welcome to my fictional hellscape, we sell pain here
@novantinuum
Hi! Call me Nova. He/they. Adult person who partakes in escapism via fiction. Multifandom, but especially Steven Universe, Legend of Zelda, and some other cartoons right now. Art | Fanfic | Video Edits About me | Buy me a coffee on Ko-Fi :D
I've written a kinda ridiculous amount of content for this fandom at this point, so this post is intended as a fun way to organize all that content on this blog. I'll update this post periodically as I share more works.
Most of my works are gen fic- with a heavy focus on character study and "bridging the gaps" of canon with lil bonus scenes of what I feel certain characters might've been up to in between episodes. However, I do on occasion enjoy exploring a few different relationship dynamics... and actual ratings for my stories vary.
Ratings and pairings will be listed on this masterpost, as well as any particularly vital content warnings. For more thorough content warnings, please reference the tags on the linked AO3 listings.
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Multichapter AUs:
Crack The Paragon Series
Series Summary:
In the wake of an ill-fated discovery, Steven vies to pick up all the pieces. The Gems are in turmoil: Pearl can’t speak the truth, Garnet chose to separate, and Amethyst's confidence has hit rock bottom. Somehow, his mom is Pink Diamond. But what exactly does that mean for him? Why did his mom really choose to fake-shatter herself and obscure her identity?
With the very foundation of his home life shifting around him, can Steven ever hope to find answers on his own? Or will his growing obsession with seeking this truth ultimately crack his world all over again?
Canon divergent as of season 3 episode 20, Bismuth.
Stories:
Crack the Paragon- 76,200 words, 15/41 chapters. Rated T. Light Steven/Connie.
In another world, he doesn't have his mother's sword or shield to hide behind when Bismuth lands her strike. The bubble pops.
Steven falls apart.
Content warning: Major character injury.
Everything Is Different Now- 1,014 words. Rated G.
After her unfortunate exile, Bismuth returns to her forge to work, and to reflect on her mistakes.
Seeing Pink- 2,475 words. Rated G.
Following a video call with Connie, Steven reacts to the discovery that... his eyes aren’t always human anymore.
a cut above (but nothing more)- 5,613 words. Rated T.
Jaspers were only made to be soldiers. Nothing less, nothing more.
It must be noted, however, that she was incubated within the same wretched earthen soil that birthed the treacherous Rose Quartz. So perhaps it can't be helped that she too would fail to live up to her designed purpose.
That she too would dare to think.
Content warning: Suicidal ideation
Misalignment- 18,095 words, 21/? chapters. Rated T.
His family’s not present the third time he runs away... They never see the creature he becomes.
Early corruption AU.
Content warning: Minor body horror.
Hollowed Moon- 8,796 words, 14/? chapters. Rated T.
Stevonnie doesn't crash the Star Skipper onto that jungle moon. Instead, they crash on a craggy fragment of rock suspended thousands of miles away from its associated colony, long forgotten.
On that lonely hunk of rock is a domed garden.
And standing in that garden, just as lifeless seeming as the rest of it, is a pink Gem.
~~~
Other AU/Non-Canon Works:
For the purpose of organization, this section contains two fics that have since had elements of it debunked by Steven Universe: Future. However, said fics were written to be "canon compliant" at the time of posting... thus, on AO3, they still are listed within my "canon compliant" series.
Shattering Atlas- 4,274 words. Rated T.
A boy can only carry an entire galaxy upon his back for so long before the weight of it all finally becomes too much.
(Written about the Corrupted Steven Theory, long before SUF's airing.)
Content warning: Depression, body horror.
The Price of Freedom- 791 words. Rated T.
Even while sightless, even when she only exists as thin fingers of light rapidly spreading outwards from her gem, Rose can sense that something is deeply, dreadfully wrong.
Written for Whumptober 2020, Day 1: Waking up restrained.
Bi the Way...- 2,886 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
Connie has a question, and also something to say.
(Originally written to be canon compliant after the movie, debunked by Steven and Connie not officially getting together until the end of Steven Universe: Future.)
Errands- 3,034 words. Rated T.
Steven has an endless stream of items on his to-do list, so many that he often forgets to properly take care of himself in between.
Sneaking off into the woods on the daily to vent out his repressed emotions is merely one of them.
(Originally written to fit between Snow Day and Little Graduation, but the back half of Steven Universe: Future strongly suggested that Steven did not visit Jasper in between the events of Little Homeschool and Fragments, thus I consider it debunked.)
