Perfect Beautiful Good, by OnYourMark (R)

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Fandom: WHITE COLLAR
Pairing: Elizabeth/Peter/(Neal, sort of)
Length: 1,580 words
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: OnYourMark's AO3 Page
Why this must be read:

Here's another story about the birthday cards Neal Caffrey sent Peter Burke, this time from the perspective of Peter's wife, Elizabeth. OnYourMark deftly depicts a potential OT3 pulsing with unacknowledged attraction, surreptitious flirtation, and a bit of friendly conspiracy.

The first day of the trial she goes with him. He didn't ask, but then Peter is not the kind of man who would, and he is the kind of man who would want her there.

She sees Neal in the flesh for the first time, all gorgeous paper-thin arrogance and failing charm. He's the exact opposite of her Peter: there's no substance underneath, and his hands (while undoubtedly capable) are fine-fingered, used to more delicate work. She finds herself thinking Neal Caffrey could never build the lattices Peter built into the patio, couldn't wrestle new pipes into place when the kitchen sink fell apart.

Peter, next to her, can't look at Neal. But when the hearing breaks for lunch they find a convenient broom closet down the hall from the courtroom and he hitches up her skirt and neither of them make any noise as they fuck and that's pretty perfect too.

She never comes closer than arm's length to Neal, and his hands are shackled, but that night when she's digging through her purse she finds a little origami goldfish folded out of a piece of torn legal pad. Written on one side is a single sentence:

Mrs. Burke, you are very beautiful.

She doesn't tell Peter about that, either. Peter would strangle Neal with his bare hands. But she feels the little secret bubble of pleasure that a married woman feels to find she has a young admirer.

Soon after, Neal Caffrey is sentenced to four years in prison. Something...goes out of Peter.

Peter notices the change in himself, but she can see the gears clicking in his head, has always been able to read him easily, and she knows he lies to himself about what caused it. First, he thinks it's exhaustion from the case and the trial; later, he thinks it's that he's getting older (well, they both are) and he starts working out a little more. Which is certainly nice, but El worries for him.

The day before his birthday a card arrives from Neal. It's a simple, cheap affair; he opens it before he realizes what it is, and when she hears the strangled noise from the living room she comes out to find him staring down at it with emotions on his face she can't, for once, decipher.

Peter, of course, assumes that the sex that night is so good because it's birthday sex. He never even seems to consider why, if it's his birthday, she's the one who comes three times.

Elizabeth goes out the next day and pays cash for a box of art supplies. She doesn't know what Neal likes, but he seems like he'd be willing to improvise.

"Perfect Beautiful Good" at AO3 and on LiveJournal.