Title: Two Ways of Looking at a Watch
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: R (for rude thoughts)
Length: ~630 words
Notes: Gen episode tag to 1.02, for wc_rewatch. A million thanks to mergatrude for insta-beta. <3 <3 <3
Summary: “Seriously, Peter, what did you do? You know, if you’re going to apologize, roses are always a good place to start.”


Ghovat was in a holding cell, Tara was safe, and no one had gotten hurt. Neal was calling it a win, even if Hughes had chewed him out for ten minutes straight for interfering in the operation. He sat in the passenger seat of Peter’s car and stretched out his legs, stiff and tired from being exposed to excess bureaucracy... or from the shock of having a gun pulled on him again. Neal hated guns.

He glanced at Peter, who had handled himself pretty well all things considered. He really wasn’t as much of a robotic government drone as Mozzie claimed. And then something caught Neal’s eye.

“Is Elizabeth mad with you?”

“What?” Peter sent him a startled frown. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re wearing your old watch.”

“Oh, that.” Peter glanced at his wrist with an odd, fond smile. “She took the other one back.”

Neal sat up straighter, concerned. “Seriously, Peter, what did you do? You know, if you’re going to apologize, roses are always a good place to start.”

“What do you know about apologizing,” said Peter. “Did you apologize to Thorsens Diamond Holdings when you cleaned out their jewelry exhibition in Vegas?”

“What makes you think that was me? Could have been anyone,” said Neal. “Well, anyone with talent and flair. But we’re talking about you. What happened with you and Elizabeth?” Peter seemed Zen-like about the situation, but in Neal’s experience, no one took back an expensive gift unless they were having money troubles, they were off-the-charts pissed or both. “Is it a financial issue?”

“Stand down, Caffrey,” said Peter. “Nothing’s wrong. El took the watch back, but she gave me something even better.”

A vivid image of Elizabeth on her knees, fully clothed and composed, giving head to a half-naked Peter as he gasped and squirmed beneath her sprang unbidden into Neal’s mind, suffusing him with illicit, tingly adrenaline. He hastily erased the picture, but it was too late, his expression must have given him away at least somewhat, because Peter rolled his eyes and elaborated:

“Understanding. Acceptance. And my old watch back.”

“So you didn’t get—?” blurted Neal, stopping himself before the final, incriminating laid. “Never mind. Forget I asked. Great work on the Ghovat case. We really hit that one out of the park, didn’t we?”

Peter flushed, but he just pulled up outside June’s, leaving the engine running, and reached across into the glove compartment for a CD-ROM. “The security tape from the prison.”

Neal tried to take it, but Peter held on tight.

“Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

“Scout’s honor,” said Neal, wresting the CD from Peter’s grip. At Peter’s exasperated huff, Neal dialed up the sincerity and added, “I promise.”

Peter shook his head, obviously resigned to whatever Neal would do next, promise or no. “See you tomorrow.”

Another day, another case. Neal was starting to look forward to the challenge of it all, even if Mozzie did count each arrest a betrayal. He got out of the car, then leaned back in. “Hey, by the way... what time is it?”

Peter reflexively glanced at his watch, as Neal had intended, and smiled that fond smile again at the sight of it. “Five twenty-eight.”

“Thanks.” Neal swung the passenger door shut, knocked on the roof of the car and escaped, pocketing the CD. As he climbed the stairs to his room, he thought about Peter’s smile and weighed the value of expensive presents versus love and acceptance. Elizabeth must love Peter an awful lot to put up with his careless dress sense and awkwardness. That kind of love—well, Peter was right. It was worth a damned sight more than a Rolex.


END