Chapter Text
On a Saturday morning in April, the one and only Steven Universe was laying in his bed whining to Pearl, who was sitting on the couch below the loft.
“Pearl you don't get it! It's like this weird feeling that something is missing! It’s making me feel sick without it! But I don't even know what it is!”
Pearl had a suspicion about what was going on. She and the other Crystal Gems had no idea if Steven would even have a dynamic as a hybrid or how it would develop! But before launching into a rather awkward situation, she wanted to make sure that Steven was presenting for both of their sake.
“Do you think you could describe this sensation any better? The more information I can get, the better.”
“It- It’s like I’m missing a part of myself. But I don't know what- or- or who! Could I be missing mom? Missing her has never felt like this before. Cuddling up in my blankets seems to help, but that makes this situation even more confusing!” He didn't understand what was wrong! He sees his friends just about every day, so he couldn't be missing them! Steven twisted his earrings. He had decided to keep the holes in his ears after that machine pierced them at the human zoo. Pearl grimaced at the concept of his longing being directed towards his mom. She assumed that her dynamic was the only one that missed Rose in that sense.Watching Steven worry, she stood and trekked up the stairs to the loft, and kneeled beside her pseudo-son’s bed.
She brushed his curly hair out of his face, “Steven, have you ever heard us mention dynamics before? Calling each other things like ‘Alphas’ ‘Betas’ and ‘Omegas’?”
Steven sat up against his pillows, still pouting, “Yeah?...”
She shifted, not quite ready to have this conversation with anyone, much less Steven.
“Well us gems fit into a social hierarchy that humans know based on a false theory about wolf packs. To shorten the lesson that we will be having later, Alphas are natural-born leaders and tend to be more dominant in personality. Beta gems tend to have biology most similar to that of a human but can experience traits typically related to other dynamics. Then there are Omegas, we tend to be more submissive and we're fierce when angered. We can all fit into a structure called a pack. An alpha tends to lead the pack any other alphas, betas, or omegas in their pack listen to them above all else.
“What does that have to do with me missing my mom?” Steven whined once more.
Pearl’s face flushed as she realized she had forgotten to correct his misconception.
“Well Steven,” She cleared her throat, “I don’t think you are missing Rose.”
Steven stayed silent, intently listening to what she had to say.
She hummed. “Because of our dynamics, Gems experience romance differently. We have pheromones linked to our dynamics that we refer to as scents. Dating is frequently based on scent and dynamics. We can express emotion through scent and our scent can help to give clues to one's dynamic as I mentioned. Rather than dating, we court the gem we desire romance with. And rather than getting married, we take mates, similarly to animals on Earth.
“But what I’m trying to get at here, is that you seem to be wishing for your desired mate. Though I don’t know who it could be. Especially considering you should only be able to mate with other gems and we’re a family-based pack,” Pearl continued pondering to herself while Steven processed the information she had shared.
“A mate?” he questioned.
“Yes, as I explained, mates are similar to married couples on Earth. But mates are nearly inseparable and are bonded to each other for the rest of their lives. Many mates can hardly manage to keep from fusing- that's how close they are!”
Steven’s eyes went wide with realization. “Then Ruby and Sapphire must be mates, huh?! They have to be! They never unfuse! Do we know anyone else who is mated?”. This all sounded amazing! He wanted to be that close to someone!
Pearl nodded with a fond smile on her face.
“Yes, Ruby and Sapphire are a mated pair,” she becane quiet for a moment before her voice returned, “and many of the former Crystal Gems were also mated pairs before they were shattered.”
“Oh.” Steven looked away from Pearl, sensing- wait no- smelling? that she was upset.
“But! Lapis and Peridot seem to be on their way to becoming at least a bonded pair, even if they don’t mate!”
Steven smiled and was thankful for her attempt to lighten the mood.
“Well, that's good!”
“…Were my mom and dad mates?” Steven asked with more sincerity than his previous questions.
“Steven… I already told you that gems can only mate with other gems. But your parents loved each other very much, and I’m sure that if your father was a gem they would have been a mated pair.”
This time his smile was smaller, but he was happy to be reassured that his parents loved each other in the best way they could.
Steven steeled himself to ask further questions, he was still confused!
“How am I ever supposed to figure out what kind of gem they are? What kind of gem am I?”
“Well, those scents I mentioned play a big role in that. Omegas, like me, tend to smell sweeter and have more classically feminine scents, and I can only describe alpha’s scents as masculine. Betas tend to have more nature-based scents, but these scents all fluctuate depending on the gem! Every gem smells different and interprets scents differently!”
“And what about my dynamic?”
“While dynamics are relatively random amongst gem types, Diamonds are always alphas, and Pearls are anything but. Fusions like Garnet may have two dynamics as well. You may notice Amethyst and I may address her as both Alpha and Omega, this is because those are Ruby and Sapphire’s corresponding dynamics, and because they are our pack leaders. But you Steven,” Pearl sniffed at the air as though she needed the confirmation, “you are an alpha. Though one can hardly smell it as of now! Especially since you are newly presenting and a hybrid. Now please- if you could go eat some breakfast.” As Pearl stood gracefully and trotted down the stairs, her scent made it clear she was no longer having this conversation.
Steven got out of bed and stepped into his slippers. He asked his last question when he got downstairs while rummaging for food, “How do I get someone to be my mate?”
Pearl flushed once more, “Ah! Well… You’d have to go through the courting process, but most of that will come naturally and if it doesn’t, we can always it discuss further at another time. But to mate with someone… you- ahem… have to sleep with them.”
Steven’s turned red and he hid his face behind the refrigerator door. Pearl walked past the warp pad quicker.
“Goodbye steven!” Pearl all but squeaked while disappearing behind her door.
“Cya Pearl!” Steven yelled back, humiliated to have asked.