Rating: NC-17
Fandom: White Collar
Characters/Pairings: Peter/Elizabeth (Neal in Reference)
Spoilers: None
Warnings/Triggers: None
Word Count: ~1300
Summary: Eight Clauses That Define Their Relationship – She Wants What She Wants
NO MORE AUTHOR NOTES! It is done, complete finished...
Previous Parts:
I – We The People
II – In Order To Form A More Perfect Union
III – Establish Justice
IV – Insure Domestic Tranquility
V - Provide For The Common Defense
VI - Promote the General Welfare
VII – And Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Our Selves and Our Posterity
_______________________________
One would think that rules would be needed, boundaries proclaimed, limitations established. But in truth, nothing of the kind was required in the Burke-Caffrey relationship.
Of course there were problems – Neal was an emotional minefield and there were days that Peter seemed to be deliberately trying to step on unexploded ordnance. They were also dealing with OPR, Mentor and Peter’s professional paranoia. But perhaps the success of their unique situation came down to one thing, or more accurately, one person.
Elizabeth Burke.
She was, for all intents and purposes, the adult in the relationship – at least when it came to emotions. She bullied them, comforted them, gave them the space they needed but never, ever hesitated to take what she wanted, when she wanted it.
She knew that Peter was always slightly terrified of her. Oh, not in a pussy-whipped sort of way, but in the way that most strong men will cower in the face of true feminine magic. Neal was terrified of her too – for the same reason, and for others. Despite his own words and her assurances, he had trouble believing that she didn’t mind sharing her very good life with him, and maybe more importantly, sharing Peter. If he wasn’t so traumatized, his eagerness to please would have almost been too adorable.
She knew that every time that Neal and Peter made love, she would be rewarded. Not precisely guilt-gifts – but Neal’s way of telling her that he understood his place. If Neal and Peter spent an evening at his apartment, the next night, she was his absolute focus. He never assumed and never took anything for granted. It wasn’t that Neal was submissive, far from it – he was just anxious to ensure that he was never a threat to her relationship with Peter.
Of course, he was getting it all wrong, and something dark and hungry inside her reveled in Neal’s deference. After the fourth month; however, the saner, wiser part of her got its fill of careful, respectful, gentle Neal. She needed to deal with him again, but before that she talked with Peter on one of the few nights that Neal spent separate from them.
“Are you happy?”
Her husband looked up from his laptop, the monitoring program showing Neal’s steady position at June’s place. Her question put a worried expression on his face. “Yes – and are you?”
“I am, and yet, I’m not.”
Peter set the computer aside (but leaving it opened, to monitor Neal’s location), and pulled his wife onto his lap. “El, you’re confusing me. You aren’t happy? Am I making you unhappy – has Neal done something?”
Peter’s confusion was sweet, and the same dark place that enjoyed Neal’s careful consideration of her feelings took satisfaction in Peter’s touch of fear, but her better nature maintained firm control. “Honey, it’s more about what Neal hasn’t done, or isn’t willing to do.”
“I don’t understand.” Peter look of confusion deepened.
“Neal treats me like a goddess.”
“Is that a problem?”
“If he was merely a sexual convenience, no. I would certainly enjoy the worship. But if we are trying to be a real family – if what we have is meant to be permanent, then I want to be treated like an equal.”
“El, I don’t understand.”
“He’s so careful. Can’t you see – unless you say something stupid...”
Peter raised an eyebrow. “Stupid?”
“Yes, stupid, hurtful – like that time you asked Neal if he thought I was Kate.”
Peter had the grace to flush and look away. “I had a reason for doing that,” he muttered.
“Unless you do something to jerk his chain – intentionally or unintentionally – Neal behaves like he’s a house guest on sufferance and that I must never, ever feel slighted by what goes on between the two of you. I wonder if he keeps an accounting -- for every kiss he gets from you, I have to get two in return.”
Peter smiled, “Is that so bad?”
El frowned, he wasn’t getting her point. “It’s not that it’s good or bad – it’s unrealistic. We are all equally invested in the relationship. We are all equally entitled to be selfish.”
Peter said nothing, but she could see him consider the problem. “Let me ask you this. If we weren’t married...”
“El...” Peter started to interrupt.
“No, let me finish. If we weren’t married, and you were involved with Neal to the same extent you are now, what would want your relationship to be?”
“I don’t think I understand your question.”
She sighed and shook her head. Peter was so thick sometimes. “Would you get temporary residency in Massachusetts?”
Her husband blinked, looked confused and then the light dawned. Without hesitation, he replied “Absolutely.” And then he asked “Do you feel the same way?”
El grinned at her slightly foolish husband. “Silly, Neal and I wouldn’t need to move to the Massachusetts. We could get married right here in New York. If I wasn’t married to you.” She hugged him.
“So – we both want to be married to Neal and to each other – not exactly legal in any state in the country.”
El sniffed. “Stupid conventional morality. There’s nothing inherently wrong with polyamory.”
“Poly-what?”
“Polyamory. An open, consensual, intimate relationship among several people based on ethics, honesty and transparency.”
Peter looked at her and smirked. “You’ve been doing research again.” She swatted him.
“I like knowing what I’m getting into.” She blushed, just a little. “Or we could consider our relationship a plural marriage without an officiation.”
“Have I told you recently how smart and wonderful you are?” Peter kissed her, sweetly and deeply, stealing her breath and her soul. But she didn’t let herself be distracted.
“My point is that Neal’s treading too carefully. I’m sure a lot of it is still the trauma from Kate’s betrayal and murder, plus the uncertainly of where everything stands with Mentor and OPR.” She grimaced, knowing how much Peter worried – his constant fear that OPR would snatch Neal away, that Mentor was listening in on every call. “But the fact is, Neal doesn’t have to treat me like I’m fragile or I’ll collapse into a jealous fit if I don’t get an equal share.”
“You won’t?” Peter seemed bemused by this.
“No – and you know me better. I wouldn’t have agreed to this relationship if it was going to need to be as carefully legislated as the health care bill. We don’t need to lay out rules and regulations...we need to be who we are.”
“That’s asking a lot, honey. As much as we all want to be together, you know that there will be problems. Maybe having a set of rules would make this easier.”
She glared at him. “You don’t get it...rules like that will break us. Probably we two will end up being fine, but not Neal. Box him in with a set of guidelines and the first thing he’ll do is find loopholes, whether he needs them or not. You’ll be in a constant state of aggravation and I’ll spend more time being a peacemaker than a piece of ass.” She snickered at the bad taste of her own witticism. “That’s not to say I’m not adverse to ensuring that everyone gets what that want. And need.”
Peter held her close. “And what do YOU want, Elizabeth Burke?”
“I want the three of us to be as comfortable and as easy as the two of us are.”
“That’s a pretty tall order. Anything else while you’re at it?”
“Yeah, I want to watch the two of you make out. On a regular basis.”
"That's nice. I happen to like making out with Neal. Do you want to know what I want?"
"Sure." El had a feeling she knew what Peter was going to say.
"Discretion."
"Uh huh. And?"
"Blowjobs. Frequent blowjobs."
She smiled against her husband’s strong chest, feeling his heart beat just a little faster.
"Wonder what Neal wants? Besides making out and blowjobs.”
FIN
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