Emma feels her cheeks become more hot as each and every second ticks away. Her eyes widen as she quietly gasps. The sound of her laughter fading away like an old memory.

The feeling of Ray's lips gently pressed against her forehead makes her heart beat faster. And all too quickly, that fuzzy feeling in her chest becomes even stronger than it was a second ago. And it's like she finally becomes fully aware of what's happening. She feels Ray arm tightly, yet gently wrapped around her waist. And his hand holding the back of her head.

But the moment is over quickly as Ray slowly pulls away. But Emma's heart rate stays the same. And her eyes meet Ray's as he's back to his previous position. And with her remaining courage, she asks him.

"Why did you do that?"

Ray freezes for a second, like he's thinking. Then he suddenly smiles. Not his normal, happy smile. But his confidant, teasing smile, the smile he wears when he's planning something. Emma feels her body tense up a bit as her cheeks start to feel even warmer.

Then he starts to lean in again. And she swears her heart just somehow did a backflip. She wonders if he's going to kiss her forehead again. Or maybe this time he'll... He'll--

Ray suddenly moves to the right just a bit until Emma can slightly feel his breath against her ear. Which doesn't help her heart rate at all, if anything it makes it worse. And Emma wonders what he's going to say. What is he going to say? Is he going to tease her? Make fun of her? Or--

"I did it because I wanted too."

And just like that, it feels like time has frozen for Emma. And the fuzzy feeling in her chest spreads and blooms like a wildfire. Her eyes slightly widen in shock and disbelief and her mouth opens slightly.

He wanted to? He wanted to kiss her? On the forehead that is? Or did he want to kiss her in other places too? Like her cheek, nose, and... lips...?

By the time Emma is able to open her mouth to speak, Ray is already pulling away once again. But then he stops, and him and Emma stare at each other for what feels like hours. And Emma can feel her heart thumping in her ears... Or.. ear?

