I love when I hit the Rashomon Job in a rewatch. Just the funniest episode! The increasingly unhinged descriptions of the other characters is just perfection.
Parker and Nate are so smug through all of it too.
Also I like that Sophie and Eliot remember a corkscrew blade but Hardison and Parker remember a giant butcher knife. Cause I 💯 believe Parker would have grabbed the biggest knife available in that moment for the distraction. And apparently Nate agrees because he keeps the big knife in the “here’s what really happened” version even though he wasn’t in that room to see it.
As the only one to actually have it in her hands Parker is one who qualifies as stealing it even if fell later.
But of course Nate still wins because back then he was basically Sterling.
Episode one of seasons two of leverage is about four criminals, that Nate trained in the art of good-guy crime, coming back into his life all at once with the drive and motivation of hyper competent sheepdogs. They are knocking him the fuck out they are eating all his food they are installing their own tech they are buying his building they are knocking down his walls. I’m convinced the actual grift of the episode is convincing this bitch to set up their little games for them. And now the gangs back together <3
I’ve watched the entirety of the show Leverage at least 6 times, and you’re telling me never once did I notice Eliot’s little rat tails in season 2???
He’s got them in quite a few episodes, but never once did I see them before! I feel like I’m going crazy!
I first noticed them in the Runway Job (maybe the Iceman one too but I could be wrong) but I’m rewatching it now with someone else and they didn’t notice them either till I pointed them out!
I can’t take screenshots on my phone but they’re in this promo shoot, and they seem to disappear behind his shoulders in a few scenes, but they’re there!
did not know it was physically possible for Eliot to make himself look even smaller and non-threatening until he showed up in that gym for the con and turned up the 'well i don't know if i should say this my boss might be mad' dial to absolutely astronomical damage
This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)
Gentle Hands and Watchful Eyes by DragonsIre - Rated G
After the events of The Tap-Out Job (S2 E2), Eliot needs a little help resting and recovering, and Hardison and Parker are quick to step up.
Hair Braids and Bloody Bandages by Distracted - Rated T
Just another take on the brilliance that is the Tap Out Job. It started because I noticed that Eliot had braids in his hair, and grew from there. Enjoy!
or
He can't remember, exactly, when the braids started, just knows it was post Moreau, back when he didn't like himself very much and when connecting with something clean from his family history felt just like another way of hiding how far he'd fallen.
Taking the Safety Off the Gun by Multifandom_damnation - Rated T
"Oh, man- you don't get it, do you? Eliot's not like other fighters. He doesn't play games. He fights to survive, that's his training! It takes all his control not to kill somebody. You've just made him more dangerous. You've taken the safety off the gun!"
After the Tap-Out Job, Nate reflects on how things went horribly, terribly wrong, and how Eliot is always a little too eager to take a beating when his team needs him to
Taking Care of Eliot by waterbird13 - Rated T
After the Tap Out Job, Parker and Hardison are understandably a little worried about their man. They just want to take care of him.
The Price of Peace by Distracted - Rated G
Just a quick look at what might have happened after the fight. Eliot was pretty beaten up. Sophie looks out for him.
A Little Something by LovinMcStranded - Rated M
After the Tap Out Job, Team Leverage thanks Eliot for taking the hits- literally this time- by coordinating a surprise visit from one of his favorite people. Fluff and light Hurt/Comfort ensue.
Forgetting to Tap-Out by storywriter8 - Rated T
When the team sets their sights on a shifter gym, Eliot will have to face both the truth about what he really is and his demons.
Still There by waterbird13 - Rated T
Eliot has dreams of privacy, cable, and room service after that fight.
Parker and Hardison are fine with that, but they won't let him do it alone.
House Arrest by NienteZero - Rated G
After the Tap-Out Job, Eliot engages in kitchen meditations
taste butaine by pprfaith - Not Rated
and if your thoughts should turn to death/ gotta stomp them out/ like a cigarette
to reach an understanding by themonkeytwin - Rated T
She held up the food. "Brought you some dinner. I thought you could do with it."
- A little conversation set after Tap-Out Job.
what I choose when it's all left up to me by alinaandalion - Rated G
Post- "The Tap-Out Job." Sophie helps Eliot patch himself up after the job is over, and they talk about the dangerous nature of Eliot's job and why he does it.
Pretty To Think So by nightcamedown - Rated T
Post-ep for The Tap Out Job, wherein Nate admits to poor planning and Eliot threatens to fight his way out of a bathtub.
Do Not Disturb by phantisma - Rated E
Following the fight in The Tap Out Job, Eliot's beat up and hurting, though he tries to hide that as much as he can from the team. Hardison however just wants to make sure he's okay. And maybe something a little more.
Nate got sort of sober which lasted impressively long, I suppose, but was doomed to fail once Sophie was out of the picture. Oh Nate.
Sophie took a maternity leave went globetrotting/"looking for herself" and returned to clean the mess once Nate's shit hit the fan too hard. Poor girl.
Tara had it pretty well in hand, though, and was a lovely breath of fresh air, honestly.
Eliot took a level in leadership, too. Or just let it show for a bit -- we all know the attack dog has every quality of a true alpha. And not talking about some incel shit here. My AU is honestly barely an AU at all when it comes to him. Which is fun.
He and Parker also leveled up their action team, apparently at least partially by virtue of a newly shared personal bubble. Which is also fun. No one stands a chance against those two together now, least of all poor Hardison. 🤭
Parker herself took some strides, too. Not at becoming "normal", per se, but she definitely adapted to grifting and working in a group more comfortably. Honestly, I think hanging out in Eliot's personal space was a big part of the latter part of it because Eliot is safe. Eliot has no expectations or try to, inadvertently or not, push her out of her comfort zone, especially when they're not actively on the job.
Not that I can blame Hardison for trying, and he is being lovely and patient though he may not fully get how she works yet. But it's a work in progress, they're getting there, they already work very well as pretend couple. Hardison himself probably had the least individual character development this season, though, which is a bit of a pity. Some XP in grifting, though not without setbacks.
OT3 is slowly solidifying too. Almost always blocked together as a unit, and there were even some voiced implications that they don't like being separated -- Eliot's displeasure at being left out of thieving shenanigans and Parker saying she'd rather be where Eliot and Hardison are even when doing something she usually loves come to mind. (ETA: Granted, those scenes can be interpreted as purely Parker/Hardison development but eh, this is my recap. 😜)
