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

Basically. Though most anywhere in Miami is within thirty minutes of the water. Might be why I like it so much, if I'm honest. There's no water out here, [he complained with a gesture of his glass and a soft sigh.] Not like that.

[Draining his glass, Raylan breathed another heavy sigh breath.] How do ya feel about bed? If you can't go to sleep later, I can point you towards a wall to paint while I get the rest of my sleep.

[Raylan well accounted for Malcolm's night issues already; the pattern was pretty well set, as far as he knew.]

I'll keep myself occupied. [He got up, not letting go of that hand.] If I stick to my routine, I'll function better. [A beat passed.] Do you know where you want to live when we go to Miami?

["We made Raylan's stomach tighten with excitement, even at the idea.]

Not right outta the gate but if you want a list of places inside of a few days, I could come up with something.

[He followed Malcolm to his feet and inside, locking the door behind them for the hella it and depositing their scotch glasses somewhere convenient along the way upstairs. Raylan would clean it up in the morning.]

Haven't really thought that far ahead yet.

I was just curious how much you'd thought about going back. [He smiled as they started up the stairs.] I don't need a list; I can wait.

[He hesitated as they got to the top.]

Raylan... you're sure about this, right?

A lot but there sayings about putting eggs before the chickens that lay them..

[Coming up on the landing with him, Raylan furrowed his brow slightly.]

Sure about what? [Raylan had a sneaking suspicion that Malcolm was talking about Everything, about what he'd asked, about what they'd talked, about the apparent tentative plans they seemed to be making.]

About sleeping in there, with me. It's dangerous. It... remains dangerous.

[He was completely sold on the other stuff. Call him a dumb romantic, but his heart fluttered at the thought of coming home to Raylan every night. But it also made him extra concerned about his potential to accidentally kill him.]

Malcolm, [Raylan started, stepping close.] I am not scared of you. And I'm not scared of being hurt by you, and if that happens, I can promise you that it is not your fault.

[That blame fell with his father.]

And I think you're sleeping in there with me, possession being 9/10ths of the law and everything. [His bed and all but it was a tease.]

Let me brush my teeth and I'll be in.

[Malcolm was scared of Malcolm and he still looked uncertain, part of him geared up to protest, but he also really didn't want to protest; he wanted Raylan to hold him like he did in New York, so he nodded instead and went into the bedroom, pulling his shirt off and dropping it on top of his bag. Pants were a necessity, but he wanted to feel Raylan's quiet, steady warmth.

He got his restraints out and clipped them into the brackets, then climbed into bed, buckling himself into the cuffs. He laid back, letting himself sink into the pillows, some part of his mind arguing that he owed Raylan more disclosure, but...BUt. He wanted this. But that was selfish. But Raylan wasn't worried. But Raylan didn't know everything...]

[ Raylan nodded back, catching Malcolm to press a kiss to his head before heading into the bathroom. He didn't want to wake up with scotch on his breath on top of morning breath. A minute later and Raylan was padding into the bedroom, peeling off his own shirt to drape it over the end of the bed. His hands hesitated at the button of his jeans, but after a half second, he popped it and slipped them off.

He could sleep in his jeans, and had more than once, but it wasn't his choice when he was in bed.]

You okay? [Raylan slipped into bed, under the blankets and wondered if maybe he shouldn't have left his pants on.]

[Raylan didn't require pants; his body wasn't a flight risk. Malcolm immediately slid close to him when he got in bed, but he was definitely still chewing something over.]

I almost stabbed the last person I slept with. [Sudden confession.] Not like this; I've never... we fell asleep on the floor. Stupid. No restraints. She didn't know about my... problems. So I dreamed I walked into the kitchen and I really did sleepwalk into the kitchen, and when something attacked me, I grabbed a knife off the counter and started swinging and I woke up and she was there all... huddled against the couch and she was screaming at me to wake up... I could have killed her. Suffice to say she stopped taking my calls after she fled my apartment in terror.

