The Only Man I'd Marry

This blog is my main blog. It is dedicated to all things Christian Kane and Leverage. For my personal stuff, other fandoms, and even a little politics, see kaniacqueensotherstuff.tumblr.com

[gnar-slabdash]

I’m always gonna feel a leeeeeetle bit smug about having had a weird crush on Lindsey McDonald way back when. I KNEW.

[kaniacqueen]

I was in the closet about my Lindsey crush. I was young and dumb and thought you couldn't love the bad guy. Yet I loved Spike. Idk what was wrong with me. Like I literally started watching Leverage because he was in it

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 21 Storm

There was a reception with much louder music and more friends and some bar-hopping and an inappropriate amount of tequila. Eliot and Savannah collapsed backwards onto their bed looking far less glamorous than they did at the ceremony. It was barely before dawn. Hardison and Parker had taken their prepacked luggage and disappeared off to their honeymoon, surprisingly not tired. 

"So Parker and Hardison are married," Savannah said with a sigh. 

"Mmhm," Eliot confirmed. 

"They're so happy."

"Yeah. Happily married." Eliot was aware he was staring at her as she stared at the ceiling. The bliss that was there during that first dance was still swimming in his brain. 

She turned to look at him, but she didn't seem aware of how intensely he was looking at her. "Do you think things'll be different?"

Eliot just shook his head. She turned back to the ceiling. He soaked in the silence. The thought escaped his lips before he realized he said it out loud. But he realized immediately he had no desire to take it back. "What if we got married?"

"I think things would definitely be different. In like, the best ways though." He waited for her to look at him, but she didn't.  She spoke as if he'd asked a rhetorical question. Which technically he had. But he meant it.

"Savannah." He made sure to say it with meaning. 

She snapped towards him, face drenched in shock. She started to sit up. "Wait, Eliot, are you…" She couldn't finish. 

He sat up next to her. "Yeah." He sat up straighter. "Savannah, do you wanna marry me?"

She managed to look even more taken aback. "I…" She rapidly shook her head as if to rid herself of a pest. "You're not asking this just because you wanna have sex, are you?"

The laugh slipped out. "Well, I would be lying if I said that wasn't a motivating factor."

"Eliot!" She elbowed him sharply. 

He ignored it and took her hands. "Savannah, no. I want this. This. Forever."

She said it like a reflex. "Why?"

He was incredulous for a moment. But then he understood. It was the constant feeling of being unworthy; he knew it well. He looked around the room as if physically searching for the words. "Because when I'm with you, I don't feel the weight of the things I've done." He opened his mouth to say more, but he decided to take a page from her book and leave it with fewer words. 

His heart swelled as she nodded, a gesture of understanding. She waited a moment before seeking assurance again, "And this isn't some sort of midlife crisis because Parker and Hardison got married?"

"My midlife crisis was joining the team," he quipped, his mouth ahead of him again. He waited for admonishment, but she only gave him a quick smile and a shrug. The silence was long. "Savannah," he pressed. 

"Can I get some time to think about it?" She sounded on the verge of tears. 

His heart burned. He tried to rationalize. "We don't have to get married right away," he assured her. 

"Eliot, please. This is just...it's a big deal for me, okay? I'm just wrapping my mind around having romance in my life. I need a minute to process 'happily ever after'. Please?"

He felt like it was frustratingly simple. Did she want to marry him or not? This time, he managed to stop his mouth, and he just nodded. 

She leaned in and kissed him hard. He wanted it to be an answer. A silent yes? A kiss goodbye? But of course, he couldn't ask.

He was amazed he had managed to fall asleep that night/morning, particularly sleeping next to a woman he thought loved him but couldn't answer his proposal. He was also surprised that, of all things, he was awoken by a crack of thunder. Except when he rolled over and realized that may not have been what woke him; Savannah was gone. 

Instinctively, he got out of bed, heading towards the bedroom door and swinging it open, expecting to catch her in the hall. She wasn't there. He searched. He looked in the pool, the gym, Parker's jungle gym, the conference area, everywhere he could think of in the building. He took a second look in the garage, and it dawned on him that her moped wasn't there. He fought the burning in his chest as he went back to the bedroom. He ripped open the chest of drawers. Few things were missing, but Savannah had taken her damned duffel bag… and left her phone.

It was confusing. She had maybe taken a few essentials, but left several things he knew were sentimental. And she had left her phone, he couldn't reach her. It was so intentional. 

Another crack of thunder sounded. It was storming pretty bad. He remembered the first time he saw her happy, during a rainstorm. He wondered if she was just out in the rain, having the time of her life somewhere.

The first day, he just kept waiting for her to come through the door, telling him that she had just gone out for coffee or to the underground market or to see her sister. But she didn't. The storm continued. 

The second day, Eliot spent all day battling with himself on whether or not to call Parker and ask if she'd heard from Savannah. He didn't want to disrupt her honeymoon, though, especially with the possible end of his relationship...Would Savannah still be part of the team if they split up? Would he still want her to be if she actually didn't want to marry him? He tried to ignore the implications as he made a few attempts to log in to Hardison's computer to see if there was some leftover tracking device, but computers still evaded him. The rain continued, stopping only enough to keep the streets from flooding. 

The third day, he asked himself a thousand times to go somewhere, anywhere, get away from headquarters and start accepting that she was gone. He toyed with the idea of going to Van House, but he knew Dani wouldn't let him live down that this was Savannah's response to his proposal. He thought about going to the Oasis too, but he knew she wouldn't go there in the rain. He may not have gone anywhere, but he did start telling himself that she was gone. He even started to accept it. It was still raining. 

The fourth day, the storm raged, but Eliot was wrapped up in his grief. He tried not to mope, but he did spend all day staring, not really watching hockey on the massive monitor in the conference area. As he contemplated going to bed, which he knew just meant changing from a sitting to a laying position on the couch, he heard something: a soft screech. It was outside. He didn't know how he heard it over the calamitous storm. It was so familiar, distinctive, but he couldn't place it. He found himself headed towards the front door as he thought he finally figured it out even though he was certain he was wrong. She was gone. He would go outside and there would be nothing there but water and darkness. He was going to make sure. 

He was wrong. The first thing he saw as he burst through the doors into the wide driveway was that stupid gradient blue moped with that stupid duffel bag on top of it. She was walking towards him. Things froze. He soaked her in from afar. Drenched black pants clung to her legs. The sliced edge of a pale blue tank top dripped water over the glint of a fresh navel piercing. Her hair draped around her like a coat, enhancing the water fall around her legs. Her face was distressed and puffy; she'd been crying for sure. She walked towards him through the storm as if it wasn't there. She was there. 

He was angry. How could she disappear like that on him? Right after he asked her to marry him? And made sure he couldn't contact her? He was angry. He was furious. He was incredibly, overwhelmingly, violently angry...for about two seconds…

His hands caught her waist like that's where they belonged. Her arms wrapped around his neck with such a sense of ownership. Her lips, he missed her lips so much. Those were his lips. The way her tongue tasted...like a dish he longed to replicate. He resisted the urge to tear the wet clothes from her body and take possession of her flesh.

She sucked in a breath, breaking the kiss. "Yes. Eliot, I want to marry you."

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 20 Pretzels

Eliot was finishing up his bowtie as he trotted down the stairs into the conference area where the girls had taken it over as the bridal suite. Sophie was adding the finishing touches to Parker's hair and makeup. She looked perfect. She had her hair pulled up in an elegant braided bun with tendrils of hair framing her face. Sophie had her makeup natural and glowing. She looked ethereal. 

"Did you need an escort down the aisle?" a posh voice asked from the direction of the front door. Parker whipped around in surprise, recognizing the voice instantly.

"Archie!" The tears came immediately as she squeezed the silver-haired thief. 

"You? A crying bride? Have I been called to steal you from this wedding?" There was a touch of concern in his smile. 

"No," Parker declined with a laugh as she squeezed him again. "I just...I was trying to get a hold of you and everything happened so fast and here you are…"

He dabbed a finger on her nose. "You know I only show up at the precise time I mean to. And Sophie wanted it to be a surprise. You know I wouldn't miss this for the world. I do like the boy."

Parker turned to wordlessly thank Sophie as she swiped the tears from her eyes. "This is why I put waterproof makeup on you. For once, I wanted you caught off guard," Sophie said wryly. She checked the time. "Oh, we're cutting it close. Eliot you should already be upstairs. As should Savannah and I."

So Eliot made his way to the roof ushering Savannah and Sophie in front of him. Nate waited at the altar with Hardison. Nate had gotten reordained for the occasion. Nate wore solid black while Hardison contrasted with a classic black suit accented with an emerald green bow and pocket square. Eliot stayed classic black with a sage green shirt. He jogged to Hardison's side as Sophie and Savannah took their places on the other side of Nate. 

The archway was simple, almost. It was two curved sides that met at a point made of dowels covered in clear and green crystals that caught the light beautifully from the slowly setting sun. Off to the side of the ceremony area was a table draped in sparkly fabric akin to the overlay on Parker's dress. Atop it was a a three foot tall chocolate covered pretzel traced in regular chocolate covered pretzels. Around it were a dozen bottles each of orange soda and Thief Juice II wine and beer (drinkable batches) . At one end of the table was a bone-in prime rib large enough for the seven of them (probably more) ready to be sliced, and at the other was a small mountain of squid ink pasta, both a top low flames to keep them warm, a courtesy of a late night from Eliot. 

