75 Godiva, Friday evening

[vdistinctive]

Eliot had been taking it easy since getting back from LA. For all his bluster and insistence on avoiding formalized medical care -- be it hospitals or magical healing -- he knew how to take time to give his body what it needed. And after the number that the mad doctor had managed to do, both with his fists and the whole "blowing up" thing, Eliot's body had needed a lot.

So he'd laid low, making good use of ice packs and analgesics, and lots and lots of cuddle time, either with his partners or with his dog. Not that he would ever, ever use that term out loud.

He was just pulling his "cook and convalesce" stool up to the counter to get started on dinner for the evening (and yeah, it was maybe a little sad that he had a stool specifically for that purpose, but it wasn't like he was going to not cook), when he heard a quiet but firm knock on the door.

. . . That was a very distinctive knock.

"I got it," he called. Val trotted up to the door with him, ears pricked at her person's sudden discomfiture. Eliot paused at the door to steel himself, only for the knock to come again, more insistently this time. He rolled back his shoulders, shook out his hair, and eased the door open.

"Heya Pop."

[for the family, please]

Comments

[whoisalicewhite]

"Why is he here," Parker demanded, voice low and very quiet as she appeared next to Eliot. "Here. In our place."

Tru had shown her pix. Like if this guy was on a 'wanted' poster.

[vdisappointed]

Emerson stared at her, disconcerted.

"I'm standing right in front of you. Were you raised in a barn?"

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker gave him the Crazy Eyes. "No. The streets of New York. Were you raised in a barn?" She looked at Eliot again. "Are we being nice to him?"

[vdisappointed]

"There's somethin' wrong with you."

[whoisalicewhite]

"YES THERE IS but only Eliot gets to say that, you don't get to," Parker snapped immediately back. "The somethings wrong with you are more wrong! Much wronger!"

[vdisappointed]

Emerson reared back a little. These were the people his son preferred to spend his time with? Over the fine, upstanding folks back home in Oklahoma.

The damn boy had gone Yankee.

"I'm gonna need to ask you to keep your voice down, Missy. I may be dead, but I am still your elder."

[whoisalicewhite]

"So?" Instead of loud, Parker went for snarky. "Good for you. You're also dead. The deadest. Bet I live longer than you. Than I'll be older than you. And my name is not missy."

Parker's own dad, wherever he was, could have told Emerson this was a lost cause. Archie would have just pursed his lips, shook his head.

Somewhere, Nate was laughing his ass off.

[vdisappointed]

"And how the damn hell am I supposed to know what your name is?" Emerson shook his head, trying to step past her. "We ain't even met before."

He'd remember if they had. She was a pretty young thing, under all that anger.

[whoisalicewhite]

"Because I didn't go with Eliot to see you when you were dying, but he came back upset." Parker angled her body so she was in front of him again. "And you were rude to Hardison. So, so, so rude."

[vdisappointed]

". . . None of that means I'd know your name," Emerson said. "If you don't mind, I'd like not to be hoverin' in the doorway. Speakin' of rude."

[whoisalicewhite]

He didn't actually ask what her name was, or introduce himself, so Parker decided not to give up her name. It just wasn't missy.

She glowered at him, folding her arms. "First, promise to be polite to Eliot and Hardison. Then you can come in. Otherwise, you can sleep outside in the yard." She restrained the urge to stick out her tongue at him. "Eliot wants you here. So. You can come in, once you promise."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot sighed. "He's my pop."

He wasn't sure how to explain it any other way.

[whoisalicewhite]

"Hmmmmmmmmm." That didn't seem like a good enough reason to Parker. She would have preferred meeting Eliot's mom, if they were doing Dead People Days. "There are exorcists we could find? If we have to."

[vdistinctive]

"We're not exorcising my dad," Eliot said. "He's only gonna be around for the weekend, anyway. We done this before."

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker hugged herself, remembering the other times, then leaned against Eliot. "Okay. I guess. But if he's mean to you..." Yeah, what then? "I don't know what, but I'll do something." She had a thought. "Do you want to see him?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot sighed. "Yeah. I mean -- I guess. We didn't exactly leave it well before he --"

He wasn't proud of his last conversation with his father. The man was an ass, but it hadn't always been bad. He did owe him at least a chance at making amends.

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker deflated a bit. "Okay. I mean. He's your pop." She wrinkled her nose, and then leaned on him harder. "...can I be extra-crazy at him, though?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot snorted. "Don't think anyone here is gonna try to stop you."