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Pacing back and forth in her room wearing down the wood with each step. Nervously biting her nails deep in thought.
”Is this actually happening right now. This can't be happening. I'm not going” she stopped dead in her tracks.
”Don't be stupid Riley… This is all you've ever wanted.” she continued to pace.
”Don't mess this up being a nervous wreck.”
”Ok! but. We've skipped steps we already live together!! we work together!! So many things can go wrong” She said, arguing with herself slightly too loudly. She stopped in front of her mirror.
”It's a Mac! You've known... from the moment you met him there was something special about him. You know there's no one else who makes your heart flutter with a simple smile no one else who's heart outweighs the burdens he carries, no one else who could love you in the same way you love them.” she took in a big breath
”ok let's do this bro!” she fist-bumped the mirror and headed out of her room. Only to find Mac standing in the kitchen earshot from her room. She took him in dressed in black slacks and a blue button-up hair slicked back and to the side. Her favorite. Blue shirts always made his eye glow an icy blue that sends shivers through her body.
“Hey!” She let out in a low sultry voice.
He finally looked up. Nearly lost his balance. “Wow... Riley” cleared his throat as his eyes trailed up her body. Legs out, hemline meeting her knees into a split, the black fabric laid so gently on her figure. Finally, his eyes laid on his favorite sight. Her smile. In every dark hole, he found his way into, it was that smile that always brought him out.
Back in control of his body, he sputtered “you look so... Beautiful” he smiled.
Riley’s smile grew even bigger.
“You don’t look so bad there yourself... Angus” she laughed.
They stood there basking in the sight of each other in silence. Neither of them knew how to break this silence and nor did they want to.
”Ok Riles” MacGyver broke the silence. “I would love for us to go out to a nice restaurant and everything but with all that has happened I want to be a little selfish tonight.”
Riley, confused with anticipation, kept quiet to let him continue.
“I want you all to myself!” he reached out for her and led her to the living room. While Riley was walking a hole into her floor getting ready, Mac had set up lights leading to the deck.
A candlelit table set up next to the fire pit. Filled her sight. The view of downtown Los Angeles was always beautiful but tonight it was spectacular.
“Wow, Mac. This is gorgeous. You didn’t have to do this…”
Still leading her to the table. He cut her off mid-sentence. “No, you’re wrong. I did have to do this. You see, I need you to understand how special you are to me.” He proceeded to pull out her chair to allow her to sit. Then made his way to the other side of the table. “I need you to know that it’s been a long road for us and I’m finally in a place to accept the fact that I am in love with you and always have been”
“Mac… I..” she blushed.
“It’s ok you don’t have to say anything let’s enjoy our meal”
He headed to the kitchen to grab the burger patties he begged Bozer to make for them. They were Riley’s favorite. They still needed a couple of minutes to broil so he decided to start in on the second half of the date. He set up a projector and LED candles quickly then headed back to the broiler. No burnt patties on his watch. He quickly dressed the burgers and headed back out to the deck.
“Ah, took you awhile I thought you left me” she chuckled.
“I could never, I would never. I was just setting up part two of our date” he grinned.
As they sat, ate, and reminisced over the past few years. Talking about the people they saved and the places they’ve been. How many bombs Macs defused. How many times Riley stayed when everyone else left for safety. In this little space in time, they both realized this was the happiest they had been in a long time. It was warm, safe...comfortable. Perfect.
Hours had gone by unbeknownst to both of them. Until Mac finally looked at his watch.
“Oh wow, riles, ok. it’s kinda late... we can continue on to the next part of the date unless you’re tired?!?”
“We can continue Mac.. we’re literally at home and I’m having the best night of my life. I really don’t want it to end” she smiled.
“Well okay then, follow me” he reached out for her hand and led her back into the living room.
To her surprise, he set up a projector and candles.
“Hold on riles there’s more… take a seat right one that blue pillow and I’ll be right back” he took off in a light jog back into the kitchen. Riley did as instructed and sat on the blue pillow. She turned her head and Mac was standing there with a platter full of healthy and not so healthy snacks.
