A/N: Hey, glad you're back! Or maybe you never left in the first place? I can't read your mind, I'm just trying to talk from the past through text online. Not exactly gonna be the most reliable. Anywho, this chapter is definitely in my top three favorites. Not only is this the longest one, but I put a special amount of care into this one, making sure that the location was written correctly and giving a ton of attention to simple fluff. Definitely a polished chapter. So I won't take up more of your time! Have a great day!

(I don't own Steven Universe)


VII: Compromise

Continuing to grasp Amethyst's hand, Steven led his friend by the others, subconsciously noting the surprise on their faces. Were it not for his own determination, he likely would've inspected them further. Not that he was surprised by their surprise; even he could tell that going as purposefully as he did was a bit out of place. Evidently more than a bit, according to how Amethyst herself seemed startled by the tight grasp he used to lead her towards the fountain's stony threshold. Still, he kept his eyes forward rather than use them to admire the fountain's impressive design, the young Gem having a set goal in mind.

The few words that Pearl uttered almost directed his vision sideways, but Steven continued forward, having the off-hand hope that Amethyst wouldn't mind his almost forceful lead. She made no verbal complaints, following him after a few slow steps. Just as Steven reached the dilapidated stairs, he felt a sudden increase in the pressure on his hand. Given that he had a firm grasp already, sensing Amethyst's was a little harder than anticipated, though the sudden change felt in the rest of her arm helped. Steven glanced behind him, finding Amethyst a little closer than he would've assumed, nearly pressing her arm into his own. After another few steps, though, Steven could tell it was more of an effort to physically move forward more than any attempt to get closer to him.

Oddly enough, the reason for Amethyst to do so seemed to be a good distance away already. Her face looked tethered on Garnet's, like the two of them were having some kind of ultimate staring contest. Amethyst appeared to be winning. She focused on the fusion silently, a subtle tense-ness being felt in her whole body. Steven hadn't the slightest clue what Garnet was attempting to convey. Reading Amethyst's expression as simultaneously inquisitive and disdainful, Steven rose an eyebrow, but continued walking further. Amethyst followed seemingly without much thought, leering at Garnet all the way up until the stone gate surrounding the fountain broke their eye contact. The moment Garnet disappeared from his vision, Steven heard Amethyst begin a few mutterings he had trouble deciphering.

Part of the reason he had trouble understanding Amethyst's mutterings, he found, was the unusual, almost flustered expression adorning her face. Combined with the persistent blush that first settled in after Amethyst's atypically soft message of the sky almost being romantic, Steven hadn't the slightest clue what she was so evidently bothered by. A couple of her statements, especially "...can't get any more relevant than now..." could be interpreted as relating to whatever Garnet kept to herself, but Steven had even less information about that. Darn his refusal to eavesdrop earlier.

Amethyst didn't seem to pay much mind to the boy, still going through a wide variety of motions that would likely make more sense if Steven had the slightest inkling of what she was exactly upset about. Steven's steps gradually slowed, more and more of his attention being pooled towards his friend rather than walking. Her fragmented statements seemed to grow louder as the distance between their companions increased, allowing Steven to more easily read them. Hearing Amethyst almost growl out an incredulous statement of "...and she knew before?" caused Steven to stop walking entirely, the Gem pausing just a few yards from the stony walls surrounding the fountain. Amethyst didn't appear to notice this, still pressed up a little closer than normal into Steven and grumbling incoherent messages of scorn to herself.

Just as Steven raised a hand alongside an inquisitive hum, Amethyst's statements reached an abrupt climax, the violet Gem nearly shouting "Pretty sure I'm relevant!"

A few seconds passed as her statement carried into the open night sky, subtly bouncing off the stone spires past the fountain's gates. Then, Amethyst seemed to realize her friend's presence, proximity, and concerned expression all at once, changing her aggravated features into more surprised ones. Those subsequently transformed into an embarrassed expression, and the Gem looked down, not offering anything to disperse Steven's curiosity. The most she did was wave a stray bang from her eye with a quiet apology.

Steven, taking a moment to note how her blush now seemed a little justified, continued to look at Amethyst inquisitively, giving her a few moments to explain herself. She didn't, which wasn't too surprising to Steven. It was more than a little obvious that she felt no need to discuss whatever had just frustrated her so thoroughly, though that didn't diminish how Steven very much felt that need. Amethyst continued falsely inspecting her boots as Steven thought for a way to bring up the topic as politely as possible. Eventually, the boy realized that simply ignoring whatever Amethyst was troubled by was no longer the "right" decision, and hesitated slightly before opening his mouth.

"What's wrong, Amethyst?" he asked, a little of his earlier determination seeping into his voice.

Like he anticipated, Amethyst didn't seem to expect his tone, snapping her head upwards to face him. She seemed to take a moment to recite the automatic response she would likely give him before Steven pushed further. "Something is wrong," he stated, more of a fact rather than any persuasive argument. It wasn't as though Amethyst explicitly denied the possibility of something being wrong before; besides, Steven wasn't completely oblivious to the drastic changes in her demeanor. Amethyst looked at him for another few moments, understanding how obvious her actions were, and suddenly lost interest in her boots.

"What gave it away?" she conceded with a defeated sigh. Amethyst's face fell again, though this time it felt more like a gesture of disappointment rather than a refusal to look at her friend. There was something especially disheartening about the action that almost persuaded Steven to put a hand on her chin to lift her features. Feeling that might've made things a tad more awkward than they needed to be, Steven kept a hand at his side, the other still holding tight to Amethyst. After a short delay, Steven met her question honestly.

"Lots of things, really," he said as politely as he could, finding some accidental insult in stating how blatant Amethyst's trouble was. She wasn't exactly subtle, as much as she probably attempted to be. Steven continued after a short hesitation.

