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“Do I have a sign on my head that says you have permission to talk to me?” The inflection in Alec’s tone was condescending, borderline sardonic.
Irritated and confused, Eliot watched as Alec snubbed him then looked and patted down his chest before his hand flew up over his head waving it about. He passed a fleeting glance Eliot’s way before his gaze shifted to stare directly over Eliot’s head.
Frowning at Alec’s theatrics, Eliot growled out, “I don’t need permission to talk to you?”
Rocking on her feet Parker smiled and cheerfully added, “Actually you do.”
Eliot turned, and choked out, “What?” then narrowed his eyes as he stared at his partner and demanded, “Alright, what the hell is going on?”
Alec rolled his eyes and pointed to Parker, his shoulders jerking in an insolent shrug, dismissing him as if he was nothing but an annoying gnat.
Parker’s fingers tapped irritatingly on his shoulder to get his attention, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Alec and refused to acknowledge her. Instead he waited expectantly for Alec to tell him what the hell was going on. It didn’t happen.
Finally, Parker got impatient and instead of tapping, punched him in the shoulder – hard. He turned, his lips rolled into tight lines as he glared daggers her way.
Unfazed she held up her thumb and forefinger, and waved it in his face. “He’s a bit upset.” Now that she had his attention her eyes crinkled up in amusement.
He wanted to scream, duh! Still, he waited, expecting Parker or Alec – someone, anyone, to tell him what the fuck was going on. If Nate or Sophie were there, he’d turn to them, knowing at least one of them would have an idea and would have given him fucking a clue. After a minute he caved, his voice tight and on the edge as he demanded, “All right for crying-out-loud, why? What the fuck did I do, this time?”
Out of the corner of his eye, Eliot saw Parker’s smile falter just as Alec turned on him, eyes blazing.
“This time? Did you hear that? This time, really? Alright, you know what man, you’re right. You did this, but the problem is you can’t fix it. You wanna know why? Why you can’t fix it – it’s you! You are the problem.”
“What? Goddammit Hardison, if you don’t tell me what the hell…”
Dejected, Alec’s shoulders slumped as he interrupted, shaking his head, “That’s it, I’m done, I can’t I can’t do this.”
Stunned into silence Eliot watched Alec walk away.
Eliot turned to Parker. She had her eyes on Alec, narrowed suspiciously, then her entire face fell as she realized Alec meant what he said. Eliot’s stomach clenched and flipped nervously.
He still had no idea what the hell was going on, but he did understand one thing - if he let Alec go like this, right now, he’ll be seriously fucked and he’d deserve it. Of course Parker’s not so subtle shove, that he’d better fucking do something now, wasn’t lost on him.
Not stopping to think, Eliot moved and grabbed Hardison’s jacket, using brute force he pulled him back. “Not so fast. You’re not going anywhere. I don’t know what the hell’s going on, but whatever it is - whether I did something or not, and I don’t give a shit if you think I can fix it or not. Together we’re going to figure this out right now!”
Hardison turned, looking over his shoulder down at Eliot’s hand, and demanded. “Let go.”
His lips pulled into a grin. “Not happening.”
Pissed, Hardison twisted and tried to wiggle out from under his grasp. Abruptly Parker called out, “It’s going to….”
At the same time, Alec twisted hard. “Damn it! Eliot, let go…” and he pulled away, seconds before Parker finished dryly, “rip”
“No you didn’t?” Alec reached out, his hand holding one half of his jacket ripped down the center. Dismissing it, Eliot announced, “I’ll buy you a new one. Two, I don’t give a shit. You’re not leaving until I know what the hell is going on – understood?”
“Damn right you’ll replace it. This was expensive, top of the line. You know you’re also going to have to explain this to Sophie, she picked it out.”
“Fuck the jacket! Damn it, talk to me! Because as far I concerned before I left this morning everything was fine. More than fine, if I had to judge and go by how hard you made me come this morning.”
