The In-Between Years by Phreakycat (Teen)

[ktbean.livejournal.com]

Fandom: WHITE COLLAR
Pairing: none
Length: 3 300
Author on LJ: phreakycat
Warnings: Mentions of child abuse/sexual abuse, alcoholism


Why this must be read:

Back stories for the characters of my favourite tv shows are my secret pleasure. Well former secret pleasure now that is.

phreakycat has written a fantastic, if slightly dark, look into Neal's past for their first foray in the White Collar fandom. I think this bodes well for future stories from this author. Full of angst, moments of darkness, and finally a happy ending this story is a excellent look at Neal's past and how it effects his future.

The title of this fic is from Depeche Mode's Clean. Run it in the background whilst reading this story and it adds yet another layer to this already amazing story.

Excerpt:
"When he’s seven, a boy named Hunter invites Neal over for the night. Hunter has a cool name, and a slingshot, and a Batman lunchbox. He lives in a green house with flowers out front, and inside he has two parents who are still married and who smile real smiles with white, even teeth. Their kitchen smells like baking bread and there are pictures on the walls.

Everything is clean and warm and full of love, and Neal can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else, even if their white carpets make him feel dirty, like he’s in danger of leaving stains wherever he steps.

When he gets home, Neal pulls dusty bottles of Windex and bleach out from under their leaking sink and sets to cleaning the kitchen. He imagines how it will look when he’s done, gleaming and white and full of afternoon sun. A place where people will smile and bake bread and hang pictures. But no matter how hard he scrubs, the yellow spots on the floor won’t come up and the formica is peeling away from the edges of the counters like sneering mouths full of musty teeth."

                                                                The In-Between Years by Phreakycat