"Like, first there was that hug. Well, not the hug, 'cause that was actually really nice, but... after it." According to the braced expression Amethyst now wore, that seemed to be a bit of a sensitive topic. How something like a hug could be considered sensitive, Steven had no idea. Still, seeing as how Amethyst didn't appear to want to discuss it, he moved on. "Then you were really surprised when I said we hung out a lot, like I shouldn't have said that."

Another small pause was offered to Amethyst in case she wanted to say something. She didn't appear to want to discuss that, either. Steven wasn't trying to force her to talk, hoping that she would do so willingly, but he couldn't imagine what to do in the case that she didn't. Amethyst eventually realized the prompt Steven gave her, and slightly rose her head.

"It's not... that," she eventually drew out. Startled by her atypically quiet voice, Steven leaned in just a tad closer, hoping to be encouraging rather than suffocating. He couldn't tell which feeling she received, the Gem quieting in a way that was simultaneously bizarre and worrying. Amethyst was one of the last people Steven would've assumed to be quiet. Weirder still was how she almost appeared guilty; as far as he knew, she hadn't done much to warrant any kind of guilty conscience. One rarely called the police for spending time with a friend, as forcefully spent as that time was. Steven almost dropped Amethyst's "issue" upon sensing her obviously uncomfortable state, but pushed further.

"There was when you said we instead of me, too," Steven continued, directing his eyes towards the stars above to avoid Amethyst's gaze. Then again, she didn't seem to want to meet his eyes, either. "You almost changed it, like you accidentally swore or something. And then there was..."

Finding that the most recent mention of how blatantly embarrassed Amethyst was after muttering "Kinda romantic" towards the sky was unnecessary and likely rude to mention, Steven fell silent. He didn't intend to make Amethyst feel bad by any means; unfortunately, his words seemed to have that effect. Whether or not it made much sense, Steven felt a little guilty himself for bringing up the topic, though hoped that Amethyst could understand why he brought it back up. The way she kept her neck forced downwards made it difficult to tell. Sensing that she still didn't feel like speaking up, Steven swallowed his paranoia and placed a gentle hand under her chin.

"You know I wanna help you, right?" he stated warmly, finally able to meet her eyes. Amethyst stared at him, wide-eyed. He could guess as to why, though continued regardless. "Problems need fixing, and that's what better-than-best-friends would do, right? Help fix each other's problems?"

Still Amethyst looked at him, a mixture of surprise and awe held in her features. Steven took a brief moment to note how her blush made no signs of dissipating before being pulled into a rather sudden embrace. While initially surprised at her contact, Steven returned it graciously; just because it was unexpected didn't mean it was unwelcome. Plus, it allowed him to feel the tense brace of his friend be replaced by a comforting relaxation, meaning Amethyst likely received the better portion of what he initially intended. Pleasing, to say the least.

"Yeah, I know, Steven," she admitted almost inaudibly, maintaining their embrace. After her small utterance, Amethyst's grip tightened ever so slightly; not to any uncomfortable degree, but more to a level of security Steven was used to giving rather than receiving. It was... rather pleasant, sure, but almost worrying when Amethyst was the one giving out that security. Recalling the talk both of them shared, Steven became a little less worried, thinking of Amethyst's hug as more her being open rather than desperate or in the wrong state of mind. Understanding that Amethyst was willingly doing so gave Steven a bit more hope for gaining the opportunity to help her.

Not that he was too aware of it, but Steven felt his hand unconsciously tighten just a tad, enjoying her contact further. Hopefully that still conveyed a comforting idea instead of an awkward one. Some more pressure was felt from Amethyst as Steven felt her head rest on his shoulder, still not quite facing him while also putting him more at ease (ironically enough). The Gem continued speaking softly, offering a small window of understanding to her friend.

"I don't want..." she began, then paused. Steven felt her take a shaky breath more than he heard her do so, if only due to the close contact between them. She tried speaking again, losing a bit of her trademark choppiness in her voice. "I don't want to stop that, though. Being... better than a best friend, dumb as that probably sounds."

Half-consciously rubbing her back for reassurance, Steven thought the last part of her statement felt unnecessarily sewed on, sounding more like an attempt to regain her usual character. He also couldn't tell if she was referring to the terminology they had agreed on for describing their relationship or finding that her paranoia wasn't too justified. Personally, he agreed with the latter. There wasn't much- or rather, there wasn't anything Steven could think of able to put a damper on something like their friendship. Evidently, Amethyst didn't agree, her voice being laced with more candor and emotion than she usually gave on most days. Forming a response to Amethyst's worry was pleasantly natural, though Steven still forced himself to avoid bringing Amethyst forward, understanding she was most comfortable where she was right now.

"But how that could happen?" the boy inquired honestly, trying to match her softness. For the most part, it likely came easier to him than to her, but the recent worry of his friend made him unsure. His own grasp tightened a tad for good measure. "It's just something wrong, right? Can't be anything that bad."

Amethyst's hair lightly brushed against the side of Steven's face, giving him the impression that she was shaking her head as if to say "Yeah, right." The softness of her locks would've been more appreciated if he wasn't still faced with a concrete wall instead of his friend. Almost imperceptibly, Amethyst's grip lessened, though she still held onto Steven in a way usually described as tightly. The violet Gem seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing slowly, a subtle reciprocation of Steven's rub being felt on his own back. "It ain't... right, I don't think. Sure as heck ain't normal."

Assuming she had more to say, Steven waited patiently, still holding onto his hope that she would tell him what was bothering her so much directly. It would happen eventually at the rate at they were going, but Steven felt like it still wouldn't happen soon enough. Call him impatient when it came to his better-than-best friend. Unfortunately, Amethyst didn't give any indication of talking further, holding onto Steven in silence. The boy noted how she was still managing to skirt around stating what the problem was while only piquing him further, meaning Steven was still uncertain as to what could bother her to such a degree and not be said out loud. Attempting to convince Amethyst that she could tell him anything, Steven filled the quiet for her.