And swiftly, Ray pulls himself off of her and back onto his feet. He turns his head to his right, as he leans over and reaches his hand out in front of Emma. Without saying a word, Emma sits herself up right, and takes Ray's hand. He pulls her up onto her feet but doesn't let go. And the pair walk back to their rooms in silence.

~~~

Emma plays with the hem of her usual white shirt, as she watches Yuugo get mad at two younger kids from Goldy Pond. While Alicia sneaks up behind him and jumps on his back surprising him. Causing Emma to giggle at the children's antics.

Yuugo looks over at the chuckling Emma. But even through her laughter he can see her slightly stiff shoulders. And he had already seen in the corner of his eye that Emma was fidgeting just a bit.

"Alright, that's enough you three. Let me talk to Emma."

He says as he leans down so Alicia can safely jump off. The three children then run out of the room.

Wordlessly, Yuugo pulls two chair from the dining table and sits down on one. He motions with his hand for Emma to sit on the other one.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Emma stares at Yuugo in slight shock. And as she sits on the chair she says.

"How did you know I wanted to talk to you."

Yuugo gives her a look.

"Kid, you've been staring at me for the past 5 minutes. I think it's pretty obvious that you have something on your mind."

Emma nervously laughs as she looks to her right, "Yeah, I guess it is."

Yuugo notices when Emma starts to play with the hem of her shirt again. He sighs and his expression changes into a gentle one.

"What's bothering you, Emma?"

Still avoiding eye contact, Emma takes a deep breath and clears her thoughts one last time. Is it really okay to do this? What if by asking for advice, Emma brings up bad memories?

Emma shakes her head slightly, and pushes all her doubts to the back of her head.

She trusts Yuugo the most to go to for advice. Even if it's about her feelings towards Ray. She turns toward Yuugo, but keeps her gaze on her hands.

"Last night, when I was cleaning with Gillian, Violet, and Gilda we started talking about something..."

Yuugo leans forward a bit.

"About what?"

'Breathe Emma. Just breathe.'

She thinks to herself to calm her nerves. Emma continues talking as she recalls last night's conversation.

"About Ray..."

"Ray?"

Emma nods.

"They told me that I've been dozing off a lot lately, and I had told them that I wasn't. Just that... Ray has been on my mind a lot recently."

Yuugo closes his eyes and nods, his arms crossed as he leans back into the chair.

"Did they tease you?"

Emma jumps at that question for some reason.

"No! At least I don't think they did. Minus Gillan that is... But that's not why I'm here!"

Opening his eyes, Yuugo focuses back on Emma. She sighs as her hands are now in fists and are slightly shaking.

"It's what Violet said that's made me nervous."

"What did she say?"

"She said, that she thinks my feelings towards Ray are changing."

There was a moment of silence in the room. During this, the children's voices and laughter are either muffled or echoing from the walls of the shelter.

Yuugo took some time to process this. He had an idea of what Emma meant, if so it made some sense as to why she had gone to him for advice. But he wanted to confirm his suspicions before further action.

Leaning back forward, Yuugo uncrosses his arms slightly.

"Why? What did you tell them that made her say that?"

This was the part Emma was dreading the most. Having to confess everything she told the girls to Yuugo. And knowing him, he was probably gonna tease her too just like Gillian did.

But she bit her lip and took in a deep breath.

"I told them that I... Wanted--no want to hold hands with him. Which, I have! But, in way that's intimate, and close and... When I imagine it, my chest starts to feel fuzzy and warm. Violet told me that I should ask you what you think. And... Yeah..."

Yuugo sighed. He knew exactly what Emma was going through. He knew because he had gone through it. He knew what she was feeling towards Ray. But he wanted to know how strong it was, so he could safely tell Emma if what she's feeling is just a small crush, a big crush, or love.

And considering how Ray had come to him for the exact same thing last time they were here--Yuugo of all people--and what the result was from that conversation. He didn't doubt if it was somehow the latter for Emma too.

'Their first love huh? Next thing you know, they'll be getting married.'

Yuugo chuckles to himself at the thought. Which makes Emma look up at him and tilt her head in confusion.

"What's so funny?"

With a smile Yuugo closes his eyes and shakes his head while waving.

"Nothing, just thinking."

He clears his throat and sits up in his chair.

"Emma, I know this might be a nerve wracking question but, Have you noticed anything different? With Ray I mean. Is there anything you want to do with him and feel towards him that you don't with the others--besides holding hands?"

Emma's eyes widen slightly, but she quickly lowers her gaze to her lap again. There's practically an endless list of things she wants to do with him and no one else. But she chooses the ones that are on her mind the most to say.

"I... A few times I just want to hug him. Like, it comes out of nowhere. I feel that fuzzy feeling when he's near me, and it's only with him! Sometimes, and this part's strange! That feeling is so strong I feel like I'm going crazy or something! I get really happy when he talks to me. Sometimes, I want to lay my head on his shoulder and fall asleep there. And I... Wanted to dance with him last night and--"

"Alright, I think that's enough kid. You got your answer."

Yuugo suddenly says he puts his chair back at the table. Emma stares at him and in confusion until she jumps up.

"What!? No I don't!" She shouts at him.

Yuugo groans at Emma's protest.

"Yes you do. You're not that naive Emma, I don't need to spell it out for you."

"Yes you do! I need a clear answer so I--"

"You're falling in love with your best friend Emma! And by the sound of it, you've been denying it for quite some time."

