Fic: For Morale (Leverage, Gen, PG)
Title: For Morale
Author: sheryden
Rating: PG
Word Count: 744
Spoilers: “The Big Bang Job” 3.15
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was, Eliot would be shirtless in half the episodes.
Summary: Eliot struggles to regain Hardison’s trust after the events of “The Big Bang Job.”
Notes: This story was written for the leverageland “disastrous” challenge, where it took first place.
Eliot sat at the bottom of the stairs, watching as Hardison tapped away on his computer. He thought about wandering over and trying for the third time today to make conversation. The last two attempts had been shot down-not that Eliot was surprised. He knew Hardison was still on edge after finding out about Eliot’s past with Moreau. The fact that he’d been tossed into a pool, helpless and handcuffed to a chair hadn’t done much to put him at ease.
All those months before, when Nate had told them they were out to get Moreau, Eliot knew it would be a disaster. Maybe he should have come clean about his connection to the guy right then. But he’d made a judgment call to protect the team, and now, he had to live with the repercussions of that.
As he watched Hardison work, he felt a presence creep up behind him. “Parker,” he said. “What are you doing?”
“I’m watching you watch Hardison.”
Glancing over his shoulder, he scowled at her. “Go find something to do.”
“I am doing something,” she said. “I’m-”
“Go find something else to do.”
When she made no move to leave, Eliot shook his head in resignation. He was far too tired to fight with her. Besides, he figured he should probably take off anyway. He wasn’t getting anywhere with Hardison.
He was thinking about slinking back to his apartment when Nate walked over, cell phone in hand. “Sophie’s on her way home,” he said. “What are you making for dinner?”
Eliot let out a breath. “Just order pizza. I think I’m heading home.”
Nate gazed at him. “You’re gonna run?”
“What?”
“He asked if you’re gonna run,” Parker whispered.
“I’m not running,” Eliot said. “I’m just going out.”
Nate held the phone to his ear. “What? No. No, it’s still an issue. I’ll fix it before dinner. Yeah.” Looking back at Eliot, he said, “Sophie says you’re being ridiculous.”
Eliot glared. “Am I? I don’t think everybody wants me here.”
Nate glanced over at Hardison. “Avoiding the issue won’t fix it.”
“I tried already,” Eliot said wearily. “He doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame him.”
“He was freaked out by the situation.”
Eliot shook his head. “Nate, he understands what a monster I am now. You all do.”
Parker scooted onto the step beside Eliot and frowned at him. “There’s something wrong with you,” she said. “Monsters have fur and claws and sharp teeth. And sometimes they wear smelly aftershave.” She leaned forward and sniffed him. Apparently satisfied that he didn’t reek of aftershave, she laid her head on his shoulder. “Silly.” After a few seconds, she patted him on the hand and walked into the kitchen.
Eliot stared after her, open-mouthed.
Smiling, Nate said, “In Parker logic, that means you’re out of your mind if you think we care about you any less. He’ll get over it.”
Eliot swallowed. “What if he finds out what I did at the warehouse?”
Squeezing Eliot’s shoulder, Nate said, “Then he’ll know you saved my life.” Nodding, he walked away, holding the phone back up to his ear.
After a moment, Eliot steeled himself for rejection and trudged over to join Hardison at the table. “Hey,” he said. “We should do something tonight.”
Hardison didn’t look up from his laptop. “Little busy right now.”
Biting the inside of his cheek, Eliot said, “We could go swimming.”
When Hardison raised his eyes to meet Eliot’s gaze, there was a toxic expression on his face. “That’s not even a little funny.”
“I know.” Eliot took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t have let you drown, man. I need you to know that.”
After a long moment, Hardison visibly relaxed and nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, man.” He closed his laptop and shifted in his seat. “This just took me off guard, you know?”
Eliot nodded, running his fingers through his hair. “I can’t change my past.”
“I don’t want you to. Eliot, what bothered me is you lied to us. What Sophie said at the park is right. You gotta be straight with us. You gotta trust us.”
“And what if you find out something you don’t wanna know?”
“I’ll probably overreact like an idiot. Then I’ll get over it.” Hardison held up his hand. “For morale?”
Feeling the tension start to seep out of his body, Eliot reached out a grasped Hardison’s hand tightly. “For morale.”
