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I.
Hardison wouldn’t lie and say they did this often. Well, they did on jobs, but that was different. That was a job, this… this was just because. They were just watching reruns, Parker above them in the rafters of Eliot’s apartments, studying the design of a building she’s found. It was 1 am, and despite Eliot’s claim of only sleeping for 90 minutes, he felt tired. The beer warm in his stomach probably wasn’t helping, and the energy had dwindled as the game was coming to a close.
“Stay the night,” Eliot said, looking at Hardison and then up at Parker, who’d turned to watch the boys. ”It’s too late to go home now.” There was something behind the words, something Hardison could sense but he couldn’t exactly tell, he couldn’t pinpoint. But, he knew it was there.
“Okay. Thanks man,” Hardison smiled, looking up at Parker, who was already smiling at them.
II.
It was bad, the three of them knew it was bad. Eliot’s been beaten to a pulp before, as he says, it’s his job. But this…this wasn’t okay. This wasn’t safe. Eliot could barely move any of his limbs by the time they were finished with the job. There was a reason Hardison had been working out, building his strength. This was the reason.
He helped Eliot walk into his apartment, taking on most of the hitter’s weight, Parker in front of them clearing space on the couch so Hardison could ease Eliot down. With a clenched jaw, Eliot exhaled through his nose.
“Can you tell if anything’s broken?” Hardison asked.
“Nothing’s broken,” Eliot huffed, painfully. “Sprained, definitely, but I got lucky.”
”Okay, well you’re bleeding pretty bad on this arm, we’re gonna have to stitch you,” Hardison whispered, as Parker already had Eliot’s medicine kit.
“Just do it,” Eliot gritted, and Hardison moved so Parker could get to work. Eliot taught Parker; she could handle the blood and stitching process like Hardison couldn’t. Hardison sat on his other side, taking Eliot’s hand slowly.
Eliot’s jaw was still clenched, he was sweating even more by the time Parker was finished. “Do you want us to stay?” Hardison whispered.
Eliot just glanced at him. “Sure,” he whispered, his teeth gritted. Again, Hardison sensed something behind his words, something more than agreement. Like he was silently asking, pleading for them not to leave him.
“Let's get you cleaned up,” Parker whispered.
III.
Eliot sighed, watching Parker and Hardison from afar, like always. He took a sip of his beer, politely turning down the women that approached him, unable to leave or take his eyes off them just yet. Soon, soon he’d be satisfied with his… creepy watching and go home with someone, but soon wasn’t now. Or ever, since Hardison caught his eye, and then led Parker to him.
“What’s up man,” Hardison laughed, buzzing with whiskey. ”Shocked you’re still here!”
”I didn’t want to leave you,” Eliot mumbled under his breath before he realized.
“What?” Hardison asked, the music in the bar having overpowered Eliot’s typical low and brooding voice.
“I don’t feel like leaving yet!” Eliot said louder, and Hardison nodded. He eyed Eliot for a moment, which made the hitter want to squirm in his seat.
Parker, on the other hand, sat her happy ass right in Eliot’s lap. “Good! Because we don’t want you to leave!” She said, loud over the music that Eliot didn’t really see the taste in. Eliot hummed, holding Parker steady with a hand in the middle of her back.
IV.
Eliot was trapped, and Hardison was scared. His com was broken, they lost him. Nate was trying his hardest to get him back, Sophie silently panicking as she tried manipulating the mark. They knew Eliot could handle himself, but it still scared the shit outta them when the hitter disappeared. Parker was recalling each room that could possibly be in the building, and which ones could be hiding their hitter.
Then Hardison’s phone rang.
“Hello,” he said into the phone when he realized it wasn’t a programmed number, but only 5 people had access to his panic phone.
“Hardison,” Eliot whispered.
“Hey man, where are you?” Hardison whispered.
“Basement,” Eliot gasped. “They got me, man. I wasn’t fast enough.”
”They shot you?” Hardison whispered.
“Yeah, my hip,” he breathed. “I was able to lift their cell phone before they left me for dead.”
”We’re coming for you, Eliot. I just pinged the phone and now I’m able to get Nate right to you,” Hardison whispered.
