# CHAPTER 1 — TODAY Ace woke because Mai had stolen her side of the bed. Again. She lay still for several seconds, staring at the pale morning light creeping across the ceiling, then carefully assessed the situation with the grim concentration of someone examining a tactical disaster. Her pillow was still technically hers. Approximately thirty percent of the blanket remained under her control. Her legs had been annexed. Mai was asleep on her side, one arm wrapped securely around Ace's waist, one knee between Ace's legs, and enough of her body occupying Ace's half of the mattress to make the original boundary between their respective territories a matter for historians. Behind Mai, Shammy slept with her face buried against the back of Mai's shoulder, silver-white hair spread over the pillow and across Mai like someone had dropped a particularly affectionate electrical storm into bed. Ace narrowed her eyes. This was bullshit. Comfortable bullshit. Warm bullshit. Bullshit she had absolutely no intention of escaping. But bullshit nonetheless. She looked down at Mai's sleeping face. Today. The word arrived without drama. No sudden acceleration of her heartbeat. No cold knot in her stomach. No urge to reconsider anything. Just— Today. Ace stayed where she was. Mai breathed slowly against her. Shammy shifted behind her, silver-white hair lifting faintly before settling again over the pillow. Somewhere beyond the bedroom, the safehouse remained quiet. Their home. Their ridiculous, overcrowded, occasionally bullet-damaged, permanently coffee-dependent home. Ace smiled. Then Mai moved another inch onto her side. Ace's smile disappeared. "You bitch," she whispered. Mai didn't wake. Shammy did. One electric-blue eye opened over Mai's shoulder. Ace pointed accusingly downward. Shammy followed the gesture. She looked at Mai. She looked at Ace. Then she very deliberately closed her eye again. "Traitor." "Mmm." "You're supposed to be neutral." "I'm sleeping." "You're awake." "No." Ace considered escalating the dispute. Then Mai's arm tightened around her waist. Ace stopped considering anything. Her eyes closed. Yeah. Today. --- Coffee eventually achieved what territorial sovereignty could not. Mai woke first. Or, more accurately, Mai reached the point where remaining in bed became less attractive than acquiring caffeine. Ace felt the arm around her disappear. "No," she protested immediately. "You were complaining." "I was making an observation." "You called me a bitch." "An affectionate observation." Mai sat up. Her black hair was an absolute disaster. Ace stared at it. Mai caught the look. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." From behind her, Shammy made a suspicious choking sound into the pillow. Mai turned. "And you." "I am completely innocent." "You've never been completely innocent in your life." Shammy raised her head. Her hair floated around her face for a moment, silver-white strands refusing gravity before slowly settling. "That's an extremely serious accusation." "It's an extremely well-supported accusation." Ace pushed herself upright. "She's got evidence." Shammy looked betrayed. "You too?" "I have principles." Mai climbed out of bed. Ace watched her go. There was nothing unusual about it. Mai stretching as she crossed toward the bathroom. Shammy collapsing sideways into the space Mai had vacated. The distant sound of something metallic hitting something else metallic from somewhere deeper in the safehouse, followed by Brenda shouting, "I'm fine!" Iris, farther away: "I didn't ask!" Ace grinned. Nothing unusual at all. And somehow that made the thought return harder. Today. Shammy rolled onto her back beside her. For perhaps three seconds neither woman said anything. Then Shammy turned her head. Ace turned hers. Their eyes met. That was all. No question. No nervous little conference. No _are you sure?_ Shammy already knew the answer. Ace gave the smallest nod. Shammy's expression softened. Then footsteps approached from the bathroom. Both women looked away so quickly that it would have been convincing to anyone except Mai. Mai stopped in the doorway. Ace was studying the ceiling. Shammy appeared intensely interested in her own fingers. Mai looked from one to the other. "Mm-hm." Ace looked at her. "What?" "Nothing." "That sounded like something." "It wasn't." Shammy nodded solemnly. "Definitely nothing." Mai's eyes narrowed. Ace felt laughter trying to escape and murdered it before it could compromise the operation. Mai stared at them for another second. Then something changed in her expression. Not suspicion disappearing. Something gentler. Recognition. Ace knew exactly what Mai was remembering. A different evening. A different question. A promise. _I'll wait._ Mai looked at Ace. Ace held her gaze. For a moment the joking fell away. Then Mai walked back to the bed, bent down, kissed Ace slowly, and straightened. "Coffee." Ace blinked. "That's it?" "That's what?" "You interrogated us for approximately six seconds." "Five." "You're slipping." Mai turned toward the door. "I'll recover." Shammy waited until she was gone. Then whispered: "That was terrifying." Ace shoved her off the bed. --- By the time Ace reached the kitchen, Brenda had apparently survived whatever had happened in her workroom. This was disappointing to Iris. Not because Iris wanted Brenda dead. Probably. But because Brenda had entered the kitchen carrying a small scorched component between two fingers and wearing the expression of a woman who believed physics had personally betrayed her. "It shouldn't have done that." Iris sat at the table with coffee. "You say that surprisingly often." "It shouldn't." "Yet it does." "That's not the point." "That is exactly the point." Brenda dropped the component onto the counter. Ace leaned closer to inspect it. "What was it?" "Voltage regulator." "What is it now?" Brenda considered. "Art." Ace nodded. "Nice." "Thank you." Iris closed her eyes. Mai slid a mug across the counter toward Ace without looking. Ace caught it. Automatic. She took a sip. Perfect. Also automatic. Shammy wandered in behind her and stole Mai's mug. Mai turned. Shammy took a sip while maintaining eye contact. Ace watched. Brenda watched. Iris watched. Shammy lowered the mug. Mai held out one hand. Shammy surrendered it. "You're all very strange this morning," Mai said. Brenda frowned. "I'm not." "No. You're exactly as strange as usual." "Okay, good." Iris looked at Mai over the rim of her mug. "Who is 'all'?" Ace concentrated very hard on her coffee. Mai saw it. Of course she saw it. Shammy became interested in breakfast. Far too interested. Iris's eyes moved from Mai to Ace. Then to Shammy. Then back to Mai. Ace caught the beginning of something analytical forming behind those eyes. Oh, no. Absolutely fucking not. Ace pointed at Brenda's destroyed regulator. "So. Fire." Brenda immediately brightened. "It wasn't technically fire." Iris looked at her. "There was smoke." "Smoke isn't fire." "There was a flash." "A flash isn't fire." "There was a smell." Brenda hesitated. "Okay, the smell was concerning." The conversation derailed exactly as Ace had intended. She hid a smile behind her mug. Across the kitchen, Shammy saw it. Another glance. Tiny. Private. Mai caught that one too. Ace saw her catch it. There. For half a second, Mai's eyes sharpened. Not operationally. Not dangerously. Just enough to say: _You two are doing something._ Ace waited. Mai could have asked. She didn't. Instead she leaned against the counter beside Ace. Their shoulders touched. That was all. Ace looked down at her coffee. Her throat tightened unexpectedly. Goddammit. She hadn't expected the ordinary parts to be the dangerous ones. Not the ring. Not the question. Not kneeling in front of Mai later tonight with Shammy beside her and the entire future balanced inside one stupid little box. This. Mai standing beside her. Brenda arguing with Iris about the legal definition of fire. Shammy stealing toast directly from Brenda's plate and receiving a wounded gasp of betrayal. The safehouse humming quietly around them. No gunfire. No emergency. No job waiting. No one trying to kill them. Just morning. Ace felt Mai's fingers brush the back of her hand. Once. Then they were gone. Ace looked up. Mai was listening to Brenda. Nothing in her face acknowledged the touch. Ace smiled. _The rest._ That was what she'd meant. Not the proposal. Not the wedding. Not whatever came after that. This. All the stupid mornings. The jobs that went wrong. The jobs that didn't. Mai stealing her side of the bed. Shammy pretending electricity obeyed her because it liked her. Brenda manufacturing smoke and insisting it wasn't fire. Iris being right often enough to become unbearable. Reyes kicking through the door metaphorically and occasionally almost literally. Kiro quietly seeing things everyone else missed. Arguments. Coffee. Blood. Laughter. Coming home. Ace had spent enough of her life learning that tomorrow was never guaranteed. She didn't need it guaranteed. She just wanted Mai in every tomorrow they managed to steal. "You're staring." Ace came back to the room. Mai was looking at her. "Am not." "You are." Ace considered denying it again. Instead she stepped closer, caught Mai lightly by the front of her shirt and pulled her down. Mai came willingly. Ace kissed her. Not dramatically. Not deeply enough to make Brenda start commentary. Just long enough. When Ace let her go, Mai remained close. "What was that for?" Ace shrugged. "Coffee." Mai glanced at Ace's mug. "I make you coffee every morning." "I know." Mai studied her. There it was again. That little awareness behind her eyes. Ace knew how easy it would be for Mai to push. One more question. One sustained look at Shammy. A few carefully chosen words. Mai would have the shape of the secret before lunch. Instead, Mai kissed Ace's forehead. "You're welcome." Then she walked away. Ace watched her. Shammy appeared beside her with half a piece of stolen toast. "You're doing the face." Ace didn't look at her. "What face?" "The one where you're disgustingly in love." "I don't have one." Shammy bit the toast. "You absolutely do." "Fuck off." "Very romantic." Ace finally looked at her. Shammy smiled. Ace tried not to. Failed. "Tonight," Shammy said quietly. Ace looked toward Mai. Mai was at the other end of the kitchen now, helping Iris prevent Brenda from retrieving the scorched regulator and apparently attempting to "test something." Ace took another sip of coffee. No fear. No doubt. Just the strange awareness that there was a line running through this perfectly ordinary day. Before. After. And sometime tonight, if Mai said the word Ace already knew she would say, they would cross it together. Ace looked at Shammy. "Tonight." Shammy bumped her shoulder gently against Ace's. Across the room, Mai looked up. Caught them. Again. Ace waited for it. Mai raised one eyebrow. Ace gave her the most innocent expression she possessed. Mai's eyebrow climbed higher. Shammy whispered: "That's a terrible face." "Shut up." Mai shook her head. But she smiled. And she didn't ask. Ace looked down at the ringless fingers wrapped around her coffee mug. One more ordinary morning. She intended to enjoy every second of it. --- # CHAPTER 2 — STILL PRIVATE By early afternoon, Ace had discovered an unexpected problem with proposing to someone. The rest of the day still happened. This seemed unreasonable. There should have been some sort of universal mechanism that recognized the circumstances and suspended all irrelevant activity until the important part was over. Instead, dishes needed loading. Laundry existed. Brenda needed someone with smaller hands to retrieve a dropped connector from somewhere inside the housing of a machine Ace had already decided she did not want explained. Mai took a call from Reyes. Shammy disappeared into their bedroom for twenty minutes and came back carrying absolutely nothing, which was far more suspicious than if she had returned carrying a sword. And Ace still had several hours to wait. She was beginning to resent time personally. "Left." Ace moved her hand left. "No, your other left." Ace stopped. She was lying on the floor of Brenda's workroom with one arm buried almost to the shoulder inside an open equipment housing. "I only have two." "And you're using the wrong one." "You told me to use this one." "I changed my mind." "While my arm was inside it?" "Yes." Ace turned her head enough to glare at Brenda. Brenda was crouched beside her, peering into the same opening from an angle that provided absolutely no useful information. "What exactly am I looking for?" "Small black connector." Ace stared into the darkness. "Everything in here is black." "Not everything." "Name one thing." Brenda thought about it. "The wire with the red stripe." "Fuck you." "That's fair." Ace reached farther. Her fingertips brushed something loose. "Got it." "Really?" "No. I found your dignity." Brenda gasped. "I've been looking for that." Ace snorted. Then the door opened behind them. "Should I ask?" Mai. Ace froze for one fraction of a second too long. Brenda looked over her shoulder. "No." "Good." Mai stepped into the room. Ace couldn't see her properly from the floor, but she could see bare feet stop beside Brenda. "Reyes and Kiro are coming over tonight." Ace's fingers stopped moving. There it was. One sentence. One extremely ordinary sentence. And suddenly the shape of the evening changed. Brenda brightened. "Food?" "Apparently." "Who's cooking?" "Not Reyes." "Good." "She said the same thing." Ace slowly pulled her arm free. The connector came with it. Brenda made a delighted noise and snatched it from her fingers. "My hero." Ace sat up. Mai was looking at her. "Problem?" "No." Too fast. Mai's eyebrow moved. Ace corrected. "No problem." Worse. Brenda looked between them. "What problem?" "No problem." "Then why are we saying problem so much?" Mai folded her arms. Ace climbed to her feet. "Because apparently the word has become interesting." "It has now," Mai said. Ace dusted herself off. "Reyes and Kiro are coming over." "That's what I said." "Great." Mai stared at her. Ace stared back. Brenda stared at both of them. Then Brenda looked down at the connector in her hand. "I feel like I've wandered into a conversation I'm not qualified for." "You live here," Mai said. "That has never stopped me before." Ace escaped before anyone could make the situation worse. Which, in this safehouse, gave her approximately thirty seconds. --- She found Shammy in the main living area. Shammy sat sideways on the couch with a tablet balanced against one knee, apparently working on something. Ace knew better. She crossed the room. Shammy glanced up. Ace jerked her head toward the hallway. Shammy put the tablet aside without a word. They made it as far as the kitchen before Ace stopped. "Reyes and Kiro are coming tonight." Shammy blinked. "Okay." Ace waited. Shammy waited. Ace frowned. "That's it?" "Should there be more?" "You know what's happening tonight." "Yes." "And they're coming." "Yes." Ace stared at her. Shammy's mouth twitched. "Do you want me to panic?" "No." "I can." "Don't." Shammy inhaled sharply and widened her eyes. "Oh my God, Ace, Reyes and Kiro are coming—" Ace slapped a hand over her mouth. Shammy's