comment_fic of the day
*skidds in at the last possible moment to post this in the same day*
So, daria234 did it again! She prompted: Leverage, team, AU where they are contestants at the finale of a reality show competition (Such as Project Runway. For example.)
i think she's enrolled in 'nabler classes! I'm onto them!
So anyway, without further ado, i bring you the conclusion of the Leverage/Project Runway xover AU Bryant Park!
The week of Bryant Park was here and Nate, Eliot and Parker were going insane. How had the time at home, that precious time alone with their collections, gone so fast? And yet here they were, back in New York, their precious garment bags now hanging on the racks in the large office the three of them were to use as they put the finishing touches on their collections.
Tim came in while they were critiquing each other’s work. It was a ritual he had seen every season, and every season the catty comments would come out the moment one of the designers left the room for a moment. But the oddities of this season’s contestants continued when he heard honest-to-god constructive criticism among the three of them. “Awesome green, where did you find that?” “Watch that seam there, it’s about to unravel.” “You’re going to have to be really careful when you press that seam again, but if you do it right, you can hide that flaw without a problem.” “Damn darlin, you got enough harnesses in that collection?” “You do have all of your receipts, right?” Tim smiled. He was going to miss this group.
He took a moment and flashed back on the home visits he’d made in the last few weeks. He remembered Eliot’s workspace overlooking pastures and how at ease the man had seemed, none of the tension in his shoulders and his jaw now that he was away from the city. Parker had a large studio, the walls created within an old warehouse, the ceilings untouched - apparently she climbed through the rebar supports when she needed to clear her head. There were lots of small, shiny objects strewn about the place, including an iPod that Alec had come to Atlas with and a pair of cufflinks Nate had worn at the meet-and-greet. He just smiled and shook his head. And then there was Nate’s apartment, lacking somehow in personality and with a single framed photo turned to face the wall; “my son,” Nate had explained, “hurts to see him every day, but it hurts more not to have some part of him in my home.” The honesty of that had cut Tim deeply and he’d teared up with empathy.
The team that he’d come to love during this season was nearly back together now though and they seemed stronger for it somehow. Which brought him nicely to what he came here to say: “Designers, if I can have your attention please? I know that you all have a lot of work to do, and not a lot of time to finish it. So we’re going to bring in some help for you.”
The door behind him opened and in walked the last three contestants to be voted off of the show.
“I believe you all know each other, so designers, pick your helpers… wisely. You have until midnight tonight to work and then tomorrow morning you’ll be back in here at eight AM when you will work until it’s time to pick models. I’ll leave you to it.” Before he left he saw Parker jump up into Alec’s arms and give him a huge hug. That was much better. Sophie and Nate were already joking and Eliot had called over Ianto, the tailor who had been a favorite until he was injured just before the food challenge. Ianto wasn’t exactly part of the team, but he fit well with them and flirted outrageously with all of them.
“You heard The Awesome,” Alec announced as the door was closing, “no sleep for the wicked, especially at Bryant Park baby!”
The six of them worked until twelve and then dragged each other back to the hotel. Eliot carried Parker after she fell asleep on the subway. They never made it to their respective rooms, instead the idea of getting dinner in the contestant’s suite degraded quickly into a pile of sleeping contestants and former contestants on the large couch in the sitting room.
The Starbucks run came at six fifteen and all six were back in the workroom at eight on the dot, blurry-eyed but smiling. Parker hadn’t stopped biting her bottom lip in the last two days. And even though they were stressed and there were a few snipes and growls, as a whole they continued acting like a team.
“They try to take one of your girls,” Alec told Parker when Tim came to collect the designers, “you just tell them that it is on like donkey kong!”
“Don’t make me hurt you, Hardison!” Eliot called back, even as he swung an arm around Parker and lead her out of the room.
They watched the models walk and made copious notes and took Polaroids and then they sat around the table and hashed out who could take whom.
