Title: Contraband
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: Gen
Length: 504
Content notes: Mentions of character being shot, h/c, Neal/Peter/El
Summary: It's Neal's turn to pick the movie.



"So, movie night; who's turn is it?" El asked, pouring popcorn kernels into a bowl.

"Mine!" Neal declared weakly. He did sound more excited than she had heard all day, though, so El chalked it up as an improvement and tried to ignore the way that he breathed a little heavily at the effort.

She had been ready to postpone their weekly movie night when Neal had gotten shot in the side three days earlier, but after a sleeping for almost two strait days he had woken up this morning feeling much better and excitedly talking about coming home from the hospital. El was fairly certain he was going to fall asleep before the end of whatever he chose - the hospital had him on some pretty heavy drugs - but she wasn't going to argue.

"I'm pretty sure that it's my turn-" Peter began, but El could tell from his mischievous tone that he was just teasing Neal.

"Is not!" Neal pouted.

The microwave dinged, and in the rustle of pulling out the bowl of popcorn and drizzling it with butter and sugar, El missed Peter's response. When she emerged from the kitchen, she found Neal propped up on the couch as before and Peter on his knees in front of the DVD player.

"So, what are we watching?" she asked, placing the bowl on the coffee table.

"Gone in 30 Seconds," Neal replied promptly.

"No," Peter replied just as promptly.

Neal pouted again, but El was a hint of a twinkle in his eye. "You do have one veto, Hon" El reminded Peter. Not that he needed reminding, as he usually vetoed Neal's choices.

"And I'm using it," Peter said. "I'm not watching a movie about car thieves tonight. Sorry Neal; pick again."

"Contraband." Neal decided.

"I don't think I've heard of that one," El replied. Of course, the title gave her a clue to the content, and Neal usually picked movies about criminals, but this one wasn't ringing a bell.

"No!" Peter replied sharply.

"You already used your veto," Neal reminded him smugly.

"I just said no movies about criminals!" Peter complained.

El smiled, knowing what was coming. Even drugged to the gills Neal was still Neal. "Actually, you said 'I'm not watching a movie about car thieves tonight,'" Neal pointed out. "You said nothing about non-car thieves or criminals in general. And you already used your veto."

Peter sighed in defeat and El took the opportunity to claim her place on the couch with Neal's feet in her lap. He winked at her when Peter wasn't looking, and she returned it. Peter would make Neal pay for this later by forcing a buddy cop movie on them, but if this made Neal feel better tonight, then who was she to give him away?

As the opening titles began to roll, Neal leaned forward slightly, hiding a wince, and whispered conspiratorially, "I love a good smuggling."

"Smuggling movie!" Peter corrected, settling into the armchair.

Neal smiled innocently. "That's what I said!"