"Problems usually aren't right or normal," he told her, trying to give her as much of a supportive smile as he could while still not facing her. Steven thought for a moment, then decided that he didn't really have to wrap up his words in any form or manner, allowing them to be said as-is. "But there's really nothing that would make me stop being your friend. You're Amethyst, remember?"

Again, Amethyst waited for a bit before trying to say anything in response. Though Steven might've been impatient in trying to help his friend, if she used the time to understand how genuine his statement truly was, he was in no rush. She could take as long as she wanted if she reached that understanding. The white-noise of the hand on Steven's back gradually lessened, as did the secure embrace between the both of them. Steven followed after Amethyst's example and gently removed his arm, allowing Amethyst to take a short step back.

An alarming amount of tiredness likely accumulated within the past minute could be seen in her expression, but ultimately, Steven was glad to be facing her again. Not only for being able to see her, but also for the fact that it likely meant she was starting to feel better. Complaining about how Amethyst's eyes were still not facing his was felt to be a little pessimistic to Steven, though he did keep his hand around her's to be safe. That, and he rather enjoyed her grasp in all honesty (especially if it meant he could more easily help her). His continued contact did seem to have an effect, as Amethyst now seemed to be at least trying to open up to Steven. She hesitantly started a few sentences, found that a little difficult, then fell into a more thoughtful pose. Steven waited patiently as a rebuttal, then prompted her in order to aid her effort.

"What were you talking about before?" Steven asked slowly, hoping to naturally lead into the root of the problem. Betting on Amethyst's willingness persisting, Steven subconsciously began walking towards the fountain. For a moment, it didn't feel like he was going to restore Amethyst's Gem or even that he was revisiting the fountain for some dire reason. Instead, Steven thought the immediate atmosphere as just a calm, empty area to walk with his friend alone. Rather peaceful, he thought, especially when combined with the warmness of her skin. "You were talking to yourself, and I think it was something with what Garnet said, right?"

Amethyst, following Steven's slow pace, continued grasping his hand with a contemplative expression. She appeared to also continue mulling over exactly what she wanted to say to the boy, likely thinking of the most concise way to word her thoughts. Even a few words would've been appreciated. Steven was given that much, though not without a prior hum of dissatisfaction from Amethyst, as though any words weren't wanting to be said.

"Yeah," she muttered, shaking her head with a roll of her eyes. Though Steven assumed she was trying to appear dismissive, Amethyst looked more embarrassed than anything else, the subtle blush graduating to a more full one. It was a little difficult to tell if it was due to the problem she was thinking of or the odd secret Garnet had kept to herself. Prodding further wasn't something Steven really wanted to do, understanding that Amethyst would give him enough information when she was ready. Based on Amethyst's first grumblings, Steven could assume it was the latter option anyways, but he didn't want to be too presumptuous. Amethyst thankfully continued before Steven was given the awkward task of continuing the conversation for her.

"Garnet knows, is this thing." Steven, understanding what she meant near instantly, stumbled a bit. Amethyst paid no mind and threw up her arm in some irked manner. She likely would've done the same with her other arm if it wasn't still used to grasp Steven's hand. It did little to alleviate his confusion either way, causing the boy to look at his friend with a newly inquisitive expression. Not that he was harmed by the fact someone else knew of Amethyst's problem, but the fact that he still didn't felt purely like some kind of spiteful irony. Surely the one who wanted to help her the most should be given the most to help, right?

"Hold on," Steven said, sounding a little incredulous despite the obvious credibility of Amethyst's statement. His steps slowed a bit, though he didn't stop completely. There was a reason for his disbelief persisting. "Garnet knows about the problem?"

Amethyst nodded, still appearing a little uncomfortable saying as much as she did. Confirming that seemed to be another problem for Amethyst, though not for the reasons Steven first assumed. "Even said she'd tell when it's 'relevant,'" his friend added with a tad of sarcasm. Less disdainful, more annoyed. Given how recent Amethyst's problem must've arose, Steven could see why she used the tone that she did. He likely would've done the same if he was in her shoes, considering how the problem really couldn't get much more relevant than now. A thought occurred to Steven, keeping his eyes on Amethyst instead of one of the approaching statues of his mother.

"When did you tell her?" he asked with a frown, curious. As far as Steven knew, he was with Amethyst since they begun the mission that brought them to where they were, so there couldn't have been any recent moment where Amethyst revealed her issue to the fusion. Evidently, Amethyst could understand this too, looking at Steven with a fair amount of perplexity.

"Uh," she started slowly, "I didn't. I was just as confused as you were, 'member?"

Steven blinked. Then, recalling that Amethyst had asked the fusion herself just what she was thinking of, twice, he slapped his forehead, creating a resounding *smack* that could've been interpreted as another footstep on the stone. "Oh, right. Duh." Steven coughed, hoping that would accelerate the awkwardness's leave. It didn't, nor did the amused expression on Amethyst's face. At least he managed to get her to smile for a moment, albeit inadvertently. He allowed himself a few of his own chuckles before continuing on the topic of Amethyst's problem, hoping that wouldn't do too much to damper the mood.

"So, she figured it out on her own, then?" he questioned, somewhat seriously. Amethyst, thankfully, didn't seem too surprised at Steven's inquiry. She nodded again, outwardly looking at the statue of Rose Quartz that stood before them. Her focus didn't seem to be directed towards the stone, though it looked like she attempted to place it there. Steven was thankful for the two of them being alone, thinking that likely contributed to how Amethyst quickly gave up her effort, before hearing her speak up.

