Waking up to someone next to someone you care about is unlike anything else. You get to see them in their rawest and most vulnerable state. It's peaceful and beautiful but getting to wake up to someone you get to call yours? That doesn't even compare.
Elli's rolled over on her side, looking at Parker as he sleeps. He's on his stomach, curls on his forehead, almost to his eyes and a key indicator he'll be getting a haircut by the end of the month. Hair is just starting to appear above his lip, just enough to be visible in the low light of the bedroom and he looks like he's getting the most peaceful sleep he's had in a while. And Elli's heart just flutters, taking everything in her to let him rest but, lucky for her, it's not long.
"Lookin' at me again?" Parker mutters, eyes still closed.
"Surprised?" Elli asks, poking his cheek.
Parker smiles before shaking his face into the pillow and turning his head back to her, just barely opening his eyes. Her hair is a complete mess. Matted and sticking out all over the place from the night before. But she looks so well-rested and so damn pretty that all Parker even think about doing is smiling at her while a blush creeps onto his face.
"Nah, not at all." Parker rolls onto his side and extends an arm, dragging Elli against his chest.
Elli hums against him before kissing his cheek. "We're a thing now."
Parker's chest rumbles with a cheerful and tired laugh. "Mm, yeah." He looks down at her. "Wanna go on that date tonight?"
Elli bites her lip, barely pulling away from him. "You sure?"
"More sure than anything." Parker whispers, pressing his lips to hers.
Elli's body relaxes against his. "Okay, where we going?"
Parker looks down at her and he's got the biggest smirk he's ever had. "You'll see."
"You're not gonna tell me?"
"Nope." Parker chuckles.
"How will I know how to dress then?" Elli retorts.
"I'll pick out your clothes."
"Your fashion sense sucks as bad as my cooking." Elli chortles.
Parker gasps, pretending to be offended before his hand slides under her shirt and squeezes her side. She squeals and squirms away from him, the room erupting in laughter between the two of them.
"It's the truth!" Elli defends, covering her side with her arm.
"Fine," Parker rolls his eyes, smile still decorating his face. "Just wear your normal clothes."
"Nothing fancy?" Elli raises a brow.
"No, but bring your camera." Parker states but Elli just furrows her brows in confusion. Parker is date, date kind of person. Dinner, movie, maybe have a car conversation but this doesn't sound like that and as far as Elli knows, Parker doesn't surprise his dates. At least, he's never done it with any that he told her about and Jenny never said anything. "If you don't figure this out, you owe me a Marvel movie marathon." Parker says, eyes wide and teasing.
"That's like twenty-two movies!" Elli exclaims.
"Sucks to be you." Parker laughs, eyes crinkling.
"You suck." Elli rolls her eyes.
"You love me." Parker grins.
"Doesn't make you suck any less." Elli states, just barely glancing at him and trying not to laugh.
"Hmm," Parker hums, moving back over to her before he hovers over her, gaining her full attention, eyes locked. "I could suck--"
"Don't. You're gonna say something dirty and it's early."
Parker gasps. "I would never, love." Parker leans down, kissing her lips and then her cheek, moving to her jawline.
"Mhm," Elli closes her eyes, turning her neck and giving Parker more access. "That why you have morning wood?"
Parker bursts into laughter, his head hanging in the crook of her neck. "That's just science."
Elli laughs with him before kissing his cheek. "I'll suck you off if you tell me where we're going."
Parker groans, hips grinding against hers. "Tempting."
"Clearly." Elli remarks while Parker pulls his head up.
"Not enough." Parker's eyes widen as he kisses her and rolls over before getting up from the bed, adjusting himself over his boxer briefs.
"Ya know," Elli sits up, eyes flicking between Parker's erection and his face. "There's an easy way to solve that."
"I've got a hand." Parker waves with his right hand before he exits the room, his laugh bouncing off the walls of the hallway.
"Parker!" Elli yells after him, the yell turning into a laugh.
"Get ready!" Parker yells back and Elli just lays back, head hitting the pillow again and a smile splits her face.
This is the moment of happiness Elli loves, it's like falling in love all over again. She remembers falling in love with Parker like it was yesterday but right now, this morning with the banter, it's like falling in love with him all over again. It's bubbly and happy, smiles and laughter and everything it should be. They made it official, they made up, and she knows it won't be like this all the time but she also knows there will be more moments of falling in love with him than anything else. Thick and thin. Good and bad.
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Parker's hand is holding Elli's over the center console of his car and his thumb is tapping against the steering wheel to the music. It's peaceful but both of them can feel the nerves trickling into their veins.
