it’s something parker tries not to think about too much, but sometimes she can’t help but pay a smidge too much attention to a single thought about it, and then all of a sudden she’s sucked into the whirlpool of remembering how she never used to have anyone and it was always parker just parker and there was no family no friends no nothing. the good thing is that she’s had enough practice by now with pulling herself out of said whirlpool that it’s easier to do than it used to be, so instead of being caught there for hours it’s maybe 15-20 minutes, 30 max. and the better thing? now, once she’s pulled herself out and she’s no longer drowning, she can wipe the tears off her cheeks and shuffle out to the living room, and that’s where she’ll find the boys on the couch, hardison playing video games and eliot reading, or the two of them watching tv. she can plop herself down in hardison’s lap, and when hardison says “heya girlie, what’s goin on?” she can say she was thinking (“that’s dangerous,” eliot murmurs), and she just wants to make sure… they’re Them, right? none of them are going anywhere?? they’re all gonna stay together, and she… she’s not gonna be alone
and then hardison will scoop her in close and give her a squeeze and say of course they are, and hell no she won’t— doesn’t she know they’re gonna bother her for the rest of her life????? eliot will say something like i’d argue only some of us are bothersome, to which hardison says man shut up, you’re bothersome as hell, and when parker actually laughs at that, hardison looks like he won an original piece of the film reel from a new hope. then he kisses her cheek and says that seriously, they’re not goin anywhere, and neither is sophie, or nate, or amy, or peggy, or nana, or bre, or the crew at the brewpub, or georgie who runs their favorite bakery, and that’s when parker laughs again, quieter this time but still genuine, and she says okay okay, i get it, and hardison says good (smooch to her cheek), you better (smooch smooch smooch)
and then parker does one of her new favorite things that she’s made up since they all got married: she boops eliot on the chin and says “husband?” and eliot nods and says “husband,” and she boops hardison on the chin and says “husband?” and hardison nuzzles his nose against hers and says “husband all day baby,” and then eliot cocks an eyebrow and boops her chin and says “husband??” and that same chin wobbles as she takes eliot’s hand and kisses the tip of his finger and agrees “yeah. husband,” and after that both the boys smile and hug her tight. and something peaceful settles over parker—she’s got a home. she’s got friends. she’s got family. she’s got two boys who have promised her forever not just once or twice or even three times, but a million. or maybe a billion by now. she lost track a while ago; all she knows is it’s a lot. and now that she’s been reminded of it she can feel all that love and certainty filling her up, buoying her so she can’t drown anymore.
the feeling only grows stronger too when hardison adds “aaaaaand wifey wifey wifey, y’all—don’t forget about that,” and parker knows she couldn’t—the three of them are each other’s in every way there’s words for (and also every way there’s not, honestly). she takes a moment to soak it all in, let it saturate her… and then, feeling significantly better than she had even just two minutes ago, she says “okay then, wifeys—love you. now what are we watching,” and the three of them settle in together, parker smushed between the boys with hardison rubbing her back and eliot with a protective hand on her chest. and everyone’s happy and safe, right where they’re supposed to be
