Chapter Text
Eliot was preoccupied while the couple was gone, as he did when they were gone before. Thankfully they were only gone for two days, so he didn’t have to be alone for very long.
Eliot had pulled up one of Hardison's fighting games on the TV while he waited for them to return. He’d been at it for an hour before they came stumbling inside.
“We’re back,” Hardison announced, and Eliot paused the game.
“Eliot Jr missed you.” Parker held the hamster in her hand as she jumped onto the couch beside Eliot.
“As you’re paying without me.” Hardison noticed the game on the TV.
“I had to get some practice so that I could beat you.”
Hardison shook his head. He placed down the hamster stuff.
“Come on, Parker. You have to help me get little Eliot all set up back in his home.”
Parker jumped off the couch and helped Hardison. When they were done unpacking, Hardison joined Eliot to play some rounds. Parker sat on the couch with them, content to just watch. Eliot got frustrated easily. It was fair for Hardison to have much more experience and easily defeat him. All his practice seemed for not. Hardison laughed in success as Eliot pouted after another loss.
“One more round,” Hardison begged.
“I’m a fine man.” Eliot all but threw the controller down.
“Don’t worry, man. We all know you beat me in a real fight.”
“I know that.” Eliot crossed his arms.
Hardison yawned and began to get up. “You want to go to bed, babe?” He asked Parker.
Parker nodded her head as Hardison got off the couch.
“It’s okay Eliot.” Parker patted his shoulder
Eliot turned to glare at her then suddenly, she was kissing him. Not a peck on the lips either. It was a full-on kiss. Eliot was taken so aback that he just let it happen.
Then, the kiss was over, and Parker jumped up as if nothing had happened. “Good night.” She said and was off to Hardison’s room.
Eliot was left blinking. He wasn’t sure how to react. He carefully stole a glance at Hardison behind him. Hardison stood just as much in shock.
Eliot felt the need to apologize even though Parker had kissed him. The only problem was that he found he could find any words.
“Okay.” Hardison finally spoke.
“I… I…” Eliot tried again.
Parker reappeared. “Are you coming?” She asked Hardison, who stared at her in shock, his finger moving slightly.
“Parker, you can’t just kiss me!” Eliot finally yelled out.
“Oh, sorry.”
Eliot let out more noises, unsure of what to say.
“Hardison said that I could kiss him whenever I felt like it. And well, I felt like kissing you, so I did.”
“I’m not Hardison!” Eliot yelled out.
Parker’s eyes turned to her boyfriend, who was still standing still. Eliot could see Parker was still confused, unsure of what she had done wrong. Eliot ran a hand over his face.
“I’m sorry, Eliot. I thought you were okay with kissing people.” She stated.
“It’s not that, Parker.” He sighed. “You’re dating Hardison. You can’t just go kissing other people.” Loot looked at Hardison, and Parker’s eyes followed.
Hardison didn’t say anything.
“Hardison!” Eliot snapped, demanding him to say something.
“Sorry. I…”
“I didn’t mean to do anything wrong. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” Parker’s face was starting to fall.
“You haven’t.” Hardison put his hand on her arm.
Why wasn’t Hardison more upset!? “Hardison, tell your girlfriends not to kiss people!” Eliot fumed.
“Eliot!” Hardison’s tone was fierce. Eliot had never heard him like this. Hardison sighed, closing his eyes for a second. He turned more towards Eliot, keeping Parker at his side. “Parker likes you. I’ve known for a while now.”
“What!?” Eliot exclaimed. “And you okay with this?”
“It was just talking.”
“Hardison thinks you’re very attractive. Especially your muscles.” Parker stated.
“Parker.” Hardison hissed out.
Eliot was left even more confused than before. He remembered Hardison’s eyes on him at the beach. So he had been checking him out. And Parker, she’d become much more physical with him when Eliot knew full well she wasn’t a very touchy person.
“I need some space.” Eliot got up from the couch and headed out the door. It was already dark outside, so Eliot stayed on the lit paths, not wanting to get into trouble.
