Secret Santa: for ickydog2006 - (7 Parts)

[ID2006]

This is perfect, and trust me, no need to wrap this up, it could go on forever, I'd be perfectly content if there were fresh updates every day. *wink wink, nudge nudge* *smiles really really big*

But alas, I do understand wanting to finish a piece.

Oh, and every bit of this was lovely, it portrayes the two so perfectly, and I do love him not feeling better at the end, thanks for adding that in there. Don't know why, but I definitely have a thing for guys getting really sick. This story is heaven for me.

[LeapYearKisses]

I agree totally with Ickydog. You have their dynamic down so well!

I think my favorite part was when they were talking about Neal's sneezes, and going to jail. C: More? <3

[everest]

So, short, not so well writen part. I'm sorry, you'd think with how long it took me to get it up here I could have made it better. But, I plan to have the next part up tomorow, so hopefully that makes up for it?

Warning: Again, some very mild mentions of vomiting. Nothing graphic, I swear.

Part five:

For half an hour, Peter waited. The noises had long since stopped, but Neal didn’t come out of the bathroom for a while afterwards. Peter had switched from trying as hard as he could not to hear anything to straining his ears for any sign of life.

Finally, the toilet flushed, and the faucet was turned on. Peter could hear Neal brushing his teeth, and then finally the faucet was turned off.

The man that emerged shocked Peter.

Neal had looked bad before. Awful, even. But now, stepping out of the bathroom, Peter had trouble believing this was the same man he spent years trying to catch.

Neal gripped the doorframe with his hand, his entire body visibly shaking. His face had reached a new shade of pale. His eyes were bloodshot, glassy, and just plain exhausted looking. Neal coughed into his free hand, torso jerking forward violently with the force.

He shivered, and before Peter had time to process the sight of the ex-con, he was walking towards him, draping a blanket over his shoulders and gripping his arms in support. Neal made a weak attempt of shoving Peter away before allowing Peter to lead him to his bed.

“Pe’r” Neal slurred, as the federal agent draped the covers over him.

“Sleep Neal.” The older man instructed, and retreated from the room.

Peter leaned against one of Neal’s walls, in shock of how weak the younger man looked. Never, in his years of hunting down the conman, or the years he had put him through in prison, or even the past few months after Kate’s death had Peter seen Neal look like this.

He suddenly realized his hands were shaking. Holding one up in front of him, Peter slid down the wall, staring at the hand. He realized he was afraid, no, terrified. He had absolutely no idea what to do. He could rationalize with someone who was holding him at gunpoint without so much as a flinch. But this... this was uncharted territory.

Neal probably had a damn high fever, with the way he was so out of it. Not to mention he just lost his entire stomach.

Peter didn’t have kids. He didn’t know how to handle this, he wasn’t used to taking care of people like this. It suddenly occurred to Peter to question why he was doing this in the first place. Not so long ago, he would never have so much as considered the idea of looking after a sick Neal. But, here he was, freaking out in Neal’s apartment.

“Hu’GSSHoo! Ah’ESHHoo! Ah’ISSHuh!”

Peter listened to the sounds coming from Neal’s bedroom. He wasn’t trying hold them back… was that good? Or was it that he didn’t have the strength… or was he so out of it that he didn’t know what he was doing?

“Hu’TSSHoo! He’EISSHoo!”

Well, Neal was sneezing, that was pretty damn clear. Peter tried to force himself not to psychoanalyze it, but in his current state of mind, that was easier said than done.

“uh’AGSSH’shuh!” That was the end of it, it seemed, for the time being.

What was Peter doing? Sitting on the floor, listening to his partner sneeze and wondering how he was going to take care of him? That wasn’t his job, damn it. Just because Neal was in his custody didn’t mean Peter had to wait on him. This was ridiculous.

Fed up with stressing himself out over internal battles, Peter stood up, and left Neal’s apartment. Stepping out of June’s home, he breathed in the city air.

Life never was boring, not since that first day he looked over Neal Caffrey’s file and set out to catch him. But it wasn’t an interesting life Peter yearned for. He’d missed a lot of quality time with his wife over the conman. It would be nice to have things just be simple and boring with her every now and then. He could go home, surprise Elizabeth, and continue playing hooky from his day job. Yeah, that sounded pretty damn good right now.

