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

[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....]

[tinstar]

[Raylan grinned back.] This house has had more holes in it than I can count. I got good at fixing them. You shoulda seen the one that was left when some kids came in to tear the copper out of the walls. I've only just gotten it painted again.

[He watched the hole get drilled, nodding a little in approval as Malcolm looked up.]

Maybe another quarter of an inch. It's just got to be as long as the screw for the hook so we don't end up splitting the stud.[ And they hadn't picked up any cheap, flimsy hook. Speaking of, Raylan pulled it out of its bag and popped it out of the packaging before grabbing a small bottle of wood glue and giving the threads a good coating with his fingers before handing it down to Malcolm.]

Don't get this stuff on your good pants, it'll never really come off, [he warned.]

[abrightboy]

[He drilled a little further into the wall as instructed, then set the drill down to take the hook from Raylan and carefully screw it into the hole. He examined it, then looked up at Raylan for quality control.]

[tinstar]

[ Malcolm would have had to still put some muscle into screwing in the hook but when he looked back up, Raylan smiled and nodded.]

Look at that, your first hook install, [With a tilt of his easy smile, Raylan gestured for the drill.] You need to do anything while the bed is still pulled out? Primary.. hookups or something? I gotta change these sheets before you actually sleep on 'em though.

[Now that he knew what Malcolm was used to sleeping on, god knows how old sheets definitely needed a wash.]

[abrightboy]

[The fact that it hadn't been exactly easy made it more satisfying and shook his head at the question. He could reach down the sides of the bed to hook up.]

I can help you with the sheets. We've got a lot of day left. Do you want to... [He gestured around.] I don't actually know what you do when you're out here. But... do you need help with it?

[tinstar]

Help me move the bed, we'll pull the sheets and take 'em down to the wash, [Raylan offered in compromise as he put the drill and glue back into the toolbox.]

And since we've got a lotta day, you plan on doing it in that? [He nodded at Malcolm's suit before grabbing one end of the bed.]

Anything I've gotta do, you're not gonna come out clean if you help.

[abrightboy]

[He smoothed his hand down the front of his suit, then his eyes widened in excitement at that.]

I brought casual clothes! [He gestured to his bag.] I didn't know if you were going to need help at work or... what. I brought other clothes! Just in case.

[tinstar]

'Casual' clothes,[Raylan echoed with a playful sense of disbelief, pulling his end of the bed and gesturing for Malcolm to get the other side before centering it and pushing it against the wall.]

You mentioned helpin' me with curb appeal. Any pants you can work in the yard in, is good enough for any work that might light up my phone while we're out here. I'm sure something will, these people can't leave well enough alone.

[Raylan lifted his eyebrows with a little addendum as he looked out the lace curtained two pane window, a facial shrug.] Constable Bob will probably be out. [ Raylan glanced at Malcolm with a full curl of his smile. ] Hopefully only to pump me for stories.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm helped with the bed, noting Raylan's criteria for casual.]

I have a pair of jeans. T-shirts. A sweater. I can work in the yard. [Confidently. Like he knew what working in a yard entailed.] Who's Constable Bob?

[tinstar]

Harlan constable, [Raylan said, smile still playing along his lips as he took a couple steps towards Malcolm,] named Bob. [ Reaching out, Raylan slid his fingers under Malcolm's tie and ran them down it. Just because they hadn't kissed each other in greeting didn't mean that it hadn't been playing in the back of Raylan's head since he knew that Malcolm was flying out. Still, he wasn't sure if that was still okay, or if he was still okay with it, despite the rising urge.]

I'd hate to take away his joy in telling you himself. [ Raylan's fingers dropped away and his smile pulled at Malcolm a little.]

I'll go downstairs while you get changed.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm hadn't kissed him because he also wasn't sure if it was okay. He didn't know if Raylan would want that at the hotel that served as his residence where he worked - first thing in the morning - or here, in the middle of the day, in the place where he grew up and knew everyone. Raylan's fingers trailing down his tie made his skin flush a little, though. There was no disguising that. He nodded dumbly at the instructions, not really wanting Raylan to go, but... he supposed they had to get to work. There'd be time for other conversations later.

He picked up his bag and put it on the bed, unzipping it to search through for the clothes he needed.]

[tinstar]

[ Raylan's hands itched as he trotted down the stairs and he filled them with a beer. The first of many over the day, but Raylan needed something to put his focus into. He ambled out the front door that was left wide open, save for the screen and eyed the day. It was already warm and he could tell it would be a hot one, over all.

He glanced over his shoulder as he heard Malcolm come back down the stairs.]

Out here,[he called. The beer bottle was lifted as he continued] Figured I'd get started on your practice targets.