Mod Gift #19 - For Piratekit!
Title: Five Times First
Author: telaryn
Giftee: piratekit
Rating: R
Characters/Pairing: Nate/Eliot
Word Count: 1218
Spoilers: Leverage
Warnings: m/m, references to alcohol, violence
Disclaimer: No money made, no ownership implied.
Summary: Five "firsts" for Nate and Eliot
Notes: For piratekit with thanks for your participation in this year's Leverage Exchange.
1. Meeting
The first time they meet face to face, Eliot has a gun in his hand. Nate is armed as well, but he hadn’t expected to need his weapon. Eliot Spencer is a ghost - a legend of ruthless efficiency rarely sticking around long enough to be identified.
Plus in Nate’s experience, art thieves rarely use guns.
“On your knees,” Spencer orders, gesturing with his Glock. Nate tries to breathe through the adrenaline surge as he complies. This man is dangerous in a way he’s never faced before, and Nate can’t remember the last time he’s felt this alive. “Hands on your head, lace your fingers together.”
“I’m not a cop,” he protests. “I’m not trying to arrest you.”
Spencer circles him, all lean muscle and impossible grace. “I know who you are, Mr. Ford, and I know what you want. That puts you at odds with my client.” The fact of what he does with men in Nate’s current position hangs heavy between them for an impossibly long moment. Eliot is a mercenary. Nate’s profiles cite less than a dozen occurrences where he’s fenced his acquisitions himself. Most of the time he simply hands the merchandise off to his client and walks away with a fee.
He’ll do anything to preserve his reputation and the anonymity of his clients. Years later, Nate still doesn’t understand why he walks away from the encounter with all his limbs intact.
2. Working
The first time they work together, Nate can’t help enjoying being the one in charge - especially when it comes to Eliot. He’s chased all three of these people at one time or another, but no one has ever come as close to putting a bullet in his brain as Eliot Spencer. As he runs each of them through the job, Nate entertains himself with thoughts of betrayal - in particular, the idea of running Eliot Spencer into a wall of security guards slips through his brain like a smooth drink over his tongue.
He plays it straight in the end. Dubenich may be dirty, and the job might be doing things to Nate’s head he’d rather not be dealing with right now, but he’s given his word.
And besides - he really needs the money.
Later on, after Dubenich’s betrayal has come to light, and the four of them have bonded over the need for payback, he and Eliot agree to a game of pool. Nate needs the activity, the distraction - but Eliot tries to talk to him. Words of sympathy, of understanding spill from his lips - shining a light into the depths of Nate’s damaged soul.
Nate realizes with a jolt that he wants what Eliot seems to be offering. He wants to lean on this man, this killer, and find absolution for his sins. “We’re not friends,” he says finally, not bothering to correct Eliot’s assumption that he means it as a dismissal.
3. Kissing
The first time he realizes he wants to kiss Eliot, the hitter is lying sprawled in the dirt - having just been shot by Sophie in an insane attempt to bring the job back on track. It all looks heart-stoppingly real; even though the red staining his fingers isn’t anywhere near the right consistency, Nate can’t stop the panicked screaming in his head that he needs to do something.
What he does at last is trust them - trust them all. He makes the required show of searching Eliot’s body with shaking hands, bringing up his own cell phone to show to the mobsters and taking the con in a completely new direction. The mark is pinned, the job is a success, and they leave a little girl and her father with hope and a future.
Without alcohol to quiet the screaming in his head, Nate dreams that night of things he’s never allowed himself to fully acknowledge and can never admit out loud, because he’s sure Eliot would kill him if he tried.
4. Fucking
The first time he and Eliot fuck, it’s a set-up, and Nate isn’t nearly as drunk as Eliot thinks he is. He rationalizes it to himself that he has to do something - he has to know - and just asking straight out would be the emotional equivalent of walking them both off a cliff.
What they both acknowledge already having between them would never recover, and the team can’t afford to lose either of them. Not anymore.
So he pushes and he teases - backing Eliot into a corner, trying to provoke a reaction. Voices escalate until they’re screaming at each other and Nate is only half aware what he’s saying anymore because Eliot is so close he can feel the hitter’s breath on his skin, and even if he kills Nate for pushing so hard Nate knows he hasn’t felt this alive in years.
