Think about Eliot FINALLY breaking down and conceeding the annual winter argument of:
“You don’t… you just don’t take coworkers to family holidays, Hardison! That’s… That’s a couplething!”
“Uh, no, it says it right there in the title, fam-uh-ly holidays, see, family. When’s the last time you been back to your apartment to sleep, huh?”
“That’s not-”
“When’s the last time we ate a meal together you didn’t cook?”
“Because if I didn’tthen you’d never-”
“How many handknitted sweaters did Nana send over this year, Parker?”
“Three sweaters.”
“Three sweaters. One that fits Parker here just perfect, doesn’t it babe?”
“Mmnnn,snugly.”
“And this one here, doesn’t it just really bring out my, my shoulders, and my waist ‘n stuff and like-”
“Ooooh yeah, very dashing figure. For sure.”
“Except, you see this one here… It’s way too big for Parker, but the shoulders don’t quite line up the same on me, and it’s a lil short right… right here at the waist, and-”
“Comeon, man, she probably just-”
“So we’re basically all living together above in the restaurant we own, you’re cooking all our sit-down meals, and my Nana - who hasn’t even met you - is including you in our annual tradition.”
“Sure sounds like family to me!”
“Mmn. Boom. Thank you mama. Right there.”
“Damnit.Hardison.”
“Whatever, man. Talkin’ bout coworkers. What’s wrong with you. We ain’t just been "coworkers” since we chainsawed a hole through Nate’s old apartment wall. Put the damn sweater on and get in the van.“
And they’re almost a full two hours late because even tho he won’t say it Eliot is desperate for this woman to like him. To approve of him. To impress her. For reasons he can’t unpack right now.
So he’s rifling through his ENTIRE closet trying to pick out an outfit that makes him look as small and unassuming and innocent and gentle as possible while somehow still seeming approachable and well-socialized - like when he’s on the grift.
When he comes down, Parker almost says something - taking one look at him and frowning and murmuring to Hardison about how they want to take Eliot to meet Nana, not whatever character he’s apparently come up with in the 73 minutes it took him to get ready - but Hardison stops her.
"Small victories, mama,” he whispers to her and Eliot does one last perimeter check of the locks and security system before leaving for the week. “We’re just shipping him down there, so that’s fine for now. Trust me, we’ll let Nana and The Cousins do all the hard work prying him outta that shell.”
I really hope you like this!! I took inspiration from what you said in the asks I sent (I tried my best to type differently to what I normally type like as to not give myself away hahaha) and this is the end result! Santa Shiho and her Reindeer Boys having a fluffy Christmas moment~ Again, I hope you enjoy this gift and happy holidays to you!
