Even if he'd written letters or sent emails as and when he could, even if he'd never forgotten to arrange for a present or a phone call on Blaine's birthdays, Neal hadn't expected a warm welcome when he finally managed to turn up for Thanksgiving as a free(ish) man.
Neal didn't recognise any of the rest of the family they were spending Thanksgiving with, and they didn't recognise him in return, but any misgivings he'd had about dropping by were forgotten the instant Blaine threw both arms around him and squeezed him so tight it hurt.
If anyone else had pulled that trick, he probably would have hinted that they ought to let go, but there were regular hugs and there were little brother hugs, and Neal had never felt more loved in his entire life than he did in that moment. For a minute or two, all the mistakes he'd made didn't matter; it had been the same back when they were both younger, before they got separated, but he'd thought that was just kids stuff and it would have disappeared by now.
He'd rarely been happier to be wrong.
"How long are you here for?" Blaine asked when he pulled away at last, not quite crying, but visibly tearing up, and Neal was sorely tempted to pull him straight into another hug.
"At least a week," Neal replied, grinning. "I haven't got anything better to do."
Blaine grinned back before remembering that he had a family around him in need of introducing, and Neal proceeded to charm and be charmed by each and every one of them.
"... and when he sings, when he's not showing off, you've never heard anything like - hey! Are you listening?"
Neal stopped playing with Blaine's curls long enough to give the question proper consideration. "I think I stopped five minutes ago."
Kurt laughed, the lilt of his voice a little strange but oddly soothing nonetheless. Neal couldn't remember having been as happily domestic anywhere else as he was here, sitting and watching television with his brother's head in his lap and his brother's boyfriend stretched out at the other end of the sofa.
"You're just unromantic," Blaine huffed, irritable but not so much that he could be bothered shifting from his seat.
"No, I'm just your brother. I don't need to know all the gory details."
Blaine shrugged, hugging him tight despite still being visibly annoyed, and Neal shut his eyes, enjoyed the simple feeling of comfort while he could. He'd been comfortable before, but that was just a physical thing - this was more than that, something that soothed an ache he hadn't allowed himself to notice before. Even if Blaine hadn't done well for himself, even if he hadn't discovered his talent for music or come out or found a boyfriend he clearly adored, it would have been enough just having him around.
The rest of Neal's family might not count for much, but Blaine was a good kid. It showed.
And Hell, if Blaine managed to be a good kid and keep his hands clean in the process, maybe there was something worthwhile in being a white knight after all.
FILL: Homecoming King (Glee/White Collar crossover, some Blaine/Kurt)
Neal didn't recognise any of the rest of the family they were spending Thanksgiving with, and they didn't recognise him in return, but any misgivings he'd had about dropping by were forgotten the instant Blaine threw both arms around him and squeezed him so tight it hurt.
If anyone else had pulled that trick, he probably would have hinted that they ought to let go, but there were regular hugs and there were little brother hugs, and Neal had never felt more loved in his entire life than he did in that moment. For a minute or two, all the mistakes he'd made didn't matter; it had been the same back when they were both younger, before they got separated, but he'd thought that was just kids stuff and it would have disappeared by now.
He'd rarely been happier to be wrong.
"How long are you here for?" Blaine asked when he pulled away at last, not quite crying, but visibly tearing up, and Neal was sorely tempted to pull him straight into another hug.
"At least a week," Neal replied, grinning. "I haven't got anything better to do."
Blaine grinned back before remembering that he had a family around him in need of introducing, and Neal proceeded to charm and be charmed by each and every one of them.
"... and when he sings, when he's not showing off, you've never heard anything like - hey! Are you listening?"
Neal stopped playing with Blaine's curls long enough to give the question proper consideration. "I think I stopped five minutes ago."
Kurt laughed, the lilt of his voice a little strange but oddly soothing nonetheless. Neal couldn't remember having been as happily domestic anywhere else as he was here, sitting and watching television with his brother's head in his lap and his brother's boyfriend stretched out at the other end of the sofa.
"You're just unromantic," Blaine huffed, irritable but not so much that he could be bothered shifting from his seat.
"No, I'm just your brother. I don't need to know all the gory details."
Blaine shrugged, hugging him tight despite still being visibly annoyed, and Neal shut his eyes, enjoyed the simple feeling of comfort while he could. He'd been comfortable before, but that was just a physical thing - this was more than that, something that soothed an ache he hadn't allowed himself to notice before. Even if Blaine hadn't done well for himself, even if he hadn't discovered his talent for music or come out or found a boyfriend he clearly adored, it would have been enough just having him around.
The rest of Neal's family might not count for much, but Blaine was a good kid. It showed.
And Hell, if Blaine managed to be a good kid and keep his hands clean in the process, maybe there was something worthwhile in being a white knight after all.