Jan/Feb Catch-All Log for Neal Shenanigans, and a Network Post

[conning]

Who: Neal Caffrey, OTA
Username: johnrobie
When: Jan/Feb
Where: ALL AROUND, and on the Network
Summary: Neal poses a question about housing to the off-world folks, offers help with money management, and invites them to a house warming party. And tangles with the TDM prompts from January and February (tba). ...Also, he proposes to Malcolm. And invites Rue and Hob on a double date.

Warnings: N/A at the moment other than Neal and Malcolm probably being gross.


NETWORK POST (post-reboot) - UN: johnrobie

Question for the assembled:

If you could have any kind of living space, ADI sponsored or not, what would it be? Asking for a couple of reasons. One being that I've been here for almost a year and a half and while communal living is nice and everything, a genuinely private space is--to me--preferable.

I've been thinking about the people who came here from other places and have ended up staying long-term. Where they live, why they live there, what the trade-offs are. And whether or not it could be worth it to invest in ourselves independently to create some housing that's, y'know, ours.

And to that end: House warming party on the 31st, bring a favorite dish or drink. Standing invite to anyone who can see this. If you're one of us, you're welcome to come. Alcohol is also welcome. (Non-alcoholic beverages will be available and people can bring whatever else they want.)

Oh, and: if people want to talk at any point about how I was able to buy a house, I'm happy help with financial advice. I only started out a thief in a past life.

[Insert address and time here.]

[PROMPTS BELOW]

Comments

[abrightboy]

Malcolm’s first thought when Neal emerges in costume reciting poetry is that he really has to go out tomorrow and get Neal an anniversary present. He’s trying to remember what day they get paid when Neal strides over and kneels. Malcolm blinks at him, his brain starting to catch up.

He stares at the rings, then he looks at Neal. In lieu of an answer, he blurts out “You want to marry me?”

Malcolm Bright: probably the only person in Gloucester surprised by this.

[conning]

Neal thinks in retrospect that he should have expected that response. Instead of a direct answer, he takes the slightly smaller ring out of the box, setting box and twin ring on the table. "I think the more relevant question at this particular moment is if it's mutual."

[abrightboy]

“Of course it is!” he blurts out quickly.

Oh no, is he going to rescind the offer? ‘Of course’ isn’t very romantic. He knows poems; why can’t he think of any poems right now? Does he take the ring and put it on? Does he give Neal his hand so he can put it on?

People don’t prepare for a day that was never going to come.

He goes to take the ring, then pauses, starting to offer his hand, then he pauses again.

“I don’t know how to do this,” he whispers apologetically, like he doesn’t want the audience of empty chairs to know he forgot his lines.

[conning]

Neal half-laughs, the sound soft and fond. "You're doing it perfectly."

He takes Malcolm's hand lightly to slide the ring onto it, then offers him the little box. "Would you do me the honors? I... wanted them to match."

Is it presumptuous to have bought his own engagement ring? Maybe it is. He's not sure. But clearly neither is Malcolm, so maybe that's okay.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm breathes relief so raggedly as the ring slips onto his finger that it's just short of being a sob of relief, but then he smiles - surprised, almost disbelieving, but purely happy - as he plucks the other ring from the box and slides it onto Neal's finger.

He does recognize the stones, now that he brain has unclouded. He looks up from Neal's newly adorned finger to his face. "Robin Hood," he says softly.

[conning]

"The obvious response is Sherlock," Neal says, looking at his own finger in slight wonder for a moment before looking back up at Malcolm's face. "But I think Dupin works better. You're more than worthy of the first modern detective hero."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm laughs. “Gil calls me Sherlock Freud,” he admits. He reaches out and touches Neal’s collar. Fine fabric, beautifully made. It’s nicer than what they saw in the play.

“They let you borrow their good costume too? You are a smooth talker.”

[conning]

He ducks his head in a little grin, the kind of motion that Malcolm by now knows well. Pride, hidden behind an attempt to not show he cares too much about his efforts being noticed.

"I commissioned it, actually. Rue helped me--a newer resident."

[abrightboy]

"The owl on the network that makes clothes?" He smiles, running a hand along Neal's shoulder. "It's beautiful. Do... do you get to keep it, then?" Because if he's still wearing it when they get home.....

[conning]

"I do," Neal says, and kisses him. "Why?"

[abrightboy]

Malcolm tilts his head slightly, a smile twitches at the corners of his mouth.

"Because... I like it. In a way I'm not comfortable expressing in a public place," he says looking up at Neal from under his brow.

[conning]

Neal grins slowly, kissing Malcolm again with a little more heat. “Well, then,” he murmurs. “Should we pack up?”

[abrightboy]

"As long as I'm not... interrupting anything else you had planned," Malcolm tells him with a shy smile.

[conning]

Another kiss. "No. All the important things have been covered. At least, all of the important things that have to happen outside the house."