Chapter Text
“I don’t know, Steven. I’ve never really been one for parties.” Jamie said, wringing his hands around the strap of his mailbag. It still had a hefty sum of letters and packages left to deliver, but the day had barely begun and Jamie was pretty fast for a mailman.
“C’mon, Jamie! It’ll be really fun! Sour Cream always throws the best parties!” Steven exclaimed, playing the cards he knew how to play. Which was fun and more fun. Jamie had known Steven for a while now, they were pretty good friends, but Jamie still wasn’t sure about going to a party.
“Eh, maybe another time Steven. I planned on watching the entirety of the BBC edition of Pride and Prejudice.” He responded, continuing to wring his hands around the strap of the bag. The BBC edition was the better version, he thought. It was one of his favorite pieces and he studied day and night to learn from the actors. Sure, the newer one was good, but nothing could top six hours of Pride and Prejudice. Except six hours of Lord of the Rings. Really, Jamie was into the extremely lengthy kinds of films, his preferred genre battling between romance and fantasy/adventure. Both were really good.
“Steven’s right, Jamie. Sour Cream has the best parties. And if Kevin isn’t there, then it will be the best party!” Connie agreed, throwing her hands into the air to emphasize her point. Jamie hadn’t heard about Kevin, but the way Connie said his name made it seem like he wasn’t a very pleasant person to be around.
“No, no. Sitting at home with a big bowl of popcorn and my notepad sounds very appealing right now.” Insisted Jamie, thinking about throwing on his biggest sweater, cozying on up under his biggest comforter, and taking notes on the acting techniques of Colin Firth and Crispin Bonham-Carter. It was early November in Beach City, so the salty ocean air had a rather crisp, winter bite to it and the tradition sounded very appealing.
“Hmm, if he really wants to be an actor, then I guess he’s right, Steven.” Connie admitted with a shrug. She was a very sensible girl. Still, being twelve she enjoyed her fun now and then, she knew that, at Jamie’s age, studying would get him where he wanted to be faster.
“You know what, you are right, Connie.” Steven said, placing a hand thoughtfully on his chin and the other on his hip. Jamie, shocked, looked over at Steven, his hands freezing in place on the strap of his bag. Normally it took far more to convince Steven to drop the subject of one of Sour Cream’s parties. This wasn’t the first time Steven had tried to bring Jamie.
“Steven?” Connie knew instantly that something was up with her best friend. He didn’t normally agree with studying, considering he never had to do any. But the look in his eyes also told her he was thinking up something devious, and she wasn’t sure if she was going to like it. Though it was more likely that she would.
“How about this, Jamie.” Steven began, putting on a voice that sounded a little bit like a business man trying to sell his product. “You come to Sour Cream’s party tonight and Connie and I will both watch the BBC edition of Pride and Prejudice with you.” Steven suggested. Connie grinned from ear to ear. She didn’t mind being pulled into this, she had time for fun during the school year and she wouldn’t mind watching an old show. Even if it was a long, boring, romance movie.
“That would be awesome, Steven. But I don’t think watching it with you is worth a party thrown by Sour Cream.” Jamie admitted, dropping his hands from his bag and tucking them into his pockets. He knew the argument had to be over soon. Plus, time was dragging on and he needed to deliver the rest of the mail in his bag.
“Yeah, yeah, but wait. What if we give our input about it? You know, someone else’s perspective?” Steven said, raising his eyebrows. The light in Jamie’s eyes was obvious. He’d watched the BBC feature a billion times on his own and was slowly running out of notes to take. But another person’s perspective? Not only one other person, but two!? And younger people, to top it off! Jamie knew he couldn’t resist this offer and, without any sign of the hesitation from earlier, agreed.
“Alright, I’ll go to the party. We’ll have to organize our Pride and Prejudice marathon later, I have mail to deliver.” Jamie said, waving at Steven and Connie as he walked away. Alright, so he was going to a party. What did one wear to parties? Jamie dwelled on this as he walked and it donned on him that he hadn’t thought of that. Or what he was supposed to do at the party. Or where it was.
Panic began to shake Jamie as he delivered his daily mail. He’d never been to a party in his life, why did he think now was a good time to start? As he walked around town, delivering mail, he dropped into drama mode, thinking over all the worst case scenarios and how he might as well just miss the whole thing.
The sun began to go down as Jamie wrapped up his final deliveries. Racing home at the pace of a fast speed walk, he found two small children at his door.
