75 Godiva Street, Saturday Afternoon

[geniuswithasmartphone]

So, everything was terrible again. Hardison was pretty sure that Tony and his TA were evil, Eliot had brought home a version of Kathy that needed babysitting a lot more than she needed to be out heroing, there were slugs pretty much everywhere, and last night Eliot had insisted they all sleep down in the panic room in the basement. Which was actually more like a 'panic suite' because Eliot had built it and he was kind of extra about things, but even so, it was a little more claustrophobic than Hardison was comfortable with. He'd found himself calculating how much air was available in their hidey hole, which wasn't something he'd done since they'd moved from Portland.

That itchy restlessness hadn't left him, even when they'd all come back upstairs for brunch. He needed to get out for a little while. Do something. Spend some time in the open air while feeling useful. So once the meal was over, Hardison grabbed for his jacket and his laptop bag. A walk across the island to the school for some quality research time would hopefully settle him.

[Open for housemates and visitors!]

Comments

[vdistinctive]

"Yes, Parker. Of course I want to hear it!"

He was definitely going to go all the way crazy if the mastermind didn't pitch in at least a little.

[whoisalicewhite]

"First: we chill out." Parker gave him a side-eye. "And bake more food." To actually facilitate that. "Then, we wait for Hardison to call us with news from the Library. So we know what to do."

Preparing for explosions....

[vdistinctive]

"Hardison is not going to the library alone." It wasn't so much an explosion as a statement of fact.

And -- honestly, Eliot would burn toast right now.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to think past the increasingly loud chorus of fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck happening in his head.

"And I can't just -- it's all happening again. I'm going to lose you, and I can't --"

[whoisalicewhite]

Awwwww, Eliot. Parker was now attached to him, hands on his face so he'd look at her. "It's not. We're not going anywhere. We're right here. Hardison is going to the library and staying there." She took a breath. "I'm not dead. I'm not."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot wasn't getting enough air. "What if he does? What if he goes and we never see him again? I promised --"

[whoisalicewhite]

"You're keeping your promise! You're protecting me, and Kathy. And Raven, whenever she gets back." And whether she was evilish or herself or not. "If you want to go with him to the Library, we could do that. But protecting us isn't controlling us, Eliot. He needs to help. The same as you. The same as me."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot let out a strangled noise in the back of his throat, eyes still squeezed shut. He wanted to demand they sit this one out. They always helped, and it always hurt.

"Please."

[whoisalicewhite]

Would Parker stroking his hair help? 'Cause she was going to try that now. "I killed me. The me that killed you," she whispered. "And I'm glad 'cause you shouldn't have to. You, other you, kept us all alive. And you right here did everything, everything you could. I'm sorry it hurts. I'm sorry Kathy doesn't know us." Her own voice was a little ragged on that. "We got her back. Raven helped us get her back. You have never, ever, ever let us down."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot swayed faintly, leaning into her touch. He was so tired. He went rigid again when she talked about killing the other Parker, then jerked away and threw a fist at the wall.

[whoisalicewhite]

Aaaaugh. Parker wished Sophie were here. She would have done that much better.

"Are you hurt?" she checked. "'Cause I think that's the way you've told me not to throw a punch."

[vdistinctive]

"I'm fine," Eliot growled, shaking out his hand. Yeah, even he didn't believe that. "My hand is okay, anyway."

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker went and got him one of the bags of ice they kept in the freezer for this kind of thing, without further comment. At least on the punching.

"What do you want, Eliot? No shoutiness."

[vdistinctive]

Oh sure, Parker, ask the impossible.

"I want us safe."

[whoisalicewhite]

Why not, Eliot? Because you were asking for the impossible or at least the wildly improbable too.

"Hardison's going to wear his earbud. You'll know if he really does need help, the minute it happens. The second it happens."

[vdistinctive]

"What if I can't get to him in time?" Knowing Raven was here would help, when she arrived. She could fly, and he knew she was more than capable in a fight. "I know I'm not makin' sense," he said, rubbing his forehead. "Feels like -- like with Gaunt. Like I'm gonna lose everything if I'm not careful enough."

At least there weren't any bear traps.

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker squeezed his free hand, and said, half-kidding, "Would it help if I didn't let go of you? Or sat on you?"

[vdistinctive]

"I don't know," Eliot said, and took a deep breath. "Maybe."

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker tugged him over to the nearest chair, nudged him to sit down, then settled into his lap, one arm around his shoulder. "This isn't any hardship. Cool."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin against her shoulder and tried to breathe.

"Sorry."

[whoisalicewhite]

"Don't be." Parker gave him a kiss, and squeezed his fingers. "It's freaky and creepy and it hurts. You hate this stuff. And ... I just want to make it better." Somehow.

[vdistinctive]

"I should be better at this," Eliot said. "I used to be better at this."

He used to have his whole emotional center on lock-down. There really wasn't much of a comparison.

[whoisalicewhite]

"When did it change?" Parker wondered. Because it kind of had, Eliot's ability to stay cool, but it had been gradual enough that she wasn't sure when that happened. She asked, a little more quietly, "Are we making it worse somehow?"

[vdistinctive]

"No." Eliot said, hanging on a little harder. "Maybe. A little. But that's a good thing. Most of the time."

[whoisalicewhite]

You were getting the most dubious of dubious looks there, Eliot.

[vdistinctive]

"Openin' yourself up to people is worth the hurt," Eliot explained. "This is just -- this is a lot of hurt."