The evening progressed peacefully from then on, with the gems staying in their respective rooms and Steven and Spinel watching TV and playing with lion. Every 10 minutes or so, you had Steven place an ice pack on his belly, to reduce the bruising.

You were busy tending to baby melon. After all, you wanted to keep your word in honoring his sacrifice for everyone's sake. And you knew he deserved more than just a mere burial or just being eaten then forgotten.

No, this was to be sure he wasn't forgotten any time soon...

While you knew that the fruit itself would rot eventually, you knew that the seeds were more likely to last longer, especially with it having steven's essence within them.

So after gathering his seeds from the few slices left of him, you got to work at the next step to your thanks to him.

You knew what you had to do, but it required a trip to the barn for the proper materials...

Some wood... a bit of paint... some nails...

It was a rather lengthy process, but in the end it would be worth it...

~~~~~~[few hours later]~~~~~~

There... this should do it.

You huffed, making room on the shelf over the couch, and placing a small object on it.

...I Hope this'll be a sufficient thanks for you, little one.

You thought, plucking your flower from your head and placing it beside baby melon's memorial.

...thanks again. For saving us. For saving my-

"(Name), can I give this back to you now, now?"

You were snapped out of your thoughts at an anxious young voice calling to you. You look up at the loft to find Steven standing on the stairs, holding up the now runny ice pack. Spinel was beside him, still swaddled in her blanket with lion beside her, peering down at you from the edge. "I think that rash should be gone now." You hummed, your eyes flickering between the drippy ice pack in his hand and Spinel's tired expression. I suppose that's enough ice for now.. You smiled placidly, stepping back from the couch. Time for these two to turn in.

"Go ahead, sweets." You nodded, sitting back on your haunches. "Come here." You motioned them towards you, to which they cooperatively walked down the stairs, while lion leapt down from the loft. After they gathered in front of you, you took the ice pack and set it on the table and after a brief pat to lion's head, you ruffled both the young gem's hair. "How's Steven and Spinel feeling now?"

"I'm just dandy." Spinel replies softly, before letting out a small yawn. Steven nods. "Yeah, we're okay now." He stood for a moment, mulling his thoughts. "...I still miss baby melon, though." He sulked. His eyes then became shiny, as he thought back to the melon child's final stand. "I wish I could have done something to prevent him from doing what he did..."

You frowned at the boy's solemnity. "Oh Steven..." You slowly picked Steven and spinel up, scooping spinel up into your midarms and Steven into your forearms, cradling them both like they were frail porcelain. "It's not Steven's fault. Baby melon only did what he thought was right. He knew his melon kin were beyond the point of control." He snivels softly, using his sleeve to wipe any stray tears from his eyes. "...couldn't... couldn't there have been a different way?"

You pondered his question for a moment. "...Even if there was, it's likely it wouldn't be an effective solution. Sometimes certain things must happen in life in order for others to learn and grow from it." You spoke slowly and carefully. "Perhaps... baby melon knew that with this sacrifice, he could get his kin to see the error of their ways. And it will encourage them to be better."

Steven sniffles again, scrubbing at his eyes, trying to halt his tear fall, to which you lifted a paw up to wipe a stray tear off his cheek. "It's okay, Steven." You pressed your muzzle into his curly hair. "I'm sure that... somewhere Baby melon is happy knowing that he's made a big change in his kin's lives... especially for the ones he loved."

He looks up at you, his eyes still glimmering with tears. "You... really think so?" He croaks still wiping at his eyes. "(Name) knows so." Steven sniffles again, but this time he manages to muster up a small smile. "Th-Thank you..." You smiled soothingly towards the boy. "Feel better?" He shrugs, using his sleeve to wipe his nose. "A little."

"Only a little?" You hummed softly, with a little play pout on your lip. "That won't do... (Name) must make Steven feel a lot better." A playful smirk curls your lips. "And she knows exactly how."

"Really?" He asks, with a look of curiosity. "How?"

You smiled, a purr rumbling in your throat. "Well... there are a lot of ways to make someone happy again. But in this case, (Name) will only need two." You laid down on the ground, spreading out across the cool wood, making sure not to squish spinel or steven, while Lion lays himself beside you like he usually did when he was in the house. "One way is lots and lots of cuddles." You emphasized this by hugging both gemlings closer to you, squishing them into your warm tum and fur. Spinel hums, nuzzling deeper into your embrace, shutting her eyes. "I like this way." Spinel said in a near hum, rubbing her cheek against your warm, plush arm while Lion simply perched his paws over your fluffy back, a low rumble of contentment emanating in his throat. Steven giggles, taking a moment to nuzzle his face into your chest fluff, before looking up at you with twinkling, much more cheerful eyes. "What's the other way?"

"Well..." you smirked, slowly nosing his shirt up so his pudgy tum was exposed. "There's this." You then press your lips onto his tum, just above his gem... And started to blow lightly into it.

Almost instantly, the pleasant sound of joyous laughter filled the room as Steven started to squirm in your embrace at the ticklish sensation you were giving him. "Ah! (Name), that tickles!" He exclaimed, in between hysterical laughter. "(N-Name), I-I think it's working! I definitely feel much better now!"

You purred lightly, contining to blow raspberries into the boy's belly, while at the same time cradling spinel, who was slowly drifting off to the sound of his laughter. Lion simply kneaded into your fur, contented with the moment at hand.

As you relished in the joyous, yet tender moment with the young ones, you were hardly aware of the potent warmth starting to ripple through you...

Nor the gem in steven's navel start to illuminate as the boy's joy grew....

~~{that night: in 3rd person pov}~~

With delicate movement, a slender figure slowly crept from her spot from behind the warp room's doorway.

Carefully...

With careful, calculated steps, the pale gem slowly made her way to the living room, creeping over to the sleeping pile that lie in the center of the room.

The large pink lion had fallen asleep on the corrupt gem's fluffy back, while the small pink gem was snuggled up in the beast's midarm, sleeping quite soundly.

Moving her gaze up her body, they landed on the corrupt (gem)'s head, which rested on the belly of the halfling child like a blanket.

She couldn't help but smile at the sight. They all seemed so peaceful...

Corrupt or not, this (gem) certainly knew what she was doing when it came to tending to small, young creatures...

...Speaking of which...

Straightening up, pearl looks over at the  shelving over the couch where (name) had stood.