ocean's embrace (Remma)

her girlfriend.

---

**The Juice Net Cafe**

Rikki sauntered into the Juice Net Cafe with her usual air of confidence, eyes scanning for Emma. The cafe was bustling with the after-school crowd, but Rikki only had eyes for one person. As soon as Emma spotted Rikki, she made her way over with a bright smile.

"Hi," Emma greeted, leaning in for a quick, affectionate kiss.

Rikki grinned, cocking an eyebrow playfully. "Is it standard policy to kiss customers now?"

Emma's smile only widened. "Only the special ones. I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby mermaid," Rikki replied, her voice softening with the nickname only she used for Emma. "So, what's it gonna be today?"

"You know my order by now," Rikki teased, watching as Emma pretended to think it over.

"Strawberry smoothie, coming right up," Emma declared with a triumphant nod. She knew Rikki well, a fact that brought a special kind of warmth to Rikki's heart.

As Emma turned to whip up the order, Zane breezed into the café, his eyes locking onto Rikki with an all-too-familiar intensity. He approached, his confidence on full display. "Rikki, want to go out on a date with me?" he asked, oblivious to the changes that had transpired in Rikki's life.

Rikki looked at him, a mix of amusement and confusion playing across her features. "And why would I want that?"

"Because I miss you," Zane said earnestly, then quickly tried to gauge her relationship status, "You don't have a boyfriend, do you?"

Rikki's smile widened, "No." She said with a smirk.

Zane got closer to Rikki.

His face lit up for a moment, "So, is that a yes or...?"

That's when Emma returned, placing Rikki's smoothie on the table protectively, "No."

Zane, not one to give up easily, started to retort, "Emma, this doesn't concern you, so just lea-"

Emma cut him off, "Rikki doesn't have a boyfriend, true. But what she does have is a girlfriend." With that, she kissed Rikki passionately, making their relationship clear.

Rikki looked at Zane with a grin, "Hey, Zane, know what my favorite word is?" Rikki asked. Without waiting for an answer, she spelled it out, "B-y-e."

Zane stood there, shocked and speechless for once, as Emma and Rikki looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Rikki called after him, "Better luck next time, Zane!"

As Zane walked away, the couple shared a moment, their laughter mingling with the noise of the cafe, encapsulated in their own world. Rikki leaned closer to Emma, whispering, "Thanks, baby mermaid."

--- I just really love that nickname, so throughout all stories Rikki will call Emma like that <3