Slingin' from the hip, never the heart. | Open Post

[tinstar]

Raylan's job took him everywhere, from Harlan to Los Angeles to Paris. The Marshals service was demanding but Raylan leaned into the work, traveling as needed to get to get his man.

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POST-MATHIAS TIME JUMP SITUATION IDK

[stallfortime]

When she walks out the door of her hotel room in DC, she steps into mist. A clamminess that feels otherworldly but familiar, that grasps at her in a way that fog shouldn't. Goosebumps prickle across the back of Athena's neck.

"...Fuck me," she whispers, and the words get eaten up by her surroundings. Her fingers brush the holster under her suit jacket, reassurance she knows is meaningless, and then strides forward. Slow. Slow and careful. Hands clear of her sides and open, empty.

She doesn't want to startle someone if she walks out of this and into Mathias, or somewhere even worse.

[tinstar]

Fog was common in Miami in certain months and it always felt like it hung different than the dense wet fog of the mountains that ran down into the valleys before being abolished by the rise of the morning sun. Miami Fog seemed to like to hang around for a little bit, eventually drawn back out to the sea as things got warmer over the day.

He was up and out early today, readying himself for another 4 hour drive up to some barely inhabited swamp land with a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito, taking in the easy, if hard to see morning. The sounds of city and the soft milling of people fade out and Raylan doesn't notice until he notices that he's.. all alone. The rest of the burrito is stuffed in his mouth as he listens for anything-

A step behind him wasn't enough time for him to react outside of a "Whoa" as he turns around to be face to face with a woman-

Wait. He knows that face.

[stallfortime]

For a second, she's a kid again.

She's had too many moments like that, lately.

It leaves her frozen, hand on her firearm still, staring at him like she did the very first time they met.

"...What the fuck."

Yeah, he knows that voice, too.

[tinstar]

That place felt like three lifetimes ago and when Raylan thought about it, which he did often enough despite the time, it had always been fondly. Sure they'd had some terrible horrible no good times but - he'd found people he loved. People he still worried about now and then in the idle quiet of a stake out.

People he was sure he would never see again.

A long beat passes as he clears his mouth before: "Athena? I-"

He steps forward one arm half out like he would have when she was younger or like he might set a hand on her shoulder and stops halfway, unsure if it was welcome or even wanted.

"What- Are you okay?"

Wasn't that always his first question, making sure she was okay?

thoughts on Raylan ending up in her neck of the woods...

[stallfortime]

"You got fuckin' old, cowboy." The teasing is raspy with emotions she's trying to hold back, smother. Squeeze into submission.

But for a second, maybe even sixty whole seconds, she'll let herself have the simplicity of a goddamn fucking hug.

We love it; let's do it

[tinstar]

God she was a sight for sore eyes. Raylan grins as he wraps her up in a tight hug like he was trying to prove he was as young as ever and softly laughs out his answer.

"Apparently I ain't the only one, darlin'."

He couldn't believe it was her and, after a long beat, he pulls back, one hand lingering on her shoulder as he takes her in before it drops with a pull of his grin. She hadn't gotten much taller, but the muscles were hard to miss - she was firm. Strong. She wasn't an awkward teenager any more.

"I don't know what's goin' on, but if you're here, I ain't gonna question it too hard. Either Somethin'™ has happened, or my burrito had LSD in it."