Malcolm x Raylan: Cowboy Surprise

[tinstar]

Art was suspicious right off the bat when Raylan took a week off with the express note that his phone would be Out Of Order til the next Monday, but the Chief Marshal wasn't going to look gift horses in the mouth. Not when it suggested he'd have a few days of peace, until Raylan caved to turning his phone back on again. Still, he watched the younger Marshal walk out of the office and promised himself to check into the state of Harlan within 3 days to make sure that the place wasn't on fire. The smoke would reach him before he called, he was sure.

But Art didn't have much to worry about - Raylan had no plans on staying in the state for his vacation, beyond one day spent closing up Arlo's and securing it the best way he could before getting on a plane to New York City. He wanted to surprise Malcolm - it'd been near two months since they'd last seen each other and frankly, Raylan was tired of missing him. They'd called and texted, stayed in a fairly consistent, if odd houred, touch but it wasn't the same.

Once he landed, Raylan rented a car and navigated his way towards Malcolm's apartment, stopping to grab a bouquet of flowers. It was.. Extra, but Raylan didn't want to show up empty handed, just in case. Thirty minutes later, Malcolm's door buzzer was being hit, like Raylan was here to deliver something. Well, he was, but that was half the fun.

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[tinstar]

Raylan's eyebrows lifted a little at that. He maintained that there had been nothing to see; the Whitly women just happened to be right about it all, in the end. But he could imagine her stomping her foot at her brother with a pout and Raylan smirked.

"You tell her that she really doesn't, considering the people?" Yes, 'Train Hobos' was still kicking around in the back of his head.

"How's that going, you and Martin? Probably better if he doesn't know shit." Because Raylan might have to punch him again.

[abrightboy]

"I cannot warn her about the people. She'll want to go even more."

Interviewing unsavoury types was sort of her Thing. Though he was confident that, unlike Malcolm, she'd have had them eating out of her hand and offering their life stories to television.

"But I've only seen Dr Whitly twice since then. The first time, he asked me if I'd investigated the 'assault' on him. I told him I was looking into why he didn't get punched more often and concluded that it could only be because he gets so few visitors in person." Malcolm poured hot water into his cup. "He didn't bring it up again."

[tinstar]

Raylan scoffed an understanding sound and bobbed his head. His mistake. He avoided Journalistic types and the cameras they tended to bring with them, generally speaking and put too much weight in people doing as he told them. Most of the time.

The curl of Raylan's satisfied smile over the edge of his glass was all he needed to say about Martin and Malcolm's response to it. Perfect.

"You look good," he said softly after a moment.

[abrightboy]

He glanced down, then smiled self-consciously, smoothing a hand down the front of his shirt.

"This is not what I would be wearing if I knew you were coming," he admitted.

Raylan looked... well. As rugged and sexy as he always looked, except even moreso, somehow.

"You look good, too."

Understatement of the year.

He picked up Raylan's hat and settled it on his own head.

"And you clearly impressed my sister with your hat."

[tinstar]

"The hat impresses everyone, far as I can tell." Malcolm wearing his hat was still just as almost adorable as it was before, clothes not withstanding, and Raylan took another drink from his glass before setting it down and stepping forward to reach for and gently tug Malcolm back into his arms.

"That doesn't look bad on you, ya know. Little low rent on your hundred dollar haircut," he teased. "But not bad. I'm sure you could make it fashionable enough to pepper New York runways.."

[abrightboy]

Easily letting himself land back in Raylan's arms, he smiled up at him.

"I think what impresses everyone is how the hat frames an imposing, tall man who looks distractingly good in jeans," he admitted, taking the hat from his own head and setting it on Raylan's.

Resting his hands on Raylan's chest, he leaned up and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

[tinstar]

"Mm," Raylan hummed thoughtfully behind a smile that broke into a little grin as his hat was replaced on his head. Leaning down to meet the kiss, he kept their faces close when it broke, amusement still dancing in his edges.

"You didn't look bad in those either." He stole another kiss before straightening all the way again, happy enough to keep his hands spread loosely around Malcolm's waist. "What were you planning to do today? Anything important?"

If not, well.. Raylan could think of a few things to spend their time on, not all of which involved Malcolm's bed.

[abrightboy]

Holding Raylan's gaze, he shook his head happily.

"No plans at all. We can do anything you want. New York is your oyster."

[tinstar]

His smile broke into a grin. "I still haven't seen Time Square or Central Park. Or those batting cages you promised me were here. Bet they're a lot more impressive than Lexington's cages."

