Steven and spinel flinch at the volume of your voice. Steven fiddled with this hands nervously as your eyes bore into him intensely, your mind perpetually blown from everything you heard.

As if you couldn't get any more worried about your dear steven's safety, now you figure out just how many times this child had narrowly escaped death, even before he had found you. And with today's explosive events, you were just floored at the kid's luck with life.

Or at how careless the gems could be...

"I... I mean..." steven stammered uneasily, watching as your eyes filled with more and more anger with each passing moment.

I can't believe this...

Steven is a child. A fragile 13 year old boy, barely old enough to grapple the harshness of life, let alone fight for it, Not to mention he's still innocent and frail enough to cry over the fact that snakes don't have limbs.

And he's almost died multiple times...

Under the GEM'S watch??

"Oh stars, stevie.." spinel uttered in awe, lifting a brow at the child. "You... almost got eaten by a gem bug??" he responded with a sheepish smile. "Um... yeah... heheh..." he then shrugs, putting on a cheery smile. "P-pretty crazy, right?" He looks over at you who was now stared at the door in a quiet, unknown rage. "Uh... (nickname)?"

This isn't to go unnoticed.

"...Come with (name)." your voice was ominously low, as you gently set the dishes into the sink, and lumbered over towards the door, opening it and gesturing them to come to you. after exchanging nervous looks, they both hesitantly walked over to you, with spinel twiddling her fingers and steven looking at his feet nervously. "steven and spinel play outside for a bit. (name) have talk with gems." steven stared up at you worriedly, staring into your eyes, which were glowing dimly from behind your bangs. "D-don't hurt them.. please." his voice was small, and it made your glower soften ever so slightly.

Even after all the nonsense he's been put through, he still looked upto them. "(Name) will not. She promises. Just... play outside for a while." you nudged him lightly with your head along with spinel, who followed slowly after. After which, your harsh glower returned, as you set your eyes on the 3 gems. wordlessly, you flexed your index finger, gesturing them to come in and backed into the house. the pearl and amethyst looked apprehensively at each other before looking up at garnet, for their next move. the tall gem stood silent for a second before pressing a finger to her visor. "...we should go in." she simply said, making her team's eyes widen in surprise. "Come on." with that, garnet stepped through the door, with her teammates slowly following behind. once inside, the door was slammed behind them, which made the younger gems flinch.

"...I... I think I said too much." steven uttered, pressing his fingers together nervously. "(Name) looked.. really mad..." he looked back at the temple's door in concern. "Maybe we should go back inside and-" spinel cut him off by placing a hand on his shoulder. "oh stevie! you've got nothin' ta worry about!" spinel smiled brightly at the boy, pulling him closer to her. "You know (name)! She's harmless! she probably is just talking with the gems about your... em... luck n what not." she patted him on the back in reassurance. "Come on, bud. Let's go play it out. I'm sure everything will be okay!" she cheerfully exclaimed, stepping away from the boy and gestured for him to follow. "Now come on! I could teach ya how to juggle if ya want!" steven looked at spinel, then at the temple doors, holding his gaze on it for a minute before looking back at the pink gem with a little smile. "Y-yeah... you're probably right." he said, walking towards her. As he followed her, his worry quickly dimished and an optimistic smile spread across his face.

"What's the worst that could happen with good ol' (name)?"

"HOW ARE GEMS SO VERY DENSE!!?"

The 3 gems flinched at the bellowing volume of your voice, even garnet leaned back as you thrusted your head forward, your hot breath fogging up her visors as your eyes glowed with a fury you didn't fully understand. "EATEN BY A GIANT GEM BIRD!? RAPID AGING!!? MANIFESTED INTO A BLOB OF CATS!!!?" You made clutching gestures towards garnet with your forepaws. "HOW COULD GEMS LET THIS HAPPEN SO MANY TIMES!!?"