Archie and Parker appeared at the end of aisle constructed from metallic silver tiles. Hardison's smile got bigger and bigger with every step she took as did Parker's. They got to the altar and Parker and Archie kissed each other's cheeks. He said quietly to Hardison, "I'm obligated to tell you that my canes have been upgraded in case you hurt my daughter."

Hardison couldn't stop smiling. "I expect nothing less, Sir."

Archie had his own smirk as he took his place next to Eliot. Nate began. "As pretty much everyone here knows, I struggle with expressing my emotions in a way everyone agrees with." The opening was met with giggles. "These two people standing before me did a lot to help me overcome my demons and become a better man and a better husband. I'll be direct in saying that I couldn't be prouder and happier that they're here today ready to share the love they encouraged me to pursue with each other. They have written their own vows because the traditional dribble would never do for these two. Hardison?"

Hardison held up a finger and placed a small metal box with a shiny black dome on top of it a few feet down the aisle that he retrieved from the side of the altar. He pulled a remote from his pocket, clicked it, and replaced it. A projection of stars lit up the roof. In the projection, clips began playing; clips of Parker and Hardison; working, gloating, in the offices, out on the town. Some were images Hardison had collected of their dating life. Others, it seemed, were snippets of security footage he saved and scrubbed and edited them all together into this romantic black and white montage. As the images floated through the sky, sound bites were heard; sound bites collected from the coms, saved, and curated, to create this. 

"I think people are like locks…you have to take time and be fiddly."

"I like how you turned out."

"Do you hear me, Alec? I need you!"

"You're not alone anymore...you have me."

"Kiss for luck?"

And there was a vaguely familiar humming. Parker smiled wide as tears fell freely. Sophie was quietly sobbing. Every eye was glassy at the least.

Hardison took Parker's hands. "Parker, it is a known fact that I have loved you since the day we met, and I promise I will never stop loving you. I promise I will put you before every video game, every new gadget release, and every job. I promise to hold your hand through every dark night and every awkward social interaction. I promise I will never hold you back, unless you're trying to stab somebody. And I promise I will never stop trying to make you smile." As he finished his vows and the giggles quieted, he reached up and thumbed a few tears away from her face, ignoring the ones that slipped down his own.

Before anyone could disintegrate any further, Parker cleared her throat, her voice surprisingly steady. "Alec, there aren't a lot of people that have been patient with how different I am, and I'm really glad you were one of those people. I promise you that you'll never be alone, and I'll never forget you're there. I promise I'll never climb higher than I'm willing to take you. I promise to never hide from you. I promise I'll love you more than anything, even money. And I promise you'll never be bored." 

More laughter. They had to make it funny. "And with that leap of faith into the next phase of your relationship," Nate started with an air of anticipation. Parker and Hardison pulled closer. She reached underneath one of the slits in her dress and clipped something to a belt that blended in with his waistcoat. "And by the power vested in me by the state of Oregon," Nate continued as the anticipation built further. Parker gave a yank. Nate skipped gracefully to the side. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Hardison and Parker, clutching each other and grinning ear to ear, went flying over the edge of the roof. Everyone turned to lean over and look. Somehow, Hardison was unshaken. "You may kiss the bride!" Nate called to them. It was a kiss years in the making. It warmed the heart. It filled the soul. 

As lips parted, Hardison tried to sound calm as he asked, "Can we go back up now?" but his voice trembled just enough to give him away. 

"Yeah," Parker answered, a little shake in her voice too. She reached up and gave another yank, and the newlyweds sprang upward. The wedding party helped them over the edge and worked the harnesses out of their clothes. 

A song started that Eliot didn't care to listen to as Parker and Hardison shared their first dance. Nate took Sophie. Eliot took Savannah. Archie swung his cane to the rhythm. It was bliss. Every tragic turn in their lives lead to this moment, and it was worth it.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 19 Coffee and Tulle

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, it took another week to finalize the paperwork for Stella and Alessandro to take over Tazze e Ciotole, but finally it was over. While it gave them some time to site-see (Savannah had never been out of North America), every single one of them just wanted to get back to their own beds. 

Parker had gone through who knows how many wedding plans wanting to get married as soon as possible. "The courtship phase took long enough, we don't need a long engagement," Hardison had explained. "Maybe a long honeymoon though." Parker eventually had another massive meltdown just days after they got back; it was an episode so impressive that finally Nate and Sophie had to be called. She was in such a state, she actually agreed to let Sophie plan the wedding. The one thing Parker had to actively be involved in was dress shopping.

It was some unfortunate hour the morning they were supposed to go dress shopping. Savannah was still a bit jet lagged even though, they landed a few days prior and demanded her and Eliot go out for coffee. She also wanted a tiny break from wedding stuff before the big day really got started, and he didn't disagree.

Both of them dressed in worn jeans and soft hoodies to combat Portland's chilly fall air. Eliot wasn't entirely present due to the hour and mental exhaustion from wedding stuff, so he wasn't really paying attention when Savannah froze the moment she went towards the line.

"Eliot, we gotta go."

Eliot hardly looked up, but then she grabbed his hand and began dragging him back out the door. 

"Hm. What? Why?"

"Eliot, we gotta go, she insisted through her teeth. She got him out the door and started running. He registered she was panicking and started running after her. "Savannah, what's wrong? Savannah!" They were nearly back at the office by the time he caught up to her. He caught her arm, and with the speed she was going, it forced her it whip around and face him. "What the hell is going on?"

She took a moment to catch her breath before finally answering, "My sister was in that cafe."

Eliot's arm dropped from her shoulder. That was not what he expected. He wasn't sure what he expected. But it wasn't that. "Why did you seem so scared?" he asked after processing.

She shrugged and shook her head. "I panicked. Like. What am I supposed to say if she saw me and recognized me? 'Hey, Sasha, sorry you haven't seen me like fifteen years, I'm sorry you probably thought I was dead after the school blew up. By the way, I helped blow it up, and now I work with a team of criminals that break the law to take down bad guys like the ones that were torturing me in that school. And also--"

She was starting to spiral so Eliot cut her off, "Yeah. Okay. You have a point. I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say. He reached up and cupped her cheek. 

Savannah spoke as if she were almost in a trance. "She was with a man. She had a ring on her finger. She's engaged. Or married. I haven't checked up on her in so long. I had no clue." 

Eliot took a second to internally admire her observation skills, but quickly had to formulate a response to her pain. "I'm sure Hardison would help you check on everyone in a heartbeat. We're never going to keep you from them."

The tears were forming in her eyes. "I know. I just got so caught up in our work. And I mean, Hardison is kind of busy right now. I just--"

He cut her off again. "Hardison and Parker are about to go on a long honeymoon. We're all going to be on a break. You'll be able to take time and check on your family. Okay? You got caught up in keeping your sister and a hell of a lot of other people safe. You don't need to feel guilty."

"Hypocrite," she whispered, a smile breaking through her lips. 

He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "Workaholic," he retorted quietly. 

She took his hand and squeezed it. "I guess we'll just get coffee while we're out shopping," she resigned. 

He nodded. "The French press is already out for me to make my coffee."

She shook her head. "Parker wants you to come with us."

His face scrunched. "Why?"

With a shrug, she explained, "She needs a voice of reason because she's afraid Sophie will go overboard."

"Why can't Nate go?"

"He is. But he doesn't want to fight with Sophie." He rolled his eyes. "Please. Shopping with Sophie scares me too." She bounced, simulating a child begging for candy at the store.

He rolled his eyes once more as he guided her the rest of the way back to the office. "Fine. You owe me."

"I do."

So Eliot found himself holding a large travel cup of hot, lightly sweetened black coffee in a dress shop. Nate was next to him while Savannah and Sophie were on a white couch in front of him. 

Parker came out in the dress she had picked out, having insisted it was the one as she went into the fitting room. All Eliot saw as she disappeared was tule. And that's all he saw as she stepped onto the platform in front of the tri-fold mirror. It was a stereotypical princess gown; strapless, sweetheart neckline, and an enormous tule skirt. It wasn't an ugly dress, but it wasn't Parker. 

She tried to sound excited as she stiffly shifted to "show it off". "So, what do you guys think? It's perfect, right?" she implored tightly. 

There was silence. She immediately looked hurt. Sophie took the hit and said it in the gentlest way possible, "You don't love it."

Parker shook her head to deny it and began to explain, "I'm just not a dress person. But it's only for one day. Hardison will love this. This is what he wants to marry me in."

Sophie stood up and took Parker's hand. "Darling, Hardison just wants to marry you. You could take that boy's breath away in a burlap sack."

"But--"

Sophie held up a finger. "Sweetheart, the wedding is about you and Hardison. The dress is about you." She looked towards a clerk who nodded with some sort of confirmation. "There is a dress I think will be perfect for you waiting in the dressing room. Go on."

So the mass of tule that was Parker exited back to the fitting room. Eliot was relieved. Maybe Parker didn't need him to buffer.

Parker came back out, and Sophie was right. It was a mint green off-the-shoulder sheath dress with a modest but elegant sweetheart neckline. There was still some tule but a much more reasonable amount that was overlaid with sparkle that had a bit of a galaxy effect. The mint green complemented the green dresses Sophie and Savannah had gotten as matron of honor and bridesmaid. (Parker's only direction had been "green".) was glowing and giggling. It was perfect.

"See? Much better," Sophie confirmed.

Parker nodded then raised a finger. "One thing." She produced a sharp utility knife (a gift from Eliot) from seemingly nowhere, and began cutting high slits all around the sparkly top layer of the dress. 

