"He's finally relaxed around us," Adam finished for her. "I think Zara has made him see Cyn in a new light, and he's trusting his partner, or his partner's trusting him. Something. I also think he could still be a dick if he has to, but he gets us now."
"Us," Kate repeated. "Just one of the gamer guys, huh?"
"Mhm," he agreed as the elevator finally stopped on their floor. "Although Murder said something this morning that I kinda like. He says we're all gamer girls. It's always the other way around, you know? Just one of the guys. Trying to break into the boys' club. This time, it's the girls' club, and we're doing the best we can to be included."
"You can be a gamer girl," Kate promised as she unlocked their room. "But it means you'll have to make shirts."
"I'm going to make Cyn wear one for Seattle," Adam teased as they made their way inside. "You know what's kinda funny?"
Kate kicked off her heels and began letting her hair down. "What's that?"
"Weddings are supposed to be a girly thing. Something women go crazy over, and we guys just put up with it. And yet, I think all those guys are getting ideas. I mean, that or someone put pheromones into the air, because there was a lot of romancing going on in that room tonight."
"And a little fear," Kate reminded him. "Adam, none of us have forgotten about KoG. We all know where we fall in that kill list. I find myself looking around when I step outside the building, wondering if there's going to be a guy with a gun, or something like those action movies you watch."
He caught her hand, pulling her back around to face him before she could head into the bedroom. "Kate, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you, right?"
"I know you'd make it hurt less," she assured him. "I also know that if anyone hurt you, it'd hurt me. I know that not all pain is physical. And most of all, I know that these guys aren't joking around. They're serious, and I prefer to see my friends happy, not grieving."
Adam stepped a little closer. "Yeah. But when Cyn tried to get Zara to stay home and Murder pointed out why that was a bad idea? You remember that chat?"
She nodded. "Yeah. He said because it's better to do it and not have any regrets if the worst happened, basically."
Adam felt his heart slam into his chest as he pulled in a deep breath. "I know you said you didn't want to get married again. I know we've talked about this, and I'm still not sure where you stand, Kate. I mean, I've watched Murder get his girl - and son. I saw Jason get down on a knee in front of all of us, and now he got married before us as well. But you and me? What are we doing, Kate? Is this going to be a live-in situation forever, or..." He had to swallow, because all of his professionalism was vanishing quickly. "Darlin', would you ever consider marrying me?"
Kate stilled, her eyes getting a little wider. "What are you asking me, Ice?"
He wanted to pull his hand back. He wanted to tell her not to worry about it, he was just talking in hypotheticals. The problem was that he wasn't. He could feel this clock ticking in the back of his head, counting down until F5 started and the Kings of Gaming would infiltrate them. Every fiber in his body was trying to go full dork, but Adam refused to let this moment pass him by.
"Kate, I bought a ring. I saw it when I was out with Mycah, and it's perfect for you. I've been carrying it around for months now, waiting for you to give me some hint of where you stand on this, and I'm still not sure. So this is me asking. If I got down on a knee right now, would it ruin everything good we have? Would you tell me no? Because I've thought about this, and twice I've considered popping the question with our friends around, but I'm not going to do that to you. I..." Damn it, he was rambling. "I want you to know that you can tell me no and I will still love you as much as I do right now. I get it. I get you, Kate. I also