Fic For SpiritCrow
Eliot/Parker Fiction.
It was the night after they had all finished the Ice Man Job. Eliot couldn’t believe they were calling it that; the last thing he wanted was for Hardison to get any more encouragement on his “unique” style of grifting. After a couple of cool drinks at McRory’s, Nate had gone back up to his apartment, and Hardison had said something about making sure the hoards didn’t get to his gnomes, whatever the hell that meant. It was just Eliot now, and Parker, whom he had convinced to have a beer for a change, instead of just water.
“Was it different?” Eliot asked when their newest round of drinks arrived to their place at the bar counter.
“Was what different?” Parker asked.
“Going through an entire con, being the hook, and not stabbing a single person or jumping out a single window?”
Parker stayed silent for a moment, her head tilted slightly as she mused Eliots question.
“It was. It didn’t really matter though. I’m just glad it’s all over.” She said after a moment.
“You didn’t have fun?”
Parker scoffed lightly. “Did you? You were the mute, remember?”
“I’d rather be a mute than ‘Ice Man’.” Eliot laughed. Parker just drew lines through the condensation on her beer mug. Eliot couldn’t help but notice her smugness. It seemed out of place when Parker was usually, well… at least somewhat bouncy.
“Everything alright?” He asked, genuine concern showing not just on his face, but in his voice as well.
“Yeah!” Parker said, a little too quickly, and way too cheerily than the moment called for. Eliot didn’t say a word, but raised his eyebrows in silent question. He found it strange, if he was honest. He was sitting next to the best thief he knew, the woman who could jump down countless elevator shafts and shimmy through the smallest air vents without blinking an eye. Yet this same thief, when she was faced with any form of emotion that was outside her tiny comfort zone, was sent into panic mode that was hard for her to hide.
It was a silent understanding that stopped Eliot from pressing Parker on the matter. If she wanted to talk, she would. If not, Eliot wasn’t going to be the one to force her.
After a few long, silent moments however, Parker sighed and glared at the liquor bottles behind the bar. “Alec just…got on my nerves, I guess.”
Eliot half smiled. “I know the feelin’.”
Parker nodded, and went on. “He kept taking credit for my work. It annoys me.”
“It was just for the con. I mean, granted, he oversold it like nobody’s business, but I don’t think he’d take your credit in real life.” Eliot said, shrugging.
Parker nodded again, but her eyes stayed downcast. “I know. You’re right. It just…” It was Parkers turn to shrug. “Just reminded me of a lot of things, you know?”
Again, Eliot stayed silent, not forcing Parker to go anyplace she didn’t want to go. Parker seemed to appreciate this space and lack of pressure, and continued on, slowly.
“It wouldn’t be the first time. When I was a kid, a teenager…it was either others taking credit for my work, or me taking the blame for other peoples work when I had nothing to do with it, usually the latter.” She paused and sighed. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” Parker said quietly.
Eliot’s eyes narrowed. “I think it does.” Mentally he slapped himself. As much as he was making an effort to not get all emotional with Parker, the conversation was turning in that direction anyways. He found it more than just a little ironic that the two most emotionally distant people in the team were sitting there having this discussion. It was like he had said to Nate. Being a good guy got under your skin after a while.
“I said it doesn’t, alright?” Parker almost shouted, spinning away from the bar and getting up to leave. Though he was surprised by her outburst, Eliot could have sworn he saw Parkers eyes shine more than usual before she stormed out of the bar.
“Parker, wait!” he growled quietly, following her out the door. He managed to catch her just as she began climbing up a fire escape. “Parker, wait.” He said again, grabbing her arm and pulling her gently back down towards him. He ran his hand through her soft hair, tucking it behind her ear.
“The past is the past, Parker,” He said. “You know that, right?”
Parker nodded. “Yeah,” She sighed. “I guess…I guess it just brought it all back today. I wasn’t prepared for it.”
Against his better judgment, Eliot leaned in slightly. “Don’t stab me, Parker,” he whispered before he closed the gap between them and gently kissed Parkers lips. He felt her tense for a moment, and he didn’t blame her. Even Eliot himself wasn’t sure why he was kissing Parker. He did know, however, that today was a day where she hurt like he hurt. Not necessarily the same situations causing pain, but the feelings of aloneness were there. They had made a connection somehow, and Eliot would be damned if he let Parker go home alone and still be upset. When there are two people alone, why not be alone together?
Breaking the slow, soft kiss, Eliot looked in Parkers eyes. “Let’s go inside.”
Though Parker had relaxed a little during the kiss, Eliot could see her tense up again, ever so slightly. “Am I going to have to get a fork?”
Eliot laughed. “No, no. Just to…talk, some more. If you want.”
Parker stayed silent for a moment; Eliot could see the wheels turning in her mind, predicting the different ways the scene could play out. Finally she smiled a little and nodded.
“Alright.”
Eliot gently put his arm around Parkers shoulders as they walked back to his house. He wondered if it wasn’t because they were the two most loners in the group that they were getting so much closer now. Either way, he knew that tonight, neither of them would feel alone at all.
