Author's Note: So happy that ya'll liked the first and second chapters of my work in progress. Not gonna lie, I'm seriously have the time of my life writing this for you guys. I absolutely love writing about Parker and Eliot. However, without having you wait any more, here is the next chapter. Happy Readings and try to drop a review!
Chapter Three
Parker sat on the roof, her feet and legs hanging over the edge of the building. She watched the people of Portland moving around below her, her thoughts running fast. 'I don't want hurt him, but I don't see a point to this relationship.' She thought to herself, her hands gripped the stone ledge. 'He doesn't understand me, not the way I need him to.'
'You don't try to either.' A voice answered, that sounded remarkably like hers.
'That's not true! I've done the movie nights, the videogames, and the technology 101. Even the damn role playing! I still don't like any of it. I like the rush I get from falling, from conning, fighting somebody.' She argued with herself.
'You don't try hard enough to let him understand that, then.' Another part of her retaliated, her legs began to swing back and forth.
Parker felt a scream building inside her. 'Shut up! I do, I do try! He doesn't! He never wants to repel with me, he never wants to run a real con that involves a fight, and he doesn't even what to train with me and Eliot!' Her knuckles whitened at her tightening grip. 'Instead he wants me to do more of the things he likes and less of what I like. He wants me to be less of who I am and more of what he is. I can't do that! I won't!'
'The two of us, we do things they can't… it makes us, us...' Eliot's voice sounded in her head now.
'We don't have to change, we just have to make him understand that.'
'He's not a bad guy, he's sweet and caring, but for some reason I know he'd be happier with someone just like him, instead of trying to make me into him. If he would just listen to me!' She felt the slow burn of tears sting her eyes and finally gave into the much needed urge to scream instead of the urge to cry.
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Eliot caught her mid scream. He slammed the door shut, making sure the thief knew of his presence and moved until he was just several feet from her turned back.
Parker turned her head to look at him, his arms were crossed over his chest as he watched her. Her eyes glassy, face flushed and hair windblown, she looked frustrated. "What do you want?"
"Dinner is ready." He said with a raised brow.
She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
He grunted as he got closer to her. "I don't care, you need to eat Parker, and you only ate a bowl of cereal this morning."
"Damnit Eliot, I said I'm not hungry."
The hitter smirked, reaching out he grabbed a handful of the back of her shirt and pulled her back into him and off the ledge. "Dinner now and punching bag later." He promised as he half carried the struggling thief off the roof.
She went stiff in his arms at the thought of eating dinner with everyone. "I don't want to eat."
"Parker, you need food. The faster you eat, the faster you can let out this aggression."
She knew he was right, but that didn't help anything. Not when it came to this stupid situation she found herself in, but he wouldn't let her just skip dinner. "Fine." She said as they reached the door.
He released his hold on her. "Good, now after you." He said holding the door for her.
With a sideways glance in his direction, she huffed at his smirk. "Don't trust me to follow you?"
"Never Darlin'." He said with a knowing look.
In better spirits, Parker shook her head. "Whatever Sparky."
As they made their way down the first half of stairs, Parker stopped suddenly, making Eliot bump into her slightly. "What the hell Parker?"
"Can I ask you something, you know before we get to where Hardison can hear us?" She asked turning to him she watched him, her eyes changing from their blue-gray, to a silver gray.
Eliot felt he'd regret this, but nodded his head anyways.
Her face turned thoughtful. "You're supposed to want to have sex with who you're dating right?"
A muscle in his cheek twitched, yep he regretted saying yes. He starred at the little thief, completely speechless for several moments. Embarrassment filtered just briefly across his face before it was gone. "Damnit Parker, what's wrong with you! You can't-"
"I've always loved sex, but when it comes to Hardison… I just can't seem to want to have sex with him." She said cutting him off. "It seems, I don't know, like everything will be messed up if I were to have sex with him." Looking him in the eyes she whispered softly, afraid someone would hear.
Eliot shook off his embarrassment at the topic and grabbed at her upper arm, their eyes locking. "Parker, once again this, especially this, isn't any of my business." He began and notice the veil start to go over her. "But," He added and was grateful her eyes took on a hopeful look. "But, if you don't want to have sex with Hardison, how have you two been together so long?" The words 'sex' and 'Hardison' were not two words he ever wanted to say again.
Parker shrugged looking away. "It's not like he never tries or anything, it's just I don't. I want to do the right thing. I liked him, like him. I'll even go as far to say that I care deeply for him, but I feel…" She broke off, shoving her hands into pant pockets. "I don't have to spell it out do I?" She asked looking at his knowing grin.
He laughed, "Nah, not for me. But it might help you if you say it out loud for yourself once in a while." Brushing past her, he moved down a few steps. "You need to come clean with yourself about everything before you try confronting him darlin' otherwise shits gonna get messier than you want it to, and I can only help you both so much before I have to walk away completely."
She frowned. "I don't know what else to do Eliot."
He turned back to look at her. "You're in denial about something and you don't even know it?"
She snorted. "I'm not in denial about nothing!"
"Parker," He said in a soft growl, annoyed she'd completely disregard him. "We'll talk about it later, dinner now, training later."
"Maybe he's taking lessons from you." She muttered to herself as she followed the hitter down the stairs and into the apartment portion of the building.
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Dinner was an awkward affair, Parker took her usual stop next to Hardison with Sophie across from her. Nate at one head of the table and Eliot at the other. There was minimal talk at dinner, and what was said was about the con currently in play. Hardison took to trying to fill the uncomfortable in-between silence with jokes.
Eliot pointedly looked at Parker multiple times, shooting her looks she refused to answer to.
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Eliot is there something you want from Parker?"
Eliot shot a hard glare at the blonde before turning a frown on the brunette. "Actually Parker and I were going to train in a bit and she was going to ask Hardison if he wanted to join. Isn't that right Parker?"
Parker made a face at him. "That's not-" She broke off at the look that crossed Eliot's face. "Uhh yeah, you wanna train with us?"
Hardison smiled at her, eyes happy. "Nah babe, you know I don't like that kinda stuff. You shouldn't do it either, you don't needa learn that kinda stuff with E around."
Eliot raised a brow at that. "You do know that it's good to know this, whether or not I'm around, don't you Hardison."
The younger man chuckled. "Bro, you tryin' to turn my girl violent?"
The hitter leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms with the hint of a grin. "She's always been violent. Anyways you in or out?"
Parker held her breath, if he said yes then there was hope that their relationship wasn't doomed to be a complete failure.
"Nah man, I got a game callin' my name. Mama you wanna join in on my game instead? There's more fun in it than in fighting." He said moving to pull her into a side hug from where they sat.
Parker fought the urge to scream again. She opted to looking around the table and noticed Sophie's slight shake of her head, Nate's confused gaze and Eliot's annoyed one, it wasn't just her then. "No I like training with Eliot. Are you sure you don't want to join?" She asked once more.
"Nah, I'm good mama." He said pressing a quick kiss to her hair before moving away from the table to take his bowl to the sink.
Parker shot Eliot a look of annoyance.
Eliot refused to acknowledge her looks, just moved into the kitchen to start cleaning the dishes. He stood comfortably at the sink, running the water to soak the dishes in.
Parker moved over to him quickly. "What the hell was that about?"
He didn't turn from his current position, just raised an eyebrow as he dropped some dish soap on the scrubber. "You guys need to talk, it's much easier to get a little perspective when training. Even though you're in denial about something, you still need to talk to him."
Parker scoffed. "You know, I think I liked it better when you hardly talked to me about personal things."
He shot her a pinched look. "Have you decided how you're going to deal at the convention?"
Parker scowled now. "Nice topic change Sparky." She sighed as she turned to lean back against the counter. "I already said I don't wanna go."
Eliot sighed harshly, his hand tensed in the soapy water as he refrained from shaking some sense into the blonde. "You have to Parker."
"No I don't." She shot back childishly.
"Parker." He growled. "Even though I still don't understand his damn attachment to these games and comics and science fiction crap. You're still with him. You owe it to him to show his interests some respect."
She knew he was right, but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to argue about it. "You can't tell me what to do."