Sophie sighed and handed her credit card to the sales associate. "Yeah. We'll take it."

"We're not stealing it?" Parker mouthed. Sophie shook her head. Parker spoke softly "But it would be so much more romantic if--"

"No, Parker. Not today," Nate said definitively and that was the end of it.

Parker handed the knife towards Eliot. "Will you help me with the back?"

And so, for the bride, he stepped onto the platform, bent down behind her, and cut slits into the top layer of her wedding dress.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 18 Hot Oil

The three lackeys charged Savannah, and she charged forward. She pulled the legs out from under one, flipping him onto his back. The next got a full force kick to the face and went sideways. She shoved the chair Eliot was in, with him in it, into the last one, knocking the wind out of him.

She took hold of Eliot's shirt and brought him inches from her face. "Let's get one thing clear, I don't protect you. You don't protect me. We protect each other. Got it?"

He gave a short nod and instinctively kissed her. Thankfully, she kissed him back. Her entrance gave him a reprieve to finish getting out of the restraints. With grace and fluidity, he pulled his free arms in front of him as he got to his feet, and she pulled the chair out from behind him, snapping it into several pieces. He caught a few and in eight coordinated blows, their three obstacles were unconscious on the ground.

She turned to face him. "Are you okay?" she asked. There was both concern and anger in her voice.

"Yes." He grabbed her and kissed her again. She didn't reject him, but she wasn't exactly affectionate. He wouldn't pretend he didn't know why. "Let's go deal with Yavetz."

"Yavetz is dealt with," she dismissed as she headed towards the doorway.

"Yavetz is dealt with?" he asked.

"Yes. Let's finish the paperwork and go home," Savannah responded without elaborating. He couldn't stop himself. He grabbed her and kissed her again, even harder than before. Again, she was accepting but less than receptive. "Kiss me all you want. I'm still mad at you," she quipped.

"I know," he succumbed, but he saw the smile pulling at her lips. Then he noticed something else; fresh, angry burns on her arm, with a splash pattern like she'd been burned...with hot oil? Reflexively, he took hold of her arm. "What is this?"

"Burned myself in the kitchen," she mumbled.

"You don't touch the fryers. And these are fresh. Really fresh." He tried to pull her closer, but she slipped out of his grip.

"Savannah," he argued, but she didn't break step.

"You're in trouble. Not me. Let's go. We can argue at the hotel."

He accepted her terms and followed.

Eliot braced himself as Savannah went straight to Parker's suite. He was a bit taken aback to see Hardison looking extremely happy in front of his four monitors and Parker flipping through paperwork. "Savannah said Yavetz is taken care of?" Eliot asked cautiously.

"That's what Hardison said," Parker answered without looking up.

"And I have it on tape!" Hardison practically squealed.

Eliot heard Savannah curse under her breath. "I should probably get back to bed," she muttered, starting towards the door.

"Absolutely not," Eliot and Hardison disagreed in unison. Eliot caught Savannah and pulled her towards Hardison and his monitors. He finally noticed Hardison was looking at footage from the restaurant.

"Gather 'round ladies and gentlemen," Hardison said, gesturing for them to come closer as if he we the showman at a circus. Parker got up without ceremony to join them. Savannah groaned.

From a half dozen different angles, they watched as a plump Yavetz pushed through the back door and began a very nonsensical search; throwing things around counters, yanking open drawers. Eliot noticed in his careless tossing, he had switched one of the fryers on; it was set to high. Shortly into the ransacking, they saw Savannah tearing through the front door.

"Eliot? Eliot?!" she screamed, fear rattling her voice.

The present Savannah cursed again. "There's audio?"

"There's audio!" Hardison confirmed, dripping with mirth.

On screen, Yavetz looked startled, then pleased as he heard Savannah's calls. She burst into the kitchen. Yavetz opened his arms as if to welcome her. "You! Where is my husband?"

Yavetz laughed. "I am not sure he is your husband. But now I know his real name is Eliot. I knew you were liars."

"What did you do to him?" Savannah demanded.

Yavetz got sober. "Nothing serious if you hand over the ownership paperwork for the restaurant."

"Where. Is. He?" It was a low, threatening growl.

"Where are the papers?!" Yavetz yelled at her.

It was that moment she let loose. She sprang forward, gripped him by the neck and threw him onto the counter next to the fryer, which had gotten plenty hot by this point. "You tell me where he is or the next hot piece of ass you grab will be your own!"

"Empty threat!" he spat.

She responded by wrenching his hand into the hot oil. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS NOW!"

When Yavetz's piercing shrieks had subsided, he panted out an answer, "Warehouse...End of the next block...fourth floor...third door...on the right...Cagna!"

Savannah's voice regained an eerie calm. "Thank you, Mr. Yavetz. Your shadow never darkens the doorway of this place again. Or you will be Friday night's special. Served with a nice Chianti?"

She then gave him a shove so that he became seated in the hot oil. Hardison hit pause. The three of them turned to a very red-faced Savannah, all smiling.

Parker broke the silence. "I'm glad I got up for that."

Savannah rubbed her forehead and stared at the ground. "Listen. I know things got a little out of hand," she started.

Eliot stepped in. "It was my fault. I'm sorry. I--"

Parker waved them all to silence. "Okay. Things did not go according to plan. Things almost never go according to plan. But Yavetz isn't a problem anymore. The Orsinis have requested we stay to officially transfer Tazze e Ciotole to Stella and Allessandro, so we're doing that. The job is done. No one important is hurt. You're okay, right, Eliot? You bleed all the time, it's hard to tell."

Eliot smirked. "Yes, Parker, I'm fine."

"Great. I'm gonna finish planning my wedding." Parker turned and went back to her lake of paper.

Hardison said almost to himself, "I'm really glad she's so into this wedding."

Eliot gave him a smile then turned to Savannah, whose cheeks were finally returning to a normal color. "It was really hot to watch you deep fry a mark. Especially for me." She flushed again and rolled her eyes but leaned into his following kiss.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 17 Flash Bang

As they began to pull apart, the mirth was destroyed by something crashing through the front window followed by the sound of squealing tires. Eliot looked down to see a canister shape that looked familiar. All he could register was that it was most likely explosive. He quickly started herding everyone in the kitchen. “Get down!” He was the last one to make it past the door. Something registered as he shoved the last of the heads under counters. “Cover your ears!” He grabbed dishtowels and tossed them around. He demonstrated pressing one against his ears as additional protection against the impending blast. He pushed every head down in a final effort of shielding before it detonated. 

They all sat painfully still as the acrid smoke cleared. When they could all finally see each other, Parker asked aloud, “Why a flash bang? Why not just blow us up?”

Nate shook his head vigorously, as if to dispel the disorientation. “Didn’t want to damage the place. It was a scare tactic. Had Eliot not recognized it, it would have at the very least put you all out of work for a few days, if not in the hospital.”

Hardison wiggled “They just wanted us out of commission long enough to give them another chance to pull the place out from under us. This isn’t over.”

Parker rubbed her head.“We...we just need to regroup. And...attack them...directly.” It was obvious she was still very disoriented. 

Hardison reached for her. “Baby, you okay?”

Nate squinted at her, examining her. “Hers and Eliot’s ears are a little more sensitive than the rest of us. Eliot was just a little more prepared to protect himself.”

Parker argued, “I’ve been through explosions before, though.” Her speech was slurred. 

Eliot crawled over to her and pulled a pen light out of his back pocket. He started flashing it in her eyes and ears, looking closely. “Doesn’t look like there’s any severe damage, no concussion, no bleeding.”

“You have been under a lot of stress, Parker,” Sophie added. 

Eliot put the light back in his pocket. “You’re right. Let’s take a night to regroup.”

“They’re going to come here tonight, Yavetz and whatever lackeys he can pay to come along.” Savannah said pointedly. 

“Lock the doors,” Hardison posed. “He won’t cause any damage to the place. It means something to him too, as selfish as he is.”

Nods of agreement bobbed around the room and they all got up to lock up and leave. 

Eliot laid in bed next to Savannah, listening intently. It appeared she was finally asleep, deep enough for him to slip out of bed. So he did, put on his jeans, and headed to the diner. No. He shouldn’t be confronting Yavetz on his own, not by team protocol, but he was the one that had a rapport with Yavetz. He was going to be the one to end it. He and Yavetz exchanged messages to meet at the diner.

"Paul," Eliot heard the familiar voice behind him as he leaned against the diner's back door. He also heard the additional footsteps.

"Kilmer," he answered, not turning around. "You brought friends."

"Eh?" the man responded like he didn't hear him. Eliot heard the clank of metal hitting gravel and everything went black.

Eliot peeled his eyes open as he registered that his head was pounding. And he was tied to a chair. And there were four people in the room with him, a man on every side of him, the one in front was facing him. It was Yavetz. He exhaled slowly as he calculated the events that lead up to his current predicament. Yavetz caught him off guard with a flashbang. He had been captured, and he was on his own. If he didn't get himself out of this quietly, and the team found out what he'd done, he was in for it. Savannah might never forgive him. 

Slowly, he looked up until he was staring Yavetz in the face. "What's the problem, Kilmer?" he asked, being deliberately obtuse. 

Yavetz stood with his fingers interlaced in front of him. He gave a kind of shrug. "I don't know how the Orsinis hired you or why they're playing this game where they hand my restaurant off to you fraudulent strangers, but the game ends now."

