hI YES I AM PARTICIPATING IN RAYEMMA WEEK THIS YEAR DON'T WORRY-
The reason why I didn't publish anything for Day 1 & 2 was because, for Day 1, I decided that the first chapter to a fanfiction/Au I've been working on for about a year should be the first thing to kick-start RayEmma Week for me! However, because it is a actual story-based fanfiction with multiple chapters, I don't feel comfortable publishing it here in my one-shot book on Wattpad. To put it very simply and shortly; I'm not done with the cover yet LOL.

As for Day 2, well, Day 2 is a... Struggle for me, to say the least LOL. Every since the list came out I've been thinking about what I should write for Day 2 but never really got any good ideas. But on Day 1, I got an idea that I was slightly satisfied with, and while it was a bit angst I didn't really have a problem writing it!

... And then I read the chapter LOL

Needless to say, I think it would be best if I didn't write any angst for a while.
But that is enough of my rambling. I hope that whoever reads this one shot, will enjoy!!

Emma was acting strange lately.

Not that she never acted strange. This girl always made questionable decisions, and blurt out her thoughts and feelings without a moment's notice.

So when Ray said that Emma was acting strange, he meant it in a different sense. The other day she had been staring at him for a long period of time. Ray didn't stop her, (despite how nervous he felt under the feeling of her gaze.) only asked her why she was staring at him so much. She made a face that looked like she didn't even realize she was looking at him. And with a sheepish grin, she only shrugged her shoulders in reply.

And then when she did it again, and Ray asked her the same question, she made this face. As if deep in thought, before giving up and saying "I don't know."

Now, she would stare at him making this face. As if in confusion. Ray would only ignore her at this point. Which was always hard because no matter how much he tried to distract himself, he could always sense her gaze.

He didn't know why, and in all honesty, neither did Emma.

The sound of running water pulls Ray out of his thoughts. Ray was at the river, it took him a moment to remember why he was at the river again...

Right, Gilda had asked Ray if he could wash everyone's clothing at the river. He agreed, since it was his turn anyway.

The river wasn't all that far. It was at the edge of the forest. Out in the open just a bit, so Ray knew that for this time, he'd have to finish quickly.

Carrying the basket wasn't really a hard task. (It was one they had found somewhere in the shelter before leaving, and decided that it would be of use to help carry their clothes when they needed washing. It was also a lot less uncomfortable than having to carry a pile of wet clothing.

It didn't take him long to wash them, and while Ray was washing the last shirts, he noticed Emma standing at the edge of the forest. The trees and the cast of leaves shadows concealing her.

He nodded at her, "Yo."

Emma only smiled and nodded her head in reply. Her actions were strange, but Ray shrugged her off and turned his attention back to the clothing.

He hears her boots crush the gravel underneath. "Need any help?" She asks when next to him.

"No, I'm about to finish." He replies.

Their conversation ends, which Ray is fine with. The sound of the leaves being hit by the wind, birds filling the silence. The breeze, mixed with the water in the river, feeling cool on Ray's skin.

Once he's done, he places the last shirts into the basket. Adding them to the pile of wet clothes.

"You know." Ray says as he stands up. "You've been acting strange." He says, stretching his arms. Emma laughs halfheartedly.

"Yeah, I know." She says, "I've been thinking about something lately."

She begins to stand up right as Ray picks up the basket. He's about to ask her what she's been thinking about when the two bump into the other, Emma yelps, while two or three shirts fall out.

Ray puts the basket back down. "You okay?" He asks, Emma nods.

"I'm alright." She says before looking at the shirts and sighing, "Sorry." She leans over to pick one up.

"It's fine." Ray replies while he picks up one of the shirts, and throws them back in the basket.

They both reach for the last shirt simultaneously, their hands brush against the other. And while Ray feels his heart jump a little, he acts unfazed and continues to reach for the shirt.

He doesn't notice when Emma freezes in place, however. Or at least pretends he doesn't. Throwing the last shirt in the basket. In the corner of his eye he sees Emma slowly stand back up, staring at her hand.