From Alec’s gasp, Eliot didn’t have to see behind him to know Parker was grinning a mile long. “I thought we agreed not to talk details on our sex life in front of any team members.”
Frustrated Eliot added, “Parker’s not just a team member, she’s Parker, and right now I don’t care.”
Alec huffed. “I’ll remind you, you said that.”
“Fine! Now tell me what the hell I did, what I can’t fix and why? Cause you agreed, this, us… We weren’t going to do this kind of bullshit.”
Pissed, Alec’s eyes narrowed, clearly communicating that Eliot was missing something that was right in front of him. For the life of him, he wasn’t getting it. Suddenly, Parker poked his arm where he was bandaged; he winced, but didn’t spare her a glance. She did it again, and he had to bite his tongue when his arm started to throb.
Alec turned away, the despair in his tone weighed heavily on Eliot, heart wincing with every word Alec spoke, “Don’t. He doesn’t get it. He never will – I can’t just watch and wait every time, not knowing... I can’t do it.”
Exasperated, Parker screamed then yelled out, “Men!” even as she jabbed Eliot’s wounded arm again.
Swearing, Eliot angrily turned, backing away out her reach to stand by Alec.
“That’s why. You keep promising him you won't just rush in without a plan, and get yourself hurt.”
Stunned, Eliot stared blankly at her, as he slowly started putting the pieces together. This was about earlier this afternoon, when he'd tried to save that kid. Parker was right; he'd promised Alec he wouldn’t just react, he’d be more cautious. He turned and met Alec’s gaze.
“I didn’t…” He stopped, seeing Alec was about to tune him out again, that he had pushed Alec too far. “I… alright I won’t promise. You’re right I can’t help myself, not when it comes to kids. But I was right there, and needed to do something. I can’t just stand by and wait for backup - to watch a kid get hurt. It was never my intention to get hurt – you know that.”
“But you do, and apparently there’s nothing I can do to stop you- only hope that you win. That you…” Alec’s body shifted nervously, even as his eyes tried to avoid looking at him.
Eliot wasn’t having it, and stepped into Alec’s space. “I will…” his hand reached out, holding Alec’s chin looking directly in his Alec’s eyes; silently imploring him to hear him out, that he wasn’t voicing an empty promise. “If I can, I’ll always come back to you, alive. And hopefully less bruised. But I did. I came back- thinking about you makes it easier, gives me a reason to come back. You leave, what reason do I have?”
Parker’s angry eruption of, “Me,” filtered through, even as she shoved him hard, pushing him further into Alec’s space. His lips rolled into a line, but eased when he felt Alec’s arms wrap around him.
“You heard her, whether I’m here or not, you need to come home.”
Eliot swallowed hard; before Alec he hadn’t even known how miserable, empty and hollow he’d had been – thinking of any situation without Alec, no he couldn’t go there. However Alec was right, he’d always try to come back for Parker, though she annoys him to no end, he’ll always watch out for her.
Alec interrupted asking, “So kids? They’re on your list?”
Eliot shrugged, and added to his list of exceptions, who he would risk his life for. “You, Parker, the team. No more platitudes or empty promises.” Opening his heart, his voice ruff with emotion, Eliot choked out, “You just gotta stay…” his throat closed on the words, with me, but his eyes pleaded.
“Alright, don’t promise me. Just come back. I can’t… I can’t lose you, okay.” Alec only waited a heartbeat before he leaned in and devoured him in a kiss. It was a kiss with purpose, and stole Eliot’s breath away. Breathing through his nose, he moaned into Alec’s mouth. His body pressed harder against Alec's, his cock twitched in interest – still, he wasn’t ready to pull away and relaxed against Alec’s body.
He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that; at some point, Alec pulled away when Parker started to obnoxiously clear her throat to draw their attention. Immediately missing Alec’s lips, before he thought about it, Eliot snapped. “What now?”
Unperturbed, Parker offered a smile, her eyebrows dancing as she announced. “You’re bleeding.”
