1. there’s a serious dearth of moments in Leverage where Eliot and Hardison had to run a con as a fake couple. The show seriously missed out on that entire variation of the trope.
2. there are a few fic that semi go there, but not in the kind of hilarious sexual tension pining I could do.
3. Parker is adorbs. And frightening. And I love my ot3 but I don’t know if I would be good at juggling 3 characters – however, this is what I’ve observed: Eliot gives Parker her space, especially in the beginning, because Parker as a person finds physical affection off-putting. Eliot only really ever willingly – and sometimes seemingly unwillingly – touches Hardison. The hugs are the ones that stand out because the show makes sure they stand out, but there are a lot of fleeting touches. Eliot will direct Hardison through a doorway with his hand on his back, or curl his fingers around his arm or shoulder, or nudge up against him. Again – only with Hardison. HE DOESN’T DO IT WITH ANY OF THE OTHERS. This is because he understands Hardison responds well to physical affection and needs it to ground him.
But I don’t think it’s necessarily as deliberate as that. I think we’re seeing pieces of Eliot from before he became a hitter. We also see it in the way he jokes around and snarks and is playful sometimes with Hardison and Parker.
4. Season 4 is the first time we see Eliot with a date. He says things like ‘I dated a bartender once’ all the time, and flirts for cons, but season 4 is the first time we see him take someone home.
Season 4 is also when Parker and Hardison tentatively start dating.
5. ALSO, and I didn’t notice this one until season 5 but I’m getting @dizzy-redhead to check for me, but Eliot is sometimes gender neutral about who he has dated in the past.
Before season 4 we don’t really see who he dates.
“I dated a model.” or “I dated a flight attendant.” AND LIKE we all assume female because of his profession and his high school girlfriend. Sometimes he indicates female.
Sometimes he doesn’t say either way, and I was thinking WHAT IF HE DOES THIS ON PURPOSE? What if at some point there’s this gorgeous tall man in the bar laughing at something Eliot says gruffly with his arms crossed, and he says to the team “I’m Noah,” and Eliot offers “the model I dated” and dares them to comment with his death glare
But OFC Hardison does, all offended like. “I thought we were friends, man. Why you gotta hide shit like this from me? I ain’t gonna be a homophobe bigot about you liking dudes, but you hurt me all up in here, ya feel?” but, like. his palms are sweaty and his heart is racing a bit about it, and when the con is done and Eliot puts his hand on Noah’s shoulder, Hardison has to bury the urge to go up to the bar and wedge himself between them.
And prob isn’t that successful at it tbh.
I REALLY LOVE ELIOT SPENCER is what i’m saying
*slams down my money* yes please I need 100k words of this. Also, please, please, write something with Hardison and Eliot being a fake couple or I’ll have to and I do not have time for that. Don’t make me show you my WIPs list
DON’T MAKE ME SHOW YOU MINE.
This post is so convincing that my brain immediately blurted out this:
They spend a few minutes just looking at the honeymoon suite in appalled silence. All of the furniture is designed to wedge people together. Tiny loveseat in front of the TV. Tiny bench in the window nook. Tiny heart-shaped bed, and how the hell two adults could even lie down on that bed without cuddling up a little, Alec doesn’t know. He suspects that’s the point.
“I’m sleeping in the van,” Eliot says.
“You cannot sleep in the van. We’re supposed to be on our freaking honeymoon, you think honeymooners decide to go sleep in vans because the resort decor isn’t to their tastes?”
“I’m sleeping in the van,” Eliot repeats, and grabs his bag.
“Now, I know you’re not a homophobe–”
“I’m not a–”
“I just said, I know you’re not a homophobe, which is why this is so hurtful, man, because I know this isn’t just a general objection on your part to snuggling with another dude to catch a few ZZZs, so this is about me, personally, and I take offense, Eliot, I really do.”
Eliot growls and drops his bag again. “I’m sleeping on the floor.”
“There, see?” Alec slings an arm around Eliot’s shoulder, unconcerned when Eliot shrugs it off a second later. “Compromise, that’s what it’s all about. This marriage is off to a great start.”
It sounds corny and vague. People always talk about feeling safe with someone and you wonder what it even means. I still don’t really know. All I know is that when I’m with you, I feel like I’m clutching a giant thing of pepper spray or reliving a moment of being carried to bed by my parents when I was five years old and fell asleep in front of the television. — Ryan O’Connell
It is a certain kind of fear, a certain kind of betrayal, that takes a kind and open man and turns him distant and cold. It takes the heart out of the man and beats it until nothing but bruises and broken blood vessels remain and all the earnestness is replaced with dread.
Every extended hand could be followed by rough fists.
Every smile could hide mocking laughter.
Every invitation could be false.
Every person could be another abuser, another mistake.
And so Tin learned after Tul to never let anyone so close that he could be hurt again. Tin’s lack of trust wasn’t entirely from disdain for the poor but Tin’s decision to never trust was born out of fear.
But Can ended up different, felt different, was different from every person Tin had ever kept at arm’s length. Can was straightforward and obvious. There was no chance Can would lie because there was no reason for him to.
Even when he was mad, Can vocalized every thought and emotion.
And Tin couldn’t help himself. No matter how annoyed or angry he was at Can, there was always a small part of him that whispered, “But we are safe here. Can will not lie to you about how he feels. You will know because he will tell you everything.”
That part of Tin only grew louder and louder the more he got to know Can, the more Tin fell for Can. On their first proper date, the voice urged Tin to tell Can the truth, to tell him the whole story. Tin did, realizing it was safe to do so, that Can would listen and believe him.
The feeling of relief was overwhelming afterwards.
And soon it was not just relief or love that Tin felt. It was trust and safety too.
Tin’s mask of cold indifference was almost painful to put on now, but whenever Can was around, it was okay to let the mask slip. To be the person Tin wanted to be, to allow people, to allow Can in.
Can could see it, could visibly tell that with just his hand in Tin’s, the walls were falling. Tin’s shoulders didn’t look so stiff, his eyes were warmer, and his words weren’t so cutting. With Can at his side, Tin felt safe enough to pull himself back together into the person he once was.
And when they were alone together, Tin allowed himself to seek comfort in Can’s warmth and smell. It was like Tin was recharging himself, trying to find the energy to protect himself and yet let people in again.
Can allowed it, encouraged it, whispered sweet endearments in Tin’s ears during those times, rubbed Tin’s back, and dried his tears if any fell.
These moments of weakness were the greatest gift that Can could receive from Tin. They were proof of just how far Tin had come, and how hard he was trying.
And Can swore he’d damn any person who would hurt Tin ever again.
But first he needed a bigger pot to burn all the salt and chili for cursing Tul.
The Last Good Bar 
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