“Nate can’t lift me,” Eliot whispered. “Neither can Parker, or Sophie.” There it was again, that voice. That hidden meaning. Hardison was starting to understand what it was. It was Eliot’s need. Eliot needed him.
“I’m on my way,” Hardison promised. “ Just keep the phone connected, stay on the line. Nate, con’s off. Eliot is on the verge of death and I gotta go get him. This isn’t up for debate.”
“Okay, everyone get back to the van. Hardison you get Eliot,” Nate said.
Hardison was already making his way through the building.
V.
Hardison was pissed. Eliot had gone the stupid route and decided he could take on every single guard in that facility, almost gotten everyone killed, and got a concussion in the process. Hardison was pissed at him and made sure Eliot knew. And while Eliot would usually argue, he sat there quietly and let Hardison rant, basically verbally ripping his head off for being so careless about the team.
”Sometimes I wonder if you even get two rat asses about this team! Nobody else would’ve done that! We work together because we are a team!” Hardison exploded, and Eliot refused to look him in the eye, instead he stared at the graphic-t shirt Hardison had on.
Hardison exhaled, “Look, I know you think you’re invincible. But you’re not. You can die, you almost did two months ago. I had to drag your ass outta that basement. You’re gonna make me do that again? This time with a real dead body?”
Eliot shook his head, he still refused to say anything. Hardison huffed, glancing over at Parker, who looked just as pissed but couldn’t express it with words. They made eye contact, and Parker stood from where she’d perched herself. “I need a walk,” Hardison whispered, and Parker went with him.
When they returned, Eliot wasn’t where they left him, however, there were two plates of steaming food waiting for them on the counter. Freshly made soup for Parker, and a steak and mashed potatoes for Hardison. Hardison felt something in his stomach twist at the lack of a third plate. He walked down the hallway to the guest room where Eliot had been staying to recover, and he found the hitter, rolled over away from the door, under the covers. There was a bowl next to the bed, and it didn’t take a genius to know that Eliot opted for left overs while he made them their favorites.
Hardison didn’t want to believe what his heart was telling him. How this was a plea for them not to leave based on his poor judgment. He’d give them everything, a fresh meal even after being bitched out, and take the little for himself if it meant they’d stay despite his flaws.
Hardison grabbed the bowl and walked back out to the kitchen.
VI.
”We did it,” Parker smiled, perching herself on the hood of Lucile while the boys stood on either side of her. Watching Nate and Sophie reunite a family. It was dark, it was late, the stars were shining in the sky of the farmland that they returned the boy to.
“We always do,” Hardison said, looking over at Parker, who smiled.
Eliot watched them for a while, before nodding and looking up at the sky.
“Much of a stargazer?” Hardison teased.
“I like the stars,” Eliot whispered. “Reminds me that there’s beauty in this universe beyond what I can see here on earth, with my own two eyes.” He looked at them as he said it, a small smile on his face.
Hardison smiled, and Parker wrapped her arms around them both as Nate and Sophie approached them.
“Ready to go?” Nate asked, and they all nodded, breaking apart to get inside Lucile.
VII.
”Why didn’t you trust me, man? You know I’d never let anything happen to you! Nothin’! Never!” Eliot shouted as Parker whipped through lanes and Hardison had a mini panic attack in the passenger seat.
“I just panicked!” Hardison explained. “Parker please-“
”Jesus, you gotta remember through the panic that I’ve got you!” Eliot huffed, letting his back hit the seat. “I can’t afford to not have your back, alright! You just gotta trust me!”
“I do! I do! I will!” Hardison promised as Parker finally pulled over, letting Hardison breath.
Eliot took a deep breath, carefully placing a hand on Hardison’s shoulder. “We got each other, right?” He whispered. Hardison nodded, glancing back at Eliot. “Good. Now let’s go get this sonofabitch.”
VIII.
Eliot didn’t cry. He didn’t admit to it at least. Sitting alone in his room, staring at the wall across his bed. Tears welled up in his eyes, he couldn’t control it. He wasn’t sure if he had the ability, the strength, to try. Sometimes the tears came up behind him and started strangling him. He felt it in his throat, the bubble lodged in his airway, making it hard to breathe. Tears spilled over the edge, cascading down his cheeks.