"What do you mean 'fraudulent'? The Orsinis felt it was time to retire and wanted to hand off their legacy. They liked us. So we got it."

Yavetz gave a signal and the man on Eliot's left shocked him in the jaw. He had a hook, but Eliot had been popped with far worse. He hardly blinked as his head snapped to the side. 

Yavetz spoke as Eliot turned to look at him again. "Do not insult me. I do not know who you are. But I believe you are not who you say." 

Eliot rolled his eyes. Okay. They were blown. But there was still time to out. "What do you want, Kilmer?"

Yavetz started to pace the short space in front of him. "I want my restaurant. With the Orsinis getting well past their prime, you cannot keep it from me. They sold it to you, you claim. You must have papers. You will give them to me. Where are they?"

Eliot rolled his eyes again and shook his head. "Why would I give you the papers?"

Yavetz gestured towards him. "Look at where you are."

"So? Tyin' me up doesn't force me to hand over the diner."

Yavetz narrowed his eyes. "The restaurant still opens in the morning, yes? And your cagna of a wife will come looking for you, won't she? I bet the first place she checks is there. Maybe I will have some friends waiting for her. Unless she is not your wife."

The chair shook as Eliot tried to lunge at him while still restrained. "You stay the hell away from her, you sorry son of a bitch!"

"Good," the malicious man replied. "I think I will head there now. It is probably where you are keeping my documents. Maybe if she comes in and gives me what I want, she stays unharmed. But I am certain I have time to ransack the place before she comes looking for you."

Did he? It finally occurred to Eliot that without dehim there, Savannah could wake up at any moment, and when she did, she'd come looking for him. How long had it been? Was she looking already? What if she had woken up with a panic attack, and it got worse because he was gone. What was he thinking. 

His mind was pulled back into his own predicament as Yavetz began to leave the room. Before he closed the door, he told his cohorts, "Keep him alive, and coherent if you can. But maybe teach him a lesson."

The door clicked closed, and hands flew. The blows weren't hard. Eliot didn't fight back; he wasn't focused on the pain. He was lost in the concern for Savannah and how much trouble he was in when everyone found out he decided to confront Yavetz on his own. Time passed and he began to feel the pain. He started trying to dodgethe blows and get out of the restraints. They were getting angrier at his struggles. He wasn't quite as young as he used to be, and it wasn't easy to take blows while weaseling out of restraints. 

With no warning, the door flew out of the frame with a bang and nearly hit him and the goon next to him and kicking up an impossible amount of debris. He saw her through the settling dust, leg still up from kicking the door in. It was Savannah, and she was furious.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 16 Secret's Out

Eliot and Savannah stepped through the back door of the diner into the kitchen; they had it for at least one more day before they were turning it back over to the rightful owners, the Orsinis. Well, actually it would go to Stella and Alessandro, but there was a gray period while all the paperwork was being done. They were surprisingly early considering how late the party went last night, but they wanted to make sure the kitchen was prepped. Or they wanted to fool around in the kitchen. 

Savannah had barely gotten the water on to wash her hands when Eliot stepped behind her,pressing his front into her back, sliding his arms down hers, and tickling her cheek with his chin stubble. She leaned back into him briefly, then spun around to kiss him, hard, her tongue taking over his mouth immediately. He gripped the back of her thighs and hoisted her over to an open counter. She slid forward and pressed her knees against his hips. One hand wrapped into her hair, tied into a haphazard bun; the other squeezed her buttcheek as it wriggled against the counter. She moaned as he alternated between squeezing her backside, and closing his hand in her hair, providing pulling sensations. He tried to dismiss the intrusive thoughts of tearing the underwear out from under her skirt and taking her then and there as the front of his jeans tightened. Her hands went up the front of his shirt. Her fingertips possessively presses into the ridges of his muscles. One arm wrapped behind him and took hold of his rear. Passionately, her teeth clipped at his lips. They gasped in breaths between long, primal kisses. 

They didn’t hear the door. But they heard the feminine despaired grown. Their lips separated, and they looked at each other, confused as to who had made such a melancholy sound in the midst of such pleasure. 

“I knew this whole Newlywed act would lead to trouble.” The voice, the accent was unmistakable. Eliot and Savannah disentangled themselves and dismounted the counter, nearly knocking one another over. They turned to face a horrified, drop-jawed Sophie. She rubbed her forehead and continued, “You two let the characters you were playing get to you.”

Savannah and Eliot looked at each other, faces soaked in guilt, having a silent conversation as to whether or not to confess the truth, and how precisely to do so. After a simultaneously deep breath, Savannah spoke first, “Sophie, we didn’t get together because of this job. We were together before this job.”

Sophie shook her head rapidly, more stunned than before. Hardison and Parker chose that moment to come through the front door of the diner. Sophie rushed out of the kitchen to tattle, and Eliot and Savannah pursued her as they prepared to watch the last of their charade implode. Sophie started sputtering and pointing accusingly at Eliot and Savannah. Parker and Hardison switched between looking at each of them and piecing together what had happened. “Eliot and Savannah!” Sophie finally cried out. She couldn’t get out anymore more than that and started gesturing lewdly.

She took it a mite too far and Parker blurted out, “You guys actually had sex?!” 

Sophie looked like she might actually explode and send her head through the ceiling. “You two knew all about this, didn’t you?!” she shrieked.

It dawned on Parker that she jumped the gun. She avoided eye contact as she let out a thoughtful, “Uh...”

Hardison looked as though he was going to try and act shocked and innocent, but Eliot did The Eyebrows. Hardison rolled his eyes then shrugged in defeat. “I mean, yeah. How was we not gonna know? We all live in the same building. And it’s not like we could be mad. I mean, Parker and I are together, and we worked together. Hell, you and Nate--”

And as if he were being called, Nate came through the door. “Oh, great. It can, in fact, get worse,” Eliot said under his breath. 

Sophie marched toward Nate triumphantly, under the impression she would finally have an ally in indignance by her side. “So it appears our little fake Newlyweds have actually been dating all along. It was okay for Parker and Hardison to know because they all live together and wouldn’t be mad since they’re together and we’re together. But obviously, it’s different with them, right?”

Nate was a deer caught in headlights. And Sophie saw his guilt. 

It didn’t seem possible that she could get more upset and turn into a human bomb, and yet there she stood. “You knew too?! I was the last to know?! You all actively hid this from me?!”

Nate spoke up. “I wouldn’t say actively. I mean, you never asked any of us if they were dating, did you?”

“I-I did so!” She crossed her arms. 

Nate gestured as if he were weighing something between his two hands. “You asked me if I thought this job was too much for their relationship. I said I didn’t think so. You asked if I thought they were going to be okay, I said yes. I-I never lied to you or hid anything from you. Had you asked me if I thought something was going on, I probably would have ‘fessed up.”

Eliot took a brief moment to enjoy Nate’s confidence in their relationship. Sophie glared at her semantic paramore. “Probably?” she pressed.

Nate shrugged. “If I wanted to get around that one I’d say no, I don’t think something is going on. Because I know something is going on. But I do think that might be taking it into lying territory.”

Her arms dropped to her side. “Why did you all keep this from me?”

Hardison pointed at her and circled his finger to encapsulate her. “You see how you just reacted? That might be why.” Parker nodded in agreement. 

“Sometimes, it does seem like you target Eliot when he’s starting a relationship,” Nate theorized. 

“How so?” Sophie demanded.

“Aimee, my ex girlfriend. You got snide about Kaye Lynn from that music job with Kirkwood. You even kept me so busy after the Value More job that Tabatha blew me off.”

Sophie scoffed. “I do that to everyone!”

 “You practically threw me at Hardison,” Parker retorted. “And we all supported you when you and Nate started fooling around.”

Sophie crossed her arms again. “Not always.”

Eliot crossed his arms, done with being attacked. “We only put you in check, when your feelings got in the way of the job, like when Nate was drinking. Other than that, we let you two be adults. Am I wrong?”

Sophie sighed and stared at the ground. 

“It’s going on two years. And we’re happy for them,” Parker said with finality. 

The grin on Eliot’s face was unstoppable. He glanced over at Savannah whose smile showed every tooth; he even noticed the slight glint of a possible tear in her eye. Sophie’s shoulders lost their tension as she looked around at the five of them. She stared back at Savannah for nearly a minute and asked “And you? You’re really happy with...Eliot?”

Without any hesitation, Savannah nodded vigorously. “I haven't been this happy since before the Academy.”

There were several satisfied “hmm”s as they took in the gravity of what she was saying. It obviously touched Sophie too. “Well, then, I’m happy for you too. Congratulations, two years late, it seems.” She held out her arms for a hug, and to Eliot’s surprise, Savannah dove right in. It took mere seconds for Parker to squeak with glee and jump in to make it a group hug followed by Eliot, Hardison and Nate. 

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 15 Blown Open

The booze was flowing and the party was getting rolling. “Alright, guys, I know it’s early, but it looks like things are getting going. Anybody getting a good foothold?” Parker asked as she ran a couple empty wine and liquor bottles to the back. 

Savannah finished filling a few glasses and answered as she paced back to the kitchen to check on another round of canapes. “Eliot’s got Yavetz engaged pretty well. I’m picking up on the fact that his crew doesn’t really approve of pursuing Tazze e Ciotole. They’re more interested in restarting Blue Suns from Italy.” There was an obvious tone of disgust in her voice. 

“Okay, yeah, we can work with that. Dissent and we didn’t even have to create it,” Parker mused as she opened another bottle of wine. 

