The water never really got warm enough to go swimming in. Even in the summer when it was in the eighties most of the day. The water was still rather cold.
With the sun shining unusually brightly through the the usual clouds. Warming the sand, and about everything else in the little town of Storybrooke, Maine.
A certain trio had found their way to the beach. The town's sheriff, the mayor's son, and everyone's favorite waitress.
Ruby and Henry had started a game of pirate when they realized the water, in harsh comparison to the hot sun warmed sand, was much to cold to spend much time in. Running into the icy waves as far as they could. Before running back to the warmth of the beach.
Whoever got farthest won. Not that they were keeping score.
Emma sat a few feet back from the where the waves were crashing against the shore. Happy to answer that Henry was winning whenever she was asked.
She had been keeping herself out of the game for the past twenty or so minutes in favor of the warm beach. Cold wasn't so much her thing. But neither was hot, and she was currently rather hot.
Her girlfriend, and son came running out of the ocean with a splash and spray of water around their knees. More so Henry's as the waves here were more his proportion.
The ten year old fell heavily onto the hot sand, and gave Emma an exhausted glance through his wet hair.
Ruby smiled, and heaved Henry up. Hauling him with a grip under the arms to his blanket next to hers and Emma's. Henry let his feet drag in the sand, leaving trails with Ruby's footprints. Enjoying still being small and light enough to be carried.
After dropping Henry on his Captain America towel. Ruby seated herself on her own between him and Emma. Collecting all her brown and red hair over one shoulder, and squeezing the moisture into Emma's lap.
Which caused the blonde to let out a small shriek of surprise. Crawling backwards, from the source. Before giving Ruby a small smack.
"That's cold." She scowled. Attempting to wipe all of the water off of her thighs.
"I know." Ruby giggled. Giving herself a shake, and sending more droplets flying. Landing on the blonde, and an already soaked Henry. "That's the point." She gave another shake. Shimmying in her seat.
"Stop shaking, you're getting me all-" Emma stopped and frowned before saying pointedly. As if to make the point to her girlfriend that she could be mature with her son around. "Wet." Ruby clapped her hand over her mouth to rather obviously muffle a giggle.
Before giving another shake. Riding herself of the most of the rest of her dampness, and spreading it all over Emma and Henry, and their towels.
"God, you're like a dog." Emma gave the brunette a push to the shoulder. Before leaning over her. To the point where she was practically lying in her lap. "Hey kid, are you alive?"
"I'm alive." He groaned into the towel under his face. He turned to face the blonde, one cheek pressed to the blue red and white towel under him. Squishing his already rather adorable face.
"You sure?" Ruby asked, giving him a small poke in the temple. Which got him laughing that little kid laugh he had. With a bit delayed reflexes he brushed her hand aside. "Good. Regina would set Emma on fire or something if she let me kill you."
"I'm fine." He reassured, sitting up as if to prove his point, shoulders still shaking a bit with laughter. "Just cold."
"Emma can warm you up. She's hot." Ruby grinned, and attempting to muffle her laughter with a palm to her lips at the statements unintended double meaning.
Henry scrunched up his nose at his mom being called hot. But a small laugh made it's way from his lips too at the small swat Emma gave Ruby. The brunette leaned back away from the swatting hand, falling back against the tight packed sand with a 'woomf.'
"From the sun..." Ruby all but whined. Squirming a bit with the weight of Emma still on her legs. Unable to sit up, or move much.
"Why don't we get you warmed up?" Ruby asked, managing to get Emma off of her lap to stand. "Get the blood flowing?" She asked. Jumping a bit. Giving another shake, that scattered water droplets over Emma again. Henry rose with the brunette. Eyebrows furrowed in thought. Trying to figure out what Ruby had in mind. Making the face that made him look strikingly like Emma.
The brunette then gave Henry a tap on the shoulder. Before taking off. Spraying sand behind her as she sprinted off creating a bit of distance between them. Then stating over her shoulder.
"Tag, you're it."
Realization dawned on Henry's face, and he took off after Ruby, and she started running again herself.
The two made it pretty far down the little shoreline to the dock. Sand spraying around them. Henry pretty close behind Ruby the whole time. Until she attempted to turn and make her way back up. Misjudging how far Henry could reach, and ending up with a tap to the hip as he ran past her. Looking over his shoulder just long enough to smirk at her.
Emma realized that she had leaned onto her knees on the towel watching them.
Ruby could easily outrun Henry on her long legs. But she didn't seem to actually be letting him get her. They ran around practically in circles for a few good long minutes down by the dock. Then they were running back up the shore.
Over the roar of the waves Emma couldn't really hear their insane giggling, mixed in with panting until Ruby was about ten yards from her.
Henry pumping his arms, kicking up shovel fulls of sand as he desperately attempted to catch up to her. A few feet behind.
They really were probably two of the people she loved the most in the world. It was a hard thing to judge, since she was sure she'd never felt anything more than affection for another person before. Or more like an overwhelming thing to judge, or think about.
But seeing them together sent a rush of extreme happiness through her. Seeing that they were as happy around each other as they made her separately.
Although some part of Emma would openly admit, it also made her jealous. A petty stupid kind of jealousy. Henry and Ruby just had formed a friendship, and not the usual young adult, kid friendship. Ruby always seemed generally interested in what Henry had to say, and would gladly take any chance to spend time with him.
The bonus that time with him usually meant time with Emma helped.
But seeing the two of them racing up the beach like that. Emma felt a need to join.
Soon Ruby had reached their cluster of towels. Stopping, and darting a few feet to the side. But Henry shot straight past her. Tackling Emma around the middle, making the blonde take a few steps back to carry the momentum without falling.
"You're it." The kid mumbled into Emma's bare stomach. Before releasing her like a hot coal, and sprinting in the opposite direction to Ruby. Pulling the waitress with him away from a bewildered Emma.
Almost like he had read her mind.
Well now she had no choice but to chase the two of them until she caught one... Or both, both could work.
