White Collar ficlet
There's a developing trope in the White Collar 3somefics I've been reading that has been bugging me. The idea that Neal is the one who can't quite believe that a threesome is fine, and Peter has no problems talking about how he and El are willing to welcome Neal into their marriage. Once or twice, I can see it, but as a trope? Mmm, no.
"Neal," Elizabeth says after dinner, "stay the night."
She was leaning towards him, and she'd changed before dinner into a top that showed off her cleavage, and he was pretty sure he hadn't misread her flirting, pretty sure that she knew what she was offering, and Neal wanted, oh yes, he did, but... "Thanks, but I sleep better in my bed than on your couch."
"I bet you'd sleep best in our bed."
Neal couldn't help glancing at Peter
Peter, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, behind Elizabeth, nodded, once, tight.
He looked -- yes, in fact, he was -- Peter Burke was blushing
"I -- okay. Yes, obviously, but -" Neal said, aware that he wasn't achieving smoothness, not by a mile.
But Elizabeth leaned forward -- oh god, that top really really worked for her -- and put a finger across his lips to silence him. Then, without breaking eye contact with Neal, she said, "Honey? Would you walk Satchmo and lock up? We'll be upstairs when you get back."
Neal matched the wicked grin on Elizabeth's face as Peter hastened out the door.
"Now, we have five minutes, maybe more." Elizabeth said, leaning back again. "How much time do you want to spend negotiating, and how much time do you want to spend upstairs?"
Neal said, "I will do anything you want, any way you want, and I will be happy to do it." He meant every word. Then again, he always meant what he said during a con. He made it work by making it real.
Elizabeth seemed to know that, too. "If you hurt him professionally or financially or emotionally... well. Running won't help."
"What," Neal said, even as part of him was telling him to nod and shut up, "what about if I hurt you?"
She leaned over to take off her shoes. "Oh, I'll let Peter handle that."
"Is there anything else we have to negotiate? I'm clean."
"Condoms, of course. No problem? Good. We can discuss kinks later," she said -- and how did Elizabeth keep managing to say devastating things in such a calm, everyday voice? "Let's go upstairs." She padded towards the stairs, calling back over her shoulder, "shoes off down here." And she knew exactly what she was doing when she added, "but you can leave your hat on."
Crossposted here (
comments).
"Neal," Elizabeth says after dinner, "stay the night."
She was leaning towards him, and she'd changed before dinner into a top that showed off her cleavage, and he was pretty sure he hadn't misread her flirting, pretty sure that she knew what she was offering, and Neal wanted, oh yes, he did, but... "Thanks, but I sleep better in my bed than on your couch."
"I bet you'd sleep best in our bed."
Neal couldn't help glancing at Peter
Peter, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, behind Elizabeth, nodded, once, tight.
He looked -- yes, in fact, he was -- Peter Burke was blushing
"I -- okay. Yes, obviously, but -" Neal said, aware that he wasn't achieving smoothness, not by a mile.
But Elizabeth leaned forward -- oh god, that top really really worked for her -- and put a finger across his lips to silence him. Then, without breaking eye contact with Neal, she said, "Honey? Would you walk Satchmo and lock up? We'll be upstairs when you get back."
Neal matched the wicked grin on Elizabeth's face as Peter hastened out the door.
"Now, we have five minutes, maybe more." Elizabeth said, leaning back again. "How much time do you want to spend negotiating, and how much time do you want to spend upstairs?"
Neal said, "I will do anything you want, any way you want, and I will be happy to do it." He meant every word. Then again, he always meant what he said during a con. He made it work by making it real.
Elizabeth seemed to know that, too. "If you hurt him professionally or financially or emotionally... well. Running won't help."
"What," Neal said, even as part of him was telling him to nod and shut up, "what about if I hurt you?"
She leaned over to take off her shoes. "Oh, I'll let Peter handle that."
"Is there anything else we have to negotiate? I'm clean."
"Condoms, of course. No problem? Good. We can discuss kinks later," she said -- and how did Elizabeth keep managing to say devastating things in such a calm, everyday voice? "Let's go upstairs." She padded towards the stairs, calling back over her shoulder, "shoes off down here." And she knew exactly what she was doing when she added, "but you can leave your hat on."
Crossposted here (
comments).