This is part of the Seven Colors of the Rainbow Challenge for the Forum Gallagher Girls Fiction Challenge.
Characters: Zach Goode (OOC because technically he's an OC [read my story School of Shadows and you'll figure it out]), and Brooklyn Hayse (The main character from School of Shadows) (by the way if you have read the story this is kind of AU, because I'm pretty sure the School doesn't have a fireplace!)
Category: Romance and a little bit of humor at the end.
Rating: K+
Word Count: 419
Embers, Ease, and Embarrassment (Other wise known as Red)
She was curled up in the giant fluffy love seat thing in front of the fireplace, reading when he found her. She hadn't seen him yet so he took a moment to watch the red firelight playing off her red hair. She absentmindedly reached out for the mug of hot chocolate next to her. She took a sip and licked her lips, not once looking up from the words in front of her.
He waited until she had set the mug down to sit down next to her and pull a blanket over the two of them. She glanced up to see who it was (he was betting she already knew, but yea whatever. He took it as an excuse to look at her blue eyes.).
"Zach." She smiled and looked back at her book. He rolled his eyes, amused and stole her book. She looked up at him shocked and annoyed as heck.
"Zach! Give it back! I'm in the middle of a battle!" He glanced at the cover. Return of the King. Lord of the Rings. Bleh. Why was she reading this when she could be hanging out with him?
"I don't think so, Brook." He doggie-eared the page, ignoring Brook's wince as he did so, and scooted closer to her.
"Come on Zach! Please?" He shook his head, having to look at the dying red embers of the fire instead of at Brook's puppy dogface. He knew if he did he wouldn't be able to say no. She sighed but ended up laughing in the middle of it, because of the hopeful look in his eyes.
Giving in, Brook laid her head on Zach's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his cheek on her chair.
"Sooooo…." Brook said sleepily. Zach smiled and kissed her head, but didn't respond. Brook's eyes drooped lower and lower, Zach's right behind her. The last thing they both saw before dropping off to sleep were the burgundy cinders, slowly dying in the brick fireplace. Outside the wind raged, and snowflakes fell, but inside the couple sat curled up, warm, not only from the ruby fire, but also from contentment and ease of being with the one they loved.
Even when they woke up the next morning freezing (on the outside) to a couple of bright flashes of light, giggles, and a couple of calls of "Blackmail!" and "AW!" they didn't regret it, even when Brook's face turned red with embarrassment.
(Even Cole had to laugh at that.)