A Blissful Crossroads- 1,742 words. Rated T. Stevencest.
“No, no, please— Steven, it’s not ‘nothing,’ I’m curious, now.” Tone bursting with genuine warmth, he plants a singular hand on his shoulder, trying to coax him to open up again. “I genuinely want to know.”
And stars, is the sheer, uncharacteristic vulnerability glistening within his dear friend’s warm brown irises when next he opens his mouth almost enough to scramble the very code of his core-most being.
“You sure about that, Flower Boy?”
_
A holiday gift fic inspired by the story "Drift Together," in which Steven and his Gem- Floret- are split at birth and live entirely separate lives before ultimately reuniting in high school.
tether me close and promise you'll linger- 2,139 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
“Happy New Year, sweetheart,” she whispers, her breath tickling against his beard.
And in response, his brow creases inwards so sharply that it’s all but impossible to ignore the building tension behind his eyes, the stressful specter of a migraine yet to come.
“Stars… it’s that time already—?”
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A holiday gift fic inspired by characters in the AU comic “Walk the Line.”
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Canon Compliant Works:
This part of the list contains almost everything within my "Brandishing the Star: A Crystal Gem's Guide to the Universe" fic series on AO3. Fics are listed chronologically.
Ineptitudes and Impurities- 2,462 words. Rated G.
You are a Diamond— the shimmering matriarch of all Gemkind— and yet one day, betraying your own intended purpose, you find yourself playing a game.
_
Written for The Great Diamond Authority fanzine.
Tipping Point- 1,104 words. Rated G.
Garnet helps remind Rose of what she's fighting for.
New Star- 1,321 words. Rated G.
Organic life is a fragile, fickle thing. This much is true. What's also true is how the death and resurrection of a humble lion was enough to make Rose Quartz re-conceptualize everything.
On the Origin of Hybrids- 1,684 words. Rated G.
The question— incomplete, and yet bursting with long-held curiosity— emerges from thin air while he’s about to tuck Steven into bed in the back of the van one night.
In retrospect, no parenting book could’ve ever prepared him for this one.
His Shield- 334 words. Rated G.
Greg attempts to comfort his son during a thunderstorm.
Donut Debrief- 1,578 words. Rated G.
And like a burst of sunshine emerging from between the murky grey clouds, the young boy swings the door open wide, face alight with a level of enthusiasm that before, she didn’t even think was humanly possible on an overcast Monday morning.
Two days after their disastrous island adventure, Sadie and Steven talk about regrets, making amends, and discover something they have in common with each other.
Autumn Bliss- 546 words. Rated G. Light Steven/Connie.
Is there any better way to spend a crisp autumn day than playing around in piles of leaves?
Written for Connvember, day 1.
Alienation- 1,151 words. Rated G.
“But... I’m human,” he whispers to himself, the words tasting more like a desperate plea for belief on his tongue. “Or at least, part human. Right?”
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An awkward interaction with his dad and Connie leads Steven to realize that he's now too Gem to all the humans in his life.
Ramen Soup For the Soul- 263 words. Rated G.
Steven and Connie noisily slurp some soup at the dinner table.
Creative Outlet- 837 words. Rated G.
“Log date, 7 14 9.
“Today, the hybrid creature Steven attempted to further secure my loyalty by introducing me to a concept he calls... ‘music.’
Taste of Ordinary- 12,756 words. 2/3 chapters. Rated G. Light Steven/Connie.
"Connie, can we talk?"
When a much needed moonlight conversation with his best friend turns into an attempted (and failed) "spring break" from all his responsibilities as a half-Gem, Steven must finally come to terms with the full truth of his heritage and all six thousand years of its consequences.
Takes place between The Question and Made of Honor.
Outer Strife- 4,282 words. Rated T.
Connie clenches her fists at her sides, envisioning a world where she still feels the safe, comforting weight of Rose’s sword strapped upon her back. But instead, it’s the Crystal Gems’ darkest, most forlorn hour... and she’s absolutely useless to them.
Is there anything she can do to aid them in this struggle, anything at all?
(Or: the beach fight in Reunited, but from Connie's POV.)
Content warning: Panic attacks
Ballroom Etiquette- 2,809 words. Rated G.
As much as it pains him to admit it amidst all the boring protocol, Pearl is absolutely right. There’s no room for imperfection at a Homeworld Ball.
