#Leverage liveblog

[lehdenlaulu]

Okay, one more OT3-focused rambling post before I jump into S3.

I got to thinking about the dynamics and the ways each of their "love languages" is expressed thus far because it's really quite fascinating. I mean, not only do we have the dynamic combination of Nice Normal Guy (relatively speaking, of course), Not So Nice Not So Normal Guy, and Very Strange Girl, we also have the individual dynamics of:

Nice Normal Guy + Not So Nice Not So Normal Guy

Nice Normal Guy + Very Strange Girl

Not So Nice Not So Normal Guy + Very Strange Girl

Hardison, as our Nice Normal Guy, naturally tries to express affection to the other two the way any Nice Normal Guy would. And sometimes it lands, but other times... it doesn't. He's in many ways quite extraordinary, but when it comes to being emotionally stable, properly socialized, and trauma-free, I feel like he's been handed the best cards out of the three.

Parker, our beloved Very Strange Girl, is full-on cat-coded on the other hand, so at this point, I feel like the best she knows how to do when it comes to Hardison is try not to run away from a scenario and feelings that are new and unfamiliar to her as a means to express her willingness to give him a chance. And he might not realize it yet, but it's actually big. Very big. Just by sticking around and not shutting down his tentative attempts to court her, she's saying "I like you and I want to try".

And like I said, it's easier with Eliot. Eliot is not Normal™ either, not really. Eliot is Safe. Eliot doesn't have vaguely terrifying expectations. So she will sit on his armrest, and lean on him and poke and jab at him, to let him know she finds him safe and knows he would never hurt her even if she pushes his boundaries.

And because Eliot is also a little bit cat-coded, he does get it. So he allows her into his personal bubble -- and even carefully invades hers right back -- to in turn let her know that he wants her to feel safe and that he likes it that she finds him safe. (Plus, you know, as there's clearly some level of mutual attraction involved, close contact feels nice.) Of course, since Eliot as a polyglot is also able to express this with words... he does: not only does he find a way to verbally say "I would do anything for you" once, but twice. The earnest offer to kill Rand for her is of course the big one, but I keep thinking of "Parker made me do it". You know?

Manly Emotionally Constipated Bro-ness (and late 00's toxic masculinity-laden cultural mores) demands such things to remain unexpressed verbally between two Bros, though, so for now at least Eliot will let his actions speak for him when it comes to Hardison. He'll bitch, he'll grumble, he'll bicker, he'll vehemently deny any mushy feelings (again, "Parker made me do it"), but he'll be there. Hardison's a dude, right? He'll get it.

(...Poor Hardison.)

Anyway, I probably didn't say anything that hasn't been said before a thousand times by now, but eh. Onwards!

[kerryweaverlesbian]

Sophie and Tara. Had a date. Which Sophie gave up the chance to meddle in Parker's life to be on time to. During which they say to each other they want "a night of unbridled debauchery". And then. They walk into a closet together. And then back out again.

They want to have sex SO BAD!!!!!!!!! BISEXUAL FEMMES OF THE 2010s!!!!!!!

[hauntedhikingsociety]

nate is so fucking stupid if sophie devereaux was in love with ME i would not be wasting her time. get it together man

[ladyelainehilfur]

I know she's playing him BUT LOOK AT THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER??? *SCREAMS INTO PILLOW*

[freebooter4ever]

elliot the hockey player lmao

[draconicrose]

They made Eliot less OP for season 2 right? I'm not imagining things.

[flurmitcraff]

Joe, regarding the permit office: "I'm not an ask for permission person I'm more of a seek forgiveness person but also I don't really care if they forgive me so I'm just kind of a person. Good luck!"

[peachdoxie]

Honestly my impression of Leverage from Tumblr undersold how good this show is. Y'all really weren't lying about the found family stuff though. That family sure can be found.

[rollaroundincompliments]

I know we all want to love Dr. Boodle but damn he took this kid who wants nothing more than belonging and sends him off alone on all these dangerous missions knowing he will never say no

[thegreenleavesofspring]

Two old survivors of Nazi rule: Can you help us illegally acquire this painting that was stolen from our family? 🥺

Sophie: Say less 😏

Nate, beside her: 😈

[ditzy-daydreamer1]

parker in ep 4 “The Snow Job” pretending to be a damsel in distress, hanging off the snow lift by one hand, completely deadpan: help. help. hi how ya doin. come here often

me, falling deeply in love with her:

[lehdenlaulu]

Okay, quick recap of S2 before I jump into S3:

Nate got sort of sober which lasted impressively long, I suppose, but was doomed to fail once Sophie was out of the picture. Oh Nate.

Sophie took a maternity leave went globetrotting/"looking for herself" and returned to clean the mess once Nate's shit hit the fan too hard. Poor girl.

Tara had it pretty well in hand, though, and was a lovely breath of fresh air, honestly.

Eliot took a level in leadership, too. Or just let it show for a bit -- we all know the attack dog has every quality of a true alpha. And not talking about some incel shit here. My AU is honestly barely an AU at all when it comes to him. Which is fun.

He and Parker also leveled up their action team, apparently at least partially by virtue of a newly shared personal bubble. Which is also fun. No one stands a chance against those two together now, least of all poor Hardison. 🤭

Parker herself took some strides, too. Not at becoming "normal", per se, but she definitely adapted to grifting and working in a group more comfortably. Honestly, I think hanging out in Eliot's personal space was a big part of the latter part of it because Eliot is safe. Eliot has no expectations or try to, inadvertently or not, push her out of her comfort zone, especially when they're not actively on the job.

Not that I can blame Hardison for trying, and he is being lovely and patient though he may not fully get how she works yet. But it's a work in progress, they're getting there, they already work very well as pretend couple. Hardison himself probably had the least individual character development this season, though, which is a bit of a pity. Some XP in grifting, though not without setbacks.

OT3 is slowly solidifying too. Almost always blocked together as a unit, and there were even some voiced implications that they don't like being separated -- Eliot's displeasure at being left out of thieving shenanigans and Parker saying she'd rather be where Eliot and Hardison are even when doing something she usually loves come to mind. (ETA: Granted, those scenes can be interpreted as purely Parker/Hardison development but eh, this is my recap. 😜)

Did I forget anything? I'm knackered. 😅

[kerryweaverlesbian]

Whenever Eliot is playing "guy a woman would want to be flirted with" as a con he acts so shy and flustered. I'm obsessed with him. I need to ruffle his hair so bad.

[ladyelainehilfur]

AAAAHHHHH IT'S THAT RANDOM FBI DUDE!!!!!

HIIIIIIIIIIII. Heeeeyyyy 😳

[freebooter4ever]

"he could die.... eh?"

elliots attempt at a canadian accent is 👌

[draconicrose]

"Do you want to give me mouth to mouth? No, you don't. None of us want that."

Me, I want that Alec 👀