When Eliot growls and shoves him into the wall Nate doesn’t know for one sanity-stealing moment whether the smart move is to submit or fight back. They’re in uncharted territory now, and while he embraces the threat of death with every fiber of his being, deep down Nate knows he isn’t ready to take that final step.
Especially not if it means that he’s forcing Eliot to be the one who puts him there.
Before he can make up his mind what to do next, however, Eliot presses into him - holding him still and kissing him savagely. The need for secrecy vanishes like smoke; Nate can’t hide anymore how much he wants to do this.
Neither can Eliot.
5. Loving
The first time Nate realizes that he loves Eliot Spencer is in a warehouse in Washington DC. The job has worked them raw; revelation of the secrets Eliot has been keeping would have been enough all on their own to scatter the five of them back in the day.
Now, running is impossible. Separation is unthinkable. Moreau is finally in their grasp, and Nate knows that whatever happens they will stand or fall together.
Except…
An army is moving into position on the other side of the stacks of crates. Their enemy has lured them here to kill them and before Nate can protest his decision Eliot is bending down to pick up a dead man’s weapon so he can cover Nate’s escape.
I was protecting you.
Nate watches, transfixed, as Eliot’s hands move over the gun - checking and rechecking the mechanism and verifying that it’s ready to fire. Intellectually he knows it’s been years since Eliot handled a gun other than to take it apart, but the way he falls back into old patterns it might as well have been yesterday.
Their eyes meet, and Nate’s chest tightens at the flash of pain in Eliot’s gaze. He knows what it’s costing the hitter to take this step, and understands that Eliot is doing it for him. He would have fought the choice if it weren’t for the woman in his arms, the Italian - key to everything that’s driven them for the last half year into this warehouse, this moment. He has to see her safely out of hell, otherwise it’s all been for nothing.
So instead of arguing Nate simply acknowledges Eliot's choice, and the price he’s paying. And in that moment loves him more than he would have believed himself capable of loving anyone.
Author: telaryn
Giftee: piratekit
Rating: R
Characters/Pairing: Nate/Eliot
Word Count: 1218
Spoilers: Leverage
Warnings: m/m, references to alcohol, violence
Disclaimer: No money made, no ownership implied.
Summary: Five "firsts" for Nate and Eliot
Notes: For piratekit with thanks for your participation in this year's Leverage Exchange.
1. Meeting
The first time they meet face to face, Eliot has a gun in his hand. Nate is armed as well, but he hadn’t expected to need his weapon. Eliot Spencer is a ghost - a legend of ruthless efficiency rarely sticking around long enough to be identified.
Plus in Nate’s experience, art thieves rarely use guns.
“On your knees,” Spencer orders, gesturing with his Glock. Nate tries to breathe through the adrenaline surge as he complies. This man is dangerous in a way he’s never faced before, and Nate can’t remember the last time he’s felt this alive. “Hands on your head, lace your fingers together.”
“I’m not a cop,” he protests. “I’m not trying to arrest you.”
Spencer circles him, all lean muscle and impossible grace. “I know who you are, Mr. Ford, and I know what you want. That puts you at odds with my client.” The fact of what he does with men in Nate’s current position hangs heavy between them for an impossibly long moment. Eliot is a mercenary. Nate’s profiles cite less than a dozen occurrences where he’s fenced his acquisitions himself. Most of the time he simply hands the merchandise off to his client and walks away with a fee.
He’ll do anything to preserve his reputation and the anonymity of his clients. Years later, Nate still doesn’t understand why he walks away from the encounter with all his limbs intact.
2. Working
The first time they work together, Nate can’t help enjoying being the one in charge - especially when it comes to Eliot. He’s chased all three of these people at one time or another, but no one has ever come as close to putting a bullet in his brain as Eliot Spencer. As he runs each of them through the job, Nate entertains himself with thoughts of betrayal - in particular, the idea of running Eliot Spencer into a wall of security guards slips through his brain like a smooth drink over his tongue.
