[fanfiction] "The Baddest Boy Scout In NYC" by Sinkwriter

[sinkwriter]

Just a little ficlet for a new fandom, because they slayed me emotionally with this week's episode and I couldn't let things go at that cliffhanger... I just couldn't.


Title: The Baddest Boy Scout In NYC

Author: sinkwriter

Fandom(s): White Collar

Character(s): Neal Caffrey, Mozzie

Rating: PG

Spoilers: White Collar, Seasons 1 and 2, up through the fall finale episode 2x09 "Point Blank." DO NOT read this if you haven't seen this week's episode and don't want to be spoiled!

Disclaimer: Characters owned by creator Jeff Eastin and USA Network, but made vivid by the talents of actors Matthew Bomer and Willie Garson.

Author's Notes: My first attempt at White Collar fic. My take on what happens not long after the cliffhanger end of this week's episode (one can only hope).

Written for whitecollar100, Prompt #004, Target. Went for the 300-word limit.

Feedback: I gratefully welcome your thoughts.

Summary: Among friends, not everything needs to be spoken to be understood.

The Baddest Boy Scout In NYC

Mozzie enters the room, his steps careful, his face pale.

Neal leads him to the table and sits him down, watching for signs of discomfort. Brings him tea from the gilded set Mozzie gave June after they bonded over kung fu films.

Neal collapses into the chair next to him. "I can't believe you were wearing a vest..."

Mozzie rolls his eyes. "Have I taught you nothing? Always come prepared, Neal."

"But you were bleeding. How could you possibly have--"

Moz salutes with his cup, speaking smugly between sips. "Strategically placed dye packs, my friend. Corn syrup, a little red, a little blue--" He pauses, considering. "You know, the trick is the thickener. Some people like flour, but that can get clumpy and ruin the effect."

Mozzie sounds fine, but he can't hide shaking hands. Neal watches, sucking in a breath.

He'd been sitting on that park bench, waiting for their contact to show, drinking tea when it had happened.

"Listen, Mozzie--"

I pulled you into this. It's my fault.

"I prefer using chocolate syrup. It makes the blood look authentic. Tastes good, too."

"Moz--"

I'm sorry.

His friend swallows, sets down the cup, points an accusing finger at him. "Just because a guy looks like he's put on some weight doesn't mean he's fat. He could be wearing a vest." He gives Neal a pointed look over the top of his thick glasses.

Neal exhales a shaky breath. "Right."

"I work out, you know." Mozzie offers the quirk of a smile.

Neal meets his eyes. Knots in his stomach untangle. "I know."

They sip in silence for a few minutes, until Neal can't hold it in any longer.

"Seriously, Moz. Dye packs?"

"It doesn't seem so stupid now, does it?"

Neal grips his arm and grins. "Welcome back, Moz."


end

Comments

[siapom.livejournal.com]

*huggles this* I need a Mozzie icon.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I need one, too! :D

Thanks for commenting on my very first White Collar fic! Even if it is only 300 words. *hugs you*

[siapom.livejournal.com]

*obviously needs more WC icons*

*hugs back* It was just what I needed to read after watching the sad that was the end of the episode.

[china_shop]

Hee! This is my theory exactly (though I hadn't put so much thought into the detail)! *g*

Awesome! <3

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Seriously! I needed to write a different ending. I don't know what the creator of White Collar has planned for Mozzie, but this is going to be my alternate take, no matter what. I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I imagine he'll survive, but it's a verrrrry long wait until January to find out!

I'm so glad you liked it. :)

P.S. I like your WC icon. It's cool.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Heee. I'm glad we are of one mind!

Seriously, I could not get that final scene out of my mind. I woke up with this dialogue playing in my head, and it's my experience that when I wake up feeling the need to write, I should do it or the feeling will go away and the words will be lost. So... I took some time today and wrote it up.