It sucked, he hated crying. It took power away from him. It made him weaker, physically and mentally. And he hated it more when people were around him, so when Parker climbed in through his window, he glared through wet eyes. She wasn’t phased, instead she sat down next to Eliot.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” She asked, but it didn’t sound like the words she wanted to say.
“No,” Eliot’s voice cracked.
Parker nodded, “Touch or no touch?”
“I don’t care.”
She moved closer, resting her head against his shoulder. “It’s okay, El. You’re gonna be okay.”
Eliot gave in and rested his check on the top of his head. “I love you, Parker.”
IX.
Eliot looked up as his window opened, he was getting used to Parker climbing in through the window. Something was different, something was wrong. Her head was hung low as she fell to the floor, sitting underneath his window. Eliot immediately set his book down and moved to sit next to her.
“Touch or no touch?” He whispered.
Without verbally answering, she all but climbed into Eliot’s side, clutching around him, and started sobbing . Eliot wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her head softly, rocking her back and forth.
“Why’re you so good to me?” Parker whispered with a cracked voice.
“Because you’re worth being good to,” Eliot whispered. “Because you mean everything, you are everything. Because my world, my life, revolves around you and Alec. Making sure you’re safe, fed, happy, and taken care of. Because you two gave me something to love. You gave me you.”
Eliot drinks, they all do. Usually he sticks with beer, as he can stay sober enough to fight whoever he needs to fight and protect his people even with a few beers in his system. Very rarely would he drink whiskey or take shots, but Hardison and Parker convinced him. Now he’s sitting in their apartment, slightly drunk while the other two were gone.
They were dancing, giggling, having the times of their lives. And Eliot was watching them with a warm smile. Parker looked over at him, leaving Hardison’s arms to grab him, lift him out of the chair and spin him around, making him dance with them. Eliot held her hand as she spun, effortlessly lifting her when she jumped, using his shoulders as leverage, and he slowly lowered her back down after spinning her once. She giggled and danced her way back to Hardison, who happily took her back as Eliot leaned against the counter, body warm with alcohol.
“El,” Parker giggled, reaching for him. He reached as well, taking her hand and allowing himself to be brought to both of them, wrapping his one arm around Parker’s waist and the other around Hardison’s shoulder, and they all danced together.
Their dance slowed to something sweeter, slower. They met their foreheads in the middle, Hardison having to lean the most down thanks to his height.
“I prefer us like this,” Hardison whispered warmly.
“Me too,” Parker whispered in agreement.
“Yeah,” Eliot said with a small smile, raising his head. “So do I.”
XI.
In order to fit in with the marks… friend group, Eliot and Parker had to pretend to be a couple. Hardison cracked his usual jokes about old men and their racism (and this time Eliot was inclined to agree), but regardless, they spent the afternoon and evening attached to each other’s hips. Eliot, at first, was clearly off-put by the idea, unsure why Nate and Sophie couldn’t. (They’d burned their aliases already, but they could’ve gotten around that, they always do.)
But, Eliot was willing to do anything to take down a rich old man who was hurting people, children specifically. Stealing from an orphanage. Who the fuck does that?!
He was expecting to get out of this without a hitch, just gently touching Parker’s waist and giving subtle gestures that they were together. But of course, when Parker plays drunk, she sells it. So, now Eliot was stuck kissing Parker all night. Not that he cared , but Hardison was just over across the street in the van! That didn’t stop Parker, though.
By the end of the night, they got what they needed to nail the guy in the morning, just a few more button pushes from Nate and they had him, so Eliot had to pretend to walk a very ‘drunk’ Parker to their car, and drive them back to their hotel hideout.
Nate and Sophie were already plotting over in their room. Hardison was right behind them in their shared room (they didn’t have to share. But Eliot felt it was safest if they did. At least, that’s what he told himself).
Parker, almost instantly, kissed Eliot again, causing the hitter to jump and immediately pulled back. “Woah, Parker. That’s done, there aren’t any more eyes on us.”
“But I thought you liked it. If we like it we should keep doing it!” She insisted.
“Parker, babe, you can’t just jump him like that,” Hardison said as he sat down on one of the beds.
“What am I supposed to do then? That’s how we did it,” She said.
“No, we had a build up,” Hardison chuckled. “We had a not-so-secret code of pretzels.”