"Yeah, I doubt Pearl did." After her remark, Amethyst abruptly fell silent, though still falsely inspected the statue. What made her quiet less worrying than the more recent cases was the deceptively calm expression on her face. It wasn't quite the one usually used when forcing politeness, more closely resembling the one used when pretending to understand something completely while, in actuality, being at a total loss. Essentially, the expression Amethyst usually had when Steven attempted to show her one of his many cartoons. For a moment, the Gem hummed a slightly contemplative hum, adding to the image.

"And Garnet told her!?" Amethyst suddenly exclaimed, the false expression disintegrating with her shout. Startled by Amethyst's outburst, Steven rose an inquisitive hand while she threw her's against her forehead, groaning. "I don't need two stupid lectures!"

Steven's natural curiosity that would've been applied towards the sudden yell was essentially irrelevant, given he was already more than a little curious about the reason for her doing so. Regardless, Steven gave his friend a concerned grimace. Part of him was tempted to put the pieces together himself; it was more than likely that he could figure out the source of Amethyst's trouble on his own with all that's been said and done (or, more accurately, what Amethyst had said and done) especially given her most recent outburst. Surely he could gather an idea of Amethyst's problem. There wasn't too much that denoted Amethyst receiving a lecture from the others, anyways.

Well... it narrowed the margin for how severe the problem was, at least.

Still, that almost didn't feel right, somehow. Steven didn't understand it himself; considering Amethyst's obvious apprehension about talking of the subject, the act of thinking was nearly rendered rude. As though he would be intruding on her mind. Admittedly, that in itself didn't feel right, considering how badly Steven wanted to help his friend, though her proximity helped with simplifying the odd paradox. Looking at Amethyst's half-embarrassed and half-troubled expression, Steven settled on the explanation that he ought to know of her problem when she was comfortable with telling him. At the very least, when she was ready to tell him; not necessarily the same time. That didn't stop Steven from inquiring anyways.

"Amethyst," he started, trying a quieter tone. He wasn't sure how to go about convincing Amethyst of his trust, having nearly exhausted all methods that came to mind, so hopefully the concept of persistence could convey the idea. Amethyst looked at him reluctantly, likely knowing what he was going to ask far before even hearing her name. He asked anyways out of common courtesy. "Do you want to tell me? What's bothering you?"

For a brief moment, Amethyst seemed to hesitate. She half-consciously kicked the ground on some anxious instinct; it was yet another thing they both tended to do when put on the spot in some guilty situation. Steven still didn't have any idea how she could be considered guilty for having something bother her. Quietly, his friend spoke up, looking at the ground in, well, a guilty manner.

"You already know the answer," she responded, atypically quiet. Steven would be lying if he said he wasn't further worried by Amethyst's voice being as small as it was. Her tone aside, Steven gave Amethyst the most patient smile he could muster, shrugging away any implied troubles as best as he could.

"Right, right, sorry," he waved off, hoping to hide his disappointment. Thankfully, Amethyst didn't appear to catch on to that, humming again in that dissatisfied way. The noise didn't feel like it was directed at him, though he was too busy re-drawing the line of what exactly was "too personal" to ask for about the third time to pay much attention. Then, seeing as how far that line was from achieving his goal, Steven erased it entirely and decided to act on instinct more than anything else. Silently, he led Amethyst towards the short stone wall of the fountain before pausing, placing a hand on it. Amethyst seemed surprised by the return of his initiative, as well as the sudden silence of his actions.

Still a little uncertain, Steven rubbed the stone, hoping that he could say the right things again. "Just..." he started slowly, glancing up at the statue of his mother. It stood solemnly, not giving him much in the way of guidance. Then again, his question was one he wanted to word himself. Taking a deep breath, Steven stepped onto the stone barrier, placing his other hand on Amethyst's to help her up. Not that she really needed the help, though Steven hoped she could still appreciate it. He was a little glad to see her features leaning more towards curious than apprehensive, despite her likely being able to know of his next question long beforehand. "Promise to tell me? When you're ready?"

As far as questions go, Steven found his coming out much more sincere than he would've expected. That, combined with how inherently sincere his request was already, was likely one of the only ways Steven could've managed to surprise Amethyst for the third time in succession. She looked at him in some kind of bewilderment, seemingly taken off guard by his question. Not exactly what he asked, since that was a little easy to spot, but more along the lines of how he asked what he did. Steven hoped her expression was due to a kind of revelation where she realizes something that's been obvious the whole time, that being that she really couldn't stop being Steven's friend, even if she tried.

For a few moments, Amethyst stood staring at Steven. A slight breeze could be heard above. The tears trickled quietly into the pool, dropping from the larger statue of Rose Quartz that stood in the fountain's center. Amethyst's eyes finally left Steven's, darting to the side to avoid his. Steven wasn't aware how, but he felt that it was more to break her own eye contact rather than his.

"Steven..." she said quietly, the clutch between them tightening for a moment. Steven reciprocated it instinctively, giving Amethyst more attention than she just received. That was a hefty amount, though Amethyst didn't appear to feel guilty this time. Moreover, she appeared equally contemplative and reluctant. After another lengthy hesitation that likely lasted longer in his mind than it did in reality, Steven saw the slightest indication of a nod. Small, almost imperceptible, but there. An answer existing in the first place was reason enough to be happy. He promptly accepted it; despite not being instant, being given the opportunity to help his friend (hopefully soon) was more than relieving. Downright comforting, if you ask him.

In retrospect, that was likely why he found himself wrapped around Amethyst once more. One moment, he was grinning at Amethyst despite the unnecessary reluctance adorning her features, and the next, he was in another embrace. Honestly, he couldn't even recall moving his arms, especially since they just were hugging. He supposed he was a little greedy when he came to hugs. Amethyst, though probably a little surprised by the recurring envelopment, didn't feel to be too put off by its frequency. That was a little comforting, too. There was something about his friend he found a little... hug-able, as odd as that sounded. If he didn't have to explain the phenomenon to anyone, he would go along enjoying it. Admittedly, Amethyst was a tad hesitant to return his embrace, though eventually did. Steven could practically feel the small smile on her lips.