Eliot was quiet as he moved around placing the clean dishes in the drying rack and moving to unplug the stopper on the sink. Swiftly whipping down the counter tops and sink, when he finally turned to her, leaning his hip against the counter top and whipping his hands. "You owe Hardison this much, you owe him to try harder before you throw in the towel." Throwing the towel into the sink he smirked at her. "Besides think of all the pockets you could pick if you spot a bad guy."
Her lips tilted up slightly. "Pockets…" She whispered gleefully.
The hitter shook his head and moved away from the sink towards the hallway. "Get changed." He called over his shoulder as he walked away.
.
Parker moved gracefully as she warmed up in the spacious gym her and Sophie convinced Eliot to put in. Stretching on the mats, she sighed as her thoughts traveled far away. 'He's right I should go.' Reaching forward to grab her toes, Parker laid her chest flat against her straight legs. 'I will go.'
Sitting up straight again, she released a deep breath. 'Where's Sophie when you need her?' Parker grumbled mentally. On most occasions it was a trio in here, with Eliot teaching them more techniques, but with Sophie sick this last week, it was only the hitter and the thief working out.
"Ready?" Eliot asked gruffly as he entered the room quietly.
She didn't even balk at his sudden appearance, jumping up to her feet, she quickly stretched her arms once more before smirking at him. "When aren't I?" She made a quick run at him before a series of kicks, punches and blocking came into play.
Eliot got her into a third chokehold. "Came to your senses about the convention?"
She struggled to remember another way to get out of the hold. "Maybe." She wheezed, slightly shuffling her feet to hold her ground better.
Eliot grunted when he felt her elbow slam into his stomach. "You gotta try harder." He jerked her a little.
Parker gasped sharply as he tightened his grip a little more. "Fuck." She picked up her for and slammed her heel down into the hitter's foot.
Eliot grimaced, and his hold slackened for the slightest moment, giving Parker her chance to pull his arm away from her neck. She moved quickly as she spun around to face Eliot and throw him to the ground. Kneeling over the hitter with her fist pressed against his neck. "That wasn't the move that you were supposed to execute." His words vibrated against her hand.
Parker breathed out a laugh. "I can't read minds."
"You usually know which move I'm looking for without my say so." He said, reaching up to slap her hand away from his throat.
Parker raised an eyebrow. "Well I've got a lot on my mind."
He moved back onto his feet, keeping silent.
"I've decided that you made a valid point and I'm gonna go to the convention."
He smirked at her. "You're welcome." He said sarcastically moving to a far bench for a water bottle.
Parker snorted. "Graceful of you." She muttered as she moved to the punching bag next. Putting a pair of gloves on, she stood waiting. "Speed it up Sparky."
Eliot didn't bother heeding her advice, but took his time moving near her to hold the bag as she let go of some aggression. "Thought about you're denial?" He asked as she continued to pound on the bag.
Parker huffed. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
Eliot blew a short lock outta his eye before he ducked a sudden blow coming towards him. "You're obviously lying to yourself." He muttered from behind the punching bag.
Parker stopped throwing punches, crossing her arms in front of her chest, she looked him dead in the eye. "Listen what the hell makes you think that I'm in denial about something?" She demanded.
He moved slightly to the right of the bag, so he was more directly in front of her. "You've been weirder than usual these last month and a half, you've already told us what one problem is, what's the one you're still keepin' secret Parker." His eyes held a look of understanding.
Parker shook her head. "That was honestly the only thing that was really bothering me Eliot."
Eliot starred at her. "Like I said, denial."
The thief growled, pulling her arm back she swung it forward and hit her muscle head teammate in the jaw. "I'm not in denial about anything!" She screamed before pinning him down and trying to hit him in a fit of outrage.
Eliot didn't know whether to laugh at her attempt to beat him, or talk her down. He debated against both and blocked every hit she delivered until he noticed the visible change in her demeanor. Flipping them over so she was pinned beneath him, he held her arms against her chest and grunted at her growl. "You feel better?"
A muscle in her jaw ticked slightly as she clinched her teeth. "Yes, now could you let me up?"
He laughed, moving off her and tugging her to her feet. "Go clean up, you got your movie night with Hardison."
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To Be Continued…