Written for ziplockeddaze The prompt was: Leverage, Eliot/Author's choice or +team, trying to stay warm
Disclaimer: I own nothing, no harm intended. I'm just showing my love of a wonderful show.
Title: Stuck In The Middle With You
The tiny airport had shut down due to a freak snowstorm that dumped over a foot and a half of the white menace in under 3 hours. According to the weather reports it looked as if the storm could produce another few feet of snow before moving out. To make matters worse the town, population 759, only had one motel. A five room motel to be exact. They managed to get the last room, a single with one king bed and no working heat.
"I'm cold." Parker whined.
"We're all cold Parker." Sophie stated as she snuggled closer to Parker and pulled the blankets tighter around them.
"Well tell Eliot to fix the heat..he's good with the mechanical stuff." The thief pouted.
"Parker, Eliot can't fix what ain't there." Alec said pointing to the plywood covered hole where the combination Air/Heat unit would normally sit.
"Speaking of Eliot, he's been gone a long time. Did he say where he was going?" Sophie asked.
Nate looked up from the TV. "He said something about getting supplies."
As if on queue, there was a bumping sound outside the room. Alec crossed the room and opened the door. Eliot thrust two paper bags into Alec's arms. Hands now free Eliot shoved them into his coat pockets and began stomping his feet trying to break off the snow and ice that had frozen onto his jeans and shoes. Once satisfied he had shaken off the worst of it Eliot pushed past Alec and headed toward the smell of coffee.
Nate held a cup out to Eliot and nodded toward the bags that Alec placed on the table. "Find anything?"
Eliot wrapped his freezing fingers around the warm coffee cup and closed his eyes as he took a drink. Savoring the heat the beverage provided, even if the taste left a lot to be desired.
"There wasn't much to find, only thing open was a general store. I Found a couple of plastic shower curtain liners and some duct tape. I thought I could seal up some of the drafts coming in around the plywood and window. They had one of those doorstop beanbag things, maybe that will help a little. There was not a space heater or electric blanket to be had." Eliot paused long enough to take another drink of coffee.
"Oh Man, Food." Alec grinned pulling out a small crock pot and some cans of soup.
Eliot placed the now empty coffee cup on the table and reached out with slightly numb fingers to pick up one of the shower liners only to be stopped by Nate.
"I'll get this. Why don't you grab a shower and put on some dry clothes."
"Thanks man." Eliot nodded then grabbed his duffle bag and headed into the bathroom.
Operation patch draft was a success; Alec swore never to make another redneck joke the usage of duct tape, as he stashed the remaining roll in his laptop case.
Alec managed to enhance the reception on the TV enough that they were able to watch a few hours of bad 80's sitcoms while eating the dinner Eliot prepared. When boredom fully set in everyone began to settle down for the night. That's when the subject of sleeping arrangements came up. Nate settled in on the right side of the bed near the door, stating that as the leader of the bunch he felt that he needed to be on the outside in case something happened. Alec took the left side stating that he was slightly claustrophobic and needed on the outside. The girls just rolled their eyes, Parker next to Alec and Sophie next to Nate, they weren't stupid, it was warmer in the middle. Everyone turned to Eliot who had remained silent thru the whole debate, Alec shifted slightly sure that Eliot would put up a fight.
"What are you looking at me for, I ain't gonna tuck your butts in." Eliot grumbled, sliding down in the chair and kicking his feet up onto another.
"Which side do you want to sleep on?" Sophie asked.
"Sophie darlin, I only sleep 90 minutes a day, I'm fine right here."
"But it's cold out there." Parker stated the obvious.
"Yeah, but it's not worth me waking ya'll up when I get restless an have to move."
"Eliot, I just don't think I'll be able to sleep without feeling guilty about you being out there cold. I promise I won't complain if you wake me when you get up." Sophie crossed her heart and looked at Eliot pleadingly.
"Yeah, I'm not going to bed until Eliot does." Parker stated sounding like a kid fighting bedtime until her big brother was also sent to bed.
Knowing a losing battle when he heard it Nate rubbed his eyes trying to ward off a headache that had been threatening since his flask went dry. "Eliot, bedtime now!" Nate barked in what could only be described as the annoyed daddy voice.
Eliot squinted his eyes at the tone but placed his feet back on the floor and stood slowly before stomping toward the bed and toeing off his boots. "Shove over Hardison." He growled.
"No way man, I called this spot." Alec argued, griping the edge of the mattress as if he expected Eliot the physically move him any second.
"I wanna sleep by Eliot." Parker whined.
"I have space issues man, I can't sleep in the middle..." Hardison started on one of his spiels.
"Everyone shut up! Eliot get in the middle. Parker sleeps like the dead and Sophie said she wouldn't complain if you woke her when you get up. Alec shut off the lamp, and everyone just...shut up and go to sleep.
The room was plunged into darkness, the bed shifted as Eliot was forced to crawl up from the foot of the bed to reach the middle grumbling the whole way. Blankets were lifted and bodies shifted until everyone settled comfortably into place. There were a few minutes of fussing about cold feet and personal space but soon it grew quiet. Snuggling in closer to Sophie, Nate listened as the breathing patterns of his little family slipped into those of restful slumber.
Leverage Leverage Leverage
Nate sat up and slowly rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Slipping out from under the blankets he immediately began to shiver, but he was a man with 2 missions a trip to the bathroom and checking the local weather forecast. Returning a few minutes later, his eyes having had time to adjust to the low morning light Nate looked at his team and couldn't keep the smile off his face. Nate took in the sight of four bodies sleeping soundly all snuggled together like a pile of puppies. He wasn't sure what shocked him more, seeing that their hitter was still in bed after, Nate glanced at the bedside clock, 7 hours. Or that the younger man appeared to be completely relaxed at the bottom of said pile. Not wanting to break the peaceful moment by turning on the TV Nate settled back down next to Sophie letting the warmth drag him back into the land of dreams.