He ignores her.

As Ray stands back up, he sees that Emma is staring at him. Her mouth agape, and this look of awe in her eyes.

The back of his neck begins to feel hot, and Ray adjusts his grip on the basket as if he wasn't holding it correctly before. (Which he was.) He can't help but to feel self-conscious under her gaze.

"What?" Ray asks, hoping he sounded nonchalant.

Emma only stares at him for a few moments, before she stood up and began to walk towards him. Until she was... A bit too close for Ray's comfort.

She stopped when she was mere inches away from Ray. He instinctively took a step back before Emma cupped his face with both hands. Her eyes never leaving his.

She stared at him for what felt like ages. Ray's face feeling hotter with each and every second that passed.

And then, Emma's eyes widen just a bit. When Ray was going to ask her what was wrong, her eyes softened, and a smile was placed on her lips.

Ray knows in that second that she has found her answer.

"Nothing." She replied, "It's nothing."

She removes her hands, and Ray raises an eyebrow at her. Emma chuckles, waving her hand.

"Really Ray, it's nothing!"

"What did you realize? I know you realized something." Ray says, not buying her bluff. Emma only smiles back at him.

"There really is no way to hide anything from you, is there?" Emma sighs. And then she begins to walk away. "I'm gonna go help Violet hunt. See you later." She says, her backing facing him as she waves.

"Wha—" Ray stumbles over his words for a bit. "Don't walk away from me! What did you realize!?"

Emma continues to walk, and when Ray thinks that she's ignoring him, she turns her head over her shoulder and meets his eyes again.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She says. And Ray can see that she's grinning before she turns back forward again and begins to jog off.

If he didn't have wet clothes in this basket, he'd probably (halfheartedly) throw it at her.

----

It was well-known between the group that Ray and Emma always slept next to each other when traveling.

Not that anyone questioned this. It made sense to everyone. Ray and Emma were close to each other.

Which why when everyone but Zack, who had the first shift of keeping watch, had laid down to sleep, Ray didn't question it when Emma set her sleeping bag next to his.

What he did question, was when Emma had laid noticeably closer to him, and not only that. But she was staring at him also.

At first Ray tried to ignore it, but as usual he could sense her gaze on him. And his eyes shoot open, the first thing he sees is the color green.

Fuck, why does Emma have to have green eyes?!

Her eyes stare into his. And Ray feels like he's being suffocated.

"Emma" He asks, "What are you doing?"

"Looking at you."

Ray glares at her.

"I know that! But why are you looking at me?!"

"Because your eyes are pretty."

Ray is obviously taken aback by Emma's comment. He stares back at her, eyes wide, and his chest feels a bit more tighter.

"That... Wasn't the answer I was expecting." He whispers, Emma grins.

"What answer were you expecting then?" She asks, in a teasing tone.

Ray lifts his head up and grabs the shirt before throwing it at Emma's face. She begins laughing as the shirt hits her and attempts to contain it.

"I—I don't know! Just, not that!" Ray quietly shouts, his ears and face feeling hot. Emma begins to laugh quietly, her hands over her mouth.

Ray inhales sharply, his eyebrows furrowing as his chest begins to feel fuzzy at the sight of Emma laughing. He quickly looks over at Zack, who still has his back turned towards them. Relieved, Ray turns back to Emma, who is still laughing.

"Be quiet!" Ray whispers as aggressively as he could in a whisper. "You're going to get us in trouble!"

"I'm sorry!" Emma says in between laughing, "It's fun teasing you!"

Ray grumbles angrily and turns to face the other way. His neck and head a bit more uncomfortable now, but it was nothing. Ray was used to sleeping on the floor at this point. And besides, with his ear pressed against the earth, he would be able to hear the footsteps of any approaching Demons.

When he pulls his blanket for more cover, Emma suddenly wraps her arms around his waist. Burying her head into his back. Her nose poking into his back in way that's not uncomfortable, but also not exactly the most welcoming feeling either.