It was the night after they had all finished the Ice Man Job. Eliot couldn’t believe they were calling it that; the last thing he wanted was for Hardison to get any more encouragement on his “unique” style of grifting. After a couple of cool drinks at McRory’s, Nate had gone back up to his apartment, and Hardison had said something about making sure the hoards didn’t get to his gnomes, whatever the hell that meant. It was just Eliot now, and Parker, whom he had convinced to have a beer for a change, instead of just water.
“Was it different?” Eliot asked when their newest round of drinks arrived to their place at the bar counter.
“Was what different?” Parker asked.
“Going through an entire con, being the hook, and not stabbing a single person or jumping out a single window?”
Parker stayed silent for a moment, her head tilted slightly as she mused Eliots question.
“It was. It didn’t really matter though. I’m just glad it’s all over.” She said after a moment.
“You didn’t have fun?”
Parker scoffed lightly. “Did you? You were the mute, remember?”
“I’d rather be a mute than ‘Ice Man’.” Eliot laughed. Parker just drew lines through the condensation on her beer mug. Eliot couldn’t help but notice her smugness. It seemed out of place when Parker was usually, well… at least somewhat bouncy.
“Everything alright?” He asked, genuine concern showing not just on his face, but in his voice as well.
“Yeah!” Parker said, a little too quickly, and way too cheerily than the moment called for. Eliot didn’t say a word, but raised his eyebrows in silent question. He found it strange, if he was honest. He was sitting next to the best thief he knew, the woman who could jump down countless elevator shafts and shimmy through the smallest air vents without blinking an eye. Yet this same thief, when she was faced with any form of emotion that was outside her tiny comfort zone, was sent into panic mode that was hard for her to hide.
It was a silent understanding that stopped Eliot from pressing Parker on the matter. If she wanted to talk, she would. If not, Eliot wasn’t going to be the one to force her.
After a few long, silent moments however, Parker sighed and glared at the liquor bottles behind the bar. “Alec just…got on my nerves, I guess.”
Eliot half smiled. “I know the feelin’.”
Parker nodded, and went on. “He kept taking credit for my work. It annoys me.”
“It was just for the con. I mean, granted, he oversold it like nobody’s business, but I don’t think he’d take your credit in real life.” Eliot said, shrugging.
Parker nodded again, but her eyes stayed downcast. “I know. You’re right. It just…” It was Parkers turn to shrug. “Just reminded me of a lot of things, you know?”
Again, Eliot stayed silent, not forcing Parker to go anyplace she didn’t want to go. Parker seemed to appreciate this space and lack of pressure, and continued on, slowly.
“It wouldn’t be the first time. When I was a kid, a teenager…it was either others taking credit for my work, or me taking the blame for other peoples work when I had nothing to do with it, usually the latter.” She paused and sighed. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” Parker said quietly.
Eliot’s eyes narrowed. “I think it does.” Mentally he slapped himself. As much as he was making an effort to not get all emotional with Parker, the conversation was turning in that direction anyways. He found it more than just a little ironic that the two most emotionally distant people in the team were sitting there having this discussion. It was like he had said to Nate. Being a good guy got under your skin after a while.
“I said it doesn’t, alright?” Parker almost shouted, spinning away from the bar and getting up to leave. Though he was surprised by her outburst, Eliot could have sworn he saw Parkers eyes shine more than usual before she stormed out of the bar.
“Parker, wait!” he growled quietly, following her out the door. He managed to catch her just as she began climbing up a fire escape. “Parker, wait.” He said again, grabbing her arm and pulling her gently back down towards him. He ran his hand through her soft hair, tucking it behind her ear.
“The past is the past, Parker,” He said. “You know that, right?”
Parker nodded. “Yeah,” She sighed. “I guess…I guess it just brought it all back today. I wasn’t prepared for it.”
Against his better judgment, Eliot leaned in slightly. “Don’t stab me, Parker,” he whispered before he closed the gap between them and gently kissed Parkers lips. He felt her tense for a moment, and he didn’t blame her. Even Eliot himself wasn’t sure why he was kissing Parker. He did know, however, that today was a day where she hurt like he hurt. Not necessarily the same situations causing pain, but the feelings of aloneness were there. They had made a connection somehow, and Eliot would be damned if he let Parker go home alone and still be upset. When there are two people alone, why not be alone together?
Breaking the slow, soft kiss, Eliot looked in Parkers eyes. “Let’s go inside.”
Though Parker had relaxed a little during the kiss, Eliot could see her tense up again, ever so slightly. “Am I going to have to get a fork?”
Eliot laughed. “No, no. Just to…talk, some more. If you want.”
Parker stayed silent for a moment; Eliot could see the wheels turning in her mind, predicting the different ways the scene could play out. Finally she smiled a little and nodded.
“Alright.”
Eliot gently put his arm around Parkers shoulders as they walked back to his house. He wondered if it wasn’t because they were the two most loners in the group that they were getting so much closer now. Either way, he knew that tonight, neither of them would feel alone at all.