shoulders shook. "You are an asshole." The words were muffled against Ace's palm. Ace removed her hand. Shammy grinned. Then the humor faded just enough. "Do you want to wait?" That was the real question. Ace leaned back against the counter. The original plan had been simple. Private. No audience. No performance. No room full of people waiting for Mai to answer. Just Ace. Mai. Shammy. Home. She had been absolutely certain about that. She still was. Except Reyes and Kiro were coming over. Brenda and Iris already lived here. And suddenly achieving the version of private Ace had imagined would require doing something profoundly unnatural. Getting rid of everyone. Sending Brenda and Iris somewhere. Telling Reyes and Kiro not to come. Clearing the safehouse. Preparing the room. Making space for a moment that was supposed to belong to their life by temporarily removing their life from around it. Ace looked toward the living room. Shammy waited. "Private," Shammy said. Ace nodded slowly. "Yeah." A beat. Then Ace looked toward Brenda's workroom. Toward the hallway leading to the rooms beyond. Toward the upper door Reyes and Kiro would come through later. Something clicked into place. "They're family." Shammy smiled. Not broadly. Not triumphantly. Just enough. "Yeah." Ace looked at her. "That's still private." "Yeah." No argument. No analysis. No discussion about whether Brenda would cry, whether Reyes would swear, whether Iris would immediately begin calculating logistics, or whether Kiro would understand what was happening before Mai did. They weren't an audience. That was the difference. Ace didn't want witnesses. But she didn't need an empty room either. She wanted home. And home had people in it. "Okay," Ace said. "Okay." "Don't tell them." Shammy looked offended. "I wasn't going to." "Not even Iris." "I know." "Especially not Iris." "I know." "She'll figure something out." "Probably." "Don't help her." "Ace." "What?" Shammy leaned closer. "I kept this from Mai." Ace considered that. "Fair." "Thank you." "Still don't tell Iris." Shammy rolled her eyes. Then Ace noticed something. "Where's the box?" Shammy went perfectly still. Ace stared at her. Shammy stared back. "Shammy." "It's safe." "Where?" "Safe." "That wasn't the question." "You gave it to me because you didn't want to know where it was." "I gave it to you because Mai would find it if I had it." "Exactly." "So where is it?" "If I tell you, then you know." "Yes." "And then Mai can extract the information from you." Ace's eyes narrowed. "Extract?" Shammy nodded gravely. "She's Korean." Ace stared. Shammy managed to hold the expression for almost three seconds. Ace lunged. Shammy squealed and ran. --- They made one complete circuit of the couch before Iris walked into the living room carrying coffee. Ace stopped. Shammy stopped on the opposite side. Iris stopped. Nobody spoke. Iris looked at Ace. Then Shammy. Then the couch between them. "What?" "Nothing," Ace said. Shammy nodded. "Nothing." Iris took a sip. "You've both been saying that a lot today." Ace pointed at Shammy. "She started it." "I did not." "You hid my—" Ace stopped. Shammy's eyes widened. Iris's coffee cup paused halfway to her mouth. Ace felt the universe lean forward. "My..." Shammy waited. Iris waited. Ace's brain produced nothing. "...sock." Silence. Shammy closed her eyes. Iris slowly lowered the mug. "Your sock." "Yes." "Shammy hid your sock." "Yes." "One sock." "That's what I said." Iris looked at Shammy. Shammy opened her eyes again. "She gets very attached." Ace kicked her lightly under the couch. Shammy kicked back. Iris watched this happen. Then she took another sip of coffee. "I'm going to make the executive decision that I don't care." "Excellent decision," Ace said. "I didn't say I believed you." Iris walked away. Ace waited until she disappeared around the corner. Then she turned on Shammy. "She gets very attached?" "You said sock." "I had no preparation time." "You had an entire sentence." "I panicked." Shammy's grin became dangerous. "You're going to propose marriage tonight and a sock nearly killed you." Ace pointed at her. "Keep talking and you'll be holding that box at my funeral." Shammy's expression softened instantly. "Still holding it." Ace lowered her hand. For just a second, neither of them joked. Then Shammy touched Ace's shoulder. "You're okay." Ace frowned. "I know." "I know you know." "Then why'd you say it?" "Because you're currently threatening death over imaginary footwear." Ace considered this. "Fair." Shammy squeezed her shoulder once and let go. --- Mai found Ace later in the kitchen. Alone this time. Ace was cutting vegetables. Not because anyone had asked her to. Mostly because the knife gave her hands something to do. Mai walked in, opened the refrigerator, inspected its contents, and closed it again. Then she leaned against the counter. Ace kept cutting. Mai watched. Ace could feel it. After ten seconds: "What?" "Nothing." Ace stopped the knife. "You don't get to use that against me." Mai smiled. "Why not?" "Copyright." "I don't think that's how copyright works." "I'll ask Iris." "Please do." Ace resumed cutting. Mai stayed where she was. No interrogation. No clever trap. No attempt to make Ace look at her. Just presence. That was somehow worse. Ace put the knife down. Mai waited. "Reyes said what time?" "Seven." "Kiro too?" "Yes." "Good." Mai tilted her head. "You're happy they're coming." "Of course." "You looked surprised earlier." Ace shrugged. "I was inside Brenda's machine." "That sentence is unfortunate." Ace looked at her. Mai's face remained completely straight. Ace broke first. "Fuck you." Mai laughed. There. That laugh. Ace had heard it thousands of times. She wanted thousands more. The thought landed so cleanly that for a moment she forgot to hide anything. Mai saw her expression change. Her own smile softened. She stepped closer. Ace didn't move. Mai rested her hands on Ace's hips. "What?" Ace looked up at her. So easy. She could do it now. Right here. No ring. No Shammy. No Reyes. No Kiro. No plan. Just ask. The certainty was that simple. Ace almost laughed. Instead she put her hands around Mai's waist. "Nothing." Mai searched her face. Ace expected the question. It never came. Mai bent down and kissed her. Slow. Warm. Familiar. When she drew back, her forehead stayed against Ace's. "I said I'd wait." Ace swallowed. "Yeah." "So I'm waiting." Ace's fingers tightened slightly at Mai's waist. "You trust me that much?" Mai gave her a look. It was such an absurd question that Ace regretted asking it the moment the words left her mouth. "No," Mai said. Ace blinked. Mai kissed the tip of her nose. "I trust Shammy." Ace stared at her. Mai stepped away. From the hallway came a delighted burst of laughter. Shammy. Ace turned toward the sound. "You fucking traitor!" Mai walked out of the kitchen laughing. Ace went after her. --- By six-thirty, the safehouse smelled like food. Brenda had been banned from helping after attempting to improve something that did not require improvement. Iris had enforced the ban. Shammy had stolen ingredients twice and denied both incidents while actively chewing the evidence. Mai moved between the kitchen and living room with the unconscious efficiency of someone who knew exactly where everything belonged. Ace watched all of it. Not constantly. That would have been suspicious. Probably. She hoped. At one point Mai passed her carrying plates. Ace took half the stack without being asked. At another, Shammy brushed behind Ace and touched two fingers briefly to the center of her back. Nothing more. The box was somewhere. Ace still didn't know where. Good. She had stopped wanting to. The room was becoming what it always became when people they loved were coming over. Lived in. Chairs shifted. Food accumulated. Someone put music on low. Brenda and Iris argued about whether one bottle was enough. Ace checked the time. Six fifty-two. Her heartbeat changed. Not much. Just enough. Shammy noticed. Of course she did. She came to stand beside Ace near the couch. Neither looked at the other. "Still private?" Shammy asked softly. Ace looked around. Brenda was setting glasses down. Iris was correcting where Brenda had set them down. Mai stood in the kitchen doorway watching both of them with the resigned expression of a woman who had accepted that this was her life. Home. Ace smiled. "Still private." The upper doorbell rang. Every head in the room turned toward it. Shammy glanced toward the camera feed. Then at Ace. "Reyes and Kiro." Ace took one breath. Not because she was afraid. Because suddenly the evening had begun. Mai walked toward the upper door. Ace watched her go. Ringless hands. One last time. Shammy's fingers brushed Ace's. Then she went to help with the door. Ace remained where she was for another second, looking at the room. Seven people. No audience. Just family. "Okay," she whispered. Then she followed them. --- # CHAPTER 3 — SEVEN Mai opened the upper door. Reyes stood on the other side holding two paper bags against her chest. Kiro stood beside her with another bag in one hand and a bottle in the other. "We brought food," Reyes announced. Mai looked at the bags. "We have food." "I know." "Then why did you bring food?" "Because I've met Brenda." From somewhere behind Mai: "HEY." Reyes leaned sideways enough to look past her. "Love you too." Brenda appeared in the living-room doorway. "What does that even mean?" "It means I planned for contingencies." "I can cook." Iris called from the kitchen. "No." Brenda turned. "What the fuck?" Reyes walked past Mai. "See?" Kiro followed her inside, already laughing. Mai closed the door. Ace had stopped a few steps back from the entryway. For a moment she simply watched. Reyes depositing bags on the nearest available surface. Brenda immediately investigating them. Iris emerging from the kitchen to prevent Brenda from investigating them. Kiro handing the bottle to Mai and getting a kiss in return. Shammy stealing one of the bags while Reyes wasn't looking. Seven. Ace counted without meaning to. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Home had become louder by approximately forty percent. "Put that back." Shammy froze. Reyes wasn't even looking at her. "I don't know what you're talking about." "You have my bag." "I have a bag." "My bag." "Can you prove ownership?" Reyes turned. Shammy held the bag behind her back. Reyes stared at her. Shammy smiled. "Give." "No." "Shammy." "No." Reyes took one step forward. Shammy took one backward. Ace moved aside before the inevitable chase began. Kiro came to stand beside her. "How long?" Ace considered the question. "Three seconds." Reyes lunged. Shammy squealed and bolted around the couch. Kiro nodded. "Good call." Ace looked up at her. "You bet against her?" "I know her." "Fair." Reyes nearly caught Shammy at the end of the couch. Shammy changed direction. Reyes swore. Brenda cheered. Iris took the bottle from Mai. "I need this." "It's not open." "I know." "Then why do you need it?" Iris watched Shammy complete another lap. "Hope." Ace laughed. And just like that, the evening settled into place. --- The contents of Reyes's bags turned out to be dessert. Three different kinds. Brenda considered this vindication. Iris considered it evidence. Nobody was entirely sure what either woman meant. They ate around the long table with plates crowded wherever space allowed, conversation crossing itself so often that Ace stopped trying to track individual threads. Reyes had apparently spent part of the afternoon dealing with a client whose definition of discreet had included arriving in a vehicle painted metallic gold. Brenda wanted to know if it had flames. It did not. She was disappointed. Kiro had spent most of the day inside a network belonging to someone who believed changing every password once a week constituted security. "What were they changing them to?" Iris asked. Kiro took a drink. "The date." Silence. Ace stopped chewing. Reyes slowly lowered her fork. Mai stared. Brenda frowned. "The date of what?" "Today." Another silence. Shammy tilted her head. "That's actually impressive." "How?" "Statistically, someone should have stopped them." Kiro pointed at her. "Thank you." "That's not support," Mai said. "I know." Ace looked around the table. This. Again. The thought had become annoyingly persistent. Not in a bad way. Just impossible to ignore now that she had named it. The rest. Reyes arguing with Kiro about whether stupidity became art at sufficient scale. Brenda reaching across Iris's plate and getting her wrist slapped without Iris even looking. Shammy leaning against Mai while trying to steal food from Ace. Mai allowing the lean and preventing the theft. Ace looked down. Shammy's fingers were less than an inch from her plate. Ace stabbed the stolen piece with her fork. Shammy stared at it. Ace ate it. "You monster." "You have your own." "I wanted yours." "Why?" "It looked better." "It's the same food." "Yours had emotional value." Reyes pointed across the table. "She's right." Ace looked at her. "Don't encourage her." "I support crime." "That explains your career." Reyes put a hand over her heart. "Wow." Kiro nodded sympathetically. "That was cruel." "You work with her." "I support crime too." Mai sighed. "I am surrounded by idiots." Ace immediately looked at her. "Excuse me?" Mai took another bite. "I said what I said." Brenda raised her hand. "Am I included?" Iris caught her wrist and lowered it. "Especially you." "Rude." "Accurate." Brenda considered. "Fair." Ace laughed so hard she nearly lost her fork. And Mai looked at her. Just looked. There was warmth in it. Nothing suspicious. Nothing searching. For perhaps two seconds the entire noisy room faded behind that look. Ace's chest tightened. Mai smiled. Ace smiled back. Then Shammy stole the food from Ace's plate while she was distracted. Ace looked down. Empty space. Slowly, she turned. Shammy was chewing. "You." Shammy swallowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about." "You absolute—" Mai caught Ace around the waist before she could launch herself across the table. "No." "She stole my food." "You'll survive." "This is oppression." "This is dinner." "Same thing." Mai pulled Ace backward against her. Ace could have escaped easily. She didn't. Shammy grinned at her from across the table. Ace pointed two fingers at her eyes and then at Shammy. Shammy blew her a kiss. Reyes looked between them. "Healthy relationship." "Very," Iris said. Brenda nodded. "I think so." Iris looked at her. "You are not the benchmark." "Why not?" "Because you tried to improve a voltage regulator with a capacitor that wasn't rated for it." Brenda's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Ace felt Mai's chest move against her back with silent laughter. She leaned into it. Just for a moment. Then she remembered. Tonight. The thought should have made her tense. It didn't. Instead, she looked around the table again. Seven. No audience. Just family. --- After dinner, nobody left the table. That was normal too. Plates migrated toward the middle. Glasses refilled. Someone eventually opened Reyes's first dessert. Then the second because Brenda objected to sequential dessert deployment as "artificial scarcity." The third followed