For Parker, he knows it's her. It's always been Elli so he just wants this to be perfect. When he had originally planned to ask her out years ago, it was perfect and it flopped because he chickened out because of Shawn. It was fair but now he's trying to live up to that, for her and himself. He thinks this will, she's a hopeless romantic so it should but he worries anyway.
But for Elli, this is just new. Sure, she knew she was in love with Parker for a long time but she accepted that they wouldn't be together and now they are. It's new and it's scary. She's putting her heart on the line for him again and it's just scary and they were friends and now it's more. It's a little awkward even to be an actual couple, knowing neither of them will have that awkward 'oh, no, we're just friends', conversation with some stranger who tells them they're a cute couple. They've crossed that line of being friends and Elli just wants this date to go well, the first date is the hardest.
They're a few minutes away when it hits Elli, her head snapping to look at Parker who's gained a shit-eating grin. "Navy Pier?"
"Took you long enough." Parker glances to her and he looks confident but inside he's losing his shit.
"What a cliche." Elli remarks, smile consuming her face and Parker's heart doesn't even have time to drop to his stomach before she continues. "It's perfect."
Parker lets out a breath, his smile turning to something between gentle and loving. "Knew you'd like it." His hand squeezes hers before she brings his hand to her lips, pressing a quick kiss to his pale skin.
They park at Navy Pier and the first place they go is to the actual Pier over the lake. Elli has her camera around her neck, the wind blowing just enough to cause a slight breeze, the smell of spring consuming the air. Parker's walking beside her, hand intertwined with hers, and his cheeks are aching with every passing second because he just can't seem to stop smiling.
Elli looks to him, her cheeks aching for the same reason, and she asks him if she can photograph him. If he's bringing her here because this is the place where he fell in love with her, then she's going to recreate the pictures she took of him that fateful day. This time though, they'll be better because he is someone to her. He loves the spring and Parker is the sun in every rainy and stormy day. He's happiness.
Parker does as she directs, this time much better than the first and Elli takes the pictures. The two of them have to retake most as they laugh and Parker ends up moving or Elli does and picture blurs but if anyone were to ask either of them, it just makes the experience better. Some of the pictures might be blurry but they'll be hung on Elli's wall anyway. Sometimes, blurred pictures say more about someone or something than the picture with perfect focus.
"Okay," Parker says once Elli's done. "Here." His hands go to her shoulders as he moves her where he wants her, Elli just moving along with him. "Look up." Parker says as he backs away and Elli looks to him while he's taking his phone out but she doesn't say a word.
Elli looks to the sky, just enough to see the bright blue and the few clouds covering the sky above the lake. Her smile is soft and content and Parker is enthralled all over again. It's his turn to fall in love with her all over again. He takes the picture and while spring might not be her favorite season, it sure looks great on her. And she looks just as happy to be here today as she did that day in the snow and Parker is so in love with her.
Once they were done with their pictures, their next stop was the Crystal Gardens, the two of them both adoring the indoor garden. They walked and Elli got probably her thousandth picture of the garden as they walked around, just talking about everything and nothing. The great thing about them having not gotten together until now, they already know where they stand in their lives and in each other's. They know each other's wants and needs, they already know what they signed up for so there's no rush in anything. It's their first date and there will be countless others after this. So, when the date starts to come to an end, Elli pulls Parker to the side, taking a picture with him this time. Parker blushes but asks for her to send it to him before they head back to the car.
With the date over, they've decided to meet Collyn at one of their favorite local bars, one Parker usually plays, for a few drinks and to tell him that they finally got together. They're both nervous and excited to tell Collyn, more so Elli than Parker, mostly just because she knows Collyn is protective of Parker and she did fuck him over but the excitement does take over the nerves on the ride over to the bar. That is, until they actually park and start making their way towards the door.
Parker's fingers intertwine with Elli's and he looks back at her, a glowing smile on display against the bright lights of the city. There's a new glint in his eyes, one of pure happiness and calmness and her stomach just swarms with butterflies. He gives Elli's hand a quick squeeze before leading the two of them into the bar.
It's crowded, the usual for a Saturday night and it's making Elli smile wider, glancing at her hand intertwined with Parker's. He's hers and she's his. And it's just this rush of excitement and it only heightens as the two of them find Collyn, seated at the usual spot.
Collyn's eyes widen at the sight of the two of them and he's quick on his feet, almost afraid to ask. "Are you two.....?" Collyn questions pointing to their clasped hands. Parker scratches the back of his neck and Elli just nods. Collyn's face relaxes while he lets out the longest breath Parker and Elli have ever heard. "Finally!" Collyn yells with a wide smile before walking over to the two of them and wrapping them in a hug.
"Thanks, Collyn." Elli remarks, patting his back.
