Author: NYWCgirl
Fandom: White Collar
Pairing: Neal/Peter/Elizabeth
Characters: Neal, Peter, Elizabeth
Warning/genre: AU, BDSM, consensual kink, gags, restraints, breath play, spanking, pain play, cock cages, (non) consensual drug use, humiliation, sensory deprivation, flogging, anal sex, blow jobs, prostate milking, sex toys, objectification, shibari, kidnapping, pet play, catheters, enemas, gaslighting, physical and mental abuse, (mental) hurt/comfort, pet play
Spoilers: none
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: ~1720
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine….
Summary: Neal is discharged from the hospital and the Burkes have to find a way to live with Neal´s trauma.
Chapter can also be found on
AO3 The next time Neal wakes, Peter is there. And this time his eyes open without any hindrance. Peter immediately walks over to the bed.
‘Hey Neal, you are safe, you are in hospital.’
Neal tries to gather some saliva to unstick his tongue.
‘Wait, don´t talk. The nurse said you could have some ice chips.’
Peter takes a cup and fills it from an isolation box. He spoons some ice chips in Neal´s mouth and Neal sucks on them. He moans in bliss, it feels good in parched mouth.
‘Why am I in hospital?’ he croaks.
‘Because you are suffering from heat stroke.’
‘Heat stroke?’
‘Yes, the temperature in the back of the van had risen to dangerous levels, combined with you wearing the rubber suit, caused your body to overheat. You were suffering from a severe heat stroke.’
‘I don´t remember.’
‘The doctors told me that would be likely, but you are safe now and back with us.’
Neal nods and when Peter starts carting his fingers through his hair he lets himself fall asleep again. Peter will take care of him.
* * *
Since Neal is physically doing well, he is released fairly quickly from the hospital with the advice to make an appointment with a physical therapist to get strength back in his arms and legs. The doctors explained that he hadn´t been long enough in the suit to cause permanent damage, but it will be better if he makes some appointments. Elizabeth immediately is on the phone with several specialists to take care of Neal´s physical needs.
Neal doesn´t talk much. They explained what has happened and that Chris never worked for them, but Neal is mentally not ready to process everything, so they decided to take it slow and leave it for now.
Mozzie told them he wanted to take Neal with him but the Burkes didn´t accept a no to their plan to take care of Neal. They had a discussion about it, luckily away from Neal. Peter had pointed out that this is not what they wanted from Neal. Chris never worked for them and it hurts Peter that he didn´t protect Neal from someone from their past. On the other hand Peter couldn´t have known that Chris was planning something like that. When Elizabeth told Mozzie he was welcome to stay with them while Neal recuperates, Mozzie had reluctantly agreed that Neal likes living with them.
Once they are home, Neal just walks to his room and closes the door. Peter and Elizabeth understand that it must be very overwhelming what is happening and leave him. But when they go check up on him, they find him asleep on the floor next to the bed.
As days pass, Neal spends most of his time curled up on the floor of the bedroom and living room. He only speaks when spoken to. Peter has told Neal that he didn´t want him lying on the floor, but that had only resulted in Neal completely shutting down. So the Burkes invest in expensive futons, that way Neal is comfortable.
During meal times, Neal is guided by Peter to a seat at the table and Neal just stares at the food on his plate. It is all soft, because the dietician they called in, had explained that Neal had lived all this time on soft food, and it would be better to gradually switch it out for solid food. But even with the soft foods, Neal doesn´t eat as much as he should.
Whenever Peter enters into the room, Neal is taking his submissive dog position, no matter how many time Peter explains that he never wanted Neal to be a dog and that it was Chris’ idea as a cruel joke. When nightmares wake him up, Elizabeth guides him in between them in the bed and Neal sleeps next to her.
‘Neal we need to talk. What Chris did to you is inexcusable and we should have better protected you from someone in our past, but I can´t un-do what he did to you. Elizabeth and I want you with us, you are part of us, and we need to move forward.’
Neal nods, he knows this and he knows they need to move on, but whenever everything gets too much, the puppy comes back, he can even feel it now. It is so much easier to retreat and just be, instead of thinking and talking and making decisions.
‘I know.’
‘But?’
Neal looks at the floor, ‘but would it be possible to be a puppy sometimes?’
‘Is that something you would like?’ Peter asks a bit hesitant, not sure if this is healthy, then again, it is a relief like any other. Who is he to judge.
‘I think so, when I am in puppy mode, I don´t need to think, I can just be, I can play, it is freeing.’
