The second in the series of twelve answers to Christmas themed prompts that me and my friend Khiela Cadona exchange. The answers will range from 100 to 500 words.
Prompt for 13.12.11:
Fandom: Leverage; Parker wants to see if it's possible to steal Christmas.
Disclaimer: Playing with someone else's toys; I have no claim on Leverage.
Words: 323
Not His Brightest Idea
Nate could hear their voices even before they entered the room. Judging by the volume and tone, they were arguing about something.
"I just want to see if we could," Parker protested to something Hardison had said, as they entered.
"For the last time, Parker, we're not going to steal Christmas!" Eliot growled with an irritated expression plastered on his face.
"What's going on?" Nate questioned them. He wasn't entirely certain he wanted to know, but by his experience it was better if he stopped these things before they escalated out of hand.
"I blame him," Eliot pointed his finger at Hardison, "it's all his fault."
"My fault?" Hardison pointed at himself, disbelief clear both on his face and in his voice.
"It was your brilliant idea to watch it, wasn't it," Eliot raised his eyebrow, challenging the hacker to tell him otherwise.
"Yes, but I don't recall you saying anything against it," Hardison argued back.
"The 'great idea, Hardison' didn't clue you in?" Eliot repeated his earlier sentiment with extra sarcasm.
Nate and Parker- well, Nate more so than Parker, were starting to feel like they were watching a tennis match.
"Okay," Nate had enough. "What's going on?" he repeated his earlier question with more emphasize.
"This brainiac here thought it would be a good idea to let Parker watch The Grinch."
"She hadn't seen it! It's a classic!"
"Nate?" Parker wasn't paying attention to the argument anymore. "Can we steal Christmas?"
"No!" three voices chorused, for a moment all of them in perfect agreement.
"See what you have done?" Eliot questioned Hardison, gesturing at Parker who was now pouting.
"Alright, that's enough," Nate interrupted, "Eliot, what is done is done."
Eliot cast another dark look at Hardison, but kept silent.
"And Hardison?" Nate continued, "maybe less… inspiring movies next time?"
"Right," Hardison could admit, at least to himself, that having Parher watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas wasn't his brightest ideas.