Horn and Ivory
Hardison/Eliot/Parker + Nate/Sophie
Leverage (Parker/Eliot/team) Five times Parker didn't sleep around the team and the one time she did.
In LA, she would slip into Hardison's loft in the middle of the night. She liked his apartment and how it felt like being on the roof of the city. Plus, Hardison started stocking her Cap'n Crunch and Fruit Loops when he realised she was coming over.
She would wear her favorite black harness and best boots and sit in the office chair in the bedroom and just watch Hardison sleep. Her favorite nights were the one when Eliot stayed and she could watch their limbs tangle and her boys would hold each other tight.
On the best mornings, she would stay and watch Eliot make waffles and parfaits and the best coffee ever, but no matter how many nights she stayed, she never fell asleep.
*
She visited Tara twice when she was with the team. The first time, she just explored the grifter's apartment. It was nice, in an overdone way that didn't feel like the team. Tara slept through that first visit and Parker discovered she dyed her hair, like bondage rope, and had an empty refrigerator.
On the second visit, Tara woke up and started yelling when Parker was going through her nightstand. She left, leaping off the fire escape, and she hadn't worn a harness that night.
*
Parker liked Eliot's house outside Waltham. It was small and cozy and she wondered if she could get lost in the back garden, just fade into the vegetables and flowers. There was a guest room, decorated in blues and blacks, with her name on the door, but she never slept there.
Instead, she curled up on the overstuffed couch, surrounded by Eliot's books and Hardison's computers, while they slept in the master bedroom, happy and safe and loving.
*
After San Lorenzo, when Eliot started sleeping in the room with her name on it, Parker liked visiting Nate's apartment at night. She especially liked the nights when Sophie stayed over. They reminded her of Eliot and Hardison, before San Lorenzo and Damien Moreau and the tears and yelling.
At Nate's apartment, when everything was quiet, she would perch on the barstools and watch Disney movies on silent, savoring the feeling of sleepy-happy.
*
Eliot had nightmares, even after he moved back into his own bedroom, for more than a year after the San Lorenzo job. Mostly they woke up Hardison and scared them both, so Parker started visiting them more.
Eliot would wake up more hoarse and growly than usual and Hardison would walk him downstairs. Parker would take Eliot from there and they would wrap up in the same soft, wooly blanket and watch Aladdin or Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid on low. And even though neither of them slept and Eliot no longer made his big breakfasts, Hardison always had a big smile on his face in the morning.
*
Parker woke up on the plane to Athens, wrapping in the airline blanket and drooling on Hardison's shoulder. He was still asleep, his jaw wide open and his eyes firmly shut. Parker froze, feeling his muscles under her cheek and hearing Nate and Sophie arguing in her ear.
"It's okay," Eliot told her with a smile from her other side. He was shielding them from the rest of the plane with his body and he tucked her blanket back up around her shoulders. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you before we land."
And she did.
Five Lies and a Truth
Leverage, Sophie & team, five times Sophie lied to someone on the team and one time she didn't
She smiled and introduced herself as Sophie Devereaux. She told Parker there was something wrong with her. She said she liked Eliot's hair. She told Hardison she understood what he was saying. She said she liked Nate better when he was sober.
But she also told Tara to take care of them, because they were her family.
happiness is a warm gun
Leverage, Eliot, five times Eliot used a gun and the time he swore to never use a gun again
The first time Eliot used a gun, it was with his cousins in the hills of Kentucky. It was hunting season and Peter decided Eliot was finally old enough to join them, even if their mothers objected.
Eliot liked the weight of the gun in his hand. It made him feel strong and worthy. He could shoot with his cousins. He could take down the deer before any of them.
At fifteen, Eliot thought the gun made him a real man.
*
When he joined the army, Eliot handled various guns in boot camp and, later, on the field. They were different than the hunting rifles he used back home and somehow, more powerful.
He was good with them, even better than he'd been with his dad's old rifle. The other guys used to come watch him at target practice and, when they went off base, they would always buy him a beer if he gave them shooting advice.
At twenty, Eliot though the gun made him popular.
*
In Yemen, the first time, Eliot held onto his gun like a safety blanket. They were shooting at him and he needed to shoot them first. It was his first mission as an independent contractor and he knew most retrieval specialists died before they retrieved anything.
At twenty five, Eliot thought the gun made him safe.
*
Riding a train through Russia to the Pacific coast, Eliot inspected the shipment. His hair was cropped short and he wore his glasses, trying to look older than he was. The Russians he was dealing with were suspicious until one of their men found the personalised piece he kept on him at all time. Then they trusted the strange American who'd been sent as their contact. He obviously knew guns.
At twenty seven, Eliot thought the gun made him smart.
*
On his first job for Damien Moreau, Eliot was given a special Glock, a gift to Damien's head of security. Damien had smiled at him and run a hand through his hair, like he was some kind of puppy.
"We can't have a head of security without the very best, now can we?" Damien had said, the damning smile never leaving his face. "And Eliot, I know you are the very best."
At thirty, Eliot thought the gun made him the best of the best.
*
On his last job for Damien Moreau, Eliot shot a girl in the back at point blank range. She'd been running barefoot and he watched the blood pool around her body. He didn't know why he shot her, except that Damien told him to and he did whatever Damien said. He didn't know why it mattered that she was dead or why the blood was such a bright crimson this time. He didn't know why the sound of the shot was still ringing in his ears.
At thirty two, Eliot knew the gun made him a monster.
