Not Going Anywhere
Title: Not Going Anywhere
Author: Magpie
Rating: pg-13
Genre: Nate/Eliot
Verse: BlackKing WhiteKnight!Verse
Summary: Nate knew only a fraction of a second before Eliot said it that the rules of the con had changed.
Notes: Response to Hawk_Dancing's pormpt "Just go -run" over on Comment_fic. It was supposed to be short but... yeah. I tend to yammer on about the past.
Nate knew only a fraction of a second before Eliot said it that the rules of the con had changed.
“Just go…” Eliot more grunted than said, pushing away Sophie and Hardison. He leaned against the wall next to him, one arm wrapped around his ribs and pressing against where the bullet had grazed his side. He was all tension and shakes in a way Nate alone recognized as danger. The job had gotten under his skin from the beginning, and between the beating he’d taken before the rescue they were pulling off and the bullet he’d nearly taken getting Sophie to safety and Nate could see his control shattering.
“You’re hurt.” Sophie said, trying to get Eliot to let her see the wound to administer first aid or something.
He shoved her away violently, sending her sprawling to the ground. “Run.” He stammered out. “RUN” He said again, the threat in his voice clear.”
Nate turned to Hardison, Sophie, and Parker. “Get out of here. Now.”
Hardison hesitated only one second, clearly worried about Nate staying before Parker pulled him along with her.
“Nate” Eliot said again, desperation mixing with his voice. He was curling around himself, breath coming in ragged pants Nate recognized. Eliot was so close to breaking, that violence in his head, that “Black Knight” they’d even joked about once, getting loose and just running rampant taking out everything. He was fighting to stay collected, not let the other get hurt when he lost it but it was only a matter of time. Nate could see the sheen of sweat and hear the pain in his breath he hadn’t shown until now, like holding himself together actually hurt him.
Nate should leave, let him let go. There weren’t any innocents here to get hurt but…
Nate remembered years ago, during those two weeks in Cairo, back in that long dull hell that had ended with them escaping together and him first seeing that monster Eliot barely kept in check. After it was over and Eliot came back to himself…
In those two weeks Eliot had lain close to death’s door, been beaten, been shot, faced death more than once. He had never looked even nearly as terrified as he had when he came down and found himself covered in someone else’s blood with no memory of dispatching the eight guards laying in pieces on the floor around him.
“Just go…” Eliot said again, sounding more like a plea than anything else.
Instead Nate stepped closer. It may be stupid but he couldn’t let Eliot go through that again.
“Don’t wanna hurt you Nate.” Eliot hissed through clenched teeth.
“You won’t.” Nate said softly, pulling the smaller man close, pressing a hand against his wounded side to help staunch the flow of blood. Nate knew he should be afraid, any second Eliot could lose it and there was no guarantee he wouldn’t attack the closest thing, but Nate had rarely felt calmer.
Eliot needed him and it might have been ten years since he’d spent two weeks helping a broken young thief pull himself back together but some things didn’t change. Even after ten years, even after watching from a distance as Eliot turned into who he was today…
Eliot needing him made putting his fears aside as easy as breathing.
“You’re not gonna hurt me.” Nate whispered into Eliot’s hair, easing the two of them to the ground. They had to move soon, they weren’t so far from where they’d just rescued Eliot they were safe, but for the moment they needed stillness. He held Eliot close, his head leaning against Nate’s chest over his heart. “Just relax. I’m not going anywhere.”
Previous: Roses
Next: Stay
Author: Magpie
Rating: pg-13
Genre: Nate/Eliot
Verse: BlackKing WhiteKnight!Verse
Summary: Nate knew only a fraction of a second before Eliot said it that the rules of the con had changed.
Notes: Response to Hawk_Dancing's pormpt "Just go -run" over on Comment_fic. It was supposed to be short but... yeah. I tend to yammer on about the past.
Nate knew only a fraction of a second before Eliot said it that the rules of the con had changed.
“Just go…” Eliot more grunted than said, pushing away Sophie and Hardison. He leaned against the wall next to him, one arm wrapped around his ribs and pressing against where the bullet had grazed his side. He was all tension and shakes in a way Nate alone recognized as danger. The job had gotten under his skin from the beginning, and between the beating he’d taken before the rescue they were pulling off and the bullet he’d nearly taken getting Sophie to safety and Nate could see his control shattering.
“You’re hurt.” Sophie said, trying to get Eliot to let her see the wound to administer first aid or something.
He shoved her away violently, sending her sprawling to the ground. “Run.” He stammered out. “RUN” He said again, the threat in his voice clear.”
Nate turned to Hardison, Sophie, and Parker. “Get out of here. Now.”
Hardison hesitated only one second, clearly worried about Nate staying before Parker pulled him along with her.
“Nate” Eliot said again, desperation mixing with his voice. He was curling around himself, breath coming in ragged pants Nate recognized. Eliot was so close to breaking, that violence in his head, that “Black Knight” they’d even joked about once, getting loose and just running rampant taking out everything. He was fighting to stay collected, not let the other get hurt when he lost it but it was only a matter of time. Nate could see the sheen of sweat and hear the pain in his breath he hadn’t shown until now, like holding himself together actually hurt him.
Nate should leave, let him let go. There weren’t any innocents here to get hurt but…
Nate remembered years ago, during those two weeks in Cairo, back in that long dull hell that had ended with them escaping together and him first seeing that monster Eliot barely kept in check. After it was over and Eliot came back to himself…
In those two weeks Eliot had lain close to death’s door, been beaten, been shot, faced death more than once. He had never looked even nearly as terrified as he had when he came down and found himself covered in someone else’s blood with no memory of dispatching the eight guards laying in pieces on the floor around him.
“Just go…” Eliot said again, sounding more like a plea than anything else.
Instead Nate stepped closer. It may be stupid but he couldn’t let Eliot go through that again.
“Don’t wanna hurt you Nate.” Eliot hissed through clenched teeth.
“You won’t.” Nate said softly, pulling the smaller man close, pressing a hand against his wounded side to help staunch the flow of blood. Nate knew he should be afraid, any second Eliot could lose it and there was no guarantee he wouldn’t attack the closest thing, but Nate had rarely felt calmer.
Eliot needed him and it might have been ten years since he’d spent two weeks helping a broken young thief pull himself back together but some things didn’t change. Even after ten years, even after watching from a distance as Eliot turned into who he was today…
Eliot needing him made putting his fears aside as easy as breathing.
“You’re not gonna hurt me.” Nate whispered into Eliot’s hair, easing the two of them to the ground. They had to move soon, they weren’t so far from where they’d just rescued Eliot they were safe, but for the moment they needed stillness. He held Eliot close, his head leaning against Nate’s chest over his heart. “Just relax. I’m not going anywhere.”
Previous: Roses
Next: Stay