because nobody had the energy to argue. Ace sat with one leg tucked beneath her. Mai had moved beside Kiro sometime during the transition from dinner to dessert. Ace noticed. Not because it mattered yet. Because she noticed Mai. Always. Kiro had turned slightly toward her, one elbow on the table, while Mai explained something about a contract Reyes had apparently tried to solve by threatening to throw a man out of a window. "I didn't threaten him," Reyes said. Mai didn't look at her. "You asked what floor his office was on." "Professional curiosity." "You then asked whether the windows opened." "Safety assessment." Kiro covered her mouth. Her shoulders shook. Mai looked at her. "You were there." "I was." "Help me." "No." "Betrayal." Reyes pointed at Kiro. "See? She understands." Kiro finally gave up and laughed openly. Mai tried to hold her expression. Failed. Ace watched. There was something about Mai laughing with Kiro that always changed her slightly. Not softened. Mai wasn't hard by default. It loosened her. Different axis. Different intimacy. Real. Ace loved seeing it. Once, a long time ago, she might have expected love to become smaller when shared. Less hers. Less certain. Instead it had done the opposite. The more room they made, the more obvious the center became. Ace. Mai. Shammy. Home. And around them, people they loved in different ways, with different weights, different histories, different promises. Nobody replacing anyone. Nobody needing to. Kiro said something too quiet for Ace to hear. Mai looked at her. Then laughed again. Ace smiled. "You're doing it again." Ace nearly jumped. Iris sat opposite her. "Doing what?" "Staring." "I wasn't." Iris raised one eyebrow. Ace hated that everyone in this house had learned that move. "At Mai," Iris added. "I am allowed to look at Mai." "I didn't say you weren't." "Then what's the problem?" "There isn't one." Ace narrowed her eyes. Iris took a drink. "You're very defensive today." "I'm always defensive." "True." Ace waited. Iris waited. Neither blinked. Then Brenda leaned across Iris. "Do we have more of the chocolate one?" Iris looked away. Ace silently thanked every available god for Brenda Boom. Shammy, sitting at the end of the table, caught Ace's eye. There it was. Again. Too quick for anyone else. Except— Mai stopped speaking. Ace saw it happen. Mai's eyes shifted from Kiro to Shammy. Then to Ace. Fuck. Ace looked immediately at Reyes. "So. Windows." Reyes frowned. "What?" "The guy. Windows." "Right." Reyes launched back into the story. Ace listened with the focused attention of someone being briefed on a nuclear device. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mai continue watching her for another second. Then Mai looked away. No question. Still waiting. Ace exhaled through her nose. Shammy looked down at her plate. Her shoulders moved once. Laughing. Ace kicked her lightly under the table. Unfortunately, the leg she found belonged to Brenda. Brenda jerked. "What the fuck?" Ace froze. Everyone looked at her. "Sorry." Brenda stared. "You kicked me." "Accident." "How do you accidentally kick someone under a table?" Ace opened her mouth. Nothing. Kiro answered for her. "Poor spatial awareness." Ace turned slowly. Kiro's expression was perfectly neutral. Mai looked at her. "Kiro." "What?" "Ace." Kiro looked at Ace. Ace looked back. Then Kiro's mouth twitched. Reyes saw it. "Oh, that's bullshit." "What?" "You know something." Kiro's eyebrows rose. "I know many things." "Something relevant." "No." Reyes looked at Ace. Ace immediately pointed at Shammy. "She started it." Shammy's jaw dropped. "I haven't done anything!" "Today?" "Okay, that's unfair." Mai leaned back in her chair. And smiled. Not because she knew. Ace was almost certain she didn't. But she knew there was something. And she had decided to enjoy watching them fail to hide it. That was somehow much worse. --- Later, the table finally surrendered. Plates disappeared into the kitchen. Brenda and Iris took command of cleanup, which mostly meant Iris took command and Brenda was assigned tasks with tightly controlled parameters. Reyes migrated to the couch. Shammy dropped beside her. Ace remained near the kitchen counter with Kiro while Mai carried the last glasses across the room. Kiro watched her pass. Then glanced at Ace. "Everything okay?" Ace looked up. There was no suspicion in the question. Just Kiro. Quiet. Observant. Ace smiled. "Yeah." Kiro studied her for half a second. "Good." That was it. No pressure. Ace liked her for that. Mai returned. Kiro shifted automatically to make room beside her at the end of the counter. Mai took it. Their shoulders touched. Ace saw the future position without trying. Mai there. Kiro beside her. Ace— No. Not yet. The thought came so sharply that Ace almost smiled. Not because the moment was wrong. Because there was no moment yet. They were still cleaning dinner. Reyes was complaining from the couch that Shammy had somehow taken up seventy percent of it despite being one person. Brenda had just been told for the third time not to modify the dishwasher. Iris was threatening consequences. Mai was beside Kiro. And Ace stood across the room looking at all of them. Shammy turned her head. Their eyes met. A question this time. Tiny. Almost invisible. Ace knew what it meant. _Now?_ Her heart beat once, hard. She looked at Mai. Mai was listening to Kiro say something. Relaxed. Smiling. Beautiful. Ace could do it. Right now. Nothing was stopping her. She held Shammy's gaze. Then gave the smallest shake of her head. Not yet. Shammy accepted it instantly. No disappointment. No confusion. She simply turned back to Reyes and stole the cushion Reyes had been reaching for. "Hey!" "Mine." "You weren't even using it." "I am now." "You fucking menace." Ace smiled. Mai heard Reyes and looked toward the couch. Then toward Ace. Their eyes met. Mai's smile remained. Ace felt something inside her settle. Soon. But not because the room was ready. Not because everyone was standing where Ace needed them. Not because Shammy had the box. Not because the evening had reached some imaginary correct hour. Soon because, at some point, Ace would look at Mai and know. That was all she needed. Mai pushed away from the counter. She crossed the room toward Ace. Ace watched her come. Mai stopped directly in front of her. "What?" Ace blinked. "What what?" "You're looking at me again." Ace shrugged. "You're there." Mai considered this impeccable logic. "Fair." Then she bent and kissed Ace. Quick. Casual. Almost absent-minded. The kind of kiss that had happened so many times neither of them needed to think about it anymore. Mai turned away immediately afterward. Ace caught her hand. Mai looked back. Ace held it for one second. Two. Ringless. Warm. Familiar. Mai's fingers curled around hers. Ace let go. Mai walked toward the couch. Kiro called something to her. Mai answered. Reyes complained. Shammy laughed. Brenda shouted from the kitchen. Iris shouted back. Ace stood in the middle of it. Seven. She had thought privacy meant removing the world. She'd been wrong. Privacy was this. The world stopped at the safehouse door. Everyone inside it belonged. Ace looked toward Shammy. Shammy looked back. This time there was no question. Ace smiled. Soon. --- # CHAPTER 4 — NOT YET The safehouse grew quieter by degrees. Not quiet. That would have required removing Brenda. But quieter. Dinner had become dessert, dessert had become drinks, and drinks had become the familiar state where nobody seemed entirely sure what they were doing anymore but nobody had any intention of leaving. Reyes occupied one end of the couch. Shammy occupied the other end and somehow also part of the middle. Brenda sat cross-legged on the floor with her back against Iris's legs. Iris had one hand resting absently in Brenda's hair while arguing with Reyes about something involving insurance. Kiro sat in one of the chairs. Mai stood beside it. Ace was near the kitchen. For perhaps thirty seconds, nobody moved. Ace noticed. Not because she had been waiting for everyone to arrange themselves. She hadn't. But suddenly the room had done it anyway. Mai was standing. Kiro beside her. Shammy had a clear path from the couch. Brenda and Iris were together. Reyes was looking toward the center of the room. Nothing interrupted them. Nobody was talking over anyone. Nobody was moving dishes. Nobody was trying to repair anything. It was— Ace's heartbeat kicked. Shammy looked at her. There. The question. Ace looked at Mai. Mai was listening to Iris. She had one hand wrapped loosely around a glass. Her weight rested mostly on one leg. Relaxed. Unaware. Perfect. Ace could do it. Right now. She could cross the room. Say Mai's name. Drop to one knee. Shammy would understand before Ace had taken the second step. The box would appear. Everything was exactly where it needed to be. Ace's fingers flexed. Shammy shifted slightly on the couch. Ready. Ace took one step. Then Brenda spoke. "So technically, if nobody knows what the machine does, it can't be insured incorrectly." Iris stopped. Reyes stopped. Kiro stopped. Mai slowly looked down at Brenda. Ace stopped too. Iris's fingers remained buried in Brenda's hair. "What machine?" Brenda's face changed. It was subtle. Very subtle. Ace recognized it immediately as the face of a woman who had just discovered a trap under her own foot. "No machine." Reyes sat forward. "There is absolutely a machine." "No." Iris looked down at her. "Brenda." "It's theoretical." "What is theoretical?" "The machine." "What does the theoretical machine do?" Brenda considered her options. Ace could practically hear them dying. "Things." Reyes made a delighted sound. Kiro covered her mouth. Mai closed her eyes. Shammy folded forward laughing. Ace stood in the kitchen doorway and stared at the ceiling. Of course. Of fucking course. The universe had just handed her the perfect proposal moment and Brenda Boom had murdered it with an uninsured theoretical machine. Ace looked toward Shammy. Shammy was laughing too hard to be useful. Ace shook her head. Not yet. Shammy caught it between breaths and nodded. Then Reyes pointed at Brenda. "Where is it?" "Nowhere." "That means the workroom." "It does not." "It absolutely means the workroom." Iris's hand stopped moving in Brenda's hair. Brenda looked up. Iris looked down. "What did you build?" Brenda smiled. Ace knew that smile. Everyone in the room knew that smile. It was the smile Brenda used immediately before reality became someone else's problem. "Would you believe me if I said nothing?" "No," six voices answered. Brenda looked offended. "Wow." --- The machine existed. This surprised nobody. It turned out not to be particularly dangerous. This surprised everybody. Ace stood in the doorway of Brenda's workroom with Mai beside her while Reyes and Kiro examined a waist-high assembly of components that looked as though several unrelated pieces of technology had been introduced to each other at gunpoint. Iris stood with her arms folded. Shammy crouched on the other side of it. Brenda hovered protectively nearby. "What does it do?" Reyes asked. Brenda looked proud. "It sorts screws." Silence. Ace blinked. Kiro leaned closer. "That's it?" "By size." Another silence. Shammy looked up. "Why?" Brenda stared at her. "Because they were mixed." Ace pressed her lips together. Mai failed first. A small sound escaped her. Ace turned. Mai had one hand over her mouth. Her shoulders were shaking. Reyes looked at the machine. Then at Brenda. "You built this entire thing to sort screws?" "Automatically." "How long did it take?" Brenda hesitated. Iris answered. "Two days." Reyes bent over. Kiro turned away. Shammy sat down on the floor. Ace gave up. Laughter broke through the room. Brenda looked around at all of them. "I don't understand why this is funny." That made it worse. Mai leaned against Ace. Ace caught her automatically around the waist. Mai was laughing hard enough now that she had stopped making sound. Ace looked up at her. And there it was again. That impossible little stab behind her ribs. Not because Mai was beautiful. She was. Not because Ace loved her. She did. Because Mai was laughing at a machine designed to sort screws. Because Brenda was defending it. Because Iris looked like she was reconsidering every decision that had led her here. Because Reyes had tears in her eyes. Because Kiro had surrendered and was leaning against the wall. Because Shammy was sitting on the floor asking whether the machine could sort anything else and Brenda had become deeply offended by the question. Ace tightened her arm around Mai. Mai looked down at her. Still laughing. "What?" Ace shook her head. "Nothing." Mai's eyes narrowed. Ace smiled. "Actually nothing this time." "I don't believe you." "Good." Mai rested her hand briefly on the back of Ace's neck. The gesture was thoughtless. Familiar. Possessive without being ownership. Ace leaned into it. This. Again. Always this. The perfect proposal moment had vanished. Ace didn't care. She was glad she hadn't used it. Because it hadn't been perfect at all. It had just been convenient. --- Twenty minutes later, the screw sorter had been demonstrated four times. The fourth demonstration was necessary because Reyes had mixed the sorted screws again. Brenda had threatened violence. Reyes had claimed scientific necessity. Iris had threatened both of them. Eventually everyone migrated back toward the living room. Ace stayed behind. Not intentionally. She had simply stopped in the hallway. The workroom door remained open behind her. Ahead, she could hear the others. Brenda still complaining. Reyes still defending herself. Shammy laughing. Kiro saying something Ace couldn't make out. Mai answering. Ace leaned one shoulder against the wall. For the first time all evening, nobody was looking at her. She closed her eyes. The question existed inside her fully formed. Not the words. Those still shifted whenever she tried to pin them down. But the question itself. The thing beneath them. She had thought about forever before. Everybody did. Usually badly. Forever was too large to understand. Too abstract. Too clean. Ace didn't want clean. She didn't want a promise that nothing would change. Everything changed. People got hurt. Jobs went wrong. People they loved arrived. People they loved left. The safehouse changed. Night City changed. Ace changed. Mai changed. Shammy changed. That wasn't what scared her. The opposite did. A future that stayed still wasn't a future. It was a photograph. Ace didn't want one. She wanted motion. Mess. She wanted Mai furious with her because she'd taken a job without enough backup. She wanted Mai laughing at Brenda's machines. She wanted Shammy crawling into their bed with cold feet and pretending not to know why both of them complained. She wanted Kiro appearing in the kitchen at impossible hours. Reyes bringing trouble through the door and somehow making it everyone else's trouble within minutes. Iris correcting something nobody had asked her to correct. Brenda creating devices no civilization had requested. She wanted nights where all three of them came home bleeding. She wanted mornings where the biggest problem in the universe was who had used the last coffee. She wanted to watch Mai change. She