Eliot raised his glass to his lips and spoke as quickly and quietly as possibly as possible. “This kid Borroni that’s kind of sitting off to the side. He’s technically the lowest man on the totem pole, but he’s well liked. I think he and Yavet’s right-hand, Zetticci, have a history, grew up together some kinda way, closer than the others. If we can get him get him engaged directly...”

Parker had already caught on. “Hardison, you--”

“Already on it,” Hardison said with glee as he mixed himself a generous drink with gin and plopped down next to Borroni with a painted look of disgruntled exasperation. Parker slid into a cluster of the ladies that accompanied several of the crew but had now broken off in their own group to gossip. Enough alcohol was flowing that they could integrate themselves into the gathering rather than supervise it. Eliot leaned over, put his hand on the back of Savannah’s thigh and pulled her into his lap. If he was going to sit through this Neanderthal’s party, he was going to enjoy himself at least a little. He could see masked contempt on Yavetz’s face, and he enjoyed that too.

Liquor flowed, manipulations ensued, and dissent was cultivated, slowly but surely. It wasn't quick enough to incite a bottle-breaking brawl, but Eliot watched the faces around him get more and more irritated as they glanced between comrades and Yavetz. 

Hardison had a few others roped in with Borroni, including the growing attention of Zetticci. Borroni got to his feet and made his way towards Yavetz with intent. Zetticci stopped him on his way. He didn’t appear to be interfering so much as colluding. He then got to his feet as well and stepped up to Yavetz with Borroni and a few others as well. “We decide it's time to tell you this. We do not like that you try to buy Tazze e Ciotole.” It appeared they were speaking English for the benefit of the non-fluent American owners. “Many of us grow up with Tazze e Ciotole and we do not want it to become place of business. This is place to feel at home. Most of time businesses under control of businessmen like you, they burn out quickly. People, they do not like dealing with businessmen like you. People will not come to Tazze e Ciotole if you buy it. You will ruin this town we call home.”

As Zetticci spoke, Yavetz face became redder and more bulbous. He spewed a string of vulgar Italian profanity, some of which even Eliot didn’t catch as he made obviously offensive gestures. He poked at Zetticci’s “Why you tell me now after all these years, you no like the way I do business, ah? You think I don’t care enough to take care of Tazze e Ciotole? You think is not my home too? How you can--”

Yavetz was interrupted by his date and a few of the other women getting to their feet. “So it's true. You want to take over Tazze e Ciotole? Is not just silly rumors? You want to turn home into your business, ah? What’s a matter with you, Kilmer?”

Then there was the sound of a wine bottle being forcibly broken and the last of its contents ejecting onto the floor. The four Americans stealthily stepped back to let the fight ensue for a brief period, just enough to scare Yavetz before they broke it up. As politely as possible, they cleared the “party guests” and started cleaning up. Eliot held Yavetz back, making sure he could watch his crew leave. The former boss man was visibly shaken.

“You alright, Kilmer?” Eliot asked, condescension sneaking into his tone.

“I feel I need a drink,” he answered.

Eliot looked around, shook his head, and patted the man on his shoulder. “I think there's been enough drinkin’ tonight. How about tomorrow?”

Yavetz slumped. “Perhaps you are right.”

“Do you need me to call someone for you, buddy?”

He shook his head and pulled out a phone that was a bit dated. “Thank you, friend, but no. Despite the beliefs of your guests, there are still a few out there who are loyal to me.” And with that half bit of information. Eliot decided to worry about it later and help finish cleaning up.

The cleaning finished and Eliot waved Hardison and Parker out the door, looking around for Savannah. He knew she had helped clean up, but suddenly she was nowhere to be found. He went in the kitchen with no results and circled back to the dining room before calling for her, “Savannah?”

“I'm up here,” she told him. He looked up to the source of her voice. She was a little ahead of him, lounging in the rafters. He took a few quick steps, jumped, and pulled himself into the rafters with her. 

“What’s up?” he asked. 

She sighed and pulled her good knee close to her chest. They say there a while in silence until she sighed and said, “Eliot, I want to be with you but I'm scared.”

He gave it a moment before asking, “Of what?”

She ran her fingers through her hair and stared at her feet. “Eliot, I have never done anything like this. Not with a man. My only experience with romance was Dani, and we were kids in a fucked up boarding school seeking solace in hell. Up until a few years ago when you drove that truck into my life, I never envisioned romance in my life. This is all so new to me. I don't know what I’m doing. And I see Parker and Hardison moving forward and taking these huge steps, and I don't know if--”

He shook his head and put his hand up as if to physically cut her off. “Savannah, we’re not Parker and Hardison. They've been together a lot longer than us, they've known each other longer, they danced around each other. We don't need to follow them. We don't need to compete with them. Our relationships are separate. I'm not going to chase you down with a ring just because Hardison proposed.”

There was a restrained sigh. “That's actually comforting. I just...I don't know. I'm still so terrified that I'm not doing right by you.”

Eliot pushed some of his hair back. “Well, I feel like you’ve been sending mixed messages. I mean, you won't keep your hands off me, but you clam up when I ask you to talk.”

Savannah’s cheeks flushed and she pressed her face against her bent knees. “I didn't want to push you away, but I didn't know how to tell you I was scared. I figured if I...was affectionate, you maybe wouldn't freak out.”

“It didn't work,” he said flatly. Then he broke and started laughing. She laughed too, then her eyes got glassy as the laughter died. 

“Eliot, I was a fugitive for over a decade and this still feels like the most terrifying thing I’ve attempted. I dealt with chemical hallucinations of war and watching everyone I love die, but this, I'm unsure. I just...I worry that--”

He touched a finger to her lips and took her hand. He shook his head. “I love you,” he said deliberately, trying to emulate her ability to speak volumes with as few words as possible. Her face softened. She understood him. In some way. She brushed his hand from her face and leaned in to kiss him. She leaned a bit too hard, and her began losing his balance on the rafter. She reached for him; he reached for her. Both their free hands reached for the same beam to keep them from falling, pinkies brushing. They were safe.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 14 Change in Legacy

Savannah had said it so clinically. Eliot shifted his attention from their hands and looked back up at her. She was staring at her plate looking unmistakably ashamed. He squeezed her hand. “Hey, I understand why you hold back and I don’t hold it against you. You know that, don’t you?” He pulled on her hand to get her to look up. She paused then nodded. He softened his grip on her hand. “And you get what I was saying before? You’re not some ward to me. I want you.” Her lips parted, like the words had a physical impact. 

He absent-mindedly glanced down at her plate. “Geez, woman, did you breath between bites?” Her plate merely had a few noodles and mushrooms left while he had over a third left to go.

She took her hand from his and grabbed her napkin to wipe her blushing face. “It was good. And I haven’t eaten since this morning. And that was a muffin. Leftovers last night. I really can’t remember the last time I had a real meal.”

He shook his head. “Working in a restaurant, and still you don’t eat regularly.” It really was a constant problem. It was like Savannah truly didn’t feel hunger until food was placed in front of her. He considered asking Dani if it was an Academy thing or if it was unique to Savannah. 

She shrugged. “I get distracted.”

Eliot scooted his chair away from the table. “Well, since you’re finished eating,” he pulled his phone out and changed the song to something a little more up tempo, “dance with me.” He got up and began pulling her out of her chair. 

She dug her good heel into the floor. “No, Eliot, I’ve told you before, I don’t dance.”

“Come on,” he insisted.

She was losing the battle as her chair shifted. “Eliot, no, I don’t--”

“That’s because you never let me talk you into it,” he gave a final tug, hoisted her up, and pulled her into his arms. 

“Eliot,” she protested further. 

“If you’re not going to talk to me, you’re going to dance with me,” he explained. 

She started to resist less. “Blackmail,” she whined, as she rested her head against his chest. 

“We’re dancing, not removing your fingernails. Relax.” She sighed dramatically and let him lead her around. After about the sixth time she managed to step on his foot, Eliot conceded, “Okay, so it’s not that you don’t dance, it’s that you can’t.”

“Technically.” She rolled her eyes.

He drummed his fingers on her sides playfully. “All those skills, and you. Can’t. Dance.”

She started to pull out of his arms. “And you’re making sure I never do it with you again!”

“No, no, no.” He unceremoniously pulled her closer, pressing her stomach against his pelvis. “Just...just sway with me. Here.” And they did exactly what he wanted. Just them, there, in the moment.

Eliot stirred at the sound of his phone. “What?” he answered. Cups and Bowls was closed for the party that night, so he was looking forward to a leisurely morning with the woman curled up next to him. He just knew whatever was on the other line was about to ruin that. 

“The Orsinis want a meeting. Before the party,” Parker informed him.

“So now?”

“Pretty much.”

“Of course.” He started sitting up. “Alright, I guess we’ll be there in fifteen.” He looked at Savannah who was clearly awake and adamantly denying it. “Make it twenty.”

He hung up before Parker could confirm or deny and brushed hair away from Savannah's face. She was on her side facing him, looking more peaceful than he’d seen her in a while. So different from the paranoid soldier that first slept on the concrete floor off to the side of the conference area. 

The same knitted brow appeared, though. She took in a big breath as she stretched, then scooted closer to him. “Five more minutes,” she decided. 

He savored the smile he felt on his lips. “So you slept okay?”

“A good couple hours. Nice and deep. No real bad night terrors.” She had yet to actually open her eyes. “What about you? You seem a little grumpy.”

