Steven moved monotonously through next morning, barely blinking in his zombie like mindset as he finished this morning tasks. He stopped just before he turned the knob to leave his room, faltering when he remembered he needed to make his bed.

The Diamond Prince frowned and subconsciously tugged at some wayward curls tickling his ear. His bed was already made, though he had absolutely no memory of making it at all.

Shaking off the uneasiness, he headed to the bathroom.

He couldn't bear to look in the mirror as he brushed his teeth, the shower steam was fogging it up anyhow. The rushing sound of the water hitting the tub matched his thoughts: static. He couldn't think, he could only feel that awful dread in his stomach and gem. It was pulsing and glowing with his emotion today, but try as he might he couldn't find the energy to care. He hopped into the scalding hot shower, hoping it would force his mind past this horrible sadness.

Drops of water trickled from the base of the shower head, down the tile wall and into the tubs drain. They'd known it had a leak for years now, but every time one of them went to fix it something had come up. He watched on with mild interest, thinking about how small and insignificant everything was when his phone chimed a familiar song.

It took him a moment to register the sound of someone trying to reach him, but he stepped out and answered the call.

"Hello?" The hybrid turned the knob of the shower off and briefly realized he had just stood in the shower for however long without doing anything at all.

"Hey Biscuit." The frail voice of his girlfriend cleared away some debris from his mind.

"Hey Berry. I miss you so much." Steven could hear the heartache in his own voice. His very core ached to be with her every moment of every day.

A knock at the bathroom door caught him off guard and he winced as his head hit the ceiling hard. "Dammit. This again." He gave a half-assed attempt to dull down his Diamond form but sighed. It was no use.

He crouched down and opened the door to see her smiling up at him, despite him now being 3 feet taller than normal. "I miss you too." She gave him a once over. "Are you... okay?"

"What? Oh this? It's nothing, the knock just caught me off guard and I guess I panicked. It should go away soon." He had gotten better at lying, at least to everyone but Connie.

She pursed her lips and motioned to him for a kiss.

He pecked her once, twice, three times. Just barely locking his lips with hers. Steven lightly motioned for Connie to clear the way and he squeezed out of the bathroom. Standing full height he followed her to his bedroom and frowned.

"I-I won't be able to fit."

Connie turned and looked up at him, a teasing, soft expression on her face. "Please try. For me?"

She didn't need to beg, her presence was enough to completely defuse any anxiety he felt even if for a split second.

Lately, she would come over and they'd sleep as long as she wanted. More often than not over the past few weeks, he'd fall asleep with her and pull her as close as possible. Her exhaustion often translated to him, and it was killing him to watch her die. Sleep was the only thing he could use to escape that pit that threatened to swallow him whole. Her shallow breathing and coughing felt like it was cracking his gem, the way tears fell from her eyes made him feel like he was drowning.

Other times he would watch her sleep, timing his breathing with hers, watching her expressions as she slept and held her through the nightmares. She had quickly begun to lose the brightness he loved about her skin, it became dullard and grey toned in the wrong light. Which was every light. She was still so beautiful, and so brave to him.

"Biscuit." Her voice sounded so shaky nowadays, these days the doctor had told them might not come because she was so far along. Made of it, it's what she was. Cancer from head to toe almost.

"Yes?" He stroked her cheek, dipping down to rub his nose against it because no kissing.

"Am I dying?" She knew the answer, but she hoped against every logical sense that the killing of her healthy cells would take out the unhealthy ones.

"I don't know," He lied and it was the worst thing he'd ever had to do in his life. He held her, imagining himself screaming and rocking her in his arms and letting his tears do whatever the hell they might. But he moved his head away and held on as best he could like that.

"Steven," Her voice grew faint and he strained to hear the last words before she started snoring.

"Yes, Ni?"

She didn't answer, it slipped into a rattle in her chest as she slumbered.

"I know you can't hear me now, it's okay. I'll talk you don't even need to say anything, I know you're opinionated though so I'll leave the floor open for you too at some points." His humor didn't reach his face as he saw an old strand, a memory of her long hair. "I'm afraid to lose you. I don't think I could ever recover. I... I guess that's it... I'm so afraid to lose you, Ni."