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

[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.

[He could take that. After fetching his axe again, Raylan swung it up, stepped forward and got his axe vertical and still a good half foot off center.]

Shit. Your turn. We're taking turns, [It was an Announcement and would broach no argument. He was stubborn and motivated, but the pause and watch was good for him. This wasn't that much different from learning how to swing intelligently. But much like that, he figured his body would Figure It Out.]

[Definitely part of it was about feel. You had to do it until your body felt where the sweet spot was.

Malcolm gamely picked up the big axe again, hefting it up over his shoulder and throwing it. It hit the centre again. He smiled, pleased with the result.]

I do practice this. [There was a reason he was still accurate.] Helps stave off quiet moments. I have a whole set of antique bearded axes that I use.

[The long handled axe throw got more impressive the more he saw it, though that might have been due to his attention on the man throwing it.]

I'll pretend to know what that is. You do this in your apartment?

[Raylan stepped back up, shifting the axe in his grip again before lining himself up and throwing it again with his strong step forward, accidently knocking hit hat off in the process, but he got it mostly vertical and closer than before, but he was still a long way away from 'good'.]

[It was very good for a beginner. But he had the arms for it. Oh. He was still looking at them. He looked at the axe.]

A bearded axe is an axe where the bottom of the blade is extended. They were popular with Vikings. [He glanced over with a grin.] You know the wall where my TV comes down from the ceiling? Above the fireplace? I have a wood target board I can mount there. Because my loft is really long, I can stand as far back as I want.

[Leaning down to pick up his hat, Raylan slipped it back on his head and walked over to gather his axe.]

You stand this far back? [he asked with a gesture at the spot they'd been standing.]

Or further?

This is about standard for competition, but sometimes I stand further back. You have to throw harder. Helps deal with frustrations. Like if I don't have a case and I did something stupid like visit my father.

[Malcolm held up the larger axe.] Want to try this one?

[Raylan bounced his eyebrows with a look that suggested he agreed seeing Martin was generally a stupid idea, even if he did understand why Malcolm was compelled to go. Ambling up towards Malcolm, he held out his axe in trade.]

What's competition gauged on? Form and not stepping over the line?

You might have to take a few steps back in your next throw - You're too good to be this close. [As Malcolm answers, Raylan will step back into his place, trying to get feel for the different point of weight.]

If you step over the line before your axe finishes traveling, you get no points. But mainly scoring is based where in the target you hit. It's got concentric rings like darts or archery and you have to try to hit as close to centre as possible. [He gestured towards the tree.] You would have gotten points on your last two throws.

Huh. I'll take it..

[For some reason, the heft of the long handled axe felt better being hoisted by two hands and Raylan did so, chucking it fairly well and landing a decent hit.]

This is.. just as fun as Baseball. I'm a little surprised. How many years have you been doing this?

That was a good throw! [Exclaimed with a grin.]

I was about sixteen when I stumbled on it in a magazine. But I didn't really compete until I was in my twenties. [He looked at Raylan sidelong.] I played baseball a couple times at school and once in the FBI in a rec league game against the ATF. Picked last every time. I only played on the FBI team that time because one of their players was sick and if they didn't have enough people they had to forfeit. Played left outfield. Never got to bat. Tell me it's more fun than that for you. [Otherwise, it's not a ringing endorsement of axe throwing.]

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