A\N: I am totally free styling this one here, I haven't handwritten this, I've not typed it up and edited it before copying and pasting. I hope you enjoy this Angels.
Another Neal/Diana friendship. In this one, Neal is a closeted gay man but no one except Mozzie, Alex and Kate know. Neal and Kate never dated in this. They were only best friends, brother and sister in this story. He decides it's time to start telling the new people in his life, starting with Diana.
Neal has a lot of secrets, most of them are known, but only three people know this particular secret and if he had his way only three people would ever know but he promised his secret that he would tell the new people in his life.
Neal watches from the catwalk as Diana smiles while talking on her phone, probably to Christie. He knows what it's like to smile a smile like that. He smiles that smile everyday in secret.
His secret is a beautiful man by the name of Ryan, Ry to Neal and friends. He's smart, funny, rich, handsome, immune to some of Neal's tricks, respects Neal's past, doesn't hold it against him and loves him for who he is, but Ryan is stubborn and knows what he wants, and won't stop until he gets it, even if it means annoying Neal in the process.
Neal groans silently as he remembers last night's conversation with Ryan that's leading up to his conversation with a member of his team.
"I think you should tell people about us, babe." Ryan says as he strokes Neal's hair. Neal sighs into Ryan's neck. "People already know about us, Ry. Why do we need to tell other people?" Neal asks with a huff. Ryan kisses his hair. "Only Mozzie, Alex and Kate know about us, Neal." Ryan responds. Neal lifts his head from his boyfriend's neck and shoots him a glare as he remembers witnessing Kate's jet explode.
"And look at what happened to Kate." The convict snaps, his blue eyes wondering to his nightstand where a picture of him and Kate rests. Ryan rests his hand on Neals bare back.
"Babe, look at me." Ryan orders softly. Neal looks at Ryan, blue and green eyes locking together. "What happened to Kate was awful, but it won't happen again, I know you have enemies, we all do but no one is going to come after me if you tell the new people in your life." Neal closes his eyes. "What about Diana?" At the mention of his female co-worker and friend, his eyes open and he stares at Ryan.
"What about Diana?" Neal asks. Ryan rolls his green eyes. "Didn't you say that Diana has a girlfriend?" Neal nods, Ryan smiles a little bit. "Does your team have a problem with Diana having a girlfriend?" Neal shakes his head. Ryan's smile widens. "Then they won't have a problem with you having a boyfriend, then will they?"
Neal groans as he flops back down on the bed. "I guess not." He concedes. Neal props himself up on one elbow, resting his head on his fist as he stares lovingly at Ryan. "I guess I'll start with Diana and go from there." Ryan laughs once before kissing him deeply, flipping them over so that he's on top of Neal, staring into his blue eyes.
Neal walks down the catwalk steps and catches Diana's eye as he walks over to her desk.
"Hey, can we meet after work?" He asks her, the agent gives him a weird look before nodding at him.
Neal arrives at the coffee shop and orders two coffees then sits down at a table by the window and waits for Diana. He has no idea how to tell his friend that he has a boyfriend, much less tell her that his boyfriend wants to meet her afterwards. I'm beginning to regret letting Ry talk me into this. The former conman thinks to himself as he sips his coffee.
"Caffery." A voice says from in front of him. He looks up and sees Diana smiling at him. He returns the smile and gets up and hugs her quickly before letting her sit down opposite him.
"I got you your usual hope that's okay?" He gestures to the coffee cup in front of her. Diana nods.
"Yeah, that's fine, thanks." They're both quiet for a few minutes.
"So why did you want to meet me?" Diana asks, breaking the silence before taking a sip of her coffee. Damn it, Ryan. Neal thinks before taking a deep breath and looking at his friend.
"You all know most of my secrets, my tricks, my smiles, most of my cons I've pulled, but there is one secret of mine that none of you know about, one that not even Peter could discover. Not Peter, not Elizabeth, not June, not you, not Jones, not even Sara knows, though I think she's figured it out by now but if she has, she hasn't said anything, know about. I've only ever told three people this and one of the three people ended up dead because someone who wasn't one of those three people found out." Neal begins. Diana looks at him, her head cocked to the side.
"Kate." Is all she says, Neal nods.
"Kate and I never dated, we were best friends, brother and sister, hell she was the first one to know about this secret and she never told anyone. She let me tell the other two people myself but always offered to tell them, if I couldn't." Diana smirks.
"Mozzie and Alex." Diana guesses. Again Neal nods, it didn't take a genius to figure out who the three people he was talking about were the three people he was most protective of. "Yeah, Kate, Alex and Mozzie are the only ones who know this secret but my secret told me that it was time to tell the new people in my life, so I decided to tell you first then work my way up to everyone else." Neal finishes his explanation and looks down at his hands, waiting for her to say something.
"Neal, what is your secret?" She asks, Neal looks up from his hands and takes a breath.
How do I tell her? He worries.
"I have a boyfriend." He blurts out, releasing the breath he didn't know needed to be released. Diana squeals a little before she's hugging him.
"I'm proud of you, Caffery." She tells him in his ear, Neal grins as she pulls away from him.
