meridian_rose

The Hot Head Incident (996 words) by meridian_rose
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Leverage
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Eliot Spencer (Leverage)
Additional Tags: Eliot To The Rescue, Road Rage, One Shot, Community: genprompt_bingo, Community: 100fandoms, 100 fandoms dreamwidth
Summary: Eliot is stuck in traffic when he witnesses a man behaving so disgracefully towards another driver he's forced to intervene.

For the genprompt bingo prompt "All I was doing was trying to get home from work" and the 100 fandoms prompt "dishonour"

At AO3 and below the cut:
Eliot resisted the urge to lean on the horn. It wouldn't make the early evening traffic move any faster and would only add to the cacophony of honks and curses from less restrained drivers. The recent rise in temperature had led to a corresponding rise in impatience, tempers were frayed, and the cloudless sky was a sign that nothing was going to change soon. The thin white t-shirt beneath Eliot's open check shirt was sticking to his back, though his linen pants were comfortable enough, and he was glad he'd got his hair in a half-ponytail and away from his face.

"We're all tired or hungry or both," Eliot grumbled to himself. Hangry, he recalled Hardison saying, people getting angry due to low blood sugar, and with the added stress of the heat people were on edge. "We all want to get home and shower or eat. I'm sure the traffic will move soon."

Sophie had promised the team a fabulous dinner, provided at the HQ by a chef who owed her a favour. Eliot didn't want to be late but neither his frustration nor blowing his horn would get him home any sooner.

Finally there seemed to be some movement in front of him, presumably because whatever blockage ahead had caused the issue had been cleared. There was still a tailback but at least there was now forward momentum and it would be his turn to get going soon. This was more like it. Eliot grinned, tapping his hands against the Jeep's steering wheel in time with the country and western tune playing on the radio.

Then, up ahead he saw a man get out of his white Honda Accord and march over to the car next to his, the same model but in silver. He was a tall, imposing man in casual clothes, with unkempt hair and a scowl. He began yelling at the other driver, obscenity ridden accusations about their driving that, as far as Eliot could make out were utterly untrue.

Eliot leaned forward to get a better view. There were kids in the back of the car, two children aged maybe four and seven if he had to guess. The woman in the driver's seat, probably their mother but possible another female relative or babysitter, was becoming distraught which was only emboldening the angry man. He began thumping on the roof and aimed a kick at the driver's door.

Hell, no.

Eliot got out of his Jeep and marched over. "Hey! Traffic's moving. Back in your vehicle, buddy." He hoped an appeal to reason might end this quickly.

Instead Angry Man turned his glare on Eliot. "Keep out of this. This bitch--"

"Watch your language! There are children here." Eliot sized the man up quickly, deciding where to hit him first.

The man glanced at the backseat of the car and for a second sanity almost prevailed as he saw the youngest one's lower lip trembling. There was nothing but dishonour in terrifying in children and no shame in walking away. He even glanced back over at his own car, door open, still idling.

Then he spat on the floor.

"You want to play hero?" he demanded. He'd decided Eliot wasn't much of a threat, which wasn't unusual. That he was a slightly shorter guy with long hair got him underestimated frequently. Sometimes it worked in his favour. Today it was just annoying.

"No," Eliot said honestly. He kept his tone low as he explained, "I was just trying to get home from work, same as you and everyone else." His work might not be the same as most commuters but his desire was the same and he hoped this appeal to empathy might defuse the situation. It was not to be.

"Then you ought to keep out of things that don't concern you." Angry Man took a threatening step forward, raised one fist--

Later the stressed mother explained to the traffic cop how the man in the check shirt had reacted so fast it was a blur, grabbing the man's arm, jamming a knee in his groin, and putting him on the floor with one punch. Then he'd given her a polite nod and gone back to his vehicle, edging out into the now moving traffic amid the renewed beeping at both her and his failure to get going already, people alternately gaping at and irritated by the dazed Angry Man as he stumbled to his feet and tried to get back in his car.

She'd been so stunned she'd pulled off and driven a block and a half until she found a parking space and called the police. Her eldest child, with wisdom beyond his years, had taken the would-be assailant's registration.

The police arrested Angry Man (also now rather Ashamed or Humiliated Man) who turned out to have an outstanding warrant and spent the night in jail in addition to his latest misdemeanour.

The authorities never did find Eliot partly because Hardison and Breana ensured there was no clear evidence on any traffic cam or social media post that showed his face, though there was a good shot of the man kicking the silver Honda's door that proved he was the culprit.

Unable to forget her fear, the lady driver got a dashcam and started carrying pepper spray in her glove compartment but she never forget the man who came to her rescue either. There were terrible people in the world but there were plenty of decent, honourable, ones too.

Meanwhile, Eliot did make it back in time for the amazing dinner, brushing off Sophie's greeting of "You're late!" with a "I have one minute to spare and I'm going to go wash up first," that brooked no arguments.

There really hadn't been any need for any violence or blowing of horns. Just a little patience and it would have all worked out for everyone.

That night it rained and, at least for a while, cooler tempers prevailed.