Don't Even Bother is a Steven Universe fanfic by GlassHawk
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After the events of "Cry For Help", Garnet and Pearl's feud ends up causing a massive rift amongst the Crystal Gems. Steven takes it the hardest, becoming almost a depressed shell of his former self and straining his relationship with Connie and his friends. The negativity really comes to a head when Steven overhears what he believes to be Pearl wishing they had Rose Quartz back as opposed to him. Fed up with the negativity and the Gems supposed lies, Steven runs away from home, leaving behind only a note that says to "Don't Even Bother" looking for him.
Meanwhile, Peridot, after failing to contact Homeworld via repairing the Communication Hub, has been hiding out in the Kindergarten. By pure coincidence, Steven decides to stop there on his travels and the two end up running into each other by chance. Despite them not getting along at first, they begin to draw parallels to each other's situation and form a close friendship over their shared isolation and feelings of loneliness. Of course, the Crystal Gems being the Crystal Gems begin to search for Steven despite his note saying otherwise, but they must first overcome the feud that has been tearing their team apart without the help of their bundle of joy, Steven.
What follows is a tale of Angst, Friendship, Hurt and Comfort, and hugs, lots and lots of hugs.
The story can be read Here on Fanfiction.net. It is complete with a total of 28 chapters. It was originally started after the airing of "Friend Ship" but ended during the conclusion of Peridot's actual redemption in the series.
Don't Even Bother examples of:
- Awful Truth: Steven believes the Gems only see him as Rose in another form when he overhears Pearl talking to a portrait of her, which serves as the spark that fuels his decision to run away from home. Inverted in that the Gems actually do love Steven for who he is and what Steven overheard was just a major misunderstanding.
- Cooldown Hug: Steven gives one to Peridot when she starts having a panic attack at the boardwalk due to her anxiety about how the citizens of Beach City will react to her.
- Not Evil, Just Misunderstood: Steven comes to this conclusion about Peridot when he takes the time to consider her situation and its similarities to his own. This combined with Peridot also drawing comparisons between their respective situations is what eventually leads to them becoming close friends over the course of the story.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Steven becomes far more angry and depressed in this story thanks to Garnet and Pearls feud. It's only after he meets Peridot in the Kindergarten and becomes friends with her that his old personality begins to return. By the stories end, he's completely returned to his cheerful self once Peridot officially becomes a Crystal Gem and the team is all back together again.
- Pinky Swear: Steven and Peridot make one when Steven promises that she'll like living in Beach City and that he'll always be there for her. She uses this as an opportunity to reveal to him that she wears Limb-Enhancers, a fact Steven was unaware of as up until then he believed her floating fingers were actually real.
- Troubled Fetal Position: Peridot, true to the show, adopts this position several times when she is in distress. A notable example being when Pearl confronts her at the car wash, her immediate reaction is to curl up in the corner and cry, which confuses Pearl enough that she attempts to talk to her instead of attacking like she originally planned to. This leads them to becoming friends when Pearl hears Peridot's side of the story and realizes she's become a better person from her experiences on Earth.
- What Is This Feeling?: Peridot, several times. Since Homeworld has very little room for any real emotion, feelings of concern and happiness were almost completely foreign to Peridot before she landed on Earth. Her encounters with Steven cause her to feel these exact things when she finds out about his current situation and how similar it is to hers. This results in them forming a close friendship and also spurs her final decision to become a Crystal Gem and cut ties with Homeworld.