Peter made toward his car, pausing just a few steps away. He let out a sigh, and turned around, walking back through June’s house towards Neal’s apartment.

Months ago, Peter would have described it as putting his job first. He’d say it was insensitive to Elizabeth. But now, it hardly felt that way. He was ignoring his job to look after Neal, so he was hardly putting work first. And he had seen the concern in Elizabeth’s eyes when she had found out Neal was sick. It was her who had been the first to give the man a chance; she was probably the only reason Peter didn’t send Neal back to prison the first chance he got.

He wasn’t abandoning her for Neal. She would agree with his choice right now. Suddenly, it occurred to Peter that he agreed with the choice. His partner, no, his friend, needed him.

Opening the door to Neal’s apartment, Peter walked in for the third time that day, readying himself for whatever needed to be done.

Tbc

[ID2006]

Yay... so happy for more.

[LeapYearKisses]

Yay, an update! So happy! Peter is so sweet, even if he has to rationalize his way into it. XD

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

YAY! I went away unexpectedly for a few days, and came home to TWO updates! And, Everest, I have to agree with ickydog: I'd be okay if you made this fic last nearly FOREVER! Looking forward to more.

[Sitruuna]

Ahh... I just love this fic so much... Neal's being so adorable and... Okay I don't know what to say... I'm thinking I could maybe try watching White Collar some day...

[everest]

Just for the record, if you don't already watch White Collar, you really should check it out. It's awesome. Just don't use my fic to judge whether you'd like it or not... I don't know how well I've got the characters down.

I'm glad you guys like it!

Part six:

When he opened the door and walked into Neal’s apartment, Peter found the man in question shivering on the couch.

“P-peter. Y-you lef-ft.” His voice was jerked around due to chattering teeth.

“Yeah, had to take a call.” Peter lied. It was easier than saying he flipped out and almost ran home, but then decided against it.

“S’cr-rap. You c-cad g-go, if-f you w-wad-t.” Well, Neal’s voice had started out raspy, progressed to congested and raspy, and now he was speaking through chattering teeth as well. Peter had no idea how he could even understand what the conman was saying.

“Cold?” He asked, knowing the question was absolutely pointless.

“Mb’f-fide.”

“Uhuh.” Peter grabbed a blanket, draping it over Neal. As he was doing so, his hand brushed Neal’s still-shirtless chest. The younger man was radiating heat. Reflexively, he brought a hand to Neal’s forehead, pursuing on even as he flinched away. “Christ. You’re burning up.” Peter stated, removing his hand.

“D-dod’t f-feel hot. F-feel c-cold.”

“I thought you just said you weren’t cold?”

“L-Lied. Y-you should ex-pect th-that fro-m me, P-Peter.”

“Thanks for the advice.” Peter smirked. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Neal coughed harshly, causing Peter’s smile to drop.

“Okay, um… do you have a thermometer?”

“Doe.”

“No sweatpants, no thermometer, what do you have, Neal?”

Neal hugged the blanket around himself, clenching his teeth together to stop the chatter. He shrugged.

“Forget it.”

“Peter…” Neal started, pausing.

“What?” The agent responded, agitated.

“Why… are you doig this?”

Peter immediately softened. He sat down in the same chair he’d been using all day, staring at Neal. “I…” Suddenly, Peter stopped, and changed directions. “Why do you think, Neal? You’re supposed to be good at reading people.”

“I thig you care about be.” Neal sounded surprised at the words coming out of his mouth.

“Care about you? The criminal I spent years trying to put behind bars?” Peter stated, reflexively. Neal was staring at a spot on the floor, but he could’ve sworn he saw him flinch at his statement. “Yeah, I guess I do.” He added.

“Huh.” Neal said slowly, contemplating. “Good to doe.”

“Yeah…” Peter mumbled. “So you said it was the employee who called it in?” he asked suddenly.

“Yeah” Neal nodded. “I’b sure of it.”

Peter seemed to consider Neal’s words. “Well, then I’ve got a few calls to make. See if I can find anything on her.”

