Peter sighed. "Straight my ass. It is the Hope Diamond. Only you would be crazy or stupid enough to try to steal that. Only you would be the one to ask. " If it was true and he had gone straight, he knew he would feel awful about it. Later. His shoulders slumped and he sagged a little. "Yeah, you haven't been here. Kramer launched an investigation into El and I. It was invasive. We had no privacy. They tailed me. They tapped us. All to find you. Not that it worked. Finally Hughes ordered the plug pulled. " If he looked close enough, he might see a few lines or gray hairs.
He would never blame Neal. It wasn't his fault. He was just too good. Hell, Peter hated working without him. "I never thought I would see you again." His eyes and voice softened as he gazed at Neal. He sure didn't plan a reunion like this.
"Neal..." He almost hugged him. Almost. "Don't do this. You are better than this, Neal." His voice was gentle as he pleaded with his former partner. "He had a lot to tell Neal. Like where he was working.
Before he could stop himself, Peter reached out and touched Neal's elbow. He had a sad, faraway look on his face. Though, he felt like he was reminiscing all by himself. "I was jealous. You wear the hat well." He smiled and pulled his hand reluctantly away. He didn't want to think of a life without Neal in it. Still, he wasn't about ready to join the crime life either. That just wasn't who he was. With Neal, he'd dabbled, his big toe dipping into that world. That was about as much as he could stomach. He smiled, thinking of the video footage he'd stolen for Neal when he was drugged.
His smile faded. Neal was outright lying to him. He was sure of it. Especially after what went down with the treasure. He felt like any feelings he was having weren't being returned. Like he was having this little conversation with 'Michael' and not his Neal. His Neal. The thought really stung. "Whatever you wish, Neal. Maybe if you say it enough, you'll really believe it
( ... )
The way Neal knocked back that wine was probably telling in and of itself. Yeah he was lying. Or something was bothering him. Whatever it was, for all his lies there were some tells that Peter could tell. Maybe others wouldn't have noticed and part of Neal hoped Peter didn't notice. This was just all too much. Damnit, Moz was right. They never should have come to New York.
Neal was actually listening to Peter's pleading, even if it didn't seem like it. Internal turmoil was almost unbearable and he wasn't sure he wouldn't throw up later
( ... )
Peter practically chugged his beer and ordered another. Sharing a look with Neal, he tipped the bartender well and made sure he kept it coming for both of their glasses. When his food arrived, he dug into to it. Mostly because he didn't want to drink on an empty stomach. He wasn't even really hungry, just that he knew he needed to eat so that he could drink. When he got home later, he was sure El was going to hate him. She might even make him sleep on the sofa when he told her everything
( ... )
There were at least two more glasses of wine ordered to go with the salmon something or another Neal had ordered and it seemed like burying themselves in food and alcohol was setting the tone for their lunch. So much unsaid and even more said that, in some ways, was kind of worse. At least the words Neal said because they were at least 30-50% lies
( ... )
Food and alcohol were a good lunchtime tone. They had done it before in the past. Though the last time they did, he didn't remember there being so much emotion and tension in the air. He sat there, digging into his food and thinking over what they were talking about. Peter was somewhat positive that the things Neal were saying were true, but he couldn't tell anymore where the truth ended and the lie began. And that hurt
( ... )
It wasn't as though Neal actually thought that Peter was trying to use his arrest to fuel a career advance. There just seemed to be no other way things could play out, at least in the narrow field of vision Neal had pared himself down to in the last few months. At first, he'd thought about it constantly. Time and again Mozzie had to tell him it was a fantasy more ridiculous than any of their planned heists. And now, well Neal believed it
( ... )
Neal had every right to be frightened. He was frightened. He was scared to death that this would not end well and Neal would go back to prison. It was why he had left the FBI and gone to Sara when she offered a job for him. Peter didn't want to see Neal in prison again. He really wanted to to think that he'd had an impact on Neal's life. There had to be some way to make it all right again. He smirked up at Neal, just picturing what Mozzie might say when Neal told him about all this. Oh to be a fly on that wall
( ... )
There was that moment's hesitation. Neal was listening and it wasn't just because he had to. Guarantees were made and, truth be told, he was already considering backing out of the con regardless. Peter had shown up and that didn't mean others might not too. This was now far too high profile for the city he was in. Well, it really was all along but running into Peter had gotten into his head
( ... )
The fact that Peter was able to get through to Neal really made him feel good. He smiled, finishing his beer and throwing some money down on the bar to cover them both. It wasn't that he thought Neal couldn't pull off the job. Far from it. He just knows that if Neal wants to come back, one more job isn't a good thing to have on his record
( ... )
Neal stood still that moment Peter's hand lingered. He'd missed him far more than he was willing to put into words. Closing his eyes, Neal savored the moment. Soon he'd be back in hiding. Everything was going to go back to where it was before and just like that bottle of wine he'd obsessed over, Neal would find something new to be fixated on. A dream and a wish he could return to his life before, with his only hope being trusting Peter.
Once before he'd told the older man that he was the only one he trusted, and he'd meant it. If there was anyone he was willing to hold out for, it was Peter. Puling back on his jacket and adjusting his glasses, Neal almost hated to go back to being Michael Stanton. He just wanted to be Neal Caffrey, parter and friend to Peter Burke. He missed him absolutely terribly, even if he hadn't shown it like he should of.