"Why can't you just be normal?" Ray whispers and hears Emma giggle in response. He then feels her moving that moment, then the feeling of her breath softly hitting his neck.

Ray feels like he's going to combust with how hot his face and ears feel.

"You're being weird today." He comments. Emma hums, "I'm always weird." She says.

"Weirder than normal." Ray tries to sound irritated, but his words come out sounding strained instead.

He feels her hand moving, and before Ray can question her, feels the tip of her finger drawing a circle repeatedly on his back. Making Ray's whole body tense up at the feeling.

Emma's never touched him this much all at once, it was strange.

It was then when Ray suddenly remembers every single explicit book that he had read when he found a way to reach the top shelf in Mama's room.

Ray inhales sharply, his eyes widening as his head considers every single possibility of how this situation can end.

Can the ground swallow him up? Like, now please? Not forever, but just for the rest of the night. Because Emma is driving him insane. And Ray prays that it's not in more ways than one.

Emma pays no mind to him, unaware of her best friend casually having an existential crisis, and continues to draw the same circle on his back.

"Hmm..." Emma hums, the type of hum she does when she's thinking. Ray's body involuntarily jerks at the feeling of her breath. Emma either didn't notice, or she did, but decides not to tease him for it.

Ray really hopes that it's not the latter.

"That's because I'm happy." She whispers.

Ray's confused for a moment, before he remembers their conversation up until this point.

So, she's happy, but what does that have to do with her acting odd today?

"Happy?" He repeats. He feels Emma nod.

"And a bit excited."

"Excited?" God, Ray might as well be a fucking parrot at this point. He moves a bit, as if trying to find a more comfortable position, when he really just wants to feel less weird about Emma touching him. "Why?" He asks.

"Because," She starts. She stops drawing a circle only to begin drawing another shape that Ray can't recognize at this moment.

And can you really blame him for that considering the situation he's in?

"I discovered something today."

I know that, Ray thinks.

"I know you do." Emma says.

Ray freezes. Did she just—Wait, shit did he say that out loud—!?"

Neither of the pair say anything for a while. The sound of the fire cracking fills the air in an almost calm, and comforting manner.

"Well," he whispers, "What is it?"

"It's a secret." She replies, and Ray frowns. He can tell from her voice that she's smiling.

"Then why bring it up?"

"Because I want to tell you it."

Ray sighs and shuffles a bit again. Having given up on trying to figure out where this conversation is going. Conversing with this girl was like being dragged onto a ship by a friend suddenly while asking them where you're going, only for their reply to be "somewhere", and then more questioning until their answer changes to "an adventure", before they just stop answering the question in general.

Ray's lips then lift into a fond smile. Then again, Emma's just like that. She's unpredictable and unbelievable. She comes up with crazy ideas that no one else in the world would even consider, let alone try and test them.

She's crazy.

Impulsive.

Emotional.

Brilliant.

And amazing, unbelievably amazing.

There was no way for anyone to ever predict her every move, even Ray.

And he loves her for it. For each and every one of her traits. From her kindness, to her recklessness.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

"Okay... What is it?" He whispers

Emma suddenly stops moving her finger. And Ray can't help but to feel that it's strange that he misses the feeling of her finger gently tracing random shapes. But her finger doesn't move.

"Ray," she whispers, "Do you still remember Morse code?"

Confusion replaces the fuzzy feelings in Ray's chest.

"A bit. Why?"

She changes the subject. "Do you want to know what I discovered today?"

Didn't he already answer that? "Of course." He replies.

Tap, tap

She lightly taps against his back. Ray pauses for a brief moment, confused.

What... Is she doing?

Tap, taptaptap, tap, tap.

This feels familiar...

Taptaptap, taptaptap, taptaptap.

But why?

Tap, tap, tap, taptaptap.

Then it dawns on Ray.

She's using Morse code! Why did it take him this long to figure that out?! She even asked if he still remembered it! As Emma would put it, Ray may be smart, but he can also be terribly ignorant at times.