"You're one persistent little guy," she stated matter-of-factly, "You know that?" Steven nodded, chuckling a little himself. Her quiet voice was more soft than small, subsequently causing the reason for that trait to persist.

"I get it from you," Steven joked back, already feeling that he was doing some good for Amethyst's mystery issue without explicitly knowing why. Like the first embrace following some friendly catharsis, Steven was aware of his hug lasting a tad longer than normal and didn't really care. Amethyst didn't seem to, either. Both Gems stood on the narrow stone, grinning (as Amethyst would put it) like a pair of dummies, still just appreciating their status as better-than-best friends. Maybe it was the prospect of what came next that prolonged their hug.

Unfortunately, Amethyst seemed to read the sudden thought that occurred to Steven, bringing him forward. The fact that the motion could be thought of as gentle was likely why Steven didn't complain too much about it, though he still thought that her hug was better. Marginally. Now appearing curious, Amethyst looked at him, trying to get a bit of a bead on what he was thinking. If Steven wasn't still contemplating how tenacious the blood in Amethyst's cheeks was, he would've bothered to hide his thoughts.

"Somethin' wrong?" his friend asked, still inspecting Steven's face. Not traditionally what someone asked after a hug, Steven assumed her question to be a bit out of place; then, recalling how they had an actual purpose to be where they were, he realized the same thing that might've been the cause of their embrace ending. Steven's face fell a little, inadvertently bringing his own continuous grasp on Amethyst's hand into the center of his vision. He blamed that on why he hesitated, though it might've not been as illogical as he first thought.

Looking back up, Steven pulled his features into a slight grimace, not really wanting to state the source of his trouble, minor as it might've been (minor as it was, really). Amethyst, though obviously being able to see that well enough on her own, didn't drop the subject, still looking inquisitively at Steven. Even if she did drop the subject, Steven would've had to bring it up himself anyways.

"Doesn't that seem familiar," he thought to himself, finding the current situation as an odd déjà vu between the unexpected embrace and following worry.

Deciding to bring it up himself anyways (as that would likely make it easier to explain), Steven sighed, looking back at the calm tears resting in the fountain. They sparkled in a manner that usually contradicted any troubled doubts. "When I healed you," he forced the words out of his mouth, "Did it hurt?"

Based on his peripheral vision, Amethyst wasn't expecting a question as an answer to her own. Not one as off-topic as his, he supposed. She tilted her head, recalling the events of her pseudo-restoration as best as she could. Apparently, she could recall the events rather well, as she drew out a lengthy hum of discontent. Whether that was from the brief moments of pain she experienced or having to answer Steven's question honestly, he couldn't tell. Maybe both. Amethyst mulled over her words for a moment, then answered in that recently discovered forthright tone.

"Yeah, kinda did," she drew out with a small nod, "No idea why." Steven mimicked her nod, expecting a "yes" anyways. That didn't get rid of the worry accurately portrayed on his face. Seeing this, Amethyst attached a swift (but still honest) addition to her answer. "Ain't your fault, if that's what you're worried about."

Steven's grip tightened for a moment, remembering the forceful and panicked way Amethyst had struck his hand away from before. In reality, that was one of the things he was worried about, though he wished he could take Amethyst's reassurance for certain. That wasn't what he wanted to focus on for now (not that he really wanted to focus on any harm that came to Amethyst, past or potential), so Steven forced himself to move on, still looking at the small sparkles of the stars reflecting off the surface of the fountain's tears. "So, if that hurt and didn't heal it..."

Steven thought he would've been able to get more than eight words out, but came to the conclusion that he didn't need to say more. Not that he could have, apparently. Amethyst looked at him in a way that thankfully didn't appear sarcastic or mocking. Instead, she still appeared curious, not yet understanding what Steven was getting at. Better if she was confused than bothered by the issue they previously discussed. Not too long after noting the subtle revitalization in her eyes gained since their most recent hug, Steven saw the idea click in her head.

"Ah," she realized with a snap, suddenly gaining a bit more of her usual tone. "Worried I might explode?"

Steven didn't miss the softer voice Amethyst used, instead being glad that it belonged to the same person as her usual self. Really nice fact, actually. Amethyst's constant look brought Steven back to reality, and he nodded with an embarrassed blush. "You could say that," he admitted with some off-hand appreciation for Amethyst's jovial way of describing things. It wasn't that he thought his friend would explode, per se, but rather that something with a lot more intensity than Steven's spit might also cause a lot more pain. As weird as the reaction between his healing substance and the toxin/acid/whatever-he-wanted-to-call-it from the Gem was, it was still there. Steven assumed that the reaction between the two substances had acted as some kind of cancellation of both effects, though the cancellation was evidently a bit of a painful process.

Amethyst seemed to be thinking something along those lines, figuring out the source of Steven's paranoia without vocally asking him. He likely would've done a better job being able to tell if she understood the situation as well as he did if he bothered to look directly at her. Instead, he attempted a nervous chuckle to rid himself of the one-sided awkwardness. That wasn't really accomplished. Clearing his throat (and still not trying to discern the odd look from Amethyst), Steven dismissed his worry.

"I know, I know, kind of silly," he stated, rubbing the back of his neck. Far be it from him to be scientific with magical Gem stuff. Steven sighed, then would've gone on to explain that Amethyst didn't really need to worry about his concern before she interrupted him.

"Nah," she waved away, sounding pleasantly casual. Now she didn't seem troubled by the mystery problem prior or Steven's theoretically justified paranoia, smirking in a way more befitting of Amethyst's usual character. Also a nice fact. "Don't think it's silly or anything. Kinda flattering, really."