“Steven! Connie! I’m so glad you’re here! I have no idea what I’m doing, I’ve never been to a party in my life! I’m going to fail miserably at this partying thing, you might as well just leave me at home!” Jamie exclaimed, jogging the last several feet to the bottom of the stairs to his apartment.
“It’s a good thing Connie pointed out that we’d left out the most important detail, then.” Steven said with a sheepish grin toward his partner in crime. Connie smiled back at him.
“We forgot to tell you where the party was. Could we go up with you?” She asked, gesturing up the stairs toward Jamie’s apartment. When he nodded they started up first, Jamie tailing along behind them. Once they reached the front door, Jamie unlocked it and the two went tumbling in, trying to get inside quickly so Jamie could follow after them.
Once he was inside and the door shut behind him, he was attacked.
“First, we have to get rid of this bag.” Connie said, standing on the couch in his living room to sling the strap of the bag over his head as Steven added, “and this hat,” while removing said hat.
The two placed a hand on their chin and crossed the other over their stomach in imitation of each other, like they had done this before.
“Do you own anything cooler?” Steven asked, gesturing to Jamie’s clothes as if a fashion expert. Jamie nodded his head defiantly.
“Of course I do, this is just my work uniform.” Jamie responded defensively. He walked down the hall to the right, followed closely by Steven, toward his bedroom. It appeared Connie hadn’t followed them, but Jamie was alright with that. The sensible girl knew better than to go into a person’s room without invitation.
The walls of the room were covered in movie posters and odds and ends found in yard sales claiming to be from a movie of some kind. Steven looked awed at the whole display while Jamie opened a couple of drawers for something to wear.
“How about this?” Jamie asked, pulling out his favorite maroon sweater and a pair of black pants. Steven looked them over, assessing the outfit before shaking his head lightly.
“No, no. The sweater’s good, but black slacks aren’t party pants.” Steven said, walking over to join Jamie next to the open drawers of his dresser. Jamie dropped the pants back into the drawer and watched as Steven dug around a bit. With an exclamation of ‘aha’ Steven resumed a normal standing position and offered out a pair of dark wash jeans with rips and tears all over them.
“These are perfect!” He exclaimed triumphantly, offering the pants for Jamie to take.
“Steven, those are my dirty work pants. For painting and gardening.” He had worn them a lot in his younger years and that was why they were so torn. He refused to wear them in public unless he was out gardening, which, he realized, wasn’t something he ever did.
“When do you paint and garden?” Asked Steven, clearly just curious. Jamie sighed because Steven had unintentionally pointed out the obvious.
“Never.” Jamie responded. The pants were clean, as if they had never been worn. The only sign of love was the tears all down both legs. They were from various accidents; walking into a splintered fence, tripping while walking down the sidewalk, kneeling down all too often to pick up the contents of his backpack. They were well loved, but they were not intended for public use.
“Then they’ll be fine!” Exclaimed Steven before he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Jamie sighed. This was pointless. Steven knew more about Sour Cream’s parties, anyway. Listening to him would probably make this party experience much smoother.
In only a few minutes Jamie emerged from his bedroom wearing the sweater – which was bigger than he remembered it being – and the ripped jeans. Connie ooh-ed at his mature appearance and Steven giggled excitedly.
“C’mon, we should go before we’re late!” Connie said with an excited grin, racing toward the door and down the stairs, followed by Steven who called, “but it’s cool to be late!” Jamie followed behind them, walking rather than running, and locked up the door behind him.
The venue for the party wasn’t very far from Jamie’s house, so the three walked. Not having his bag made his nerves stand up on end like hairs in a horror film. He had nothing to calm himself, so he began to wring his hands instead, feeling the friction rubbing them raw.
Connie and Steven walked before him, chattering like excited little monkeys. Jamie had seen them this excited before, but normally he watched with amusement and wonder at how they could possibly be so carefree and relaxed. Now he watched them with nervousness and ill ease. He was going to bomb the whole evening and ruin it for them. There was no avoiding it.
The main reason Jamie avoided Sour Cream’s parties so adamantly was because he couldn’t dance. There was no rhythm in his feet and his head just couldn’t wrap around the idea of a beat. What he could do was sway back and forth, but it looked more like a nervous tick than dancing. He’d been told all his life that he was an awful dancer. Girls laughed at him, his parents teased him, his sisters mocked him. So Jamie avoided dancing at all costs.
And now he was going to a dance party.