In which Steven is publicly introduced to the Gems of Homeworld as Pink Diamond, and he experiences the first true stage fright of his life.
Finally Free- 1,653 words. Rated G.
Lapis genuinely doesn’t know how many hours (Days? Months? Years?) have passed when light finally graces her eyes once again.
Vulnerable- 730 words. Rated G.
Three words.
Three little words, and the intergalactic conflict he‘d been training his whole childhood to defend against was over.
But the hurt... he's not sure the hurt will ever go away.
Fifteen- 1,607 words. Rated G.
Every year, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Pearl runs away.
Cycles- 1,216 words. Rated G.
Amidst their danger-fraught mission to retrieve Pyrope and Demantoid's prisms, Pearl and Steven take a much needed break.
Freedom to Dance- 382 words. Rated G.
Stevonnie celebrates the first anniversary of Era 3 with their friends and reflects on how Homeworld has already changed.
Stardust- 618 words. Rated G.
White Diamond is testing out new terms of endearment. But no matter White’s intention with this little nickname, Steven doesn’t want it.
Contact- 16,002 words. 4/4 chapters. Rated T.
The first (and with any luck, only) time it happens, he’s almost 16.
Content warning: Major character injury.
Disconnected- 993 words. Rated T.
“What’s going on—?” he croaks to absolutely no one (weakened, vulnerable, alone, pathetic—), a jolt of fresh panic surging through his entire system.
He’s never seen a gem flicker before. He has no idea what this means.
The Shatter Wish- 1,045 words. Rated T.
You’re 16 years and 2 months old (give or take a few days) when you finally realize you want to die.
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(Steven's POV, second person)
Content warning: Depression, suicidal ideation.
Second Skin- 9,272 words. 12/12 chapters. Rated T.
Steven can’t help but dread the undefined cocktail of emotions that trigger this newest power...
12 shorts, each delving into Steven’s developing opinions and feelings about his “pink mode” in SUF.
Content warning: Light self harm, panic attacks
The Brother on the Other Side- 2,978 words. Rated T.
Lars has no idea what he was expecting the moment Steven texted him in the middle of the night to ask if he could come over, but being immediately tackled in an intense vice-grip of a hug the second he opened the door probably wasn’t it.
White Noise- 1,766 words. Rated T.
In which Steven opens up to Peridot a little about his anxieties surrounding his recent “pink episodes.”
Peridot thinks she can help him determine the root cause of this problem, but Steven— marooned amidst age-old insecurities and his fears of hurting those he loves— still isn’t convinced he wants anyone’s help.
Content warning: Panic attacks
Like Clockwork- 509 words. Rated T.
Connie's got mountains of studying to do.
(It's not just an excuse to avoid reminders of old traumas, of course it's not! Everything's fine.)
Fight the Future- 3,604 words. Rated T.
She’s poofed, he repeats to himself like a dying man’s mantra. She’s poofed. She’s stuck in the rubble, but she’s only poofed. She’s fine, and I’m fine, a-and—
Above the scars of Steven's wreckage, thunder claps like mighty titans colliding in the heavens.
(Or: what happens in the moments after Steven and Jasper's rematch.)
Distortions- 755 words. Rated T.
A mere heartbeat before Steven corrupts, Garnet finally catches a glimpse of his future.
Oceans- 5,358 words. 6/6 chapters. Rated T.
Her fingers clutch onto the folds of his blanket with a protective fervor, but they’re still trembling. Stars, they’re trembling.
Wordlessly, he understands. His are too.
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A series of shorts detailing what might've happened in the moments after I Am My Monster, told from six different points of view.
Memoir of the Marks Unseen- 6,786 words. Rated T. Light Steven/Connie.
Steven’s messy self-corruption has scarred him in a manner that transcends the mere physical.
Battling through suffocating waves of self-loathing and relapse, the path towards healing and acceptance is set to be his most challenging venture yet… but in a unexpected twist of fate, he eventually comes to find a cathartic solace in the tangible marks left behind.
Content warning: Depression, light body horror.
Intake- 6,427 words. 2/2 chapters. Rated T.
Steven fills out an important form.
Content warning: Depression, suicidal ideation.
Fear of Falling Apart- 1,961 words. Rated T.
Maybe it’s a bit selfish to wish for conflict in a time of relative peace, but right now Connie would give anything to face an opponent she could physically fight. A battle she could win.
