#ALSO side note but mardyart on here has a spies au with fanart that is INCREDIBLE

[corrodedcoughin]

AU based on the Hitman games because listen, I had this image in my head of Steve in a designer suit, black leather gloves, unpacking and assembling a sniper rifle from an equally black case; and I can’t stop thinking about it, it’s such a look. Broad shoulders, toned muscles, carefully styled hair. Modern with aged up characters I think.

He works for a multinational, well funded, secret organisation that works with the global elite and the rich and famous, doing whatever needs to be done (based on the hitman games ICA, if you know it). Underground labs, research, training and recruiting spies, and thieves and hitmen. Layers and layers of secrecy. Steve doesn’t know a lot about how it works. He doesn’t need to. He doesn’t have the access. He knows Martin Brenner runs his sect, and is on the board of directors.

Steve is one of their top assassin’s. The infamous hitman. He gets given a mission and he is expected to do it. Raised into the Agency by his parents. He doesn’t deal with the higher ups. Like all of the agency’s assassins - he has a handler. A middle man. Robin Buckley. She is the one who provides him with the correspondence from the agency, the briefings on his targets. She handles his plane tickets and his hotel bookings. She helps with research, translation, minor hacking jobs (not her area of expertise, as she loves to remind him).

She is one of the only people he talks to, and Steve has only met her in person once. Handlers aren’t allowed to liaise with their agents, technically. But Robin says that’s bogus. Shouldn’t getting along with their agent help in the long run? He’s putting his life on the line because of her work. So when he was finally in the same town as the one where the base Robin works at - she arranged a meeting. And now Steve can finally admit to himself that Robin is his best friend. Even if it means he has to listen to her fake gag over the earpiece when he has to flirt with someone for a mission.

It’s what he’s best at - people. He can blend in with a crowd, become someone he’s not. Put on the mask, become whatever cover story Robin’s created for him. Flirt with women, with men. Make himself someone they want to tell their secrets to. He’s aware, with keen perception skills, and a natural affinity for people and how they work. He can manipulate them. It comes in handy in his line of work. He blends in with the rich and famous, easy. Play the part.

The only one he isn’t putting a mask on for, is Robin.

Her, and Henderson. The young upstart boy genius that apparently works for the agency’s research division. He doesn’t talk to him a lot, but when he does it’s like the kid has latched onto him like a leech. Talking about this new piece of technology that he bets will be super helpful out in the field, about the workplace gossip and how no one takes him seriously because of how young he is. He’s over 18! Barely but still! He’s an adult! Asks Steve questions about his missions which he knows Steve isn’t allowed to answer. But it’s sort of nice. Makes him feel more like a person and less like a machine.

Steve completes his contracts. Travels the world, and kills people without a trace. No evidence, no civilian casualties. Only sometimes he listens to them, bugs their offices. Reads their papers and searches through computers. Finds things. Only mere hints, but its enough to suggest that maybe the agency isn’t quite what it seems. So he passes it onto Robin and Henderson, and lets them work.

One day where Robin and Steve are on call (encrypted, top secret) talking about their upcoming contract - Robin says she’s got Henderson on the other line and apparently it’s urgent? So Steve says they can drop the contract talk, let him onto the call. And Henderson instantly starts talking about his new civilian friend Eddie, they need to find him. (Steve’s not jealous, he’s not).

Only Henderson explains that Eddie is currently being hunted down for a murder he didn’t commit, because he witnessed something he shouldn’t. And now The Agency (the one they work for, fuck) is hunting him down. And Dustin can do research, science, math, all that shit. But field work? Finding someone who doesn’t want to be found? That’s Robin and Steve’s department.

So they ask Dustin to tell them everything they know about Eddie, where he lives, works, his interests, any family or friends? And together Robin and Steve build a case file like they would with any of Steve’s targets. Dustin shares Eddie’s social media profiles, maybe there are some clues in there? And so Steve pulls up his Instagram and very rapidly represses down the thought that this Munson guy is pretty cute, with big doe eyes framed by long lashes, pink lips, and delightfully big and curly hair. He can’t afford any distractions. No emotions.

So he pushes it down and gets back to work. It'll just be another job.

MOMO!!! (Can I call you momo?) THIS IS SO GOOD. I can see Steve going through the montage of getting ready, thigh holster, hip holster, chest holster, slams his foot down and a tiny blade comes out the tip of his shoe, presses down on this heel again and it retracts. He’s buttoning up his cuffs, fixing his collar, pulling his jacket on with its various hidden pockets and lining. He sighs, puts his ear piece in and he’s ready to go.

When dustin finishes telling Steve about Eddie, about how he NEEDS Steve to help him Steve almost says no. It’s on the tip of his tongue, Steve doesn’t get attached to people and he is contracted to the company. He gets ready to let Dustin know but hears his own voice reply

‘Robin what have you got on him? Henderson when was the last time you had contact? Time stamps? What’s his background?’

He startles himself but doesn’t let it show. Can’t back down now, Steve Harrington does not go back on his word.

So they track eddie down, through sheer determination (and a lot of Dustin and Robin’s skill and intel). It took 2 planes and very life threatening car ride from a friend of Dustin’s who insists she’s a good driver but Steve’s usually iron clad stomach is still recovering from the red head’s driving. This is why Steve usually insist on driving himself but Dustin would not budge on this for some unknown reason. Steve thinks hes trying to get the girl involved in the business but steve refuses to embroil anyone else in this.

He makes it to the family run restaurant eddie is hiding out in, in the back of beyond where cell signal is questionable at best. Steve is just about to sit down and start his surveillance when suddenly someone is sitting next to him, takes the soda steve ordered and takes a big drink

‘Dam dingus, Dr Pepper? Really? Water would have been better?’

Steve is momentarily stunned, Robin? Here? He has questions, knows this isn’t good practice, knows this puts Robin in danger and he can’t have that, not her. Before he can say anything Robin is pushing him towards Eddie

‘Come on, we are mr and mrs wade and we are looking for tips on the music scene here. Newly weds with hearts of gold. No arguing, I know what I’m doing’

Steve is close to pushing her out but he’s made eye contact with Eddie now, he’s been spotted and against his best intentions he’s intrigued by the man infront of him. The smile breaking through his haunted look has Steve wanting to know more, he’ll fight it but who knows if he’ll be successful.

Cue Robin and Steve trying to be a passable couple but it being a disaster. Eddie warming to both of them when he knows he should keep his distance. Getting feelings for Steve but not wanting to break a marriage up. The arrival of ‘cousin Dustin’ to make everything ten times more complicated and the return of the red head driver who happens to know Eddie and Dustin and nothing is as simple as it should be.