It started off as such a good day that there was no way anything could ruin it. Piling into Stevens new whip was a task but like Tetris, they made it fit. Convincing Connie that they'd all be fine just headed to downtown was a little hard, but after a few kisses and promises they wouldn't be crazy, off they went.

Anna broke her promise immediately the very second they got onto the highway. She stood, arms up to feel the wind against her face and whooped at the top of her lungs, "Fuck yeah!"

Adam yanked her back down and decided it would just be better to cradle her if she was going to be wild. "Anna! You're getting your ass handed to you when we get home, little girl. What would we do if we lost you?"

Hazel gave her a stern look and dropped a kiss on her nose. "I'm not saving you, that was just asking for it." He couldn't leave it there when her lip wobbled, he was too soft. "Aw, but we still love you, Princess!"

She sulked as Steven hit the button for the sunroof, glancing at the sky and shaking his head. "You naughty girl. I can't take you anywhere, huh?"

Jasmin snorted and earned a glare from Anna while she was essentially babied into submission. "You guys suck."

Connie giggled. "And I'm really good at it."

They burst out laughing and started up a random conversation. The radio played just loud enough that they had to speak over it. Everything was fun as all hell, even Alex was social and sitting on Hazels lap with a grin and his camera.

Crystal clear notes. A young, sweet, before and after her time voice. No matter how drunk or distracted or happy, Steven would recognize that voice anywhere.

All conversation died in the car when Steven turned pink and tore his eyes off the radio. "She finally released the new one. Credit." His voice held no relief, only complete misery. Connie reached forward to turn it off, but he shook his head. "Leave it."

"You're torturing yourself," Jacob groaned. "Why are you so insistent on torturing yourself?"

Steven cracked a smile at that and turned it up. "Sometimes it's the only way I know I'm not living in Heaven with you guys."

Damn it. His smooth words weren't just to charm them, they were as genuine as he almost always was. So be it. They tuned in just as Allison's voice carried over the speaker.

"Lately, I'm feeling stupid and crazy
Cause I saw him with his new baby
And he treats her like she's the one,"

Connie nodded her head curtly. "It's because I am, dammit. Cope and seethe, bitch."

"It's not that I want him back
Ain't tryin to be mean
But I brought him brand new clothes
And burned the skinny jeans
But she'll never know
That I made him better for her."

Steven's eyes widened in disbelief and he readjusted his sitting so he was more upright. The last thing he needed was to disassociate while driving everyone he loved the most. "Debatable. But I'll bite."

"So give some credit where it's due
Give props to you know who
I gave him swag
I made him cool
He used to be a fool
So give some credit where it's due
Give props to you know who
You know who
Give credit where it's due."

Hazels fists clenched. What kind of loony ass bitch had the audacity to make something so very clearly about Steven and then say Connie needed to give her credit? She traumatized the hell out of someone already traumatized to begin with. What could they possibly have to thank her for? She certainly didn't make him stronger, Steven had persevered on his own, so what the hell was she on about?

Jasmin locked eyes with him. "I'll jump her if you do."

He nodded in confirmation that he did and was going to with or without help but when he turned Steven was staring at him through the mirror. "Uh uh. None of that."

"He buys their food at the movies
Never treats them like a 2D
I bet they think he's the one."

"Whoa, okay it just got a lot more fucking personal." Alex would almost be impressed with her boldness if he didn't hate her fucking guts. As it turned out, his hatred of people being directed at Allison made him a kinder individual enough to lean forward to kiss Stevens neck. He always smelled so good, like cologne and flowers.

"They should be thanking me
And sending me some flowers
I taught him everything
Now he can last for hours."

Steven had just gotten this car, and Jacob and Hazel could fix anything they put their minds to. He focused on the music itself streaming out of the radio, not the radio, every note and instrument and her voice floating through the air was his and he would make it so dammit.

"Steven? Steven! Slow down!" Connie gasped, gripping the door handle.

"H-holy shit. Too fast." Jasmin wrapped her arms around Jacob and swallowed nervously. "Steven!"

"Steven!" They cried.

He gripped the wheel and took a deep breath. "Relax."

The charmspeaking worked enough to get them to stop distracting him. He tugged in his mind and the sound distorted.

"He used to be whack
But I maaaade him a-a-a-,"

He blew out the breath he was holding and tapped the break. "Stop."

