The soft glow of the TV bathed the room in muted colors, the sound of some documentary filling the quiet space. Cate was curled up beside you on the couch, her head resting lightly against your shoulder. One of her hands absently played with the fabric of your sleeve, her touch soothing and familiar.

It had been one of those perfect, lazy evenings—no schedules, no distractions, just the comfort of being with her. You’d almost started to doze off when her voice, calm but deliberate, broke the silence.

“Have you ever thought about it?” she asked.

You blinked, slightly caught off guard. “Thought about what?”

She shifted slightly to look up at you, her expression unreadable, though her gaze carried that characteristic sharpness. “The future. Us. Where we’re headed.”

Your heart skipped a beat. She paused, letting the weight of her words settle before adding, “Have you ever thought about… getting married?”

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, the hum of the TV was the only sound. You turned to meet her gaze, seeing something softer in her eyes now—something vulnerable. It wasn’t like her to bring up topics like this out of the blue, and it left you both surprised and unsure how to respond.