intersectfitz:
Pal.
Leo had figured out pretty quickly that this was not a real date, and that Grant wanted nothing to do with him as a person, but it was still hard to reconcile this attitude with how the rest of the day had gone before it. Grant had been so sweet, and charming, and sexy, and Leo hated himself for still finding him attractive.
Not that he was particularly focused on that right now.
“Hey - “ Leo protested as the SUV pulled over, and Grant moved to grab his shoulder. It was a tight grip, and if it was even a little bit tighter, Leo thought he might lose circulation in his hand. Was that a move to make sure he didn’t get away, or to protect Leo from a possible threat?
It didn’t matter. Morse was telling Leo that they were taking him back to his home, and that was the important part.
“I can’t tell anyone?” he asked, turning to meet Grant’s eyes. “Jemma…Trip…I live with them. How am I supposed to keep it from them that - that something this insane is actually happening to me?” Leo already knew the answer. He had to just pretend as though everything was normal. There was no arguing with that. These people meant business, and had given Leo several reasons to believe it.
As much as this all felt like a bad dream, it was really, truly real.
Once Grant loosened his grip, Leo jerked away, shifting away from him in the seat. “I’m not going to freak out,” he snapped, looking away. “I just want to go home, all right? Can you please bring me home? I’m sure you’ll have to bother me again later but I just want to see my family.”
Leo didn’t seem keen on talking to Grant or being around him, not really, but Grant was his only real point of reference in all this. He barely knew Grant, but he knew Bobbi less, and her driver not at all. It made sense that he would turn to Grant with his plaintive argument about not being able to tell anyone, but Grant was, at best, not the greatest person to complain about that to.
“No one. It puts Jemma and Trip in danger. Your friends and coworkers at the Buy More, too. If you open your mouth on this, try to talk it out with anyone but myself and Agent Morse? It could mean catastrophe for you and everyone you love.” Grant was sure he saw Bobbi wince out of the corner of his eye. Maybe that was a little blunt. “You have to go about life as normal, but you need to also act like the handlers being in your life - in whatever cover they have - is equally normal. Organic and every day is the best way to play this. That’s all you have to do.”
Which may have been easier said than done, particularly for someone who had no covert operations in their background. Leo would just have to get good, and fast, if he hoped to protect himself, and his family.
Of course, the handlers - himself and Bobbi, most likely - would be making it their job to protect Leo, and by extension, his family. It just didn’t hurt to make their job easier by instilling the importance of cooperation in Leo early. Especially with how uncooperative he’d been just a few minutes before.
“We’re taking you home.” Bobbi answered, while Grant settled back in his seat. Leo clearly wanted nothing to do with him, once again, which was fine. For now. Grant had his suspicions about what may happen if they were forced into a cover.
“You can see your family, pretend everything is normal. And it probably will be mostly normal.” Grant filled in as the SUV approached Echo Park. “But you need to be prepared. And if...”
Glancing at Bobbi, Grant hesitated. Yes, it was likely they would be the handlers assigned to Fitz, going forward from here. If they weren’t, though, Grant may be overstepping his jurisdiction to say what he was about to say. Still, Leo seemed like he needed reassurance, and if that would keep him from a freak out, or from bolting, then it was something Grant had to do.
“If you need to talk about it, you have my number. That, at least... That’s real. Someone will be in contact with you, likely within a few hours, but for now, if you need, my phone is on.”