Flattering definitely wasn't one of the words Steven would've described his concern as. A lot of words could've been used to describe it, but flattering wasn't really on the list. Surprised by how Amethyst interpreted his worry, Steven felt a few laughs escape his mouth, far more authentic than the forced chuckling beforehand. The earlier talk both of them shared at the mission's beginning was appreciated once more, if only for giving the both of them that mutual understanding he couldn't ever take for granted. Without any further words, Amethyst appeared to agree to that, still smiling in an empathetic way that Steven could still gladly attribute to her. The grin (as well as about everything else about her) made Steven's next request a bit easier to say.

"So," he started carefully, assuming that her understanding was more permanent than fleeting. His voice still came out too sheepish for his tastes, anyways. Better than not beginning at all. Steven spoke a little more with his body than his mouth, slightly crouching downwards and moving his arm a little to the side. His actions, though subtle, appeared to be noticed by Amethyst without conveying exactly what he intended. She rose an eyebrow, unsure as to what he was getting at. Not that he blamed her for not understanding; it would've been difficult to understand even if he said it out loud. Steven compromised, speaking further while still leaning downwards a tad. "Would you mind if I, uh..."

Despite trailing off again, Amethyst appeared to understand what he was asking a whole lot sooner than most people would likely anticipate. Steven assumed that it was the hopeful expression on his face (not that he intended to look hopeful; that was more a subconscious byproduct than any persuasive effort). Amethyst looked at him with a sarcastic expression, snorting as though Steven just told her a joke just bordering on being slightly vulgar. He didn't have to look at her features to know her expression was good-natured, finding it similar to the reaction he received when he first asked to carry her within the cave from earlier. However, he did have to hear her voice to be certain of her answer.

"Sure, don't see why not," his friend shrugged; even her voice regained some of the earlier sheepishness, albeit with a little less obviousness. Not to say it wasn't obvious anyways. Steven took a moment to acknowledge her tone, hoped that Amethyst didn't mind his request (she didn't appear to), and opened his mouth to speak. Before any words could exit his mouth, however, a sudden weight was felt on his shoulder. Thankfully, since he was already bent a little downwards, Steven was a little more braced to take the weight, though he was still surprised. Amethyst's following jump upwards didn't help, forcing Steven to act on instinct. This allowed him to avoid dropping Amethyst as she used the hand on his shoulder as a pivot to swing her legs upwards. Steven caught her in the nick of time, barely slipping from the stone they stood on and regaining his balance shortly after.

Somehow, Amethyst appeared completely unperturbed, now glancing at Steven with a fair smile. The curve of her lips told Steven something along the lines of "All according to plan!" with more confidence than Steven would've usually attributed. Holding Amethyst again likely diluted any panicked thoughts gained from her drastic actions, so Steven was quicker than most to return the smile. The quickness of her movements had probably helped, too, as did the fact that she moved in the first place. Other than how Amethyst was voluntarily caught by Steven rather than due to circumstance, it was about the same as the first time he carried her.

"Let's heal me up, hero!" Amethyst spoke in Steven's place, still holding that oddly charismatic smile on her features. Seeing it a second time confirmed that Steven couldn't blame the surroundings on intensifying her grin's magnitude, which was added to the growing list of things Steven was glad to be realizing. The list's size alone was staggeringly impressive, though he decided to take a closer look at it later. He'd likely do so unconsciously, anyways.

Smiling at both his given title and the one who so graciously gave it to him, Steven heard himself let out a few small chuckles. As he turned towards the tears of the fountain, he made a subconscious note of how his laughter towards Amethyst was part of the reason his forehead was a little closer to her's. Judging by Amethyst's own pleasant chuckling (as well as the small blush on her face intensifying for just a moment) Amethyst recognized the shorter distance between them. Neither voiced any complaints.

Steven lowered himself slowly, taking great care to maintain his hold on Amethyst. For some reason he couldn't quite discern, she continued chuckling to herself while his laughter faded. Seeing as how laughter wasn't really something he tended to worry about, Steven didn't question it, and sat on the stone border of the fountain. The tears gently lapped at his toes, carrying a unique warmness that wasn't too uncomfortable despite the chill air. Just another magical occurrence, Steven assumed. Looking at the tinted pink of the tears, Steven turned back towards Amethyst, and saw that she was still quietly laughing to herself. About what was anyone's guess; he enjoyed her statement of being a hero, no doubt, but not to such a degree. While he couldn't exactly tell what Amethyst was laughing about, he could at least tell it wasn't at her own words. Steven spoke up, still not uncomfortable or put off by Amethyst's chuckling, but still curious. "What's so funny?"

Maybe what she was thinking of wasn't precisely "funny", as Amethyst seemed too surprised by his question for that to be a reasonable inquiry. Abruptly, she quieted, snapping her gaze to him with an almost startled expression. Then, after a few strangely silent moments, she gave one last chuckle before waving off any notion of humor.

"Ah, nothin'," she said in a manner that almost always meant there was something. It was fairly easy to tell how she'd used the conspicuous tone on purpose, though Steven didn't think it was important enough to warrant further questioning. Besides, she was laughing, which did little to argue some troubled thought. About the opposite. Steven was satisfied by the logic of Amethyst likely thinking of something pleasant before he nodded to her, asking an obligatory "Ready?"

Now quiet, Amethyst nodded, though her eyes were still focused solely on him. Again, he wasn't about to question it. Steven hummed recognition, then began counting down in that gruff tone he was hilariously bad at. It had seemed fitting.

"Three," he began, staring at the tears with determination. Out of the corner of his eye, he could still see Amethyst looking at him in some unrecognizable manner. "Closely" was as close as he could get, but that was still kind of a broad term. Regardless, Steven continued. "Two..."