Hardison/Eliot/Parker + Nate/Sophie
Leverage (Parker/Eliot/team) Five times Parker didn't sleep around the team and the one time she did.
In LA, she would slip into Hardison's loft in the middle of the night. She liked his apartment and how it felt like being on the roof of the city. Plus, Hardison started stocking her Cap'n Crunch and Fruit Loops when he realised she was coming over.
She would wear her favorite black harness and best boots and sit in the office chair in the bedroom and just watch Hardison sleep. Her favorite nights were the one when Eliot stayed and she could watch their limbs tangle and her boys would hold each other tight.
On the best mornings, she would stay and watch Eliot make waffles and parfaits and the best coffee ever, but no matter how many nights she stayed, she never fell asleep.
*
She visited Tara twice when she was with the team. The first time, she just explored the grifter's apartment. It was nice, in an overdone way that didn't feel like the team. Tara slept through that first visit and Parker discovered she dyed her hair, like bondage rope, and had an empty refrigerator.
On the second visit, Tara woke up and started yelling when Parker was going through her nightstand. She left, leaping off the fire escape, and she hadn't worn a harness that night.
*
Parker liked Eliot's house outside Waltham. It was small and cozy and she wondered if she could get lost in the back garden, just fade into the vegetables and flowers. There was a guest room, decorated in blues and blacks, with her name on the door, but she never slept there.
Instead, she curled up on the overstuffed couch, surrounded by Eliot's books and Hardison's computers, while they slept in the master bedroom, happy and safe and loving.
*
After San Lorenzo, when Eliot started sleeping in the room with her name on it, Parker liked visiting Nate's apartment at night. She especially liked the nights when Sophie stayed over. They reminded her of Eliot and Hardison, before San Lorenzo and Damien Moreau and the tears and yelling.
At Nate's apartment, when everything was quiet, she would perch on the barstools and watch Disney movies on silent, savoring the feeling of sleepy-happy.
*
Eliot had nightmares, even after he moved back into his own bedroom, for more than a year after the San Lorenzo job. Mostly they woke up Hardison and scared them both, so Parker started visiting them more.
Eliot would wake up more hoarse and growly than usual and Hardison would walk him downstairs. Parker would take Eliot from there and they would wrap up in the same soft, wooly blanket and watch Aladdin or Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid on low. And even though neither of them slept and Eliot no longer made his big breakfasts, Hardison always had a big smile on his face in the morning.
*
Parker woke up on the plane to Athens, wrapping in the airline blanket and drooling on Hardison's shoulder. He was still asleep, his jaw wide open and his eyes firmly shut. Parker froze, feeling his muscles under her cheek and hearing Nate and Sophie arguing in her ear.
"It's okay," Eliot told her with a smile from her other side. He was shielding them from the rest of the plane with his body and he tucked her blanket back up around her shoulders. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you before we land."
And she did.
Five Lies and a Truth
Leverage, Sophie & team, five times Sophie lied to someone on the team and one time she didn't
She smiled and introduced herself as Sophie Devereaux. She told Parker there was something wrong with her. She said she liked Eliot's hair. She told Hardison she understood what he was saying. She said she liked Nate better when he was sober.
But she also told Tara to take care of them, because they were her family.
happiness is a warm gun
Leverage, Eliot, five times Eliot used a gun and the time he swore to never use a gun again
The first time Eliot used a gun, it was with his cousins in the hills of Kentucky. It was hunting season and Peter decided Eliot was finally old enough to join them, even if their mothers objected.
Eliot liked the weight of the gun in his hand. It made him feel strong and worthy. He could shoot with his cousins. He could take down the deer before any of them.
At fifteen, Eliot thought the gun made him a real man.
*
When he joined the army, Eliot handled various guns in boot camp and, later, on the field. They were different than the hunting rifles he used back home and somehow, more powerful.
He was good with them, even better than he'd been with his dad's old rifle. The other guys used to come watch him at target practice and, when they went off base, they would always buy him a beer if he gave them shooting advice.
At twenty, Eliot though the gun made him popular.
*
In Yemen, the first time, Eliot held onto his gun like a safety blanket. They were shooting at him and he needed to shoot them first. It was his first mission as an independent contractor and he knew most retrieval specialists died before they retrieved anything.
At twenty five, Eliot thought the gun made him safe.
*
Riding a train through Russia to the Pacific coast, Eliot inspected the shipment. His hair was cropped short and he wore his glasses, trying to look older than he was. The Russians he was dealing with were suspicious until one of their men found the personalised piece he kept on him at all time. Then they trusted the strange American who'd been sent as their contact. He obviously knew guns.
At twenty seven, Eliot thought the gun made him smart.
*
On his first job for Damien Moreau, Eliot was given a special Glock, a gift to Damien's head of security. Damien had smiled at him and run a hand through his hair, like he was some kind of puppy.
"We can't have a head of security without the very best, now can we?" Damien had said, the damning smile never leaving his face. "And Eliot, I know you are the very best."
At thirty, Eliot thought the gun made him the best of the best.
*
On his last job for Damien Moreau, Eliot shot a girl in the back at point blank range. She'd been running barefoot and he watched the blood pool around her body. He didn't know why he shot her, except that Damien told him to and he did whatever Damien said. He didn't know why it mattered that she was dead or why the blood was such a bright crimson this time. He didn't know why the sound of the shot was still ringing in his ears.
At thirty two, Eliot knew the gun made him a monster.
2 rides | Hitch a ride
