tags: steven universe
His Boy was shaking.
The moon hung high in the night sky as His Boy sat up in his nest, rubbing at his face and breathing heavily. Lion watched carefully from his own nest to see if intervention was needed. He kept track of His Boy’s paws. They ran over his face, through his mane, then over his face again, until they rested against his chest, wrapping himself in an embrace. He sat there for a few heartbeats, staring into space, until his paws started moving again, digging into the skin on his forelegs. Lion pushed himself to his paws. He padded up to the cub (he really had to stop calling him that, he was clearly grown) and pressed his nose into his shoulder. His Boy sniffled and looked over at Lion, patting him on the muzzle. The sadness in his eyes remained.
This required urgent action. Lion hopped onto His Boy’s nest and pushed him down onto his back. His Boy made a noise of protest and pushed back, but finally succumbed. Lion laid across his legs and pushed his weight down, pressing them into the bedding. His Boy let out a sigh and continued whimpering. Was it not working? Lion took a moment to think. The Smaller Lion was a source of comfort for His Boy; what did she do that he could, too?
Smaller Lion made a specific noise when she was happy. It sounded like a tiny growl, but His Boy and the Gems were calmed by it. He tried to replicate the low rumble. His Boy moved a bit in surprise, placing a paw on Lion’s shoulder. Lion watched him out of the corner of his eye and continued the rumbling, adjusting it every so often when it sounded too much like a growl. His Boy had stopped whimpering- he’d succeeded!
The excitement that washed over him baffled him to this day. He was so attached to this cub. At first he’d assumed it was because he shared Diamond’s stomach gem, but His Boy proved every day that he was not her. Sometimes, late at night, Lion would allow himself to think that maybe he loved His Boy because he reminded him of himself. He’d seemed lost as a cub; staring up at the portrait of Diamond that rested in their den. But His Boy had grown into a confident adolescent, and even introduced The Girl into Lion’s life. Another cub to cherish.
It was only recently that His Boy’s troubles seemed to bubble to the surface. But Lion was happy to soothe his restless nights like this; laying over his legs and nuzzling him to distract him when he’d scratch at himself. Lion enjoyed the sense of purpose, and His Boy was always grateful for his comfort. He’d scratch behind Lion’s ears and bury his face in his mane, and Lion would rasp his tongue over His Boy’s mane.
After all this time, Lion still remembered the cheerful cub he’d met in the desert. He only wished that His Boy would be as cheerful as he was then.