Text Overflow: It's just a flesh wound

[tinstar]

[Continued from: here]

[Raylan took advantage of having several hours to bring his hotel room back into something resembling tidiness, as well as taking a shower and grabbing a nap - Sleep wasn't something anyone got a lot of around Malcolm Whitly, but he'd long learned how to live and work on smaller amounts of sleep.

Dressed but with his button up open and no shoes on his feet, Raylan answered the door with a pull of a smile.] Managed to make it one piece I see. C'mon in. [ He shut the door behind him as he continued.] Flight okay?

Comments

[abrightboy]

In some cases, disappointing one's father is a good thing.

[Something occurred to him and he turned suddenly towards Raylan.]

Do you have a fire pit? Can we make a fire?

[tinstar]

[Then Raylan had done a damned fine job of that one.

The question, and the sudden enthusiasm made him glance over, lips curling.]

We can make one. If you can promise to not try to jump it or something.

[Somehow, the time flew by and sooner rather than later, Raylan was pulling onto the long driveway that led up to his childhood home.]

There she is, [he said as he put the town car into park] same as ever. Forty plus years and nothing ever changes out here.

[There was something of a heavy sigh as he stepped out of the car and popped the trunk, adjusting his hat as he went.]

[abrightboy]

[As they got out of the car, Malcolm took a deep breath of the air.]

Is jumping over fires something that people do? [Yes, an hour later, he's asking a question.]

[tinstar]

[Raylan chuckled.]

Oh the lessons you would have learned, growing up here. Too much beer and not enough to do leads to some stupid stupid ideas. Hell, that hasn't changed. They just traded beer for Oxy, weed, whiskey and guns.

[Pulling his bag and a couple of the grocery bags out of the trunk, Raylan left it open as he shifted his keys around for the house key, walking up to the door as he did so.]

Only thing we got here is guns and whiskey.. [ He glanced over his shoulder at Malcolm with a pull of his smile. ] And a little bit of fire.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm grabbed some groceries and trotted after him, hurrying to keep up with the taller man's long strides.]

I used to be a decent shot.

[tinstar]

That saying you'd like to brush off that rust?

[ Door open, Raylan walked in and to the right, towards the dining room to set down his things, brushing open the bags to start unloading it.]

We can make that happen, ya know.

[abrightboy]

I wouldn't mind seeing where I'm at against a sharp shooter.

[He set his bags down too.]

[tinstar]

[There was something in Raylan's eyes as he smirked over the table at Malcolm, a dark heat of innuendo underlying his everything.]

Again, you mean?

[He let it linger for a second before grinning crookedly as he collected an armful of cans.]

I'll empty a few beer bottles tonight that we can use.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm huffed a laugh, almost blushing.]

After beer and shooting, 'again' is... probable.

[tinstar]

[Raylan smirked from under the look and the edge of his hat before he turned to start unloading into the cans into the cabinet.]

You can go ahead and pick the bedroom you want to sleep in. The tools are just outside - I'll grab 'em in a minute.

[abrightboy]

Am I picking a bedroom that I want to sleep in or one that looks convenient for both of us to sleep in?

[Would that be bad? Could someone walk in and catch Raylan in a compromising position? The question was posed in as neutral a tone as possible; either answer worked, he just needed parameters.]

[tinstar]

[His hands stilled for a moment, can half put away before he continued, answering in an equally neutral tone.]

If you want the company. [Raylan turned around, eyes finding Malcolm with a play of a smile on the edges of his lips before he busied his hands collecting the bags.] No one's comin' in here to judge.

[While he didn't normally sleep upstairs.. he wouldn't say no to sleeping with Malcolm again, and that would require a bed. No way both of them would fit on the couch comfortable.]

And if they do, they're going to find a terrible time.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm ducked his head with a smile.]

I would like the company. [A confession before he looks up at Raylan again.] Is there any room you definitely don't want to sleep in?