What had he even been thinking? The idea of Steven and Connie giving him new insight on a movie he had been obsessed with since he was a child was so enticing he hadn’t been thinking, and now that they were almost there, Jamie realized how stupid it was that he had thought their input was worth it.
“Um, guys, I think I’m just going to go home.” Jamie finally said, the venue coming to view as he did so. It was a large warehouse Jamie knew was normally abandoned. No one owned it, so it was a popular hangout for teenagers and thugs. “You don’t have to binge Pride and Prejudice with me.” He added, backing away and waving, all too excited to go home and curl up in a blanket and some sweats. Something with far less holes than the pants he was currently wearing.
“Nonsense, Jamie!” Steven exclaimed, turning around and grabbing Jamie by the arm. Ah! Since when did he have such a strong grip? Connie grinned at him too, grabbing his other arm, despite his attempts at avoiding her. Her grip was almost as strong as Steven’s.
“Yeah, Jamie! This will be worth it, you just have to go inside and see.” Connie said, joining in with Steven as they dragged him closer to the entrance of the warehouse. There was a bright, dull light flooding across the field before them, reaching for the empty neighborhood beyond it. Music pumped out from every hole the warehouse had and Jamie could hear laughing and chatter over the thundering bass.
“I don’t know guys. This is feels less and less worth it by the second.” He whined, not fighting hard enough to actually get away. He had given up minutes ago when he realized how strong their grips were. They were two little kids, how on Earth was he so incapable of escaping them?
“You just have to go inside.” Steven insisted, dragging Jamie into the wide, gaping mouth of the warehouse where everyone else entered. With that, he let go and Jamie stood, frozen in place by the sheer energy pouring out over him. This wasn’t his scene; he was too quiet for something like this. He preferred watching movies or Broadway plays or musicals. Something quiet with clean, pure energy.
Jamie felt dirty just looking at the place.
The walls were rusted and decaying, the people inside wore crop tops, scarves, sunglasses, and high top shoes. They were hip and cool and Jamie felt extremely out of place among them. How was he supposed to have fun when he didn’t even know anyone here? Other than Steven and Connie, Jamie was a butterfly in a wasps nest.
“St-Steven. I think I should go now.” Jamie muttered, but he was inaudible to the small boy who had run off with Connie toward the DJ table where Sour Cream was, messing with flips and switches and buttons and dials that were alien to Jamie. Clumps and groups of people partied to his left and right, none of them Jamie recognized. He had lived in Beach City most of his life, and yet he knew none of these faces.
Most of them were close to his age, if not his age. He should have known them, or at least known of them. But none of them were familiar. Whenever he delivered mail, it was the older generation that hung out on the front porch and chatted with him for a few minutes before he moved on. They were quiet and kind, just like him. He really didn’t want to be here.
“Hey, man! You’re missing the white!” The voice was raspy and low, not one Jamie recognized. Turning abruptly he was attacked by some guy with long, rope-like hair and a glowing blue bandana on his head. He slammed his hand down on Jamie’s head before backing away and nodding as if in approval.
“Wh-what was that?” Jamie asked, throwing his hands toward his head as the guy walked away. Where there hadn’t been something before, a hat sat on his head. Taking it off he observed the cyan blue shade it sported and realized that it’s almost glowing blue quality was due to the black lights thrown carelessly about the large space. It was actually just a simple white hate.
Upon further observation, Jamie noticed everyone else had some sort of white clothing article that made the entire room glow. Steven and Connie had even found something to add to their usual outfits that glowed in the same light. Jamie glanced back down at the hat. It was a badly made, plastic fedora. The top was smashed in due to the force the guy had used and there were small fractures along the dents.
“That hat isn’t your thing. Here, have this.” This new voice was almost melodic and calming. It was low in the super relaxed, confident sort of way. Jamie looked up to find the person speaking to him wasn’t much taller than him, but had beautiful brown skin and dark hair and eyes. He seemed perpetually half-lidded in the way that reminded Jamie of someone half asleep.
The boy grabbed the broken hat out of Jamie’s hands and handed him something soft. It was a pure white color that glowed a radiant blue in the light, but had a big black “MINE” lettered along its thick edge. Upon further investigation, Jamie found it was a beanie, one of those floppy, skier caps that he had never even held in his life.
He looked back up at the guy, who rolled his eyes. Tossing the other hat aside – it hit someone who turned in protest but was ignored with arrogant ease – he grabbed the hat out of Jamie’s hands and placed it snuggly on his head. Carefully, and almost gently, the other boy swept Jamie’s hair from his eyes and caressed his face.