Neal grinned.

~~~

“Hi’NGZSH’uh! Hi’NGISSH’uh Hu’NK’ZTSH’oo!” Neal groaned, sniffling and rubbing at his head.

“Bless you. I thought you were going to stop that.” Peter stated.

Neal ignored him, grabbing a tissue to clear out his nose.

“Hi’NGSH! Shit…” He cursed as he sneezed again.

“I really don’t understand this.”

The conman glanced up at Peter over the tissue, finally biting. “Whad?”

“It obviously hurts you to do that. And I think we should be past the whole polite thing by now.”

Neal stared at him blankly, waiting for the older man to continue.

“Well, with everything I’ve seen today, I don’t think that just letting out a sneeze should make all that much of a difference.”

“Oh? So, sindce you’ve seed be lookig like cobplete crap already, there are suddedly doe bouhdries? Why is it so wrohg for be to at least try ahd keep ode shred of self-respect?”

“I’m just not seeing how the way you sneeze determines the amount of self-respect you have.”

“Yeah, well…” Neal mumbled, coughing.

Peter’s phone rang, and he answered, smiling as he finished the call. “Jones found something. Turns out, the employee, Kristen Bush, was in quite a bit of money trouble. So we’ve got a motive.”

“I told you.”

“And I trust you. But we still can’t do anything about it yet. So, more waiting.” Peter sat down, stretching his arms. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He suddenly asked Neal, who had been staring at peter with one of those weird smiles of his.

“This is ode of those tibes, right? Were we bohd, ahd you start to trust me a little more.”

“I’m not taking of the anklet, if that’s what you want.”

“Really? But I mead, you’re right here, ahd it’s so uncobfortable…”

“Not a chance.”

~~~

Someone was knocking on Neal’s door. The conman made a move to get up from the couch, but Peter stopped him.

“I’ll get it.”

Walking across the space and opening the door, he frowned when he saw the person standing outside.

“Suit.” Mozzie addressed Peter, walking in without waiting to be invited. He froze suddenly, catching sight of Neal on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing.” Peter said.

“I’b fide, Boz.” Neal added.

“Yeah, you don’t sound so fine.” Mozzie took a few steps back.

“Why are you here? Neal would still be at work around now. You know that.” Peter asked.

“Yeah, you’d like to know that, wouldn’t you, suit?”

Neal rolled his eyes. “Bozzie, what do you wadt?”

“Bozzie” Mozzie shook his head, as though offended b the pronunciation. “If you must know, I was going to help myself to some of your wine. Your selection is better than mine.”

“Then why’d you knock? I’m sure you’d find a way to just illegally let yourself in” Peter jumped in.

“Because of the possibility of walking into a situation similar to this one.” Mozzie backed up a few steps again, keeping his eyes on them. “I’d stay, but at the risk of contracting whatever it is you have…” Mozzie continued backing up, hesitating before grabbing a bottle of wine from Neal’s cabinets, then heading for the door.

At the sound of the door closing, both Neal and Peter laughed, though Neal’s quickly turned into more of a barking cough than anything.

“He is always so…”

“I doe, I doe.” Neal agreed, grinning.

Tbc

[obsessed]

Girl, I don't get the fic so I haven't been reading, but I did and I LOVED this. <3

[sneezelove]

i think you have the characters and their relationship down perfectly!!

can't wait to read more!

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Just for the record, if you don't already watch White Collar, you really should check it out. It's awesome. Just don't use my fic to judge whether you'd like it or not... I don't know how well I've got the characters down.

everest, I'd like to respectfully disagree: I'd only watched a couple of White Collar eps, and even though I found it super funny--and Matt Bomer crazy hot!--I hadn't really had the inclination to search it out any further than that. Reading your fic, though, and seeing the dialogue and relationships I'd expect from the show, but with the addition of the h/c aspect, has been making me want to go back and watch the whole canon thing now, even though I bet there's nothing in the show that's half as good as the awesomeness that is this fic. So, yeah, I would say that if someone is enjoying this fic, and is enjoying it for the humor and the awkward relationship between Neal and Peter in addition to liking it for the sneezes and such, I would tell them that they should check out the show based on that, because I think they would really like it.

(Oh, and also? Yay, an update! And back to stifling! I think that's so perfectly in character for Neal, and you write the sounds of them so well!)

[LeapYearKisses]

My sister and I approve of this fic SO MUCH. XD Keep doing the awesome job you are!