Thank you so much for coming over here and commenting. It means a lot to me. I'm abundantly pleased that you liked it. :D

You know, I have some of your awesome fan vids saved on my computer -- I should give you feedback in exchange! I need to check out more of your work, but at this point I especially think "Bathwater" is brilliantly done, the way the scenes cut and shift around in squares like they do on the show and in the credits, and the way the scenes (and the mini trios of squares) are timed so perfectly to the music... it's all just so clever, fun, and very sexy. Well done!

P.S. Terrific Neal and Mozzie user pic! :)

[artxet.livejournal.com]

This is a wonderful, clean and in-character fic to read after the season finale. You got Mozzie spot on and I adore Neal's hesitance to say what he really want to.

Also, I made this icon just to have something from WhiCo. 8D

[dragonfly (from livejournal.com)]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. ::breathes a sigh of relief:: This is exactly what happened.

And you got their voices perfect.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! *beams proudly* I really appreciate your comments. I wanted this to be in-character, along with expressing what I hope to see in January (that Mozzie will be okay). It's eerie how much Mozzie's character voice was in my head this morning when I woke up. I felt compelled to write this in his honor. :) I am so, so pleased you liked it.

Your icon is gorgeous! I love the two of them, the expressions captured on their faces, and how it's in black and white. It's stellar. Nicely done! :D

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

This is exactly what happened.

That's what I say. *GRIN* Seriously, I imagine that his character will be fine, but I still can't help but worry a little. January is a long time away from now. I had to say something about what I want to see. I can't imagine the WC writers will go this route, but it amused me and soothed my sorrow and upset for poor Mozzie.

You are very welcome! :D

And thank you so much for the comment! It's always a goal of mine to get characters' voices as close as possible to the actual program.

Very cool of you to come over here all the way from Dreamwidth. Did you see my post on an LJ White Collar site?

[artxet.livejournal.com]

The power of anti-color saturation! XD Yeah, I about flailed when I heard that the next time a new WC would be on it'd be January. I said, January of what year? Sounding like a complete idiot. |B

You did get the both of them just right. I love how you captured Mozzie. I can just hear him easily and it's awesome. xD I've lately been poking about the White Collar Fic community and I've found two goods ones, yours is one of said two. :3

[dragonfly (from livejournal.com)]

I subscribe to LJ whitecollarfic's RSS feed on my DW journal. It's easy to do.

Your story has cheered me up immensely!

[china_shop]

it's my experience that when I wake up feeling the need to write, I should do it or the feeling will go away and the words will be lost.

Oh, I get that too. I have to write things down immediately, or they go poof!

And thank you! Glad you liked the vids, yay! *beams*

[ladygray99]

This was great. I think you really nailed Mozzie's voice. I especially love the way he rambled on about fake blood, (I've had this discussion, chocolate works best) and how it held up against the emotional undertones. Very nice work. Welcome to the fandom and welcome to whitecollar100. I hope to see plenty more from you and you now have your own author tag at the com.

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the hope!

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I do! I really like your vids. Another one of my favorites is "The Boy Feels Strange." I just think it's so thought-provoking. The song really fits well with the scenes you chose. It's remarkable. I'd have to say that "Bathwater" and "The Boy Feels Strange" are probably the ones I've watched (and rewatched) the most. I can't count how many times. I just think they're so effective. How long have you been making vids? You seem to have a talent for it. Do you like making them? Do you have any new ones in the works? How do you choose what songs to use?

Hope you don't mind me asking all these questions. :D

(I really should leave these comments on YOUR vid posts! Shame on me. *sheepish grin*)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Thank you, ladygray99! :D

I'm new to whitecollar100 but it just seemed like a fun group and potentially something to test me and help me improve my writing skills, too. I look forward to being a part of the comm and reading everyone else's works (yours, too -- I've seen your name on some of the posts!). By the way, I love the look of your comm. It's really gorgeous, with the choice of colors all over the site, and the choice of photos and the way they're laid out in the banner. Well done! It makes me happy to visit there, making for a positive experience browsing about. Thought you should know that! :)

And what a kick to have my own author tag! I've never had that anywhere before. Heee.