Jamie blushed.
“Wh-what are you doing?” He protested, taking a step back only to be grabbed by the boys other hand and pulled in closer, their chests pressed firmly together. Jamie was well aware of the warmth coming from the taller guy, the smell of AXE on his scarf, and the small beads of sweat present on his brow.
“Hey baby.” He whispered, and Jamie felt a tingly sensation tickle down his spine. Was it pleasant? Jamie didn’t think it was. “You’ve got great moves. But watch, now, it’s Kevin time.” Each word was whispered into Jamie’s ear and he felt the tingly sensation every single time it brushed passed his ear.
“B-but I haven’t even d-danced yet.” Jamie protested as Kevin spun him around and held him tight once again.
“That’s doesn’t matter, baby. Your moves are in the shape of your body, and your body’s fine.” Kevin continued to dance with Jamie. Clumsily, Jamie’s feet followed the moves but Kevin held him up and kept him from tripping. His grip was too tight, Jamie felt himself panicking.
“B-but we’re both guys!” He continued to protest, hoping something he said would break through Kevin’s apparently thick head. As Kevin spun him out and then back in, he smirked and pressed his forehead to Jamie’s.
“Gender doesn’t matter, baby. We’re dancing, that’s what matters.” Kevin whispered, his breath smelling strongly of lemon and tickling Jamie’s eyelashes. Jamie freaked out. With all the force he could muster, he pushed off of Kevin and flung himself backward into a small group of partiers. Tripping on a broken warehouse tile, he fell flat in his rear.
“You okay, Jamie?” This voice was familiar and Jamie was almost relieved to hear her. He looked up at Kiki, rubbing the spot on his butt he had fallen onto. She offered him a hand and he took it, standing back up and looking behind her to where Kevin stood, discombobulated and trying to regain his senses.
“Yeah, I’m f-fine. I think I’m going to go.” He said, letting go of her hand and turning toward the gaping hole in the side of the building where he had entered.
“Okay, but the party just got started.” She said, putting her hands on her hips and watching as he headed toward the exit.
Jamie regretted agreeing to this. This was not what he had expected. Sure, he had expected it to be awkward, energetic, and loud. But Kevin was a surprise Jamie had not wanted to run into. Gender didn’t matter?! Of course gender mattered, Jamie was straight. Sure, the only time he had ever had feelings for someone it had ended up being a tall woman who didn’t reciprocate his feelings, but he knew what love felt like, even if it had been false at the time.
What he felt around Kevin was scared.
“Hey, baby. Where are you going? The part just started.” Kevin had found him, creeping along the back wall, hiding behind the groups of dancers. His slender wrist stared Jamie right in the face and, with a hard swallow; Jamie looked up into the dark eyes of the taller boy. His face was smooth, almost perfect, and Jamie wondered if he was secretly a movie star.
“I’m-I’m going home. I don’t care if the party just started; this is not my kind of scene.” He insisted, pushing at Kevin’s arm to get it out of the way.
“Then make it your scene, baby.” Kevin said with a small smile playing on his lips. Jamie was astonished. This guy had no quit! Where did he stop? When did he learn enough was enough?
“Hey, Kevin. Back here.” There was a tap on Kevin’s shoulder and the taller boy turned around to face a stunning woman, just slightly taller than him. Jamie was surprised by the appearance of this mysterious woman, as was Kevin. However, Jamie’s surprise was accompanied with relief and Kevin’s with something else he couldn’t read.
“It’s you.” He said with something that sounded like distaste. Jamie had never seen this woman before, but she was beyond beautiful and almost a full foot taller than him.
“Are you bothering this guy?” She asked, putting both hands on her hips and shifting her weight onto one foot. Kevin looked toward Jamie and then back toward the woman. He was assessing whether it was worth it to fight this girl or to give in.
He gave in.
“You’re obsessed with me. You just keep coming back.” He spoke in a smug fashion, but something in the way he spoke was angry. Kevin was being one upped by a tall woman with a beautiful face. He was flustered, Jamie could see it in the way he crossed his arms but didn’t fight back.
“Jamie, are you okay?” She asked, leaning down slightly to look Jamie in the eye. He nodded his head, numbed by her beauty. Her eyes flooded with relief . “Good. C’mon, we should go.” She said, grabbing Jamie’s arm and leading him away from the dancers and out into the chilly night air, the sound of Kevin’s voice accusing her of being obsessed following behind them.
