Everything was fine until you showed up
"Everything was fine, until you showed up," Daisy complains humorously, flapping her hand at the steam that's in her face.
Coulson gives her an apologetic look. "I can go away again," he offers, though he'd far rather stay.
She shakes her head adamantly. "Nope. I have to learn how to do this."
He wants to tell that she doesn't have to learn – that he's always been quite happy to cook for them both because he loves cooking, and as Daisy's observed in the past, he's a lot more domestic than she is. But she's determined to learn, and he's never been one to stand in her way, no matter how difficult or dangerous something is.
He steps up behind her and slips his arms under hers, wrapping them around her torso and squeezing gently. "Can I help?" he asks.
"I'll let you know," she answers, pressing her back against his chest – her way of hugging him back since her hands are currently occupied with stirring both the pasta and the sauce she's making.
"Did you pick out some wine?" he asks against her ear, then nuzzles the side of her neck.
She snorts softly. "Phil, I think you've mistaken me for someone who knows anything about wine, besides the fact that some of it's red and some's white."
He chuckles. "I'll find something suitable, then, shall I?"
"Mmhmm."
Despite her concerns, she seems to be doing quite well with this dinner: she'd opted to do baked salmon with steamed vegetables and pasta, and he knows she spent several hours both looking up recipes online and watching YouTube videos.
He nips at her earlobe, then pulls away, reluctantly he'll admit, to go and choose some wine. As he wanders across the kitchen to the wine rack he thinks again about how happy he is that he and Daisy get to 'do domestic' in their own place, a short drive away from the Playground – an executive decision of Director Johnson's that he was thrilled to learn about when she informed him that she wanted them to have their own place rather than living on base now that she's Director and they're finally together as a couple after years of 'ridiculous' (according to Elena) mutual pining.
He finds the wine he's looking for and opens it to allow it to breathe, then begins setting the table, first laying a tablecloth over it – it's not really necessary, but this is Daisy's first attempt at cooking dinner so he wants things to be nice.
He's just added the wineglasses when Daisy calls him over for a taste test on the pasta sauce.
"I think it's ready, but I'd like a second opinion," she tells him.
He smiles as she lifts the spoon towards his mouth, and he cups his hand under hers as she guides it forward. "Tastes perfect," he reassures her after a small sample.
"Good." Her smile is tired but satisfied, and he leans in and kisses her briefly before she turns away to turn off the burners.
She serves up dinner with a pleased air, and he feels considerable anticipation in eating this meal.
"A toast," he tells her once their food is served, and raises his wine glass.
She shakes her head, smiling softly, then raises her glass towards his. He gently clinks his glass against hers. "To the chef."
"Thanks," she says, then takes a sip of her wine. "And a toast to the birthday boy."
He smirks, clinks glasses, and takes a second swallow of wine.
"Dig in." She picks up her fork and gestures at his meal.
"One sec," he says, and pulls out his cellphone to take a photo.
"Phil," she says in a disbelieving tone.
"Daisy," he says, smirking, and she shakes her head again, then begins to eat, and he sets his phone on the table beside him, then 'digs in' with great expectation.
Dinner is delicious, and he doesn't hesitate to tell her so, and although she makes self-deprecating comments, he can tell she's really pleased with how it's turned out. Dessert is a Death By Chocolate cake – and she apologises that it's not home-made, which he assures her doesn't matter.
Afterwards they load up the dishwasher, then move into the sitting room and settle together on the couch with the remains of the wine: Daisy's organised a Star Wars movie marathon of the original three, then the two that feature 'the new trio' of Finn, Rey, and Poe, and he's not going to lie, he's delighted at the prospect.
She's already set up the BluRay player with the first three movies, and she now drags a blanket off the back of the couch and insists on wrapping it around them both while they watch, although it's not actually cold. He wraps his left arm around her, tugging her in close, and she settles herself against his shoulder, then he lifts her left hand and kisses her fingers.
"This is the best birthday I've ever had," he tells her. "Thank you."
She grins. "Happy Birthday, Phil." She grabs the remote and starts the first movie playing, and he thinks he might be the luckiest man alive.