A/N: As usual, I don't own Leverage. I write for fun and make no profit. I don't write slash.
Thanks to all of my wonderful readers, and thank you much for all of the lovely reviews. Dying to know what you think about this next part.
This chapter is mostly fluff because I'm in the mood to do it. Maybe someone can let me know if the humor works, as I usually don't write humor well.
Hope you find it a little amusing, anyway. Enjoy.
A Very Leverage Christmas: Chapter 3—Reindeer Games
Hardison had locked himself in his office and hadn't come out. This had been going on for three days now. He would come to the office in the morning, greet everyone, go into his office and lock the door, and come out only in the evening, long enough to say goodbye to the rest of the team on his way out the door. Eliot knew he was working on something on his computer, but he hadn't said what it was. Usually, the gregarious young man had no problem working on his computer in Nate's living room, but this time was different, and that made Eliot suspicious. Did Nate have him working on something for the team? If so, why keep it secret? He was determined to find out what his friend was up to. Walking over to the door of Hardison's office, Eliot knocked.
"Go away. I'm busy," came the muffled response.
"Hardison, it's me. Let me in," Eliot answered, in a tone that brooked no argument. There was no answer. Finally, letting just a hint of his frustration show in his voice, Eliot said, "Open the door or I'll break it down." After a long pause, Eliot heard a chair push back from the desk, and footsteps walking across the room. He heard the lock click, and waited a moment before walking in, so as not to scare Hardison.
The younger man was sitting at his desk again, typing away furiously, when Eliot walked in and re-locked the door behind him.
"What do you want?"
"I want to know why you're hiding out in here, and what it is you're working on. If it is something for the team, I need to know, so I can plan security contingencies."
The younger man paused in his typing long enough to look up and meet the hitter's eyes. Finally, he sighed and said, "It's not something for the team. Nothing like that, anyway."
"So, then, what is it?"
"It's a surprise."
"Damn it, Hardison," Eliot said, eyes flashing.
"All right. I'll—I'll let you see for yourself. Promise not to laugh?"
"I ain't makin' any promises. Depends on what you're doin'."
Hardison got up from his chair, and walked over to his bookshelf. He stood there staring like he was looking for a particular book. Eliot moved over behind his desk and sat down in the desk chair, turning the screen to face him. The opening screen showed a field of snow, with a green flocked tree here and there. Red letters flashed the words, "Press enter to begin." Glancing at Hardison, Eliot reached out with one finger and pressed the enter key. The next screen had rows of boxes with colorful skis, snowboards, and luges, and in green letters flashed the words, "Choose your sport". Eliot clicked on a pair of black skis with wolf heads on them. The screen changed, and suddenly, a lanky reindeer, in a black leather and silver studded jacket, with a wolf head helmet and sunglasses danced onto the screen. Eliot heard canned laughter and then the "voice" of the announcer boomed out over the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, up next is Blitzen. Favored to win, this young buck has won two out of three previous races today. He stands ready." A gun went off. " And he's off!" Suddenly "Blitzen" went zooming down the hill like a runaway circus tent, and Eliot came very close to snickering. He cut it off and made it into a smirk instead. As silly as the game was, it was strangely addictive. He kept wanting to push the button. Forcing himself to curb the activity for a moment, he looked up to find Hardison, still staring at the bookcase.
"Hardison," he said, biting back a smile, "are you kiddin' me with this? What are you doin', man?"
"I know it's dumb." It was actually kind of cool, but Eliot didn't plan to tell him that. He pulled his attention back as the hacker started speaking again. "Parker was listening to Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer on the radio the other day, and she said it made her think of that time Tara mentioned not getting to play reindeer games, and then she started wondering what kinds of games they would play, and how they would keep score, and she just kept on talking about it, so I got to thinking—and I wondered if I could create some reindeer games for her. When it's finished, you'll be able to choose whichever reindeer you want to play with, and there will also be an option for penguins and polar bears."
"You know penguins are only found at the South Pole, right?"
"Two words, man. Dramatic license. There will also be different games to choose from. I plan to have an option for flying contests, sleigh races, a reindeer sock hop, and reindeer hockey and ice skating, as well as the sports you see already. I just hope Parker likes it."
Eliot smirked. The young blonde would love it, he thought, but didn't say so. There was something wildly entertaining about letting the younger man sweat a little. But this game, it was just so—so Parker. It was perfect for her, and a mark of his friend's knowledge of and care for her that he was able to make it so perfectly tailored to her. Of course, it didn't hurt that he wanted her to play more video games with him, and well, this would help. Maybe. Hard to tell with Parker, and she had the same need to be outdoors that Eliot himself had, but he knew, if Hardison made it just for her, she would make it a point to play it with him, sometimes, anyway. Eliot shook his head, and hit the enter button to start the game over, unable to resist.
Hardison was silent for a moment and then said, "Do you think I'll be able to finish all of that by Christmas?"
"In three days? I think you have your work cut out for you, my man. You may need to narrow the focus and then do version two next year. Realistically, you can't stay locked in here between now and then. She's already thinking you don't want to spend time with her."
He saw the expression on the younger man's face and said, "Hey, man, I'd help if I could, but the computer stuff is your thing, not mine. I can keep her occupied, for a little while, if working on the larger screen will help, but I'll leave you to explain it to Nate."
"Thanks, man. You're the best."
"You owe me one, you mean?" Not that he would ever collect, but it was fun to make the younger man squirm a bit. On the other hand, entertaining Parker wasn't always easier, though it was far easier these days than it used to be, so he might just collect on that favor after all.
"Yeah, that too."
Smiling to himself, Eliot started to leave Hardison's office. It would be time for dinner soon, and he had promised to keep Parker occupied, so he needed to think of some things for them to do. He got as far as the door when another thought occurred to him. He stopped and turned around.
"Hardison?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did Blitzen have a wolf helmet?"
"The game is also kind of tailored to each player. When you put your name in to create a profile, it is programmed to dress the character you choose as you would dress."
"And there's one for each of us? Nate and Sophie, too?"
"Nate and Sophie, too," he confirmed.
"Damn it, Hardison," he said, but his words were laced with affectionate exasperation. He couldn't help it. He might never again get the image of a reindeer dressed like Sophie Devereaux, flying through the air or down a mountain, out of his head. As he walked out the door, he couldn't hold his amusement in any longer, and a snicker escaped, just as he pulled the door closed behind him.