“I just feel like I would break her,” Parker said about one willowy Russian model.
“That I would pay to see,” Eliot muttered, earning a fist bump from Nate.
“Much as I agree with Eliot,” Nate said, “she’d look the best in your midnight blue evening gown. Just make sure you… you know, call if you feel the need to break her.”
“Or any model,” Eliot added.
Parker rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
The next two days were a blur of zippers and beadwork and fittings and half forgotten hoagies and cold cups of coffee.
The night before the show Parker showed up at the door to the guy’s room. Eliot smiled, gave half a laugh and held up the covers. She darted in and curled up with him, fixing Nate with her most venerable look.
“I’m not falling for it,” he said.
“But I’m scared,” Parker whispered.
“Eliot can protect you.”
“What if I mess up tomorrow?”
Eliot didn’t say a word, just scooted further over on the mattress and brought Parker with him. It was a matter of seconds before Nate was climbing into the bed with both of them. He kissed Parker on the forehead. “You’ll do great. Your work is wonderful.”
“It’s just… what if I don’t win?”
“Darlin?” Eliot said gently, “This the first time you’ve wanted somethin’ you couldn’t lift?”
Parker just nodded and burrowed her head into the nape of Nate’s neck.
Nate’s tone was all doting father as he petted her blond hair and said, “You’re going to go out there tomorrow and you’re going to wow the judges. And they, and everyone else in that tent, will know that you are a highly skilled and talented woman. Hell, you’re showing at Bryant Park tomorrow afternoon! You did that. All you. And no matter what happens tomorrow, that’s one thing that cannot be taken away.”
She didn’t say anything to that, and soon all three of them were curled up asleep on Eliot’s bed.
Before his morning run, Eliot threw up for ten minutes straight.
Parker climbed on everything she could find, saying that she needed height to clear her mind.
Nate took them both to the roof, where Eliot ran in circles and Parker hugged her knees while sitting on the ledge watching the sunrise. Nate always felt best when he was taking care of people.
“I don’t care who wins,” Parker said suddenly. “I mean, I’d like to win, and I would really like the money. But if either of you wins, I would be ok with that.”
Eliot smiled as he lapped her again, “We love you too, Parker.”
And then the insanity of The Biggest Day Ever started in earnest with mic pacs and makeup and more coffee and then the final prep in the tent and screaming at models to move their asses and then their hair and makeup. And everything was loud and bright and chaos. And all three of them were smiling ear-to-ear.
And then the director was coming over and telling them that it’s time, and the models were lining up. Eliot was pushed out onto the stage first.
He felt frozen for about half a second, then he gripped the mic and walked part of the way down the runway, his boot heels clicking under him as he did. He gave his most charming and disarming smile. “Hey y’all, I’m Eliot Spencer.” He prayed no one could see how badly his hands were shaking. “And uh, as I’m sure you can tell, I’m a bit of a country boy.” A twitter of laughter rustled through the audience. “So I’m tryin’ to show that side of a woman, that one chick out there who can kick ass and then schmooze. Basically I guess I’m lookin’ to sell in Texas.” There was a louder laugh. “And, uh, damn I hope you like it.” He turned and walked backstage again, unthinkingly making one final tweak to his first outfit as he passed the model when the light queue and the music called her to the catwalk.
A little less than two minutes later Nate was walking out in his perfect suit. “Good evening everyone, my name is Nate Ford. I believe in strength, that core that gets us through when we don’t think we can. And that’s who I’m dressing with this line, the woman who has discovered that steel core within herself. Enjoy.” He pivoted and walked back off of the stage and finished working his models so they could work his clothes.
“How long you rehearse that?” Eliot called out.
“Every day we were home,” Nate called back. “GO!” he shooed the next model out.
Parker thought she was going to throw up. She wasn’t good with crowds, how could she have forgotten that? The mic was shoved into her hand. She wanted to bolt.
