White Collar - "To Save A Drowning Man"
Title: To Save A Drowning Man
Author: TeeJay
whitecollar100 Prompt: #38 Muscle
Genre: Gen
Characters/Pairings: Neal, Peter
Word Count: 300
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Neal almost drowned and Peter wants to know why.
Author's Note: I got quite a few comments for my drabble Chilled To The Bone from people wanting to know what happens next, so here's the sequel. Also, look! More Neal!Whump.
Disclaimer: White Collar, its characters and its settings belong to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. And, guys? Your characters are not only welcome, they're wonderful. I'm just borrowing, I promise.
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Neal could not remember feeling this miserable ever before. Despite having been face to face with death a few times, he'd never actually been in hospital with more than scrapes and bruises, a concussion and a broken clavicle once.
This was... different, and it didn't feel right. He didn't feel right. The painkillers were making him drowsy and it was hard to focus. He knew he was probably telling people things twice, or three times, judging by the looks on their faces. His brain just wasn't working the way it should, the way he was used to.
He could remember brief visits from Elizabeth. He vaguely recalled Mozzie being there at some point. And Peter. Peter had been here more than anyone else.
A low groan escaped Neal's lips as he raised his head. Every muscle in his body ached, and the pain made him erupt in a cough. A cough that wouldn't stop, that shook his body and made him gasp for air.
He felt a strong hand just above his shoulder blades that gently pushed his chest up. "Easy, Neal. Just breathe," he heard Peter's voice.
The cough finally abated. He sank back against the pillow, panting. "God, this sucks," he let out in a frustrated groan.
A small smile spread across Peter's face. "You're gonna be short of breath for a while. You inhaled too much water, remember?"
"Wonderful," Neal said sarcastically.
Peter sat back down in the chair, studying the young man. "Neal, why did you jump into the water?"
He tried to remember. Some things were a bit hazy, but the answer to this question was not.
"Because they fired a shot. And a body tumbled into the water. And I thought it was..."
There was a pregnant pause before Peter asked, "Who, Neal?"
"You."
Author: TeeJay
whitecollar100 Prompt: #38 Muscle
Genre: Gen
Characters/Pairings: Neal, Peter
Word Count: 300
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Neal almost drowned and Peter wants to know why.
Author's Note: I got quite a few comments for my drabble Chilled To The Bone from people wanting to know what happens next, so here's the sequel. Also, look! More Neal!Whump.
Disclaimer: White Collar, its characters and its settings belong to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. And, guys? Your characters are not only welcome, they're wonderful. I'm just borrowing, I promise.
+-+-+-+-+
Neal could not remember feeling this miserable ever before. Despite having been face to face with death a few times, he'd never actually been in hospital with more than scrapes and bruises, a concussion and a broken clavicle once.
This was... different, and it didn't feel right. He didn't feel right. The painkillers were making him drowsy and it was hard to focus. He knew he was probably telling people things twice, or three times, judging by the looks on their faces. His brain just wasn't working the way it should, the way he was used to.
He could remember brief visits from Elizabeth. He vaguely recalled Mozzie being there at some point. And Peter. Peter had been here more than anyone else.
A low groan escaped Neal's lips as he raised his head. Every muscle in his body ached, and the pain made him erupt in a cough. A cough that wouldn't stop, that shook his body and made him gasp for air.
He felt a strong hand just above his shoulder blades that gently pushed his chest up. "Easy, Neal. Just breathe," he heard Peter's voice.
The cough finally abated. He sank back against the pillow, panting. "God, this sucks," he let out in a frustrated groan.
A small smile spread across Peter's face. "You're gonna be short of breath for a while. You inhaled too much water, remember?"
"Wonderful," Neal said sarcastically.
Peter sat back down in the chair, studying the young man. "Neal, why did you jump into the water?"
He tried to remember. Some things were a bit hazy, but the answer to this question was not.
"Because they fired a shot. And a body tumbled into the water. And I thought it was..."
There was a pregnant pause before Peter asked, "Who, Neal?"
"You."