By Your Side: Steven Universe x Reader

A/n: Any last-minute guesses on (Y/n)'s backstory? Huh? You want me to stop delaying the chapter? Fineeeeee  

Here's a bit of clarification for those who need it!

(G/c)= gem color
(G/n)= gem name
(H/c)= hair color
(H/l)= hair length
(E/c)= eye color
(F/c)= favorite color

Enjoy the chapter!!

-(Y/n)'s POV-

Aimlessness came naturally for a dull gem without purpose. But it all came to a halt around 53 years ago when a familiar-looking creature wreaked havoc on a nearby town. Snapped out of my stupor, I had chased it into the cave that would become a prison for many more. The gems, who'd seemed to have mutated into raging monsters, were too dangerous to keep around but too pitiful to shatter. As I guarded the cave's entrance, I often thought of how close I'd been to becoming one of them. Often wondered if they had been sent by Diamonds to shatter me. 

Space within the cave was limited, and the gem creatures seemed limitless. The unpoofed ones smashed each other to pebbles every chance they got, so I had to go in and re-poof them before they shattered or the ceiling collapsed. As more creatures were confined within the icy walls, it became too dangerous for me to go inside. I'd be easy prey: outnumbered and unable to protect myself with my useless weapon. 

So, I stood guard. 

By the time a young half-gem and his gem family had stumbled upon the cave, I had already monitored it for nearly a century. I should've warned them not to enter, but my body instinctively hid behind one of the shorter mountain peaks close by when I noticed the Pearl. 

Pearls served Diamonds. This one didn't look like she belonged to Yellow or Blue Diamond, but it wouldn't have been unordinary for Them to replace Their Pearls in the time I'd been gone. Then, it clicked. This was Pink Diamond's new Pearl. She'd looked different since I had seen her proudly standing before Pink Diamond's palanquin. 

"It's freezing here!" The human boy in a puffy winter coat exclaimed in a soft voice and hugged himself. 

He was only commenting on the temperature, but the Pearl frowned at him. "I knew we shouldn't have brought Steven along! This mission is way too dangerous!" 

For the first time since I'd began living in the frigid mountain range, my body had frozen over. Mission? Did Pink Diamond know where I was? Was she going to hand me over to Yellow Diamond? 

"The townspeople wouldn't have warned us about the monsters in the ice cavern otherwise," the strong gem with magenta gauntlets said. 

"Yeah, they acted so weird around us," the unusually short Amethyst said. 

Some humans had dared to climb the mountain over the years. They had been the commendable sort who'd desired to reach new geographical heights. It was a shame that I had to execute their dreams with the one thing they wouldn't question: fear. Humans hadn't ventured this high up since. I felt guilty when I heard how my efforts to protect the townspeople had turned the warm-hearted dreamers into a guarded community. 

Wait. If these gems were sent by the Diamonds... then did they mean to use this human boy against his people?  I thought, furrowing my eyebrows. 

The boy didn't seem like he was being manipulated. I'd keep a close eye on them anyways. Who knew what lied below the crust. 

Almost immediately after the group had entered the cave, they leapt out and settled into fighting stances– well, except for the boy. The tallest gem, carrying him with one arm, dropped him into the snow. He quickly got up and assumed a defensive stance.