The ones that looked more like hand me down buildings, minded by 20 year old kids who barely knew their ass from a hole in the ground, much less what to do properly with a bat.

[abrightboy]

Oh, Malcolm would shortly be googling the best batting cages in the city, because that was where they would be going.

"And Yankee Stadium. I believe I promised you a game," he pointed out, tilting his head just enough to brush Raylan's nose with his nose. "It is baseball season, right?" he teased.

[tinstar]

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean there's a game," he murmured before stealing another kiss. Get that close and that cute and that's what happens, Malcolm. "I don't have a lotta time to keep up with it like I used to."

He liked to try, when he did have the time, there was just never a lot of it.

"Should I put my bag up anywhere specific? Unless I'm relegated to your couch again."

[abrightboy]

"In the bedroom, please," he told him, kissing him one more time before letting go of him so he could do that. "There's a mostly empty drawer in the bottom of the dresser, if you want to put your stuff in there."

He picked up his phone, wandering towards the livingroom.

"Gil? It's me. I need Yankees tickets. How do I get them?"

"Hi to you, too, kid."

"Hi. I assume you don't have anything for me or you would have called. Where do you buy baseball tickets?"

"Why do you need baseball tickets? You've never been interested in baseball."

"A friend of mine is visiting from out of town. He likes baseball."

"Does this 'friend' happen to be a US Marshal named 'Givens'?"

Malcolm just blinked for a second. "....How do you know that?"

"I'm a detective, kid. Also, your mother called asking me if I knew him and what I thought about him. It was funny, because it doesn't seem like that long ago that Deputy Givens called me asking me if I knew you and what I thought of you."

"Ha ha," Malcolm answered flatly. "Should I have asked Google where to buy Yankees tickets?"

"Actually, I know a guy who has season tickets and owes me a favour. I can get you better tickets than you can buy at the box office."

He breathed out. "Thanks. Let me know when to stop by and pick them up." He glanced over at Raylan, then turned and lowered his voice. "What did you tell my mother?"

"I told her I've only spoken to him a few times but he seems like a standup guy."

"Right. Okay. Thanks. Talk to you soon."

He hung up before Gil could really answer and turned to look towards Raylan. "Got Yankees tickets!" he called over triumphantly, as though that was all that happened on the call.

[tinstar]

Raylan hummed at the kiss and the direction, adjusting his hat back onto his head, wisps of salt and pepper hair sticking out on each side as he reached down to snag to his bag from it's handles. He glanced up the stairs and back at Malcolm before minding where he was going, clicking a soft greeting to the parakeet as he went past.

There was no helping the slight ear hustling he did as Malcolm made his call, but Raylan tried to not imagine the other side of the conversation while he squatted down and started to unload the couple of shirts, extra pair of jeans, his suit pants and undergoods. The bag was folded and tucked next to it all once he removed his shaving/tooth travel bag, rising with the small leather bag left to dangle on his fingertips, smile curling at the way Malcolm announced his success.

"That was almost suspiciously quick. Gil have connections to the stadium or something?" Raylan asked as he stepped into the bathroom to drop that off before heading back towards Malcolm.

[abrightboy]

"He knows a season ticket holder," Malcolm informed him. "Which makes them good seats, apparently." He dropped his phone back onto the counter and tilted his hand back to glance at his watch. "Are you hungry? I can order some lunch in or we can go out..."

He tried to observe normal meal times when he was with other people. But the brief walk was far enough on his own and he found his way back to Raylan's side, sliding a hand around his ribs to tuck himself against him and look up at him.

[tinstar]

Season tickets. That was the dream, wasn't it. "Normally, yeah. Don't pay money like that for the nosebleeds."

As Malcolm slipped a hand around him, Raylan draped his arm over Malcolm's shoulder and glanced at his own watch. "I caught a crappy egg sandwich at the airport that I'm still not sure isn't going to mess with me; I could eat. What's easy to order in around here? I think we might make other people sick or explode if we go out there too soon."

[abrightboy]

Would they? How exciting. He would take that to mean he was welcome to continue gluing himself to Raylan's side like a barnacle for now.

He grinned. "This is New York. Everything is easy to order in. Want to judge some carpetbagger barbeque? Feel like sushi? Shawarma? Deep dish pizza? Whatever you feel like."

[tinstar]

More than welcome; Raylan had missed the feel of Malcolm's heat against him and they had a lot of time to make up for.

'Carpetbagger barbeque' made Raylan chuckle. "Let's not go giving New York reason to embaress itself just yet. What the hell is 'Shawarma'?" Seemed like a good place to start. He didn't need a plan, for once - he'd follow Malcolm's lead, for the most part.

