Peter smiled and tapped his beer bottle against Neal's glass. That same familiar feeling was back and he loved it. They were bantering again. It was like they had never been separated. "Yes, drippy candles." He shook his head and took a sip of his beer
( ... )
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
( ... )
Neal hadn't even gone in. No sense in being seen together and recognized later. Once Peter had come back out and around the side, the two of them went back indoors. Up two flights of stairs, with bare bulbs blinking all the while, it wasn't an impressive room by any means once they were locked in. Neal was already flipping the metal bracket and hooking the chain as Peter made his suggestion
( ... )
Peter smiled over at Neal on the bed. "So I'll be the only contact in your phone. I feel special, Neal. Thanks." And yes, he did notice Neal was on the bed, but he kept those thoughts to himself. No, there couldn't be any interaction. No texting. No pictures. This couldn't be a regular thing. Hopefully, he would be able to convince Hughes and this was all moot.
He sighed as he plugged in the charger and set up the phone. He knew the stakes. He knew how important this was and what risks were involved. That didn't stop him. If anything, it only made him want to work harder. It wasn't just his life that was on the line. It was Neal now. Neal was the target he needed to protect.
"You're not a felon, Neal. You ran, but you haven't stolen the diamond yet." Pocketing the phone, Peter stood up and moved over to sit beside Neal on the bed. "They won't catch us because we can do this, Neal. We have the edge on most criminals." He sighed and wrapped an arm around Neal's shoulders. "You're not a felon. Not to me."
"Isn't running enough?" They put his face on the news, isn't that the treatment felons got? "Yeah, well you're the only one."
Neal slumped a bit against Peter's shoulder. For someone so young, Neal Caffrey felt like he had weight on his shoulders that men twice his age had never experienced. Everyone saw him as a con man. Even now, despite the plans they were making, Peter did too. He mentioned the diamond again and Neal didn't bother to argue. Not that he was agreeing he was there to steal it, though he was, but because he knew he'd earned this.
Neal had earned losing everything that mattered to him. He never should have kept that treasure. The moment he found the room, he should have called Peter. Everything would have stayed the same. Now even the man he trusted, the only person Neal even missed any more, well. He might have said Neal wasn't a felon but he still thought he was willing to be a thief.
And the worst part was, Neal was willing to be just that. That lack of credit was as much as he deserved.
Gentle hands rubbed Neal's shoulder, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "It's different, Neal. Kramer was involved. You ran because you had to. And we'll make them see that. I promise you, I will help you take care of this." He sighed and clutched the younger man to him, never wanting to let go. "Running because you have to isn't the same as running because you want to
( ... )
That new and additional level of affection didn't go unnoticed but Neal wasn't about to complain either. Mozzie was funny about sharing glasses, much less touching in any capacity. A tactile and social creature by nature, ending up as isolated as he'd become was breaking him slowly. Tears wouldn't be shed but Neal was damned close. As Peter held him, he could actually feel the burning of water in his eyes
( ... )
Peter wouldn't cry. He was good at consoling. He'd done it for El many times. He'd even done it for Neal once or twice. His mind went back to memories like Kate and Sara. No, the only people who had ever seen Peter cry was El and Diana. He could count on one hand the amount of times that he had cried. The only reason Diana had seen him cry at all was when El had been taken. He was the comforter. And right now, it felt good to console Neal
( ... )
Regaining the composure he'd lost, Neal blinked back tears. He didn't want Peter to see him as anything less than calm, collected, and in control. Sitting up a little straighter, he summoned back that charm and confidence. Hearing positive words about Diana certainly helped in that regard.
"Make this work Peter. I'm tired of being just a wanted man."
He wanted to go back to being classy, intelligent, and needed. There was a time where all of his talents were needed by the right people and Neal could be himself without, mostly, repercussion from the law. Yes he was here to steal the diamond, but only because he'd lost that legitimate direction the moment he fled Manhattan
( ... )
Peter stood up, taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. He would. He would do his damnest to make it work. Because anything less just wasn't acceptable. Neal was much more than a wanted man. And he was more than some investigator. Sara had been great. He owed her a lot. And yet, he needed the FBI
( ... )
By the time they had pulled apart from that final hug, the veneer smile Neal used to bluff confidence was right back in place. He needed time to clear his head before going back to meet with Mozzie. His emotions were twisted up and had, in the span of just a couple hours, left him so confused that his initial resolve to steal the diamond and make a break for it was waning
( ... )
Reply
"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."
Reply
Reply
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."
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
He sighed as he plugged in the charger and set up the phone. He knew the stakes. He knew how important this was and what risks were involved. That didn't stop him. If anything, it only made him want to work harder. It wasn't just his life that was on the line. It was Neal now. Neal was the target he needed to protect.
"You're not a felon, Neal. You ran, but you haven't stolen the diamond yet." Pocketing the phone, Peter stood up and moved over to sit beside Neal on the bed. "They won't catch us because we can do this, Neal. We have the edge on most criminals." He sighed and wrapped an arm around Neal's shoulders. "You're not a felon. Not to me."
Reply
Neal slumped a bit against Peter's shoulder. For someone so young, Neal Caffrey felt like he had weight on his shoulders that men twice his age had never experienced. Everyone saw him as a con man. Even now, despite the plans they were making, Peter did too. He mentioned the diamond again and Neal didn't bother to argue. Not that he was agreeing he was there to steal it, though he was, but because he knew he'd earned this.
Neal had earned losing everything that mattered to him. He never should have kept that treasure. The moment he found the room, he should have called Peter. Everything would have stayed the same. Now even the man he trusted, the only person Neal even missed any more, well. He might have said Neal wasn't a felon but he still thought he was willing to be a thief.
And the worst part was, Neal was willing to be just that. That lack of credit was as much as he deserved.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
"Make this work Peter. I'm tired of being just a wanted man."
He wanted to go back to being classy, intelligent, and needed. There was a time where all of his talents were needed by the right people and Neal could be himself without, mostly, repercussion from the law. Yes he was here to steal the diamond, but only because he'd lost that legitimate direction the moment he fled Manhattan ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment