Work Text:
Opening the door, Eliot stood in the entryway staring at the chaos that once was his clean apartment. Above his head from corner to corner strung crisscross wall to wall, lights of various colors were strung blinking at various speeds. There were boxes scattered everywhere – opened and closed; from what he could see they were filled with various holiday ornaments and decorations. Presumably to decorate the scrawny ass tree that had seen better days. He blinked, tilted his head leaning further when he spotted a thin rope attached to his wall. It was to anchor the (still leaning to the left) Christmas tree in place.
In the middle of it all was Hardison and Parker.
Parker sat with her arms stretched out as Hardison wound a string of lights around them. Parker’s arms were decorated with at least three other sets wound around her arms like yarn.
“What the hell?”
Startled Parker looked up and sat straighter with a fake plastered grin. “You’re home. Weren’t you suppose come home until tomorrow?” Parker then inclined her head closer to Hardison, her grin still in place as she talked from corner of her mouth. “You said he wouldn’t be home until tomorrow.”
Hardison’s lips thinned into tight line. “He wasn’t.”
Parker’s smile faltered. “He’s standing there.”
Hardison snapped. “I can see that.”
Stepping inside, Eliot closed the door, slamming it behind him as he dropped his bag, gruffly added, “He can hear you too. Now you want to explain what the hell is going on?”
Parker nudged Hardison. “You tell him.”
Hardison shook his head. “Oh no, you tell him. This was your idea.”
“Was not.”
“Yes it was…”
Eliot stood there watching them as it escalated into a no you, going back and forth between them - rolling his eyes at the absurdity of it. Moving he stepped further into the room carefully watching his step of the obstacle course that was now his living room. Further in he started to pass his workout room. Lights were strung everywhere though instead of hanging from the ceiling they were connected wall to wall in pattern three feet off the floor.
“Yeah, that was Parker…”
“I wanted to practice.”
“Practice?” Eliot questioned as he accidentally stepped on something making it squeak then start to play a mutated version of jingle bells. It distracted him enough that he didn’t hear the beeping of the smoke alarm at first when he did he glanced toward the kitchen door as his nose caught the smell – something was burning. Grimacing back teeth grinding as his jaw clenched, Eliot ground out. “You cooked in my kitchen…”
Parker and Hardison turned toward each other; it was obvious each thought the other was suppose to take out whatever the hell they were cooking. After taking a steady breath, Eliot dashed off to the kitchen. The low beep turned into a loud blare when Eliot opened the oven door and a billow of smoke filled the kitchen.
Using a towel he dumped the trays of burnt cookies into the sink. Automatically he turned the oven off and shut the door. Eliot looked around his kitchen it was a disaster just like the rest of his apartment. Only the annoyance of the smoke alarm’s continuous beeping got him to move.
Angry, his nostrils flaring Eliot stormed back into the living room grabbing a broom as he went.
Pissed feeling more like the Grinch, Eliot swung the kitchen door open and paused standing there, as he sent Parker and Hardison a heated glare. Without looking up he shoved the broom handle up – stabbing the alarm, killing it with one blow.
Silence descended, as Parker and Hardison nervously stared at him.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flicker then another – then another still from the other side of the room.
Hardison, twenty seconds late caught the flickers Eliot had seen. He was still holding a string of lights that were twine around Parker's arms, effectively holding him in place. “Oh no,no,no,no…”
It was too late, the power died leaving them in darkness.
No one moved. Finally Parker broke the silence. “It was a surprise, you weren’t suppose come home today.”
Eliot heard the pout in her voice, the disappointment. Hardison piped up. “It was going to be cool, the lights, tree – everything was just coming together.”
He knew they couldn’t see his face, but it didn’t stop the grunt that escaped.
“Hey, it would have worked too, if you where on schedule.” Hardison quipped.
“Are you telling me that this is my fault?”
It was Parker who responded with a resounding. “Yes.”
Eliot’s mouth opened and closed, furious. Eliot saw the light from a cigarette lighter that Hardison held framing him and Parker – the looks on their face were apologetic.
He wanted to ask why? What the hell were they thinking, but he knew the answer.
Even through the chaotic mess Eliot saw the answer they wanted to surprise him. To give him something none of them had growing up – they each had over the top ideas of how to celebrate the holidays. Between them, oddly he was the most reluctant. He was always ready to go elsewhere, to help some kids, but he never brought it home. He wasn’t used to having a home, but they were his home now, and they wanted to remind him of that.
Defeated Eliot sighed; knowing he lost he was more like the Grinch then he’d ever admit. Knowing his heart was three times larger because he had both of them in his life, in his heart. Slowly he asked, “Did you pop popcorn to string?”
He heard the joyous lilt in Hardison voice as he answered. “Wouldn’t have garland if we didn’t.”
Gruffly asking, “Makings for eggnog with bourbon?”
Hardison nodded. “Traditional recipe, it’s all stocked and ready for you in the kitchen.”
“Once you get the lights back up, you two are cleaning that mess before I step foot in there.”
They both answered, “Done.” The light went out again. “Ah you better come here. Gotta go fix the lights first, but I need you to hold this strand.” He re-lit the lighter again to make it easier for Eliot to make his way over to them. Once he took the strand from Hardison the light flicked out again, and Hardison cursed popping his finger into his mouth. “Damn it.”
Eliot pulled Alec’s finger out of his mouth and brought it to his own, slowly sucking on the digit before he pulled it out kissing the minor burn. Parker leaned into them and kissed Eliot’s cheek, grinning, “Welcome home.” He felt Alec about to do the same, but using her shoulder Parker bodily pushed him away and demanded. “Later. My arms are killing me. Get the lights on so we can finish these strands.”
“Alright, alright, be a little touchy.” Alec lips brushed against Eliot’s neck before he abruptly pulled away, and flicked the lighter to make his way through the maze of scattered boxes toward the breakers in the hall. Parker rocked toward him and loudly announced, “Then we’ll play mistletoe.”
Unable to stop smiling Eliot nodded; closing the gap he brushed his lips against Parker’s lips as he spoke. “Good plan; a real good plan.” Then Eliot ended the word plan with a deep kiss. A moment later the lights were suddenly on, and Alec’s voice rang out. “Oh no, you’re not going to start mistletoe play without me…”
FiN