#finnroseweek

If she’d arrived earlier, she might have been tempted to text him and cancel, but it was too late for that now. Digging her phone out of her bag, she sees a text from him lit up on the screen letting her know he’s grabbed them a booth by the window.

Using a wad of paper towels, she dries off her hair and clothes as best she can. Luckily her jacket is waterproof so the dress she’d thrown on at the last minute is still fairly dry underneath.

Her hair is another story. Her bangs are plastered to her forehead and even after combing through them with her fingers and redoing her ponytail, they still manage to remain a messy tangle.

After a few minutes of drying and dabbing, she realizes that it’s as good as it’s going to get. Taking a deep breath, she musters up what confidence she has remaining and heads back out into the lobby.

He spots her first because when she looks over to the windows she sees Finn waving at her.

Any self-consciousness she feels is instantly wiped away when he greets her with a warm smile. 

“Man, I guess I was lucky I got here early,” he says when she sits across from him and leaves a wet mark on the table. “I just missed getting drenched. It’s a mess out there.”

“At least you came prepared,” she says nodding to the umbrella next to him. “When will I ever learn?”

They spend the next hour and a half sharing laughs and swapping work stories, so engrossed Rose is that she completely forgets about the list of questions she had prepared for him. 

But after only a short time spent with him, she doesn’t need to ask him about his showering schedule or cooking habits to know that he’d been an ideal roommate and she’d be an idiot not to ask him to move in immediately.

“Well, the room is yours if you want it,” she says as the waitress takes their empty plates.

“Really?” She almost laughs at the surprise on his face. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. I mean if you think you can put up with me as a roommate. I’m kind of a slob and I use up all the hot water taking showers in the morning. Rey always got mad at me about that.”

Despite her joking, Finn’s face turns serious. “Is it alright if I think about for a couple days?”

“Sure. Take as long as you need.”

It’s still pouring rain as they pay the bill and prepare to leave. 

“Do you have to go anywhere after this?” he asks as she pulls on her jacket and gathers her bag.

She shakes her head. “I was just going to head home and catch up on some laundry.” Then adding dryly, “I know, I lead a thrilling life.”

That brings back the grin to his face.“Well then...can I walk you home?” He points to his umbrella. “I’ve got plenty of room under here. Wouldn’t want it to go to waste.”

She feels a swirling in her stomach at the suggestion. “Um, yeah, that would be so nice. Are you sure though? I’m a couple stops away on the train.”

“Works for me,” he says and they head out into the downpour.

Huddled together under the umbrella, Rose can’t get rid of the sudden flutter in her insides. 

The L is full with early rush-hour commuters so they end up standing across from each other, clutching poles.

She feels his eyes drift towards hers and when they meet they both smile like it’s some shared inside joke amongst the group of strangers.

Her cheeks warm at the thought.

When it’s her stop, she touches his arm lightly to let him know and then fights the urge to grab his hand as they make their way down from the platform.

“It’s not fancy,” Rose says when they reach her building after walking the short block, “but you can’t really beat the location.”

“Um, Rose?” Finn says hesitantly, causing her to turn around.

“Yeah?”

He swallows. “I don’t think I can take the apartment.”

Rose deflates. She mentally runs through their conversation, wondering what she could have said to turn him off.

“Oh?” she says, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Well...” he says, looking at his feet, then back up at her. “The thing is - I mean, I don’t think it would be right, because I’d really like to ask you out and that might be weird if we’re roommates.”

She blinks.

“So, instead... would you like to go out with me sometime? Like a real date? Not one that Rey set up on false pretenses.”

She beams and feels a sort of relief. “I would love that.”

He beams back. “Great.”

“But you know we’re never gonna hear the end of it from her,” Rose adds.

Finn shrugs. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”