tinstar | Text Overflow: It's just a flesh wound

[Malcolm came around the car to draw up beside him, pressing his lips together. Ainsley had let that cat out of the bag more or less, right? He took a breath.]

Okay. So. [He glanced at Raylan, uncertain how he'd receive this information.] I had to stop taking ballet when my father was arrested. Some of the parents... weren't comfortable with me being there. It wasn't long before I was in a place where I probably would have had to drop it anyway, but... [He waved it off with both hands.] Anyway. After a while, my mother wanted me to get out of the house and... do something. We had to find something that wasn't done in groups. I saw an ad for axe throwing lessons and I think she would have let me try anything at that point if it meant I showed a genuine interest.

[Raylan listened with a faint lift of his eyebrows, happy that they were coming back around to what Ainsley had basically already told him, but he wanted the details and Malcolm seemed happy enough to comply.]

Any of that ballet stuff stick around?

[Malcolm tried to suppress a smile, but failed. He gave Raylan a coy look.]

Like... terminology? Tights? ....I'm still pretty flexible. I keep it up with all the yoga.

[Raylan lifted his eyebrows a little, and answered with a careful 'Hmm' that had the edges of his lips curling as he headed towards the house. Despite the fact that they hadn't taken things to a deeper physical level, Raylan couldn't help but have ideas about it. Good ideas.]

We'll have to test that one day.

[He couldn't stop the curl of his smile then, but he could cover it a little better as he led them into the house.]

So what should we be throwing axes at?

[Malcolm grinned at the remark. He was keen, if the way he'd pressed himself against Raylan at the first invitation was any indication.]

A block of wood is a pretty good target. It has to be sturdy; the axe will hit it hard. It's a problem if it can knock it over. And you want to make sure there's nothing behind it that can get damaged by being hit with an axe, but you have lots of room out here.

[Back in their lair, Malcolm was regaining his perky demeanour and eagerness.]

[The first invitation had been nothing more than Raylan stopping and facing him once they were inside, but he slipped an arm around Malcolm anyway, happily.]

I think we've got some sizable logs that can be hauled near a tree. We've got a few that have grown out into giant Y's.. Or we say to hell with the log and just use the trees..

[A beat passed and Raylan let his levity slip a bit.] You okay? [Now that they were somewhere safe where Malcolm could be himself without fear of getting punched in the face.]

[Malcolm's arms slid around Raylan and he pressed his face into his shoulder.]

I'm all right. [It was more a sigh than a sentence.] I just... have done that before. Gone too far. I never seem to be able to... to gauge it.

[Moving his off hand around Malcolm too, Raylan held him gently and silently before propping his lips on his head.]

It's harder to gauge when you don't have real context. If there's a next time, you'll do better.

[He hoped there wasn't a next time, not down here, anyway.]

It's okay, [He reiterated with a soft squeeze of a hug. ]

[People had backed away from the intense little weirdo and closed the figurative door for less egregious displays than that one. He lifted his head to look up at Raylan's face. There was no condemnation there. He wasn't mad. He wasn't even a bit weirded out.

Nothing in his face suggested he'd kind of rather Malcolm leave now.

There was some sort of gratitude in his features as he nodded acceptance and then he answered Raylan's previous question without moving from his grasp.]

We can just throw at those trees. They'll be nice and sturdy. What kind of axes do you have?

Rusty, ugly ones, I promise, [He said with a curl of a smile as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to Malcolm's lips before lightly slapping his ass.]

C'mon, I'll show ya.

[Slipping out of Malcolm's arms, Raylan stepped forward, forced to adjust his hat with a soft clearing of his throat. Kissing Malcolm was a very dangerous distraction.

As he went, he pulled off his overshirt and pushed up the sleeves to his collarless cotton, undershirt and headed outside.]

There's one there - [ He pointed to a long handled axe that was leaned against the house,] and I think we've got a shorter handled one behind the camper, hold on.

[It was only a minute or so before Raylan walked back into view, spinning the axe in his hand with a sense of having done it a few times before. He liked the way it felt in his hand.]

[The kiss and slap dissipated any lingering uncertainty and guilt and he smiled broadly. Ugly rusty axes were perfect. He pulled his sweater off over his head and threw it over the nearest chair, then undid his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. He was still wearing his tie; he looked like a private school boy cutting class as he followed Raylan out the door. As Raylan went to get the smaller axe, Malcolm picked up the large one, testing its heft.

He outright grinned at Raylan's handling of the axe.] You're going to be a natural.

[As they headed out onto the land again, Malcolm carried the big axe. He looked over at Raylan as they walked.] What do you use the camper for?

Ya think? I've used axes to break down wood so I don't think it'll be that hard but then again, only metal I have is my tin star.

[There was something about the way that Malcolm walked with the axe that made him look.. dangerous. Filled with glorious purpose. It should probably worry Raylan, but it didn't.]

