[100_tales] Careless Whisper
Title: Careless Whisper
Author: defy_n_gravity
Prompt: 100_tales: 84. Watching
Characters: Eliot Spencer/Parker, with Sophie Devereaux and Alec Hardison
Rating: T
Words: 1498
Disclaimer: I have no claim on Leverage or any of it's characters. Just using them for fun, no harm is intended.
Warning: n/a
Author's Notes: Set between S2 and 3. I've always been on the fence about this pairing, but I've been thinking about them more lately. Then last night I was listening to a cover of "Careless Whisper" and this fic came to me. We'll see what comes of it. Here is the version I was listening to, by Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright, if anyone wants to hear.
Summary: “You're Brenda and I'm David. We're in love. About to get married. No one else exists to us, okay?”
"Should've known better than to cheat a friend//and waste this chance that I've been given//so I'm never gonna dance again//the way I danced with you.. ~George Michael
“Why can't Sophie be the bride?” There was a slight whine to Parker's voice, and her lips were frowning.
Eliot sighed, feeling as though he'd already explained this to her. “Sophie already introduced herself to Kayson as the maid of honor. You can't change a con when it's already started.”
Parker knew this, but she rolled her eyes anyway. “No one will believe it.”
“Make them,” he said. He watched her for a moment and held his hand out. “Look, we gotta make this believable. Means you'll have to touch me. Hold my hand, make it look like we're....y'know.”
“Getting married?” She took his hand and a slow laugh hissed from her lips. “It's funny.”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly, “Tell me about it.” He held her hand a bit tighter and glanced up at the building and read the placard. Stephan's Studio of Dance. He looked at her. “Just...try and act normal, will ya?”
***
“I can't do this,” she muttered under her breath. There were couples all around them and Parker's eyes darted back and forth. She kept catching sight of herself in the mirror and gripping onto Eliot tighter.
“Relax,” he muttered. “Stop lookin' around.”
“Why do we have to be here?”
“Cuz Soph needed us to meet this guy. He teaches people to dance before their weddings.” Eliot had a hand on Parker's hip and his other hand held hers. He tightened his hold on that hand and gave the slightest shake of his head. Most people wouldn't have even noticed. “Don't look at her,” he whispered, already knowing where Parker's gaze was going. Sophie was across the room, standing on the sidelines with the wedding planner, Richard Kayson, the guy they were actually after.
“I wish Hardison was here,” Parker sighed.
Eliot shook his head. “Hey. Look at me, okay? Keep your hand on my arm there and look up at me.” There was a pause, but she did as she was told and looked up to meet his eyes. His hand circled to the small of her back slowly and he pulled her in closer. “Forget everyone else is here.”
“But they are,” she said blankly.
“Ignore 'em.” Their voices were hushed, words exchanged only for each other to hear. “You're Brenda and I'm David. We're in love. About to get married. No one else exists to us, okay?”
“Okay,” she said softly with a nod. She kept her eyes on his, even though it felt strange and she wanted to look down or away.
He nodded and began leading her in a dance. “Don't think about it,” he murmured. “It's just you and me.”
She kept her eyes on his and let him lead her. She didn't know what she was doing, but his firm grip on her helped. She stopped thinking about how strange it felt and just let her feet move. She didn't know how to pretend to be in love, but she could look at him. She could dance the way he was showing her to dance, and she could watch his eyes.
Eliot looked down at Parker as they danced. He had never held eye contact with her for that long as long as he had known her, aside from staring games she tried to initiate. It was easy to look at her like he cared about her, because he did. She was a pain in the ass and strange, but he did care. She was a part of his family. He did what he could to look at her like he was in love with her. Like she was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Spending his life with Parker actually made him want to smack his forehead into a wall, but he tried to get passed that.
His thumb was drawing soft circles against the small of her back without either even realizing it. There was something warming about the way her hand rested on his arm lightly, but gripped tightly to him at the same time. He noticed slowly how open her eyes were as they held his. It was rare, especially for him, for her to ever look at someone so honestly, but she was doing it. He could tell she was trying so hard to stay calm and act normal, and somewhere in that she stripped herself down to just gaze at him. There was something so inviting in it. Something that he couldn't look away from. In that instant he saw her innocence, and her honesty, and it burned through him. People hardly ever looked at him the way she was right then. Like she was just seeing him, not intimidated or scared. She wasn't looking at him like he was the muscle, the hitter. She was looking up at him like he was some kind of anchor.
It spooked him, but he didn't tear himself away. He was on the job, and he wasn't so sure he could rip from that gaze if he tried.
“I think we should kiss,” she whispered after awhile.
Eliot shook his head to try and clear it, and he scowled slightly. “What?”
“Well...we're in love,” she said simply, her eyes wide. “People in love kiss.” And before he could even argue back, she was leaning up and moving her hand around the back of his neck and pressing her lips to his. He couldn't struggle from it. His head was still on the job, and it wouldn't look good to pull away from his fiancee if she was kissing him. That's what his brain was saying. But before he could think it out, he was already kissing her back softly. His hand found her cheek gently and his body pressed closer to hers.
