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]

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.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm was wearing a thin grey sweater over a charcoal t-shirt and crisp, fitted black jeans. He stepped out onto the porch and smiled at Raylan's 'target acquisition'.]

So does this Constable Bob just show up here? Or will gunfire bring him around?

[tinstar]

Nah. The alarm we set off when we came in will. It'll take him another ten minutes. Then you'll see a 1980's little piece of shit car dusting up the road. He's been keeping an eye on the place when I'm up in Lexington. Didn't ask him too but..[Raylan shrugged with his face and a bob of his head again.]

It's been useful. He scared those kids off before they got more than one wall. Saved me some money. I figure he's harmless, and well meaning enough.

[Raylan stepped off the porch to survey his 'kingdom'.] Still have no idea what the hell I'm supposed to do with this tub.. [He glanced up at Malcolm.] You think it can still pass as ornamental?

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm followed him as he moved and looked the tub over.]

Fill it with dirt. Plant some flowers. [He shrugged.] Could pass. It's... quaint.

[tinstar]

[Raylan looked at him sidelong.]

Quaint. You sure that's what you wanna stick with? [Raylan looked at the tub again.] Looks like it belongs in a dump or at the back of a trailer park to me. But either way, we're going to have to get it away from the house to pressure wash back there and not fill it up.

To start with.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm moved to the far end of the tub to carry his share.]

I arrested someone in a trailer park once.

[tinstar]

[ Oh they were doing this now? Raylan lifted his eyebrows and went to go set his beer down on a nearby cast iron table, holding up some pausing fingers to Malcolm before he starts lifting.]

We gotta decide where to put it first.. [His head tilted.] What trailer park have you been in?

[Productivity would come, but there was no rush, so Raylan wasn't.]

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm was in no hurry; he just thought the musing had been instructions. He smiled.]

It was in rural Kansas. They did not like Feds in that place, I can tell you.

[tinstar]

[They'd find their rhythm.

Raylan winced.] Kansas. Not much else out there besides farms and trailer parks. If we are terribly unlucky, something will happen up at Trixie's, and you can add Kentucky to the list. They don't like lawman, but I'm a particular pain in their ass.

You get your guy?

[ He wasn't idle, picking up his beer as he scanned perspective areas before looking towards the drive, and catching the predicted upkicking of dust.

There was Bob. They had a good minute of silence to enjoy, by his estimation.]

[abrightboy]

Yeah, I talked him into releasing his hostage and coming out of the trailer.

[He heard the engine and turned to see the dust cloud coming. He gestured towards it and guessed.] Bob?

[He didn't consider that even in 'casual clothes' he did not look like he belonged here.]

Bob is played by Patton Oswald

[tinstar]

Bob.

[Bob Sweeney was a short man, round in the just the right way to make it seem like his pants were held up only by the grace of god and the frequent tugs of his belt. His pinto was rust orange, painted, but well faded over it's many years of use. Bob called out the window- ]

Well Hey Raylan!

Hi Bob, [Raylan returned, calmly patient and oddly a little fond in his tone, free hand's thumb finding the back edge of his back pocket as Bob turned off the car and walked towards them, eyeing Malcolm a little. It was clear he thought the man fancy, his chin lifted a little, breath pulling in as Bob tried his very best to be just as cool as Raylan.]

I didn't expect to see you down here - wasn't you supposed to be gone for another two weeks?

[Raylan smirked and half shrugged.] Art kicked me outta the office. Decided to come get some stuff done at the house.

Who's your friend? [Bob oozed Good Guy Friendliness and couldn't manage pretense if his life depended on it.] Constable Bob Sweeney, Harlan District, how do ya do, [Bob would have tipped his hat, if he had one but since he didn't, he couldn't leave it there and shuffled forward the few steps to stick a hand out.]