Work Text:
Neal: Hey Peter!
Neal: Peter, I’ve got a bit of a problem.
Peter: If you’re kidnapped, I will come rescue you and then chain you to my desk and force you to work on boring fraud cases for two months.
Neal: It’s not that!
Peter: Then what is it, because I am currently enjoying breakfast with El.
Peter: Who says hi, by the way.
Neal: Hi Elizabeth! (waves)
Peter: Neal, what is it?
Neal: I, um…
Neal: I lost my voice.
Peter: You…lost your voice.
Peter: How?
Neal: Well, generally, when one loses their voice, it’s due to them being ill. Of which I’m not exactly sick, I just can’t seem to talk right now.
Peter: If you’re not sick, you can work. The bonus being is that we wouldn’t have to listen to you whining about not liking paperwork.
Neal: Not funny, Peter!
Peter: I know…sorry. Listen, if you wind up actually sick, text me and let me know, and I’ll let you stay at home for the day. So long as you ARE sick.
Neal: Mozzie’s here-he can watch me.
Peter: Mozzie is as bad as you are, sometimes.
Mozzie: I heard that, Suit.
Peter: Did you bug my phone again?
Neal: I can’t stay home because I lost my voice? Pretty please, Peter…I *need* my voice…what happens if we get a case where I might have to be Nick? Nick’s known for never being ill while on the job, Peter!
Peter: Fine. You can stay, but only because I know that Mozzie and June are there to make sure you don’t do anything stupid like going to go rob an art museum or something…Elizabeth says she’ll come by and bring you soup, if you want it.
Neal: I want it!
Neal: Please.
Neal: And thanks, Peter…I promise I’ll behave…as much as I can, anyway. ;)
Peter: I thought I said no emoticons. Those are childish and…wait a moment, I forgot who I was talking too.
Neal: Not funny, Peter.
Peter: Oh, I thought it was. El thinks so too, I can see her smiling from here. Now, go drink plenty of fluids, and stay inside for today. I’ll come by around lunch to see you. Tell Mozzie and June that El says hi as well, and she may come over sometime later too.
Neal: Awesome. XD
Peter: What does XD even mean?
~*~
Later, Peter and El would come over to see that Neal really had lost his voice. Peter teased him horribly about it, asking him questions, where if Neal didn’t answer, it would look bad, but then Neal would turn around and snag Peter’s things in retaliation. Elizabeth would chat with Mozzie and June about setting up another dinner evening with them all, and possibly a movie, because it was rare for all of them to spend time together, as they were all so busy. At the end of it all, Peter would think that Neal with his lost voice was a tiny benefit in all of them getting to spend some time together…as a family.
The End