wizardofahz

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An ace flag color picked from Jasnah on the Oathbringer cover

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The Museum Makeover Job (S02E12) LEVERAGE: REDEMPTION (2021—)

requested by @wizardofahz

[wizardofahz]

The Museum Makeover Job (S02E12) LEVERAGE: REDEMPTION (2021—)

requested by @wizardofahz

[wizardofahz]

Leverage: Redemption 3x10- "The Side Job"

[wizardofahz]

realizing people care about you a lot is emotionally taxing okay!!

(it really really loves the blanket)

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The Paradox of Sophie Devereaux

Fandom: Leverage: Redemption Compilation: Moments in the Life of Leverage Fam A/N: Harry holds Sophie in such high regard that I think it'd be funny if he found out how bad of an actress she was once upon a time.

"I couldn't help but notice the Shakespeare reference in your dating profile," Harry tells Sophie one day. "It's a shame you didn't go into acting. I know you've mentioned directing, but with your talents, it would have been a mighty fine treat to see you on stage."

Parker lets out a snorting laugh.

"Yeah, you'd think so, wouldn't you," Eliot says with a pained grimace.

"Oh, stop it," Sophie protests. "It was a long time ago."

Harry glances between the three of them. "I don't understand."

"She did try acting," Eliot explains before Sophie can nip this whole thing in the bud. He shakes his head. "Worst actress I'd ever seen."

Years ago, the comment would've stung. Now Sophie can take some teasing, but the thought of Harry witnessing her earlier attempts at acting still makes her cringe.

Luckily, the whole concept seems entirely alien to Harry. "Now I find that very difficult to believe," he says.

Unluckily, Parker decides to give a demonstration.

"uUnSex me HEre," she says in a ghastly voice, sashaying awkwardly.

Sophie steps forward to divert everyone's attention away from her. "Again, that was a long time ago. We need not speak of it anymore."

Harry frowns, bewilderment apparent in every one of his features. "I thought you were already a grifter before you all met."

"I was," Sophie says, trying to preserve her dignity. "Best one they'd ever seen."

"Eventually," Eliot says. "Nate brought us to one of her plays to recruit her. He didn't even put it up for a vote, and I still tried to vote no."

Neither of them had ever told her that, but Sophie supposes she can't be surprised. Still, Eliot is going to be making her a lot of tea in the near future.

"Eventually," Sophie quotes, rolling her eyes. "It was one day."

"Oh yeah," Breanna says as a distant memory resurfaces. "When I was a kid, I think Hardison also said something about people rooting for the Nazis in The Sound of Music." She grimaces. "Which, in this day and age, sounds really, really bad."

How utterly mortifying. "Hardison told you about that?"

At least Breanna had forgotten by the time they actually met in Panama. Now to make her forget again.

"He used to tell us everything," Breanna explains. "Y'know, trying to be the cool big brother. Like, y'all were cool, but he was the most put together of you all. Nate was the alcoholic mastermind, Sophie the grifter who couldn't act, Parker was a cool thief but also kinda crazy, and Eliot the cowboy was actually just a horse girl."

Eliot growls. "A what?"

"A horse girl," Breanna repeats easily. "You know, like, a girl that's crazy about horses."

"Damn it, Hardison," Eliot growls. "I'm gonna kill him."

With the new topic, Sophie is ready to breathe a sigh of relief. But then Harry Wilson---bless his heart---does not let it go.

"I'm sorry, I still don't understand," Harry says. "Is this another one of those inside jokes?"

In spite of everything, Sophie is relieved and a little touched that Harry's high regard for her renders the whole concept unbelievable.

Breanna starts typing on her laptop. "I wonder if there's anything online. You can find all sorts of bootlegged theater performances on the internet if you know where to look."

"Absolutely not," Sophie says adamantly. "Hardison assured me that everything has been scrubbed from the internet."

Or so he had said. Knowing him, he might have kept backup copies for his personal amusement. She may very well have to con them from him in the future.

"I think this will just be one of those things I accept I'll never understand," Harry says.

Thank goodness.