[ID2006]

Your spellings are perfection, and I can so see Neal complaining about the anklet being uncomfortable with a huge grin on his face. You also have Mozz down to a T.

[everest]

Thank you everyone for all your comments, they were fantastic to read. To everyone who hasn't seen the show, I'm so glad that you're reading my fic even if you don't know the fandom

And here it is, the final part in the story. It’s a bit sappy, probably somewhat tacky in parts, but hopefully it isn't too bad.

Anyways, I hope that you got what you wanted, ickydog2006!

Part seven:

The rest of that afternoon past uneventfully, to an extent. They waited to hear anything more about the forgery, Neal coughed and sneezed, and Peter worried silently.

Nothing really happened, until around six, when Elizabeth dropped by.

“Neal!” She had exclaimed, looking concerned.

“I’b fide.” Neal said, taken aback at her enthusiasm.

“Did that work on Peter?” She asked.

Peter chuckled from the chair. “Nope.”

“And so what makes you think it will work on me?” She questioned.

Neal looked uncomfortable, clearing his throat. “You really don’t need to fuss over me.”

Elizabeth ignored him, pulling out a thermometer from the bag she had brought. “Peter told me you didn’t have one.”

Neal glanced at it uneasily, mumbling something the other too couldn’t hear.

Elizabeth handed Neal the thermometer. He took it, but made no move to use it.

“Well?” Elizabeth prompted.

“Yeah, I dod’t really wadt to doe what it is.”

A hand was pressed to his forehead, and though he flinched away, it was too late.

“Neal, whatever it is, it’s high. I’d really like to know.”

Seeing her pained expression, Neal begrudgingly placed the stick in his mouth, waiting. After only a few seconds, however, he pulled it out, turning away from Elizabeth and sneezing into his shoulder.

“H’GZSHuh! Ah’GXT’uh! hu’KNGZ’shuh!”

Turning back, he saw the bewildered look on Peter and Elizabeth’s faces.

“I swear he did that on purpose.” Peter murmered. Elizabeth just shook her head.

“Relax, I cad’t sdeeze on cobahd.” Neal told them. “I just have idcerdible tibihg.” He grinned.

“I’ll say.” Said Elizabeth. “But even so, I’m going to make you try to take your temperature again.”

“Really? I bead, I dod’t exactly see how this is necessary-“

“Just do it, Neal.” Peter instructed.

Sighing, the conman placed the stick in his mouth once more. They sat in silence, until the high pitched beep startled them out of there trance.

Neal pulled it out, staring at the number.

“What is it?” Elizabeth asked him. “Neal?” She took the thermometer from his hands, pulling in a surprised breath of air. “103? Do you realize how bad that is?”

“Dot a big deal.”

“Neal, we don’t want your brain to melt, or something.” Peter spoke up.

“Okay, um…” Elizabeth thought for a moment. “Go take a cold shower.”

Neal gave her a pained expression.

“Or we could take you to the hospital…”

Neal stood up quickly, muttering something about an overreaction before slightly stumbling. Peter caught him, leading him to the bathroom and shutting the door.

“Try not to drown.” He instructed, causing Elizabeth to give him a worried look. “He won’t drown” He assured her. Elle was an incredibly kind woman, Peter mused, and when it came to stuff like this she tended to be a bit over the top.

“He looks horrible.” She murmured.

“I know.” Peter told her. “But he’ll be fine.”

~~~

“Hi’KZSHT’uh! Ah’KNGXT’uh!” Neal sneezed wearily, shivering. “Hi’GXTuh! NXZHuh!”

“Bless you.” Elizabeth and Peter told him.

“Tha… H’NGTshuh! Ugh. Thags.” Neal sniffled, shivering violently. Ever since he’d gotten out of the shower, he hadn’t been able to stop shivering. His nose was freezing, a plaguing itch rooted deap in his sinuses and not retreating no matter how much he sneezed.

“Maybe if you stopped trying to hold them back…” Elizabeth suggested.

Neal gave another one of his pained looks before his facial expression dissolved as he sneezed again.

“Good luck.” Peter spoke to Elizabeth. “I’ve been trying to get him to stop that all day.”

“Hi’KGXT’uh! ugh. Stupid shower…” Neal groaned, and then sneezed yet again.

“Is this even normal?” Peter wondered out loud. Elizabeth shrugged.

“At least the fever’s gone down.”