He put his arm around her and she snuggled into him. “I slept fine, I was just not planning on working this morning. Kinda wanted a quiet morning, a continuation of last night.”

“Do you really enjoy just being with me? No sex?”

He sighed. He had gotten into the habit of being completely open with Savannah in order to offset her tight lips. “I had Aimee. Then I had the job, and I got to liking being a lone wolf. That started to wear on me, and I joined the team. I really liked being a part of it. Nate and Sophie paired up and went their own way. Then Hardison and Parker paired up. I mean, the four of them are still around, still family, but they have their relationships to focus on. I knew sometimes I was just too tired to go out tom-catting but I still wanted someone there to unwind with, especially someone who understood the job. Then your dumb ass jumped in front of my truck. And...you know the rest. I told you last night. I like that you don’t need me but you still need me. And having someone, whether it lead to sex or not, that's become important to me.”

She took a deep breath, visibly processing his words. “I don’t deserve you,” she said quietly. Before he could argue, she sat up. “So I guess we better head to that meeting with the Orsinis.”

“Hey, Savannah, you...” He started to protest but as she pulled on her shoes and jacket, he conceded the fact that the comment wasn’t directed at him, and that now wasn’t the time to argue. So he did what he felt like he did far too many times and got dressed to move on with the day.

Eliot and Savannah walked into the diner, surprised to see Stella and Alessandro sitting with the Orsinis. As soon as all four of the team entered the dining area, Mrs. Orsini got to her feet. “I suppose I should just, as Americans would say, spit it out,” her voice clear, though her accent thick. My husband’s condition has thrown into sharp relief that we must, in fact, have successors. We felt you should know, that shortly after your work here is done, we will be handing over Tazze e Ciotole to Stella and Alessandro.”

“Good call,” Hardison assured them.

Eliot agreed, “Yeah, you guys are just as much an important part of Tazze e Ciotole as Mr. and Mrs. Orsini.”

The four Italians smiled; relief was approaching for their community. “We felt it was important you know exactly what was to follow your work,” Mrs. Orsini continued. “As of now, for their protection,” she gestured to the younger counterparts, “only the people in this room know what is to come after you depart.”

“And we’ll keep it that way,” Eliot agreed. “Do we want to celebrate? Open a bottle of wine?” he asked, turning towards the kitchen.

Mrs. Orsini shook her head and held up a maternal hand. “From what I understand, you already have a party to attend to this evening. We can celebrate when your work is done before you move on.”

“It’s almost over, Mrs. Orsini,” Parker promised. 

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 13 Smooth Jazz and Acoustic Strumming

“How about a drink, Paul?” Yavetz asked as the last of the customers for the evening trickled out. Eliot glanced toward the kitchen window to see Savannah working away at cleaning up the kitchen with Stella and Alessandro. He took a moment to himself to appreciate her. The amount of focus she put in in the most menial tasks, like scrubbing pans, as she pushed a stray lock out of hair behind her ear, that stray lock that got more and more unruly as time passed.

“No, Kilmer, I’m staying in with my lady tonight.” Eliot dismissed the look of contempt Yavetz gave him as he vacated his chair. “See you at the party tomorrow night.” The reminder seemed to appease Yavetz, and he bowed out. 

Eliot glanced over at Hardison. “Don’t worry, her com is disconnected,” Hardison whispered. Eliot subtly pumped his fist as he helped Hardison pull a box out from under one of the covered tables. “Stella and Alessandro have her covered in the kitchen?” Hardison asked. Eliot glanced up to make sure Savannah was indeed focused on the kitchen and not the dining room. He nodded. 

Just like that, the table was set for a romantic candle-lit dinner. Hardison finished off by plugging in a set of speakers. “Just hit ‘play’ on your phone when you're ready.”

“Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome.” Hardison saluted, shucked off his apron, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. “Now, I'm going to go try another video game night with Parker. Maybe this time I won't get hit in the head with a controller.”

“I wouldn't count on it,” Eliot quipped as the door closed. He stuck his head through the kitchen door. Stella made sure Savannah didn’t notice as Alessandro brought him two hot plates of seafood pasta accented with mussels and truffle oil. He slipped the young man a couple of large bills. “You guys are great. Split that and call it a night.” Alessandro bowed his head gratefully and signaled to Stella to make her exit.

Eliot placed the hot dishes under domes on the table and slipped back into the kitchen. Savannah was still in her own head space. He slid himself behind her as she furiously scrubbed a pan. He put his hands over hers and removed the coarse sponge. He took a few pumps of hand soap and slid it over her skin. She didn’t react to his presence or actions outside a deep sigh and untensing of her shoulders. Then she began to play with his soapy hands as he played with hers. With so many boundaries, a mundane act like hand-washing could become intimate. 

He leaned in close to her ear. “It didn’t used to be so easy to distract you.”

“I guess I just feel safe with you around,” she said just audibly. 

“Good. You should,” he assured her. She raised up on her toes and kissed his cheek. He wanted to tell her that it wouldn't change if things ended between them, but he didn't want to plant the seed that it would really be okay if things ended. 

After hands were rinsed and dried, she asked. “So why did you need me distracted?” It was genuine curiosity; she hadn’t caught on. He took her hand and pulled her into the dining room. “What is all this?” she asked. 

He placed himself behind her, caressing her arms. “I know we spend a lot of time together, but it’s hard to focus on just us with the job and the team and everything. I know that you're working through some stuff, and I wanted to tell you, without words, that whatever it is, I’m willing to work through it, too.” He pulled closer and said right in her ear. “I love you, Savannah.”

He felt her shudder. “I love you too, Eliot,” she said, voice breaking, followed by a sniffle. 

“Hey, no. You’re not supposed to...This wasn't--”

“I know.” She took a deep breath to compose herself. “I know this wasn’t easy for you from the beginning. And I haven't made it any easier. You need to know that it means the world to me that you keep trying. And one day I’m going to--”

“Food’s getting cold...And don't worry about one day. Just tonight. Just us. Enjoy it.” He pulled out her chair. As she sat down, he hit ‘play’ on his phone, and smooth jazz played softly through the speakers. He sat down and removed the domes from the dishes. 

“Mmm,” she admired. And that was all he needed. “Jazz, huh?” she mused before taking a large forkful of pasta.

He reached for his phone. “I can change it.”

She shook her head and quickly swallowed. “No, it's nice. It's just not what I’d assume you would pick.”

“What did you expect?” he asked before following with his own forkful. 

“Acoustic strumming,” she answered. He shrugged. It was valid. “I mean, yours would be better, she added, taking another bite. She said it so quietly, almost like she wasn’t even sure if she wanted him to hear. She had been doing that a lot. 

“You’re adorable,” he returned at the same volume, but she had definitely heard him. Even in the dim light, he saw her skin flush. He let the invited silence set in. 

“What do you get out of this?”

He choked briefly. “What...what are you talking about?”

“I...you...Nevermind.” She shook her head and stabbed around the dish for another bite. 

“Savannah.”

She chewed and swallowed deliberately. “You...You’re an amazing chef, a musician on occasion, and an unbelievable fighter. I just have to wonder what I have to offer besides a serious case of blue balls.”

Eliot legitimately had to recover from that one. With her past habits of dancing around words or not using them at all, she sure had timing when it came to being direct. “You don’t have to answer,” she added weakly. There she was. 

He didn’t answer immediately. Partly because he wanted to torture her, a little revenge for whatever she was withholding from him. But he also needed to think about his answer. Not because she asked a difficult question, but because he had to consider wording. This was a rare time Savannah needed words.

She jabbed at her plate, frantically taking in forkful after forkful. He gave it another minute and took her hand to still the fork. “It’s always been a struggle to find someone who could deal with the life I live, with the team, with the fact that the job was a priority. You get that. You’re a part of it. You struggle with balancing,and the fact that it’s not always cut and dry. You don’t need me, not the way Hardison and Parker do, but you still need me. And you challenge me in a fight, which is damn near impossible. The fact the you find me an unbelievable with your skills, it’s flattering. I almost wonder if you’re just stroking my ego.”

She shook her head and intertwined her fingers with his. “No. You make me sweat, and you don’t have the help of some mad scientist steroid cocktail.”

He found himself staring at two hands that had done immeasurable damage caressing each other. “We both know you hold back.”

“Because any further could activate fight or flight, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 12 Invitation

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What are you up to?” Savannah asked as she stirred awake after a solid three hours. 

Eliot was sitting up next to her, swiping through his tablet. “I think I have the menu for the party, just about finalized. I just sent it to you and Parker and Hardison.” 

She reached over to the side table and groped around for something that apparently wasn’t there. “Wait, where--” She laid back down in realization. “Right, we’re in your suite.”

“Yeah, you know, we’ve been here weeks, almost months, and I can count how many times I’ve slept in my suite on one hand.” He nudged her.

Her eyebrows knitted in shame. “Sorry.”

He kissed her forehead. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing.”

She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. “How do you put up with me?”

He handed her the tablet, choosing not to answer the hypothetical. “Here, take a look at this for me.”

“Hmmm,” she mused as she scrolled. “Looks good. Tasty. A little more complicated, a little show-off-y. Perfect for a party for a bunch of egotistical Italian mafioso-wannabes.”

Eliot laughed through his nose. “Your descriptors are getting excessive. You’re spending too much time with Sophie.”

She dropped the tablet on her chest and covered her face with her arms. “I’m trying to spend less time with Sophie. She’s making me nervous.”

“Is all this about Sophie?” He spoke without thinking. 

