"Wow, (name)'s collected all these from around the temple?"

steven asked, walking along side garnet and spinel on their way to Fish Stew Pizza, staring in awe at the stack of VIPizza coupons that garnet had retrieved from your satchel as you instructed beforehand. "Mhm. she said she knew they'd have some kind of use for us, so she kept them around incase she figured out what they were for." She smiled, looking pleased after counting the amount of coupons. "Quite thoughtful of her." She hands the coupons to steven, who counts them himself while spinel just smiles at the mention of your name. "(Name)'s been really good to us lately in general." He giggles slightly, putting a bit more pep in his step. "She's always looking out for us, and making sure that we're safe... and..." he stares at the coupon stack in his hand, his smile faltering slightly into a look of though as his walking slowing down a bit. "hey... garnet...? Is that.... wierd?" garnet looks down at the boy quizzically. "what do you mean?"

"You know..." steven shrugs, unsure of how to explain it properly. "how (name)'s become very... 'protective' of me and spinel lately. REALLY protective." he explains, sheepishly itching the back of his neck. "And... amethyst thinks it's wierd that she's suddenly acting like this. what do you think about it?" garnet hummed softly, contemplating his words. "I wouldn't call this behavior wierd." she shrugs cooly. "in fact, there's nothing really wrong with having maternal instincts."

"Maternal instincts?" steven and spinel repeated in unison, not fully familiar with such a term. Garnet nodded, keeping her eyes ahead as she walked. "it's a bond a creature shares with its offspring or just a young being in general. and those feelings involve the need to nurture and protect at all costs." Steven stared up at the tall gem, his eyes glittering subtly. "Do you really think that's what it is?"

"It's exactly what it is." garnet affirmed.

steven looked almost astonished, as the realization slowly sank in. "Wow..." he stared at the ground for several minutes before smiling brighter than the sun. "Guess that makes amethyst right about that one thing then..." he giggles to himself, feeling a light warmth in his chest at the thought. however, he then looks back at the direction of the beach house, feeling a sudden jolt of unease as he remembered something. "I wonder what she's doing with pearl and amethyst now, though..." he asked out loud, bringing a hand upto his mouth in wonder and worry. "She... she won't hurt them, will she? I mean, it's my fault that I started the Secret Team..."

garnet shrugged nonchalantly. "You only wanted to see them get along. It's really not your fault." She assured him. "Besides their bickering has put you in trouble before. It needs to be put under control." She pressed her finger against the bridge of her visor. Then her voice suddenly takes on a smug edge. "And she's got the perfect solution to it."

spinel furrows her brow. "What's that?"

Garnet just smirked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"THIS IS THE SECOND TIME PEARL AND AMETHYST PUT POOR STEVEN THROUGH THIS!!" You exclaimed furiously, throwing your arms up in the air. "Do pearl and amethyst REALIZE how it makes him feel when they do this!? the STRESS of having to watch his housemates, his GUARDIANS, his MOTHER FIGURES, be at each other's throats!? DO THEY?!" you stared down at the two gems with wide, furious eyes, waiting for a response.

Pearl was looking off to a side, hunched slightly with her hands clasped in her lap, twiddling her thumbs, biting her lip with a sheepish expression.

Amethyst was looking off to the other side, arms crossed, pouting with a rather sour expression.

both had a blush present on their face, both from shame and embarrassment of the situation they were currently in.

"Well, it's her that always starts it..." amethyst grumbled, a bitter undertone in her voice.

pearl's head shot up at this, an offended, incredulous sneer on her face. "Excuse me?"

"Well, if you weren't so uptight and stuffy all the time-!" Amethyst started, but was cut off by an indignant scoff.

"Oh please! this is YOUR fault! if you weren't so reckless and difficult to deal with then maybe we'd-" amethyst groaned loudly, pressing her hands to where her ears would be.

"Uuugh, here we go again with the whining! oh amethyst, you're so messy, you're reckless, you're soooo unorganized, BLAH BLAH BLAH!" she rolls her eyes. "All's you ever do is nag, P! nag nag NAG! Like, lighten up for once will ya?!"

pearl groaned jabbing a finger in her direction. "I wouldn't HAVE to nag If you weren't such a MESS and at least act like you care for once!"

this struck a nerve as amethyst rounded a furious glare at the thin gem. "A mess, huh!? Like the one you put us in, with rose's bubble!?"

"IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU WOULD'VE STOOD IN YOUR FILTHY ROOM AND OUT OF MY PERSONAL SPACE!" Pearl barked jabbing a finger into her chest.

"NO IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU KEPT YOUR HANDS OFF THE STUPID BUBBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!" amethyst shot back, getting close to her face, with a fist clenched.

"DON'T YOU DA-"

"SHUT UP!!"

Both gems yelped in surprise, force your roaring voice knocking them back into the couch, sending a violent quake throughout the temple, shaking a few pictures off the walls and knick-knacks off the shelves.

You huffed angrily, staring down at them as they sulk into the couch again, going back to pouting in separate directions of each other.

"Pathetic." you rumbled, shaking your head and crossing your arms. "Two fully-fledged crystal gems. Fighting like children." Your eyes burned holes into them, as they sank further into their seats, try to repress a wince from the disappointment in your voice. "Disgraceful!" You snorted at their lack of response and started to pace back and forth, rubbing your forehead in frustration and thought as you continued your rant. "This isn't to be tolerated. Pearl and amethyst need to get over themselves and accept each other's differences. the quicker the better because (name) isn't going to be having this." You huffed blowing out a small puff of steam. "Fighting not only make steven feel stressed, but it gets followed by mayhem, and he doesn't need that. None of us do. Something needs to be done."

Amethyst, despite her rigidity, grumbled softly under her breath, in a way she thought you wouldn't hear. "And could you do it?"

You bring your pacing to a stop as you remembered a specific thing you've seen on steven's phone and stared pensively down at the two.

"...hm."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"(name)?"

Garnet pokes head in the front door. "is everything alright in here?"

You, who was sitting in the middle of the living room with your back to the door, looked over your shoulder at the tall gem, offering a curious, yet polite smile. "Garnet! Did pizza coupons work?"

Garnet smiled, stepping back to let steven and spinel walk in, steven holding a medium a flat box, and spinel holding a larger one, both boxes with the words "Fish Stew Pizza" sprawled across them, as well as an odd pizza-fish mascot printed on it. "They sure did!" Spinel chirped. "And to thank ya, we got a pizza just for you!" She held up the large box proudly.

You smiled brightly, your tail wagging slightly at their kind repayment. "It was (name)'s pleasure." Spinel giggled as steven placed his pizza on the living room table and looked around anxiously. "Did... you manage fix things between pearl and amethyst?"

You grinned mischievously. "Why, yes. and (name) has learned something in the process as well."

Steven lifts his brow. "What's that?"

Your grin widened as you stepped aside. "That along with stuff from amethyst's room..."

"Duct tape really IS a useful tool."
~~~~~~~~~~

Ultimate Humiliation

New ability unlocked: Stare of shame