“Don’t we have a build up Eliot?” She asked.
“What’s going on?” Eliot asked finally, after watching the two go back and forth.
“You’re with us!” Parker insisted.
“Yeah, always,” Eliot said, not quite understanding Parker’s meaning behind her words yet. He jumped when she kissed him again, separating them as it clicked. “But not like that.”
“What’d you mean?” She asked.
“I mean, I’ll always be there to protect you, you both know that. I’ll be by your sides, but…”
“But you don’t… want us,” Parker whispered. Eliot’s heart broke at how small and fragile she suddenly sounded.
“Not… no, sweetheart. That’s not what I mean,” Eliot whispered.
“Then what do you mean, man? You’re even confusing me here,” Hardison asked.
“I…” Eliot sighed. “I can’t… be with you like that.”
“Why?” Parker asked.
“Because… in honest terms, I don’t deserve this. Parker, people call me a monster. And they’re not wrong. You two… yeah your thieves and… not the perfect good guys, but… it’s like a coffee mug. You two… there’s a few cracks, a chip maybe. Me? I’m, like… broken in a million little pieces and I can’t be put back together.”
Hardison stared at Eliot for a moment, his face masking his pain a bit better then Parker’s, who wasn’t ashamed to have her emotions out there. He ended up being Parker speaking, “That’s how you see yourself?” He whispered.
“It’s who I am,” Eliot whispered. “It’s who he… he made me.”
“Who? Damien?” Hardison asked, and Eliot almost, almost, flinched at his name. “That’s what this is about?”
“There’s a lot more to that part of my life, that I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to get into, Alec. He broke me, ruined me. He is one of the biggest reasons I can’t even look in the mirror without wanting to punch it. I-“ he sighed. “I love you both. So dearly. But I can’t… drag you down with me.”
“What if we just… lifted you up? Pulled you out?” Hardison asked. “You’re not a monster, Eliot. You’ve made mistakes, man. Bad ones, yes-“
“They weren't mistakes, Hardison. They were people's lives,” Eliot whispered.
“Okay, I’ll rephrase. You fucked up in your life. Did shit you weren’t supposed to. But since we’ve been on this team, since we’ve been working together, we’ve changed. All of us. We use the abilities we’ve trained ourselves for, to do some pretty good shit in the world. Eliot you’ve been pulling yourself up for years now.”
“I beat the shit outta people for a living,” Eliot reasoned.
“How many people have you actively killed in the last… however many years we’ve been working together?” Parker asked.
“Is the number anywhere close to what it was working with him?” Hardison tacked on.
“God no,” Eliot whispered.
“Exactly,” Hardison said. “Eliot, you’ve been so controlled by your past, you’re not letting yourself live now. We love you, regardless of what you’ve done, because we know you’ve changed.”
“That’s just it, though,” Eliot started. “I haven’t. If either of you even remotely asked me to… I would. When that fucking fake psychic hurt Parker and she wanted him dead, I was right there, waving my hand around like a fucking kid. If either of you get hurt, or taken from me, I can’t promise they’ll make it out alive in my attempt to get you back.”
“Okay?” Parker asked. “And? Eliot, we're not good people! I-“ she huffed, getting frustrated. “I don’t care! I don’t! Okay? I want you . And Alec. I-“ she exhaled. “I don’t care. We don’t care. What we care about is you .”
“Why?” Eliot asked.
“Alec-“ she said desperately, like she couldn’t find the words.
“Why not?” Hardison asked. “Sure, you’ve got the ability to hurt, kill, people. Boo-fuckin’-hoo, babe. That doesn’t change the fact that you are one of the most loyal, the strongest, protective, loud, loving, and one of the best fucking cooks- chiefs- I have ever met. And as a bonus you are one of the hottest guys I- we have ever seen-“ Eliot felt his face warm at the compliment- “babe, everyone deserves love. Let us be the ones to love you.”
“Okay,” he whispered, unable to hold the argument anymore. Parker touched his face slowly, both hands holding his cheeks.
“Okay?” She whispered.
“Okay,” he repeated, just before she closed the gap between them again, kissing him sweetly. Eliot gave into her, like always.
XII.
