#LeverageExchange2023

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It’s gift exchange time!!

Sign-ups are open until the 15th of May and the gift giving will happen a month after everyone is matched up!

You will need Discord to participate!

|| FIND OUT MORE || SIGN-UP ||

[asphyxiatedredherring]

This is my gift for @fourdollarwords in the Leverage Gift Exchange! ( @leveragegiftexchange )

I decided to make a playlist of songs I felt fit the show in general, the thiefsome, and as well as each character!

It is quite a weird mix of music

I tried to keep it short, and some characters were easier to come up with more songs than others, but everyone got at least one.

Under the cut, I'll list each song and why I chose it. (It's sorted in categories as well as the order they appear on the spotify playlist, which I recommend listening to it in).

I hope you like it!

Nate:

Another Shot of Whiskey by The Gits - it's about drowning your problems in alcohol, I think we can all see the connection.

Behind Blue Eyes by The Who - the villain theme for the rock opera that never happened. The villain doesn't want to be the villain though, he was forced into that role and no one can see the grief that caused. It really lines up with Nate's story line.

Renegade by Styx - This is a song about a criminal who has been caught and is about to be executed. This song makes me think of The Maltese Falcon Job.

Well Respected Man by The Kinks - I think this represents the life Nate wanted for himself, Maggie, and their son where they are all happy and healthy but in reality Nate knows this is not how his life went and he is not this well respected man.

Breaking the Law by Judas Priest - the song seems to be about a man who was fired from his job so he started breaking the law. I'll let you draw those connections.

Alcohol by The Dropkick Murphys- he's an alcoholic from Boston what more can I say?

Sophie:

Who Do You Want to Be? by Oingo Boingo - its the art of the grift. Sophie makes herself into different people, deciding who she wants to be each day, everything is an act, a character maybe even losing herself along the way

What's Behind the Mask by The Cramps - as a grifter Sophie is always wearing a mask, Sophie isn't even her name. Her family wants to know what's behind her mask, let her know that she is safe to be herself.

Hardison:

Maneater by Hall & Oats - we know Hardison loves Hall & Oats. Best if listened to while Parker autism bites him.

Shout by Tears for Fears - I headcanon that Hardison loves synthpop and this song is a perfect example of that

Rebels With a Cause by The Dropkick Murphys - This song reminds me of the line where Nate calls Hardison "a 24 year old genius with a smartphone and problem with authority." He may have been ignored as a kid, but he's making a difference now. "Don't be angry with the kids Be angry with the greed."

Parker:

Runaway Train by Soul Asylum - I feel like this song really represents Parker's childhood

Never Go Hungry by Hole - I think Parker would have started with stealing food and this is like her internal monolog rationalizing it because stealing became a key part of her personality

Been Caught Stealing by Jane's Addition - Stealing, simple as that. She's a thief. If she wants something she simply takes it. I think it's just a fun catchy song she'd like.

Eliot:

The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel - Despite their wishes, Eliot left his family and became a fighter just like the protagonist of the song. No matter how hard he tries to escape, the fighter remains. I could write an entire essay about how the story of this song and Eliot's story line up.

Guilt Within Your Head by The Gits - Eliot has so much guilt built up in his head over his past, being unable to forgive himself he created his own hell but he can escape it through forgiveness and redemption.

Bullet With Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins - I feel like this song fits Eliot because like the song says Eliot still feels like he can not be saved and is trapped in a cage, despite how angry he is.

Rooster by Alice in Chains - Even though it's a song about the Vietnam War I feel like it can still represent Eliot's life, joining the military and his career as a hitter in which people are constantly coming to kill him, yet he won't die.

Harry:

Ironic by Alanis Morissette - I think Harry would love Alanis Morissette. Hands down. No further notes.

Breanna:

Just a Girl by No Doubt - People frequently underestimate Breanna and I think this feminist anthem conveys her anger with that.

Seasore by The Regrettes - "You're talkin to me like a child Hey I've got news, I'm not a little girl" So much of Breanna's character is wanting to prove herself, that she is capable and not just someone's kid sister and I think this song conveys the anger that comes with being underestimated and judged for your age or gender.

Youth Gone Wild by Skid Row - Breanna isn't interested in conforming to society's idea of what she should be. She has been called a problem child, but she doesn't care because she will stand tall and be herself.

The Thiefsome:

Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith - Hardison would think it's funny but Parker would latch on to it. I'll be citing the first episode for this one.

What I Like About You by The Romantics - I may be stretching this one but the parts of this song can be applied to aspects of the ot3 and them expressing their love for eachother. "Keep on whispering in my ear" fits Hardison talking to Eliot and Parker through the coms, "you really know how to dance" represents Parker's acrobatics and thief skills, and "you keep me warm at night" Eliot is a grounding presence for them at night and they love eachother.

Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls - they are all broken in their own way and it doesn't matter what the world thinks, just that they have eachother.

The Crew in General:

Head Like a Hole by Nine Inch Nails - the people with power have the money and they aren't using it properly. But Leverage won't bow down despite what the mark wants. I just think this song encapsulates the anger they have with each mark and their desire to give the mark what they deserve.

