(Alternate) Steven Universe x Corrupt gem reader Insert

part 71: That's odd...

"Will Lars and Sadie be able to walk themselves home? Do they need assistance?"

You looked down worriedly at the two dirty, disheveled big donut employees, one of which was clearly sore and tired from the mud brawl while the other was shaken and silent. Sadie looked up at you, offering a tired smile. "I... think I can make it. The only thing that's gonna be hard is to explain to my mom why I look like this." She chuckles dryly, before turning around to fully look up at you, frowning at your tired expression.

...And something else to, judging by the way her eyes scanned your face and body. "...think you'll be okay?"

You smiled, releasing a soft, raspy chuckle. "(Name)'s okay. Just a bit banged up." You nudged her gently your midpaw's fist. "Get home safely."

She chuckles and steps off the warp, along with you and Lars. "Will do, den mother. Thanks again." You sat down in front of the warp and watched as she limped slightly towards the temple's front door, with Lars following silently. "See ya around." She called over her shoulder, waving to you, with Lars looking back with thankful eyes. "Yeah... see ya... ehm.. (wrong name)." With that, the two disappeared through the front door.

"...it's (name)." You sighed indignantly. You shook you head, gently taking the bubbled gem from steven's hands into your free midpaw. Then you set the young gems down in front of you and take a moment to look them over.

Steven still wore a leaf skirt, having lost his pants to aid in Sadie's wrapping, and his trademark salmon shirt was all dirty and smudged. His skin was also quite filthy; dirt, grime and a few scratches marked his face, and his normally fluffy hair had lost most of its volume, his curls loose and flat from the rainfall and dirt weighing it down. He also had a funky smell about him. Despite your best efforts on the island, it seems that towel washing wasn't an effective cleaning method in the long run for humans.

Spinel wasn't too bad. If anything, she faintly looked the same way she did when you first found her, with the only difference being her pigtails were drooped from the dampness of the previous rainfall and her shoulder pads not being damaged.

Both of them looked at you with worry, steven fiddling twisting the bottom of his shirt nervously and spinel having her hands clasped in front of her, nibbling lightly on her thumbs. Their eyes seemed to be flicking between you and something on your face, but you couldn't pay that any mind.

The gems could appear at any second, and them seeing steven and spinel like this might make things more difficult to explain. Not to mention it not being healthy for a boy his age to be so filthy.

You pointed to the direction of the bathroom with a forepaw. "Steven, go wash up." Your voice was gentle, but it didn't stop the abruptness of your order didn't stop him from flinching. "Then change clothes." He stares at you for a second before nodding with a tiny "okay" and hastily scurrying to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Spinel looked up at you, fiddling with her hands nervously, while you huffed in exhaustion. You then looked down at spinel. "Spinel... rest on the couch. (Name) is going out front for a few minutes." She blinked up at you worriedly. "Are... ya sure you're alright?" You nodded, before gently nudging spinel with a forepaw. "Yes. (Name) just wants to clean up before the-"

Flash!

Behind you, the warp pad suddenly activated, cutting off your order. You grunted inwardly, as she leans to the side, stretching her neck subtly to see who had arrived.

"Oh, Heya guys!"

You didn't need to turn around to see or know who it was, as mere seconds after spinel had greeting them, a familiar yelp was heard from behind you, as well as a frantic voice.

"(NAME)!? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

You winced, hearing that squawking voice peirce your already throbbing head. Of all the moments to hear her squawking, it had to be this one.

"WHERE'S STEVEN?!"

You had your eyes clenched shut, trying to keep yourself from dry heaving at the nauseating heat that plagued your body, sighing and glaring tiredly ahead of you. I don't have the strength to deal with this. "Steven is getting clean..." You grumbled tiredly, holding out the pink bubble, containing your opponent's gem without looking back at the group. "We found your corrupt gem monster."

There was a brief pause, followed by a subtle tension in your back as you practically felt the gems' gaze burrowing into your back. After a while, you feel the bubble get taken out of your hand, along with a familiarly calm voice. "...Well done."

You grunted and nodded, lumbering over to the front door with a slight limp, slowly pressing yourself through the small frame and disappeared out front, leaving the gems alone in a contemplative silence. Ameythyst looked baffled, pearl stared at the door with worry and garnet contemplated the gem in its bubbled container.

"What happened to her?" Ameythyst asked out loud.

"Uhm..." spinel fiddled with her fingers nervously.

Just then, steven poked his head out of the bathroom tentatively, his hair dripping with a few suds clinging to them from mid-rinse. "Uh, (name) could you get my clothe-" he yelped when he saw the 3 gems standing at the warp pad, retracting deeper into the bathroom in surprise. "Uhm... H-hey guys!" He tried to mask it, but the gems saw he was visibly on edge about something.

"Yo, stee-man! Where have you guys been?" Amethyst spoke, her usually cheerful greeting slightly dimmed with concerned. "Happened to mama bear?"

Steven fiddled with his hands nervously. "Well... uhm..." spinel pulled at her damp pigtail, smiling uneasily.

"Here's a funny story..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, you were sitting on the ground, groaning in relief as the cool water off the hose soothed your scorched, aching body, washing off the mud that matted your fur down and off your paws and hooves. You then gathered water into your forepaw and prepared to splash it into your face-

"(Name)?"

Despite the voice's softness, you still gasped in startlement, dropping the hose as well as your handful of water. You didn't turn around, but you knew who it was, judging by how sheepish it sounded. "Hello, pearl." You greeting dimly. "...is steven clean and clothed?"

Behind you, pearl wrung her hands worriedly. "Yes... both steven and spinel are both fine now..." she cleared her throat, and started to approach you. "(Name)... could you... tell me where you guys had gone? More importantly..."

As she came closer, you turned around to face her. "Could you tell me what happened to y-"

Once she got closer, she paused, her eyes widening into the look of bewildered alarm. "Wh..." she stared hard, trying to confirm what she was seeing. "Is that...?"

You didn't know how to respond, so you just stood there with a tired expression.

Completely unaware of the (color) substance dripping out of your nose and mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay that's the last of this episode.

Dragged it out more than I probably should have-