wanted Mai to watch her change. She wanted all of it. Not forever as a concept. The rest. However much there was. Ace opened her eyes. Mai stood at the far end of the hallway. Watching her. Ace startled. "How long have you been there?" "Long enough." "That's vague." "Intentionally." Ace pushed away from the wall. Mai didn't move. For a moment neither spoke. The noise from the living room continued behind her. Then Mai walked toward Ace. Slowly. No suspicion in her face now. No amusement either. Just attention. She stopped close. "You're somewhere else tonight." Ace looked up at her. "No." Mai waited. Ace sighed. "Maybe a little." "Bad somewhere?" "No." Immediate. Certain. Mai's expression softened. "Okay." That was it. Ace frowned. "Okay?" "Okay." "You're not going to ask?" "You'd tell me if I needed to know." Ace felt the answer hit somewhere much deeper than it had any right to. "Yeah." Mai reached up and brushed a strand of short black hair away from Ace's forehead. "I know." Ace stared at her. Jesus Christ. This woman was making waiting extremely difficult. Mai's thumb touched Ace's cheek. Ace caught her wrist. For one dangerous second, she nearly did it again. No box. No plan. No audience. No anything. Just Mai standing in front of her and trusting her. Ace could ask. Mai would answer. The certainty was absolute. Ace looked down at Mai's hand in hers. Ringless. Not yet. Not because Shammy wasn't there. Not because the others weren't watching. Not because the geometry was wrong. Because this moment already had a purpose. Mai was trusting her. Ace didn't need to turn it into anything else. She lifted Mai's hand and kissed her knuckles. Mai smiled. "Come back?" Ace looked toward the living room. "Do I have to?" "Reyes has discovered the third dessert." "Fuck." "Exactly." Ace let go of her hand. Mai started away. Then Ace caught the back of her shirt. Mai stopped. Looked over her shoulder. Ace stepped close and wrapped both arms around her waist from behind. Mai immediately covered Ace's hands with hers. No words. Ace rested her cheek against Mai's back. One breath. Two. Three. Mai waited. Ace let go. "Okay." Mai turned. "Okay?" "Yeah." "You are extremely strange today." "You like me." "I do." "Your problem." Mai bent and kissed her. "My problem." Then she walked away. Ace stayed where she was for half a second longer. Smiling like an idiot. "Disgusting." Ace jumped. Shammy stood in the workroom doorway behind her. "How long have you been there?" "Long enough." Ace pointed at her. "Fuck both of you." Shammy grinned. "You almost did it." Ace's hand dropped. The grin softened. "Twice," Shammy added. Ace looked toward the living room. "Yeah." "Why didn't you?" Ace thought about it. The answer came easily. "Because I don't need the first chance." Shammy leaned against the doorframe. "No?" Ace shook her head. "I need the right one." Shammy studied her. Then nodded. "Okay." Ace glanced at her. "You still have it?" Shammy's expression became instantly innocent. "What?" "The box." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Shammy." "Maybe I lost it." Ace stared. Shammy held the expression. Ace took one step toward her. Shammy broke. "I'm kidding." "You are going to die before I propose." "Then you'll have to find the box." Ace lunged. Shammy ran. Again. --- When they returned to the living room, Reyes had indeed discovered the third dessert. More accurately, Reyes had discovered that Brenda had hidden part of it. This had become a legal dispute. "I was preserving it." "For whom?" "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow isn't a person." "Tomorrow-me is." Reyes looked at Iris. "Can she do that?" Iris didn't look up from her drink. "I refuse jurisdiction." Kiro was laughing beside Mai. Ace slowed. There. Mai had ended up beside Kiro again. Not arranged. Not planned. Just natural gravity. Mai was standing near the couch, one hand resting on its back. Kiro stood close beside her. Shammy reached Ace's side. Neither said anything. Ace looked at Mai. Then at Shammy. The room shifted around them. Not physically. Something inside Ace did. She knew. Not now. But close. Very close. Shammy knew too. Ace could see it in her face. No question this time. No _now?_ They had moved beyond that. Ace would move when she moved. Shammy would be there. That was enough. Ace crossed the room. Reyes pointed at Brenda. "Tell her." Ace stopped. "Tell her what?" "That hiding dessert is theft." Ace looked at Brenda. Brenda looked worried. Ace looked at the remaining dessert. Then at Reyes. "I need more information." "You don't." "I absolutely do." Mai watched her approach. Kiro said something to her. Mai answered without taking her eyes off Ace. Ace felt it. That strange invisible thread that had survived bullets, blood, bad decisions, lovers, impossible jobs, worse mornings, and every version of themselves they'd become along the way. She walked straight to Mai. Mai's hand left the couch. Ace took it. No reason. No explanation. Mai's fingers closed around hers. Reyes was still arguing. Brenda was still defending tomorrow-Brenda's legal rights. Shammy had already joined the dispute. Iris looked ready to resign from humanity. Kiro stood beside Mai, smiling. Ace looked down at their joined hands. This wasn't the moment. It didn't need to be. It was part of the answer. Ace squeezed Mai's hand once. Mai squeezed back. And Ace finally understood exactly what she had been trying to say since the ring first became real. Not forever. Not perfect. Not safe. Not unchanged. Just— Whatever came next. And whatever came after that. All of it. Together. The rest. Ace looked up. Mai was watching her. "What?" Mai asked softly. Ace smiled. "Nothing." Mai's eyes narrowed. But she smiled too. Ace looked toward Shammy. Shammy caught her eye over Reyes's shoulder. Ace gave her the smallest nod. Not the one. Not yet. Something else. _I know what I'm asking now._ Shammy understood. Her expression softened. And for once— she didn't make a joke. --- # CHAPTER 5 — ACE It happened eleven minutes later. There was no signal from the universe. No sudden silence. No perfect arrangement of light. No song reaching exactly the right line. Nobody stopped talking. Ace simply knew. Reyes was sitting sideways on the couch, one arm stretched across its back while she continued arguing that tomorrow-Brenda had no legal standing in disputes involving dessert. Iris had given up trying to adjudicate. Brenda had not given up trying to win. Shammy stood near the end of the couch with her drink in one hand. Kiro was beside Mai. Mai was standing. Exactly where Ace had imagined her. And none of that was why. Mai laughed. That was it. Kiro had said something Ace didn't hear. Mai tipped her head back slightly and laughed, one hand touching Kiro's forearm. Ace looked at her. And knew. Not because the room was ready. Because she was. The nervous energy that had followed her through the day vanished so completely that Ace almost noticed its absence before she noticed the certainty replacing it. No more waiting. No more almost. No more checking whether Shammy had the box. Ace put her glass down. Shammy saw. Her expression changed. Only slightly. But she knew. Ace didn't nod. She didn't need to. Shammy set her own glass down. Ace crossed the room. Reyes was still talking. "I'm telling you, if tomorrow-Brenda wanted dessert, tomorrow-Brenda should have been here when—" Ace passed her. Reyes stopped. Brenda opened her mouth to continue the argument. Then noticed Ace. She stopped too. Iris followed their eyes. Kiro saw Ace coming. Mai didn't. Not immediately. She was still looking at Kiro. Then Kiro's attention shifted. Mai noticed. She turned. Ace stopped in front of her. Mai looked down. "Ace?" The room quieted. Not instantly. It seemed to happen in layers. Brenda stopped moving. Reyes lowered her hand. Iris's attention sharpened. Kiro looked from Ace to Mai. Shammy moved. Ace heard her. Didn't look. She only looked at Mai. "Mai." Something in Ace's voice changed Mai's face. The amusement disappeared first. Not fear. Attention. Complete attention. Ace had that from her often. On jobs. In fights. In bed. Across rooms full of people. But this was different. Mai looked at her as though the rest of the safehouse had ceased to exist. Ace almost smiled. Good. Then she went down on one knee. Mai stopped breathing. There was no dramatic gasp. No hand flying immediately to her mouth. Nothing that simple. She just— stopped. For one fraction of a second, her expression remained exactly as it had been. Then her eyes widened. Barely. Ace watched understanding begin and fail. Mai looked down at her. At Ace's face. At the knee on the floor. Back to Ace's face. Her lips parted. Nothing came out. Behind Ace, someone moved. Shammy. Mai's eyes flicked toward her. Shammy came to Ace's side. She held a small box in both hands. Mai stared at it. And now— now the room truly disappeared. --- Mai knew what a ring box looked like. This was not complicated information. Her brain supplied the identification immediately. Box. Small. Dark. Held by Shammy. Ace on one knee. The individual facts arrived perfectly. They simply refused to assemble. Mai looked at Shammy. Shammy's eyes were already wet. She was smiling. Not her usual bright grin. Something smaller. Warmer. Mai looked down at Ace again. Ace was watching her. Violet eyes steady. No teasing. No escape route disguised as a joke. No uncertainty. Mai's heart hit once against her ribs. Hard. The facts assembled. Her mouth opened. "Ace—" That was all. Her voice stopped. Ace's expression changed. A tiny smile. Not amusement. Love. Mai tried again. Nothing. Her hand twitched at her side. This was absurd. She could speak. She had spoken while bleeding. She had spoken with guns pointed at her. She had negotiated contracts while people across the table were actively lying to her. She had coordinated operations while half the plan collapsed in real time. She had told Ace exactly what she thought of several decisions that should never have survived contact with another human brain. Words were not difficult. Ace was kneeling in front of her. Words became impossible. Mai looked at Shammy again. The box was still closed. That somehow made it worse. Because there was still the microscopic, irrational possibility that Mai had misunderstood. That this was something else. Something absurd. Something only Ace and Shammy could have invented. Then Shammy moved one thumb. The box opened. Two rings. Mai's entire mind went silent. She knew those colors. Not literally. Not yet. But she knew immediately which was which. One for Ace. One for her. Two. Mai's hand rose toward her mouth. Stopped halfway. Dropped. Rose again. She pressed her fingers against her lips. Ace remained exactly where she was. Waiting. Not speaking yet. Giving Mai time to understand. Mai looked at the rings. Then Shammy. Then Ace. A memory hit. Ace and Shammy exchanging looks. The kitchen. The hallway. The ridiculous sock. Ace being somewhere else all day. Shammy disappearing into their bedroom and returning with nothing. _I said I'd wait._ Mai almost laughed. Nothing came out. Oh. Oh, those fucking— Her vision blurred. Mai blinked. That was unacceptable. She blinked again. Worse. Ace's face softened. Mai shook her head once. Not no. God, not no. She didn't even know what the gesture meant. Maybe an attempt to restart herself. It failed. "Ace." At least the name worked this time. Ace smiled. Mai felt her lower lip tremble. That was even more unacceptable. She pressed her lips together. It didn't help. She looked around instinctively. Not because she wanted to escape. Because she had suddenly remembered there were other people in the universe. Brenda stood completely still. Both hands covered her mouth. Iris was beside her, one hand around Brenda's wrist. Reyes had gone silent. Actually silent. Mai would have appreciated the historical significance under different circumstances. And Kiro— Kiro was right beside her. Mai had forgotten. Kiro wasn't smiling anymore. Not exactly. Her expression was soft. Watching. Understanding. Mai looked at her. Kiro didn't say anything. Didn't nod. Didn't tell her what to do. Didn't give her an answer. She just looked back. Mai tried to inhale. The breath caught halfway. Her shoulders tightened. And Kiro moved. One small step. Then both of Kiro's hands settled onto Mai's shoulders. Warm. Steady. Nothing else. Mai closed her eyes. For one second. The touch didn't tell her to calm down. Didn't tell her to breathe. Didn't tell her everything was okay. It simply existed. Kiro. Here. Solid. Mai let the breath out. Another came easier. Her shoulders loosened beneath Kiro's hands. Not completely. Enough. Mai opened her eyes. Ace was still there. Of course she was. On one knee. Waiting. Mai felt a laugh finally escape her. Tiny. Broken. Halfway to a sob. She covered her mouth again. Ace's smile grew. "You—" Mai stopped. Ace waited. "You fucking—" That was as far as she got. A sound came from Reyes. Possibly a laugh being strangled to death. Iris elbowed her without looking. Mai stared down at Ace. "You knew." Ace glanced very briefly toward Shammy. "Eventually." Mai looked at Shammy. "You knew." Shammy's smile wobbled. "Yeah." "How long?" Shammy looked at Ace. Ace looked at Shammy. Mai saw the exchange. Even now. Even with her heart trying to punch through her chest. Even with Kiro's hands anchoring her shoulders and two rings sitting in an open box beside Ace. Mai saw it. "Oh, fuck both of you." Shammy laughed through tears. Ace's smile became unmistakably Ace. There. That helped. That stupid little smile. Mai knew that smile. Mai loved that smile. Her world began assembling itself around familiar things. Ace. Shammy. Kiro's hands. Safehouse. Brenda trying desperately not to make noise. Iris pretending she wasn't crying and failing. Reyes looking like someone had hit her in the chest. Home. Mai swallowed. Then looked at Ace again. Ace's smile faded gently. Not disappearing. Settling. The room went still. Ace hadn't asked yet. Mai realized that. Of course she hadn't. Ace had only said her name. Mai almost laughed again. She was already falling apart and the tiny menace hadn't even asked the fucking question. Ace seemed to realize the same thing. One corner of her mouth lifted. Mai pointed at her. The gesture was not particularly steady. "Don't." Ace blinked innocently. "I didn't do anything." "You are enjoying this." "A little." Mai made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Kiro's thumbs moved once against her shoulders. Tiny circles. Mai felt them. Ace saw them too. Her eyes flicked upward. To Kiro. For the briefest instant, Ace and Kiro looked at each other. No jealousy. No interruption. No claim. Just understanding. Kiro had Mai. For this second. Ace's expression softened. Kiro gave the smallest nod. Then Ace looked back at Mai. Mai saw all of it. That almost broke her again. Of course. Of course Ace understood. Of course Kiro understood. Of course Shammy stood beside Ace holding the rings. Nobody in this room was asking Mai to divide anything. Nobody was taking anything away. Ace was asking her something. Only her. And everyone who mattered enough to be inside this room was letting the question belong to