Blazing lights [Mac]

"you can always rent a room in your apartment" I laugh "than you will find out how nice it is to have a bigger place" I smile and sit down by the table

"Uh... not much the sharing with strangers kinda man." I say with a nervous chuckle.

"would you let me stay there?" I dare to ask with a big grin, forgetting he's my boss and it's totally out of line to ask that

I look up at her in surprise. Did she just ask me that or was I dreaming?
"Well, you're no stranger, so... I guess you'd be allowed to stay there." I say and smile warmly.

"thats nice of you" I smile and I'm glad he's taking it so well

I give her a smile. Mac Taylor and sweet... well if she says so

"I hope you like the meal" I say to change the topic

"Well, it smells delicious already." I tell her. "I'm sure I'll love it."

"I would say: Take a bite Mr. Taylor" I smile and grab my fork

I smile but follow her example and take a bite of my meal and am already enjoying. It's just as delicious as it smells.
"You're a great cook, Ms. Bonasera." I say after a while.

"I'm glad you like it" I smile and take a bit of the meal as well, if you just use the right ingredients it can't go wrong

I smile and continue my meal, not knowing what else to say.

I look up at the candle in front of me and back to my plate and smile

After some time I look at Stella and smile. So far it's been a nice evening and I was hoping it'll stay that way.
"Thanks for inviting me over, Stella." I say, remembering that I forgot to say that when I came... bad Mac...

"It's my pleasure" I say with a smile and finish my meal

I stay quiet till we're finished with our meal and then just watch you for a while before I abscently stare into the light of one of the candles. Claire loved them, too. For me they always held some kind of comfort and warmth I couldn't explain, but they looked so peacefully, even though fire was something that could get dangerous. It was always that two-faced reality about candles and fire that got me lost in thoughts.

I see Mac watching the candle, it somehow made me smile and I take another sip from my wine, I really am glad he came, somehow strange, he's my boss but also my first friend here in New York. of course I was talking to Danny, Aiden and Don but somehow it was different with Mac

Somehow it went quiet between me and Stella and I hadn't even noticed that I had been lost in thoughts until I snapped out of them again. Though I enjoyed the silence as it was quite comfortable I also felt a little strange sitting here with Stella, having dinner and then talking a little, but not talking was the thing that made me feel strange.
I mean she was my second in command and somehow came to be considered a close friend. My team was my family for some years now and still she was special to me. I find myself wondering why.

The silence between us wasn't disturbing, I was actually enjoying it, neither of us forced to talk, I actually like that feeling, just a relaxed and normal feeling, quite strange because I never felt like that before, someone once told me that that is a family feeling, to just feel comfortable. I never really experienced that. Growing up in a foster home isn't really the place to feel loved. some got lucky and had great foster parents but me? no. I was studying hard and working in the household probably more than the mom. somehow I was happy about it because the time passed really quickly. I felt quiet good when I was allowed to move out.

I finally am able to remove my eyes from the candle and then look at Stella, offering her a loving smile.
That smile I rarely show people and only a few ever were allowed to see it, but actually it felt good to finally be able to show it again, as I always liked that smile and those moments.

I give him a warm smile and wonder what to say now. "you want some fruit?" I smile. I noticed when I was in Greece that they eat quiet a lot of fruit even as dessert.

"I won't say no to some vitamines." I say and smirk.

"Ok hold on!" I say and get up, then walk to the kitchen. I was already hoping he would say that, I think to myself and open the fridge and grab a plate with all kinds of fruit on it. "Perfect" I say to myself and walk back to the dinner table. I put the plate down and frown.. something is missing. "Oh be right back, forgot to grab a clean fork for us" I tell him and walk back into the kitchen

I nod and smile.
I was fine where I was right now.

I hurry back to the kitchen with a big smile. Dancing around the kitchen to find the righ fork for our fruit. I've always enjoyed cooking for friend, this somehow felt too normal like it was meant to be to cook for Mac. I quickly stop dancing in the kitchen caused by my last thoughts. I really have to stop with those thoughts, besides he's my boss.

I walk back into the living room, to the dinner table with the two forks "here you go" I say as I hand him one