Work Text:
“Oh yeah, if you’re married, where’s the ring?” demanded the scam artist’s assistant, standing outside Peter’s townhouse. Peter and Neal looked at each other. It wasn’t her fault she was caught up in this, but she was still going to cause problems if she poked around too much.
Peter showed the woman his ring, and then nodded at Neal, “he gets better tips if he doesn’t wear it at work.”
She stalked forward, shaking her head, “I know what’s going on. There’s a woman in there. Your wife? And you’re cheating with him. She probably thinks you’re just friends. What if I was to go in there and tell her you were together?”
Peter met Neal’s eyes, Neal’s were crinkled in mirth, knowing Elizabeth would probably find this an amusing adventure. Peter raised an eyebrow–go with what I’m planning. Neal nodded very slightly.
Peter opened the package he had picked up from the post office, and pulled out the handsome chestnut leather dog collar that he had ordered from an artist for Satchmo.
“If you must know, we’re all together, but only two people can get married in the US, right now. There are communities that recognize more than that, though. So here we are. And thanks for spoiling the surprise of an updated collar, lady…”
He gently put the collar around Neal’s neck. Neal stared at him, blue eyes piercing.
Peter kissed Neal, gently, as he fastened the buckle carefully. Neal’s breath caught, as the leather settled on his neck. There was a deep, painful longing in his eyes. Peter knew they would have to talk about it later, but he had to focus on the mission for now.
Peter and Neal walked through the door. Elizabeth looked up from sketching a table layout. She blinked in surprise at the sight of Neal wearing Satchmo’s new collar. She didn’t know Neal blushed, but he was blushing now.
Elizabeth came over to them by the door while they took their shoes off. Neal wasn’t meeting her eyes.
“Peter,” she said evenly, “what just happened?”
Peter looked at Neal, who very much had not taken the collar off himself. Peter looked at Elizabeth, “we were passing as a married couple for a case. A lady caught us outside and questioned us, because she saw you in here. We improvised.”
“Yeah, you think maybe you need to move a certain conversation up now?”
Peter looked at her, then at Neal, seeming to finally take in the effect the ruse had had on his partner, “uh, hold on.”
Peter jogged upstairs.
Neal met Elizabeth’s eyes, with desire and relief and apprehension. Elizabeth kissed him gently, “he’s an idiot sometimes, but he would never yank you around like that. Even if he did put s dog collar on you."
Neal chuckled, nodded, and kissed her back, understanding what was happening now.
Peter returned, taking the steps at a near run. He slid a bit in his socks on the hardwood floors, then turned and faced Neal. He knelt, and opened a ring box. Elizabeth stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders.
“Neal George Caffrey. This was supposed to happen at a really nice restaurant on our trip to DC next month, but we can do a celebration or something instead.”
“Peter,” said Elizabeth.
“Neal George Caffrey,” started Peter again, “by any name, we would love you as much. Please marry us.”
Neal nodded. He bent, and pulled up on Peter’s hand. Peter stood, and put the ring on Neal’s finger. The style matched Peter’s wedding band, and there was a small diamond set in the center, fairly flush with the band.
Neal looked at it, and looked at Elizabeth for confirmation of something, “is that–”
She nodded, “I got my engagement ring out to look at the style, when we were thinking about what to get for you. We realized we could get the stone set in a new ring. We thought–I thought–that using the same stone might mean something to you, so…”
Neal kissed her, kissed Peter.