He plays it straight in the end. Dubenich may be dirty, and the job might be doing things to Nate’s head he’d rather not be dealing with right now, but he’s given his word.
And besides - he really needs the money.
Later on, after Dubenich’s betrayal has come to light, and the four of them have bonded over the need for payback, he and Eliot agree to a game of pool. Nate needs the activity, the distraction - but Eliot tries to talk to him. Words of sympathy, of understanding spill from his lips - shining a light into the depths of Nate’s damaged soul.
Nate realizes with a jolt that he wants what Eliot seems to be offering. He wants to lean on this man, this killer, and find absolution for his sins. “We’re not friends,” he says finally, not bothering to correct Eliot’s assumption that he means it as a dismissal.
3. Kissing
The first time he realizes he wants to kiss Eliot, the hitter is lying sprawled in the dirt - having just been shot by Sophie in an insane attempt to bring the job back on track. It all looks heart-stoppingly real; even though the red staining his fingers isn’t anywhere near the right consistency, Nate can’t stop the panicked screaming in his head that he needs to do something.
What he does at last is trust them - trust them all. He makes the required show of searching Eliot’s body with shaking hands, bringing up his own cell phone to show to the mobsters and taking the con in a completely new direction. The mark is pinned, the job is a success, and they leave a little girl and her father with hope and a future.
Without alcohol to quiet the screaming in his head, Nate dreams that night of things he’s never allowed himself to fully acknowledge and can never admit out loud, because he’s sure Eliot would kill him if he tried.
4. Fucking
The first time he and Eliot fuck, it’s a set-up, and Nate isn’t nearly as drunk as Eliot thinks he is. He rationalizes it to himself that he has to do something - he has to know - and just asking straight out would be the emotional equivalent of walking them both off a cliff.
What they both acknowledge already having between them would never recover, and the team can’t afford to lose either of them. Not anymore.
So he pushes and he teases - backing Eliot into a corner, trying to provoke a reaction. Voices escalate until they’re screaming at each other and Nate is only half aware what he’s saying anymore because Eliot is so close he can feel the hitter’s breath on his skin, and even if he kills Nate for pushing so hard Nate knows he hasn’t felt this alive in years.
When Eliot growls and shoves him into the wall Nate doesn’t know for one sanity-stealing moment whether the smart move is to submit or fight back. They’re in uncharted territory now, and while he embraces the threat of death with every fiber of his being, deep down Nate knows he isn’t ready to take that final step.
Especially not if it means that he’s forcing Eliot to be the one who puts him there.
Before he can make up his mind what to do next, however, Eliot presses into him - holding him still and kissing him savagely. The need for secrecy vanishes like smoke; Nate can’t hide anymore how much he wants to do this.
Neither can Eliot.
5. Loving
The first time Nate realizes that he loves Eliot Spencer is in a warehouse in Washington DC. The job has worked them raw; revelation of the secrets Eliot has been keeping would have been enough all on their own to scatter the five of them back in the day.
Now, running is impossible. Separation is unthinkable. Moreau is finally in their grasp, and Nate knows that whatever happens they will stand or fall together.
Except…
An army is moving into position on the other side of the stacks of crates. Their enemy has lured them here to kill them and before Nate can protest his decision Eliot is bending down to pick up a dead man’s weapon so he can cover Nate’s escape.
I was protecting you.
Nate watches, transfixed, as Eliot’s hands move over the gun - checking and rechecking the mechanism and verifying that it’s ready to fire. Intellectually he knows it’s been years since Eliot handled a gun other than to take it apart, but the way he falls back into old patterns it might as well have been yesterday.
Their eyes meet, and Nate’s chest tightens at the flash of pain in Eliot’s gaze. He knows what it’s costing the hitter to take this step, and understands that Eliot is doing it for him. He would have fought the choice if it weren’t for the woman in his arms, the Italian - key to everything that’s driven them for the last half year into this warehouse, this moment. He has to see her safely out of hell, otherwise it’s all been for nothing.
So instead of arguing Nate simply acknowledges Eliot's choice, and the price he’s paying. And in that moment loves him more than he would have believed himself capable of loving anyone.