As quick as it had started, she pulled away. His breath was thick as he let her, and she looked down with a shy smile. “See?” She whispered. “Makes it look better.” He just nodded slowly, unsure what to say about it.
A moment later a hand fell to Parker's shoulder, stopping the two from their dance. They both looked over to Sophie, who was smirking slightly. “Mr. Kayson would love to talk about the wedding a bit more before her goes,” she said, her accent Americanized.
Parker and Eliot looked to Kayson who stood beside Sophie, and Eliot let go of Parker. He took her hand and gave Kayson a smile. “We'd love to,” he said.
“Yup,” Parker nodded quickly. “Love to.”
***
“Hey, I'm just glad I actually got to be there to watch Kayson go down,” Hardison said. He set his empty beer bottle down on top of the bar.
“No one said you couldn't be,” Sophie assured him, with a pat on the shoulder.
“All that matters is he's outta business,” Eliot reminded them.
“Exactly,” Sophie nodded.
Parker leaned over from Hardison's other side. “And Eliot and I didn't have to get married!”
“We weren't gonna-” Eliot ran his hand over his face and trailed off. There was no point.
“It could've happened,” she said in a small voice, leaning back on her stool. Her hands shook a bit and she gripped onto her beer bottle. She still felt weird from all the pretending.
Eliot snorted slightly. “It never woulda happened.”
Parker looked over at him and something in her closed down a bit at his tone. “Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. Her voice was quiet though.
Sophie glanced between the two and sighed, before getting to her feet. “Hardison, how are we on those plans for Nate?”
“They're comin',” he nodded in reply. “You wanna see?”
“Yes. Let's go look. Now.”
Eliot watched them go. He knew good and well that Sophie was leaving him alone with Parker so they could maybe talk, but the last thing he knew was how to talk to Parker. He didn't even know if he wanted to. It had just been the job.
He shouldn't think about the way she had looked at him when they danced, or how it had felt to kiss her whenever he looked at her now.
“This is boring,” she said after a few minutes. “I'm going home.” She got to her feet and Eliot glanced over at her.
“Parker...”
“What?” She didn't look at him. Her voice was soft, and he heard something there that sounded confused and hurt. He didn't like it.
“I...”
She stepped back from the bar and shook her head. “The job is over,” she shrugged. “You don't have to pretend to like me anymore.”
He gripped to his beer tighter at that and his eyes closed for a moment. “Parker, I don't pretend-” But when he opened his eyes again she was already gone. He knew he should probably go after her, but the damage had already been done, and he knew he'd never catch up to her. He just sighed and lifted his beer to his lips, ready to forget the job had ever happened.
Author: defy_n_gravity
Prompt: 100_tales: 84. Watching
Characters: Eliot Spencer/Parker, with Sophie Devereaux and Alec Hardison
Rating: T
Words: 1498
Disclaimer: I have no claim on Leverage or any of it's characters. Just using them for fun, no harm is intended.
Warning: n/a
Author's Notes: Set between S2 and 3. I've always been on the fence about this pairing, but I've been thinking about them more lately. Then last night I was listening to a cover of "Careless Whisper" and this fic came to me. We'll see what comes of it. Here is the version I was listening to, by Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright, if anyone wants to hear.
Summary: “You're Brenda and I'm David. We're in love. About to get married. No one else exists to us, okay?”
"Should've known better than to cheat a friend//and waste this chance that I've been given//so I'm never gonna dance again//the way I danced with you.. ~George Michael
“Why can't Sophie be the bride?” There was a slight whine to Parker's voice, and her lips were frowning.
Eliot sighed, feeling as though he'd already explained this to her. “Sophie already introduced herself to Kayson as the maid of honor. You can't change a con when it's already started.”
Parker knew this, but she rolled her eyes anyway. “No one will believe it.”
“Make them,” he said. He watched her for a moment and held his hand out. “Look, we gotta make this believable. Means you'll have to touch me. Hold my hand, make it look like we're....y'know.”
“Getting married?” She took his hand and a slow laugh hissed from her lips. “It's funny.”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly, “Tell me about it.” He held her hand a bit tighter and glanced up at the building and read the placard. Stephan's Studio of Dance. He looked at her. “Just...try and act normal, will ya?”
***
“I can't do this,” she muttered under her breath. There were couples all around them and Parker's eyes darted back and forth. She kept catching sight of herself in the mirror and gripping onto Eliot tighter.
“Relax,” he muttered. “Stop lookin' around.”
“Why do we have to be here?”
“Cuz Soph needed us to meet this guy. He teaches people to dance before their weddings.” Eliot had a hand on Parker's hip and his other hand held hers. He tightened his hold on that hand and gave the slightest shake of his head. Most people wouldn't have even noticed. “Don't look at her,” he whispered, already knowing where Parker's gaze was going. Sophie was across the room, standing on the sidelines with the wedding planner, Richard Kayson, the guy they were actually after.
“I wish Hardison was here,” Parker sighed.
Eliot shook his head. “Hey. Look at me, okay? Keep your hand on my arm there and look up at me.” There was a pause, but she did as she was told and looked up to meet his eyes. His hand circled to the small of her back slowly and he pulled her in closer. “Forget everyone else is here.”