Uncertainly trailing off, Steven glanced at Amethyst, though didn't make any effort to stare back. That was probably rude, no matter how much she stared at him (even if it was that much; what was she thinking right now?). She now seemed to be making some difficult decision, but otherwise kept her gaze on Steven. He assumed that she'd speak up before falling into the fountain if there was something that she wanted to discuss, though giving her some time to do so resulted in more silence. Steven took a deep breath of air, thinking that Amethyst heard his countdown either way. "One-"

Just then, Steven's single word was interrupted rather forcefully. Not exactly in a forceful manner, but speaking was a little difficult with someone's lips pressed into his own. Steven's eyes broadened as he looked at (or rather felt) Amethyst's contact, the Gem giving him a rather unexpected kiss. No matter how many seconds exactly passed, Steven was given plenty of time to recognize the action; as to what to do in response to the action, that was a different ballpark entirely. The most he was granted was a sudden rush of blood pouring into his face. All Steven could voluntarily accomplish was a wide-eyed stare at his friend while her lips lingered on his, the young Gem's muscles nearly petrified. It'd be later learned that it was more what the kiss incited rather than the physicality that had frozen Steven so well, but right now, all Steven could really feel was the soft hair between his arms and Amethyst's back, and her equally soft lips.

After some seconds (or maybe minutes, or even years), Amethyst gently pulled away from Steven's face with some inexplicably content expression. Steven likely could've identified further if his brain functioned properly. Obviously, it didn't, meaning Steven could only manage to swivel his eyes towards his friend in complete silence. Amethyst didn't fill it with any kind of explanation, still having a distant and, dare he say, almost dreamy look on her face. He wasn't sure if he could really tell what his expression was right now. There was definitely some degree of surprise, but that being inherent when he just received a blatantly affectionate kiss from his friend, Steven wasn't satisfied. Unlike Amethyst, he noted. He continued staring at her, uncertain on both what he was supposed to be feeling and how he was supposed to react. Neither was obvious.

Eventually, Amethyst caught his gaze, and appeared startled by being pulled back into reality. Now her expression more closely resembled his, albeit with a lot more of a blush. Or maybe about the same amount; Steven didn't trust his brain enough to compare the two accurately. Regardless of who had more blood in their cheeks, Steven didn't offer any kind of question on Amethyst's actions, hoping she was ready to willingly give her reasoning before going through with kissing him. That didn't appear to be the case, if the way her surprise stayed on her face was anything to go by. After another period of staring comparable to the time spent after Steven first kissed Amethyst's cheek, he risked a few words without really knowing what they would be. "That was..." he began slowly, eyes still fixated on Amethyst. "...really n-"

Steven wasn't exactly interrupted again, though his words stopped in a similar manner from before when he felt a rather strong shove on his shoulder. Since he was sitting down, Steven wasn't pushed too far back from Amethyst's hand; however, feeling her slip from his grasp let him realize that wasn't Amethyst's intention. All Steven could recognize was the sizable width of Amethyst's eyes as she fell from his arms and into the fountain, creating a *splash!* that forced him to instinctively shield his eyes. Surprised for the second time now, Steven lowered his hand instantly, seeing the blurry silhouette of his friend descend into the tears' depths.

Maybe it was his optimism that put a smile on his face despite losing Amethyst's contact, finding that she was being her usual, mischievous self. Or perhaps it was the lingering effect her lips had on him, which was gradually being understood in the broad term of "really, really nice" without any precise definition. Heck, maybe it was the simple fact that Amethyst was likely feeling a whole lot better than beforehand based on, as Steven was more than glad to put it, the affection she just gave. Steven wasn't going to question the rush of euphoria his friend had incited any which way; all he concerned himself with was joining her. Acting almost entirely on instinct, Steven hopped from the stone with a happy laugh, being enveloped in the warm tears of the fountain.

Speaking from experience, Steven assumed that it'd be better to shut his eyes rather than have them come into direct contact with any watery substance. After a few moments of "testing the waters", so to speak, he couldn't find the usual sting that usually came with water. Then again, he wasn't submerged in strictly water. Regardless, Steven was thankful for being given a blurry sight rather than none at all, and quickly searched for his friend. After a few head turns, Steven frowned, then did another few turns for good measure. Sure, it was a little dark with the moon being out rather than the sun, but surely Steven could've identified some kind of silver hair against the darker gray of the fountain's threshold.

On the off-chance that the tears might've had some foggy effect similar to the caves, Steven swam about, still holding his breath tight. He didn't think Amethyst could've gone too far from where she had (voluntarily) fallen. Could she? Now frowning, Steven reached the tear's edge, feeling the hard surface of stone. Looking downwards showed no signs of his friend resting at the very bottom of the fountain, though Steven swam a bit more to make sure, seeing as how it was the darkest part. Subsequently, that would've made any bright material such as her silver hair that much more noticeable; a fact he realized when no friend was to be found. Steven's frown increased, an uncomfortable sense of doubt creeping up on his features.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him; a drastic, terrifying thought. Steven's eyes broadened considerably as he let out a gasp of recognition. However, it wasn't really air that he inhaled back in. Steven's hand instinctively reached to his neck as he saw the last bubbles of air he gave float to the surface of the fountain. If wasn't so abruptly distraught, he would've chastised himself, though felt his reaction had been somewhat justified. Steven used the last trickle of energy still left in his lungs to propel himself as fast as he could towards the surface above.

"She poofed," was the only thought running through his mind at the moment. Not the straining of his lungs, or the distance between himself and vital air, but the fate of his friend. "The tears poofed her."

Maybe he wasn't so paranoid after all.

After what seemed like ages, Steven broke the surface of the tears, instantly snapping his mouth open and inhaling as much as air as he could in the span of two seconds. He took about one more second to shut his mouth and prepare to dive back down before a distant *splash* somewhere to his left drew his attention. Still holding his breath, he swiftly whipped his neck around, still under the assumption that there was a small Gemstone known as his better-than-best friend resting at the very bottom of the fountain. So he thought it was justifiable that he didn't release his breath when he found that very person holding herself up on the edge of the fountain's stone border, coughing and hacking in a manner he was too rushed to recognize as similar to his own.