It halted mid-song and the car slowed back down to a manageable speed. Once he was sure everyone was okay, he let the pink fog lightly fill the car. The stereo crackled and fizzled. Then, it exploded. Just a tiny bit.

He felt guilty when they jumped and ducked, and sure, he could've just turned off the radio. But where was the fun in that? "Sorry about that."

Adam tugged off his beanie and gawked at Steven like he was an alien. The thought didn't cross his mind so much as it stampeded, but the only thing he could say was, "That was so cool! My life flashed before my eyes!" He laughed a bit manically and shook his head. "Holy shit! So much adrenaline!"

Jacob smirked in minor amusement. "You fucking adrenaline junkie, I'm afraid for you constantly. I should have Jasmin drive you to the grocery store. The Oh Shit Handle is utilized any time I let her drive."

Steven released the tension still flowing through his blood and his hue normalized. "Connie's a bad driver if she's in a big car."

She almost rebutted, but took a moment to reorganize herself. "Don't do that again, you had me thinking you'd lost your mind!"

The rest agreed and he sighed. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I get an inkling I have to do something crazy to develop a new power."

They considered this for a moment until Adam said, "We should go cliff diving into a river. Fuck downtown."

They glanced at each other to check for agreement. Connie nodded and they cheered so loudly their ears rung a little.

"Fuck downtown! Fuck downtown!"

So they spent the afternoon cliff diving instead, searching for enough adrenaline to forget anything had even happened. Alex was the least likely to dive but when Hazel slapped his butt and called him a princess (which made Steven cross his arms, sulking jealously) Alex flipped him off and jumped.

Shockingly, Adam was an impressive swimmer. The flips and perfect water entries were incredible, right down to the size of the splash he'd make. He jogged back up every time barely out of breath and drenched from head to toe in his clothes.

Jacob giggled and nuzzled into his neck. "I have the undying need to be really gay to you right now. Someone could see us. Risky." His tongue traced from there to his ear and he stiffened, pulling him closer.

"So tell me then, are you trying to get fucked on a cliff?" Adam tipped his head, grumbling when water got in his eyes and Jacob laughed.

"Ha-ha!" He pointed a finger at him and booped his nose. "Can't be sexy if you're blind."

"Oh, really?" He motioned for Jasmin, who'd been sitting on a rock sunbathing until her eyes locked on the clothes sticking to him. "Jazz, be a good girl and tell your husband he's an idiot for me."

She grinned and got up to grab Adam's hand. "My sweet lovely husband, you're an idiot."

Jacob acted as if he was crushed. "How could you say such a thing?! Have these years together meant nothing?!"

Adam chuckled. "Looks like your wife just changed her name to My Bitch. Funny how that works, huh?"

He'd fallen, but Jacob leaned up to catch his eye. "That's an option?"

Jasmin and Alex snickered at Adam's red face. When Alex poked Adam's cheek, he responded a full second afterwards, his eyes locked on Jacob's until he realized his attention was being summoned. "You guys are so cute."

Jacob grinned. "Alex says I'm cute. I made Adam blush. It's a good day to be alive."

Alex opened his mouth to object even though that's exactly what he was saying until Jasmin, without ceasing her smile, stomped on his foot. "Tsundere purse puppy spoiled brat."

Alex sighed heavily. "And this glue sniffing, knuckle dragging cunt muffin is supposed to be my best friend."

"I am your best friend, asshat," Jasmin admitted soft enough she hoped no one would hear.

Unfortunately Connie laughed joyously and pulled them both into a hug. "This is my favorite friendship dynamic, by the way."

Hazel giggled at Steven's glower and brushed his fingers under his chin. In the direct sunlight he was so sexy Steven forgot why exactly he was jealous. The way the beams of golden light made Hazels black eyes turn honey brown at the edges had him melting inside. Hazels tongue quick darted out to lick his lips and Steven felt like his knees were going to give out. He refused to let Hazel know that in favor of his attention.

Anna poked her head from behind Hazel and snickered. "Look at him, he's blushing so hard he probably doesn't even remember why he's being–," Steven bubbled her and she gasped in surprise. Her muffled voice cried, "Oh my god it's like a hamster ball!"

He tipped his head curiously and nudged it with his foot. "I wonder..." It lifted a tiny bit and the pride that came with such a simple movement put him in a stellar mood.

"Steven if you kill our babygirl..." Hazel warned nervously.

Steven snickered and pressed a hand onto it. Anna reciprocated and turned to the boys. "I get a hamster ball! You guys better shut the fuck up and not ruin this for me!"