them. Mai lowered her hand from her mouth. She could breathe now. Mostly. Her eyes were wet. She stopped fighting that. Ace looked up at her. For once, Mai didn't know what came next. That should have frightened her. Instead, with Kiro's hands warm on her shoulders, Shammy beside Ace, and every person in the room waiting without demanding anything from her— it felt safe. Ace inhaled. Mai's heart jumped. Here. Finally. Ace's expression became serious. Not solemn. Ace was almost never solemn. Just open. Completely, terrifyingly open. Mai had seen Ace wounded. Furious. Afraid. Desperate. Ecstatic. Half asleep. Laughing until she couldn't breathe. She had seen Ace naked in every meaning of the word. This was somehow more vulnerable than all of them. Ace looked at her. "Mai..." Mai's fingers curled at her sides. Kiro's hands remained on her shoulders. Shammy held the open box. Ace took one breath. And Mai realized, with a fresh rush of helpless laughter threatening somewhere inside her— she still had no idea what she was going to say. Ace smiled. Just a little. Then she began. --- # CHAPTER 6 — THE REST Ace had prepared words. Not a speech. She had been very clear about that. Speeches belonged at funerals, corporate disasters, political events, and any meeting where someone had already made a terrible decision and needed enough words to disguise it. Ace didn't want a speech. She wanted Mai. Still, she had thought about what she would say. In the shower. On the couch. While cleaning her swords. At three in the morning while Mai slept beside her and Shammy's hair occasionally lifted from the pillow with faint static. She had assembled sentences. Rejected them. Found better ones. Rejected those too. At one point she'd had something almost elegant. That had been immediately disqualified. Now she was on one knee. Mai stood in front of her with tears in her eyes. Kiro's hands rested on Mai's shoulders. Shammy stood beside Ace holding the open ring box. Everyone Ace loved was watching. And every prepared word disappeared. Ace looked up at Mai. "Hi." Mai stared at her. For one second, nothing happened. Then Mai made a strangled sound. Reyes turned it into a cough. Shammy's shoulders shook. Ace smiled. "Okay. That wasn't the opening." Mai laughed. Actually laughed. Wet-eyed, breathless, completely wrecked— but laughed. Good. Ace could work with that. "You had an opening?" Mai managed. "Sort of." "Was it better than 'hi'?" "Significantly." "Good." Ace glanced down. "Forgot it." Mai covered her mouth again. Shammy whispered: "Very smooth." Ace turned her head. "I can still replace you." "With who?" Ace considered. Nobody. "Shut up." Shammy smiled. Ace looked back at Mai. There. Better. Not easier. Better. Because Mai was still Mai. Even like this. Especially like this. Ace took a breath. "I've been trying to figure out how to ask you this." Mai's expression shifted. The laughter remained somewhere in it, but quieter now. Ace continued. "And every version sounded wrong." Mai lowered her hand. Ace looked briefly around the room. Then back to her. "I kept thinking I needed to explain why." She paused. "Which is stupid." Mai's lips twitched. "Obviously." "Thank you." "You're welcome." Ace smiled. Then it faded. Not because the feeling did. Because there was nowhere left to hide inside humor. "I love you." Mai's face broke a little more. Ace kept going. "I know that's not news." A tiny laugh. "But I kept trying to make this about forever." Mai watched her. "And I don't know what the fuck forever means." Silence. Ace looked down at one of Mai's hands. Ringless. Then back up. "We don't get guarantees." Mai swallowed. "We never did." Ace's voice remained steady. "Jobs go bad. People change. We change. Sometimes we come home bleeding. Sometimes we don't come home when we said we would." Mai's eyes closed for half a second. Ace knew those memories. She had them too. "But then we do." Mai opened her eyes. "We come home." Ace felt Shammy move slightly beside her. Still there. Always there. "And home isn't..." Ace searched for the word. She frowned. "Fuck." Mai laughed softly. Ace pointed at her. "I'm proposing. Don't rush me." "I'm not." "You laughed." "You said fuck." "I say fuck." "During your proposal." "I haven't proposed yet." Mai stared down at her. "Oh my God." That got Reyes. A sharp snort escaped from the couch. Ace didn't look. Neither did Mai. The room existed somewhere beyond them. Ace shook her head. "Anyway." Mai bit her lip. Ace saw the smile. Good. She wanted that too. "Home isn't the building." She glanced toward Shammy. Shammy's eyes shone. Ace looked back at Mai. "It's you." A beat. "And Shammy." Shammy inhaled sharply. "And all the idiots in this room." "Hey," Brenda whispered. Iris squeezed her wrist. Ace continued before she lost the thread. "It's you stealing my side of the bed." Mai's mouth opened. Ace pointed. "You do." "I—" "Every night." "That's not—" "Mai." Mai stopped. Ace gave her a look. Mai's lips pressed together. Kiro was openly smiling behind her now. Ace continued. "It's you making coffee before I'm properly awake." Her voice softened. "You getting pissed at me when I do something stupid." Mai's eyebrows rose. "So daily." "Pretty much." Another laugh moved through the room. Ace barely heard it. "You patching me up." She glanced at Shammy. "Both of you." Then back. "Me patching you up." Her voice caught. Only slightly. Mai heard it. Of course she did. Ace didn't look away. "I want the stupid arguments." Mai's eyes filled again. "The jobs." Ace swallowed. "The mornings when nothing happens." That one landed. Ace saw it. Mai's lower lip trembled. "The nights when everything happens." Ace smiled faintly. "I want Brenda building machines nobody asked for." Brenda whispered: "They're useful." Nobody acknowledged her. "I want Iris telling her why they're not." Iris nodded once. Reasonable. "I want Reyes bringing trouble through the door." Reyes opened her mouth. Kiro quietly said: "Don't." Reyes closed it. "I want Kiro here at stupid hours." Kiro's hands tightened gently on Mai's shoulders. "I want Shammy stealing my food." Shammy smiled through tears. "You love it." "I fucking don't." "You do." Ace looked at her. "Not helping." "Sorry." Ace returned to Mai. "And I want you." Everything else fell away. No joke this time. No escape. "I want you when you're easy." Mai's eyes stayed locked on hers. "And when you're impossible." A tear escaped down Mai's cheek. Ace watched it. "When you're laughing." Another. "When you're furious with me." Mai gave a tiny, helpless shake of her head. "When you know exactly what you're doing." Ace smiled. "And apparently..." She looked at Mai standing there, completely without words. "...when you don't." Mai laughed through the tears. Her hand rose again. This time she wiped impatiently at her cheek. Ace waited. Then said quietly: "I don't need forever promised to me." Mai went still. Ace felt her own heart pounding now. Finally. There it was. Not fear. The enormity of saying something that couldn't be unsaid. She wanted that too. "I just want whatever we get." Mai's breathing changed. "Tomorrow." Ace looked at her. "The day after." Her voice softened. "Every stupid, ugly, beautiful day we manage to steal after that." Mai's hand covered her mouth. Ace's eyes burned. She ignored it. "And when it gets hard, I want that too." Mai shook her head once. A tear fell from her chin. Ace smiled at her. "I want the rest." There. The words existed between them. Exactly right. Nothing elegant. Nothing perfect. Just true. Mai stared at her. Ace let the silence stay. No rushing. No saving her. No turning it into a joke. Mai needed the time. Ace would give her all of it. Eventually Mai lowered her hand. Her lips parted. Still nothing. Ace's smile returned gently. "There's supposed to be a question." Mai laughed once. "Apparently." "I'm getting there." "Please." Reyes made a tiny wounded sound somewhere behind them. Probably from trying not to laugh. Ace ignored her. She looked at Mai. Really looked. At the woman she'd fought beside. Bled beside. Slept beside. Laughed beside. Fucked up beside. Come home to. Again. Again. Again. Ace drew one breath. "Mai." Mai's face crumpled. Ace nearly lost the next words. Nearly. "Do you want the rest with me?" Silence. Complete. Even Brenda didn't move. Mai stared down at Ace. Her whole world had become one small Japanese woman kneeling in front of her. _Do you want the rest with me?_ The answer existed instantly. It had always existed. That wasn't the problem. The problem was getting it from somewhere behind Mai's ribs to her mouth. She tried. Nothing. Ace waited. Mai laughed helplessly. Then cried harder because she was laughing. "Oh, fuck you." Ace's eyebrows rose. "Promising start." Mai shook her head. "No. No, I—" She stopped. Closed her eyes. Kiro's hands were still there. Steady. Mai reached up. For one second, her fingers covered one of Kiro's hands. Thank you. She didn't say it. She didn't need to. Kiro understood. Mai opened her eyes. Ace was still waiting. No fear in her face. But vulnerability. God. Mai had almost never seen Ace look this exposed. She wanted to go to her. Her body knew before her thoughts did. Her weight shifted forward. Kiro felt it. The hands on Mai's shoulders loosened. Slowly. No push. No guiding pressure. Just release. Kiro's palms slid away. Mai felt their warmth disappear. She stood on her own. One step. Ace's eyes followed her. Mai stopped directly in front of her. Close enough now that Ace had to tip her head farther back. Mai reached down. Both hands went to Ace's face. Ace leaned into them immediately. Automatic. Mai's thumbs brushed her cheeks. Her hands were trembling. Ace felt it. Mai knew she did. For once, Mai didn't care. "You tiny fucking nightmare." Ace smiled. "Yeah." "You've been doing this to me all day." "Technically I've been doing nothing all day." "That's worse." "Probably." Mai laughed again. Another tear escaped. Ace lifted one hand and covered Mai's wrist. Mai looked down at her. The answer was there. Simple. Too small for everything she felt. Maybe that was why she'd been trying to find something larger. There wasn't anything larger. There didn't need to be. Mai took one breath. "Yes." Ace stopped moving. Mai watched the word hit her. For all Ace's certainty— for all the planning— for all the obviousness of the answer— something in Ace's face broke open. Mai smiled through the tears. "Yes." Stronger now. Ace's eyes filled. Mai laughed. "Of course I want the rest with you." Ace closed her eyes. Just for a second. Mai's thumbs brushed beneath them. When Ace opened them again, Mai was still there. "All of it," Mai whispered. Ace's breath shook. Mai bent closer. "The stupid mornings." Ace smiled. "The bad jobs." A tear slipped down Ace's cheek. Mai wiped it away. "The arguments." "Even when I'm right?" "Especially when you're wrong." Ace laughed. Mai's forehead touched hers. "The blood." Ace's smile faded. Mai didn't look away. "The coming home." Ace swallowed. Mai's voice became almost too quiet to hear. "You." A beat. "Shammy." Beside them, Shammy's breath caught. Mai looked toward her. Shammy stood frozen with the open box in her hands and tears running freely down her face. Mai smiled at her. Then looked back at Ace. "Everything we are." Ace's hand tightened around Mai's wrist. Mai kissed her forehead. Then whispered: "The rest." Ace laughed. A small, broken, ridiculously happy sound. Mai pulled back just enough to see her face. "Yes, Ace." And because apparently one answer wasn't enough anymore: "Yes." Ace stood. Mai barely gave her time. She caught Ace around the waist as she rose and pulled her in. Ace's arms went around Mai's neck. The kiss was immediate. Warm. Wet with tears. Laughing at the edges. Nothing performed. Nothing careful. Mai kissed her until she had to breathe. Then kissed her again. Someone behind them made a sound. Mai did not care. Ace smiled against her mouth. "We still have rings." Mai kissed her once more. "I know." "Shammy's arms are going to get tired." From beside them: "They already are." Mai laughed. She finally loosened her hold on Ace. Not letting go. Never entirely. Ace turned slightly. Shammy was still there. Still holding the box. Still crying. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked at the rings. For the first time since the box opened, her brain worked almost normally. Almost. Two rings. One for each of them. Ace reached toward the box. Then stopped. Looked at Mai. Mai's hand tightened around her waist. "Do it." Ace smiled. And reached for Mai's ring. --- # CHAPTER 7 — TWO RINGS Ace reached into the box. For the first time all evening, her hand shook. Barely. Mai saw it. Of course she did. Her eyes dropped from Ace's face to her fingers as Ace lifted one of the rings from its recess. Mai's ring. Shammy remained beside them, holding the box steady. Ace looked at the ring. Then at Mai. "Hand." Mai raised an eyebrow. Ace smiled. "Please." "Better." Mai gave her left hand. Ace took it. Everything around them seemed to become quiet again. Not silent. The safehouse never truly managed silence when this many people occupied it. Someone shifted on the couch. A glass touched a table. Brenda sniffed and immediately pretended she hadn't. But none of it mattered. Ace held Mai's hand in both of hers. Her thumb moved once across Mai's fingers. The same hand she'd held thousands of times. Pulled her up with. Dragged her out of danger with. Reached for in bed. Caught beneath tables. Held in hospitals. Held simply because there had been no reason not to. Ringless until now. Mai watched her. Ace looked up. "You sure?" Mai's expression changed. Not much. Enough. "Ace." "I know." "Do you?" "Yeah." Mai squeezed her fingers. "Then put the damn ring on me." Ace smiled. "Bossy." "You proposed to me." "That doesn't make you my boss." "I was already your boss." "Operationally." "Convenient distinction." "It's an important distinction." "Ace." "Right." Shammy laughed softly beside them. Ace lowered her eyes. Then slid the ring onto Mai's finger. No flash. Not yet. Just metal moving over skin. A ring finding its place. Ace pushed it gently home. Stopped. And stared. Mai did too. There it was. On her hand. Real. Mai turned her wrist slightly. The light caught it. Her breath left her in a small sound. Ace looked up. Mai's eyes were wet again. "Fuck," Mai whispered. Ace smiled. "Good fuck?" Mai laughed. "Very good fuck." "Just checking." Mai looked at the ring again. Then back at Ace. Something changed in her face. Ace recognized it one second too late. "Oh no." Mai reached for the box. Ace's eyebrows rose. "Wait." "No." "I was supposed to—" "You did mine." "Yeah." "My turn." Ace looked at Shammy. Shammy immediately angled the box toward Mai. Traitor. Ace pointed at her. "We're discussing this later." "No, we're not." "Yes, we are." Mai took Ace's ring. "Both of you, shut up." Ace looked at her. Mai was smiling. Not crying now. Still emotional. Still visibly shaken. But herself again. Mostly. Ace held out her hand. Then pulled it back. Mai stared. "Ace." Ace extended it again. Mai reached. Ace moved it away. Mai's eyes narrowed. Shammy whispered: "Don't." Ace looked at her. "Don't what?" "Whatever suicidal thing you're