Triptych
A trio of White Collar drabbles
By Susan M. M.
Standard fanfic warning that wouldn't last ten seconds in a court of law. These aren't my characters. I'm just borrowing them for, um, er, typing practice. Yeah, that's it, typing practice. Based on characters and situations created by Jeff Eastin for USA Network. This story is premiering as 'netfic and has not been previously published in any fanzine or APA. Cross-posted at AO3.
Mutant El
Elizabeth Burke was a mutant. She didn't shoot laser beams from her eyes like Cyclops or control the weather like Storm, but she was a mutant. Neal Caffrey was sure of it.
Everyone loved Elizabeth. Everyone adored her, wanted to please her. Peter loved her uxoriously. Jones and Berrigan paid her more than just the respect and courtesy due the boss' wife. Mozzie, who trusted no one, all but fawned upon her.
And Neal? He admired her beauty. He was pleased – eager – to do her favors. He wasn't jealous of Peter; he didn't lust after her. But he loved her.
Watching the Weird Dream Channel
Neal fell asleep in a chair, watching The Court Jester. He woke up with a sore back and the memory of an odd dream.
Peter had been king and Elizabeth, queen. Diana and Jones were knights. He had been a reluctant squire, rescued from a dungeon, and forced to go through the sped-up knighthood training from the "yea, verily, yea" scene.
Neal smiled to himself as he stripped for a shower. He'd better not tell Mozzie about the dream. Moz wouldn't be happy to learn that in the dream, he'd been dressed in motley and bells as the king's fool.
Chess on Wednesday
Neal glanced at the clock, then at the patio. A neglected chessboard sat on the patio table. It looked like his chess partner wasn't coming this week. Neal shrugged and returned his attention to his painting. They both had busy schedules.
He was working on a copy of Renoir when he heard a slight thud outside. He set down his brush and went to the patio.
A red-skinned gargoyle with a beak like a pterodactyl sat at the table, his wings folded about him like a cape. He clutched a pawn in his talons. "Sorry I'm late."
"No problem, Brooklyn."
Author's Note: The third drabble is a crossover with Disney's Gargoyles.