was healing me and saying he was sorry so genuinely I believed it. I felt like I was being tossed around, pulled left and right by them all. I took a shaky breath in and forced myself to smile. "It's okay. I just wasn't expecting it."

A lopsided grin sprouted. "You need shoes too."

"Shoes?"

He walked off and Spinel and Pearl giggled.

"Looks like you're fitting in perfectly, Connie." Spinel pinched my cheek and I grinned back.

He returned with some shoes and ordered me to sit on the bench.

Mary Janes were a children's shoe as far as I could've guessed, but that's what he was sliding onto my foot. It was shiny leather and pink, with a tiny heel to bring me up another inch. I flexed my toes and stood as he asked, backing up to look in the mirror again. "I look like–,"

"You look like a Crystal Gem!" They cheered.