Collyn pulls away. "I'm going home then. Congrats." Collyn chimes while Elli and Parker just glance at each other, brows furrowed. "If you've finally gotten together, I can get some fuckin' sleep."
"We're not that bad, mate." Parker defends.
"You're both insufferable." Collyn deadpans. "I thought I was goin' to have a fuckin' aneurysm going between the both of you."
"Dramatic." Elli says.
"It's been years, I get to be dramatic." Collyn quips.
"Are you really goin' home?" Parker asks, the disappointment clear his voice making Collyn chuckle before taking his seat back.
"Nah, I wanna know how it happened." Collyn leans back, ready to hear how his best friends finally just got together.
Elli and Parker just beam as they look at their best friend, his support meaning the world to the both of them. Elli takes her seat while Parker gets the three of them their usual drinks and by the time he's back, Collyn is bouncing with questions, wanting the story. Elli and Parker just jump right in with how it went down, without the details of the sex and by the time they were done, Collyn was just as happy as they were.
Yeah, Collyn might have had a crush on Elli for quite a while but it's nothing compared to how Parker and her feel about each other. He knew that then but it's clearer than ever right now. They look at each other like they are each other's forever plans and they are each other's something epic and incredible. And they do it freely now. There are no more stolen glances, no more looking away the second the other turns in their direction. There are no more hidden secrets, they are open and together and the happiest Collyn has ever seen them. Collyn's a crier and the two of them are likely to get a few tears falling by the end of the night.
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That first full day of being a couple was great but the months that followed were better. They discussed their living situation and still opt for separate rooms so they can still have their own space but it's been almost a year and they always end up in bed together by the end of the night, even when an argument had unfolded. They still don't get to bed angry at each other.
They told their parents as well. Elli's parents a little bit confused but happy for the two of them, always really liking Parker and Elli's sister saw it coming just as Collyn did. Parker's parents, they were a little skeptical. The last they heard, Elli had broken Parker's heart again. Break their kids' heart and it causes a sore spot but they always did like Elli so they support them and now, the sore spot has healed. Almost a year and Parker's parents talk to Elli almost as much as they talk to him, as do his brothers. And it's so nice being open with their families. It feels real and comforting.
But now, maybe it's time for a change.
Elli opens the door to the apartment she's called her home for the past eight years. She spots Parker seated on the couch, rewatching Game Of Thrones and she feels the anxiety start to consume her, making her want to turn away as if she didn't actually come home but Parker's neck is craining over the couch to look at her.
"Hey." Parker greets, looking back to the TV.
"Hey, Parker." Elli says before kicking her shoes off. "I have to talk to you." She mutters, making her way over to him.
Parker pause the TV and looks up to her while she stands in front of him and he swears he hates those words. "Okay..." He says with hesitance.
Elli grabs his shoulders before she straddles his lap, Parker's hands instinctively going to her hips as he quirks a brow. "So, I got this job offer today." Elli takes in a breath and Parker nods.
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" He asks, thumb sliding under her shirt and rubbing her skin.
"Mhm, it's this photographer and he wants me to work with him. I got the call today. I guess that wedding I made you go to, the bride knew someone who knew this guy. He was showed the pictures I took and the video I put together and he really liked it all. He photographs celebrities and big events and here we are." Elli rambles.
"What's the catch?" Parker asks, knowing there's a reason she's rambling and not getting to the point.
"If I asked you to move to London with me, would you?" Elli asks and the first sign of smile starts to pull at her lips.
Parker lets out a sigh of relief, his lips connecting with hers in a heated kiss. "I should have been the one askin' you that, ya?"
"Yeah, but you're slacking, obviously." Elli jokes, her voice still holding touches of anxiety as she waits for an actual answer.
"You got a job offer in London?" Parker asks and Elli nods. "And you really want me to go with you?" He asks again.
"More than anything." Elli nods as she bites her lip, eyes going soft as she hopes that he'll go. His family is there but he does like Chicago so maybe he'll want to stay.
But, that's not where Parker's head is at. After that fire, Elli has been searching for something in her career. She was never sure what but she wanted something bigger, something better. Elli wants to be incredible on her own. She's damn good and deserving of a good career, of something she will be proud of for the rest of her life and Parker has promised himself that he'd support her in any way she asked him to so long as they were both happy. The thing with Parker is that he can have a radio show or a podcast anywhere. He can play his music anywhere. Parker doesn't need to plant roots anywhere because his heart lies with Elli. She's his someone.
Parker smiles, hands coming to her face. "I'd follow you anywhere, darlin'."
Elli doesn't even have to say anything, her lips just connect with his, sealing their decision to start new lives in London, together.