Emma doesn't let her face fall. She tries her best to keep her glare strong on the adult. And she opens her mouth one more time to argue but Yuugo beats her to it.

"Do you think Ray is cute?"

The question throws her off guard and she takes a step back. Like as if the question was somehow threatening her--which in a way, it is. She feels her cheeks betray her as they fill with warmth. And Yuugo smirks.

"That's a yes."

Emma opens her mouth to protest but nothing comes out. Just a bunch of mumbled stuttering noises leave her lips. Yuugo's smirk falls but his expression turns into something she can't read.

"I want you to think about this. Don't answer it, just think about it. Have you ever wanted to kiss him or for him to kiss you?"

Heat spreads across Emma's face and maybe even to her throat. And her face visibly turns into a light shade of red. Her eyes widen as she already knows the answer to this. Emma shuts her eyes and grabs her head and violently starts to shake it. And she hears Yuugo quietly laughing to himself.

'He's making fun of me!!'

Emma quickly picks her head up in anger.

"This isn't funny!!" She shouts as Yuugo continues laughing.

"It is to me because it's pretty damn obvious!"

Emma puffs her cheeks in embarrassment. And as Yuugo calms himself he starts talking again.

"Tell you what, you and Ray are gonna go hunting together again today. Just the two of you."

Panic sets into Emma before she can even think about what she's about to say.

"I can't!! Not after that kiss last night!"

Yuugo suddenly starts to choke as Emma regrets her life decisions.

"Kiss!? What kiss!?"

Frantically waving her hands in front of her, Emma says, "O--On the forehead! R--Ray kissed me on the forehead last night in the library!"

"He was in there with you!?"

"Yes!--Wait, how did you know I was in there!"

Yuugo gives her a look.

"Emma, you were laughing in the middle of the night. Did you really think no one would hear you?"

Emma chuckles nervously as she looks to her side.

"I didn't want to think about that fact..."

Which was true. She didn't want to think of the fact that people could've heard her, and then spied on her and Ray.

Yuugo opens his mouth but closes it. He takes in a deep breath and changes the topic.

"Get ready, you and Ray are leaving in 30 minutes."

Emma would never admit it, but walking in the Demon filled forests with Ray always made her feel more safe and comfortable.

Even if they were walking in total silence.

Her conversation with Yuugo helped, but at the same time made things worse. She couldn't say a thing to Ray without Yuugo's words echoing in her head, making her a stuttering red mess. But it's not like she needed to. Ray also hadn't said a word to her unless it involved hunting. And even then, Emma could barely even nod without becoming nervous.

But it felt off... Like as if he didn't like her. Ray wouldn't even look at her which filled Emma with a scared, yet worrying feeling. She hated this. Hated how her thoughts said Ray was more than a brother. Hated how Yuugo and Gillian teased her. Hated how--

"Emma! Which way?"

Snapped out of her thoughts, Emma quickly looked around at her surroundings. And realizes she's up in a tree.

'Oh right.'

She thinks. Ray had suggested that one of them should climb to the top of a tree and see which way they should go to find food.

"To the east!"

She shouted back, maintaining her shaking voice. Turning back around, she starts to climb down the tree. But, like always, her thoughts consume her. And Yuugo and this time Violet's words start to echo in her head.

"You're falling in love with your best friend Emma! And by the sound of it, you've been denying it for quite some time."

"Emma, I may be wrong, but your feelings towards Ray might be changing."

"Do you think Ray is cute?"

'Shut up! Shut up! Go awa--'

Emma feels her foot slip against the bark of the tree. And the next thing she knows, she feels her body falling.

"EMMA!!"

She hears Ray shouting and fully snaps as to what is happening. And quickly tries to see--er feel what position her body is in. Her back isn't facing the ground but neither are her feet. She then starts to turn to her side, Anna once told her that if she's ever falling, she should try to land on her side.

The view of the ground gets closer and closer. And as fast as she can Emma turns to her left sid--

Pain suddenly seeps into her left ankle. And Emma's eyes widen as her body puts more and more pressure onto the foot. It feels like she chokes on the air for a second until her body crashes onto the ground. Pain way less intense than the one in her ankle spreads through the left side of her body.

The pain on her left feels like a pinch compared to the one in her ankle. And the memory of Mama breaking her leg fill her head. She wants to compare the pain back then to the pain right now, but her mind can't think.

She feels like as if she's about to cry out like how she did then, but refuses to do so. She's thirteen now, not eleven. So instead she bites her lip until she's positive that it's bleeding but even then she can't help the small whimpers of pain. But in a flash she hears footsteps from behind her, and they quickly get louder and louder.

"Emma!"

Ray shouts as he lands on his knees behind her. Placing his hand on her shoulder, Ray turns Emma around and sees that she's still alive. He starts to smile but it soon drops as soon as he sees her face scrunched up in pain. He opens his mouth to ask her what's wrong but Emma points to her ankle.

"I landed on it... And it--"

Emma winces in pain midway through her sentence.

"Hurts a lot."

Ray looks over at her leg but the sound of a demon fills the air. He 'tsk' and turns back to Emma. The demon sounded so close, there's no way they'd make it back to the shelter, unless...

"Emma, I'm gonna carry you into the cave that Sonju and Mujika showed us. I'll treat your ankle there as best as I can, and then when the demons are gone, we'll head back to the shelter alright?"

Ray says as his left hand gently caressed her face. Emma nodded and he nodded back at her. Using his right hand he wraps it under Emma's legs and his left under her back. He picks her up and starts running while making sure not to hurt her.

