I Need a Place to Sleep (Post-Timeskip RoseWick)

Part 4

A few days later, at another inn as the group was preparing for bed

   Roman knocked softly on the door of Ruby's room. He hoped she would accept the book in his hands as a peace offering. This was one of the few times when Roman actually had honest intentions. The harsh feelings that she still had made things awkward. 

"Coming!" Ruby called softly as she walked over to answer the door. She turned the doorknob. She opened the door and scowled when she saw Roman standing in her doorway. "What do you want, Torchwick?"

He held out the book towards her. "Here. It's a peace offering. It's a good book, you should read it."

Ruby cautiously accepted the book with both bands. "Oh. ...Thanks. But, why?"

Roman shrugged. "I figured you were bored, so I thought I'd give you one of my books to keep you occupied. Besides, I needed to break the ice. Things were getting awkward between us." he gave Ruby a small smirk and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Roman turned around and raised a dark eyebrow.

"Um... Do you want to, maybe, come read this with me? I can download an audio version on my scroll. And I can make coffee."

Roman gave her a small smile and turned towards Ruby's door. "Sure, Red." he chuckled a little at how shy she was and how she tripped over her words. 'That's cute. Maybe this is a sign that she doesn't want to be enemies anymore.'

Ruby walked over to the edge of her bed and sat down as Roman closed the door behind him. he walked over to the coffee makes and started to prepare coffee for the two. 

While Roman prepared the coffee,  Ruby pulled up the audio version of the book on her scroll. Roman sat down beside her with one foot on his right foot over his left thigh. Ruby placed the book between them and started the audio. They agreed to just read the first chapter tonight. It was a fairly long chapter, about 30 pages long. 

Halfway through the chapter, Ruby shivered. She was freezing. She tried tucking her feet under her, and slowly moving them to tuck them under Roman's leg, hoping to just pretend that she was just tucking them under herself. 'I really hope he doesn't notice,' Ruby thought nervously.

 "You know, if you were cold, you could've just asked to cuddle." Roman said with a smirk and a small laugh.

Ruby quickly scooted back and blushed a dark shade of pink. "No, that's not--I mean--I just-- I was cold and--"

Roman just laughed at her. "Oh dear, that is absolutely adorable!"

She scowled at him.

He pulled her closer, despite her protests. "You're freezing, Red."

She tucked her feet under him. "This is not a sign of affection. I'm cold and you're warm. This never happened."

Roman chuckled. "Whatever you say, gem."

"What did you just call me?"

'Shit. I wasn't thinking and I accidentally gave her an affectionate nickname," Roman thought as he tried to come up with a way out. "I called you Red, like I always do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am one hundred percent positive that I called you Red."

"It sounded like 'gem' to me, but whatever." Roman instinctively wrapped an arm around Ruby's back and pulled her a little closer. A light shade of pink dusted Ruby's cheeks and she smiled a little. "Just tonight..."   she whispered as she laid her legs across Roman's lap. He didn't object, so she laid her head on his shoulder. 'He is really warm.. and he smells like cinnamon and peach cigars.'   Roman seemed too interested in the book to notice.  Ruby used this to her advantage to admire his face. 'He's really handsome. His eyes are a beautiful shade of green, and his hair frames his face perfectly. I wonder why he keeps his bangs over one eye..'