Chapter 5

A Few Small Repairs

"I might need you to hold me tonight.

I might need you to say it's alright.

I might need you to make the first step

because tonight I'm finding it hard to be your man"

Savage Garden, Hold Me

"You're not wearing a tie." She smiled.

"Yeah, I though it was time I loosened up." He replied. "Do you want to have dinner with me tonight? I'll make you your favourite." A knowing smile passed Stella's lips.

Her Mac was back.

"I'd like that." She said quietly.

"I would too." He smiled gently.

"You have to go easy on me tonight, Stel." He said from the kitchen.

"I know. " She said and hung over the counter.

"Taste." He said and held a wooden spoon in front of her face.

"It's good." She smiled. "But then again it always was."

"I've missed doing this."

"Me too." Stella walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed the side of her head gently.

"I know I haven't said this in a while but I love you." He whispered into her ear.

"And you're telling me to go slow?" She laughed. "I love you too."

She stepped back and shot a glace at the stove with her eyebrow raised.

"Oh right!" He said when he caught her gaze and returned to cooking.

"Perfect as usual." She said as she put her bowl on the coffee table in front of them. She had always marvelled at how, when she was him, dinner on the couch in front of the TV with a candle on the coffee table seemed like heaven.

It was just Spaghetti Bolognese and Meatballs and they were just in their work clothes at his apartment and they were still just Stella and Mac but it was still perfect and more importantly: they were still perfect.

"Well you know what they say, food replicates the person it's made for." He said and took their bowls to the kitchen.

"I've never heard that before." She smiled as he lay on the couch next to her. Stella lay on Mac's chest and he began to play with her hair.

"I'm not sure I'm any good at this anymore." He whispered.

"You don't have to be." She kissed his hand softly and closed her eyes.

"Stel?" She nodded and waited for him to continue without opening her eyes. "The only time I sleep well is when I'm near you."

"Well then I hope you start sleeping consistently well from now on." She said sleepily.

"I do too." He kissed her neck.

"I love you." He said softly and ran his hand down her side as he had done so many times before.

"I love you too." She murmured before she fell into a deep sleep.

He was desperately uncomfortable, the couch wasn't long enough for him to sleep straight, but he couldn't bare the thought of moving and ultimately waking her. Despite his neck already beginning to hurt he slept better than he had in years.