Steven kept his wide-eyed gaze on Amethyst, his brain attempting several times to disregard his earlier assumption. It took about four or so tries to actually be successful. Restarting again a fifth time just to be sure, Steven uncertainly paddled his way towards Amethyst, seeing her beat her chest with an irked expression.

"Man," he heard her say though the last coughs and hacks, "Good as this stuff is, still ain't breathable." Steven, half-consciously agreeing, found himself staring at Amethyst. The Gem took another shaky breath of air, noticed Steven's proximity, and promptly began another coughing fit in surprise. Steven was a little confused, seeing as how logical it was for him to follow after Amethyst, though the sudden quiet after Amethyst's surprised coughs made him understand it was more of a realization than surprise. A realization that she couldn't avoid explaining herself indefinitely, most likely. Steven didn't pay that much mind, his eyes moving from Amethyst's purposefully distracted expression towards the Gem in her chest. He didn't pay much mind to the subtle blush filling her cheeks again either, staring at the stone.

Many things could've contradicted the sight before him, but in spite of all the paranoia and discouraging effects from before, Amethyst's Gem shone prominently, some stars gleaming off the smooth surface. Not any kind of damage was seen on the purple stone, similar to how restored Amethyst's face now was. Steven shifted his eyes from the Gem to its owner's eyes, though had some difficulty acquiring them. She kept staring to the side, evidently not wanting to meet Steven's face. While he couldn't imagine why she avoided his gaze beyond not wanting to explain the kiss, Steven didn't ask that, nor did he ask why she had swum so far from where she first dropped into the fountain. Instead, Steven swam a bit closer, reducing the distance between them to a couple of feet.

Finally, Amethyst turned back towards Steven with a sigh, though was still cautious to avoid direct eye contact. She motioned towards her own Gem almost imperceptibly, shrugging in a way that tended to fit deciding on what to wear rather than confirming she wasn't going to explode any time soon. That was a welcome comfort to Steven. The boy regained the smile that had first risen before jumping into the tears, and proceeded to throw himself around Amethyst with a content laugh. It was the kind of laugh that didn't have any kind of definite origin or reason to be; just a plain, happy laugh. Amethyst lost a little of her anxiety at this.

Her grip was almost lost too, though Steven refused to acknowledge that first. Amethyst didn't either, reciprocating the contact before strengthening her remaining arm around the stone. Both of which were a tad tight, Steven noted. "Easy there," she spoke, chuckling briefly, "It'd be kinda hard to hug underwater, y'know."

To this, Steven only laughed again. He likely would've managed a submerged embrace regardless of how difficult it was. Plus, he liked to think that he was good enough at hugging that it wouldn't have been too hard anyways, and that was without Amethyst's incentive.

Steven took a moment to think of what exactly that incentive was; not to any precise degree, but more to a broad term he could gratify instantly, since he was a tad focused on now to award more than a minute of thought towards contemplation. This might've been why Steven moved back to face Amethyst almost instinctively before planting a small kiss on her cheek.

He went ahead and added "kissable" to the list of things he was glad to describe Amethyst as, too. Strangely enough, not having anything to excuse the action made it easier rather than harder, probably because the lack of a reason to fall back on helped simplify it. Amethyst had stiffened upon doing his so, but Steven returned his head back to her shoulder before getting worried about what expression she wore now. Hopefully it was a happy one; to make sure his hope was rational, Steven spoke up, still acting on instinct.

"Love you, Amethyst."

The Gem in question stiffened a tad further, but Steven couldn't imagine she was uncomfortable any more than she had been just a moment ago. He certainly wasn't uncomfortable. Steven let out a breath of relief, some of his happiness calming into a more serene type of placid tranquility. With the last thing that could bother him being inevitably rectified, there was a reason for the surge of joy transforming into... ardor, he might even call it. Ardor directed at his friend, for whatever reason. For many reasons, actually, though they were along similar lines. Just a genial kind of friendship that was as much unique as it was appreciated.

Some moments passed as Amethyst likely digested Steven's words. True to his earlier assumption, Steven could now properly enjoy the softness of Amethyst's hair as she shook her head once more. From beside him, the Gem seemed to mutter some questions on why Steven was acting like he was. As though he hadn't much of a reason to. Amethyst thankfully seemed to understand that he did have his reasons, sighing in an understanding way that came with their relationship, however Steven wanted to describe it. "I... love you too, Steven," she admitted, somewhat shakily. Ironically, as shaky as Amethyst's voice was, Steven could also detect the authenticity of her statement rather easily. He promptly increased his grasp just a tad, hoping the strain on Amethyst's one arm wasn't too bad. Even if it was, he hoped that Amethyst thought it was worth it as much as he did.

Evidently, she did, tightening her grasp just a little further. It was Amethyst's next action that Steven didn't entirely understand right away. With another sigh, Amethyst rested her head on Steven's shoulder, shaking her head once more. Piqued, Steven turned slightly towards his friend, though all he could see was the shine of her white hair. "I love you," she repeated, noticeably quieter. The odd enunciation on the end of her statement wasn't strictly out of place, feeling more like she had corrected herself. Seeing as how both of her statements were identical, Steven was a little confused. Being himself, Steven settled on her putting more confidence into her words, despite their difference in volume. Small words weren't always weak ones, anyways.


A/N: Gotta love it when one half of your OTP is denser than a rock (heh, rock, get it? 'Cause, y'know, Gems, space rocks... sorry). Anyhow, I don't have much to say, other than you're past the 50,000 word mark! Good on you for reading so much! Reading is good for the soul. But really, thanks a ton for reading this story; it means a lot to me. I'll see you in the next chapter! Until then, keep that chin up!