And Justice for All by Metallica - I debated putting this song under Hardison but I think it could fit the whole crew. It's about how money has corrupted the justice system. The truth is gone but the crew is working to bring it to light and reinstall justice (in their own way).

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant - there is no rest for the wicked and no shortness of evil in the world which makes Leverage necessary. "The rich and powerful take what we want. We steal it back for you."

We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister - I think this song does well to represent how Leverage is fighting the system and the people that abuse it.

Take Back The Power by The Interrupters - I could also write an essay about this song and its correlation with Leverage but to boil it down, Leverage is working to fight the corruption of the world and fix what they can. They are taking back the power.

Hunger Strike by Temple of the Dog - this is practically the Leverage theme song. "I don't mind stealin bread from the mouths of decadence But I can't feel on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled" It's a song about stealing from the rich, class divides, and how the rich get richer but the narrator refused to join them and would rather starve than be like the rich and feed on the poor.

The Men Who Rule The World by Garbage - a song about corruption, money, and violators, the very thing Leverage aims to destroy.

[qwanderer]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Leverage Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alec Hardison & Parker & Eliot Spencer Characters: Eliot Spencer (Leverage), Alec Hardison, Parker (Leverage) Additional Tags: Cooking, Barbecue, Forgery, post-The French Connection Job, not immediately but it seems to have happened already, Ficlet, Domestic Fluff, but in an ambiguous way Summary:

“What are you doing?” Parker asked, appearing in the kitchen suddenly, as she always did.

“Forgery,” Eliot answered, because he was.

“Ooh,” said Parker.

“Forgery, huh?” said Hardison, coming in through the door like a normal person. He looked at the work Eliot was in the middle of. “So uhh.” he said. “Is this. What? Fake food?”

“What? No. Do you forge paintings with fake canvas? It’s still food.” Eliot shook his head and continued trimming the meat.

[leveragegiftexchange]

How does the gift exchange work?

This is a Secret Santa style gift exchange for the leverage fandom! So it’s all about anonymously creating a gift for someone in the fandom, and at the end, recieving one yourself!

The exchange is hosted on discord. Once you’ve signed-up, you’ll get a DM with an invite to the server where you can hang out with all the other participants!

There are almost no restrictions on gifts you can make! Just make sure it's SFW and do not make physical items that have to be shipped. If you still want to make physical items and photograph them, feel free to!

Possible gifts include:

fanfiction

fanart

gif sets

edits

playlists

and anything else you might imagine!

The timeline is as follows:

Sign-ups will be open until 15.05. (so until then feel free to promote this exchange as much as you want so there will be a lot of participants!)

A couple of days after sign-ups close you will receive a DM with your giftee and the wishes they made, so the gift-making period finally starts!

From then on you can post WIPs, for critique and feedback. Just make sure you don't reveal too much, so the finished gift remains a surprise!

You can also now ask your giftee anonymous questions.

The gift-making period will last 1 month so you have plenty of time to finish your gift.

I will set the exact date for the gifting period once all matches are sent out, but once the gifting period has started everyone has 2 weeks to post their lovely gifts!

If you want to be notified one day before sign-ups close, just DM me and I'll add you to the list!

And if you have any other questions, the asks are open!

|| SIGN-UPS ||

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Look at this amazing treat freedomheart has written!

We have already started treating, but sign-ups are still open until 15.05!

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With one day left for sign ups, there are still a few people who filled out the survey but did not join the discord yet!

If that's you, please check you tumblr messages, or you discord friend requests (there should be a friend request from ShakespeareStoleMyURL)

If you can't find anything, feel free to send me a message and we'll get you sorted out!

If someone doesn't join until a day after sign ups close, unfortunately they will be taken out of the submissions and can not participate anymore!

[leveragegiftexchange]

Hi there! Are there minimums to reach for the gifts?

Nope!

Obviously you should put some care into them, but there are no hard limits in place.

[leveragegiftexchange]

Hi! Would it be possible for me to sign up for the exchange as only a pinch hitter? I have very limited time but thrive on the challenge of a very specific prompt on a very quick turnaround.

Yea, definitely!

You can still fill out the sign up sheet to put a wishlist in the treating channel (where people can make small gifts for you if they're so inclined) and just clarify in the comment section of the survey that you only want to be a pinch hitter!

Or if you don't want to have a wishlist for treats, just dm me and I'll send you the sever invite and mark you down as pinch hitter.

Either way, we're happy to have you!

[leveragegiftexchange]

And with that, the gift exchange is officially closed!

Thank you to everyone who joined (and to the lovely people who signal boosted!)

Everyone who hasn't done so yet, has time until tomorrow to join the discord server!

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Can I be added to the reminder list? (Preferably my main blog, @mb-blue-roses)

Of course! You're added :)

[leveragegiftexchange]

I messed up my sign up! Can I redo it 🙁

Yea, no worries!

You should be able to just click the sign up link again and it'll take you to a fresh survey!

If you still have troubles, feel free to dm me!