"I..." Neal shifted a little. "It hasn't been easy for me either."
Said softly, it was another moment of honesty too.
Peter stood up and shrugged on his jacket. He wanted to just get back to the way things used to be. Maybe they could actually do it. He hoped that he could. He didn't want Neal to go back in hiding. He wanted Neal to be there, back by his side where he belonged. They had over a 90 percent success rate. And he knew it was because of Neal. It wasn't just work that he missed about Neal too.
"It hasn't been easy for me either."
"Neal..." Before he could stop himself, he gave Neal another hug. This one, he wouldn't let Neal punk out of. His arms wrapped around Neal and he didn't want to let go. It didn't last long. The last thing he wanted to do was make Neal feel awkward. He didn't give a shit about Michael Stanton. But he had very strong feelings for Neal Caffrey.
He knew he was lingering. He knew that he needed to pull away, but he couldn't. Neal was finally here, back with him once more. He needed his fix before he lost him again.
That hug was almost more than he could bear. This time it was returned. It was for a moment but his arms wrapped around Peter in a sweet embrace. They didn't have long, even this long was putting his cover at risk. At the very least it didn't seem one sided. Peter was lingering almost as long as Neal was
( ... )
"Stay here." Peter went into the shop and bought two burn phones. He also made sure to buy a charger for each of them. He didn't know about the shop or the cameras. If anything, he wanted it to be him caught on the video footage, not Neal. As he walked out, he realized he didn't want their lunch to be over either. It meant that they were parting ways and he wasn't ready to do that yet.
Heading out of the store, he looked left and right before facing Neal. "Let's go somewhere that we can open these and exchange phone numbers." He hated to say it, but he was thinking like a criminal. "There are a few fleabag hotels that will work. They're not far from here." They weren't exactly in the nicest part of town.
Reaching out, he wrapped an arm around Neal's shoulders, pulling him close. He was brief, before letting go again. He didn't mind being touchy feely.
That little bit of a criminal that Peter could be was something that always amused Neal when they'd worked together. The man had spent so long fighting crime that he knew it better than almost anyone else. With Neal's input, tweaks, and practical experience, they could have made a dazzling pair in the underworld. As it was, they were a great pair when working the legitimate angle
( ... )
That tiny little bit of criminal in Peter had emerged a few times on cases. He didn't do it often, but he did do it. And he'd learned it all from Neal. Sometimes when you need to solve a case, you do what you need to do. He had learned a lot from Neal. Once, he did think about them as a crime team. In the end, though, he couldn't do it. He was too honest. Working the solving crimes angle just felt more real to him. Still, it didn't mean he didn't like it when they did play criminals
( ... )
His shoulders slumped and he sagged a little. "Yeah, you haven't been here. Kramer launched an investigation into El and I. It was invasive. We had no privacy. They tailed me. They tapped us. All to find you. Not that it worked. Finally Hughes ordered the plug pulled. " If he looked close enough, he might see a few lines or gray hairs.
He would never blame Neal. It wasn't his fault. He was just too good. Hell, Peter hated working without him. "I never thought I would see you again." His eyes and voice softened as he gazed at Neal. He sure didn't plan a reunion like this.
"Neal..." He almost hugged him. Almost. "Don't do this. You are better than this, Neal." His voice was gentle as he pleaded with his former partner. "He had a lot to tell Neal. Like where he was working.
"Neal... When you are ( ... )
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His smile faded. Neal was outright lying to him. He was sure of it. Especially after what went down with the treasure. He felt like any feelings he was having weren't being returned. Like he was having this little conversation with 'Michael' and not his Neal. His Neal. The thought really stung. "Whatever you wish, Neal. Maybe if you say it enough, you'll really believe it ( ... )
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Neal was actually listening to Peter's pleading, even if it didn't seem like it. Internal turmoil was almost unbearable and he wasn't sure he wouldn't throw up later ( ... )
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Once before he'd told the older man that he was the only one he trusted, and he'd meant it. If there was anyone he was willing to hold out for, it was Peter. Puling back on his jacket and adjusting his glasses, Neal almost hated to go back to being Michael Stanton. He just wanted to be Neal Caffrey, parter and friend to Peter Burke. He missed him absolutely terribly, even if he hadn't shown it like he should of.
"I..." Neal shifted a little. "It hasn't been easy for me either."
Said softly, it was another moment of honesty too.
"Right. Let's get those phones."
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"It hasn't been easy for me either."
"Neal..." Before he could stop himself, he gave Neal another hug. This one, he wouldn't let Neal punk out of. His arms wrapped around Neal and he didn't want to let go. It didn't last long. The last thing he wanted to do was make Neal feel awkward. He didn't give a shit about Michael Stanton. But he had very strong feelings for Neal Caffrey.
He knew he was lingering. He knew that he needed to pull away, but he couldn't. Neal was finally here, back with him once more. He needed his fix before he lost him again.
"Phones. Right." He sighed. "Let's go."
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Heading out of the store, he looked left and right before facing Neal. "Let's go somewhere that we can open these and exchange phone numbers." He hated to say it, but he was thinking like a criminal. "There are a few fleabag hotels that will work. They're not far from here." They weren't exactly in the nicest part of town.
Reaching out, he wrapped an arm around Neal's shoulders, pulling him close. He was brief, before letting go again. He didn't mind being touchy feely.
"Come on. We have work to do."
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