Reclaim What's Ours | The Promised Neverland (Emma x Ray) |

Are You There?

Emma admits... she was caught off guard when Ray called out to her. Still, she didn't think it would be this funny.

Ray left the book under the tree and walked up to her with his hands in his pockets. When he was right in front of her, he suddenly snorted before roaring in laughter. Emma felt a blush rise to her cheeks watching him laugh.

"Q-Quit laughing!" Emma cried out, punching Ray lightly on the arm. But he didn't stop. Somehow, that only made him laugh louder.

When he did finally stop laughing, he looked at Emma with tears in his eyes. "You probably jumped like, 5 feet into the air," Ray told Emma, still chuckling. "To think this is the girl who fought alongside me."

"Hey, I can still kick your butt and you know it," Emma said with a huff, pointing a finger at his chest, "Don't you start underestimating me."

"Wouldn't even dream of it," Ray shook off with a wave of his hand.

And then there was silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence like one would imagine. No, Emma was comfortable around Ray, and knew it was the same for him. She knew he was patiently waiting for her to speak. He just continued to look at her. Waiting. Listening. But she didn't feel like asking him the question just yet.

"So, how was hanging out alone?" Emma asked Ray, changing the subject.

Ray gave her a shrug. "Found out a little more about demon history," he said as he pointed a thumb behind him to the book under the shade of the tree, "If I really wanted to finish the remaining books in the library, I might be able to do so in a year or two."

"A year or two..." Emma whispered, looking down. "I see, I see..."

Ray didn't have to study. No one had to anymore. Still, he wanted to learn more about the demons. The whole family did. They wanted to learn the history and their civilization. How they lived and died. If anything, Norman was the only one who really needed to learn all that... with the role he took as the leader.

Yes, Norman wasn't alone. Ray and Emma were by his side, learning along with him. Day by day, their entire family learned more than the previous day. But Emma's whim could change everything. She could single-handedly change their last few years of a happy life with a wish that just wouldn't leave her mind.

But that wish wouldn't go away. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to go see the shelter.

"Ray, do you really want to finish all those books?" Emma asked him.

Ray's eyes got a little wider. He seemed genuinely surprised by the sudden, random question. "Well, yeah, I do," Ray answered, "I want to learn more about their society. Just like you, right?"

Emma gulped. It's true that she wanted to learn more about the demons. But if she said her wishes now, she was worried she might seem a little selfish.

"Y- Yes, of course," Emma replied back.

"But that's not what you wanted to ask me, is it?"

Emma looked up. Ray was looking at her with a blank expression with just a hint of annoyance. "You came back early. To find me, right?" Ray asked her.

Emma tilted her head in confusion. Sure she came back early, but it was impressive that he'd know that she came back to find him. "How'd you know?" Emma asked him.

Ray scratched the back of his head, his eyes looking off into the distance. "I don't leave you often. That's why... without me knowing, it just feels so natural now... to have you by my side."