“Eliot, please don’t,” she whined. 

“Fine.” He changed the subject. “So I’m a show off?”

It worked and she started laughing. “In like the best possible way though!”

He leaned over her, playfully looming. “And what way is that?”

“The sexy way.” She shifted beneath him. 

“Yeah?” he asked through his teeth. Her submissive positioning made him tight in the crotch again. 

“The one where you know what you’re doing...and totally deserve to show off.” Her breathing quickened. His hands curled into fists alongside her hair. The tension pressed on them like a lead weight. 

“We should get ready to go to the diner.” 

“That is a fantastic idea.”

They moved like lightning to escape each other’s presence, the exact opposite of the night before.

“Okay, time to drop the invite for their little party,” Eliot voiced, catching Savannah in the kitchen between orders. They were swinging wildly between keeping their distance and not keeping their hands off each other. Her fingers flexed as he got close to her. He felt excessively warm, even for being in a bustling kitchen. 

She shrugged uncertainly. “So go invite.”

She started to turn away, and he pulled her back. “Nope. No. United front. You gotta do it with me.”

She rolled her eyes and made an exaggerated wretching noise. “Fine.” She grabbed a pitcher of ice water. “Let’s go.” 

He followed her out. She stretched on a fake syrupy grin. “How are you, gentlemen?” she asked with a touch of Southern charm as she began filling glasses. 

After the peppering of positive responses, Eliot followed up with, “Well, we’re having a party, celebrating our most loyal regulars.” He glanced at Savannah.

“Meaning y’all,” she continued. 

“Next Thursday. We would close a little early and you guys could have the place to yourselves.”

“Just us and you. How does that sound?” 

There were the expected murmurs of anticipation. Eliot squeezed Yavetz’s shoulder. “Kilmer?” he implored quietly. “Be my guest of honor?”

Yavetz clapped him back and nodded. “For you, Paul.”

He heard Savannah exhale. “Glad to hear it.”

“I...I need your help,” Hardison’s exasperated voice came through the phone. Savannah had been half-asleep on Eliot’s shoulder watching a movie that neither of them were truly paying attention to, about ready for bed, when the phone rang at a truly odd hour for any sort of pleasant phone call. Eliot picked up on Parker roaring in the background. 

“Is it Yavetz?” Eliot asked. None of what was coming through the phone was adding up. 

“No, Parker is freaking out...Just get here, okay?” Hardison pleaded. 

Savannah finally sat up. “His suite or Parker’s?” she asked, not quite present yet.

“Parker’s,” Hardison answered, evidently having heard Savannah in the background. 

And without further ceremony, they headed to Parker’s suite where they found her shredding various notes and throwing them about the room in a screaming fit. “What the hell?” Eliot said to himself. Savannah hovered by the door. With a deeply furrowed brow, she searched around the room as if solving a puzzle.  Eliot slowly approached Parker. He rested a hand on her shoulder. “Parker? What’s going on?”

She hardly seemed to register he was there. She just slumped over next to the coffee table and started ranting. “It’s supposed to be perfect but it’s so frustrating. I don’t understand any of it. There’s so much to do. It’s supposed to be perfect, but it’s just so hard. I can’t do this. This feels like a mistake.”

“What are you talking about? Is this about the job? Damn near none of our jobs go perfect. Why are you freaking out?”

Savannah came up behind him, took him by the shoulders and shifted him behind her. “Move,” she instructed.

She knelt down next to Parker. Eliot noticed her peering at the torn pages. She carefully removed the paper shrapnel from Parker’s hands. “Parker, talk to me. I get you’re stressing about the wedding. Tell me what exactly is going on in there.” She grazed her fingers over Parker’s hairline. 

Parker finally looked up, her face reddened and puckered in stress, her eyes glassy. “There’s so much to do. Venue. Flowers. Menu. Invitations. Wedding party. It’s supposed to be perfect. But there’s so much of it. Every time I think I have things figured out, there’s more that I had no idea...it’s so complicated.”

Savannah pursed her lips like things weren’t adding up. She started piecing together paper scraps and examining the notes she could translate. “Parker, is this really what you want?”

She shrugged. “I want this day to be perfect. For Hardison. He deserves perfect.”

Savannah looked away for a moment, like she was struggling with something. Then a smirk blossomed on her face as she turned back to Parker. “Have you...asked Hardison what he wants?”

Parker leaned back visibly as if Savannah had shoved her. “He...”

With a nod, Savannah repeated, “Have you asked him?”

Parker and Savannah both turned to look at Hardison who stood near Eliot, both watching cautiously. Savannah nodded towards Parker, wordlessly turning the situation over to Hardison as she got up. She and Hardison switched places.  Hardison took one of Parker’s hands as he sat down and took a look at the notes Savannah had pieced together. 

He stifled a laugh and shook his head. “Parker, is this what you want?” he asked, touching the scraps. 

She pressed her lips together then sighed. “I want this to be perfect, perfect for you.”

He nodded. “And what do you think is perfect? What do you think I think is perfect?” Parker looked at the notes and her expression turned sour. She opened her mouth, but it was Hardison who spoke. “See, this is normal. Doesn’t necessarily mean perfect. Especially if you look at the divorce rate.” He took both her hands in his and had her face him straight on. “Parker what did we agree on from the very beginning? That this wasn’t going to be normal.” She nodded, her eyes welling up and a grin tickling the corners of her mouth. “I don’t want normal. You want to know what would make me happy? Marrying you. I don’t care if it’s in a courthouse, on top of the Eiffel tower, or jumping out of a plane. Okay?” It was an embarrassed laugh, or a relieved sob; it was hard to tell. But Parker laughed as a few tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes. She touched her forehead to Hardison’s and nodded. “What do you want, Parker?”

“I want you. And the Eiffel Tower sounds pretty good.”

Hardison groaned, obviously regretting the sentimental suggestion. “Okay, we’ll talk about it.”

Savannah told hold of Eliot’s arm. “I think that’s our cue to slip out.”

[kaniacqueen]

I'm back

So. It's been 2, 3 years since I've posted consistently. I let work and a toxic relationship get in the way. If it helps, I have finally finished Leverage International: The Diner Job and will begin posting the new chapters this week. I hope you forgive me.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Master Post

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 11 Answers Lacking

Eliot stood there, after Savannah stormed out, in Parker’s suite surrounded by bridal magazines feeling defeated. It seemed to be a permanent state for him lately. He looked up to find Parker and Hardison staring at him with similar looks of amused pity. He shook his head. “I remember asking myself all the time why Nate dragged his feet so much with Sophie. And this is why. I get it now.”

Hardison sat down on the arm of the couch. Parker scooted closer to him. “But look at them now. They’re married. Parker dragged her feet too. And now we’re engaged.”

Eliot waved him off. “Yeah, that might be the problem.”

“What do you mean?” Parker asked.

“Ever since you two got engaged, it’s like she can’t stand me.”

“But you two have spent every spare minute sucking each other’s lips off,” Hardison argued.

“She does get tense every time it comes to them being a couple,” Parker pointed out.

“Exactly,” Eliot huffed. “She can’t keep her hands off me, but she won’t talk to me.”

“Wasn’t long ago that was ideal for you,” Hardison quipped.

Eliot’s lips puckered in agitation, and his eyebrows cocked like the hammer on a gun. Parker looked at Hardison, eyebrow raised in admonishment. “I will let him hit you.”

Eliot clenched and unclenched his fist threateningly. “Do you want me to talk to her?” Parker asked.

“No,” he said immediately. “Yes.” He changed his mind. He ran his hand through his hair. “No. If this is ever going to go anywhere, I can’t send you after her every time she won’t talk to me.”

“That’s a good point,” Hardison agreed.

Eliot raked his hand through his hair again and headed towards to door. “I’m gonna go talk at her while she stonewalls me.”

He chose to ignore Hardison’s mocking “Sound plan” as the door clicked shut behind him.

He jogged to Savannah’s suite and caught her just as she was closing the door. He threw his hand into the gap and pulled. She let go, but she looked disenchanted. “Eliot, I don’t want to do this. Not now.”

“Savannah, come on.”

“I told you--”

“Listen! Maybe you don’t want to talk about us, and I’m done asking. But we are working together, and you and I need to know where the other’s head is at.”

“Eliot, that’s just an excuse. I can’t talk about where I am with the job without talking about where I am with you. And you know that.” She looked like he was torturing her.

He took her hands. “Savannah, why can’t you talk to me?”

She slumped against the wall but pulled him with her. “Right now, because I am tired. I waited tables, and then I dealt with Yavetz, and then we were in a hospital and then we had to deal with more work so I can stop waiting tables in Italy.”

“I know this isn’t about waiting tables, hon--”

“Do you trust me?” He didn’t have an answer. She put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “Eliot, do you trust me?”

“I don’t know,” he blurted out.

She swallowed, and blinked rapidly, like she was shooing away tears. “What...what do you mean?”

He put it all on the table. Maybe if he was completely open, she would open up. “When you don’t talk to me, and you don’t tell me what’s going on in your head, and you shut me out, it’s hard to say I trust you, honey.”

She nodded. “Okay, I deserve that.” She looked around like she was searching the corridor for an answer.

He dipped his hand underneath her chin. “There’s an easy solution. Just talk to me.” Her face puckered in conflict. “Or at least tell me why you won’t.”

She rested her cheek on his wrist. “Because right now, I don’t even know how to tell you what’s wrong. Because I don’t really know what’s wrong. And I have to work it out with me first before I work it out with you.”