[tinstar]

[Malcolm's confession pulled a pleased little smile from Raylan as he stuffed the bags away.]

Helen and Arlo's room. You'll know it by the wallpaper and lack of bed [Old flower print that was likely not even in production anymore and nicotine residue on the wall that made it look like it was fifty years older than it likely was.]

But there are two other proper sized ones up there that have somethin' better than a twin. Take your pick.

[abrightboy]

[He nodded and headed up the stairs, his step a little springier. Having discovered what it was like to be warm during Raylan's visit to New York, he'd missed being warm. And he hadn't been sure that would be on the table now, a couple months later and in a different place.

He ended up choosing the same room he'd tried to use the last time he was there, before he bolted in the night and Raylan had to put him on his back to stop him falling down the stairs.

He set his bag down next to the dresser and perched on the edge of the bed, waiting for Raylan to bring the tools to bolt his restraints in.]

[tinstar]

[Raylan watched Malcolm bounce up the stairs as he himself made his way back out the front door to get the last of the bags from the car, shut the trunk, and grab his toolbox sitting outside the front door before making his way upstairs.

It didn't take detective work to find Malcolm and Raylan found himself smiling again at the straight and proper way Malcolm was perched there.]

This is the one, huh?

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm smiled almost self-consciously.]

I remember it being quite comfortable. ...Until I woke up on the floor in the hall under a body.

[His expression, though still slightly self-conscious, turned a little cheeky too.] Though that wasn't entirely uncomfortable either.

[tinstar]

[Raylan's smile spread as he set the tool box down, eyebrows bobbing with an unbashful grin.]

Guess you get to have best of both worlds, don't you? Without having to throw yourself down any stairs.

[He gestured for Malcolm to get up and once he had, Raylan bent down and pushed the old steel frame over with a horrendous noise against the far wall.]

Did you install your own basehook at home or was it custom installed?

[He bet he knew the answer before he asked, and busied himself with grabbing the drill.]

[abrightboy]

You know I didn't install it. [He laughed lightly.] I'm flattered if you think I look handy, though.

[tinstar]

[Raylan grinned and revved the drill at Malcolm a few times.]

You don't, but you do look capable of learning. Ever drill a hole before?

[abrightboy]

[He shook his head, stepping closer, his gaze analytical as he watched.]

[tinstar]

Pretty easy - put the bit against the wood and pull the trigger. Just try to keep the bit straight so that you're not drifting and drilling crooked. [Raylan turned the drill over to him.]

Lucky for you, I already know where all the studs in the wall are, so we don't have to go looking for those.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm took the drill and pulled the trigger experimentally, then laughed nervously.]

It's more jarring than I was expecting.

[He knelt down on the floor, no mind paid to any dust there and whether it got on the knees of his expensive suit pants. With a look of extreme concentration, he lined up the drillbit with the spot on the wall Raylan had indicated, then looked up at him for confirmation.]

Right here?

[tinstar]

Power tools can do that. [Everyone did that the first time - it was nice to see that that was still the case with someone like Malcolm, instead of the alternative. Raylan supposed he should be grateful that Martin Whitly wasn't the power tool type.]

You're about center, that'll do fine. You might have to put some pressure on the drill to keep it from walking, but if it does, we can move up an inch and try again.

[So no worries and no pressure. It's just wood.]

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm ducked his head and grinned, then looked up at Raylan again.] You are very casual about me making a hole in the wall of a house you're trying to sell.

[His mother had a lot of money in real estate. It was never like this.

Focused concentration on his face and he held the drill tightly, pushing it against the wall and then pulling the trigger. It began to cut, sawdust flying and Malcolm flinched, letting go of the trigger. But as the dust settled, he could see the hole was decently straight so far and pressed it again, going a little further. Then he looked at Raylan.]

How deep do we want it to be?

[Probably more than the half inch he'd cut, he'd guess....]