Dare You To Move

Chapter 13 - It's Jenny

When Parker and Elli got back to their apartment, Parker gently woke Elli up and in her groggy state, Parker helped her up the stairs and into his room. She barely took her shoes off before climbing onto his bed and making herself comfortable, falling asleep within minutes once more. It only brought a smile to Parker's face with a rush of warmth before he changed himself and got into bed with her. And two slept through the night, allowing Christmas Eve to come.

That morning, everything proceeded as it normally did and there were parts of Parker that tinged with anxiety. He remembers telling her he's in love with her and there was a twisted part of him that hoped that maybe she wasn't really asleep and she heard him. But, the day went.

They had gone to Collyn's parents' house for dinner and Elli didn't say a word about it. It was normal between the three of them. Parker was a little disappointed but also relieved because what if she didn't feel the same way? It would have really ruined everyone's Christmas Eve with a pitiful mood. So, Parker enjoyed his first Christmas Eve with his two best friends and pushed the thoughts of the night before from his mind.

Christmas came and by then, Parker intentionally pushed telling her his feelings out of his mind. She didn't hear him and she was really asleep and it's not the right time. He'll tell her but not on Christmas. So, the two have their own gift exchange and prove once again that they know each other better than anyone.

Elli got him a new guitar strap, one he's been talking about every so often for the past six months. It's covered in Marvel characters, custom designed pattern by Elli just so his would be different from any other one. His name is even etched on the inside of the strap in the Spider-Man font. Of course, Parker was thrilled and surprised she put that much into it but also found it funny.

His present to her was a new camera strap. Elli had been wanting a custom one just to swap out every now and then instead of having the name brand Canon strap. This one though, it's all pictures she's taken at the Pier. Parker had snuck into her room and scanned them all while she was at a job. He picked more than enough and ones he knew Elli loved, like the ones where the Pier is covered in snow with minimal footprints, ones of the lake being frozen, and some of the Ferris wheel covered in snow. Her name is etched on inside in a pretty and elegant cursive font.

They had their own form of a thank you afterward, which lead to the two of them needing to shower.

They'd gotten ready and made their way to Elli's parents' house for dinner, Elli reminding Parker that they think she's dating Collyn and Parker hated it. He hated having to pretend it's true and he hated that Elli was so nonchalant about it but he gets it and he went with it and he had fun anyway. No one bothered them about if they were dating and that didn't sting. For the first time, it didn't sting. Instead, he got to have good conversations with her mom, dad, and sister. It was all in all, a perfect Christmas.

And it only got better when they got back to the apartment, Collyn stopping by for the night right after. They had their own gift exchange, the three of them getting all new mugs, a tradition they've had over the past five years. Elli got a Wonder Woman mug, Parker got a Miles Morales mug, and Collyn got a Riddler mug. The three of them spent the rest of the night washing their mugs and drinking hot chocolate from them while watching Christmas movies.

The next two weeks went by like normal. New Year's Eve was even pretty uneventful. Elli had a job she had to photograph, Collyn had plans with a few friends from a sculpting class he'd taken in college, and Parker had to work the radio. After new years, the next few weeks went by like normal. The three hung out regularly. The friends with benefits remained the same between Elli and Parker. Neither giving it up and both keeping it a tight-lipped secret. Everything was normal until Elli got a phone call the first week of February.