♢My Little Songbird♢ ~AU Diamond!steven x Fem!siren reader~

3: new home

"Oooh, momma! Lookit that one!"

You pointed up at a bright yellow star that flew freely through the air, with colorful streamers on each point, making it look as if it were an actual shooting star.

You always loved it when humans brought out their colorful kites. Especially the ones with the colorful streamers that danced through the air on the edges of them. Humans always had such creativity. "I like that one the best!"

Your mother chuckled softly at your enthusiasm, adjusting her position on her rocky perch, so you'd be in a more comfortable position in her lap, wrapping her wings around you to keep you warm from the chilly seabreeze. "Heheh... me to, darling."

You giggled, cuddling closer into your mother's soft plume of chest feathers, watching as the land dwellers played on the beach from your boulder perch a safe distance away from the shore. It wasn't often that your mother did this. The only times you went to the surface was either after lunch or dinner to bask on a nearby sandbar, or to just at certain times when the beach was empty. This was a fairly new experience.

"...why do you think the humans make those thingies, mama?"

Your mother rested her chin on the top of your head and thought for a moment.

"...I'm not sure my dear." She admitted. "Humans do a lot of things we don't quite understand."

There was a beat of silence between you both as you continued your kite watching. Your mother's embrace suddenly tightened a bit. You turned back to look at her curiously, and saw that her previously placid look was now a bit tense as she looked down to meet your gaze.

"Be very careful of them, (Name)." She warned, her wings carefully wrapping around you even tighter. "They can be very unpredictable."

"Unpredictable?" You asked, toying with your tail tip.

Your mother nodded, looking back up at the beach. Her eyes were narrowed slightly, into a look of distrust. "Yes, my dear. Which is why I ask of you to be weary of them."

"They can be kind one moment, but then they can be cruel another. All for reasons only known to them." She explained. "Never let your guard down around them."

"O...kay." you replied, uneasily. "I'll do my best."

~~~~~~~~~~~
"(Name)? Hey... wake up.."

You awoke to a light prodding on your face, gently pulling you out of your slumber. "We're here." You instinctively went to blink the sleep out of your eyes, but remembered the blindfold that was unfortunately still tied around them. However, you were delighted to find that your legs were no longer bound together as you were assisted out of the van, and stood on soft sand.

"Took ya long enough." Called the familiar, gruff female voice.

Almost immediately, you tensed up at the sound of the brutress' voice, but felt a gentle, reassuring pat on your back. "Well, can't risk crashing and getting myself and (name) hurt...."

Jasper let out a mocking scoff. "(Name)? Is that what you call it now?"

"No." You replied sharply. "(Name) is my actual birth name."

Jasper hums in dull surprise at your answer, before letting out a short snicker. "Huh... impressive that you got it to talk as well. Well, come on. I've notified everyone of its arrival; let's not keep them waiting." You felt Greg gently grip your cuffed hands and pat your back. "Nice and easy."