Title: hanging on a moment of truth
Author:
alinaandalionRating: T
Characters: Sophie Devereaux and Nate Ford with small amount of the team.
Pairings: A dash of Nate/Sophie
Spoilers: Up through "The Inside Job."
Summary: Post-"The Inside Job." Nate and Sophie talk about Parker and pick up where they left off from that morning.
Notes: Written for
leverage_bingo. Prompt: The Inside Job
Word Count: 662
Sophie groaned and hoisted herself up onto the counter, slipping her heels off. Nate looked up from the pot he was stirring and smiled.
“I feel like we’ve been here before.”
She leaned over to examine what he was cooking and said, “Well, hopefully, we won’t get another phone call. I don’t think I can handle anymore surprises.”
“What, you don’t enjoy trying to beat an unbeatable security system on the fly with one of your team stuck inside?” he asked as he walked over to her.
He relaxed against the counter, and she gave his shoulder a small shove as she replied, “As thrilling as that was, I don’t want to repeat it. Ever.”
“Did you explain that to Parker?”
“I left that conversation to Eliot. I think he might make more of an impression.”
“Really?”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, maybe not, but I’m tired, Nate. I’ve already talked to her about Archie, and that was emotionally draining enough for one night.”
“Is she doing okay?” He turned a little towards her, his eyes focused intently on her face.
“I think so. From what I got out of her, he was good to her, and she cares very deeply about him.”
“Good to her? He took a little girl off the streets and trained her to be a thief instead of getting her the help she needed.”
“I’m not saying what he did was right.” She sighed. “But I can understand why he would be reluctant to take her home to his family. Parker has never been, well, normal.”
“She could have been,” he replied softly, and he shifted his weight until his arm pressed just slightly against her thigh.
She raised an eyebrow and ran a hand through his hair affectionately. “Maybe. But, she’s a thief now, and nothing is going to change her past.”
He moved back to the stove, and she immediately missed his presence beside her. He spooned out a small amount of sauce from the pot and brought it over to her, lifting it to her mouth. She grinned at the mirrored actions from that morning and parted her lips for the spoon.
She swallowed the sauce and smirked as she said, “Maybe I should just stay here all the time so you can feed me.”
“So I’m a better cook than Eliot?” he teased.
“Not a chance. But, still, I’m impressed by your skill.”
He moved a little closer, and she shivered at the memory of that morning and the almost-kiss. His eyes darkened, one of his hands coming up to rest midway up her thigh. She caught a glimpse of the plates and utensils sitting beside her, and he started to lean past her to grab them. She turned her head to follow his, her lips brushing against his cheek; he paused and tilted his head toward her, a smirk playing with his mouth.
She held his gaze, trying to ignore the heat spreading through her body, and he was so close now; he moved in first, his lips just touching hers when the door flew open. He flinched away from her, and she craned her neck to watch Eliot, Parker, and Hardison coming through the doorway, the three of them already arguing.
Nate sighed and started stirring his sauce again until Eliot came over to inspect it. Eliot took a small taste and shook his head.
“No, out.” Eliot elbowed his way around Nate and starting pulling things out of the cabinets.
Parker was prancing around in front of the screens while Hardison was messing with his computer, images flickering across the screens and disappearing. Sophie slid off the counter and trailed after Nate to where he had taken up residence at the table.
“Just another ordinary night,” she murmured as she sat down across from him.
He poured a small amount of whiskey into the empty glass he had at his elbow and slid it to her. “Yeah, just another night.”