Work Text:
The arcade was loud enough that Nene could feel the bass from one of the rhythm games through the soles of her shoes.
Bright screens flashed across the dim interior, machines chimed whenever someone won something.
Emu, however, had completely forgotten about everything else.
She stood in front of a claw machine with both hands pressed against the glass, her eyes fixed on a pile of plushies inside.
A particularly round one had caught her attention, its tiny paws sticking out from beneath another plush as though it were desperately asking to be rescued.
Nene stood beside her, watching with an amused smile.
She had learned by now that whenever Emu got that look in her eyes, there was no point trying to hurry her along.
Emu was going to inspect every single prize, compare their faces, and probably give each one a name before they left.
Emu leaned closer to the glass, tilting her head from one side to the other as she studied the arrangement.
"Nene-chan, look, look! That one is so cute!" she exclaimed, pointing excitedly toward the plush near the bottom of the pile. "It looks like it wants to come home with us!"
Nene followed the direction of her finger and nodded, resting one hand against the side of the machine.
"It is pretty cute," she admitted as she examined the plush's awkward position. "But I don't think the claw can reach it from there."
Emu's expression immediately became thoughtful. She crouched slightly, peering through the lower part of the glass as if changing her viewing angle would somehow reveal a secret path to victory.
"Then we have to figure out how to rescue it!" she declared, straightening with renewed determination.
Nene smiled and reached into her pocket for a few coins. "We can try."
Emu's attention snapped toward her.
Then her eyes sparkled.
"Nene-chan," she said suddenly, clasping her hands behind her back as she leaned toward Nene with an unmistakably mischievous smile. "If you can win me a plushie, I'll give you a kiss."
Nene froze.
Her fingers stopped halfway through pulling a coin from her pocket.
For several seconds, the arcade continued roaring around them while Nene's brain simply ceased functioning.
"W-What—?" she finally managed, her voice noticeably higher than usual.
Emu blinked innocently before pointing toward the machine. "If you win a plushie, I'll give you a kiss!"
Nene stared at her.
Then she looked at the claw machine.
Then back at Emu.
The challenge had been issued.
Something inside Nene clicked.
She quietly pushed her glasses higher on her nose and stepped directly in front of the machine.
Her posture changed almost imperceptibly. Her shoulders straightened. Her eyes narrowed.
Emu watched the transformation happen in real time.
"Nene-chan?" she asked curiously, tilting her head.
Nene inserted the coin with absolute seriousness. "I'm getting that plush."
Emu's smile widened. "Mhm!"
Nene gripped the controls.
She had played claw machines before. Plenty of times, actually. She knew the claws had varying grip strength. She knew the positioning of the prizes mattered more than simply dropping the claw directly above the target.
But this was different.
There were stakes now.
Nene adjusted the horizontal position with painstaking precision, watching the claw move over the glass. She made a tiny correction, then another.
Emu stood beside her, practically vibrating with excitement as she watched the claw glide into place.
"Little bit to the left," Nene murmured as she adjusted the control.
Emu leaned closer to the glass. "There?"
"Just a little."
Nene nudged the joystick.
The claw shifted.
She stopped.
Her eyes flicked between the target plush and the claw's position. The plush was partially buried, but one of its paws was exposed. If she could hook that part, she might be able to drag it toward the chute.
Nene pressed the button.
The claw descended.
Emu gasped.
It landed directly over the plush.
The metal prongs closed.
For one glorious second, the plush lifted.
Emu's hands flew to her mouth. "It's moving!"
Nene's eyes widened as the claw began carrying the plush toward the drop zone.
Then the grip loosened.
The plush slipped.
It landed closer to the edge. The plush now sat tantalizingly close to the chute.
Nene slowly lowered her hand from the controls.
"Again," she said with grim determination.
Emu giggled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Nene-chan is taking this very seriously!"
Nene ignored her.
The second attempt was more careful. She adjusted the claw so that one prong would catch beneath the plush's body instead of trying to lift it directly. The claw descended, caught the fabric, and dragged the plush several centimeters.
It slipped again.
But this time, it rolled.
Straight toward the edge.
Nene's heart pounded.
"Come on," she whispered, leaning closer to the glass.
The plush rocked once. Twice. Then tumbled through the opening.
The machine chimed triumphantly.
Emu squealed. "NENE-CHAN WON!"
She threw her arms around Nene from the side so suddenly that Nene nearly stumbled.
"I won," Nene said faintly, staring at the plush sitting inside the prize chute.
"You won!" Emu repeated, squeezing her tightly. "You got it!"
Nene's face was already turning red, but she managed to retrieve the plush and hold it out to Emu with both hands. "Here."
Emu accepted it carefully, immediately hugging it against her chest.
"It's so cute!" she exclaimed before looking up at Nene with an enormous smile. "Thank you, Nene-chan!"
Nene's heart skipped.
She suddenly remembered the promise.
Emu seemed to remember it too.
Her expression softened into something almost unbearably fond as she stepped closer. "And now..."
Nene swallowed.
The arcade suddenly seemed much louder.
"Now?" she repeated, clutching the claw-machine controls despite having no reason to still be touching them.
Emu nodded happily. "I promised you a kiss!"
Nene's entire face turned bright red.
"I-I know that."
Emu leaned closer, her smile turning playful. "Do you want it?"
Nene's brain completely short-circuited again.
She looked away for a moment, trying desperately to regain whatever composure she had possessed before the claw machine challenge began.
Her fingers fidgeted against the edge of her sleeve before she finally looked back at Emu.
"Yes," she admitted quietly.
Emu's expression became impossibly warm.
She shifted the plush into one arm and gently reached out with her free hand, taking Nene's hand in hers. Nene's fingers immediately curled around Emu's without thinking.
Emu leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against Nene's cheek.
It lasted only a moment.
That was more than enough.
Nene froze completely.
Her face went scarlet.
Emu pulled back with a delighted smile, still holding her hand. "There!"
Nene stared at her, visibly struggling to process what had just happened.
"You really did it," she murmured as she touched her cheek with her free hand.
"I said I would!" Emu replied, squeezing her hand affectionately.
Nene's mouth twitched into a helpless smile.
She looked down at their intertwined fingers, then at the plush Emu was holding, and finally back at Emu's glowing expression.
"Then I guess I'll have to win another one sometime," Nene said, quietly but with unmistakable sincerity.
Emu's eyes widened.
"For another kiss?"
Nene's face somehow became even redder.
She looked away, but she didn't let go of Emu's hand.
"Maybe."
Emu hugged her plush tighter against her chest and practically bounced in place.
"Yay!" she cheered, leaning against Nene's shoulder. "Then let's find another cute one!"
Nene laughed softly as she let herself lean against Emu in return, already glancing toward the next machine.
She was absolutely going to win again.