all my stumbling phrases never amounted to anything worth this feeling...

MY FIRST 20in20 LET'S PARTAAAAY.

This is for Challenge 1 of 20muses and these ridiculously beautiful inspirations.

Thank you, mod, for the extension! I don't know if I would have been able to get this set in otherwise.

samples


( listen to me, you've been lonely too long )

Title: Wanderess
Characters (Pairings): Sara Ellis
Rating: PG
Word Count: 631
Spoilers: For S04E16
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: With nowhere to anchor herself, Sara gets lost.
Author's Note: Written for Challenge 9 - Picture Prompt - over at writerverse, for this picture. Title from Hurricane by Halsey. Written in a bit of a hurry, sorry about that.

Part of the Amis Amants 'verse. For more in this verse, click here.

( Among Sara's recent practical purchases had been a pair of sneakers. )

Title: Cuddle Me In
Characters (Pairings): Neal Caffrey, Sara Ellis (Neal/Sara).
Rating: PG
Word Count: 234
Spoilers: Mild spoilers for S04E16
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: I love you, left unsaid.
Author's Note: Title from Ed Sheeran's Kiss Me. This is for Challenge 8 - True Love - over at writerverse. Set just before S04E16.
This was meant to be an apology to sheenianni for breaking her heart, except that it's kinda low on the fluff factor. But you already knew that I'm not capable of writing non-angsty fic.
Part of the Amis Amants 'verse. For more in this verse, click here.

( It's quiet. But the silence is weighed down by so many words Neal has left unsaid over the past few hours. )

Title: Soft
Characters (Pairings): Elizabeth Burke (Peter/Elizabeth/Neal).
Rating: PG
Word Count: 211
Spoilers: None.
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: Comfortable old age.
Author's Note: Written for Challenge #1 - Weekly Quick Fic 1, and the prompts Water and Sea Green, over at writerverse. The P/E/N came out of nowhere.
It's been a while since I threw a tiny fic out there. It's been a while since I threw a fic out there. Sorry.

( She has time. Not much, but enough for a book, and love, and Cornish game hens. Enough for evening after evening of the same rhythm. Enough. )

Title: Prisoner of History
Characters: Eliza Caffrey/Alison Brooks (Neal's mother), Kathryn Hill/Ellen Parker, Neal Caffrey/Danny Brooks
Rating: PG-13
Tracks: 12
Total word count (titles, lyrics, explanation): 687
Cover dimensions: 400x400 pixels
Tracklist dimensions: 400 x 400 pixels
Content Notes: Depression, alcoholism.
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: Eliza never wanted to go into WitSec. She thought it'd be like a cage, a prison for her instead of James. It wasn't as bad as she'd imagined. It was worse.
Credit: Elliott Brooks' Instagram for one image (the actress who (i think) played Neal's mother).
Author's Note: Title from I'm In Here by Sia. Made for the prompt 'imprisonment' on my hc_bingo card.
I realize how close Eliza is to Elizabeth, but I have these brainfarts sometimes. And now she refuses to take on any other name. My brain, I tell you.

( click for pretties and music )

Title: North Light Comes
Characters (Pairings): Neal Caffrey, Peter Burke, Elizabeth Burke (Peter/El).
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1169
Spoilers: Vague for S3 & 4. Minor reference to S05E04.
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Author's Note: Set post anklet, ignoring S6. Written for Challenge 14 in the current Writerverse phase. Title is a lyric from Overcome by Better Than Ezra.
This is basically proof of life. Posting from phone, I apologise for any mistakes in advance. Will tag + xpost + edit this on Monday, because phone.
This is a (very short) sequel to When All Else In You Turns And Runs, in which Neal has essential tremor, restricted to his right hand during this fic and the previous one. I'm fairly sure that that fic is in my masterpost, for anyone who wants to read it before this.
This is not the first time I've written a drunk/dazed Neal on the Burkes' doorstep. I think he's adorable when he's a little loopy and craving affection. Recurring theme, will try not to repeat, etc.
Can you tell that it's late and I'm a little loopy myself?


( Neal shivered as he paced across the length of the Burkes' doorstep. )

Title: Is This Love? Maybe Someday.
Characters (Pairings): Matthew Keller, Neal Caffrey (Keller/Neal)
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1460
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: It looks like it'll be a typical post-heist evening for them when Keller abruptly abandons him and dashes to his suitcase.
Author's Note: Set preseries. I do not know where this came from. This is a fill for Photo Prompt #14 - Pis Aller - over at elrhiarhodan's Promptfest (yes, I'm back to expanding and reposting those fills). This is basically porn with a little chess and lots of feeeeelings thrown in. I have no apologies. I used to, but I gave them all away. And I do not have Keller icons. What sin is this?

( the prompt )

( Is This Love? Maybe Someday. )

For the Lightning Round at writerverse

Total Word Count: 686



Title: the one who's always and never alone
Characters (Pairings): Neal Caffrey
( the one who's always and never alone )



Title: paint splattered teardrops on my shirt
Characters (Pairings): Sara Ellis (Sara/Neal)
( paint splattered teardrops on my shirt )



Title: paint a picture in my mind
Characters (Pairings): Kate Moreau (Kate/Neal)
( paint a picture in my mind )



Title: i was lost before she started
Characters (Pairings): Alex Hunter
( we were lost before she started )



Title: stand still so i can see your silhouette
Characters (Pairings): Neal Caffrey, Sara Ellis (Neal/Sara)
( stand still so i can see your silhouette )



The previous story continued. Same header, except 181 words. I don't quite like this, but I'm too tired to fix it.
( i'm not done looking yet )

Title: Lose And You Will Answer To Me
Characters (Pairings): Alan Woodford
Rating: R (profanity)
Word Count: 407
Spoilers: S06E06 (Au Revoir)
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: Alan Woodford is a very patient man.
Author's Note: This fic was born out of a conversation with reve_silencieux. We were discussing why Woodford was such an unconvincing villain, and then my brain went, 'Wait, maybe...', and then this happened. Also because of Elr's promptfest. There was one prompt - Woodford: Games - that I really wanted to write for, because it made me realize that barely anyone's written him in any significant way. (sapphire2309, champion of neglected characters. Sometimes I feel like slapping myself.) The only problem was, I didn't know what to write. Which meant that the prompt stayed with me, at the back of my head. And now I know what to write! And now I'll shut up.
No, wait. Title from The Ruler And The Killer by Kid Cudi. Okay, now.
For more finale tags, click here.


( He's been waiting for a while now. )

Title: Broken Dreams
Characters (Pairings): Peter Burke
Rating: PG
Word Count: 448
Spoilers: S03E15 - Stealing Home, for Peter's backstory.
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: The dream that didn't.
Author's Note: Set preseries. Written for Elr's Promptfest IX, for the prompt Peter - Broken Dreams.

( I'm afraid it's not all good news, Mr. Burke. )