And then Nate’s voice was in her ear, soft and soothing and Eliot was hugging her. She could do this. She could DO this.
“Um, hi. I’m Parker. And I’m really nervous. But my clothes aren’t. They’ve been waiting for this since they were just textiles. So I’m going to get off the stage now and let them do the talking. Because they’re better at it.” She tried really hard not to run off of the stage.
Nate and Eliot were beaming at her. She blushed.
Just that fast it was over, all of those weeks, and all of that work and now it was just… done. They were out shaking hands and making small talk and Eliot didn’t let Parker have a fork.
And just about the time they were getting used to that, they were being taken back to the runway, their runway, the one that felt like home after all of these weeks. And the judges were in front of them and Eliot had thrown up again, but it was ok. Because it didn’t matter which of them won, because they were team and family and home to each other now.
“Welcome back to the New School, designers,” Heidi said with a bright smile and impeccable hair. “Today we had three incredible shows, and yet at the end of the day, one of you will be the winner of Project Runway. As you all know, one day in fashion you’re in; the next day you’re out.”
They stood there, each in their own spotlight, and answered the judges questions, hearts skipping a beat every time a note was made. Time ticked on and the questions seemed endless; by now they should have realized just how much footage it took to put on the show. They were finally dismissed and went back to the green room where they downed some water and curled together on the couch.
Heidi sighed and Nina kicked off her shoes, the first Starbucks run of the night was made and Michael said what they were all thinking. “Wow. They did not make it easy this year.”
All told the judges took four hours to debate who was to be this year’s winner. They went back and forth, pulling out every pro and every con, every win and every loss, every strength and every weakness. And then the contestants were brought back out.
“We have made our decision,” Heidi announced in that way she had of stating the completely obvious just in case someone at home had decided to watch the finale first. “Eliot.”
He felt his heart jump into his throat, his suddenly two-sizes-too-small throat. Still, he managed to give her a sweet, if tight, smile.
“Your collection was everything we could have asked for. And yet, we worry that we didn’t get a clear view of the woman whose closet we were seeing. While your sportswear and your eveningwear were impeccable, we felt as though they couldn’t belong to the same woman. And some of your color choices seemed matronly.” Heidi shifted ever so slightly in her seat. “We think that there is a lot of talent inside of you, but we worry that you are not yet a strong enough voice. Eliot… you’re out. I’m sorry.”
Time seemed to stop as Heidi stood and walked over to him. He was on auto pilot as he bent down and accepted her kiss on the cheek and barely heard the “auf”. He leaned over to Parker and hugged her tightly, extending his arms when he felt Nate there too. “Thank you so much for this opportunity,” he said at last. “Good luck guys.” He walked back to the green room to compose himself and was confronted with Sonja, his model. “I’m sorry, darlin.”
Back out on the runway, the power in the two remaining spotlights was amped ever-so-slightly. Nate reached out and took Parker’s hand, squeezing it gently.
“Nate.” Heidi shifted the focus. “You have a background in fine arts and that was very apparent in your line. Throughout the show you have shown us structure and grace. You have also proven yourself to be a capable leader and a strong backbone for those around you. We worry that you aren’t taking enough risks; that your choices are not always fashion forward. You’re able to stay mainstream, but we feel as though we have yet to see The Next Look.”
There was another shift.
“Parker. To be honest, in the first week, I thought that your tenure with Project Runway would be short-lived. You seemed to have difficulty coming out of your shell. But even when we were worried about your personality, your clothes constantly surprised us. Your collection was pitch perfect. And you were willing to take risks, even when they could have ended in disaster.”
Then came a pause. The longest pause that Parker could ever remember having to stand still through.
“Parker,” Heidi said at last. “You’re in.”
so that's it guys, i hope you all liked it. I was going to go on, but i think you can all picture what happens from here. And yeah, i skimmed on a little OT3... but only if you look for it. Oh, and i hope the cameo worked. ;-)
say g'night flist
g'night flist.