What was he supposed to make of this, the two people he grew closer to than anyone else, both having a crush on him, and when they were in a relationship, no less? What was he supposed to do with that?
“I’ll leave,” Eliot announced when he returned from his walk.
“What?” Hardison and Parker were waiting at the dining table, standing nervously.
“I’ll find somewhere else to live.”
“What, no!” Parker exclaimed. “You can’t leave Eliot.”
“I’m not breaking the two of you up. What you’ve got is special. I’ve seen it. You’re meant to be.”
“You’re not allowed to leave!” Parker’s voice broke. “You’re one of us.”
“What are you saying, Parker?”
“It’s never just been Hardison and me. It’s always been me, you, and Hardison. You’re a piece of the puzzle Eliot.”
Eliot tried to process what she was saying.
“Parker, I can’t keep living here with you two, knowing you are interested in me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m interested in you too!” Eliot shut his eyes as he finally admitted what he hadn’t admitted to himself yet.
“Then why can’t we all be together?”
“We’re not some commune.” He opened his eyes. “Okay?!”
Parker just seems confused.
“I mean, we worked before.” Hardison finally spoke. “Not much would change. Everything would just be out in the open now.”
Parker nodded.
“I’m with Parker. I can’t let you leave. She’s right. It’s always been the three of us.”
Eliot wasn’t sure if he wanted to yell some more at them, to tell them they were crazy or cry at the reality of finding out they both shared deeper feelings with him and gave in. His emotions were a whirl win.
“I don’t know.” He shook his head.
“If you need to go, I won’t stop you,” Hardison told him, but Eliot could see the fierceness in Parker’s eyes, telling him she wouldn’t let him go so easily.
“I’ll stay.” He caved because it was too late to find somewhere else. “We can talk in the morning.”
-
Eliot made eggs the next morning. Hardison came out of his room first.
“How are you feeling?” He asked as calmly as possible.
Eliot felt on edge and flipped the omelet.
Parker came to join Hardison, eyeing the eggs suspiciously.
“We can try,” Eliot spoke softly.
“Try what?” Parker asked.
“Figure out us.” Eliot gestured between them. “But I don’t want things to change all of a sudden. I don’t want us suddenly having a threesome.”
Parker’s face distorted.
“That’s not something to have to worry about, mate.” Hardison reminded him.
Eliot focused back on his omelet. “No more sudden kisses from Parker either.”
“I’ll ask next time.” She said, holding out a plate, and Eliot slid the omelet onto it. “Can we at least cuddle?”
“Fine.”
Epilogue
Hardison’s nose tickled Eliot’s neck as Parker lay on top of him. They had woken up a half hour ago, but no one wanted to move.
“You guys need to move eventually if you want breakfast,” Eliot told them.
“But you’re so cozy and warm.” Parker protested, and Hardison nuzzled his neck. It sent shivers down Eliot’s spine in the best way possible.
“Just a few more minutes, babe,” Hardison begged.
“Fine.” Eliot settled back into their king bed.
It was their last year of university, and they had gotten their own place, though Parker still begged for a dog. Hardison brought in steady money doing all sorts of tech stuff. Eliot had gotten a job at the pub as a bartender and in the kitchens. It was enjoyable enough, but he still had a dream of running his own restaurant one day. The boys didn’t ask questions about how Parker made her money. They figured it was probably better if they didn’t know. It wasn’t like Hardison didn’t get up t illegal stuff every now and then as well. Eliot was fine with it as long as they never got into too much trouble. He always said fuck the system and the government anyway.
They’d figured out their dynamic as a trio pretty early on. It wasn’t much different than before, though now Eliot showed his affection much more openly these days. In public, though, he kept things on the down-low, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. Eliot didn’t care for going out, though, as Eliot much preferred staying in with his partners. He much preferred these moments, laying in bed with the two people he loved most curled up against him.
After all this time, he’d found his family. He found where he fit in. He’d found what he’d been searching for all this time.