"Yo, calm down, (nickname)!" amethyst exclaimed, raising her hands in defense. "I mean, yeah he's experienced crazy stuff lot but-"

"BUT NOTHING!!"

amethyst's mouth snapped shut as your smoldering eyes burned into her form, making her duck behind pearl for cover. "Steven's safety is more brittle than glass under the GEM'S watch!" you ran your claws through your hair in frustration. "How is steven safer with a corrupt gem than the crystal gems!?"

"Now hold on just a minute!" pearl snapped, finally gathering enough anger and willpower to say something. "You have no right to say such an awful thing!" pearl jabbed a finger in your direction. "We can't be HALF as dangerous as your kind is!" she bravely stepped forward. "The only reason you aren't bubbled is because... you're the only one with a stable thought process!"

"This is coming from the same pearl who almost blew steven up with a shoddy rocket made from TRUCK PARTS." Your visible eye locked with hers, and you practically felt her crumple under your contemptuous gaze. "W-well... I... That doesn't-"

"Hush it!" you snapped, making her flinch and look at her feet. You growled as steam rose from the sides of your mouth. "This... this outrageous!" you shook your head indignantly, throwing your mane about, causing it to fluff up. "How could gems be so careless with steven!? steven only 13! very delicate! very innocent!" You ranted on, jabbing a finger into the gem leader's chest. "Gems should be more vigilant with small child!" amethyst groaned, sounding as if she were in a boring lecture. "Chill out, you sound like an actual mom!" you scoffed flippantly, rearing onto your hind legs to throw your paws angrily into the air.

"At least one of us does!"

You finally end your tirade on the gems, coming down onto your paws with a resounding THUNK that shook the house. A heavy silence fell over the four of you as you caught your breath, puffs of steam bellowing out with each breath. Garnet reached a hand out slightly to you. "...(name)...." After what felt like an eternity, you sucked in a deep breath, held it for a second then let it out releasing a cloud of steam from your maw as you finally managed to calm yourself. "Urgh... (name) doesn't mean any harm... all's she wants is for the gems to be more mindful of steven." you said, your voice much calmer and steady. And even a bit more feminine sounding. "He may be a crystal gem, but he is also still a child. Very impressionable." you looked up, now with a soft, almost sad frown on your face. "If not for (name), do it for her." you gestured to the painting hanging over head, which made the gems, namely pearl, wince slightly. "Please?" the two gems exchanged glances with one another, in disbelief with their situation, before garnet spoke up.

"Alright then." both her teammates looked up at her in astonishment. "We'll try to be more careful. For the both of you." she looked back at the gems behind her. "Right?"

"O-of course." pearl muttered, looking away from the gem.

"Sure.." amethyst muttered, crossing her arms into a pout.

garnet nods and looks back up at you, in which you smiled weakly, but gratefully. "Thank you, gems." You huffed, finally getting a grip on yourself, and rubbing your forehead with a forepaw. Garnet then knelts down and pats your head to presumably comfort you in which you merely looked up at them with tired eyes. "(Name) made extra breakfast as well, if garnet or amethyst wants." you pointed to a relatively big plate of French toast beside a bottle of maple syrup, and almost instantly, amethyst perks up. "Aw yeah! Thanks a bunch, (nickname)!" She almost instantly dashes over to the counter and takes the entire plate as well as the whole bottle, then casually enters her room. ...probably should've known she'd do that... you lowered your head again, rubbing the space between your horns, feeling a rather painful heat in your head. Garnet then pat you on the back. "Don't overstress yourself, (name)." she softly mutters to you, rubbing your back gently. "Too much stress may wear on you eventually." you huffed, dragging your paw down your face, looking at her tiredly. She holds your stare for a moment before standing back up. "Come on. let's let her be for a while." With a gesture, garnet walks to the temple doors, disappearing behind the blue doors. Pearl stood staring worriedly at you for a minute before making her way to the doors, disappearing into her own room.

At that moment, you had a moment to think to yourself. The realization all hit you at once.

...what did I just do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~

...yikes.

Yo, first time drawing amethyst and a side view of garnet.

Wooo 🙌