[wizardofahz]

Jasnah Kholin

[wizardofahz]

not to be a number nerd on main but 2025 (45^2) will be the only square year most of us ever experience. the last one was 1936 and the next one will be 2116

[wizardofahz]

kill me for this but i love dr stratt. like yes she's an horrible person in a lot of occasions so what. girl saw that the sun was fucking dying and that no one was going to fix it and said " fine. I'll do it myself". committed multiple crimes and the most unethical shit ever. girlboss.

[wizardofahz]

Astrid Pickford in The Grand Complication Job (S03E05) LEVERAGE: REDEMPTION (2021—)

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A Very Parker Christmas

Fandom: Leverage: Redemption Compilation: Moments in the Life of Leverage Fam A/N: Catatonic_Dwam on ao3 wanted to see Astrid experience a Parker Christmas, so here is Astrid being repeatedly flabbergasted.

Astrid strides down the hallway, eager to get to her hotel room.

Her time in Singapore thus far can be described by one word: wet. It's very like England in a way, except that it's also warm, which feels strange. The moment Astrid opens her room door, she can feel herself relax with the promise of a quick shower and dry clothes.

"Sophie said you're not coming for Christmas."

Astrid jolts at the sudden voice. The room is still dark, and she has her gun in hand before she realizes what's happening.

"Parker." Astrid exhales sharply, trying to come down from the spike of adrenaline. She puts her gun in its holster and her card in the slot by the door, so the lights turn on. "What are you doing here?"

"Sophie said you're not coming for Christmas," Parker repeats.

"I'm working a big case," Astrid explains. "I don't have time to fly to America, and--"

"Yes, you do," Parker interrupts. "I had Breanna hack a few computers. Eliot punched some people. You're free now." She speaks so casually as though she's not skating over so many crimes.

"And did that get me any admissible evidence?" Astrid asks skeptically. "Because I can't use..." She trails off as Parker pulls a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Do you want to be conscious for the plane ride back or not?" Parker asks.

Astrid eyes the handkerchief warily, knowing it's probably laced with chloroform or the like, and accepts her defeat. "You want me there that badly?"

Parker scoffs. "I don't," she says, but Astrid doesn't believe her. "It's my Christmas gift for Sophie."

"I think you want me there," Astrid says, unable to stop herself from needling her former nemesis.

"No, I don't," Parker insists.

"I think you do," Astrid persists. When Parker lifts the handkerchief once again, Astrid sighs. "Okay, okay. Do I at least have time to pack?"

"I already did it for you," Parker says as if that's a totally normal thing.

Astrid is still processing that weird statement when she suddenly finds her holdall flying towards her face. She twists quickly, grabbing the bag from the air before it can hit her.

"Parker!"

...

"Astrid, you made it!"

There's not a hint of surprise in Sophie's tone, and Astrid realizes that even if she didn't have a hand in it, Sophie must've known what Parker was up to. That does nothing to diminish the joy in her voice, and Astrid decides that makes being kidnapped in the middle of a big case well worth it.

"Happy Christmas," Astrid says as she steps in for a hug.

The tender moment is broken by a scoffing laugh.

"Happy Christmas." Parker laughs again as she shakes her head. "Don't be silly. It's 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy birthday, Jesus.' You can't just smoosh them together."

"Happy birthday, Jesus?" Astrid mouths to herself, slowly digesting the words. She supposes it's technically not wrong, but it's also not something she's heard people say. Although one could never know for certain with Americans. Astrid looks at Sophie in confusion.

"When in Rome, darling," Sophie says with an indulgent smile.

"Steal a painting," Parker finishes. "Or an antique, or a statue. Or all three. Why limit yourself?"

"Parker!" Astrid says before stopping as she remembers she's outnumbered.

Sophie's smile somehow manages to simultaneously be supportive towards Parker and sympathetic towards Astrid. She puts a hand on Astrid's back and leads her to the bar area. In the background, Parker flits up and down the stairs. Astrid does her best to ignore all the activity and concentrate on her stepmother.

Sophie explains that Harry Wilson is away with his daughter for the holidays. Hardison, Breanna, and Eliot have gone to Nana's. Parker is sticking around for some reason that is "definitely not Astrid." Sophie says the last bit with the winking sort of tone that indicates Parker is lying but doesn't want to admit it.