He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, being with the two of them. It wasn’t like he hated it, nothing of the sort. The complete opposite. He couldn’t hate it, because it was all familiar. That’s when he realized nothing changed, nothing’s different. They’re still the same three, with just a few different areas mixed in. Parker kisses him more, not on his cheeks like she used to, but everywhere, (and especially his lips). Hardison stared lovingly at him, kept him close and as safe as he could. He put them first, made calls over Nate if he was ever too worried about his people, which really pissed Nate off and they had to have a meeting about it. To which Eliot retaliated about it with him and Sophie’s relationship, which made him shut up long enough to prove his point.
There was one thing, though, that was nagging Eliot.
Hardison hadn’t kissed him. Or he hadn’t kissed Hardison. Regardless, it hadn’t happened. It confused him, because Hardison wanted him too, right? That’s what that whole conversation meant. Maybe he was waiting for Eliot, but Eliot couldn’t find the right time to do it. There were a few chances that maybe, maybe he could’ve, but then the mood changed or the area shifted and that split second was gone. Eliot was usually so quick, Hardison was slowing him down.
Dammit he’d never admit it, but all he wanted was a fucking kiss from the hacker.
He was thinking about it as he was in the kitchen one night, unable to sleep. It happens sometimes, and when it did he retreated to the kitchen to be surrounded by something he understood, that wasn’t beating the shit outta someone, looking around him and analyzing the cookware around him. Take inventory of what he needed to get at the store, meal plan. He was being quiet, after all his people were sleeping just a few feet away, but still.
Either he wasn’t quiet enough, or Hardison had a 6th sense for whenever something was wrong with Eilot, because he appeared in the kitchen within an hour of Eliot writing down meal plans for the week. He glanced up, looking at Hardison confused.
“You’re awake,” He commented, and Hardison hummed.
“The bed was too cold,” he whispered, and Eliot chuckled. Parker is sure to be out here any moment then, since both her boys were out of bed now. “Why’re you awake, babe?”
“Meal prepping, couldn’t sleep,” Eliot mumbled as he wrote down steak for whatever Friday that’d have a chance to be home for, you never know with cases.
Hardison moved to come up behind him, resting his chin on Eliot’s shoulder and reading the notes. Eliot’s gut started feeling tight, his breathing picked up. He tried not to make it noticable, and it seemed he succeeded when Hardison didn’t flinch or seem to remotely notice.
“Any complaints?” Eliot asked.
“Too many vegetables,” Hardison teased.
“Those are non-negotiable,” Eliot mumbled, and they all knew that. Eliot cared too much to let them live off soda and candy for the rest of their lives.
“Don’t I know it,” Hardison chuckled, gently moving Eliot to face him in his arms. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He whispered.
“Course I am, why would I be?” Eliot asked.
“The only times you can’t sleep is when something’s bugging you,” Hardison accused.
“I’m fine, I was just looking around to see what I needed to get when I go shopping in the morning, if Nate doesn’t call us first,” Eliot sighed, and Hardison nodded.
“Okay,” Hardison whispered, seemingly unwilling to argue. “Just come back to bed soon, okay?”
Eliot blinked and nodded, and Hardison let him go much to Eliot dismay. Right there! There would’ve been a perfect time for a sweet little kiss! When did Eliot become shy? Why didn’t he take that chance? He watched as Hardison moved out of the kitchen, crossing through the living room.
“Alec,” he said, just soft enough for Hardison to hear him and stop. He turned to look at Eliot, who was already approaching him.
He stopped just about a foot and a half away from Hardison, staring right at his shirt, like he couldn’t bring himself to look up.
“Eliot?” Hardison whispered.
“Kiss me?” Eliot asked, finally raising his gaze just a bit.
Without questioning him, thank god, one of Hardison’s hands reached and held Eliot’s face, his fingers reaching into his hair as he carefully pulled Eliot closer while moving himself closer, and kissing him warmly. That broke and flooded Eliot, he reached up and wrapped his arms around Hardison who adjusted his hold from his face back down to his waist and hips.
When they seperated, Eliot felt as breathless as he did when Parker kissed him the first time. Hardison smiled, “Come to bed,” he whispered, and Eliot simply nodded, allowing himself to be led back to their bedroom.