Alec exclaimed, “What?” Eliot was bodily pushed back and forced to sit as Alec started to inspect his dressing. He glared at Parker, who didn’t wait and turned around in a skip her ponytail swinging behind her.
Alec squatted down, not bothering to look over his shoulder, and called out. “Grab me the first aid with the meds.” He lowered his voice, turning back to Eliot. “How’s your leg?”
Eliot tried to sit up and brush Alec’s hands away. “Fine, I’m fine.”
Alec easily ignored his attempt, and started to cut the bandage when Parker handed him a pair of scissors. “No, you’re not, but you will be.” Alec paused and he met Alec’s gaze, recognizing the seriousness within his penetrating stare, “as long as you keep coming back home – to me.”
Alec easily smiled biting back his laughter at Parker’s chirped, “Me too.”
Eliot was about to tell her off and to remind her that he was bleeding now because of her damned arsenal of a finger. Alec raised an eyebrow, almost daring him to say something to Parker.
Eliot hated to admit it, but he couldn’t. Not when he knew Parker was only trying to help in her weird twenty pounds of crazy way. Before Eliot even said anything, Alec smirked, knowing he'd won.
Suddenly Alec stated. “I think we should turn in early.”
Licking his lips, pleased, Eliot leaned forward, his fingers seductively brushing up the inseam of Alec’s pants, and huskily stated, “Now that sounds like a winning plan.”
“Oh no.” Alec grabbed his wrist stopping his playful ascent. “Not going to risk pulling any stitches. Besides you need to take a few pain meds. It’ll help you sleep through the night.”
Eliot grimaced; he didn’t like being treated like a kid, even by Alec.
However, they teamed up against him; Parker held out a small bottle and a glass of water, and Alec stared down any defiance. This time Alec held no humor in his face, he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Neither of them were going to tolerate any arguments from him.
Defeated, he held out his hand.
“Good choice.” Alec said as Eliot took the small bottle from Parker and handed him two tablets. Popping both into his mouth he reached for the water, and took the glass. His eyes narrowed at Parker’s magnanimous grin.
Sitting back, he closed his eyes and let Alec change and clean the bandage. By the time Alec was done, the pills had started to take effect, and he startled slightly when he heard Alec’s voice. “Ready?”
Slowly, he opened his eyes, nodding sleepily. With his good hand over Alec’s shoulder and Alec’s hand around his waist, Alec helped him stand as they made their way to the bedroom.
With Alec’s help he had his pants down, stepping on the pant legs to leave them in a puddle on the floor. He was about to remove his boxers, when Alec stopped him. “No, keep ‘em on. We’ve got company tonight.”
He didn’t bother to open his eyes, easily imagining Parker’s extended pout accompanied by the disgruntled groan he heard. Since he and Alec have been together, Parker sleeping over was a common event; even sleeping between them in bed. Their relationship with Parker couldn’t be boxed or defined in simple terms. It wasn’t exactly a sexual relationship - they had never done anything more than spooning. However, their relationship wasn’t exactly brotherly or paternal either. Whatever it was they all seemed to accept it, Alec and he allowing Parker to come and go as she pleased, to define what she needed and wanted from them. They had already discussed at length that if she ever wanted more – if the flirtation and light kisses turned into something more sexual, neither would have a problem with it, but they both felt Parker wasn’t ready. Whenever she was, she’d let them know, and they’d be there for her.
Tonight, he was the one sleeping in the middle. Alec was propped up on his elbow, looking down, his fingers brushing over Eliot’s face, keeping his eyes closed. Parker scooted in closer, before she leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek as she whispered, “Sorry about the poking.” She settled back in beside him. Alec’s arm crossed over Eliot's body and pulled him in closer as Alec spooned him from behind, nuzzling his ear. “Shhh, go to sleep.”
Eliot sighed, enjoying the weight of Alec’s body.
He had one last thought before sleep took him over.
This, this is what he’d always fight for, would die for.
What he lives for, to be right here between them, his family – home.
Fin~