"Two," he echoes, considering a minute. "I could still go in if I hurried" He doesn't entirely sound like he wants to go but when he's home, he tries to keep up work the best he can, that way the pressure isn't left on Elizabeth
( ... )
"Let me do this for you," he replies simply. "I don't mind."
There was no choice in the matter, not really. He could do this for him, he could help make this better and so that's what he would do.
"I'll keep doing it as long as they have something to give," he continues. "But I'm done as soon as the finish." He means it as a promise, an assurance that once they get what they want, their dealings with the fae were over with.
I can't do anything for you is almost out of his mouth before he stops himself. He keeps waiting for Neal to ask for something in return, he keeps waiting to have to bargain, and he's still not sure what to do with the fact that no requests are coming.
"I don't know how long that's going to be," he says instead. "I don't like you getting hurt over this. And the longer you work for them, the more likely something worse is going to happen to you. We're lucky it hasn't been worse."
"I know," he starts with a half shrug. "But it doesn't matter. They have something we need and I'm going to get it back, it's just that simple." Maybe it's not, maybe he knows that he's putting himself at risk and maybe he knows he's doomed to get hurt but it doesn't really matter. There's no arguing with what he has to do and he knows that, if their roles were switched, Peter would have done the same for him.
He reaches out, taking Peter's hand in his own and giving it a light squeeze. "It's worth it," he says simply. "I know that."
Peter opens his mouth and for a second, he looks like he's going to try to keep arguing, but Neal takes his hand and continues and the stubbornness and the fight all go out of him. He's left just looking worried.
He still doesn't agree, but there's no use in saying it because Neal's not going to listen.
"Just be careful," he says instead, lacing his fingers through Neal's and closing his eyes. "It's not worth it if you can't come home."
He doesn't expect hi to agree or even approve but as long as he knows that Neal is doing this for him, for all of them, then he doesn't care.
"I'll always find my way back," he assures quietly. "I promise you, I'm not letting them take me. They won't get that pleasure." He grins sleepily up at him.
He looks momentarily offended. "Are you saying you think they can kill me?" He lets go of his hand and rolls over. "I am honestly hurt, Peter." Which is true on more than one level, in part because he rolled over a little too much.
"Yes," Peter answers, quietly. "I don't think they get enough from you to make them thinking twice before sending you off into something you can't handle. You're good, Neal, but you're still human. I don't think anybody human can match them."
"If I can't handle it," he starts. "I always have the candle." He sighs, moving onto his back again. "Not only am I good, Peter, but I have an escape route. That's going to be what makes me better."
"If you recognize you're in over your head and you use it," he agrees, rubbing his temples for a second before opening his eyes. "If you're careful, which is all I'm asking."
"I'm careful," he assures. "As careful as I can be. Yes, I take risks but I know what I'm doing and I try my best to stay safe." He reaches out again, resting his hand against Peter's leg. "Don't worry, I'm always fine, aren't I?"
Neal has, over time, developed a slightly skewed sense of 'fine'.
"I think I should get more credit for what I do," he says with a small laugh. "I have never come back without a finger or something." He vaguely wonders if he could bargain for a missing limb. He's hoping that he never has to do it but well, it's something to consider all the same.
"Only if I can worry about you and give you credit at the same time." He smiles slightly as he says it, his thumb running back and forth across Neal's skin. "I did say that you're good. That doesn't count?"
"Despite my beet efforts, I can't seem to get you to stop," he points out. "So I guess you're free to worry however much you'd like." He nods. "Well yeah, you did but I think I deserve a little more."
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There was no choice in the matter, not really. He could do this for him, he could help make this better and so that's what he would do.
"I'll keep doing it as long as they have something to give," he continues. "But I'm done as soon as the finish." He means it as a promise, an assurance that once they get what they want, their dealings with the fae were over with.
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"I don't know how long that's going to be," he says instead. "I don't like you getting hurt over this. And the longer you work for them, the more likely something worse is going to happen to you. We're lucky it hasn't been worse."
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He reaches out, taking Peter's hand in his own and giving it a light squeeze. "It's worth it," he says simply. "I know that."
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He still doesn't agree, but there's no use in saying it because Neal's not going to listen.
"Just be careful," he says instead, lacing his fingers through Neal's and closing his eyes. "It's not worth it if you can't come home."
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"I'll always find my way back," he assures quietly. "I promise you, I'm not letting them take me. They won't get that pleasure." He grins sleepily up at him.
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He mostly trusts that Neal will get back home if he's able, by now. It's the able that scares him.
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Still, his point stands.
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Neal has, over time, developed a slightly skewed sense of 'fine'.
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He wouldn't count some of the wounds Neal's come back with as fine, exactly, but at least they always heal.
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