And either way, why Morse code? She had no problem with laughing moments ago, Ray thinks. But pushes the thought away as he begins to piece together what she had said previously. Let's see, 'I', and then,, 'L', 'O', then 'V'.

He feels her other hand, the one still wrapped around him, tighten. Her body moves closer to his as she snuggles her face into his back even deeper. Ray internally questions her actions but gets cut off.

Tap.

Ray's eyes widen.

She's not...

Taptaptap, tap, taptaptap, taptaptap.

Ray feels his heart beat faster. His body tenses, his chest feels funny, and he feels like he's having a fever dream of some sorts right now.

Taptaptap, taptaptap, taptaptap.

There's just now way—

Tap, tap, taptaptap.

The tapping stops. Emma pauses, her breathing light against Ray's skin.

"... Did you get that?" She asks.

No answer.

"... I guess you fell asleep, or maybe you didn't get it. Either way it's okay, even if you don't care. I'll stop annoying you now. Goodnight Ray."

She pulls away, her breathing moving away from Ray's neck, her arms loosening, her body warmth leaving.

Ray swiftly turns around, catching Emma off guard. His hands gently cup her face. Emma unconscionably notes that his hands are warm.

"Ray—?" Emma's cut off by the feeling of his lips against hers. Her hands pressed against his chest, and her brain felt like it was short-circuiting.

His lips were soft, and warm, unlike her chapped ones. Strange, she thought, you would think that it would be the other way around.

He pushed his lips lightly against hers, so light that they were barely touching. It was as if she was something so fragile that she could break at the faintest touch. And yet, Emma can still feel the desperation in the kiss. She could feel just how much he had wanted, had hoped for this moment. And how absolutely and utterly terrified he was to actually have it.

But above it all, she could feel just how much he loved her.

Maybe the word 'love' was too big for what they were feeling, or maybe it wasn't enough. Ah, well, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Emma adored Ray.

And Ray adored Emma.

Her hands grasped at his shirt as she pushes back with much more force. Her eyes shut close, she wanted to let him know that it was okay. That she wanted this just as much as he did.

Ray pulls away first, not because he wanted it to end, God no. But because he didn't think he would be able to handle this all at once. That and,,, He was running out of breath.

They both stared at each other for a while, and while they weren't necessarily breathing heavily, they were a bit out of breath.

Ray places his hand behind Emma's head, the other around her waist, and pulls her close to him. Holding her tightly as if she would disappear if he let her go. His lips were against her hair, and her head pressed against his chest.

He knew that she could hear his heartbeat.

"You're so stupid," Ray whispers, "I love you too." He lowers his lips to her forehead, brushing her hair away to press a soft kiss against it.

Emma's eyes soften, and she smiles. Wrapping her arms around Ray's body. Her heart felt warm, bubbly, fuzzy, and so much more that words could never describe.

"Goodnight, Emma..." Ray whispers.

Emma nods happily with a hum, "Goodnight, Ray..."

The thumping of his heart gently eases Emma into a deep sleep. While Emma's light breathing lures Ray into a deep slumber. Warmth and love filling every corner of his hear.

----

It was around the afternoon, the sun now lighting the area in golden and yellow colors. They were preparing to leave the forest and head into a town. Emma was debating with Gilda over which Demon town they should stop by first. While Don and Violet were going over the map.

Ray had just finished packing his things and slipped on his backpack. When Emma caught his gaze. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, smiling shyly before waving at him.

Ray waved back. Unaware of just how much deeply, and hopelessly love-struck he looked. Until Zack suddenly muttered something so quietly, that only Ray could hear.

"That was sweet, really, it was. But next time, could you two like, not flirt and make out behind me? Please?"

Ray turned to face him, horrified. Only to see Zack avoiding his gaze. In fact, he will do this all day to Ray. Including Emma, much to her confusion.

But at this moment, Ray has never craved for the sweet release of death more in his life than now.