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Mack was known to give a good inspirational speech or two. When it came to talking to a crowd, he could be eloquent, thoughtful, charming, and, yes, inspirational if that was what was needed. It was part of the reason his boss kept making him lead the team meetings, which he didn’t mind too much because it meant planning out the presentations with Hunter and Fitz. In spite of the chaos, they somehow always managed to make pretty decent presentations.
Where Mack’s ability in eloquence failed, however, was in one particular kind of situation. Well, person. Elena.
He met Elena at an art museum. He had been there because of the new exhibit that was opening on the art of invention, something both he and Fitz had been dying to see and something Hunter didn’t really mind going to. Fitz had brought along his wife, Jemma, and Hunter had taken his girlfriend Bobbi. Mack, suddenly feeling like the tag along to a double date he didn’t get the memo for, had been wandering somewhat behind the group, looking carefully at each piece. He wasn’t too put out about hanging out with his friend’s significant others. In fact, there were many occasions where he preferred Bobbi and Jemma to Hunter and Fitz. However, it did mean that he sort of went quiet during the visit. That is until he met her.
She was looking at one of the Kahlo pieces, her rich brown eyes roaming over the painting as if it were a window into another world. She had a badge on her hip, connected to one of those clips that allowed you to stretch it away to scan at doors and things. It had MoMA printed across it and her photo ID.
When she heard his footsteps behind her, she looked his way. She was in no way startled by his arrival, but instead calmly moved aside so he could see the work.
“Thank you,” he said, coming to stand in front of the velvet rope that separated patrons from the painting.
“Of course. It’s the kind of piece that deserves a close up view. There’s meaning in every brush stroke.”
Somehow, that brief introduction had turned into an entire conversation and before Mack knew it he was sitting next to her on one of the benches discussing art and everything else. His friends had had to track him down to tell him it was time to go, though they looked reluctant to pull him away.
He had gotten Elena’s number, but somehow asking her to dinner became the hardest thing in the world. He continually got tongue tied, couldn’t find the words to do his excitement justice, and thought about running his head into a wall every time he fumbled. However, Elena was quick on the draw, and accepted his date proposal with a beaming grin that rivaled the sun in its warmth.
After two months of dating, Mack was trying to find a way to express just how much he liked her. They were going to dinner for her birthday and Mack wanted to give her something special, say something special.
“Could you scroll any slower?” Hunter said, looking over Mack’s shoulder as he browsed through gift ideas.
“This coming from the guy that types like he’s never touched a keyboard.”
Hunter opened his mouth to respond, but Fitz cut him off before he could.
“Hey Mack,” the Scotsman said, “you’re worried that you’re going to embarrass yourself and bollocks up telling her how you feel right?”
“Yes, Turbo. Thanks for that.”
Fitz ignored the sarcasm and continued. “Well, what if you just wrote her a letter.”
Relief suddenly flooded Mack’s nervous system as the lightbulb in his brain went off.
“That’s a great idea, Fitz,” he said. He shut his laptop and stood up to put on his coat.
“What are you doing?” Hunter said.
“Well, I can’t just write it on printer paper,” Mack replied.
Hunter shrugged. “You could, though.”
Mack drew his brows together and Fitz grimaced.
“King of romance, you are,” Fitz quipped.
Mack left right as Hunter started talking about having style.
Elena had wanted a night in for her birthday, the two of them just together on the couch watching a movie and laughing. When the night wound down and she was curled into his side, that was when Mack gave her the envelope.
“What is this?” she asked, reluctantly lifting her head from his chest to take the cream colored parchment.
“I had a lot of things I wanted to say, but I was--”
“Going at turtle speed?” she grinned
“Yeah,” he laughed, “so I thought I’d write them down.”
Elena’s eyes went warm the way they did when she looked at him and her characteristic smile bloomed on her face. She kissed him on the corner of his mouth before looking down to the envelope in her hands.
Mack watched as her eyes flitted over his hand written words and he was shocked to find the look familiar. It was the same look she had had that first time he had seen her, looking into Kahlo’s window.
When she glanced back up at him, the smile was different. It was no longer coated in a laugh, but this time held all the words she wanted to say without even opening her mouth.
“Mack,” she whispered.
“I mean it all,” he said, trying hard not to blush.
She wouldn’t let him go shy. Instead, she grabbed his chin and pulled him down to kiss her, pausing only to say, “I love you too.”