Chakotay unconsciously reached up and tugged.

The silence in the room was broken by B'Elanna. "If you pull on that ear one more time, it's going to fall off," she said snidely.

His hand dropped away immediately. He considered her for a minute, then leaned forward to retrieve his coffee. Taking the spoon in his other hand, he began to stir.

"Why don't you just ask me?"

Chakotay looked up sharply. "What?"

"You've wanted to ask me all day," she said, her face still buried in her Klingon romance novel.

"Ask what?" he returned, feigning innocence.

"We've only been talking about it off and on now for three months. You practically live in my quarters."

He looked down into the cup again. Stirred.

"Yes."

His head shot up. "What?"

"Yes."

"I haven't even asked yet," he pointed out.

"And at this rate, you never will."

He put the cup down and slid forward on the couch. "Will you-"

The book flopped down on her lap momentarily. "Yes!" With blinding speed, it covered her face again.

Chakotay started to laugh. "You're not going to give me the chance?"

From behind the pages came a emphatic...

"No!"