So, daria234 did it again! She prompted: Leverage, team, AU where they are contestants at the finale of a reality show competition (Such as Project Runway. For example.)
i think she's enrolled in 'nabler classes! I'm onto them!
So anyway, without further ado, i bring you the conclusion of the Leverage/Project Runway xover AU Bryant Park!
The week of Bryant Park was here and Nate, Eliot and Parker were going insane. How had the time at home, that precious time alone with their collections, gone so fast? And yet here they were, back in New York, their precious garment bags now hanging on the racks in the large office the three of them were to use as they put the finishing touches on their collections.
Tim came in while they were critiquing each other’s work. It was a ritual he had seen every season, and every season the catty comments would come out the moment one of the designers left the room for a moment. But the oddities of this season’s contestants continued when he heard honest-to-god constructive criticism among the three of them. “Awesome green, where did you find that?” “Watch that seam there, it’s about to unravel.” “You’re going to have to be really careful when you press that seam again, but if you do it right, you can hide that flaw without a problem.” “Damn darlin, you got enough harnesses in that collection?” “You do have all of your receipts, right?” Tim smiled. He was going to miss this group.
He took a moment and flashed back on the home visits he’d made in the last few weeks. He remembered Eliot’s workspace overlooking pastures and how at ease the man had seemed, none of the tension in his shoulders and his jaw now that he was away from the city. Parker had a large studio, the walls created within an old warehouse, the ceilings untouched - apparently she climbed through the rebar supports when she needed to clear her head. There were lots of small, shiny objects strewn about the place, including an iPod that Alec had come to Atlas with and a pair of cufflinks Nate had worn at the meet-and-greet. He just smiled and shook his head. And then there was Nate’s apartment, lacking somehow in personality and with a single framed photo turned to face the wall; “my son,” Nate had explained, “hurts to see him every day, but it hurts more not to have some part of him in my home.” The honesty of that had cut Tim deeply and he’d teared up with empathy.
The team that he’d come to love during this season was nearly back together now though and they seemed stronger for it somehow. Which brought him nicely to what he came here to say: “Designers, if I can have your attention please? I know that you all have a lot of work to do, and not a lot of time to finish it. So we’re going to bring in some help for you.”
The door behind him opened and in walked the last three contestants to be voted off of the show.
“I believe you all know each other, so designers, pick your helpers… wisely. You have until midnight tonight to work and then tomorrow morning you’ll be back in here at eight AM when you will work until it’s time to pick models. I’ll leave you to it.” Before he left he saw Parker jump up into Alec’s arms and give him a huge hug. That was much better. Sophie and Nate were already joking and Eliot had called over Ianto, the tailor who had been a favorite until he was injured just before the food challenge. Ianto wasn’t exactly part of the team, but he fit well with them and flirted outrageously with all of them.
“You heard The Awesome,” Alec announced as the door was closing, “no sleep for the wicked, especially at Bryant Park baby!”
The six of them worked until twelve and then dragged each other back to the hotel. Eliot carried Parker after she fell asleep on the subway. They never made it to their respective rooms, instead the idea of getting dinner in the contestant’s suite degraded quickly into a pile of sleeping contestants and former contestants on the large couch in the sitting room.
The Starbucks run came at six fifteen and all six were back in the workroom at eight on the dot, blurry-eyed but smiling. Parker hadn’t stopped biting her bottom lip in the last two days. And even though they were stressed and there were a few snipes and growls, as a whole they continued acting like a team.
“They try to take one of your girls,” Alec told Parker when Tim came to collect the designers, “you just tell them that it is on like donkey kong!”
“Don’t make me hurt you, Hardison!” Eliot called back, even as he swung an arm around Parker and lead her out of the room.
They watched the models walk and made copious notes and took Polaroids and then they sat around the table and hashed out who could take whom.
“I just feel like I would break her,” Parker said about one willowy Russian model.