Briefly Astrid wonders what Sophie's plans would have been if Parker hadn't kidnapped her. Had she made any, or had she known what Parker would do from the beginning? Of course, that was all predicated on the fact that Astrid was busy with her case. Or did it not matter? Was Astrid going to end up in New Orleans no matter what? It's enough of a headache that Astrid stops thinking about it.

Finally, the reason behind all of Parker's activity is revealed. "Help me with the tree," she says, which is a perfectly normal statement coming from just about anyone else.

Astrid should've known better. She stares, jaw dropping at the boxes filled with millions of dollars of loot.

Parker haphazardly begins placing her loot on the tree. Astrid picks up the Lion of Gilgamesh and feels wrong, complicit somehow. She cannot bring herself to place it on the Christmas tree, tempted as she is to slip it into her pocket and smuggle it back to its rightful place. But there is so much loot. She can't do it with all of them. And besides, does she really think she could steal from a thief?

Astrid does feel a hypocrite, standing there as she is with a stolen diamond hung around her neck. But still, she had declined, quite vehemently, the stolen ring that Sophie had tried to give her for her birthday. She still has limits.

Doesn't she?

Sophie hasn't joined in. She remains seated at the bar, watching the dilemma clearly playing out on Astrid's face. "It's your choice, darling," she says.

It's not the first time Sophie has said as much to her, and it certainly won't be the last. Reconciling with Sophie had been one thing. They have enough history to build a bridge between their two sides of the law. But now here she is being adopted into Sophie's family of criminals. Astrid takes in Parker's expectant look and sighs.

She places the Lion of Gilgamesh on the tree.

...

Christmas, it turns out, is a big deal to Parker.

She's not being over-the-top and in-your-face to mess with Astrid. She treats Christmas like someone reclaiming the childhood wonder that was stolen from her and is apparently determined to have Astrid do the same. At one point, Astrid checks her phone for any updates on her case. Parker hisses at that. The next thing Astrid knows, she can't find her phone or her laptop anywhere.

On the night of Christmas Eve, Astrid literally gets roped into doing a rooftop tour of New Orleans. Parker claims they are scoping out the best routes for Santa. Astrid yelps a few times when Parker pushes her off a roof, but she's pleased that she never outright screams.

Later when Sophie asks, Astrid admits it was fun, certainly more adrenaline-inducing than the Christmas crackers of her youth.

They don't exchange gifts on Christmas morning. Apparently the crew had already planned to do it when Hardison, Breanna, and Eliot return on Boxing Day.

Astrid feels woefully unprepared. She hadn't known she was going to be in New Orleans for Christmas.

"You're here," Sophie says as if that's enough.

Astrid and Sophie don't quite manage a turkey, which Parker insists is a Thanksgiving dish anyway, but a hearty stew makes for a decent substitute along with some roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Parker contributes a surprisingly accurate gingerbread replica of the Tretyakov Gallery.

When Hardison, Breanna, and Eliot return the next day, Parker finally decides that Astrid is allowed to resume working on her case. Along with her laptop, Astrid finds some intel that Breanna had found during her hack. She settles down at the bar and gets to work while the others do their gift exchange.

Parker sidles up beside her. "January 17."

"What?" Astrid looks back and forth between Parker and her laptop, wondering how it's relevant to her case.

"That's your Christmas present to me," Parker says. "I'm going to steal a Caravaggio from the Uffizi on January 17."

"And you're telling me because?" Astrid asks, all thoughts of her case now gone. She very much doubts Parker wants her to help in any way.

"I want the full works," Parker says as if she's ordering a pizza. "Thermal scopes, guards on overlapping and rotating schedules, everything. Do your best. Gotta make it epic for the hat trick." She slaps Astrid on the shoulder and then hops off the stool to go re-join Hardison by the Christmas tree.

Astrid rubs her shoulder--Parker is strong--and starts thinking about the Uffizi Gallery. There are three Caravaggio pieces there. Then Parker's words register.