Master Fic List
***
Author: sheryden
Rating: PG
Word Count: 744
Spoilers: “The Big Bang Job” 3.15
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was, Eliot would be shirtless in half the episodes.
Summary: Eliot struggles to regain Hardison’s trust after the events of “The Big Bang Job.”
Notes: This story was written for the leverageland “disastrous” challenge, where it took first place.
Eliot sat at the bottom of the stairs, watching as Hardison tapped away on his computer. He thought about wandering over and trying for the third time today to make conversation. The last two attempts had been shot down-not that Eliot was surprised. He knew Hardison was still on edge after finding out about Eliot’s past with Moreau. The fact that he’d been tossed into a pool, helpless and handcuffed to a chair hadn’t done much to put him at ease.
All those months before, when Nate had told them they were out to get Moreau, Eliot knew it would be a disaster. Maybe he should have come clean about his connection to the guy right then. But he’d made a judgment call to protect the team, and now, he had to live with the repercussions of that.
As he watched Hardison work, he felt a presence creep up behind him. “Parker,” he said. “What are you doing?”
“I’m watching you watch Hardison.”
Glancing over his shoulder, he scowled at her. “Go find something to do.”
“I am doing something,” she said. “I’m-”
“Go find something else to do.”
When she made no move to leave, Eliot shook his head in resignation. He was far too tired to fight with her. Besides, he figured he should probably take off anyway. He wasn’t getting anywhere with Hardison.
He was thinking about slinking back to his apartment when Nate walked over, cell phone in hand. “Sophie’s on her way home,” he said. “What are you making for dinner?”
Eliot let out a breath. “Just order pizza. I think I’m heading home.”
Nate gazed at him. “You’re gonna run?”
“What?”
“He asked if you’re gonna run,” Parker whispered.
“I’m not running,” Eliot said. “I’m just going out.”
Nate held the phone to his ear. “What? No. No, it’s still an issue. I’ll fix it before dinner. Yeah.” Looking back at Eliot, he said, “Sophie says you’re being ridiculous.”
Eliot glared. “Am I? I don’t think everybody wants me here.”
Nate glanced over at Hardison. “Avoiding the issue won’t fix it.”
“I tried already,” Eliot said wearily. “He doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame him.”
“He was freaked out by the situation.”
Eliot shook his head. “Nate, he understands what a monster I am now. You all do.”
Parker scooted onto the step beside Eliot and frowned at him. “There’s something wrong with you,” she said. “Monsters have fur and claws and sharp teeth. And sometimes they wear smelly aftershave.” She leaned forward and sniffed him. Apparently satisfied that he didn’t reek of aftershave, she laid her head on his shoulder. “Silly.” After a few seconds, she patted him on the hand and walked into the kitchen.
Eliot stared after her, open-mouthed.
Smiling, Nate said, “In Parker logic, that means you’re out of your mind if you think we care about you any less. He’ll get over it.”
Eliot swallowed. “What if he finds out what I did at the warehouse?”
Squeezing Eliot’s shoulder, Nate said, “Then he’ll know you saved my life.” Nodding, he walked away, holding the phone back up to his ear.
After a moment, Eliot steeled himself for rejection and trudged over to join Hardison at the table. “Hey,” he said. “We should do something tonight.”
Hardison didn’t look up from his laptop. “Little busy right now.”
Biting the inside of his cheek, Eliot said, “We could go swimming.”
When Hardison raised his eyes to meet Eliot’s gaze, there was a toxic expression on his face. “That’s not even a little funny.”
“I know.” Eliot took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t have let you drown, man. I need you to know that.”
After a long moment, Hardison visibly relaxed and nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, man.” He closed his laptop and shifted in his seat. “This just took me off guard, you know?”
Eliot nodded, running his fingers through his hair. “I can’t change my past.”
“I don’t want you to. Eliot, what bothered me is you lied to us. What Sophie said at the park is right. You gotta be straight with us. You gotta trust us.”
“And what if you find out something you don’t wanna know?”
“I’ll probably overreact like an idiot. Then I’ll get over it.” Hardison held up his hand. “For morale?”
Feeling the tension start to seep out of his body, Eliot reached out a grasped Hardison’s hand tightly. “For morale.”
Master Fic List
***