“That I would pay to see,” Eliot muttered, earning a fist bump from Nate.
“Much as I agree with Eliot,” Nate said, “she’d look the best in your midnight blue evening gown. Just make sure you… you know, call if you feel the need to break her.”
“Or any model,” Eliot added.
Parker rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
The next two days were a blur of zippers and beadwork and fittings and half forgotten hoagies and cold cups of coffee.
The night before the show Parker showed up at the door to the guy’s room. Eliot smiled, gave half a laugh and held up the covers. She darted in and curled up with him, fixing Nate with her most venerable look.
“I’m not falling for it,” he said.
“But I’m scared,” Parker whispered.
“Eliot can protect you.”
“What if I mess up tomorrow?”
Eliot didn’t say a word, just scooted further over on the mattress and brought Parker with him. It was a matter of seconds before Nate was climbing into the bed with both of them. He kissed Parker on the forehead. “You’ll do great. Your work is wonderful.”
“It’s just… what if I don’t win?”
“Darlin?” Eliot said gently, “This the first time you’ve wanted somethin’ you couldn’t lift?”
Parker just nodded and burrowed her head into the nape of Nate’s neck.
Nate’s tone was all doting father as he petted her blond hair and said, “You’re going to go out there tomorrow and you’re going to wow the judges. And they, and everyone else in that tent, will know that you are a highly skilled and talented woman. Hell, you’re showing at Bryant Park tomorrow afternoon! You did that. All you. And no matter what happens tomorrow, that’s one thing that cannot be taken away.”
She didn’t say anything to that, and soon all three of them were curled up asleep on Eliot’s bed.
Before his morning run, Eliot threw up for ten minutes straight.
Parker climbed on everything she could find, saying that she needed height to clear her mind.
Nate took them both to the roof, where Eliot ran in circles and Parker hugged her knees while sitting on the ledge watching the sunrise. Nate always felt best when he was taking care of people.
“I don’t care who wins,” Parker said suddenly. “I mean, I’d like to win, and I would really like the money. But if either of you wins, I would be ok with that.”
Eliot smiled as he lapped her again, “We love you too, Parker.”
And then the insanity of The Biggest Day Ever started in earnest with mic pacs and makeup and more coffee and then the final prep in the tent and screaming at models to move their asses and then their hair and makeup. And everything was loud and bright and chaos. And all three of them were smiling ear-to-ear.
And then the director was coming over and telling them that it’s time, and the models were lining up. Eliot was pushed out onto the stage first.
He felt frozen for about half a second, then he gripped the mic and walked part of the way down the runway, his boot heels clicking under him as he did. He gave his most charming and disarming smile. “Hey y’all, I’m Eliot Spencer.” He prayed no one could see how badly his hands were shaking. “And uh, as I’m sure you can tell, I’m a bit of a country boy.” A twitter of laughter rustled through the audience. “So I’m tryin’ to show that side of a woman, that one chick out there who can kick ass and then schmooze. Basically I guess I’m lookin’ to sell in Texas.” There was a louder laugh. “And, uh, damn I hope you like it.” He turned and walked backstage again, unthinkingly making one final tweak to his first outfit as he passed the model when the light queue and the music called her to the catwalk.
A little less than two minutes later Nate was walking out in his perfect suit. “Good evening everyone, my name is Nate Ford. I believe in strength, that core that gets us through when we don’t think we can. And that’s who I’m dressing with this line, the woman who has discovered that steel core within herself. Enjoy.” He pivoted and walked back off of the stage and finished working his models so they could work his clothes.
“How long you rehearse that?” Eliot called out.
“Every day we were home,” Nate called back. “GO!” he shooed the next model out.
Parker thought she was going to throw up. She wasn’t good with crowds, how could she have forgotten that? The mic was shoved into her hand. She wanted to bolt.
And then Nate’s voice was in her ear, soft and soothing and Eliot was hugging her. She could do this. She could DO this.
