Disclaimer: I do not own Leverage
Eliot watched Alec from across the room still not convinced that he didn't have something to do with this. Sophie had asked him to come down to this floor and get something for her that ended up being an empty room. Before he had chance to get out the door slammed shut and locked; no matter how many times he had tried to kick it down it wouldn't budge and now he was pretty sure he might have sprained his ankle trying. Five minutes after he had given up on getting out of the room a panel in the ceiling had slid away and Alec had been dropped unceremoniously through the hole and crumpled on the floor yelling, 'Ow, ow, ow Parker are you crazy!?' Parker just flashed a smirk before replacing the tile and screwing it down.
He knew he was being unfair, thinking Alec had had something to do with it. There was that part of Eliot that was still waiting for this team to turn on him that wouldn't shut up so he had ended up yelling at Alec and scaring the guy into his own corner. Now neither of them were talking and the tension in the room was thick enough to cut.
"Okay boys," Sophie's voice came from some where. "We know you care for each other and we're not letting you out until you admit it. And don't worry I swear this audio only works one-way." Yeah like either of them were going to trust her ever again. "Really I promise."
Eliot looked at Alec, "You really didn't know about this?" Alec didn't look at him and the tight set to his jaw showed how pissed the black man was. "Alec I'm sorry... I just---"
"Don't trust me. I got that" Alec spit out, his eyes still not looking at Eliot.
"I wasn't going to say that." Though Eliot had been about to say pretty much the equivalent. "I don't trust anyone." Alec made a gestured that said, 'Same difference,' with the finger at the end, 'Asshole.' The silence streched for a long time.
"I thought you were starting to trust me." Alec had his long legs drawn up against his chest and both arms wrapped around them, his cheek resting on his knees and his face turned away from Eliot. It screamed just how upset Alec was, even if his voice sounded pissed. "What the hell was the last four months if it wasn't you starting to trust me?"
It was a good question, what was the last four months if not that Eliot was beginning to trust Alec. The man had been to his apartment, spent the night in his bed, hell Alec was the one who patched him up at the end of a hard job. Eliot tried to think of something that would not confirm or dein what Alec was saying. He hadn't let himself think about where this thing was going between them; he'd been happy to just let it run it's course because in the beginning Eliot didn't think he was going to be sticking around.
"Don't fucking strain yourself man." Alec bit out but his words were losing their edge and beginning to reflect his body language. Maybe Eliot should have put more thought in it because it sounded like Alec had, and now he wasn't sure what to do or how to respond. "Damn it Eliot you really need to work on your signals because seriously you sent mixed ones."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean. I wasn't sending you shit." Eliot didn't mean from his voice to sound like it did, menacing and angry, he had been going for calm or something resembling. Alec flinched from the words so he knows he just making it worse. "Alec," Eliot's been leaning against the wall farthest from Alec keeping little pressure on his leg. "Look man I don't know what the hell is going on, alright?" He walks a few paces towards Alec, ignoring the twinge in his foot.
"Get off your damn foot before you actually do something damanging to it." Alec hasn't looked at Eliot in at last forty-five minures and the older man doesn't know what to say about the fact that he knew that Eliot was hurt. Eliot had already been leaning against the wall when Alec was dropped into the room.
"Yeah," Eliot sits where he is only a few feet away from the younger man. "Alec?"
"It's not like I was expecting a freaking ring or something, okay? It's just that we told each other things; things you don't share with a fuck-buddy. I guess I was just expecting more... eventually." Eliot never put much thought into their pillow-talk; he had marveled at first at how easy it was to tell Alec things he wouldn't normally admit. After that though he had just pushed it aside and enjoyed having Alec in his bed. The man was affectionate and attentive, Eliot always felt like a prize when he was with him.
"Fuck," Eliot breathed, "It's been awhile."
Alec doesn't ask but he finally turns his head to look at Eliot and he gets caught up in his dark eyes. Finally after just staring at each other for way too long Alec speaks up, "What's been awhile?"
Eliot doesn't know how to answer without sounding really cheesy. "Give me a sec," He knows that if he doesn't say something Alec might start forming his own ideas about what's 'been awhile.' Eliot wants this to come out right, "Maybe I don't know... Maybe I was sending signals. It's not like I've had the practice of forming long lasting bonds with people."
Alec laughs, soft and relieved. "I thought maybe it'd been a minute since you had to kill someone."
"You are such a pan in my ass." Alec looks at him, both eyebrows sky-high before both of them burst into laughter. "Sophie get us---" The door opened quickly with Sophie and Parker standing there wearing matching grins.
"Aww, you two are so freaking cute." Parker hugged Alec and Eliot was able to step away before she could hug him.
Eliot stalked up to Sophie until her back hit the wall, "How the hell did you know?" Even with Eliot giving the grifter his best glare she had a manical grin on her face.
"I didn't Eliot," Sophie's eyes flashed mischievously, she was hiding something. "I assumed and if I was wrong what was the worst that could happen?"
"I beat the shit out of Alec for getting me locked in a room." Eliot's voice left no room for doubt.
Parker squealed, "Ohh! Did you hear how he called you 'Alec' that's so cute." Parker punched Alec on the shoulder and he winced.
Eliot turned to her then, "Don't you ever throw him threw a ceiling, got it?" Eliot grabbed Alec's hand and dragged him away from the grinning, giggling women.
"Mm, I liked that." Alec pulled his hand from Eliot's and took his arm and put it around his shoulders taking the pressure off Eliot's foot. Eliot didn't bother to tell him that it didn't hurt that bad. "You can go all hero on me anytime."
Eliot laughed, "I'll remember that. Hey, how the hell did Parker get you in the ceiling?" He can almost see the blush on Alec's cheeks.
"She told me that Nate wanted us to practice, y'know just in case." Alec shook his head. "I should have seen through that." The grin on his face says that he doesn't mind the outcome all that much.
As they walked into his office Eliot can just see Nate with a smirk on his face watching them, "Fucking Nate damn thing was his idea."
Alec looks slightly surprised, "Well I'll have to thank him then." He deposited Eliot on the edge of his desk. "What?" Eliot knows what his bewildered face looks like. "Like we'd ever actually talked about it on our own."
Eliot finds himself nodding his head in agreement. "C'mere." As soon as Alec is in reaching distance he pulls the hacker to him and kisses him. Long moments of their lips moving together before Eliot breaks free, "There we thanked 'em." Alec shoots a look over his shoulder to see Sophie and Parker grinning like mad and Nate hurrying away.
"Nate doesn't look thanked, he looks disturbed." Alec says before turning back and pulling Eliot to his feet. "Get me the hell home. I got things to do to you." Eliot grins back; walking out the door he throws the girls a thankful smile. Maybe he'd make them his best dish for dinner, maybe he'd steal all their things and leave it on the street for the trash pick-up. He'd have to sleep on it.
I have a crazy soft spot for this pairing... I just don't get it.