After staying your first night at Steven's home, you ended waking up much earlier than usual. It was three thirty six in the morning, and the sky was dark. You could see many bright stars were still present above it, allowing you to admire them as you reached the border of the beach. Your surroundings were calm, so you took this moment to observe what changed during your absence at this place.

     The first place you chose to visit was the outside of the hotel you once booked a stay in. The few, but well-maintained buildings neighbouring it had their lights off, with only the occasional lamppost providing a faint, though necessary amount of lighting for the rare passerby and tourist walking around the streets.

     Despite the serenity surrounding the place, the hotel was bustling with a diversity of people lingering outside, their endless chatter mixing with the melody of waves crashing against the ocean's borders. It seemed the small edifice was the only one that had all of its people awake.

     Midway through your observation of the atmosphere, you caught sight of the familiar, tanned face belonging to 'hotel guy' — as you had labeled his phone number various months ago. He was constantly entering and exiting the hotel's premises in order to store the heavy boxes he carried in his hands. The folk standing nearby pushed open the door for him each time he returned back with more packages, this gesture permitting him to get through his job with more efficiency.

     Deciding to greet him as well as to lend a hand, you walked towards the pile of boxes laying on the ground, picking two up with caution, and bringing them into the building. 

     "(Y/N), long time no see!" The young man exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in recognition once spotting you at the doorway. "How is everything?"

     You crouched down in order to place the boxes nearby his desk. After making sure they were secure on the ground, you straightened up, and faced him with an attentive stare. "Everything's going well." You responded, your lips tugging upwards into a smile. "I just came back for a quick visit."

     "Oh! Do you plan on booking a reservation here?" He inquired, taking a moment to relax from the inventory pick up he'd been restlessly working on. An amiable expression was visible over his features, though you could catch a glimpse of tiredness under his eyes.

     "Actually. . . Steven and his family's letting me stay at their place for the week."

     Just as he was about to respond to your words, a large group of people bustled into the premises. Friendly jabber and playful banter flooded your ears, whilst your eyes witnessed a family of eight settle on the waiting lounge, the youngest of them having to be helped up to sit down on the couch. The young man quickly excused himself from the conversation, and hurried over towards what he assumed were the parents of the four children and a pair of teenagers.

     "Hello there!" He greeted, a curt smile spreading across his face. "Is there anything I may help you with?"

     "Yes. . . We'd like to book a two night stay here, if it's possible." The first woman replied, her long and curly locks getting in the way of her freckled, dark-skinned face. She brushed the few strands away from her eyes in order to face the man properly.

     "Do you have any rooms available? The other hotel we went to was completely booked even of suites." The second woman added, her lighter toned face carrying a hint of worry over it.

     "Allow me a moment to check the reservations."

     He excused himself from the two women and walked over towards the reservation counter, sitting down on a gray-coloured office chair, which stood facing the hotel's main computer set. He was about to start typing in the required details for the pending reservation, though he halted after seeing you head over to the exit.

     "Please, don't leave yet ! I. . . I want to speak with you for a while." He called out, his candid tone matching with his words. 

     You removed your hand away from the door, facing him with curious eyes. After seeing his eager expression, you smiled in understanding. You pointed with your head towards the other, available seats, signaling him that you would be sitting down until he finished with his costumers. His face brightened noticeably at your choice, and once nodding back, he returned his attention over the computer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

     You stood outside the building's premises again, sitting down on one of the colorful benches from nearby the main entrance with the hotel employee's company. The both of you had been speaking nonstop after he finished with his main tasks; you'd managed to catch up a lot with him in just an hour of small talk and coffee breaks.

     With so many topics discussed in such a short period of time, you somehow ended up speaking about the hotel's recently buzzing clientele. It apparently resulted that your touristic report and photographs of Beach City —along with the small advertisement your new boss funded for the content— were just enough to give this place more noticeability.

     "So, business's been booming then?" You asked, letting a quiet chuckle leave your lips.

     "You could say that. . . I've never seen this many clients gather up at one place!" He mimicked your laughter, his eyes squinting lightly in felicity.

     "Well, you guys deserve it. . ." You affirmed, your tone hinting at mischief. "The service here was great." You nudged him lightly on the shoulder, while winking at him in a teasing fashion. "You did offer me coffee at two in the morning. . . . Not to mention, you found those papers I lost during my first day here."

    "That's just what I do." He responded, the current ambience becoming lighter the more you both continued joking around.

     He suddenly stood up from his seat, and headed back inside the hotel after doing so. You followed him closely behind, grinning when seeing him make a gesture for you to follow him. He arrived at the lobby, where he searched through the drawers of his desk with a tinge of impatience, almost as if he couldn't wait to show you something.

     "Here it is!" He declared after a moment, a folded piece of notebook paper now resting on his left hand.

     He turned back to face you, and handed you over the paper. A somewhat nervous look took over his face the moment you took the object in your hold.

     Your eyes widened lightly after unfolding the piece of paper, and you found yourself staring at its contents with subtle embarrassment. It was a rough, black-and-white doodle of Pearl and you hugging one another –quite similar to the hug she gave you back on the day of your departure.

     "I. . . still have that drawing you gave me." He confessed, his eyes downcast in timidness, and a hand resting awkwardly over the back of his neck. "I've just begun to get into art, so I figured I could draw you something in return."

     You looked at the drawing once more, the memory of that day making you smile at it with fondness. "Thank you. . ." You mumbled, unsure of what else you could direct towards him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

     You began to walk back towards Steven's home, having adventured sufficiently for the time being. Your steps, however, were slow, for you desired to enjoy the view of the sky and the ocean along your walk. The winds were growing stronger, and your surroundings were turning from black to faint oranges and blues.

     During your trip back, your eyes encountered with a short and red stranger standing a few feet away from the beach close to Steven's home. She appeared frustrated based on the looks she gave to everything she spotted, and the back and forth walk she constantly performed.

     With caution, you began to approach her, making sure not to cause any startling noises along the way. Halfway through your path, you stopped, your ears having caught on to a rather worrying piece of information.

     "I can't believe they have this many hideouts for so little Gems! First that 'barn', and now this building?" The person exclaimed, exasperation clear in her tone. "And that Quartz has the nerve to hide here after leaving me floating in space. I'm gonna take her to Homeworld as soon as I spot her!"

     The stranger turned around with a sudden move, making you search for the nearest place to hide behind as a consequence. She didn't seem trustworthy, and based on the information Pearl had given you, she had the possibility of being one of their enemies.

     "Don't you hide from me." She warned, stomping off towards the wide rock you'd hidden behind. "I already saw you sneaking around!"

     You tried to run off somewhere else before the angered stranger arrived at your hiding spot, yet your plans were shattered the moment she grasped your wrist with her hand. She faced you with a sharp glare, her closeness now allowing to notice the large ruby gemstone resting on her left eye.

     "Who are you?" The Ruby inquired, her voice lacking patience.

     You stared at the Gem before you with wide eyes, finding yourself unable to respond to the question.

~  ~ ⭐ ~  ~