"Wait, hat trick? You've stolen two?"

[wizardofahz]

The more I reread All Systems Red (too much) the more I adore Mensa, expect more of her scenes because she deserves the world.

[wizardofahz]

The Great Eliot-AI Bake Off

Fandom: Leverage: Redemption Compilation: Moments in the Life of Leverage Fam A/N: What can I say other than Eliot getting exasperated by siblings is a fun dynamic to write.

Eliot enters the bar one morning to find Hardison, Breanna, and Parker standing around a new contraption.

"Eyyy, Eliot, my man," Hardison says eagerly. "Come check this out."

"Behold," Breanna says dramatically and gesturing at the device with a flourish, "the Casey-Hardison sibling bonding project of 2025. You know when you watch The Great British Bake Off, and everyone's crying about math during pastry week? Well, here is the solution."

"The Hardison-Casey," Hardison corrects, "machine does all that math for you. You just put in whatever size pastries your heart desires, and bam! Pastries. It'll even do the assembly and baking for you. You know the technology in air fryers, countertop-sized, super easy to use? Well, we--"

Eliot cuts off the rest of the nerd explanation. He's heard enough. "You can't use a machine to make pastries. You know what happens when you do that? You get those crappy mass-produced squidgy things in grocery stores."

"I think the ones from the store are nice," Parker says causing Eliot to splutter indignantly.

Apparently he decides the best way to get through this already trying situation is to ignore Parker. He continues on, "You gotta feel the pastry dough"--he clenches his hands as if he can feel some at this very moment--"make a connection with it, know what it needs."

"Why are you hating on our sibling bonding project?" Hardison asks, feigning hurt and placing a hand over his heart.

"Yeah, not cool," Breanna says. "And you only gotta do all that touchy-feely stuff because humans are inconsistent. Also check it." She grabs her tablet. "Our device has an AI interface that can help you design new pastries. Look, it says that scones and turnovers both have flaky textures, and voila, a recipe for scone turnovers."

The idea alone seems to break Eliot's brain. Frustration ripples through his face like an over-pressurized balloon ready to pop. "Those are completely different kinds of flaky. Scones are crumbly. Turnovers are..." He trails off as if he can't believe he has to put this concept into words. "How does that combination even make sense? Just think about it for a second."

Hardison does not spend any time thinking about it. "Don't be jealous just because you don't have the creative genius to imagine the crumbleflakes of our masterpiece."

"Damn it, Hardison!" Eliot growls. "Fine, you make some with your stupid machine, and I'll make some, and we'll see whose is better."

He storms off.

Sophie, who had quietly walked in a few minutes earlier, smiles and says, "In the mood for turnovers?"

"He hasn't made them in a while," Hardison confirms. He turns to Breanna, bowing his head with respect. "It was a pleasure grifting with you, Ms. Casey."

Breanna tips an imaginary hat. "And you, Mr. Hardison."

"But," Hardison says, leaning against their new device and resting his arm on her head, "we're still calling it the Hardison-Casey."

Breanna tries to shove him off. "Casey-Hardison."

"Hardison-Casey."

"Casey-Hardison."

"Why don't you guys just name it after Eliot?" Parker suggests. "Like you did with me and the Parker 2000."

Her suggestion is provided innocently enough, but it has Hardison and Breanna exchanging evil grins.

"Now you're talking."

[wizardofahz]

their secret handshake ^w^

! WaT Day 10 Spoilers below the cut !

a week later...

(but does he still even remember the secret handshake? 😭)

[wizardofahz]

Sisters in Training

Fandom: Leverage: Redemption Compilation: Moments in the Life of Leverage Fam A/N: Even when on opposite sides, Parker and Astrid think quite similarly. So I figured, what happens when they're on the same side? Let's have some fun.

"Good morning," Sophie says breezily as she saunters into Leverage Headquarters. But apparently it's not a good morning for everyone because she's immediately confronted by an exasperated Eliot.

"You gotta stop 'em, Sophie," he says, making his typical annoyed Eliot gestures: hands in a tight fist with only his index finger straight out, bouncing in short, emphatic movements. Flecks of whip cream fly off with each bounce. "You gotta keep 'em under control."

