rayemma oneshots & other

Short

• Oneshot

Spoiler warning for chapter #52 and onward - mentioned location, mentioned characters

Note: This is old now 👁👁

It was almost in her reach. She could almost feel it. It was about to graze her fingertips, and she was anticipating just how good it would feel when she finally grasped it. 

"Almost..."

And...

She jumped, and missed it.

For the sixteenth time.

Emma sighed and crossed her arms, staring up at the bookshelf she had been struggling with for half an hour. It stared back down at her in all its dusty, daunting glory, as if to mock how small she was in comparison. There was a certain book that she wanted to pull out... but it was just a few inches out of her range. And she had never thought about it before, but now she realized just how tiny that range of hers was.

She was always in line with Ray, and so she never really pondered her height. But now that she was unable to get one little book from a shelf, she did - and she also realized that he could have done this with ease, which infuriated her. 

After a few more pitiful jumps and almost-theres, she came up with an idea. 

An absolutely brilliant idea.

Emma darted out of the archives room and made haste to the garden, where the exact person she sought out was working away. "Don!"

Don, who had been helping Chris and Dominic plant some more seeds, lifted his head. "Ah, Emma! Finally came to join us?" 

Emma politely smiled. "Yeah, i-in a minute! But I need something right now." 

"Whatcha need?"

"Hand me the shovel."

○ ○ ○

Ray finally finished washing all the dishes from that morning's meal, and wiped the sweat from his brow. He was about to find his way back to the archives room for the afternoon when he was approached by Lucas.

"Is something wrong?" 

"I guess? I think it's best if you check on Emma…"

"What happen-"

Ray was cut off by the sound of Yuugo and Emma arguing down the hall.

"...Before those two start yelling," Lucas awkwardly scratched the back of his head. 

Ray sighed. Ah, the daily joy of wondering what Emma had done this time.

Lucas walked him to the archives where Gilda, Don, and several of the kids had gathered around the door. And most of them were laughing so hard it looked like they would fall over. Ray reluctantly peered inside, and saw...

...Emma angling a shovel at a bookshelf while Yuugo tried to drag her away.

"No, stop pulling me! I'm almost there!"

"You're getting dirt everywhere, antenna! Why the hell do you have a shovel in the archive?! What are you even doing?!"

"Just let me get my book! I can do it!"

"You're not gonna do anything by banging a garden tool on 'em!!"

Ray scowled. He trodded over to them and tapped on Yuugo's shoulder, facing the man's annoyed expression with his impassive eyes that said, 'let me take care of her now.'

"Good, you're here. Deal with your gremlin." Yuugo grumbled, dropping Emma in front of him by the back of her collar. She still had the shovel in her hands.

Ray narrowed his eyes at her - who looked like a tiny little orange puff ball of rage - as Lucas ushered everyone out of the room before they could laugh at her any longer.

Emma leered at him while gripping her shovel. 

Ray gave her the look of stern judgement.

"So…"

"I can't reach it."

"Reach what?"

"The big red book right there," Emma pointed to a book on a shelf that now had soil and scratch marks scattered across it.

"Uh-huh, and so instead of asking me or anyone else to get it for you, you took a dirty shovel from the garden and tried to slowly ease it out?"

"...Yeah."

Ray's fist came crashing down on the top of her head. "Stupid."

"Ow ow ow… look, I just wanted to do it myself!" Emma whined.

Ray grimaced. "With a shovel? You're a crazy idiot."

"You don't understand what it's like!" Emma barked in quick retaliation. "I'm not crazy, I'm compromised… I can't reach stuff up as high as you can, and I don't want to ask because it's such a simple and easy thing to do, and yet... I can't do it." 

"So you go and-"

"Use a shovel, yes!"

Ray shook his head and skillfully slipped the book Emma had struggled and fought for out of the shelf. She mumbled her begrudging thanks, and mentally celebrated over her battle with the bookshelf finally being over.

She reached for it, but he suddenly held it up in the air and out of range. 

Confused, she jumped for it, but he just started backing away from her and keeping it above his head. The more she jumped, the more his lips curved into a smirk.

She realized he was messing with her and groaned. "What's all this for?!"

Ray snickered and set the book down on her head. "Heh, I've never thought about it before, but you actually are pretty short."

Emma ripped it from his hands and clutched it to her chest. "No I'm not! You're not that taller than me!"

"Then why was this-" he teasingly tapped her arm and eyed the book - "-such a challenge to get to?" 

"It wasn't!! I would have gotten it if everyone hadn't came in here and laughed at me!"

"Sure, shortie."

Emma started to flush. "What?!"

"Wow, that really ticks you off!" Ray, grinning in great amusement, poked her reddened cheek. "I don't think I've ever seen you this mad."

"Because I'm not short! I just can't reach the things you can, and that's it." Emma frowned.

"...So you're short."

"No!"

"You said it yourself that you were 'compromised' just a few moments ago."

"Well! Yeah! B-but! That doesn't mean… short… specifically…"

"Hmm…"

"Don't give me that smug look!"

"I think you're a little sensitive about how tiny you are."

"Ray!!"

Emma came after him and pounded her fists on his chest, to which Ray wrapped his arms around her in a playful headlock. And as she tried to wrestle her way out of his grip, she ended up making them spin in circles around the room.

"Never call me short ever again!"

"Well, I can't just lie."

"Ughhh…"

Emma finally broke free and held the book close to her, staring at him through narrowed eyes. "Thanks for getting it for me, you big jerk."

"You're welcome." Ray smirked and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Just ask me for help when you need something, okay?"

Emma looked away all crossly, but couldn't keep down a smile. "Yeah, okay."