considering." "I'm not considering anything." Mai held out her free hand. "Give me your hand." Ace hesitated. "Say please." Mai stared. Ace smiled. Kiro made a quiet choking sound behind them. Reyes whispered: "She's going to die engaged for less than a minute." Mai's expression became dangerously calm. "Please." Ace immediately gave her the hand. "See? Communication." Mai caught her wrist before she could retreat. "Keep talking." "Nope." "Smart." "Thank you." Mai looked down. Ace's ring rested between her fingers. For a moment, the humor left again. Mai's thumb moved over its edge. Then she looked at Ace. Ace's violet eyes met hers. No fear. No joke. Just that same impossible openness. Mai took Ace's hand properly. Her thumb brushed once over Ace's knuckles. Then she slid the ring onto Ace's finger. Ace stopped breathing. Mai noticed. Her smile softened. "Hi." Ace looked up sharply. Mai's smile widened. "You bitch." "Apparently that's how proposals work." Shammy laughed. Ace looked down again. Her ring. On her hand. She flexed her fingers. Once. Mai still held them. Neither seemed interested in letting go. Ace swallowed. "Okay." Mai tilted her head. "Okay?" "Yeah." "That's your reaction?" Ace looked at her. "I said the words already." "You said a lot of words." "I was impressed." "Don't tell anyone." "Too late." Ace smiled. Mai lifted their joined hands slightly. Ace's gaze followed. Two rings. Separate. Close. Ace saw the distance between them narrow. And something bright and wicked appeared behind her eyes. Shammy saw it. Her smile immediately widened. Mai didn't. Not yet. Ace had known this moment was coming from the day she'd ordered the rings. One request to the jeweler. One completely unnecessary addition. One tiny piece of planned absurdity that had amused Ace far too much when she'd thought of it. The first time the rings touched. Only the first time. Mai shifted her fingers. Ace let her own hand turn naturally with hers. Metal touched metal. Once. Ace's ring flashed orange. Mai's flashed pink. Two sharp pulses of color. Bright. Clean. Gone almost before the room could register them. Mai froze. Her eyes snapped down. Ace bit the inside of her cheek. Mai stared at the rings. Then at Ace. Ace lost the fight. Her grin appeared. Slowly. Mai's eyes narrowed. "You." Ace's grin widened. Mai pointed at her with their still-joined hands. "You fucking did that." Ace tried for innocence. It lasted less than a second. "Maybe." Shammy burst out laughing. Mai turned toward her. "You knew?" Shammy nodded enthusiastically. "About that part? Yeah." Mai looked back at Ace. "You had the jeweler do that." Ace looked unbearably pleased with herself. "First contact only." Mai stared. "First contact." "Yep." "Orange and pink." "Yep." "Once." Ace nodded. "Once." Mai's mouth twitched. She fought it. Ace watched. Mai fought harder. Ace's grin became dangerous. "Come on." "Don't." "You like it." "I am trying very hard to remain angry with you." "Why?" "Because you hid a fucking light show in our engagement rings." "It was two flashes." "That's a light show by ring standards." Reyes finally found her voice. "...the fuck was that?" Ace turned toward her. She couldn't help herself. The grin became positively radiant. "Me." Reyes stared. Ace lifted her hand. "I had it built in." A beat. Reyes looked at Mai. Then back at Ace. "You proposed to her with a prank." "It's not a prank." Mai slowly looked at her. Ace reconsidered. "It's romantic engineering." Kiro folded forward laughing. Brenda made a noise somewhere between a sob and a cackle. Iris covered her eyes. Reyes stared at Ace as though trying to decide whether murder was appropriate at an engagement. Shammy was absolutely no help. Mai finally lost the fight. She laughed. Ace's expression softened immediately. There. That was the reaction she'd wanted. Not confusion. Not explanation. Mai. Laughing with tears still drying on her cheeks. Looking at the ring Ace had chosen for her. Ace looked down at their hands. The rings rested close together now. Ordinary. No second flash. No encore. Exactly as ordered. Mai noticed. "So that's it?" Ace nodded. "That's it." "No repeat?" "Nope." Mai looked almost disappointed. Ace caught it. "Oh, now you want another one." "I didn't say that." "Your face did." "My face doesn't do things." Ace's eyebrows rose. Mai realized what she'd said. Shammy started laughing again. Ace looked delighted. "Oh, I'm keeping that." "Shut up." "Forever." Mai pointed at her. "We specifically did not promise forever." Ace's smile softened. "The rest, then." Mai's expression changed. Just like that. The joke settled into something warmer. "The rest," she agreed. Ace squeezed her hand. Mai squeezed back. Then Mai looked at Shammy. Shammy was still standing beside them. Still holding the now-empty box. Still smiling. But as Ace and Mai turned fully toward each other again, Shammy shifted. Barely. Half a step. Giving them space. Mai saw it. Her expression changed immediately. "Hey." Shammy stopped. Mai reached for her. No hesitation. Her fingers closed around Shammy's wrist. Shammy looked down. Then up at Mai. Mai pulled. Shammy came willingly. Ace's arm opened before she even reached them. Shammy stepped between and into them. Mai wrapped one arm around her. Ace wrapped the other around both. Three. Not Ace and Mai with Shammy added afterward. Not a couple and their guest. Them. Shammy made a tiny sound against Mai's shoulder. Ace buried her face briefly in silver-white hair. Mai kissed Shammy's temple. For a few seconds nobody spoke. The safehouse disappeared again. Not because the others weren't there. Because this belonged to the three of them. Mai tightened her arm around Shammy. "Thank you." Shammy's breath caught. "For what?" Mai drew back just enough to look at her. "You know." Shammy did. The box. The secret. The waiting. The entire ridiculous day. Standing beside Ace when Ace went down on one knee. Holding the rings. Never once making the moment about herself. Shammy's eyes filled again. "You knew," Mai whispered. Shammy nodded. "Yeah." "And you didn't tell me." "It nearly killed me." Ace snorted. Mai looked at her. Ace immediately stopped. Mai returned her attention to Shammy. "Thank you." This time Shammy didn't ask. She just leaned forward. Mai met her halfway. The kiss was soft. Familiar. Lover to lover. No performance for the room. When they separated, Shammy's forehead rested briefly against Mai's. Ace watched them. Smiling. Shammy turned. Ace barely had time to react before Shammy kissed her too. Ace caught her around the waist. When Shammy pulled back, Ace murmured: "Traitor." Shammy laughed. "You love me." "Unfortunately." Mai's arms closed around both of them again. "Both of you shut up." Ace looked up at her. "Fiancée privilege?" Mai smiled. "Absolutely." Ace considered. "Okay, that's hot." "Ace." "What?" Mai laughed. Shammy laughed with her. Ace grinned between them. Behind the three of them, Brenda finally made the mistake of trying to whisper. "I've been crying for like ten minutes." Iris answered quietly: "We know." "I was being discreet." Reyes: "No, you weren't." Brenda sniffed. "Fuck you." Kiro laughed. The three women in the middle of the room slowly became aware of everyone else again. Ace looked over Mai's shoulder. Five faces. Family. Reyes caught her eye. Then glanced pointedly at the rings. "Romantic engineering?" Ace lifted her chin. "It's a thing." "It absolutely fucking isn't." "It is now." Mai groaned. Shammy buried her face against Mai's shoulder, laughing. Ace looked down at her ring one more time. Orange had flashed once. Pink had answered once. Exactly as planned. A tiny secret built into two pieces of metal for no reason beyond the fact that Ace had thought Mai would smile. Mai caught her looking. And smiled. Worth it. Completely worth it. --- # CHAPTER 8 — FAMILY For approximately four seconds, nobody moved. Ace remained between Mai and Shammy. Mai still had one arm around each of them. Shammy's face was half hidden against Mai's shoulder. Ace's new ring sat on her finger as though it had always belonged there. Mai's did the same. Then Brenda exploded. "Oh my GOD." Ace barely had time to turn. Brenda crossed the room at speed. Iris caught the back of her shirt. Brenda stopped so abruptly her feet nearly left the floor. "What?" "Give them a second." "I gave them seconds." "Four." "That's seconds." Iris closed her eyes. Reyes pointed at Brenda. "She's technically right." "Do not encourage her." "I'm not. I'm respecting mathematics." Brenda twisted in Iris's grip. "Can I hug them now?" Mai laughed. "Yes." Iris released her. This was a mistake. Brenda hit the three of them like an emotional projectile. Ace disappeared. "Fuck—" Arms. Hair. Brenda. Possibly Shammy. Ace couldn't tell. Mai staggered half a step but held everyone upright. Brenda made a noise that was mostly crying. "I fucking knew it." Ace's face was pressed somewhere against Brenda's shoulder. "No, you didn't." "I knew something." "That's not the same thing." "I knew something romantic was happening." "You thought Shammy stole my sock." "I thought that was suspicious!" From somewhere behind Ace, Shammy said: "It was a very convincing sock." "It was not." Brenda squeezed harder. Ace wheezed. "I just got engaged and you're going to kill me." Brenda immediately loosened her grip. "Sorry." Then tightened it again. "Brenda." "Sorry." Iris stepped closer. "Let them breathe." Brenda finally released them. Her face was wet. Completely. She wiped it with both hands and somehow made it worse. Ace stared. "You okay?" "No." "Good no?" Brenda laughed. "Very good no." Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked at Mai. "Apparently that's a thing now." Mai smiled. "Apparently." Brenda pointed at the rings. "And those." Ace's expression became smug. Brenda immediately looked at Mai. "She planned the colors?" "Of course she did." "The flash?" "Also her." Brenda put both hands over her heart. "That's disgustingly cute." Ace recoiled. "Take it back." "No." "Brenda." "Disgustingly." "Fuck you." "Cute." "I will end this engagement." Mai caught Ace around the waist. "No." Ace looked up. "No?" "No." "I have rights." "Not anymore." Ace stared. Reyes barked out a laugh. Shammy folded against Mai again. Ace pointed at Mai. "You've been my fiancée for five minutes and you're already drunk with power." Mai considered. "Yes." "Great." "You proposed." "I made a terrible mistake." Mai kissed her. Ace kissed her back automatically. When they separated, Mai smiled. "Too late." Ace muttered something in Japanese. Reyes looked at Kiro. "Was that romantic?" "No." "Thought so." --- Iris waited. Of course she did. She waited until Brenda had finished trying to hug everyone simultaneously. Until Shammy had rescued the ring box from being accidentally crushed. Until Ace had escaped Mai's arm long enough to retrieve her abandoned drink. Then Iris approached. Ace saw her coming. Something in Iris's expression killed the joke Ace had been preparing. Iris stopped in front of them. She looked at Ace. Then Mai. Then at their hands. Her eyes lingered on the rings. When she looked up again, they were bright. "Oh no," Ace said softly. Iris frowned. "What?" "You're going to make this emotional." "I wasn't planning to." "Good." Iris took one breath. "I'm happy for you." Ace's face changed. "Fuck." Mai laughed softly. Iris smiled. "I didn't even do anything." "You used the voice." "What voice?" "The sincere one." "I have a sincere voice?" "Unfortunately." Iris stepped forward and hugged Ace. Not explosively. Not like Brenda. Just firmly. Ace froze for half a second. Then hugged her back. "Congratulations," Iris murmured. Ace closed her eyes. "Thanks." Iris pulled away and turned to Mai. Mai opened her arms before Iris could say anything. Iris went into them. Mai held her. Ace watched Iris whisper something against Mai's shoulder. Too quiet to hear. Mai's hand moved once over Iris's back. Then they separated. Iris wiped beneath one eye. Ace politely pretended not to notice. Brenda did not. "You're crying too!" Iris turned. "So help me, Brenda—" Brenda launched herself at her. Iris caught her. Brenda kissed her. Iris's objection disappeared somewhere inside it. Reyes looked at Ace. "Your engagement has become contagious." Ace lifted her glass. "Give it five minutes." --- Reyes was next. She stood from the couch. Ace immediately took one step backward. Reyes stopped. "What?" "I know you." "Do you?" "Yes." "Then come here." "No." Reyes spread her arms. Ace narrowed her eyes. "You're going to pick me up." "I wasn't." "You're lying." "Prove it." Ace looked at Mai. Mai was openly enjoying this. "Help." "No." "Shammy?" Shammy shook her head. "Absolutely not." "Traitors." Reyes waited. Ace sighed. Then walked toward her. Reyes hugged her. And did not pick her up. Ace blinked. "Oh." Reyes tightened her arms. "Congratulations, shortstack." Ace smiled against her shoulder. "Thanks." Reyes released her. Ace stepped back. "That was surprisingly normal." "Yeah." Ace relaxed. Reyes grabbed her. Ace's feet left the floor. "YOU BITCH." Reyes lifted her completely and spun once. Ace kicked uselessly in empty air. "I FUCKING KNEW IT." Mai doubled over laughing. Shammy clapped. Brenda cheered. Iris looked toward the ceiling as though appealing to a god who had abandoned her years ago. Reyes set Ace down. Ace immediately punched her in the arm. Reyes laughed. "You deserved that." "I just got engaged!" "Exactly." "How does that make sense?" "It doesn't." "Fuck you." "Love you too." Ace rubbed her arm. Then Reyes's expression softened. The transition was so quick Ace almost missed it. Reyes touched her shoulder. "For real." Ace stopped. Reyes looked at Mai. Then back at Ace. "I'm happy for you." Ace smiled. "Yeah." Reyes squeezed her shoulder. "Yeah." Then she went to Mai. Mai immediately pointed at her. "Don't pick me up." Reyes looked Mai up and down. "I'm not suicidal." "Good." Their hug was quieter. Longer. Ace watched Reyes say something into Mai's ear. Mai laughed. Then hugged her harder. When they separated, Reyes looked down at Mai's ring. "Pink." Mai smiled. "Apparently." Reyes looked at Ace. "Of course." Ace lifted her chin. "I have taste." "You wear shorts to corporate meetings." "Good shorts." "Sure." "Fuck you." "There she is." --- Kiro hadn't moved. Not far. She had shifted back slightly when Brenda attacked. Moved aside when Iris approached. Smiled when Reyes picked Ace up. But she hadn't come forward. Ace noticed. Mai did too. Their eyes met. Then Mai looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. "Congratulations." Mai stared at her. Kiro's smile became slightly uncertain. "What?" Mai walked toward her. Kiro barely had time to open her arms. Mai hugged her. Hard. Kiro caught her. For a moment neither spoke. Ace watched. So did everyone else. But the room had learned something tonight. Sometimes silence belonged to the people inside it. Mai drew back. Not far. Her hands remained on Kiro's arms. Kiro looked at her. Mai's eyes were wet again. "Thank you." Kiro's expression softened. "For what?" Mai didn't answer. She didn't need to. Kiro knew. Her eyes flicked briefly toward the place where she'd stood behind Mai. Where her hands had rested on Mai's shoulders. Then back. "Anytime." Mai shook her head. Not rejecting it. Something more emotional. "You knew exactly what I needed." Kiro's smile was small. "You didn't need much." Mai looked at her. "I couldn't fucking speak." "That's not the same thing." A laugh escaped Mai. Kiro touched her arm. "You knew your answer." "Yeah." "You just needed somewhere to stand while you found the words." Mai's eyes closed. One second. When they opened, she kissed Kiro. Not a quick thank-you. Not ceremonial. Warm. Familiar. Lover to lover. Kiro's hand rose to Mai's waist. Mai's settled at the side of her neck. Ace watched them. Smiling. When the kiss ended, Mai stayed close. "Thank you." Kiro's thumb moved once against her waist. "You're welcome." Then Kiro looked past her. At Ace. Ace lifted one eyebrow. Kiro opened one arm. Ace looked suspicious. "What?" "You too." "I didn't lose the ability to speak." "No. Unfortunately." Reyes made a delighted sound. Ace pointed at Kiro. "You're spending too much time with her." "Probably." Ace went anyway. Kiro hugged her. Ace wrapped her arms around Kiro's waist. "Thanks," Ace murmured. Kiro's arm tightened. "For?" Ace glanced toward Mai. Kiro followed the look. Ace didn't need to explain either. "For being there." Kiro looked down at her. "Always." Ace smiled. "Good." Kiro kissed the top of Ace's head. Ace immediately recoiled. "Hey." "What?" "Don't make me cute." Kiro stared at her. Behind them, Reyes whispered: "Disgustingly." Brenda added: "Cute." Ace turned. "I WILL KILL BOTH OF YOU." Mai caught her again. This time Ace saw it coming. It didn't help. The laughter took a while to settle. Not disappear. Settle. Eventually Kiro let Ace go, Reyes stopped threatening a second lift, and Brenda stopped trying to hug three people at once. The first impact of the answer had passed. The room was still glowing from it. Nobody seemed ready to leave. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked back. Then Shammy slipped naturally between them on the way toward the couch, caught one of Ace's hands and one of Mai's, and tugged. "Sit down before somebody proposes something else," she said. Ace followed. "Nobody is proposing anything else tonight." Brenda inhaled. Iris pointed at her without looking. "No." Brenda closed her mouth. Reyes started laughing again. --- # CHAPTER 9 — TWENTY-THREE MINUTES Nobody left. That turned out to be its own problem. Eventually everyone found somewhere to sit. Ace ended up on the couch between Mai and Shammy. Not because anyone arranged it. Because that was where she belonged. Mai had Ace's hand in her lap. She kept looking at the ring. Ace noticed every time. The fifth time, Ace smiled. "You like it." Mai didn't look up. "Maybe." "You cried." "I did not." Six heads turned toward her. Mai looked around. "Fuck all of you." Ace nearly fell sideways laughing. Mai caught her. Shammy leaned across Ace to inspect Mai's ring again. "It suits you." Mai looked at her. "Yeah?" "Yeah." Mai smiled. Then Ace felt it. Danger. Not operational danger. Worse. Brenda had gone quiet. Ace looked across the room. Brenda sat beside Iris. Her expression had changed. Thoughtful. Ace knew that expression. "No." Brenda blinked. "What?" "You haven't said anything yet, but no." "I literally haven't said anything." Iris turned slowly toward Brenda. Then looked at Ace. "What did you see?" "Project face." Brenda looked offended. "I do not have a project face." Iris stared at her. Reyes stared at her. Kiro stared at her. Shammy stared at her. Mai stared at her. Brenda looked around. "Okay, fuck you all." Ace relaxed. Too soon. Reyes leaned back. "So." Ace's eyes narrowed. Reyes smiled. "When's the wedding?" Silence. Ace stopped. Mai stopped. Shammy looked between them. Brenda's eyes widened. Oh no. Ace slowly turned toward Mai. Mai slowly turned toward Ace. Neither had an answer. Reyes waited. Kiro covered her mouth. Ace looked down at her ring. Then at Mai's. Then back at Mai. "We've been engaged for..." She looked toward Iris. Iris checked the time. "Twenty-three minutes." Ace looked back at Reyes. "Twenty-three fucking minutes." Reyes shrugged. "Just asking." Mai stared at her. "We don't know." "Okay." Brenda inhaled. Iris immediately said: "No." Brenda turned. "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." "You don't know that." "I know you." Brenda pointed at Ace. "She said the same thing earlier." "And she was correct." Ace nodded. "I was." Brenda looked betrayed. "I might have been about to ask a completely unrelated question." Iris folded her arms. "Ask it." Brenda opened her mouth. Stopped. Everyone waited. Brenda looked around. Then: "Does anyone want more dessert?" Reyes burst out laughing. Kiro folded over. Shammy dropped her forehead onto Ace's shoulder. Mai closed her eyes. Ace pointed at Brenda. "See?" "See what?" "You had nothing." "I had dessert." "You were going to plan the wedding." "I was going to suggest—" Iris raised one finger. Brenda stopped. "No." Brenda sank back into the couch. "Fine." A beat. "Tomorrow?" "No." "Next week?" "No." "Can I make a spreadsheet?" "No." Ace looked at Iris. "You're my favorite person." Mai cleared her throat. Ace looked at her. "Second favorite." Shammy made a sound. Ace closed her eyes. "Fuck." Reyes was already laughing. Ace pointed without looking. "Nobody rank anything. Everybody shut up." Mai kissed Ace's temple. Shammy kissed the other. Ace sat trapped between them. She sighed. "This engagement is terrible." Mai smiled against her hair. "You asked for the rest." Ace opened one eye. Mai looked entirely too pleased with herself. Ace couldn't argue. So she leaned into Mai. Shammy leaned into Ace. Across the room, Brenda whispered something to Iris. Iris immediately said: "No." "I didn't even finish." "You said venue." Ace groaned. Reyes laughed. Kiro reached for another piece of dessert. And for the first time in her life, Ace sat in the middle of her family with a ring on her finger and absolutely no idea what came next. She found she liked that. A lot. Nobody made a plan. That was the important part. Brenda came dangerously close several times, but Iris possessed both reflexes and authority. Ace leaned back into Mai, felt Shammy settle against her other side, and decided twenty-three minutes was already enough future for one evening. Tomorrow could wait. Tonight still belonged to the answer. --- # CHAPTER 10 — GOOD NIGHT The safehouse did not empty quickly. Nothing involving Reyes ever happened quickly. Leaving least of all. First she couldn't find her jacket. Then Kiro pointed out she was wearing it. Then Reyes accused Kiro of withholding that information deliberately. Kiro admitted she had. Then Brenda remembered there was dessert left. Then Reyes argued that leaving dessert behind would be wasteful. Iris pointed out that Reyes had brought the dessert in the first place. Reyes said that was irrelevant. Ace sat on the couch between Mai and Shammy and watched the entire process with increasing disbelief. "You know," she said eventually, "you can come back." Reyes looked at her. "I know." "Tomorrow." "I know." "Or literally any day." "I know." "So why are you still here?" Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Reyes looked back at Ace. "We're emotionally attached." Ace stared. "To the dessert?" "Currently." Mai laughed beside her. Reyes pointed. "See? Your fiancée gets it." Ace turned immediately toward Mai. There it was again. Fiancée. Mai saw the reaction. Her smile changed. Ace hated how easy that word made her now. "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "Your face did." Mai's eyebrows rose. Shammy made a delighted sound. "Oh, that's staying." Ace looked at her. "Nobody asked you." "Nope." Eventually Reyes surrendered the dessert. Mostly. She took one piece with her. Kiro hugged Mai again at the door. Quieter this time. No explanation needed. Then she hugged Ace. Reyes threatened to pick Ace up again. Ace threatened to draw a sword. Mai pointed out that Ace's swords were in their room. Reyes immediately reconsidered her departure. Ace threatened Mai instead. Mai kissed her. That ended the tactical discussion. Then Reyes and Kiro were finally gone. The upper door closed. The safehouse became noticeably quieter. Brenda and Iris remained in the living room. For another three minutes. Brenda stood in the living room looking at Ace and Mai with the expression of someone physically restraining several hundred questions. Iris had already put on her patient face. Ace pointed at Brenda. "Don't." "I haven't said anything." "Your face has." Mai made a tiny choking sound. Ace turned. Mai looked away. Traitor. Brenda folded her arms. "I just want it officially noted that I am capable of restraint." Iris touched her back. "Come on." "I am." "I know." "I haven't even opened a spreadsheet." "Very proud." "I haven't looked at venues." Ace's eyes narrowed. Brenda immediately corrected: "Recently." "OUT." Brenda laughed. Iris steered her toward the hallway. "Good night." "It's not that late." "Good night, Brenda." Brenda turned around while walking backward. "Congratulations again!" "Thank you." "I love you!" Ace smiled despite herself. "Love you too." "Both of you!" Mai smiled. "We know." "And Shammy!" Shammy waved. "Love you." Iris physically turned Brenda around. They disappeared down the hallway. Brenda's voice continued: "I still think a spreadsheet would be useful." "No." "But just for—" "No." Their bedroom door closed. The door stayed closed. No footsteps came back up the stairs. No second doorbell. No forgotten dessert emergency. Ace looked at the upper door for another second anyway. Shammy noticed. "They're gone." "I know." Mai slipped an arm around Ace's shoulders. "Do you?" Ace leaned into her. "Statistically." Shammy laughed. Down the hallway, Brenda's voice rose through the closed bedroom door. "I STILL THINK A SPREADSHEET WOULD HELP." Iris answered immediately. "NO." Ace closed her eyes. "Okay. Mostly gone." Mai kissed the top of her head. Shammy hooked an arm around Ace's waist from the other side. For the first time since Ace had gone down on one knee, nobody in the room was waiting for anything from them. The evening had finally stopped moving forward. Now they could just be in it. --- # CHAPTER 11 — THREE It took another forty minutes for the safehouse to actually settle. Not become quiet. Settle. There was a difference. Brenda stopped trying to communicate wedding ideas through walls. Iris apparently confiscated something. Ace didn't ask what. The kitchen was abandoned exactly as it was. The last dessert container sat abandoned on the table. Reyes had taken one piece and, against all expectations, accepted departure as a permanent condition. Ace considered that a personal victory. Eventually the lights in the common room went off. Three women walked down the hallway. Their bedroom door closed behind them. And that was it. Home reduced itself to the size of one room. Ace stood just inside the door. Mai walked past her and began removing her clothes with the easy familiarity of someone who had done exactly this in exactly this room hundreds of times. Shammy sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off one boot. Then the other. Nothing ceremonial. Nothing different. Except everything was. Ace looked at her left hand. Again. Mai caught her. Again. "You keep doing that." Ace looked up. "What?" "Checking." "I'm not checking." "You are." Ace lifted her hand. "I'm looking." "At whether the ring is still there." Ace frowned. "No." Shammy looked up from the bed. "Yes." Ace pointed at her. "You've become extremely opinionated tonight." "I got promoted." Ace blinked. "To what?" Shammy considered. "Keeper of the Rings." Mai stopped. Ace stopped. Shammy's eyes widened. "No." Ace slowly grinned. Mai covered her face. Shammy groaned. "I heard it after I said it." Ace walked toward her. "Oh, no. You own that now." "I take it back." "Impossible." "I hate both of you." Mai lowered her hands. "You said it." "I know." Ace sat beside her. "Keeper." "Don't." "Ring security." "Better." Mai laughed and disappeared into the bathroom. Shammy looked at Ace. Ace looked at Shammy. Then both started laughing again. "Keeper of the fucking Rings," Ace whispered. Shammy shoved her sideways. Ace nearly fell off the bed. --- By the time Mai returned, Ace had changed into a shirt and shorts. Of course shorts. Mai stopped in the doorway. Looked at her. Then down at the shorts. Ace noticed. "What?" Mai shook her head. "Nothing." "No, say it." Mai walked toward the bed. "You got engaged and changed into shorts." Ace looked down at herself. "Yes." "Immediately." "They're comfortable." Shammy, already beneath the blanket, nodded. "She has formal shorts." Ace pointed at her. "Exactly." Mai stared. "Formal shorts." "Different fabric." "I know." "Then why are you judging me?" "I'm not." "Your face is." Mai climbed onto the bed. Ace smiled. "See?" Mai froze. Shammy immediately buried her face in the pillow. Ace's smile became enormous. Mai pointed at her. "Do not." "Oh, this is fantastic." "I will take the ring back." Ace covered it protectively. "You wouldn't." Mai reached. Ace scrambled backward. "No." Mai followed. "Ace." "You gave it to me." "Come here." "No." Mai caught her ankle. Ace squeaked. Shammy lifted her head. "Need help?" "YES." Mai looked at Shammy. Shammy reconsidered. "No." "Traitor!" Mai pulled Ace toward her. Ace fought exactly hard enough to make the process unnecessarily difficult. Then Mai got an arm around her waist. Ace stopped resisting. Mostly. Mai held her against her chest. Ace looked up. "Abuse." "Definitely." "Shammy witnessed it." Shammy nodded. "I saw nothing." Ace stared. "You are useless." "Ring security." "Fuck you." Shammy smiled. "Love you too." Mai kissed Ace's forehead. The room softened. Just like that. Ace relaxed against her. Shammy moved closer. Mai reached for her without looking. Shammy fit against Mai's other side. Three bodies finding positions by memory. No discussion. No negotiation. Just home. For a while, nobody spoke. Ace's fingers rested against Mai's stomach. Shammy's silver-white hair spread over Mai's shoulder. Mai's arm held both of them. Ace could hear her breathing. Steady. Familiar. Then Mai said: "You actually surprised me." Ace smiled into her shirt. "We established this." "I know." "I intend to mention it regularly." "I know." "Possibly for years." Mai's fingers moved through Ace's hair. "Probably." Ace tilted her head back. "What did you think I was hiding?" Mai considered. "At first?" "Yeah." "Something stupid." Ace looked offended. "Reasonable," Shammy murmured. Ace reached across Mai and poked her. Shammy caught her finger. Mai continued. "Then I realized Shammy was involved." "So something intelligent." "No. Something organized." Shammy laughed. Ace narrowed her eyes. "That's worse." "It was accurate." "Fine." Mai's hand slowed. "I knew it mattered." Ace went quiet. "I knew you were trying very hard not to show me." "Was I succeeding?" "No." "Fuck." "But I didn't know what." Ace looked at her. Mai's expression was open. More open than she usually allowed it to become. "I meant what I said earlier." "What?" "For a few seconds, I couldn't make it fit." Ace's humor disappeared. Mai looked toward the ceiling. "You