“Um, hi. I’m Parker. And I’m really nervous. But my clothes aren’t. They’ve been waiting for this since they were just textiles. So I’m going to get off the stage now and let them do the talking. Because they’re better at it.” She tried really hard not to run off of the stage.
Nate and Eliot were beaming at her. She blushed.
Just that fast it was over, all of those weeks, and all of that work and now it was just… done. They were out shaking hands and making small talk and Eliot didn’t let Parker have a fork.
And just about the time they were getting used to that, they were being taken back to the runway, their runway, the one that felt like home after all of these weeks. And the judges were in front of them and Eliot had thrown up again, but it was ok. Because it didn’t matter which of them won, because they were team and family and home to each other now.
“Welcome back to the New School, designers,” Heidi said with a bright smile and impeccable hair. “Today we had three incredible shows, and yet at the end of the day, one of you will be the winner of Project Runway. As you all know, one day in fashion you’re in; the next day you’re out.”
They stood there, each in their own spotlight, and answered the judges questions, hearts skipping a beat every time a note was made. Time ticked on and the questions seemed endless; by now they should have realized just how much footage it took to put on the show. They were finally dismissed and went back to the green room where they downed some water and curled together on the couch.
Heidi sighed and Nina kicked off her shoes, the first Starbucks run of the night was made and Michael said what they were all thinking. “Wow. They did not make it easy this year.”
All told the judges took four hours to debate who was to be this year’s winner. They went back and forth, pulling out every pro and every con, every win and every loss, every strength and every weakness. And then the contestants were brought back out.
“We have made our decision,” Heidi announced in that way she had of stating the completely obvious just in case someone at home had decided to watch the finale first. “Eliot.”
He felt his heart jump into his throat, his suddenly two-sizes-too-small throat. Still, he managed to give her a sweet, if tight, smile.
“Your collection was everything we could have asked for. And yet, we worry that we didn’t get a clear view of the woman whose closet we were seeing. While your sportswear and your eveningwear were impeccable, we felt as though they couldn’t belong to the same woman. And some of your color choices seemed matronly.” Heidi shifted ever so slightly in her seat. “We think that there is a lot of talent inside of you, but we worry that you are not yet a strong enough voice. Eliot… you’re out. I’m sorry.”
Time seemed to stop as Heidi stood and walked over to him. He was on auto pilot as he bent down and accepted her kiss on the cheek and barely heard the “auf”. He leaned over to Parker and hugged her tightly, extending his arms when he felt Nate there too. “Thank you so much for this opportunity,” he said at last. “Good luck guys.” He walked back to the green room to compose himself and was confronted with Sonja, his model. “I’m sorry, darlin.”
Back out on the runway, the power in the two remaining spotlights was amped ever-so-slightly. Nate reached out and took Parker’s hand, squeezing it gently.
“Nate.” Heidi shifted the focus. “You have a background in fine arts and that was very apparent in your line. Throughout the show you have shown us structure and grace. You have also proven yourself to be a capable leader and a strong backbone for those around you. We worry that you aren’t taking enough risks; that your choices are not always fashion forward. You’re able to stay mainstream, but we feel as though we have yet to see The Next Look.”
There was another shift.
“Parker. To be honest, in the first week, I thought that your tenure with Project Runway would be short-lived. You seemed to have difficulty coming out of your shell. But even when we were worried about your personality, your clothes constantly surprised us. Your collection was pitch perfect. And you were willing to take risks, even when they could have ended in disaster.”
Then came a pause. The longest pause that Parker could ever remember having to stand still through.
“Parker,” Heidi said at last. “You’re in.”
so that's it guys, i hope you all liked it. I was going to go on, but i think you can all picture what happens from here. And yeah, i skimmed on a little OT3... but only if you look for it. Oh, and i hope the cameo worked. ;-)
say g'night flist
g'night flist.