Multifandom One-Shots

A Flame With an FBI Badge (Part 2) | White Collar / The Paper Magician

Before Ceony can reply, there's a knock on the door. Neal gets up and opens it, revealing Mozzie. Ceony says, "You're just in time. You can settle our debate."

"What debate, British Suit?" Mozzie walks inside, setting his bag on the table, then helping himself to some popcorn.

"Which is better," Ceony asks, "Iron Man 2 or Iron Man 3?"

Mozzie answers immediately. "Iron Man 3."

Neal goes to protest. "But-"

"No 'but's," Mozzie replies. "Pepper was awesome in that movie, and Harley is amazing. Two did have the donut scene - and the whole thing with the bird - but Three was a big step up. The Avengers trumps all three of them, though."

Neal sighs. "Yeah, that's fair." He sits back down, across from Ceony, and takes a handful of popcorn.

After about an hour of talking, Ceony leaves. "Later, Moz. Bye, Neal."

"Later, British Suit."

"Bye, Red."

She turns around and sticks her tongue out at Neal due to the nickname, then leaves and closes the door behind her. Immediately, Mozzie turns to Neal. "So, have you told her you're in love with her yet?"

Neal rolls his eyes, though he blushes. "I'm not in love with her, Moz."

"That's what you think."

"I'm not." He gestures to Mozzie's bag. "Now, show me this thing you were talking about."

////

After her first successful case, Ceony had Aviosky call Alfred through her bathroom mirror and told him what happened. Then, she called Emery and Lira (using a regular phone).

Alfred ended up giving her a few simple jobs here and there after that, and continually asks for updates on her white collar cases.

She's spent a lot of free time wondering if Neal knew what saved him from getting shot. Or if he even saw it at all. He's never mentioned it, so she's pretty sure he didn't, though that's probably just wishful thinking. If it's going to come up in conversation, she's certainly not going to mention it.

She's thinking it about it now, in fact, as she folds - making sure she has enough pre-made spells. Fennel - the paper dog Emery folded her when she first began apprenticing under him (he's allergic to real dogs) - is sitting at her feet. Her landlord made it clear that no pets were allowed, but Fennel is fairly easy to hide, and he's quiet. When he does bark, it hardly sounds like a bark at all. It's too paper-y.

Her phone buzzes, and she sees it's a text from Lira. 'Alfred's talking about something big in London. Excisoners, supposedly.'

Ceony bites her lip, then replies, 'Do you think he'll want me there?'

'Not if you're in the middle of a case over there.' Then, 'He'll say keeping your cover is more important.'

'Well, it is.'

'I think I'd rather you over there, anyway. Less chance of you getting hurt.'