They made it several hundred feet away from the warehouse before the woman began glowing and within seconds Jamie was standing with Steven and Connie.
“What…?” Jamie muttered, coming to his senses as he realized the beautiful woman was his two young friends. Steven and Connie had told him about their fusing, that it was normal for crystal gems and other gems to do it, but that theirs had been a surprise. It had been an interesting story, but they hadn’t told the entire story and Jamie had never seen the beautiful Stevonnie before.
“Sorry about him. He’s still a jerk.” Connie said, bitterness weaved into her words as her and Steven continued down the sidewalk. Jamie had to trot to catch up with him.
“You’ve run into him before?” Jamie asked, realizing after he had asked this that this was the Kevin they had spoken of earlier in the day. The way Kevin had reacted to them as one made it clear they had bad blood, and the pieces started clicking together like a puzzle.
“Yeah. We met him at one of Sour Cream’s raves and he did the same thing to us that he did to you.” Connie responded, sounding just a little less bitter as they walked on. Steven was oddly quiet about the whole thing. It didn’t take long before he joined in.
“Then we raced him again and came to a decision. We weren’t going to let him bug us. Even if he’s still a big jerk.” Steven added and Connie nodded, but their expressions clearly said that Kevin still bugged them, even if it was just a little bit.
“But we never thought he would go so far as to bother one of our friends. What was he thinking? You’re both guys!” Connie flailed her arms in distress at these words and Jamie remembered saying the same thing. He flushed at the memory of Kevin’s response and realized he had enjoyed the feeling of Kevin’s warmth against his own body.
No, not Kevin’s. Just the idea of someone else being so close.
“There are some people out there that don’t care about genders.” Jamie muttered, not even sure if they had heard them. Connie made a confused faced and she and Steven dropped back to walk beside Jamie.
“Yeah. I think I get it.” Steven said, and it appeared he was trying to work out the thoughts in his head. He had been raised by the crystal gems, their idea of love and genders had been all he knew and having to see if from the outside world for the first time appeared to be giving him a headache.
“It’s okay. You guys don’t need to understand it. I’m just glad you were there to help me.” Jamie said, hoping they didn’t try too hard to grasp the idea of same gender relationships too hard. If they really wanted to know they could ask someone else, Jamie had no idea how to explain it.
By this point they had reached his apartment. Steven and Connie stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Jamie started up.
“Hey, Jamie?” Connie called when he reached the first landing. Jamie stopped and turned to look at his two friends.
“Yeah?” He asked, wondering what the problem was. She seemed a little troubled about something.
“We’re sorry we dragged you along.” She apologized, looking at Jamie with her big eyes. Jamie opened his mouth to say something when Steven added in, “yeah, we don’t deserve to binge Pride and Prejudice with you.” This made Jamie laugh and he cracked a smile.
“It’s alright. I still want your guys’ feedback.” He replied with a grin, making Steven brighten up a bunch and Connie’s worried look disappear from her face. “But for now, go home. I think we all deserve some sleep.” He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck and realizing it kind of ached. Where had that come from?
“Alright! See you tomorrow, Jamie!” Steven shouted and Connie waved as Steven ran off and she hurried to follow. Jamie watched them run down the dark street, laughing as they went. He considered walking them home, it was dark and they were kids, but as he thought this the familiar shape of Mr. Universe’s van pulled up to the sidewalk and Steven and Connie got in.
With a sigh, Jamie continued up the stairs and unlocked his door. Shuffling into the small apartment he kicked off his shoes, locked the door, and shut it behind him. Tiredly he shuffled toward his bedroom, feet creating the slightest static as he walked. The warmth of his apartment invaded his whole body and he realized how absolutely freezing he had been. The bitter November air was not something one wanted to walk around in at night.
It also didn’t help he was wearing torn jeans. It didn’t take long for him to reach his room and fall face first into the mattress. Unable to breath in this position he turned over and felt his hair ruffle awkwardly. Grabbing at his head he took off the beanie that Kevin had given him. A small feeling fluttered in his chest. It smelled like AXE.
Jamie’s eyes snapped open and he realized he had dozed with the beanie against his face. Tossing is violently across the room he curled up in the opposite direction. He was crazy. Kevin was a jerk and had forced him to dance. He didn’t like the guy, not even in a friendly way. But why was he so flustered when he thought about the smell of AXE and the feeling of Kevin’s warmth against his body?
These thoughts muddled through Jamie’s head for long into the night and soon he was asleep before he had even realized he was dozing.