"I screwed up." He confided in his wife, head in his hands.
"Oh honey," El placed a kiss on her husbands furrowed brow.
"I mean, it's been so long since he's even attempted anything!" Peter sighed. "When he was late, I called his cell. No answer. I decided traffic might be keeping him, and we waited. You know I wasn't even the one who suggested they check the damn anklet? The thought didn't even cross my mind!" Peter sounded amazed.
El smiled warmly. "You're starting to trust him, Peter. That's a good thing."
"But I screwed up so badly tonight!" he huffed, frustrated at himself.
"Neal will understand why, Peter." El soothed. "What kept him, do you know?" she inquired.
Peter couldn't look his wife in the eyes when he said "He was mugged…"
Elizabeths' eyes widened, and she sat up rim rod straight. "How is he? Was he hurt? Did he report this to the police?"
"From what I could see he had a shiner and a deep cut above his brow—he was walking a little funny too—I should've noticed, damnit!" he slammed his fist against the table.
"Honey, we have to go—" El began, only to be interrupted.
"I can't. He hates me right now El. You should've seen the look of betrayal on his face. You go; one of us should. I'm worried about him, and I know you are too."
"But honey—"
"It's alright; I'll be fine. You go." He assured her, kissing her cheek.
He barely heard the knocks on his door. His eyes drifted over the pretty painting that was New York at nighttime. From the balcony, he watched the people below, the cars, the yellow taxis, and the blinking lights of an insomniac city.
He didn't notice when the knocking ceased. He didn't notice the soft clicking of heels on his marble floor. And yet, he was not surprised when he felt the warmth of another body pressed against his back, or arms wrapping themselves oh so gently over his shoulders, and resting against his chest. He could smell her sweet, peppermint scent, and instantly relaxed. "Hey El." He greeted.
"Neal." She acknowledged, not letting go.
After several moments, El lead Neal inside, where it wasn't quite so chilly, and was able to sit him down on his bed. Without speaking, she brushed the hair from his forehead and inspected the gash on his forehead with a tender hand. She leaned in carefully and her lips met the bruised skin around his eye. She kissed him there and then proceeded to unbutton his white collared shirt.
El stifled a gasp upon seeing the angry black and purple bruises, marred with ugly yellow across his chest, back, and stomach. Silently, she imitated her first act, kissing the bruises—on nearly every inch of his skin.
Neal sat there, still and a little wary, but somehow relaxed. He let her strip him of his briefs and kiss the bruises on his thighs and on his calves. "I love you Neal. I'm so sorry this happened to you, honey." She finally spoke, her words very sincere.
Laying there, naked, and bruised, and very vulnerable, Neal let out a small sob. He put a hand over his face, ashamed of the tears freely flowing from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.
El quickly but gently pried his hand away and replaced it with her shoulder, embracing her lover.
He grabbed hold of her and cried—a catharsis at last.
"I'm here for you baby; let it out." She consoled, kissing the top of his head.
She, Peter, and Neal had started dating four months ago.
Elizabeth had confessed, near tears, to having feelings for another man—Neal—to Peter one night, and instead of what she'd been expecting, his reaction had been to sigh in utter relief. He'd laughed out loud and confided, "Me too, El."
Two days later, they'd both invited the former con-artist over for dinner—Elizabeth had made all of his favorites, Peter had picked up a bottle of the finest wine he could find, and they'd sat there, carrying on in small talk for some time before Peter finally turned to Neal and uttered: "Neal, El and I have romantic feelings towards you."
El smiled softly, thinking back on Neals' shocked expression.
"Did you go to a doctor, baby?" she asked, once he'd stopped crying, and sat there, leaning against her chest, breathing a little hard.
"ER." He replied, his hands playing with the thick locks of her hair. "I'll live." Neal smiled into the warmth of her skin and kissed the nape of her neck chastely.
"He's sorry you know." She hummed. "You understand why he thought that, right?"
Neal sighed profoundly. "He still doesn't trust me. But I can't blame him—I haven't exactly given him much reason to think that he should."
"There's a long history between you two, Neal. He needs time to adjust to this new thing we've got going." She explained, rubbing his shoulder up and down.
"I know." He put his arms around her waist and pulled both of them down onto the bed, so that they were lying flat against the mattress. "Still hurts…" he muttered. "Is he mad at me?"
El, startled, shook her head quickly. "No baby, no, not at all. Why would he be mad at you?"
Neal shrugged. "He didn't come with you…" he admitted.
"Oh no, no, no, Neal." She curled up against his side and ran her hands over his chest. "He thinks you're mad at him—he thinks you don't wanna' see him right now, hon."
Neal sighed again. "I am mad at him—and at myself, for giving him reason not to trust me—but I mean, I get it." Neal rolled over in bed so that he was half on top of El. "Mmm, I'm tired…and achey," he nuzzled her neck, yawned, and said "Love me back to health."
El giggled like a little girl, and pulled him in closer, kissed his lips, and ran her hands across his back. "I love you Neal." She whispered.
"I love you."
El pulled him up against her and let him rest his head on her bosom. "Go to sleep." As her lover drifted into the land of slumber, she wondered how Peter and Neal would duke it out tomorrow.
She hoped they resolved the situation soon; sleeping next to a naked Neal was making her fidgety. Makeup sex with her two boys was always the best. Hell—she'd be happy just to sit in the room and watch them go at it.
El chuckled to herself and fell asleep, her lullaby the steady rise and fall of her lovers' chest. God, she was glad he was ok.
A.N. COMING UP NEXT: NEAL AND PETERS SEXY TIMES…And maybe some cool action-y stuff involving the Erickson brothers, guys.