[abrightboy]

"Shawarma is Mediterranean seasoned meat, either beef or chicken, shaved and served in a wrap with vegetables or over potatoes or rice with fattoush... which is salad. Which I've had; it's pretty good. The rest..." He shrugged. "People rave about it," he promised with a wry smile. ”I think you'll prefer the beef to the chicken," he added.

[tinstar]

Raylan shrugged with his face and a bob of his head. "Maybe next time. Adventure of that kind isn't smart when you're trying to not disgust your boyfriend."

The word had been dancing around in the back of his head after every one of their conversations.

"I don't trust delivery sushi either. Honestly, I think I'd be okay with a burger. I've been told that New York pizza is meant to be eaten on the street on pain of death." And since they were, by his own admission, disgusting, burgers were the clear option.

"Any Cuban? I could eat some Cuban." Miami had an effect.

Another five minutes of back and forth ensued before Raylan decided on Cuban. "I'll let you pull up whatever on your phone - my blackberry will get replaced once it dies."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm heard that word and his heart beat faster but it felt smarter not to comment on it because it felt like something would happen to it if he disturbed it. He may have nodded for too long, though, in agreement.

But of course New York had Cuban - New York had everything - and he fumbled for his phone once they'd decided, ordering masitas with rice for Raylan and an extra serving of plain rice that he intended to eat.

He set his phone down and he returned to Raylan's arms. "Forty minutes. What should we do with that?"

[tinstar]

He didn't doubt that the use was caught by Malcolm and the fact he's not saying anything about it left a sweet sort of smile on Raylan's face. They'd get to it, he was sure. Raylan let Malcolm order in peace but when Malcolm turned back to him, the Marshal was already reaching for him to tuck them back together.

The question only made his smile spread, eyebrows lifting over half lidded eyes as he pushed his hat back a few inches.

"Well," he started, leaning in to pepper Malcolm's lips with a kiss. "I can think of-" Another kiss, "-A few things to fill our time." This time when he kissed Malcolm, it wasn't brief and laced its way towards less than innocent heat. Raylan had missed Malcolm in more ways than one and while the sex wasn't what he was here for specifically, it was a pretty sweet perk, especially after two months of having nothing but himself for that kind of company.

[abrightboy]

The answer he'd been hoping for. He was very conscious of letting Raylan dictate the pace; he didn't want to rush or push and make him uncomfortable.

But he did say 'boyfriend' and he was talking about Malcolm.

He smiled into the first couple of kisses, but when the next one lingered, he met it with equal heat and eagerness, already reaching for the buttons on Raylan's shirt so he could start fumbling them open.

[tinstar]

Raylan had the good sense of mind to grab and toss his hat behind him towards the bed, though he couldn't tell where the thing landed, more focused on getting his hands back around Malcolm. Pulling up his t-shirt and casting it off, Raylan kissed him again, peeling off the blazer overtop his darker print plaid, only to follow with the shirt itself that he'd decided to wear today.

He could tell they were tilting towards feverish touch, reminiscent of their make-out session in his barn, and he was more than okay with this being their reward for tolerating being apart.

"I like the sweatpants and t-shirt," he husked between kisses. "No buttons or belts to deal with." As though to prove it, Raylan pushed Malcolm's pants and underwear over and off the majority of his hips, though not quite enough to get them to drop. His eagerness to get Malcolm's bare skin under his hands wasn't subtle and he knew it, but he was getting to be okay with that too.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm grinned into the next kiss, reaching for the hem of Raylan's undershirt to push it up his body and pull it over his head. It was exciting and arousing, the fact that Raylan wanted him so palpably. Him.

"I think this is the first time you've been more complicated than me," he laughed, reaching down to unbuckle Raylan's belt and fumble at his button and zipper while leaning in for another hungry kiss.

[tinstar]

He chuckled as he tossed his shirt to the side, lips happily reclaimed as his hands found and finished pushing Malcolm's pants off. Waiting the fraction of a moment that Malcolm needed to strip Raylan down, he hummed and muttered for Malcolm to wait so he could toe off and haphazardly kick one boot after the other off into some corner of the apartment before shucking the rest of his pants.

As he brought them together, bare and wonderful, Raylan hummed a rough note of satisfaction into the kiss, letting one hand slip between them to find and stroke Malcolm's length, just as hungry to watch the man's brain stutter in the short circuit of pleasure before turning him around at the hips to head them towards the bed, with only a word to get them there. "Bed."