Dare You To Move

Chapter 7 - Frozen Bearings

Happy.

It is to feel joy or contentment or pleasure. It's yellows and oranges, sunrises, and the summer sun beating on exposed skin. And it's laughter, laughter of oneself and/or someone they care about. Smiles, racing hearts, adrenaline, goosebumps, and butterflies. To be happy is important and lovely. But, to be happy with someone, to be happy because of someone is otherworldly and a little dangerous, but usually worth it.

"You're happy with me?" Parker's eyes lit up with a touch of adornment.

Elli nods. "Mhm, would I be living with you if you didn't make me happy?" She quips, the usual smirk tugging at her lips.

"No," Parker says, the word falling almost reluctant as his lips pull into a smile.

"Exactly. You're my best friend and if whoever the hell I'm supposed to end up with," Elli pauses and flashes Parker a toothy grin. "If it's really not you, can't accept that I live with you and we're us, then they aren't for me. Sorry, I'm with you till the end of the line, pal."

Parker bursts into a fit of laughter, his arm collapsing and allowing him to fall to the floor. The corners of his eyes wrinkle and his chest rises and falls with every laugh that falls from his lips.

"That's the line, right?" Elli asks, biting her lip as her cheeks start to tint.

Parker nods, his laugh calming. "Yeah, 's line, stop quoting shit!"

"I would if you would stop laughing so hard every time I did it!" Elli lets out a laugh cross her lips.

"It's funny, darlin'. You've so much confidence in it and you do it at the worst times." Parker's eyes soften as he looks up to her.

"That's a good thing! It makes me funny." Elli defends, voice airy and sweet as sugar.

"Not sure that's how funny works." Parker snorts, his arms bending under his head.

"Uh-huh!" Elli's eyes widen as she pokes his cheeks. "You laugh and that's the point."

Parker chuckles, grabbing her hand and bringing the back of it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the soft skin. "Sure, Elli." He mumbles.

He releases her hand and extends his arm, gesturing for her to move towards him. Elli sighs but scoots over, her head laying on his bare chest, his warmth immediately consuming her. She feels Parker press a kiss to the top of her head as her eyes close, the sound of the record becoming her focus once more.

Parker's fingers lightly brush over Elli's arm as the lingering scent of her shampoo consumes his scenes. He chose to laugh and maybe it was the wrong decision because it'll be eating at him now but he didn't want to push Elli into an argument. She's usually a pretty open book when it comes to Parker but when she doesn't want to talk about something, she's not going to and her throwing sarcasm and quips out means she doesn't want to talk about it. But, it's bothering him that her idea of a joke, of a good quip, is that they could end up together. Then again, it's not like unusual for the two of them to joke like that but there's tonight.

Tonight it feels different and she looks different, not literally but figuratively. It just feels different, Elli, the sex, the records, the songs, the decorating. Just everything and it's gnawing at the back Parker's brain so, he picks a conversation.

He moves his shoulder, gaining Elli's attention. "I thought you wanted to get married in a castle, by the way?"

Elli's eyes widen as he look at him. "W-what? I, you pay attention when I talk about that?"

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I?"

Elli shakes her head, the warmth spreading throughout her chest too warm to ignore. "Just...I dunno." She furrows her brows, laughing it off. "Didn't think you cared much about it."