~~~

Around eight, Neal passed out on the couch. Peter woke him up, ushering him into his bed before collapsing into a chair next to his wife with a sigh.

“When I see him like this, I have trouble believing he’s a world famous art thief. Hell, I have trouble believing he’s a grown man.”

“He does look kind of cute like this.” Elizabeth added. Peter shot her a look. “What?” She asked him.

“Nothing.” Peter shifted suddenly.“Elle, do you think we’ll ever be parents?”

“I don’t know.” She said. “But I know you’d make a great father.”

Peter smiled. “I can see it. Us, being parents. It wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Damn right it wouldn’t be so bad. If you can keep criminals in line, how hard could it be with kids?” She smiled.

“I don’t know.” Peter muttered. “But maybe someday I’ll get a chance to find out.”

~~~

-One week later-

“I told you it was the employee who called it in.” Neal grinned, twirling his hat in his fingers before placing it on his head.

“Yeah, you did.” Peter said, already annoyed with how much Neal was enjoying this. “So congrats, you don’t have to go back to jail.”

Neal went silent. At first, Peter thought he had offended him, but then the younger man snapped forward.

“Hi’KNGT! Hi’NXT!” He sneezed into his fist.

“You still aren’t over that?”

Neal glared at him. “I’m fine.”

“You sure? Because I seem to remember you a couple days ago, nearly passing out every time you tried to stand.” Peter told him. Yeah, he thought with a smile, try being smug after that.

“And yet I still solved the case for you.” Neal responded, unfazed.

“Yeah.” Peter said, frowning. “You did.”

Neal stopped walking again, and Peter wondered vaguely if he was going to sneeze. But instead, Neal looked him in the eye.

“Thank you.” He said suddenly. “For everything.”

Peter was stunned at the genuine honesty Neal was emitting. He was about to reply, when the younger man simply turned around, walking on as if nothing had happened.

Peter caught up with him, murmuring a quiet, “Any time.”

They both walked on after that, discussing possibilities for their current case. The world would go on, and so would they, focusing their abilities on the task at hand.

An unspoken trust, however unlikely it may be, was established between them, and because of it, they were able to work together the way they did. Sometime partners, sometimes friends, and sometimes both, because every now and then the world just called for it.

-End-

I might write more for White Collar in the future... this was fun. I've already done a few drabbles for this fandom, and they've amused me probably more then they should have.

Happy Christmas in August, ickydog2006! I hope you got as much enoyment out of this fic as I did.

[ID2006]

This was the most awesomest, beautifully written, piece of perfection I have ever been given in August. Thank you so much. You did an amazing job.

Oh, and I definitely agree, you should write more White Collar fics

[LeapYearKisses]

Awww, that was lovely! Yes, please write more for White Collar!

[ooo]

Ooh, so I just got to read this all in one go, what a treat! Obviously I don't have the best grasp of who all the characters are but I loved all the looking after (especially the sweatpants!) and how deliciously deliciously sick Neal was. This bit was especially hot:

Neal rolled his eyes, complying. It apparently triggered an itch in his nostrils though, because he immediately sneezed harshly into the tissue he was holding.

“Hi’GZSH’uh! Ng’KGXT’shuh! Hu’NGSH’oo!” Shaking his head lightly, Neal snatched a few more tissues from the box in front of him, finishing the job.

Thanks for the awesome fic!

[Guest Nindylou]

That was just awesome! You captured the characters perfectly!

[GroundIntoDust]

I know I'm a few years late, but I just had to say that I love this story! You write the characters so well, and I love that there's so much talk about Neal's stifling. I can really picture Neal trying to stifle all the time. Awesome story!

[stephab13]

I want to join in the (belated) doting! Because this is incredible! It's really nice to see some White Collar here... and I'm amused by how much you stress over characterisation because, honestly, it's pretty much perfect. And Neal is just adorable... If you ever feel like writing more, I'll be one of many reading!!!

[Not_Telling]

I just read this, and though I know absolutely NOTHING about White Collar, this was a nice piece of work. Good job!

[MoonDuck]

Yeah, I'm late on commenting on this, but wow. This is amazing. I love White Collar and this fanfiction is just awesome. Great job!