Thank you very much for the compliments and feedback on this piece. I'm honored, and so glad you liked it. :)

(And I think it's hilarious that you have knowledge of what makes the best fake blood. That's awesome. LOL. I had no idea about any of that until I looked it up online today (how to make fake blood) while trying to add a little something extra to this story, and I saw a mention about 'dry thickeners' versus 'wet thickeners' and I just had to throw that in there. It amused me so much. Chocolate... who knew?)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Anytime! It's a long wait till January -- I need the hope, and I'm glad if it brought you some too. ;D

Thanks for stopping by and reading my ficlet.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I may have to ask you about that sometime. I've never subscribed to an RSS feed. I've always wondered how that worked. Good to know that it's not a difficult thing to set up or keep up with.

Your story has cheered me up immensely!

Fantastic! I'm so glad. :)

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Oh God, I hope so! Liked this a lot.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

"Anti-color saturation"? Marvelous terminology! *GRIN* Are you an artist or photographer?

I don't blame you for flailing -- January is four months away. That's not a short time period when it comes to TV. It feels like forever, especially when they have a cliffhanger like that one!

I've never tried writing any of the characters from White Collar before. I think it would be a real challenge to capture Neal, especially, because he's enigmatic and you never know exactly how he'll behave from one moment to the next -- will he be genuine or fall into his smooth conman persona? I'm not sure if I'll be able to capture him or Peter, but I may try! Maybe they'll inspire me like Mozzie did with this one. We'll see if anything strikes me. I may have to invent some happenings for these characters while we wait for the real thing to come back! Heeee.

I've lately been poking about the White Collar Fic community and I've found two goods ones, yours is one of said two.

Wow, thank you! I'm honored to be one of the two!

So, tell me, do you have a link for the other one? I like good fic; it may not be one I've had a chance to read yet. Are you a writer, as well? (Hope it's okay for me to ask that of you.)

P.S. I don't have any B&W icons from White Collar, sadly. I can offer you Mulder & Scully, or something from the show Chuck, or this one from the show Castle. Yay, anti-color saturation! (Heh.)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I hope so, too. *smiles* Seriously, if something happens to Mozzie when they come back from break in January, this may be what I insist happened instead! At least, in my head. I adore Mozzie. I don't want them to diminish his part on this show.

I'm glad you liked it! Thank you!

P.S. Your icon is fun. "Team Awesome," indeed!

[dresden-doll-01.livejournal.com]

You write White Collar! More pls!
This was excellent. Short and to the point and completely believable.

And I gotta say I'm not sure how I want this to play out next season. On one hand I love Mozzie and want him around, but the morbid curiosity in me wants to see how Neal would be like if Mozzie didn't make it. I'm torn.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Yay! dresden_doll_01 is in the house! Heeeee.

Actually, it's my first time trying to write White Collar! You could say I was extra-inspired by that final scene with poor Mozzie. Just couldn't help myself. We'll see if anything else stirs up after this first attempt.

I'm beyond delighted that you liked it. I respect your opinion so much. *hugs*

You make an excellent point about the outcome for Mozzie. The larger part of me wants him to stay and be okay, but yes, most definitely, it's those traumatic events that make for richer, more intense character development (in this case, for Neal, most especially -- wow, would that be a head-spinning trip for him, after all he's already been through). So I wrote this to tell myself that Mozzie will be fine, but beyond that, all I can say is, I'm very curious for January so I can find out how the writers plan to handle it all! Should be interesting. :D

Thanks for the encouragement, Do! You are too cool, coming over here and commenting.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

P.S. "Completely believable" is music to my ears. That is my aim.

(And given my posts over on daysofourbones I bet you never expected anything 'short and to the point' from ME.)

*laughs uproariously*