elrhiarhodan | White Collar Ficlet - Just Looking the Other Way

Title: Just Looking the Other Way
Author:

elrhiarhodan
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: PG
Characters: Clinton Jones, Neal Caffrey, Peter Burke, Elizabeth Burke (P/E/N)
Spoilers/Episode References: 3.01 - On Guard
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: None
Word Count: ~650
Summary: A few observations from the stalwart Clinton Jones.

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I’ve always liked Neal Caffrey – from the very beginning, even when the rest of the office wouldn’t piss on him if he were on fire. FBI agents are funny that way – they really don’t like having a criminal in their midst day in and day out. On one hand, I didn’t trust Neal – not even with a twenty-five cent ball point pen. It’s not so much that Neal would steal your wallet (though he has done that) as he’d con you out of your best intentions. And yet, he’s had my back time after time - he’s risked his life (and one time his own escape plans) to keep me alive. He’d do that for anyone. The simple fact is that beneath the con artist’s glossy smile and swagger is a truly decent man. It’s a pity it’s buried so deep.

Petet Burke’s a completely different story. I’ve been working for Peter for the better part of decade, and I can’t imagine there’d be a time when I didn’t respect and admire the man, the thing with the music box aside (and that still bugs me).

The combination of Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey should be, on paper, like oil and water – things that don’t mix well. But in truth – it’s more like water on a grease fire. And not in the way you may think. Peter’s been pretty damn good at keeping Neal under control (not perfectly under control, that is), but good enough. Neal though – he seems to have done something to Peter. Yeah, he’s always played things for the greater good, and done the wink and a nod to the more ludicrous aspects of procedure, but he’s never gone off the reservation like he has since Neal came on board.

All of a sudden, he’s become the sneakiest bastard in the Bureau. Yeah – that’s right. He’s done more end runs around official procedure in the last two years than any other ten agents combined. It’s all Caffrey’s influence, I swear.

And that’s really not the worst of it.

They’re having an affair. I know that for certain. It’s not the quick, hot glances they exchange (shades of Strangers in the Night aside), or the not-so-casual touches. Peter never puts his hands on anyone like he does on Neal. (And had he ever put his hands on me the way he puts his hands on Neal, we’d be having a very interesting talk before I filed a harassment complaint).

Nope – it’s the hickeys on Neal’s neck. The ones that mysteriously appear so many times after the two of them come back from lunch. They aren’t particularly noticeable - not in the winter, when Neal’s collars are tighter and he’s inclined to leave his suit jacket on. But once the weather turns warm, those marks are visible if you know what to look for and where to look.

I’ve thought about it and thought about it. I certainly am not going to rat them out to the brass – but it bothered me for a long time. Peter’s a married man and I don’t like the idea that he’s stepping out on Mrs. Burke. I wasn’t going to tell her, either. It’s not my place, I don’t roll that way.

And then I realized, Mrs. Burke not only knows all about it, she actively participates in the debauchery (okay – I confess, I like to read the old school romance novels every once and a while, between dating supermodels). A few days ago, Peter’s wife came by and took Peter and Neal to lunch. When they came back, Peter was wearing one of Neal’s cufflinks and Neal had on a brown sock.

And Mrs. Burke wasn’t wearing the black hose she had on when she first came in.

Fin