Happily Ever After AU - for conning

[abrightboy]

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[abrightboy]

Malcolm tilts his head, his gaze assessing.

“It’s more than that. You’re irritated. Offended.”

He knows Neal’s stress reactions better than most people’s.

[conning]

Neal squeezes his eyes shut, talking himself down from snapping at Malcolm to let it go. “What if he’s innocent? What if all the lying, all the suspicion and tricks, what if he’s been running so long he doesn’t understand how to do anything else any more? I could… I could help him.”

[abrightboy]

“He’d like you to believe that,” Malcolm tells him. “That plays right into his hands.”

[conning]

“Can I believe it tonight?” There’s something small and lost in the question.

[abrightboy]

“You can believe it any time you want, but I think you know better. Eventually, you have to accept what he is,” Malcolm points out.

[conning]

“Which is what?” It’s more accusatory than he means to be. “A con man?”

[abrightboy]

Malcolm blinks at him.

“A murderer,” he reminds him.

[conning]

That pulls him back to earth the rest of the way. He squeezes his eyes shut again. “Right… If he did it.”

That last part is feeble even in his own ears. He goes over to Malcolm and wraps himself around the smaller man. “Tell me what to do.”

[abrightboy]

“…Just… be careful. Don’t get too caught up in his illusions, okay?” Malcolm advises.

[conning]

Neal nods again, then steps back, dragging in a deep breath. "So... how are we going to steal that locket?"

[abrightboy]

“Can Peter get it without compromising himself?” Malcolm asks. If so, it’s the simplest way.

[conning]

Neal bites his lip. "Maybe. But, Malcolm... I can't... I don't want to ask him to steal. That isn't what he does."

[abrightboy]

“Then you’re going to have to go in to work and find an opportunity to do it yourself,” Malcolm tells him plainly. Their options are limited.

[conning]

He nods, throat feeling squeezed.

"I'm so tired of stealing from the people who are supposed to be good guys," he mumbles into Malcolm's hair. It's alarming to realize that's true.

[abrightboy]

“Collette’s not a good guy,” Malcolm points out. “She tanked my career. On purpose. And she won’t find Ellen’s killer. I will.”

[conning]

"I definitely didn't mean her. Her, I'm happy to disgrace." He has no qualms about saying it either. "I trust you, not her. I just... I don't want to do it any more. I don't want to be the bad guy any more to the people who think there are only two sides."

He exhales softly. "I don't know what I'm even saying."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm watches him, nods.

“I do,” he says. He considers it a moment then says “I’ll do it.”

[conning]

Neal jerks back a little in surprise. "What? No, I can't let you do that. Collette would destroy you. At least I can use emotionality as an excuse."

[abrightboy]

“She’d have to catch me first,” Malcolm points out. “I can do it; I’m on the third side and I’m intimately familiar with FBI procedure and security.”

[conning]

He nods reluctantly. “I can help plan it. Provide a distraction.”

Neal kisses Malcolm lightly. “I feel like you’ve done nothing but help take care of me since you found me.”

[abrightboy]

“Neal. You want to choose who you get to be. You don’t want this to be part of it. So keep your hands and nose clean; I can do this on my own. I’m no master cat burglar, but this also isn’t the Louvre,” Malcolm points out.

[conning]

He doesn't like this. It's all over his face that he doesn't like this. He doesn't want to do it, no, but Malcolm telling him he doesn't have to also doesn't ease the guilt of letting someone else step into harm's way for him. "Just... don't do it when that woman is there. She might shoot you just out of spite."

It's a joke. It's also not.

Their phones ring. Both phones, at almost the same time. Neal answers his—it’s Peter. Malcolm’s display shows Ainsley calling.

“Peter?”

“Kramer and Collette are working together.” No preamble, just urgency. “He’s got her convinced it had to be you. That you visiting Ellen before the commutation was part of some plan to drive her into the open. He’s coming back to New York.”

Neal’s stomach feels like a little black hole has opened up somewhere in its pit. “You’re kidding. Please say you’re kidding.”

“I’m not. I wish I was.”

[abrightboy]

Malcolm is only half listening to Ainsley on the other end of his phone when he hears Neal say 'Please say you're kidding'. He covers the phone with his hand and looks at him. "About what? What's going on?" he asks.

[conning]

Neal looks at him, anxiety in every line of his face and body.

"It's complicated," he says softly, before addressing Peter again. "When is he getting in?"

"Don't know. Diana's the one who told me about it, and she had it from someone else. Kramer's shutting me out. He knows whose side I'm on."

"Fuck," Neal murmurs, and the word is so unlike him that Peter pauses a moment before saying anything else.

"I'm with you on this, Neal. Me, Diana, Elizabeth, even Jones, though I won't be sharing everything with him. I won't be sharing anything that could get them in trouble if they're asked about it."

"I understand." Neal closes his eyes, tongue dabbing nervously against his lower lip. "Thanks for the warning, Peter. Do you think they'll try to bring me in to answer questions?"

"Absolutely. Probably soon."

[abrightboy]

Halfway through Neal's call, Malcolm snaps into his call "I said wait a second, Ainsley!" before trying to guess Peter's side of the conversation from Neal's.

"What? What is it?" he asks as soon as Neal stops talking.