Imagines and Preferences: Book 1

Sunshine | Neal Caffrey

SPOILERS for seasons 1-3

Also, partial credit to DJ_Tatortot for the help. There you go, you idoot.

Summary: You and Neal become close when you join the FBI's white collar division. And then he makes a big mistake...

QOTP: Kate or Sarah?

Word Count: 3475

"Neal Caffrey, criminal consultant," the man in question says, holding out his hand.

You nervously smile and shake his hand, your words coming out stuttered; it's your first day, and you're nervous. "I-I'm Y/N Y/L/N."

Peter Burke, whom you've already met, shakes your hand in greeting, then cuts to the chase. "Let's get to the conference room; we have a case to take care of."

You see the conference room and start to make your way there. Peter and Neal hang back, Neal leaning towards Peter. "This is the 'Fed version of Mozzie' you were talking about?"

"Minus the paranoia," Peter replies. "Perfect recall, knows a lot about fraud and forgeries. Could be a better replacement for you..." With that, he heads to the conference room, Neal intrigued and trailing behind him.

////

Once in the conference room, Peter briefs everybody on the case you're working: A Botticelli painting stolen from a local museum.

"The three of us are working on this together, so let's head to the museum," Peter says, all business. Neal follows behind him and you hasten to keep up. He turns, slows his steps, and offers you a smile.

////

A day later, you're looking over a supposed Botticelli with Neal - it was left at the museum, and it looks like the one that was stolen. Neal leans over the painting, bumping your shoulders together. He leans back a little. "Sorry."

"It's fine..." You've been sort of stepping around him the whole case; you're not sure what to make of him. After a few more moments of studying the painting, you stand up straight. "This is definitely a forgery."

"What makes you say that?" Neal asks, already knowing it's a forgery and exactly why.

"Everything is perfect," you say. "The oils used, the strokes. But the lines through the 't's in the signature aren't connected."

Peter pulls Neal slightly aside. "Remind me again why you haven't even made an attempt at flirting."

Neal shrugs lightly. "There are some people you just don't flirt with."

////

It's not long before you end up at Neal's house with Peter, discussing an undercover mission. A short, balding man is sitting at the dining table with Neal when you enter. The man rolls his eyes. "How many more suits can there be?"

Neal laughs and stands next to you, gesturing to you and the man when appropriate. "Mozzie, this is Y/N, Y/N, this is Mozzie. Peter's actually compared you two before."

The man - Mozzie - looks at Peter, incredulous. "You compared me to a suit?!"

Neal leans towards you and whispers, "Mozzie has a problem with authority." You chuckle and look around Neal's room, which is surprisingly nice for a con serving a sentence. When you see bookshelves, you can't help but read the spines, slowly walking closer to get a better look. Suddenly, you feel Neal standing next to you, amused. "Like what you see?"