It was an answer. But it wasn’t. It was more than he had before, though. He was going to take it. He nodded. “Okay. I can live with that.”

Her face flushed with relief. “Good. That’s good ” She pulled close to him, everything but their faces touching. “You know how important you are to me? That no matter what, you’ll always have a piece of my heart.”

Like an instinct, he pushed her hair behind her ears and held her face. “What are you saying? No matter what? Is there something going on?”

She took his wrists and shook her head but kept his hands on her face. “I told you I don’t know.” She bounced on her toes insistently. “But you know. Tell me you know how much you mean to me.”

“Yeah, I know.” It felt like a lie. While anyone who looked at them would know Eliot meant a great deal to Savannah, and vice versa, but with her feelings being so up in the air, it seemed, it was hard for Eliot to know where he truly stood.

She pressed forward, and he got the hint, He leaned down and kissed her. As soon as his lips touched hers she clamped an arm around his shoulder, and the other other hand slid possessively into his hair. Another squeeze, and he knew what to do. She jumped, and he caught her thighs as her knees clamped onto his hips. Tongues, teeth, lips, all attacking each other like there was pride at stake.

It seemed like an hour before they stopped to catch their breath and they hadn’t even made it inside. “Should we...take this...to the bedroom...or the couch?” he panted.

Her legs relaxed, and he let her slide to her feet. “Actually,” She was still catching her breath. “I think...maybe...I should...sleep alone tonight.”

He pulled his hands from her like she had tazed him. He may have preferred that, in fact. “Are you kiddin’ me?”

She hunched defensively. “I just...I have some things I need to work out, and it may not help to have you laying right next to me.”

The tighteness in his crotch was draining him. “Okay. Great. Fine. Sounds good.”

He began to step away and she caught his face in her hands. “Eliot, please don’t...don’t be...”

The way her bottom lip tucked underneath the top one and her eyebrows framed those glassy coffee-colored eyes; she didn’t use puppy dog eyes, but boy, when she did. He sighed, closing his eyes as they rolled in exasperation. Then he kissed her, hard, maybe hard enough to sustain him for another blue night. Maybe hard enough for her too. Her breath left her, and her hands left his face as they clenched into fists. “Goodnight, Savannah,” he said quietly and stepped away.

He went back to his suite and distracted himself planning the menu for the party. He’d run it by the team later. When he damn near threw the menu board across the room out of what he was sure was misplaced frustration, he decided it was time for bed. He looked up to realize it had been over four hours. As he got up, there was a knock at his door, and he knew. He willed the smirk off his face as he opened the door and let Savannah in. He closed the door behind her, and she stood there staring at him. She opened her mouth to say something. He smiled and shook his head. No more explanations. She followed him to the bedroom, and he brought her under the covers. They squeezed in tightly to each other. He knew that night was just a moment meant to enjoy, and they did, just silently feeling the clutch of the other.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Master Post

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Ch. 10 Ticking Heart

Savannah’s shoulders fell. “Fine,” she conceded quietly. She slapped down what was left of the notes she was sorting. “So we’re having a party. We have a plan. Great. So, I’m gonna call it quits for the night.” And she was out the door.

“Oh, I told Miss Parker you didn’t have to come!” Mrs. Orsini insisted, unsuccessfully trying to smooth her frazzled silvery white hair. Savannah and Eliot had just arrived, and judging by the state of their coats, Parker and Hardison hadn’t arrived too soon before. Mrs. Orsini took Parker’s hands. “Sweet girl.” She hugged Parker tightly.

Parker hugged her back, looking over at Mr. Orsini resting in the white hospital bed. She looked more terrified than the Orsinis. “Is he going to be all right?”

“Oh, it was minor. Just barely a little cardiac arrest. He will be okay. This is why you didn’t need to come. But thank you. It means much.”

“Well, we’re glad he’s going to make it. But it is going to make Yavetz push harder if he thinks you guys are fading,” Hardison said. Parker looked displeased with the comment.

Eliot scraped over his eyebrow with his thumbnail. “Hardison’s right.”

Parker opened her mouth to dispute, but Mrs. Orsini spoke up first. “We are not naive. It is something we have been putting off. You never want to face getting old. Something like this,” she gestured to Mr. Orsini, “Even minor, it is the sign that we need to resolve this beyond ourselves.”

“We will,” Parker assured her. Then she looked at Eliot.

“Tazze e Ciotole is important to the people here,” she continued. “When it is our time, we want our successors to uphold what it means. We want them to be safe.”

“That’s what we want too,” Eliot promised. “You can’t attack a guy like Yavetz head on. He’s feeling insecure, and that’ll work for us, I can tell you that. A little more time and I can get under his feet.” Mrs. Orsini looked concerned.

“This is a smaller job than we’re used to dealing with,” Hardison explained carefully. “We couldn’t do our research ahead of time, so we have to do it in the job. It can take some time to figure out how to get under Yavetz’s feet so he falls.”

“We’re still discussing the next step. But we won’t let you down,” Savannah added. And then she looked at Eliot. He knew she was trying to tell him something, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what. She had put in the perfect position not to ask.

A nurse came in to check Mr. Orsini’s vitals. Parker signaled that it was a good time to step out. As they made it outside, Savannah shook her head like she was trying to shake something off. “What’s up?”

“I don’t like places with that many lab coats.” He put his arm around her, and she just sighed.

There was indeed a meeting in Parker’s suite to discuss moving further with Yavetz take down. “Geez, Parker,” Savannah scoffed. Amidst job notes were bridal magazines covering every other available surface. Savannah looked like she had been walked into a pit of snakes. Eliot empathized on a few levels.

“Really, Parker?” he wondered.

“Not now,” she dismissed. Parker began pacing about, shifting magazines and notes about in no discernible pattern. “So why, after weeks of waiting tables, is Yavetz still terrorizing Cups and Bowls?”

The question was directed at Eliot. Her tone hit a nerve. “Are you saying I’m not doing my job?”

“At best, you’re dragging your feet!”

“Well, maybe if you’d put a little thought into this job before you took it, I wouldn’t be flying by the seat of pants!”

“Or you could have done a little research instead of redesigning the Orsinis’ livelihood into your little fantasy!”

“Hey!” Hardison stepped in between them, hands up to block possible blows. He addressed Eliot first. “Now we spend half our jobs improvising. It’s what we’re good at.” He turned to Parker. “And your need to jump off anything over three stories has gotten in our way more than once. You can’t hate on anybody for trying to make the best of their role in a job.” He addressed the whole of them, including a suspiciously silent Savannah. “But we do need to get the ball rolling. So Eliot, I suggest you get desperate. From all the bellyaching I’ve been eavesdropping on, I think a private party would be a great next step. Yavetz and all his little buddies get to be the center of attention. Add some booze, create some tension, the mini mafia dissolves.”

“Just like with Blue Suns,” Savannah said, a discontent crinkle in her nose. Hardison nodded. “We’re getting repetitive.”

“So are they.” Parker produced a wallet, opened it, and pulled out a worn business card. She flicked it to Savannah. Eliot examined it over her shoulder. The card was a golden yellow color. Faded lettering was printed over a setting blue sun.

Savannah’s lips puckered in disgust. “They were an up and coming chapter of Blue Suns.”

“Dissolved in title but not quite in intention,” Hardison confirmed.

“Gross.” Savannah stepped around tables and started glancing at notes. “So, we’re having a party. Next Thursday is probably a good day for it.”

“Over a week from now?” It was not a suggestion that pleased Parker.

Eliot crossed his arms and answered, “You tell a guy like Yavetz there’s a last minute party for him and his buddies after he got a very suspicious send off this evening, they’ll show up ready for an ambush, not in the mood to drink and give up information.”

Parker squinted. “Suspicious send off?”

Eliot hunched his shoulders, not proud of the events earlier in the evening. “Yavetz asked why the Orsinis sold to us instead of him. I didn’t have an answer. Savannah gave me an out.”

“An out?” Parker asked.

“A classic.” He took Savannah’s arm and showed Parker the bandage. “Fake emergency.”

Hardison cocked an eyebrow. “You faked an emergency by actually cutting your arm?”

“I ‘dropped a knife’,” Savannah explained.

“But you actually cut yourself?”

She rolled her eyes and yanked off the tape. “It’s already almost healed.”

Hardison stepped back, not keen to be close to any sort of wound. Eliot flicked him. “Grow up, man.”

Savannah went back to the notes. “Parker, you should...Man, these are all mixed up.” She started dividing sheets into piles. “Parker, you should probably take the main waitress role that night. If I do it, Yavetz is just going to cause problems and we won’t get anything.”

“You should probably take on a hostess role, Savannah,” Eliot suggested.  

He got the exact contempt look he was expecting. “Why?”

“Because it makes no sense for me to throw a party in our restaurant without my wife...the woman playing my wife.”

She shook her head. “It’s going to get on Yavetz’s nerves. He won’t tell you anything.”

“He’s going to get suspicious if you’re not around.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“We can’t treat this like drinks after closing.”

“I agree with Eliot,” Parker cut in. Savannah looked betrayed.

Hardison backed her up. “Yeah, Yavetz needs to see Eliot as someone who doesn’t back down, so he sees him as a potential partner instead of a pet.”

Savannah glared at Hardison. “Since when did you...read people?” she accused.

“That’s enough,” Parker and Eliot demanded in unison.

[kaniacqueen]

Leverage International: The Diner Job Master Post

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9