after you had your fill of fries, steven leads you back to the temple and lay out on the beach, to relax and reflect as you watched the setting sun, basking in its comforting warmth and the sweet cool sea scented breeze.

you were laying on your back, with steven on your chest and spinel on your belly, with the respective arms wrapped around them both as you watched the sunset in a content silence, just listening to the crashing of waves while and the occasional call of a seagull in a distance. this is beautiful. you heaved a soft sigh, staring with a slightly plaintiff expression in your eyes, your relaxed grin softening along with it. to think... lazuli has no faith in this magnificent world. you sneered sadly at the thought, and found your thoughts wandering off, delving into deeper into lazuli, along with her desperation to get back to her home in the stars. ...do... all gems view earth so lowly? you blinked at a sudden sear in your chest.

...was I part of it?

"hey, (name)?"

with a start, you turned your head, wincing slightly as your eyes met with concerned dark and magenta ones baring onto yours. unfortunately, you weren't good at hiding your troubling thoughts. "you okay there, big fella?" spinel asked, her neck stretched up so she could see your face. your gaze flickered between the two, with your mouth partially opened, trying to think of an excuse for your sudden slump, but the more you looked at them, the more you knew they wouldn't believe a word you would've said. with another sigh, you decided to give them a bit of an insight. "(name) okay... just... thinking to herself." you cast your gaze to the side, allowing yourself to continue. "...about where she could have come from." you whined softly to yourself. "...if she was... good or... bad." you hesitated at bad, feeling a sting in your chest just by having the word come out of your mouth. steven frowned sympathetically. "aw, (name)..." he lays out on your chest, trying his best wrap his stubby arms around you best he could. "I get it... it must really stink to have no memories of your past... to not know which side you were on... it all must be so.. confusing and.. frustrating.." he pressed his cheek into your chest, nuzzling into your thick fur. "but you know what? it doesn't matter." his voice suddenly hardened. "know why? because me and spinel got your back. no matter what." steven pressed his hands into your chest, sitting up so he could stare at you with a serious expression. "we're gonna help you get to the bottom of this whole thing. we'll get your memories back, and you'll be better than ever in no time!" he sounded determined as he suddenly stuck his hand against your chest, not to roughly but firm enough to make sure he made himself clear. "and.. it doesn't matter where you came from!because we will always be your friends!" he looked back at spinel with a pumped fist. "Right spinel!?" she nodded firmly. "yeah!"

your chest swelled with a burst of warmth and adoration as his words rang about in your head.

"Steven... spinel."

"yeah, (na-) WHOA!"

steven cried out as you suddenly plucked him from his spot, holding him up in the air, watching as his shock quickly transitioned to amusement and joy as he started laughing in your grip, squirming playfully, flapping his arms like he was flying. at the same time, you held spinel closer to you, as she receeded her neck and rested her chin against your tum, smiling softly at you. "(name) may not know who she is..." you grinned gratefully at sight. "but she does know this..."

"she is very very lucky and grateful for friends like you."

steven blushes and squishes his cheeks sheepishly while spinel just nuzzles your belly with a hum, wrapping her arms around you into a half hug. "aw, (name)..." he was going to say something else, but that was when a breeze, colder than before whips about, making him shiver. you all turn, and note that the sun was almost fully submerged into the ocean, therefore it's warmth had been dimmed down. "let's head back in. don't want pearl to worry."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

once night hit, you were all pretty tired from this particularly enjoyable day. spinel was already out like a light on the couch while steven did his nightly routine. this earthly way of life has really gotten her good. you thought, staring at her sprawled out figure on the couch with a smile.

after circling a few times, you plop onto the floor stretch out against the cool wood and sighing softly, eager for some shut eye. you hear the bathroom door open and see steven, clad in his pajamas making his way over to the stairs to his loft. he looks to you and offers a tired smile, along with a wave. "good night, (nickname)." you grinned back at him and waved back. "good night, lil steven." his smile widened, at this as he made his way up the stairs as you set your head down on your arms. your eyes were about ready to shut when you heard his ascend up the stairs pause suddenly.

oh? did he forget something? it's quite rare for him to make a slip up when it came to routines like this. so naturally you couldn't help but wonder what he missed.

after a second, you hear him descend the stairs at a hurried pace and make his way over to you, which prompted you to lift your head in concern. "ste-"

"I love you! Night night!"

with that, he ran back up the stairs with a giggle while you blink, in a dumbfounded by this action, feeling residual warmth from it as you slowly setting your head back down onto your arms with a soft smile on your face, as a purr rumbled in your throat.

Very lucky indeed.