Ray gently sets Emma down on the floor of the cave, her back against it's rough walls. He carefully takes off her boot and rolls up her pants to reveal her ankle covered in purple and a bump. Emma cringes in pain and though he doesn't say anything, it hurts Ray to see Emma in pain like this.

"I don't think it's broken Emma. But it's definitely sprained."

He says to her, and she nods in reply.

Reaching over to his bag, Ray pulls out two painkillers and hands them to Emma, who takes them dry. He then gently lifts her leg up, knowing that a sprained ankle needs to be levitated. This is the best he can do for her until they get back to the shelter and have Anna treat her. Sighing, Ray stands up and sits next to Emma, their shoulders touching.

"How are you feeling?"

He asks her, and Emma turns to Ray and gives him a weak smile, which pains his heart.

"A bit better... Though it still hurts a bit, but not as much anymore."

Her voice sounds pained, which makes him cringe. Emma notices this and places her hand on Ray's. He looks up at her and she smiles at him. Which causes Ray to feel a feeling he's all too used to at this point in his chest. And he smiles back at her.

Emma turns from him to her feet. She takes in a deep breath, and decides to end... Whatever has been going on between them once and for all. And asks him something that has been haunting the back of her head for--honestly, months.

"Hey Ray, have you ever kissed someone?"

She feels his hand tense slightly at the question.

"Why have you been asking me so many questions like that lately?"

This time Emma tenses up. He's trying to corner her! Or maybe, he's just genuinely confused. Then again, this is Ray. Emma turns to him and glares slightly at him.

"Don't change the topic! Answer the question!"

Ray sighs in defeat and puts his free hand up.

"Fine, no I obviously haven't. Happy?"

Emma nods happily and Ray jokingly rolls his eyes. But Emma's eyes trail back to her feet. And she squeezes his hand. She's ready to ask the question that's been in her head since her conversation with Yuugo. She takes in a breath and says.

"Have you ever wanted to kiss me?"

Silence fills the air, and every second that passes she feels her cheeks heat up more and more at her own question. She mentally prepares herself for the answer, which she already knows is a no. Ray would never think of her that way. Emma didn't have a chance from the start. She squeezes her eyes shut, ready for the heartbreak.

"What I did last night should be the answer to that."

Emma eyes snap open from his reply. No way, she has to be dreaming right? There's no way that Ray would ever want to kiss her.

"You... Want to kiss.. Me?"

God, she couldn't even speak correctly. But slowly she turned her head to Ray, who was facing the other way. He didn't say anything, but he slowly nodded his head. And a feeling of warmth invaded the inside of Emma's chest.

She thinks back to Yuugo's words. How these feelings in her chest have been there for so long but she refused to acknowledge them. How she was hoping that Ray was going to say no just now. Why she was so scared of what Yuugo's answer was going to be. And why she got mad with what it was. Why she kept playing dumb with Gilda, Violet, and Gillian last night. And why Ray was the only one she thought about with intimate things.

'Yuugo was right...'

Emma was in denial that she was falling in love with her best friend.

Falling in love with Ray.

Looking back, it should've been obvious. She hadn't been feeling this way for two weeks, no. She had been feeling this way since the last time they stayed at the shelter before leaving again. Maybe even longer. She always knew what it was, but fooled everyone and even herself that she didn't. But even doing that, her desire still burned within her... That's why she always asked him those questions...

And suddenly, it felt like a spark of courage went off as all these thoughts filled her head. And with her new courage, Emma couldn't help it as she leaned forward towards him. Reaching out she cupped his face and made him face her.

"Wha--Emma!"

Ray tried to pry Emma's hands off his cheeks but Emma refused so. He was panicking, she was determined. And the second she got his eyes to look at her's she let it all out.

"I want to kiss you too!"

She felt and saw his body relax as his eyes widen. And she could already feel the heat in her cheeks. But she wasn't done, not yet.

"I'm going to answer your question now. The reason why I've been asking you these types of questions so much was because I wanted to do those things with you!

"Ray... I've been in denial for this for a while, and I didn't even realize it until now but...

"I want to hold hands with you in an intimate way. I want to dance with you without having to make up some fake excuse as to why. I want to hold and cuddle with you while falling asleep. I want to kiss you whenever I can!"

Ray stared at Emma in shock as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt like this was a joke, a silly, cruel joke. But he knew it wasn't. And what he heard next made his heart do a leap.

"Ray... I think I'm falling in love with you. I have been for quite awhile now. In fact, I might not even be falling in love with you anymore, I might already love you."

Ray couldn't describe what he was feeling. He felt happy, ecstatic, loved. There were too many words in the world to describe this feeling.

Slowly the embarrassment caught up to Emma. And realizing what she had just confessed, her heart started beating faster. Her chest feeling fuzzy and warm, and her cheeks feeling hot. And her confidant words started to become almost mumbled stuttering.

"So I... Um... I would be o--okay if... You um.."

Ray smiled at her and gently touched her cheek, pulling her towards him. His eyes closed and soon, their faces mere inches apart, and Emma could feel his breath against her lips. Her face in shock, but she knew exactly what Ray was going to do. She could almost feel his smile against her lips as he whispered.

"I love you too."

Those words made her smile and close her eyes as he closed the gap between them.