"Good, because he wants to meet you." Neal says as he spots Ryan walking into the cafe, smiling.
Arms wrap around him, a kiss is planted onto his cheek. "Hi, baby." Ry says as he holds out a hand for Diana to shake.
Diana shakes Ryan's proffered hand.
"Ryan Sumners." Ryan says, Neal leans back against his boyfriend.
"Diana Berrigan." The female agent says as she watches her young friend laugh with his boyfriend.
She's glad that Caffery has found someone to love and who loves him back in return.
Neal looks at Diana for reassurance, and she gives him a nod and a smile before he looks around at Peter, Elizabeth, June, Jones and Sara who are in the Burke's living room (Sara on a laptop over Zoom) and takes a deep breath.
"I have something to tell you all, apart from Diana who already knows, but I have a secret that none of you know, a secret that only Mozzie, Alex, Kate and Diana know about and my secret told me that it was time to tell the new people in my life about it so I'm doing it." He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. A hand is on his back and his eyes open, staring into the eyes of Diana.
"Hey, do you want me to tell them?" She asks quietly, he smiles. So much like Kate, she doesn't even know how much alike they are. He thinks to himself before he shakes his head. "No, thanks, I need to do this myself." Diana gives him a nod and squeezes his shoulder.
"To be blunt, I'm gay, I have a boyfriend." He almost collapses when he says it but stays upright, taking in the expressions of the people in his life. All of a sudden a squeal is heard from Sara who is jumping up and down.
Peter stands up and looks at the young man. "I think I speak for everyone when I say, we're all incredibly proud of you." He smiles at his friend.
"When are we meeting him?" June asks from where she's sitting. Jones smirks. "What's his name, Neal?" His friend asks. Neal looks at his friends.
"His name is Ryan Sumners, and how about today?" The former conman pulls out of his phone and presses his first speed dial, putting it on speak phone
Phone call:
Ry: I was wondering how long it'd take you to call me. You tell them yet?
Neal: I did.
Ry: I'm proud of you, baby.
Neal: I know you are.
Ry: Where are you?
Neal: At Peter and Elizabeth's house with the rest of them. Say, how do you feel about meeting them all today?
Ry: Sounds perfect.
Neal: How far away are you?
Ry: Ten/twenty minutes away.
Neal: Okay, see you soon, handsome.
Ry: See you soon, gorgeous.
Neal: I love you, Ry.
Ry: I love you too, babe.
Phone call
Neal hangs up with a smile and pockets his phone. He looks at his friends. "After what happened with Kate, I didn't want to tell any of you about Ry, but being the stubborn asshole he is, convinced me to tell you all, so make sure you thank him because if I had my way, only Mozzie, Alex and Kate would be the only ones knowing about him." Diana ruffles his hair. "That man could make you do anything but we're all glad we know, you don't have to worry about anything happening to him, I promise." His friend tells him before a knock at the door makes him run to it like Satchmo about to be fed.
Neal pulls Ryan in for a deep and long kiss before hugging him tightly, breathing in his scent. He finally pulls away from his boyfriend and takes a hold of his hand. "Come on, you've got my family to meet." He says as he leads Ryan into the living room, Ryan hugs Diana.
"It's been ages since we've had lunch." Ryan tells Diana who winks at Neal who rolls his blue eyes. "You better not be telling her of our escapades with Moz, Alex and Kate, babe." Ryan laughs as he pulls away from Diana and wraps his arm around Neal's waist. "You'll never know." Neal laughs. "I'll just have to ask Diana." Neal jumps slightly as he sees Peter, Elizabeth, Jones, June and Sara watching the couple.
"Oh right, Ry, babe. These are Peter, his wife Elizabeth, Jones, June, and Sara is on the laptop. Guys, this is Ryan." Ryan smiles. "Hi, everyone. I've heard so much about all of you, especially about you two, Peter, Sara." Peter smiles and Sara laughs.
"Oh hey, Caffery, I need to go, I have a meeting in an hour. It was nice to finally meet you, Ryan. Caffery, I'm meeting your boyfriend in person the next time I'm in New York which is in three weeks, so prepare yourself." Neal walks up to the laptop and smiles.
"See you see you, Sara." Sara smiles.
"Keep safe, Caffery, text me if you need me."
"Will do, bye, Sara."
"Bye, Caffery."
Sara exits the zoom chat and the laptop goes blank.
Arms wrap around his waist and Neal leans into him. "I told you it'd be fine, Neal." Ryan tells him with a smug look on his face. Neal turns in Ryan's arms and leans his forehead on Ryan's. "You were right." Neal whispers as Ryan kisses him. The two of them kiss until Neal pulls back for air.
"Thank you for doing this, babe." Ryan tells Neal who rolls his eyes.
"Anything for you." The former conman replies.
"I love you, Neal Caffery." Ryan says, Neal's heart thumps in his chest as it always does when he hears those words.
"I love you too, Ryan Sumners." Neal replies, biting his bottom lip.
He's glad his love convinced him to tell the new people in his life his most kept secret.
A\N: I wrote this in 2023 and only remembered that I hadn't published it until today. Enjoy Angels.