“But they are,” she said blankly.
“Ignore 'em.” Their voices were hushed, words exchanged only for each other to hear. “You're Brenda and I'm David. We're in love. About to get married. No one else exists to us, okay?”
“Okay,” she said softly with a nod. She kept her eyes on his, even though it felt strange and she wanted to look down or away.
He nodded and began leading her in a dance. “Don't think about it,” he murmured. “It's just you and me.”
She kept her eyes on his and let him lead her. She didn't know what she was doing, but his firm grip on her helped. She stopped thinking about how strange it felt and just let her feet move. She didn't know how to pretend to be in love, but she could look at him. She could dance the way he was showing her to dance, and she could watch his eyes.
Eliot looked down at Parker as they danced. He had never held eye contact with her for that long as long as he had known her, aside from staring games she tried to initiate. It was easy to look at her like he cared about her, because he did. She was a pain in the ass and strange, but he did care. She was a part of his family. He did what he could to look at her like he was in love with her. Like she was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Spending his life with Parker actually made him want to smack his forehead into a wall, but he tried to get passed that.
His thumb was drawing soft circles against the small of her back without either even realizing it. There was something warming about the way her hand rested on his arm lightly, but gripped tightly to him at the same time. He noticed slowly how open her eyes were as they held his. It was rare, especially for him, for her to ever look at someone so honestly, but she was doing it. He could tell she was trying so hard to stay calm and act normal, and somewhere in that she stripped herself down to just gaze at him. There was something so inviting in it. Something that he couldn't look away from. In that instant he saw her innocence, and her honesty, and it burned through him. People hardly ever looked at him the way she was right then. Like she was just seeing him, not intimidated or scared. She wasn't looking at him like he was the muscle, the hitter. She was looking up at him like he was some kind of anchor.
It spooked him, but he didn't tear himself away. He was on the job, and he wasn't so sure he could rip from that gaze if he tried.
“I think we should kiss,” she whispered after awhile.
Eliot shook his head to try and clear it, and he scowled slightly. “What?”
“Well...we're in love,” she said simply, her eyes wide. “People in love kiss.” And before he could even argue back, she was leaning up and moving her hand around the back of his neck and pressing her lips to his. He couldn't struggle from it. His head was still on the job, and it wouldn't look good to pull away from his fiancee if she was kissing him. That's what his brain was saying. But before he could think it out, he was already kissing her back softly. His hand found her cheek gently and his body pressed closer to hers.
As quick as it had started, she pulled away. His breath was thick as he let her, and she looked down with a shy smile. “See?” She whispered. “Makes it look better.” He just nodded slowly, unsure what to say about it.
A moment later a hand fell to Parker's shoulder, stopping the two from their dance. They both looked over to Sophie, who was smirking slightly. “Mr. Kayson would love to talk about the wedding a bit more before her goes,” she said, her accent Americanized.
Parker and Eliot looked to Kayson who stood beside Sophie, and Eliot let go of Parker. He took her hand and gave Kayson a smile. “We'd love to,” he said.
“Yup,” Parker nodded quickly. “Love to.”
***
“Hey, I'm just glad I actually got to be there to watch Kayson go down,” Hardison said. He set his empty beer bottle down on top of the bar.
“No one said you couldn't be,” Sophie assured him, with a pat on the shoulder.
“All that matters is he's outta business,” Eliot reminded them.
“Exactly,” Sophie nodded.
Parker leaned over from Hardison's other side. “And Eliot and I didn't have to get married!”
“We weren't gonna-” Eliot ran his hand over his face and trailed off. There was no point.
“It could've happened,” she said in a small voice, leaning back on her stool. Her hands shook a bit and she gripped onto her beer bottle. She still felt weird from all the pretending.
Eliot snorted slightly. “It never woulda happened.”
Parker looked over at him and something in her closed down a bit at his tone. “Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. Her voice was quiet though.
Sophie glanced between the two and sighed, before getting to her feet. “Hardison, how are we on those plans for Nate?”
“They're comin',” he nodded in reply. “You wanna see?”
“Yes. Let's go look. Now.”
Eliot watched them go. He knew good and well that Sophie was leaving him alone with Parker so they could maybe talk, but the last thing he knew was how to talk to Parker. He didn't even know if he wanted to. It had just been the job.
He shouldn't think about the way she had looked at him when they danced, or how it had felt to kiss her whenever he looked at her now.
“This is boring,” she said after a few minutes. “I'm going home.” She got to her feet and Eliot glanced over at her.
“Parker...”
“What?” She didn't look at him. Her voice was soft, and he heard something there that sounded confused and hurt. He didn't like it.
“I...”
She stepped back from the bar and shook her head. “The job is over,” she shrugged. “You don't have to pretend to like me anymore.”
He gripped to his beer tighter at that and his eyes closed for a moment. “Parker, I don't pretend-” But when he opened his eyes again she was already gone. He knew he should probably go after her, but the damage had already been done, and he knew he'd never catch up to her. He just sighed and lifted his beer to his lips, ready to forget the job had ever happened.