“So we have your favorite chocolate bars, popcorn, chocolate-covered peanuts, some skittles, and some red vines and if none of that satisfies you there are melons strawberries pineapples and grapes” he smiled satisfied with himself.
“My favorites, you really do know me” she cackled and placed her hands over her heart.
A giddy grin crept upon Macs’ face. He walked over and placed the platter in between them with enough room for them to snuggle up.
“Ah, I almost forgot!” He stood and walked over to the peculiar string hanging out of place. He pulled it and sheets fell from the ceiling. Making the projector area into a fort. The lights Riley saw earlier draped within, letting off a hue of pink and blue.
“ Wow, this is gorgeous, Mac... I know I always say this but, you never cease to amaze me.”
Riley did say that often but this time it hit him differently. It was like she said it for the first time.
“I’m glad you like it, hopefully, you like the movie I picked.”
“If it’s anything like the other things you’ve picked out for me I’m sure I will.”
MacGyver pressed play on the DVD player and took his seat next to his favorite person in the world. As the opening Warner Brother credits began to show Riley got extremely hype. Just from the dark hues of the WB crest, she knew it was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
“How did you know this was my favorite Harry Potter movie?”
“You talk about it a lot …” he exaggerated.
Riley looked at him confused… Did she talk about it a lot? Did she not notice? Mac saw her inner turmoil all across her face.
“Riles, I’m just kidding. I asked Bozer just to make sure. An educated guess just wouldn’t cut it today.”
“Whew,” she sighed. “for a minute there I thought I was turning into you.” she playfully pushed his shoulder.
“Ha. Ha. let's just watch the movie.”
Laughing to herself “yes let’s get this show on the road.”
Somewhere in between Harry’s name getting pulled out of the goblet and the first challenge fighting dragons, Riley compared Mac, Bozer, and herself as the characters.
“You're totally Harry the chosen one, always rises up to the occasion. Bozer is Ron always comes in clutch and always has your/ Harry’s back and I’m Hermione smarter and braver than you both” she giggled.
“I think you’re completely right! Except for this time Harry got the girl” he winked.
“As It Should’ve BEEN!”
Mac stared at her adoringly while trying to find a way to avoid this touchy subject.
“Watch the movie, you nerd!” he threw some popcorn at her.
“Heyyy” another punch in the shoulder, this time with a little sting.
“Ouchhh”
“Sorry not sorry” she laughed. “Just kidding,” she teased.
As an actual sorry, Riley decided to snuggle up to him. He wrapped his arm around her while her head rested on his chest. The Yule ball scene had started.
Hermione was making her entrance in that perfect slow motion shot.
“You know that’s how I see you, Riley”
“Hmm,” she said sleepily
Mac continued deep in thought.
“You see when you walk into a room my heart forgets to do its job.” Riley awake now, listening to her mans‘ confession. “ and I never feel so weighed down when you’re around” aware of Riley’s new alertness he kept going ”and I know I don’t have to carry any...heavy burdens because you’re always there to share the load.”
Her head lifted off his chest and their eyes locked.
He let out one of his famous smirks “is your heart fluttering?!?!” he said teasingly.
Riley, confused, took a beat and realized he heard everything she said to herself in the mirror. He began laughing.
“You heard all of that” she punched him in the arm again “ you ass hole” they both let out a hardy laugh.
“What you were falling asleep on me and this movie I so perfectly picked out for you,” he said laced with sarcasm.
“I didn’t mean to, I just got so comfortable,” she shrugged.
Mac proceeded to move the hair away from her face and cupped it with his hands looking deep into her eyes and said.
“I know I was joking but I’m glad we’re in a place to love each other the way we deserve. And all the potential problems that may or may not happen we will face them together because I’m never letting you go. I’ve told you once before that you’ll always have me and I meant it then and I mean it now.”
All Riley could do is lean in and kiss him. Those simple words put her at ease. Every negative thought she had earlier that day dissipated. It was clear he loved her as much as she loved him.