Con Men

[teleen_fiction]

Title: Con Men
Author: Teleen (teleen_fiction)
Fandom: Torchwood/White Collar
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Neal Caffrey, past Jack/Ianto, hints of Neal/Peter/Elizabeth and Jack/Nine/Rose (platonic or not, it's up to you, :))
Rating: Teen for language and vague references to sex and piercing.
Disclaimer: I make no money from this.
Summary: Jack was in the bar for twenty minutes before he realized that the kid was trying to run a con on him.
Author's Note: Written for slave_prince03, who prompted me: "Jack(dom)/Neal(sub) - It takes a con artist to understand the motivations of another con artist so these two would go so well together (Jack in the NYC for whatever reason). Prompt: "So, what you're saying is that in ten years I'll be saving the world just like you?" & 'piercing' as staking a claim."  Took me a while, but I finally did it.  Happy Holidays! :)

Con Men

Jack was in the bar for twenty minutes before he realized that the kid was trying to run a con on him.  He would have laughed if it weren’t so fucking tragic.

The kid was beautiful, no question and the clothes were top-notch.  Jack couldn’t imagine what this kid could possibly want from him.  He nearly laughed again when he realized.

The con that the kid was trying to run wasn’t to get anything out of him, at least not anything he’d need a con for.

The kid was good with his hands, Jack had to give him that.  He was even better with his mouth when he wasn’t using it to try and weave a lie around their time together.

The kid was better than Jack realized.  He got the drop on him, managing to cuff him to the bed when Jack was leaning up to cuff him instead. 

His hands shaking as he held Jack’s own gun on him (must be be more tired than he thought if some scared kid could get the drop on him).  No, not a kid.  Neal.  Neal Caffrey.

Even caught up in Torchwood, Jack knew the name and found himself amazed that someone so young could have done so very much.

But then, Ianto was younger than Neal when he’d nearly ended the world and no, he wasn’t going to think of Ianto… He brought his focus back to the man with the gun.

Neal thought that Jack was in New York to do something bad to some people Neal cared about.  Jack disabused him of that notion quickly and carefully, and then made sure that the kid knew that he didn’t need to go any further with this if he didn’t want to, that Jack would help him figure out who was responsible for the threat without any other incentive.

Neal pointed out that they wouldn’t be able to do anything until tomorrow anyway, which Jack accepted even though he knew that Neal was only using his body to try and make Jack care for him, to increase the attachment.

Oldest con in the book, but Jack found that just for tonight, he didn’t care.

The next morning, as they were getting dressed, Neal said, very casually, “You used to be like me, didn’t you?”

Jack didn’t bother to deny it.

“What changed?”

“I met a… very special couple.”

Neal’s eyes got far away. “How’d you know they were special enough to change for?”

“If you’d been there, you would have changed too.”

"So, what you're saying is that in ten years I'll be saving the world just like you?"

Jack laughed. “Something like that.”

Neal moved in close. “You could teach me how.”

“What, put a ring in your nose and spank you whenever you get out of line?”

“Well, maybe not in my nose-“

The needle was quick and sharp.  They’d discussed where it would be for hours before figuring out that nearly everywhere would be vulnerable in one way or another.

So it went through Neal’s left nipple.

It wasn’t like Jack to stake a claim, not really, but his boy needed it and whatever his boy needed, well…

Plus, it would give Neal something to remember him by when Jack inevitably left. 

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“I know, sir.”

“You can take it out when I’m gone.”

“I know that too.”

“You won’t, will you?”

“No.”  Neal grinned.  “Well, not unless a very special couple comes along.”

Jack grinned back. “Given what you were willing to do for them, are you sure they haven’t already?”

Neal swallowed and shrugged. “It won’t last with them.”

“It won’t last with me.”

“True, but at least you know it won’t last.”

“Like that, is it?”

“Very like that, yes.”

“Make the best of it then.” He held up a hand to forestall whatever Neal was going to say. “Wouldn’t you rather have the memory than regret never doing it at all?”

“Used to think so.”

“Keep thinking it, boy.  Life’s shorter than you think it is and longer than you want sometimes.”

“Goodbye, Jack.”

“See you around, Neal.  You can come and find me if it doesn’t last.”

“See you soon, then,” Neal said, smiling.

Jack never saw him again. 

 

 

 

Comments

[hawk-soaring.livejournal.com]

I really loved this! Vulnerable!Neal who still has an edge is wonderful. :)

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Thank you, :).

[azure-chaos.livejournal.com]

Guh! This was great, well worth the wait. Of course Jack would have heard of Neal (probably studied all his plays himself lol). I developed a real weakness for OT3 too, so I loved the fact that it alludes to him having given Peter and El a go and it worked out :D

*hugs* Happy Christmas and thankies :D

Nate

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Love the icon, lol!

I'm so happy you liked it, :). Happy Christmas to you as well, :).