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]

"Nah, it won't be trouble," he assured, starting with the last question first as the kettle turned off and he turned to pour the hot water into the french press carefully. "But I imagine he'll have some questions." He set the kettle back down and looked over.

"I'm not gonna lie to him about it."

Art had objected but not loudly enough with a foot stomp - Raylan assumed it was to watch Malcolm work himself, instead of just having to read reports. Still, Raylan saying he wasn't going to lie meant there was no telling what mood he'd be in when he got home.

[abrightboy]

"I didn't lie to him about it," Malcolm said in agreement. "I didn't... volunteer any details and I tried to be vague, but only because it's your situation to gauge."

He paused and leaned forward a little. "You won't lose your job, right?"

[tinstar]

"You don't have to. He's a Marshal. The man can read bullshit a mile away. One day I'll tell you about the time Winona stole cash outta evidence and Art found out by virtue of lookin' at me too hard."

Raylan took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't think so, no. Art.. wouldn't do that." He hoped. He prayed, anyway. He was nervous about it.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm scooted around the island and applied himself to Raylan's side, pressing his cheek to Raylan's shoulder. He could feel his unease but there was nothing he could offer to do anything about it.

"Stole money from evidence. Is that the 'actual theft' we have on her if she gives you a hard time about Willa?" Or, probably more accurately, about Malcolm.

[tinstar]

For once, it was Raylan that needed the hug and he took it willingly, wrapping that arm around Malcolm's shoulder with a gentle squeeze. A hug was plenty to offer.

"Yup. I mean, we put it back. We didn't get caught outright but.. Art knew. Mighta punched me over it. This won't be that bad." Can't be that bad, right? Raylan wanted to believe the idea that it didn't matter, but life had a way of fucking him over, and he couldn't dismiss the possibilities.

Figuring the coffee had steeped long enough, Raylan reached out with his free hand to press the plunger down in a slow, measured pace.

[abrightboy]

"...He punched you?" Malcolm clarified, looking up at him, his arm sliding across Raylan's stomach to grip his waist. "Then that was it about it?"

[tinstar]

"Mm," Raylan said, neither confirming nor denying except the pull of his face clearly declared it as a yes before he broke into a half grin with a huff of a chuckle. "No," he replied, eyebrows peaking with the word as he wrapped his now free hand around Malcolm to gently trap him in.

"He gave me shit work, closed me off on cases, stuck me with desk work. Basically until he decided what to do with me. Which was not kick me out of his office."

[abrightboy]

"You didn't do anything except stop her from stealing," Malcolm said with some consternation. He looked up again. "When I... ambiguously confirmed his guess about us, he didn't seem horrified or disgusted or even really surprised," he admitted.

[tinstar]

"Not.. quite," Raylan admitted with a wince. "But if he wasn't surprised then he's heard from the others. I'll sort it out. It'll be fine," he assured. Somehow, he'd find a way to make it okay.

"You wanna get us some cups or am I gonna get forced outta here with no coffee."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm's eyes widened slightly, and he untangled himself to turn and grab cups from the cupboard.

"No, no. Not after a night like that," he said quickly, reaching for the french press to pour.

"I thought you said Tim wouldn't say anything," he noted, pushing Raylan's cup towards him.

[tinstar]

"I also just said that he didn't have to. Tim is good. Art is better. Hell, they all knew three weeks before one of the first times Winona left this go around. Three weeks," he said as he took the cup. "Didn't say a damn word, any of 'em."

That was his biggest reference point.

"It'll be fine," he continued before taking a sip of his coffee. "This is my decided favorite, by the way."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm wasn't sure he quite understood what that covenant meant, so he'd defer to Raylan's expertise.

He looked up at the remark on the coffee. "These beans are from Hawaii," he said brightly. "I like it, too."

[tinstar]

It was complicated at best.

"More beaches huh? I must have a type." Stepping over, Raylan invited himself into Malcolm's space with a splayed hand and a slight lean, back against the counter. "Do you trust me?"

[abrightboy]

"I think you might be the only person I trust without a single reservation or doubt," Malcolm said in all seriousness, staying close to him, keeping his eyes on his face.

[tinstar]

"Then trust me with the office and Art, okay? I've been doin' this a long time, this livin' not a normal kinda life. And if he does take it some kinda way, hell. All the more chance to get us to Florida."

[abrightboy]

He nodded, putting his coffee down to slide his arms around Raylan and just hold onto him tightly.

"If you have to go out to the field, be safe," he murmured. "I asked you to stop moonlighting so you wouldn't put yourself at more risk at work and now I wake you up twice a night," he said with a wry laugh.

[tinstar]

Raylan wrapped the hand he'd been leaning on around Malcolm to hug him close, lips pressed into his hair. "I can handle it. At least here, in between the gettin' woken up, it's all a lot less pathetic."

The closest he'd come to yet in admitting his situation was kind of sad, no matter how he could deal with it.

"You make it all worth it. Plus, you bring a garden with you, who can argue with that?"

[abrightboy]

He laughed; the man had a point and a way of making it.

He looked up and gave him a tender, lingering kiss. "Take that with you today," he said as it broke.

[tinstar]

"Mm," he hummed, smiling warmly at the sentiment. "I'll take two before I go, while you're at it. Enjoy your coffee. Let me get some down my gullet without distracting me with those big blue eyes of yours," he said, stealing another kiss before drawing back.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm laughed and picked up his coffee, stepping to the side to lean on the counter across from him.

"I have to figure out where I'm buying the plants. I think I want to check if there are any dedicated garden centres around here before I buy them from the big box."

[tinstar]

"Oh you'll find a nursery or two. People love to garden in this state and Lexington is the biggest town around." For all its comical smallness in comparison to some place like NYC. "Don't let 'em upsell you otherwise you might be fighting to grow an orchard out there."

[abrightboy]

"What if.... I let them sell me a sweet pepper plant to go with your tomato plant?" he asked with a mischievous look. "Oh, or jalapeno plant? Do you like spicy food?"

[tinstar]

Raylan's features arched again along with a matching smile. "I do love me a pepper, spicy or otherwise. That would be okay. Saves a hellva lot on a grocery bill too."

He knew that money was literally the least of their problems but he couldn't help but want to pinch the pennies where they could. It added up.

[abrightboy]

"Once they grow," Malcolm agreed. He paused. "I'll have to google the best way to do that," he added thoughtfully. "We can have a whole vegetable garden in Miami. Good climate for it. And we'll have more room. Cucumber are nice. Or zucchini. Oh! Fruit. I think strawberries are supposed to be pretty easy."

[tinstar]

"Next time we're out in Harlan, if it's spring, I'm gonna introduce you to honeysuckle. Best grown wild though," he answered, taking another sip of coffee before setting it down so he could button up his shirt. He opened his pants so he could tuck it all in and continued.

"We're gonna have some great smellin' land, I tell you what."

That made him look up sharply. "If we're buying the house, are we also buying the land?"