I love the way you showed their friendship here, their shared and separate histories and their understanding of each other even without all the information.
Thank you! Yeah, I wanted to hint at that depth of understanding between them without actually laying it all out, because they wouldn't have to rehash all the things they've shared before - they already know it about each other. This is just another moment where they share a bit more, then get back to normal. In particular, I liked Neal's instinctual running-when-triggered being something that's old news. It doesn't scare either of them, the only real point of interest is how far Neal ran, and where he was apparently headed, this time.
I don't think I've ever read that idea of Neal running when triggered (rather than simply running away from somebody who's actually chasing him) but I love it. Neal's so good at running, both literally and metaphorically.
No, I don't know that I've read it before, either. They reinforce it in the show, that running is his default, that that's what he does by habit when he's in a situation he's not got control of. I liked the idea of it maybe being something that takes over occasionally, a kind of hard-wired self-preservation instinct that sometimes genuinely does save him, but other times is just a pain in the arse.
Oh I love love love this! Neal and Moz understand each other so well, and there's so much here that's implied but never said because they don't need to. They both understand all the ways they're both really not okay and they've figured out their own way of dealing, and helping each other deal, and they've become very adept over the years at managing each other's issues. They're remarkably frank with each other - they don't try to hide stuff - but without the normal sort of concerned inquiries or confessions one might expect. This is so very them.
Frankness and a lack of concerned questions were the goals, so I'm really glad that worked for you. Neal and Mozzie are really close, but they're not a tears-and-cuddles pair in canon. More a 'let's drink too much of Neal's wine and plan crime' kind of pair. It's what works for them, obviously.
This is beautifully done- I love the slow, easy pattern to their friendship and conversation, where the traumas of the day eventually unfold and don't require more explanation. Love Mozzie pointing out that Neal went to the Burkes' too.
Yeh, Mozzie's not stupid, and there'd only be one place Neal was heading if he ended up across the river. That's probably how Peter found Neal, too. Checked June's and the FBI, then started looking further afield.
I really like this. There are a lot of complex emotions (like Neal seeing the Burkes' house as "home") expressed subtly and in a short space. I love Mozzie bringing old friends to Neal's apartment and pretending that he and Neal live together. And I love the interaction between Neal and Mozzie. It feels very in-character.
The idea of Neal running when he's triggered is also really interesting.
Thank you! I worked hard to get the interaction and characterisation to have the right tone. I wanted subtlety, and a feeling that there's a lot going on beneath the surface, a lot of history that we're only glimpsing.
The Mozzie pretending they were a couple was from the original fic fragment, and it was one of the things I liked best about it. The fact that it's a complete non-issue between them that they both seem to accept as a perfectly normal, rational cover. I wanted to sort of imply that they'd posed as a couple before and been completely comfortable doing so.
The Neal running thing is something I'm a bit surprised I haven't seen more of, given that running is what Neal does if he can't con his way out of a situation.
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Yeh, Mozzie's not stupid, and there'd only be one place Neal was heading if he ended up across the river. That's probably how Peter found Neal, too. Checked June's and the FBI, then started looking further afield.
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The idea of Neal running when he's triggered is also really interesting.
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The Mozzie pretending they were a couple was from the original fic fragment, and it was one of the things I liked best about it. The fact that it's a complete non-issue between them that they both seem to accept as a perfectly normal, rational cover. I wanted to sort of imply that they'd posed as a couple before and been completely comfortable doing so.
The Neal running thing is something I'm a bit surprised I haven't seen more of, given that running is what Neal does if he can't con his way out of a situation.
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