"Who?" Sophie asks, stepping back to avoid any projectiles.

"Parker and Astrid." He points more directly to his workout area, and Sophie gets her explanation. "There's whip cream in my punching bag. Inside my punching bag. And on the mats."

"And where are they now?" Sophie asks, turning to surveil the rest of the downstairs area. It looks largely intact. Astrid hadn't come home last night, but Sophie assumed her workaholic step-daughter was working late.

"I was going to track them," Breanna says. She's sitting on one of the stools in front of the stage with her laptop. She's also strangely still. "But my fingers are numb. The rest of me might be going numb too. I think they laced my laptop with Parker's special training powder."

"What does everyone know about gas leaks?" Harry asks as he enters. "My place smelled a little funny this morning. I want to know if I should be worried."

"Well, everyone's had an eventful morning," Sophie says. She'd feel left out, but her morning had been blissfully peaceful.

It turns out Parker and Astrid don't need tracking because they return then, rowdy and drunk on excitement and lack of sleep. There's whip cream in Astrid's hair and along Parker's collar.

"Good morning," Sophie says with a smile. "Been having fun?"

"We've been training," Parker says.

"We didn't do anything illegal," Astrid tries to clarify. "Mostly. I tried to keep everything legal."

"After Sophie's abduction, I wanted to make sure everyone's on the top of their game," Parker says. "So far, not so good."

"And it was good training for me," Astrid says. "I've always wanted to know how the mind of a criminal works."

Parker gasps. "After everything we did, you're going to use your new knowledge to stop criminals? And I thought you were having fun."

Astrid's eyes narrow. "If it weren't for me stopping you, a criminal, all of Mr. Wilson's windows would have exploded."

"Not all of them!" Parker counters. "And you don't know. They still might."

"What?" Harry asks alarmed, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"The security at your place is very poor," Astrid says with disapproval as if that's the thing Harry is worried about.

"It really is," Parker agrees. "I have snuck in so many times, and you've never noticed."

"We were using it as a training exercise," Astrid explains.

"I try to break in."

"I try to stop her."

"Girls," Sophie interrupts. "No one is committing or stopping anymore crimes until all of this is cleaned up."

Parker's head drops back as she sighs. "This is all your fault," she says.

"My fault?" Astrid asks, incredulous. "You're the one who--" Parker pulls out a can of whip cream and sprays her in the face. Astrid yelps. "Where were you even keeping that?"

Astrid grabs a handful of whip cream from her face and flings it at Parker. Before Parker can escalate, Eliot steps in, grabbing the can out of her hand.

"No more whip cream," Eliot orders. "Only cleaning."

Parker and Astrid exchange glances. Then, both of them tackle Eliot onto the mats.

Tara had said these two bonding was terrifying. She might just be right.

And Sophie finds that absolutely delightful.

[wizardofahz]

Bizarrely I've had this fic fully outlined since the end of last season. When I saw the preview last week, I rushed to finish it because I wasn't sure how wrong I'd be, and I didn't want to have to scrap it. There are a few things I would tweak now, but overall very happy with how it matches!

The Grifter, The Thief, and The NemeSis

Fandom: Leverage: Redemption Characters: Sophie Devereaux, Astrid Pickford, Parker A/N: In “The King George Job”, Sophie mentions that she spent seven years setting up the Charlotte Prentice persona. I don’t necessarily believe she met Astrid as a three-year-old, but it certainly explains the impact Sophie had on her life. Add in the Parker connection, and I found the whole dynamic irresistible.

Excerpt:

But Astrid’s focus isn’t on Sophie. "This is a bad idea," she murmurs, almost as much to herself as to Sophie as her wandering gaze takes in their homebase. Sophie’s heart sinks. Then Astrid adds, "I will be privy to so many crimes."

Parker pops up behind her shoulder, startling Astrid when she speaks. "Crime is fun, nemeSis. See? You are my nemesis, but you are also family. A neme-Sis."

“Isn’t that still just nemesis?” Breanna asks, amused.

Parker silences her with a bzzt of disapproval.

[Read on ao3]