[Sorry if this one is short. I wanted to get something out for you to read until I have free time from work. Enjoy!]

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Chapter 7
Nonplussing Discovery 
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Spinel walks in through the front door of Steven's home as the others look up. It was now close to noon and only Lapis, Bismuth, and Peridot left earlier. The way her steps bounced, Steven, Connie, and the Crystal Gems could tell that Spinel was very happy. 

"Where did you and (Y/n) go this morning?" Connie asked with a small smirk. 

Steven chuckles, though a little worried, "Yeah. Lapis said you two were outside since 4:40." The teen boy almost acted like a parent worried about their child. 

The pigtailed gem slide onto a chair at the table and smiles to herself, "Just out by the beach. Decent moment, but we ended up chasing each other around until now." That was her short explanation and Spinel can feel that she couldn't stop grinning at the moments of earlier. Just playing tag and ended in walking around together in peaceful silence. 

Pearl smiles softly once noticing the small pout appear on Spinel's face. "Well, where is she?" 

Spinel leans back on the chair and her arms droop down to the floor in a spaghetti mess, "She said something about….work? So I have to wait for a text from her." The phone is pulled out and her eyes stare at the screen. 'Ugh. It's only been 5 minutes since she left?' 

Amethyst laughs, "Sucks to be you. Now you have to wait until she gets back." 

The room goes dead silent at the purple gem's words. 

Garnet shakes her head and Pearl glares at Amethyst, who happened to shrug sheepishly. They all take a glance at Spinel who was still in the same position of staring at her phone, though now her phone is making game noises as her taps her fingers across the screen. 

"Why are you guys so quiet all of a sudden?" Spinel asked without looking away from the game. 

Amethyst mentally groans when Pearl gestures her to apologize. "Look dude, sorry about the way I worded my….words? You know I was just joking, right?" 

Steven grows more worried when Spinel doesn't answer and cautiously asked, "Spinel? Are you okay?" 

At his question, Spinel frowns slightly and gets up, "I'm fine and Ames, you didn't have to apologize. I know you were joking." She flashes a small grin before going outside to lean on the wooden rails of the porch. 

Amethyst's words did pull at something deep inside and Spinel couldn't lie to herself. 'Why does it still hurt?' 

She runs a hand over her face and shuts her eyes in frustration. Her body tenses at all the mixed emotions until an exhausted and heavy sigh leaves her. 'Oh dear Diamonds, why is this so hard?' Spinel directs her gaze out at the ocean before remembering the song you sang. To her, your voice was amazing even if it did sound a little off. She chuckles lightly. 

"Hey." 

Steven says gently and leans on the rail next to Spinel.

"I'm sorry." Spinel let's out. 

'Why are you apologizing for? They made you feel bad, so way not get mad?' An evil giggle follows.

With a shake of her head, Spinel raises a brow, but doesn't stay on that unusual moment. "I know you guys care and I'm still trying to get used to it. The words did make me feel upset and I do try to tell myself that I'm okay." 

Another giggle, 'Are you though?'

Steven pats her back in comfort, "Don't worry Spinel. Whatever you go through, just know we're all here for you and you won't go through it alone." 

Spinel just nods her head.

Everyone inside seemed to cut the silence and they were just talking or laughing while wondering what to do today. For Steven, he really wants Spinel to feel better and thought it would be best to hangout with only her today. He remembered the abandoned playground. "Why don't you and I go to that abandoned playground? Just to pass the time until (Y/n) texts you?" 

The mention of the fun place from the other day made Spinel feel better. "Right now?" 

"Sure." 

"An abandoned playground? Cooooool!" Amethyst grins and wraps her arms around Spinel and Steven's necks. "Count me in!" 

"Amethyst, when did you get out here?" Steven asked.

Amethyst groans, "It got boring after Pearl wanted to go grocery shopping with Greg and Connie. Sure there's tons of food!" Her eyes sparkle then she huffs, "But those three always try to get healthy stuff."

Spinel continues to keep her happy feeling and handstands on the rail, "Well let's go! The more the merrier, right?" 

"Not without taking a snack. Snacks are very important." Garnet walks out and holds out a small picnic basket with a smile. 

Steven takes it happily, "Thanks, Garnet! We'll be back later." 

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"WOOOOOOOH!" Spinel's and Amethyst's cheers and laughs echoed throughout the empty playground. The two gems were spinning on the merry-go-round at very fast pace, each taking turns on who would spin faster. 

Steven had been sitting on a bench and texting Connie when he snickered, "Don't pull that merry-go-round out of the ground, you two!" 

"Then why don't you make us stop?" Spinel retorts then giggles while still holding onto the bars. 

"Yeah, Steven! Why don't you make us stop?" Amethyst repeats then sticks her tongue out. 

The two high five and smirk in a smug manner at Steven as they slowly spin around now. Steven stares back unamused, but waves a hand, "I'm not going to do anything. It won't be my fault if it breaks." He snickers, only to stop as a pink hand grabs his shirt and pulls him onto the playground equipment. 

"Hang on, Steven!" Amethyst shouts and laughs while gripping the bars. 

Steven doesn't see Spinel though notices the pink arms wraps a few times around the merry-go-round. "Oh no. Spin-ELLLL!!!" 

The pink hearted gem smirks mischievously and pulls her arm back, making the merry-go-round take off into a spin, closest to the pace of a spinning top. She laughs even more when Amethyst flies off and into a bush and Steven is still hanging on.

Once the equipment stops, Steven stumbles everywhere and falls face first onto the ground and groans. 

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Amethyst shouts and jumps up from the bush. "Let's do that again!" 

"How about we snack first?" Steven mumbles his suggestion, not wanting to do that again. 

"Good idea!" Amethyst runs over to the bench and raises a brow. "Uh, dudes. Where's the basket?"

Steven finally snaps out of it and runs his head, "It was on the bench."

"Maybe your pink pet took it. We did find him here last time." Spinel says, not really remembering what the creatures name had been or what species it was. Her gaze shifts over to the small castle of slides. 

"Race you guys!" Amethyst laughs and turns into a bird, flying off toward the slides. 

Steven runs over and hops up higher each time his feet lands on a rail and Spinel easily stretches up to the top. The three Crystal Gems crawl into the tunnel again and spot Lion again. 

"Lion? Why are you always here?" Steven asked.

Amethyst picks up an empty basket and huffs, tossing aside, "All the food is gone." She picks up a can of silly string and sprays it, but it was empty. "Aw man." 

Lion just watches them with a bored expression and yawns while standing up to circle into the same spot. He snorts before glancing his mane, then stands up while pawing at his pale pink mane. 

Spinel sees a small part of the strawberry patterned blanket that stuck out of Lion's mane. She grabs it and it starts to glow, seeming to be inside the mane. Unfortunately it gets stuck. "Huh?" 

The blanket is being pulled from the other side. 

"Spinel? What are you doing?" Steven spots the blanket being pulled back into Lion's mane. "Wha? Lion, is there something in your mane? Or someone? Come on. What have you been hiding?"

The pink lion just turns away stubbornly and looks at Steven before his ears twitch. 

"Alright. I'll take a peek." Steven sighs and sticks his head in Lion's mane. "Ah! Hey!" The teen stumbles back and the blanket is on his head as Spinel and Amethyst help him take it off. 

They all stare at Lion when he stalks closer and when their attention is all on him. A light from Lion's mane startled the three and suddenly something jumps out from the light. 

"BOO!!!"

The air grows very silent.

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"AHHH!"