Helen put it there for Arlo. Gives him someplace to be when he's under house arrest even though it's outside his tether range. Gave him. I think he enjoyed annoying and wasting taxpayer dollars and cop time.

You ever seen American Psycho?

Throwing axes is all in the technique, though it requires a certain amount of upper body strength. [Malcolm glanced over at Raylan's very distracting physique.] Which you won't have a problem with. Anyway. [He cleared his throat.] You've already got a good eye for aim, so as soon as you get a feel for this, you'll nail it. [He glanced over mischievously.] Then maybe we'll figure out how to use a Marshal's badge as a throwing star.

[At his question, Malcolm raised his eyebrows.]

It's a movie, right? No, I haven't seen it. I tend to stay away from media with things like 'crazy' or 'psycho' or 'nightmare' in the titles.

[Baseball had been good for something other than defense, that was for sure. He notices Malcolm noticing.

The idea of using the Marshal's star as a throwing star had occurred to him before but it had been so long ago that the reminder and Malcolm's echo of it made Raylan laugh.]

We'll see, [He said with a squinting grin as he used his axe head to point at an outcropping of trees, turning them in that direction.]

I won't ask you to, but whenever you hold an axe just.. refrain from any comments about Huey Lewis and the News.

[He laughed softly.] I... don't really know what that means, but I've gone thirty-three years without ever making a comment about Huey Lewis, so I think I can manage.

[He assessed the trees as they approached.] We need to decide what the target is. How about the bottom of the 'Y'?

[He tested the axe in his hand with a small toss up and catch.]

Now normally, in competition, we use shorter-handled axes, but the principle is the same: you have to find its centre of balance, because that's the point it'll spin around when you throw it.

[Raylan could only grin.]

You know they call that a crotch? [ It would never not amuse 12 year old him.]

You want this one for throwing? If that one is too long to throw...

How do you find the center? I know how on guns but this isn't the same so.

[Malcolm tilted his head, looking at the tree.]

I did not know that, but I get it.

[He looked at the smaller axe, then grinned with a sparkle in his expression that only came when he faced a challenge he relished.] Oh, I'm going to throw the big one.

[He held it towards the back of the handle.] If you're confident throwing it up and catching it, you can give it a toss and see what point it rotates at. The more... cautious way to do it is to balance it on the edge of your hand. Whatever point it sits balanced is the centre of gravity.

[He waved at Raylan to stand to the side, then, still holding the lengthy axe towards the butt end of the handle. He drew it back over his shoulder and threw it overhand with a big step forward, following through with his throwing arm coming across his body. With its mass, it seemed to tumble relatively slowly end over end, but it hit the tree blade first and lodged itself right between the two branches of the 'Y'.]

[Raylan gestured out with his axe as he stepped back, not sure how to translate knowing where the center of balance was to the actual throwing, but he watched with interest and cocked his eyebrows at Malcolm's successful throw.]

Not bad.

[He gave Malcolm time to go and fetch it and step off to the side, ambling up as Malcolm got out of the way with another spin of his axe.]

Should I aim for the same spot?

Yeah. And you want to sort of... flick your wrist at the end so it topples end over end. It takes some practice to get it to hit the target at the point of the rotation where the blade is facing it. Just try it a few times.

[Raylan hummed again, spinning the axe into the front facing position and, keeping in mind Malcolm's form, Raylan drew back, hand tucked well onto just the end of the handle as he let the weight carry itself Over his shoulder, stepping forward with his swing.

Okay fine, he probably looked fantastic but the hatchet didn't 'stick' so much as hit wrong and bounce off. Raylan frowned and looked over at Malcolm.]

What'd I do wrong?

Your form was good. [He sure was looking.] But it was your first time and it takes trial and error to find the sweet spot. Try putting a little less spin on it. It over-rotated by about a quarter turn.

Not entirely sure what that means, if I'm honest, [he admitted as he walked forward to collect his axe.]

Show me again, let me watch it again now that I've got some.. context. [Too many years of baseball had him twirling the axe in his hand as he stepped off to the side.]

[Malcolm dropped the big axe and held out his hand.]

Let me throw that one. It might give you a better idea, if we throw the same one.

[Once he had the smaller axe, he tested the heft and then stepped in and heaved it overhand. It stuck between the branches.]

[Handing the smaller axe over, Raylan hooked his hand on his hip as he paid more and somehow less attention to Malcolm's form. A.. more specific focus on his form, and the ways and when he let go.

He'd even go and fetch the axe before walking to his spot and hefting the axe again.

He pulled, he flug and his axe stuck this time, though not on mark and not vertical in the wood. Raylan glanced at Malcolm for his opinion.]

[He smiled when it stuck.]

Most people are lucky to stick one on the first dozen throws. But you have some relevant experience. I told you you'd be a natural. [He was pleased.] Throw it again.

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