Because the fact of the matter is, no matter how stubbornly she might try, there’s no way she can fight off Steven’s inner demons for him.
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In which Connie receives a panicked midnight phone call, and rushes to Beach City with Lion to try and help.
Content warning: Light body horror.
Ticklish- 2,675 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
In which Connie’s subconscious, innocent touch helps Steven realize just how nice the sensation of gentle fingertips gliding across the surface of one’s gem can be.
No Escape From the Weather- 5,756 words. Rated T.
Amidst an unusually stormy late summer’s day, Steven finally amasses the courage to confide in his dad about one of his greatest traumas.
Content warning: Panic attacks
Just a Little Something- 1,486 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
Steven surprises Connie with a handmade gift.
Written for Glow Week 2024, for the prompt "Casual or Surprise."
(Our) Shadows Before the Dawn- 957 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
It's their nights that are the most difficult.
Content warning: Panic attacks
Advocate- 5,472 words. Rated T.
There’s more to this story, Lars can feel it brimming in his very bones. He can feel it squirming around in the tangled coils of his guts, a primal, virulent rot that threatens to consume him from the inside out. Something is off with Steven, something is distinctly wrong.
And oh, does he hate being right.
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When an unexpected visitor tumbles through the magic portal in his hair long after hours, breathless and bright pink, Lars must amass the courage to weather one of the most difficult conversations of his life.
Now twenty years old and living on the other side of the country, Steven spends his morning relaxing on the beach, musing about his past, and having a chat with his dad.
Nightlight- 1,364 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.
“So, wait— what you’re saying is that you want me… to glow for you—?”
-
In which a drowsy, throwaway comment inspires Steven to— fueled by Connie’s implicit trust and encouragement— test the very limits of his self-restraint.
~~~
OC Works:
This subsection is the home for any fics I post in my post-canon OC-centric series, "Echoes of Chalcedony." It follows the story of a young half-Gem named Jean Maverick and their journey towards learning about the Gem side of their heritage.
First Impressions- 11,026 words. 3/4 chapters. Rated T.
A young human-Gem hybrid- a soul yet unknown to the rest of the Crystal Gems- takes their first brave steps towards greeting their heritage firsthand.
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NSFW Works:
Fics in this section will be posted on my NSFW AO3 alt, Astraliies. I personally consider some of them "canon" to my own extended fic universe, but they will not be sorted as official entries in my "Brandishing the Star" series due to rating. I have more NSFW fics on this alt than the ones that are posted here, but they are far more niche and separated from canon in terms of their content, so won't be put on this masterlist.
It Takes Two- 2,865 words. Rated M. Steven/Connie.
It’s possible. The timing lines up.
What Connie fears is one hundred percent possible.
The problem is, a potential pregnancy this early into their relationship was absolutely not in their plans.
Content warning: Contains frank discussion of underage sex. Connie is 17.
A uniquely charged encounter in Rose’s Room forces Steven to contend with matters of attraction and desire he never could have predicted for himself.
To what extreme is he willing to journey in fulfilling these burgeoning fantasies? And in what ways will such an experience forever transform him?
(One thing’s for sure, though… once Connie’s brought into the loop, the most intimate dynamics of their marriage will never be the same.)
Content warning: Selfcest, explicit sexual content
Love Handles- 7,178 words. Rated E. Steven/Connie.
In which a stray, innocuous comment from Connie pushes Steven to dedicate the bulk of his free time to ‘getting into shape.’
But when new stressors rise to challenge him, he begins to struggle to maintain this leaner, more muscular form for her. Not only that, but is this even the kind of body he desires for himself in the first place?
Content warning: Explicit sexual content, feeding kink
I have a huge soft spot for Soft Daddy Link, especially Wild. I saw a YouTube short of a couple's bedtime routine with their 2-year-old daughter that included the dad giving her warm "nite nite milk" and the visual stayed with me for days until I finally put it down on paper.
This cuddle time would be one of the highlights of Link's day, every day.
+ zoom on the heart chambers. i heavily referenced that one botw concept art showing what link’s family could have been like. there’s no proposed design for his mother so i did my best haha
i think 100% the house link buys in hateno was definitely his family home as a child, but he doesn’t remember ofc
do you think link would have been excited to join the knights at first? i think he would have, when he was young and didn’t understand the implications of the position.
(Right after cutscene 12(?), I imagine he had the habit to hum lullabies around her after they grew more comfortable around each other, which reminds her of her mother)
