Disclaimer: I don't own Pushing Daisies.
Ned watched Chuck's meticulous movements with a familiar apprehension. When Chuck acted like this, it was usually because she had a notion that Something was Upsetting Ned. Chuck wasn't like Emerson or Olive; she wouldn't let him stew in quiet. Instead she always had to do Something to Fix The Problem. Like she was apparently doing now, come to think of it.
With a final snap, the clasps on Chuck's snowsuit clicked together. She turned towards the counter behind her and picked up a pair of woolly turquoise mittens and pulled them over her fingers, and rolled the ski mask over her head. She made sure all of her skin was covered, and tucked her brown curls underneath it as well. The goggles looped around her neck were affixed over her eyes, the green-tinted plastic making her appear alien and strange, which was a good look for Chuck.
Chuck held her arms out towards Ned. "Come on," she insisted, voice muffled by the mask. "All my skin's covered, I made sure, so you've got no excuse not to. You need a hug."
Ned let out a wistful sigh and stepped forward to tentatively wrap his arms around her. Chuck returned the embrace enthusiastically, burying her face in his sweater. They stayed there for a long moment, before she pulled away. She dragged the goggles and ski mask off her face and grinned at him through her hair, which was tousled and falling in her face. "See, that wasn't so bad. Now help me put this stuff away." Chuck began to strip off the puffy suit, handing him the pieces as she went. When she finished, she scooped everything out of his arms and skipped out of the kitchen. Ned watched her retreating back with a smile slowly edging onto his face.
Maybe there was something to this 'hug' thing after all.