‘I am willing to try it and I will talk to Elizabeth, but I know she is hesitant, so we will first keep this playtime between us for now, OK?’
‘I would like that.’
‘But Neal, I don´t want you 24/7 in puppy mode, do you understand? We love you as a person, we enjoy you with us at the dinner table, we enjoy your art. And we can´t take care of you in puppy mode. Do you understand? It is unhealthy, humans need to communicate, absorb, learn, read, live life.’
Neal thinks about it and deep down he knows Peter is right.
‘OK, how do we agree when I can go in puppy mode?’
‘When the mask and tail go on. Is that an idea?’
‘OK. I can live with that.’
‘Do you need it now? Because I don´t have the gear, but I can tie you over.’
‘Maybe?’ Neal is unsure, can he ask for it? He really wants to, but he still isn´t sure.
‘Of course precious, come with me to the playroom.’
Neal follows Peter and when he enters, he automatically strips and kneels at the door, waiting for instructions. Peter is happy to see that Neal still remembered their house rules. He takes some gear he bought and walks back to Neal. He slips Neal in black leather boots he can attach to his thighs with black leather straps. He doesn’t have puppy mittens, but he does have leather mittens, so he fastens those over Neal´s hands. Next come a thick black leather collar and since he doesn´t have a dog mask, he takes on of the leather hoods. Once Neal isn´t able to see, he takes a regular butt plug and lubes it before pushing it in Neal´s hole. He can feel the tension seep out of Neal.
‘Come pup, you can rest of your dog bed.’
Neal crawls next to Peter when he tugs the leash, he fastened on his collar. When he can feel something soft under his knees, he lays down. Peter pets him and rests on his dog bed.
* * *
Now that Peter has seen himself what the puppy does to Neal, he is convinced he should give Neal this. He is completely relaxed. So he clears his agenda and goes shopping. When he comes home? Neal is on his belly on the living room futon and he is sketching. Peter smiles and walks over to give Neal a kiss. Neal looks up in question and Peter shows him the black bag.
‘Want to try some of the stuff I bought?’
Neal gives a small smile and nods.
Neal is on his best behavior so Peter quickly takes the stuff he bought out and Ties Neal feet in puppy boots that he binds against his legs. He also bought black leather puppy mittens and fastens them around Neal´s fists, they are padded so Peter was assured by the clerk that they would be comfortable. Next comes the black anal plug with tail. Neal gives his ass a shake to get the feel of the tail and he smiles when it waggles. Next Peter puts on the black leather mask, it is gorgeously crafted to fit Neal. Peter must admit, Neal is a gorgeous puppy. Over the mask goes a black leather collar.
‘Come puppy, let´s see the other stuff I bought you.’
Neal quickly crawls next to Peter and is surprised to see a real doghouse in the corner. He yips happily and waves his tail.
‘You like it, hm?’
Neal barks once.
‘Go on, check it out.’
Neal quickly crawls inside and finds a super soft dog bed. There are some toys inside and an old T-shirt that smells like Peter.
‘You like it?’
Neal barks.
‘Good, I need to do some stuff, but you can stay here.’
Peter snaps a leash on Neal´s collar and fastens it to the doghouse. Peter checks if there is water in his bowl and some snacks in the other one and pets Neal before leaving the room.
He walks back to his office and starts up the program with the indoor camera he had installed in the playroom. He can see Neal sniffing around the doghouse, even eating the snacks and eventually settling on his dog bed. It looks like he is dozing and finally falling asleep.
After an hour, Peter walks into the playroom and Neal is already waiting for him. He woke up from his nap and has been anxiously waiting for his owner´s return. His tail is wagging and he barks happily.
‘Hey puppy, had a nice nap?’
Neal yips and paws at Peter´s leg.
‘What is it boy, are you hungry?’
Neal keeps pawing and adds a whine.
It suddenly dawns on Peter. He needs to go to the toilet.
‘Oh, I didn´t anticipate that Neal.’
He walks towards the bathroom and Neal follows him. But when they are standing next to the toilet, Neal just stares at Peter. Peter is at a loss, he hadn´t anticipated that Neal would be this deep in puppy space.
‘Go into the shower, Neal.’
When Neal doesn´t move only gets more fidgety, Peter drags him into the walk-in shower.
‘Go on, boy.’
Neal whines but eventually relieves himself. Peter takes the shower and quickly rinses Neal off, making a mental note to talk about this with Neal.