were kneeling." Her voice became softer. "Shammy was beside you." Shammy moved closer. "The box opened." Mai swallowed. "And my brain just stopped." Ace watched her. "I've seen you shot." Mai smiled faintly. "I know." "I've seen you under fire." "I know." "I've seen you deal with corpo lawyers." Mai's expression became genuinely pained. "Don't remind me." Ace smiled. Then softened again. "But that broke you." Mai looked at her. "Completely." Ace's eyes warmed. "Good." Mai laughed once. "Asshole." "You said yes." "I did." "Eventually." Mai's eyebrows rose. "Ace." Ace grinned. "You took ages." "It was maybe thirty seconds." "Longest thirty seconds of my life." Shammy lifted her head. "It was longer." Mai turned. "You are supposed to be on my side." "I'm ring security." Ace started laughing. Mai groaned. "I regret everything." Ace immediately looked up. "No, you don't." Mai's eyes met hers. "No." The answer was immediate. Soft. Certain. "No, I really don't." Ace stopped laughing. Mai touched her face. Her thumb moved beneath Ace's eye. "I want the rest." Ace leaned into the touch. "Yeah?" "Yeah." Mai looked at Shammy. "And I want this." Shammy's eyes brightened. Mai reached for her. Pulled her closer. "This doesn't change." Ace looked between them. "No." Mai shook her head. "No." Shammy's voice was quieter. "I know." Mai studied her. "Do you?" Shammy nodded. "I do." Ace reached across Mai and found Shammy's hand. Their fingers intertwined. Mai's hand covered both. Three hands. Two rings. Ace looked down. A thought happened. Mai saw it happen. Her hand vanished. Ace stared. "Seriously?" "Yes." "I wasn't—" "Yes, you were." Ace looked at Shammy. "Tell her." Shammy considered. "You were." Ace stared at both. "I hate this family." Mai smiled. "You asked for it." "Not this part." "The whole thing." "Terms and conditions were unclear." Mai laughed. Ace reached for her hand. Mai moved it farther away. "Mai." "No." "It won't flash again." "I know." "I designed it." "I know." "I just want to—" "No." Ace folded her arms. "This is irrational." "Yes." Ace blinked. That took some wind out of her. Mai smiled. "I want the first touch to stay the first touch." Ace stopped. Shammy went still. Mai looked down at her ring. "That's all." Ace stared at her. Then slowly uncrossed her arms. "Oh." Mai looked suddenly uncertain. "Is that stupid?" Ace moved. She climbed higher against Mai and kissed her. No joke. No teasing. Mai's hand came to her waist. Ace kissed her until Mai stopped looking uncertain. When they separated, Ace rested her forehead against hers. "No." Mai smiled. "Okay." Ace looked down at their hands. Carefully, she threaded her fingers through Mai's. Their rings stayed apart. Deliberately. Mai noticed. Her smile deepened. Ace whispered: "We can do that." "Yeah." Shammy touched Ace's arm. Ace turned. Shammy was smiling at them. Ace reached. Pulled her in. The three of them folded together again. Mai kissed Shammy. Ace kissed the corner of Shammy's mouth when Mai released her. Shammy laughed softly between them. Then they stopped talking. They didn't need another speech. They didn't need to define anything. Mai's ring hand stayed curled against Ace's side while her other arm held Shammy close. Shammy's knee remained pressed against Ace's beneath the blanket. When Mai shifted, she made room for both of them without looking. Same body memory. Same three-person geometry. Two new rings. Nothing else had moved. Eventually they shifted beneath the blankets. Shammy took the outside tonight. Mai settled in the middle. Ace took her side. Her actual side. She looked pleased. Mai noticed. "Don't get comfortable." Ace narrowed her eyes. "This is my side." "For now." "You have your own." "Do I?" "Yes." Mai smiled. Ace pointed at her. "Stay there." "Go to sleep." "I'm serious." "I know." Ace settled down. Mai turned off the light. Darkness. A few seconds passed. Ace felt Shammy's hand find Mai. Mai's fingers found Ace. Ace smiled. Her thumb moved over Mai's knuckles. Avoiding the ring. Mai squeezed once. Ace squeezed back. "Mai?" "Mm?" "My fiancée." Mai was silent. Then: "Your fiancée." Ace's smile was audible. Shammy laughed softly in the dark. Ace closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be ordinary. That was the point. Tonight, she allowed herself one last thought before sleep. She had surprised Mai. She was never letting that go. --- # CHAPTER 12 — MORNING Ace woke because Mai had stolen her side of the bed. Again. For several seconds she didn't move. Her eyes remained closed. One arm was trapped beneath Mai. Mai's knee was between her legs. Mai's face was somewhere against the back of Ace's neck. Shammy had somehow migrated during the night and was pressed against Mai from behind, one arm thrown over both of them. Ace breathed in. Breathed out. Morning. Nothing exploded. Nobody shot at them. No alarms sounded. No mysterious calls waited. No emergency dragged them out of bed. Just morning. Ace opened one eye. The room was dim. She looked toward the edge of the mattress. Too far away. Then toward Mai. Too close. Ace frowned. "Mai." Nothing. "Mai." A sleepy sound against her neck. Ace waited. "You're doing it again." Mai's voice came muffled. "Doing what?" Ace stared at the wall. "Stealing my side." "No." Ace looked down at the approximately fifteen centimeters of mattress remaining to her. "Evidence says otherwise." Mai tightened her arm around Ace's waist. "This is my side." "No, it isn't." "It is now." Ace tried to shift. Mai followed. Ace stopped. "You have an entire side." "Mm." "Use it." "No." "Why?" Mai's answer took several seconds. "I'm your fiancée." Ace blinked. Shammy made a suspicious sound behind them. Ace narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't mean anything." "It means this side is legally mine now." Shammy's suspicious sound became unmistakably laughter. Ace tried to turn around. Mai refused to provide enough space. "That's not how anything works." "Prove it." Ace stared. "How the fuck am I supposed to prove mattress law?" Mai kissed the back of her neck. Ace's argument suffered catastrophic structural failure. "That's cheating." "Mm." "You can't use kisses as legal precedent." Another kiss. Ace closed her eyes. "Fuck." Shammy laughed into the pillow. Ace pointed blindly backward. "You're not helping." "I'm asleep." "You are laughing." "Sleep-laughing." "Traitor." Shammy moved closer. This somehow resulted in Ace losing another centimeter of mattress. Ace opened both eyes. "Wait." Mai didn't respond. "Wait." Shammy didn't respond. Ace looked down. Then back. "You two are working together." Silence. "Motherfuckers." Mai started laughing against her shoulder. Shammy followed. Ace attempted to escape. This was impossible. Mai had her around the waist. Shammy had Mai. The blankets had become a hostile third party. Ace struggled for several seconds. Then stopped. "This is kidnapping." Mai kissed her shoulder. "You live here." "Domestic kidnapping." Shammy murmured: "Sounds serious." "It is." "You should call someone." "I will." "Who?" Ace considered. "Reyes." Mai immediately answered: "She'll laugh." "Kiro." "She'll ask what you did." "Iris." Shammy lifted her head. "She might help." Ace nodded. "Exactly." Mai finally loosened her hold enough for Ace to roll over. Ace turned. And stopped. Mai was awake now. Hair a mess. Eyes still heavy with sleep. No makeup. No armor. No operational composure. Just Mai. Ace looked at her. Mai looked back. Then Ace's eyes dropped. Mai's left hand rested between them. The ring was there. Ace went completely still. Mai watched her notice. Neither spoke. Ace slowly lifted her own hand. Her ring was there too. No flash. No spectacle. Just two rings in the gray morning light. Ace smiled. Small. Unprotected. Mai's expression softened. "Morning." Ace looked up. "Morning." Mai touched Ace's cheek. Ace leaned into her palm. For a few seconds, the bed dispute ceased to exist. So did everything else. Ace whispered: "Still my fiancée?" Mai pretended to think. Ace's eyes narrowed. "Careful." Mai smiled. "Yes." "Good." "Still want the rest?" Ace didn't hesitate. "Yep." Mai kissed her. Slow. Sleepy. Warm. Ace's hand settled at Mai's waist. Behind Mai, Shammy made a tiny irritated noise. They ignored her. The kiss lingered. Then Shammy shoved Mai forward. Mai collided with Ace. Ace made a muffled sound. "What the fuck?" Shammy's face appeared over Mai's shoulder. "Some of us are trying to sleep." Ace stared at her. "You pushed her into me." "Yes." "How does that help?" Shammy closed her eyes. "Didn't think that far." Mai started laughing. Ace tried not to. Failed. Within seconds all three were laughing in a bed that had become far too small despite being exactly the same size it had been yesterday. Ace eventually dropped her forehead against Mai's. "Coffee." Mai nodded. "Coffee." Shammy: "No." Ace looked over Mai. "Coffee." "No." "You're coming." "No." "We're engaged." Shammy opened one eye. "You two are engaged." Ace paused. Fair. Mai smiled. Ace considered a new approach. "I'll make yours." Shammy's other eye opened. Mai gasped. "Oh, that's dirty." Ace looked innocent. "What?" "You know exactly what you're doing." Shammy was already sitting up. "I want coffee." Ace grinned. "Thought so." --- The safehouse looked different. Ace knew it didn't. That was the weird part. Same hallway. Same walls. Same common room. Same abandoned evidence of last night. The cushion was still on the floor. The plates were still waiting. The glasses were still everywhere. Ace stopped in the doorway. Mai nearly walked into her. "What?" Ace looked around. "Nothing." Mai followed her gaze. Then understood. She slipped her fingers through Ace's. Their rings remained apart. Ace noticed that too. Mai smiled. Ace squeezed her hand. Shammy walked straight past both of them. "Coffee." Ace looked at Mai. "Romance is alive." "Apparently." They followed. Brenda was already in the kitchen. Ace stopped again. "No." Brenda turned. She had a mug in one hand. "What?" Iris sat at the table. She looked tired. Ace pointed at Brenda. "How long have you been awake?" Brenda looked toward Iris. Iris answered: "Too long." Ace's eyes narrowed. "Did you make a spreadsheet?" Brenda looked offended. "No." Iris took a drink. "She tried." "Traitor." Ace walked toward the coffee machine. "What did I say?" Brenda folded her arms. "I wasn't planning the wedding." "What were you doing?" "Creating a neutral organizational framework for future decisions." Ace stopped. Slowly turned. Mai covered her mouth. Shammy leaned against the counter. Iris closed her eyes. Ace stared at Brenda. "That's a spreadsheet." "It's a framework." "It's a fucking spreadsheet." "It's currently blank." "Then delete it." Brenda gasped. "No." Ace pointed at Iris. "Do something." "I closed the laptop." "Good." "She has backups." Ace stared at Brenda. Brenda smiled. Ace looked at Mai. "I changed my mind." "About?" "The engagement." Mai calmly poured coffee. "No." Ace threw both hands up. "Why does everyone get veto power except me?" Shammy answered immediately: "Because you're you." "That's discrimination." "Yes." Ace opened her mouth. Stopped. "Everyone keeps admitting it." Iris lifted her mug. "It saves time." --- Coffee restored civilization. Mostly. Ace sat at the kitchen table. Mai beside her. Shammy across from them. Brenda had been forbidden from saying the words wedding, venue, guest, dress, flowers, catering, date, ceremony, budget, spreadsheet, framework, schedule, list, or planning. This had reduced her conversational options considerably. She lasted almost four minutes. Then she looked at Mai's hand. Her face softened. "Can I say ring?" Ace considered. "Yes." "Pretty." Mai smiled. "Thank you." Brenda looked at Ace's. "Yours too." "Obviously." Iris sighed. Brenda pointed. "That was nice." "It was." "I complimented her." "You did." "And she ruined it." "She did." Ace drank her coffee. "Balance." Mai's hand settled on Ace's thigh beneath the table. Ace looked at her. Mai kept drinking as though nothing had happened. Ace smiled into her mug. Then Shammy reached across and stole a piece of toast from Ace's plate. Ace stared at the empty space. Slowly looked up. Shammy ate it. "Seriously?" "Yes." "We got engaged yesterday." "Congratulations." "That should protect my breakfast." "Why?" Ace looked at Mai. "Help." Mai took a piece of toast from Ace's plate too. Ace stared. Mai bit into it. Ace sat back. "Okay." Everyone looked at her. Ace folded her arms. "I understand." Mai raised an eyebrow. "What?" "This is the rest." Shammy stopped chewing. Brenda smiled. Iris's expression softened. Mai looked at Ace. Ace gestured around the kitchen. "This." She pointed at Shammy. "Food theft." At Brenda. "Illegal spreadsheets." "Frameworks." "Shut up." At Iris. "Keeping civilization alive." Iris inclined her head. Ace looked at Mai. "And you stealing my side of the bed." Mai smiled. "Our side." "No." "Our side." "My side." "Legally mine." Ace pointed at her. "Still not a thing." Mai's smile widened. Ace tried to remain annoyed. She lasted perhaps two seconds. Then she looked around again. Yesterday she'd knelt. Yesterday she'd asked Mai for the rest. Some part of her had known what she meant. She understood it better now. The rest wasn't one thing. It wasn't a wedding. It wasn't a ring. It wasn't even a promise about some impossible forever. It was breakfast. It was waking up annoyed because Mai had stolen her side of the bed. It was Shammy stealing toast. Brenda building something nobody asked for. Iris preventing it from becoming a disaster. Reyes appearing when she wasn't expected. Kiro knowing when not to speak. Coming home hurt. Coming home laughing. Fighting. Forgiving. Coffee. Work. Boredom. Fear. Sex. Bad jokes. Quiet rooms. Loud ones. Tomorrow. And whatever came after it. Ace looked down at her ring. Then at Mai's. She smiled. Mai noticed. "What?" Ace shook her head. "Nothing." Mai studied her. This time she let it go. Ace reached beneath the table. Found Mai's hand. Their fingers intertwined. The rings stayed apart. Not because they had to. Because the first touch belonged to yesterday. Mai squeezed. Ace squeezed back. Shammy kicked Ace lightly beneath the table. Ace looked up. "What?" Shammy nodded toward her plate. Ace looked down. Her remaining toast was gone. Ace stared. Slowly. Very slowly. She looked at Mai. Mai was chewing. Shammy was chewing. Neither looked remotely guilty. Ace closed her eyes. "Motherfuckers." Brenda burst out laughing. Iris smiled into her coffee. Mai leaned over and kissed Ace's cheek. Ace opened one eye. "That doesn't fix it." Mai kissed her again. Ace's other eye closed. Shammy laughed. "Effective." Ace sighed. "Fine." Mai rested her head briefly against Ace's. "Good morning, fiancée." There it was. That stupid word. Ace smiled. Helplessly. Completely. She turned her head and kissed Mai. Then reached across the table and caught Shammy by the front of her shirt long enough to pull her in for one too. Shammy laughed against her mouth. When Ace released her, she sat back with her coffee. Her family around her. Her ring on her finger. Her breakfast stolen. Her side of the bed lost forever. Nothing extraordinary happening. Exactly what she'd asked for. The rest had begun.