Though he could become violent easily Eliot was a man who was not easily frustrated, at least not in any way that mattered. He had developed almost a superhuman patience where Parker was concerned but had begun to realize about in hour into their trip to the hardware store that it didn't always apply in a public setting. It had taken seconds for him to realize that bringing the thief with a fetish for jumping off large objects to a warehouse stocked with floor to ceiling shelves was a bad idea. She had been with him one second and gone the next as was her way. He was purchasing the wood for the floor that would be delivered in three weeks and it seemed he turned his back and she disappeared. He had seen evidence of her presence in a stack of overturned coffee makers blocking isle seven. Or all the fans turned on full blast in isle twelve sending stacks of paperwork flying through the isle.
He knew she was near, likely following him from higher in the store and he couldn't help his growl of frustration when he walked past yet another group of employees discussing the odd goings on in the store that day. "You're trying to make this difficult, you know I can't pick what you want if you aren't here to help." He muttered to the rail of his shopping cart as he headed into the wood section to try to find something that would match the floors to use for the bookshelves. He heard a loud ding the signal of an incoming text message and despite his frustration allowed a small smile.
FROM: Parker
I like green but you live there too. Sophie says if you share a space you should share it's design but she was fighting with Nate about the office and she yelled it… she also told me that people say stuff they don't mean to convince people to do stuff they don't want to do… which do you think it is?
Eliot lowered the phone and looked around carefully, he hadn't spoken that loudly so she had to be close although she had very good hearing so not as close as the average person. After a few moments of looking he sighed admitting the futility of his actions, if Parker didn't want to be found Parker would never be found. "It's more fun to pick it together." He answered back his voice a bit louder this time garnering him some odd looks from the group of employees to his back.
"Prove it." Eliot smiled as Parker came up behind him either taking his argument seriously or simply bored of running around in the rafters. He chose to think she was listening to him, it made him feel a bit better to think that she took him seriously.
"First off." He reached out and took her hand in his without warning. She stiffened slightly and furrowed her eyebrows staring at their clasped hands. "There is not a chance I'm losing you to the rafters again." He informed her, "It's this or I'm locking you in the car."
"The car can't hold me." She replied still looking at their linked hands. Watching her face carefully Eliot maneuvered them so that their fingers were laced together and her palm was pressed into his. "Is this like huggy Eliot?" she asked finally looking up at him curiosity plain as the nose on her face.
"I suppose." He answered, "Plus I like touching you." He answered tugging her along behind him and pushing the cart one handed chuckling lightly as that comment caused her to fall silent clearly contemplating the meaning of his words.
Parker still had not said a word by the time they exited the store other than her scoff at the total which Eliot had paid without question. He released her hand on the way to the truck in order to direct the employee who was pushing the other cart of the stuff they were taking home that day. Between the pair of them it took only a few moments to load the truck and when Eliot looked around for his partner in crime he found her already in the truck fiddling with the radio. He handed the young kid a twenty ignoring his stammered protests that he wasn't someone who needed to be tipped and hopped into the driver's seat of the truck.
"Are you gonna ask me about it?" Parker asked after a few moments on the road.
"Ask you about what?" Eliot replied. With Jimmy he had been able to anticipate the direction of the conversation but he had learned early on never to make that mistake with his blonde companion. You could be talking to her about football one second and the next realize she thought you were discussing how best to break into a Swiss bank.
"When Hardison and I pretended to make out for the naked men he just wanted to talk about it it's kind of the same thing as the hand holding but you don't want to talk." She explained. Eliot had to force his eyes to remain on the road as she spoke and he processed her reply. The initial comment about naked men had him desperately confused until he recalled Parker playing with the miniaturized statues of David they had stolen for Sophie. She had run them around the office with tiny handkerchiefs tied around their neck proclaiming them super naked men and hid them around the office enjoying Sophie's panic every time she couldn't find one.
"That's different." Eliot told her ignoring the part about her making out with Hardison, unable to remove the gnawing feeling in his gut that told him he was pursuing his friend's girl and that went against the bro code.
"How?" she pushed he heard the leather squeak as she turned to face him quite clearly unwilling to wait for them to have the discussion. Eliot pulled into the parking lot of a suburban development empty due to the weekend and stepped out of the car quickly glancing at Parker to let her know she should join him.
"It's different because I'm not concerned about defining what we are." Eliot told her, he didn't have to look to know she was confused. "Hardison was sure that the kiss meant you two were going to get married have kids and live happily ever after." He looked over at her and saw her contemplating his words clearly doing her best to listen and understand. "I'm not worried about forever." He stepped closer to her pushing her back into a pile of two by fours still stacked up and in their bundle. He took her hand in his and smiled at the now familiar jolt of attraction. "It makes me feel better to know that you're there. I don't touch many people so I like touching you because it doesn't make me uncomfortable. I don't need to define this I just need to know that I like it… is that ok?" he asked searching her unreadable face for some reaction to his words.
"It doesn't scare me like with other people." She told him reaching up and putting her other hand over his. "When Sophie touches me it's weird and it makes her sad that she hugs me and I don't like it… I know she wants me to like it." She reached out tentatively and wrapped her arms around his middle just light enough that he could feel the pressure. He wrapped his arms securely around her and pulled her closer to him burying his face in her hair and relishing the feeling of having her wrapped up and safe in his embrace. "Why doesn't it scare me?" she whispered in what he and the rest of the team had dubbed her little girl voice. It was the child in Parker who never got the chance to grow up; they had seen her most during her breakdown after she had gone to the psychic show with Nate. The child who kept asking why and insisting she had done nothing to be treated the way she had.
"Because you know that I wouldn't hurt you." He pulled back from the hug and rested his forehead against hers. "Sometimes we all need someone who makes us feel safe, you make me feel safe and warm and comfortable. So sometimes I like to touch you so that I can feel that."
"I won't hurt you either." She told him conviction clear in her voice, "I won't even poke your bruises anymore." She declared tilting her face slightly to look up at him. She was smiling but it took everything in him not to kiss her. He had never stood this close to Parker before, the ground was slightly raised so they were almost of equal height and there were scant inches separating their lips as their breath mingled. He knew she had just spoken and that there was a response he should give but all he could do was tighten his grip on her frail body.
"I'm glad." He was sure his voice was much deeper than normal that the passion he felt for Parker in that moment was searching for any way out and was positive that even the socially awkward Parker could sense it.
"Let's go build stuff." Eliot had never been happier for Parker's innocence as she bounded away from him toward the truck. It almost made him feel like a monster, she was not like the women he picked up in bars. Parker was different she was special and not in a taking a small bus kind of way but in the sense that she wasn't someone he could enter into a causal relationship with.
For one he couldn't bear the thought of hurting her, seeing her eyes fill with tears… he had witnessed it once and that was more than enough. For another he would likely be murdered by Nate, made to drop out of existence by Hardison, and Sophie would use her charms to find someone to burn the body. He had been in relationships before and he knew full well that the ones that started based off the overwhelming urge to kiss someone, the urge he had just experienced did not every end well. He needed to build a foundation with Parker. Especially with Parker, a relationship that started on sex most often never became more and he wanted more than anything to become more with Parker.
"Hurry up!" she honked the horn a few times with the hammer he bought her, she had been over the mood about the silver hammer with the green handle and the green tool belt that went with it he had just been shocked he could get it out of the store without her noticing. Though now he better understood her preoccupation.
"I'm coming hold your damn horses." He grumbled as he entered the truck.
"Eliot." Parker spoke his name with a seriousness that was echoed in the set of her face and Eliot stopped a moment before starting the car.
"What's wrong now Parker?" he asked concerned she had gotten wind of his momentary slip when they had been standing outside.
"I don't like horses." She told him solemnly. For the second time in less than five minutes this woman had tested his control over his body. It took just as much strength to keep a straight face as he nodded solemnly.
"I know." He replied after taking a moment to compose himself. Parker nodded then turned buckling her seatbelt as he started the truck. After a while he felt her pick up his hand and lace their fingers together. She allowed their joined hands to fall to the center of his bench seat and the look on her face dared him to say anything. He simply smiled and squeezed her hand lightly as he drove them home.
A/N: I have returned. I just want to thank everyone for their paitence, for most I'm sure as summer approaches it can free up time but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) I have taken a second job for the summer. This story has already gone off on it's own little way and hits me with the start writing stick at 1am after I've already taken Melatonin to help get to sleep in an attempt to combat my chronic insomnia. I hope the stick comes out a few more times and soon because just like you I'm curious to see where it goes... I also hope it's coherent...