As soon as it slipped, Steven chuckled and popped it. "Now you've done it."

Jasmin got between her and the guys and pounded her chest. "You'll have to go through me first, and there's a lot to get through so put em up."

Adam pointed a finger at her. "You can't protect Anna forever. We know your secrets too."

Jasmin's grin dropped a little and Connie stepped in front of her. "Fine, then you'd better hope you're fast learners cause I'm actually trained to kick all of your asses."

Steven hummed and took a step toward her. She almost looked like she was going to bolt and leave the other two to fend for themselves. Jasmin and Anna gasped in horror. "It's not what it looked like! I didn't run! I'm still here!"

A quick huddle between the guys was all it took.

Steven grinned. "Take 'em out?"

Jacob nodded. "Oh yeah, it's about that time."

"Can you guess my input?" Adam had a pre-satisfied look on his face that made Hazel roll his eyes.

"You're down whenever, wherever." He grinned down at him. "In order of which they're assembled."

"Connie. Berry, come here," Steven crooned as they concluded. "You don't need all that smoke, honey! You're such a good girl, and you've been so so good for me this week. Why waste all that earned playtime on someone else's attitude?" No magic was needed, she stomped into his arms grumpily and tried not to think about how much of a coward she was. It was easy to forget when he praised her again and again, giving her sweet kisses and murmuring in her ear exactly how he'd reward her.

Jacob snapped his fingers sharply, pointing in front of him. "Jasmin, you're done." He needed no further demand, she would simply do as he said when he used the dreaded Voice.

Jasmin tossed a look back to Anna. "I'm sorry." A louder snap had her falling away to his side quickly. His hand snaked around her shoulder and he grinned innocently at Anna. "Now you've gotten Jazz in trouble too, are you proud of your sinking ship?"

Jasmin looked over to Connie. "Why isn't she in trouble?!"

Steven looked down at Connie and sighed heavily, ceasing rubbing her cheeks for a second. She was still damp, some water dripped from her temple over his fingers and for some reason it was so damn incredible he wanted to let her off with a warning. "She totally is, just not as much because unlike you, she obeyed almost instantly." He grinned at the other men. "What's that thing you're all always rambling about? Something about how I'm not Brat Taming but Brat Enabling? Or was it that your submissives behave better than mine?"

"Both and then there was another thing," Alex supplied helpfully. "Jacob always says that if you multiplied Connie's obedience level by a thousand she still would listen less than a brick wall."

Connie looked up at Steven as innocently as she could and he cooed down at her, littering her face with kisses while Connie used the opportunity to give the gang a purely evil little grin before reverting to angelic. Their jaws dropped in miffed horror but Steven didn't notice past scrubbing his fingers against her scalp like she loved. "They should hear the names their Brats call them behind their backs," Connie snitched sweetly. "I just call you Daddy."

Steven grinned from ear to ear and picked her up before regarding the other girls. "Is that true, Brats who are currently not listening as well as mine?"

Jasmin nodded and gave Connie a betrayed look that begged for help, but Connie turned back to rest her chin on Steven's chest. "She's usually pretty serious about cutting us open if we tell you, but I guess now that she's winning she's not gonna save anyone but herself."

Alex smirked but Jacob stared at him until he started sweating from more than the sun. "You're definitely in trouble too, mate."

"Damn it," He grumbled, sitting where he was. "You can't make me do anything. I'm the prince of the house and I demand to be cleansed of my sins."

Steven burst out laughing when Hazel and Adam gave Jacob a matching, "Out of control, are we?"

"Says you," Jacob scoffed, deciding he'd deal with Alex later. "Yours started this whole thing. Mines a follower."

Annas poor face was blazing red with humiliation as Hazel and Adam considered that fact and turned to give her unamused looks. "I activated them at the worst possible time. Even my girlfriends have abandoned me."

Hazel grabbed Adam's shoulder before he could get to Anna and nodded toward the sun. "The suns almost down, and it's Thursday. You know what that means."

Anna dropped her head. Not Training Thursday! "Goddamnit! I was doing so well."

"Here," Hazel tried. "Everyone who is in trouble raise your hand, Steven put your hand down, okay..." He did a head count. "I love my life."

"Why can't I keep my mouth shut?" Anna complained like it was everyone else's fault.

"Oh, you'll learn to," Adam encouraged cheerfully. "It's cold and I have no body temperature regulation anywhere in my being. It's time to go home."