Once Upon A Time: Buffet #4, "Shelter"
Title: Condensation Conversation
Author: salmon_pink
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Pairing: Neal/Emma
Table: Buffet #4, prompt "shelter"
Rating: G
Words: 488
Notes: Set before Emma's time in jail
“Look’s like today’s a washout,” Neal says with a broad grin, and Emma groans at the pun, digging the toe of her boot into his side. He yelps, flopping against the car’s backseat, and she slips into the crook of his arm, smirking at his pout.
The rain falls in heavy sheets against the Bug’s roof, drowning out the low hum of the radio.
“We could make a run for the diner,” Emma suggests, nodding towards the fluorescent sign glowing from across the car park. Between them, they could probably nurse a cup of coffee for a good hour.
Neal shakes his head, fingers twirling around a lock of her hair absentmindedly. “Nah, not worth getting drenched.” He leans his cheek against her hair as Emma rests her head on his shoulder. “Besides, the car’s the perfect shelter.”
Emma’s hand settles on his thigh. There’s a hole on the knee of his jeans, and she toys with the fraying edge. “Oh yeah?” she prompts, not exactly convinced.
“Sure, what’s not to like?” Neal insists. “It’s cosy, it’s dry, all our stuff’s here. You’re here.”
Emma exhales a pleased laugh, shifting until she can look up into his face.
“Besides,” he adds, “a car is the safest place to be in a storm.”
As if on cue, thunder rumbles in the distance.
“If you say so,” Emma murmurs, although she believes him implicitly. She shifts on the leather seat, fidgeting until she’s on her knees, top of her head brushing the car’s ceiling. She leans forward, and Neal tilts his head back, watching with hooded eyes. Clearly expecting a kiss, but Emma bites her lip as she smirks, ignoring the tempting shape of his mouth to reach across his body and drag her fingers over the window, drawing a smiley face in the condensation.
Neal’s arms slide around her waist, tugging her until she’s sat on his lap. He squirms, laughing breathlessly when Emma presses the cold, damp pads of her fingers against his neck, digging his teeth in lightly over her jacket to nip playfully at her shoulder, holding on tight when she wriggles.
“Such an artist,” he teases, and she cuffs him across the head, ruffling his hair.
“It’s a magic charm,” Emma explains. “To ward off the storm.”
For a moment Neal just looks at her, like he’s studying her carefully, and Emma feels like holding her breath, because she has a feeling she’s said something wrong.
But then his smile is back, just as warm as ever. “Well, in that case,” he says, and she watches as he draws his own smiley face beside the first, two sets of eyes in the fog of the window, staring out into the world beyond the car. “Now we’re extra safe.”
Outside the rain falls harder and harder, but Emma’s too caught up in the heat of Neal’s lips against her own to be worried about the storm.
Author: salmon_pink
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Pairing: Neal/Emma
Table: Buffet #4, prompt "shelter"
Rating: G
Words: 488
Notes: Set before Emma's time in jail
“Look’s like today’s a washout,” Neal says with a broad grin, and Emma groans at the pun, digging the toe of her boot into his side. He yelps, flopping against the car’s backseat, and she slips into the crook of his arm, smirking at his pout.
The rain falls in heavy sheets against the Bug’s roof, drowning out the low hum of the radio.
“We could make a run for the diner,” Emma suggests, nodding towards the fluorescent sign glowing from across the car park. Between them, they could probably nurse a cup of coffee for a good hour.
Neal shakes his head, fingers twirling around a lock of her hair absentmindedly. “Nah, not worth getting drenched.” He leans his cheek against her hair as Emma rests her head on his shoulder. “Besides, the car’s the perfect shelter.”
Emma’s hand settles on his thigh. There’s a hole on the knee of his jeans, and she toys with the fraying edge. “Oh yeah?” she prompts, not exactly convinced.
“Sure, what’s not to like?” Neal insists. “It’s cosy, it’s dry, all our stuff’s here. You’re here.”
Emma exhales a pleased laugh, shifting until she can look up into his face.
“Besides,” he adds, “a car is the safest place to be in a storm.”
As if on cue, thunder rumbles in the distance.
“If you say so,” Emma murmurs, although she believes him implicitly. She shifts on the leather seat, fidgeting until she’s on her knees, top of her head brushing the car’s ceiling. She leans forward, and Neal tilts his head back, watching with hooded eyes. Clearly expecting a kiss, but Emma bites her lip as she smirks, ignoring the tempting shape of his mouth to reach across his body and drag her fingers over the window, drawing a smiley face in the condensation.
Neal’s arms slide around her waist, tugging her until she’s sat on his lap. He squirms, laughing breathlessly when Emma presses the cold, damp pads of her fingers against his neck, digging his teeth in lightly over her jacket to nip playfully at her shoulder, holding on tight when she wriggles.
“Such an artist,” he teases, and she cuffs him across the head, ruffling his hair.
“It’s a magic charm,” Emma explains. “To ward off the storm.”
For a moment Neal just looks at her, like he’s studying her carefully, and Emma feels like holding her breath, because she has a feeling she’s said something wrong.
But then his smile is back, just as warm as ever. “Well, in that case,” he says, and she watches as he draws his own smiley face beside the first, two sets of eyes in the fog of the window, staring out into the world beyond the car. “Now we’re extra safe.”
Outside the rain falls harder and harder, but Emma’s too caught up in the heat of Neal’s lips against her own to be worried about the storm.