"Come ooooon Peridot, the water's nice!" Steven begged, stuffing his hands in his swimming shorts. Hot sand dug between his toes, sending him a distinct reminder of his location: the beachside of Beach City. "Just for a minute, please? For me?"

Peridot smiled from her spot underneath her sun umbrella. She pulled down the sunglasses that had replaced her visor for the day's beach outing, her turquoise irises gazing back at Steven.

"I'd love to, Steven. But I have so many story updates to read up on," she said, looking down on the screen she had nestled on her thighs. "Camp Pining Hearts: Reappearance of Percival just updated after a two month hiatus."

Steven frowned for a moment before regaining a more neutral expression.

"Alright, but you're missing ouuuuuut," he said, turning midword. Peridot looked up as he ran off, watching as he approached the water and jumped straight in. She smiled. She couldn't help it when she saw Steven happy. She just loved that smile.

Her mind drifted as she got lost in the pages of fanfiction she read, gorging down paragraph after paragraph. She read on with rapt attention, losing track of the half hour that soon passed. As she neared the halfway point of a chapter, however, her attention was pulled away.

"Hey Peridot!" Steven called, once again standing at her feet. Peridot put down the tablet and looked up at him, noting how he held something behind his back. In the next moment he revealed what he had hidden. "Take a look at this!"

Peridot raised a brow at the small rock-like object Steven held out before her. It was smooth and rounded, with long grooves that spread out from the same end. It seemed too symmetrical to be a rock.

"What is it?" she asked, putting her tablet down on the side. She reached forward, prompting Steven to hand it over.

"It's a oyster," he said, running his fingers through his wet hair. "I found it when I was out swimming."

Peridot turned the oyster in her hand several times, feeling the silky, wet surface under her fingers. The cool shell contrasted with the heat of the beach sand and especially that of her tablet. The sensation was… nice.

"Wanna help me find more?" Steven asked. "They're not that far out in the water, and there's tons of them!"

Peridot looked at the oyster clasped between her fingers before glancing at the tablet resting on her towel. After a moment of thought, she smiled.

"Sure," she said, nodding and standing up. She took off her sunglasses and placed them aside. "I could use some supplementary physical activity."

Steven had a laugh at that. He always enjoyed the bigger words Peridot used. They made even mundane things sound interesting to him. He offered out his hand, which Peridot readily took. The two then quickly made their way to the shore line.

Steven entered the water first, followed by a more apprehensive Peridot. She hadn't gotten the chance to acclimate to the cool water like Steven did. After a few moments of dipping her toes in, however, she entered in after him.

The two spent the next hour diving for oysters and other seashells, dipping their heads underwater and searching the sandy ocean floor. They unearthed nearly two dozen unique finds, each shell having some strange shape or a different colour to it. Their discoveries laid, piled up on the water's edge, not separated as the two didn't consider this some kind of challenge.

They were having fun, together.

"Peridot, take a look at this," Steven called, pointing down into the depths. Peridot walked up to him, trying to get a view through the murky sea water. So much shell spelunking had left the water quite obscured with sand. "I can't get a good grip, why don't you try?"

"Hm, as usual, the great and lovable Peridot must step in and complete this task," Peridot jested, putting on a fake haughty voice. Steven laughed at this, hooking his arm around Peridot's shoulder. She smiled, taking a moment to lay her head on Steven. "Alright, give me a minute."

Peridot disconnected from him and raised her hand up to her forehead. With a light touch, she resummoned her visor, her not-so-secret technique for optimal shell diving. With a final nod she dipped underwater, ready to locate this item Steven had found.

Yet, as Peridot explored the ocean floor surrounding Steven, she was unable to find any item. The sand was bare and smooth, undisturbed by the protrusions of shells or oysters. She frowned, deciding to resurface and ask Steven where he was looking again. Peridot, however, wasn't going to be leaving the water by her own choice.

"Ahh!" Peridot cried in shock as she felt herself pulled up by her hips from the ocean depths. Her head shot out from the water as she was lifted into the air. Yet, as the soothing laughter of Steven filled her ears, she quickly realized what was going on. She chuckled, knowing it was Steven who had lifted her out of the water.

"Hehe, look what I got!" Steven grinned, turning Peridot and holding her bridal style. "Now this is a prize."

Peridot blushed at the comment, rolling her eyes in the process. She wrapped her arms around Steven's neck, bring herself closer to him.

"Well you caught me," Peridot said, playing along. "What're you gonna do now?"

"Whatever you want," Steven replied, turning with her in hand. He looked off at the seashell pile sitting on the beach before back at Peridot. He knew which one was the real catch of the day. "As long as we're having fun."

Peridot snorted with laughter, Steven's clown-like charisma getting to her. She pulled herself closer.

"Kiss me you big oaf," she said, pressing her lips onto his. Steven happily followed.