[He wasn't sure he wanted to chase Malcolm anywhere in just his underwear. Raylan shifted onto his side, head propped up on his hand as his right hand came down to slide over and around Malcolm's waist.

He listened silently, watching Malcolm's face as he spoke. He could see the guilt there.]

Can't say I blame her - that's a scary thing to wake up to..

You're worried that's going to happen here. That you're going to break through your restraints and hurt me. [Right?] But I know your issues... And you deserve the.. warmth of sleeping with someone. [Most everyone did. It was a primal joy, in Raylan's mind.]

That's not going to happen here.

[People had told him the nice things he deserved when they were leaving him before. Nobody had every told him the nice things he deserved as a reason they were staying.

Nobody had ever stayed. That probably had something to do with it.

He watched Raylan's face carefully, but there was only the earnest truth in it. How had he been so fortunate that he even met this man?

He set his hand on Raylan's chest, the restraint clinking faintly as he moved his arm, his fingers fidgeting lightly along his skin.]

I just... wanted you to know what you were getting into. I don't want you to go.

[But he would have understood if he felt he had to.]

[Raylan had remembered that snippet of their conversation, and the way Malcolm's face looked. He couldn't give Malcolm what he'd deserved then, but he could now. Granted, Raylan wanted it, so maybe he was being a little selfish, but they deserved that too.

The soft play of fingers across his chest was more than welcome and Raylan leaned into it, dipping his face down to kiss Malcolm, right back into those pillows. His weight rolled with it, leaving Raylan half laying on Malcolm as he breathed the man in.]

I know what I'm getting into. [He promised with a soft husk in his voice.] It doesn't change anything. You're still worth it.

[As Raylan rolled into him, his hand slid up, his fingertips resting lightly at the base of Raylan's throat. When the kiss broke, he looked up at him, a little wide-eyed with relief and wonder.

You're still worth it.

He couldn't raise his hand much further, but he lifted his head to kiss him earnestly, his fingers curling gently against the side of his neck. When it broke that time, he looked like he wanted to say something, but there weren't any words in all of his Harvard education or extensive studies of human emotions and behaviour to express what he was feeling.]

[He didn't have to say anything. Raylan couldn't say anything, worried about what would fall out of his mouth too early, too soon, and invite things to sour somehow. So instead, he kissed Malcolm again with a little less intensity and attempts to beat away the dark clouds of thoughts with his presence and commanding attention alone.]

Tomorrow night, wait to slide into these.. Beds are for more than sleeping and screwing. [Not that they had yet anyway.] And I wanna hold you. Properly. Just for a little while.

[He breathed a smile.]

I'd like that. I... That would be great. Just... don't let me fall asleep.

I'm sure I can keep your attention, [Raylan chuckled as he pulled back so he could pull and bunch a pillow under his head as he settled back onto his side, arm staying tightly over Malcolm's center.

He took a deep breath as he relaxed and studied Malcolm's face. The wheels in his head were still turning. This was crazy, for him. He knew, could feel that Malcolm understood that, but he was still a little daunted by the emotional cliff he'd just jumped off of. Raylan could do one night stands, had done one night stands, by he liked sleeping by and with his lovers, the few that had managed to snag a little bit of his heart to keep in their pocket. This wasn't so different from any of those times, was it?

He blamed the newness of it for the exhilaration and thrill and warmth in the low of his chest everytime Malcolm smiled. He just had to get used to it. He wanted to get used to it but at the same time, not at all.]

[Speaking of smiles, that pulled one, wide and warm and full of affection as he conceded] Yeah, I imagine you can. [Some of the tension in his body eased out and he slid a little closer against Raylan, turning partly onto his side for more skin to skin contact, settling his head into his pillow. His voice already had a note of drowsiness in it when he spoke again.] I can teach you how to throw axes tomorrow, if you want. If there's time. If you have an axe.

[That was such a good look for his face and Raylan happily tucked himself closer with the adjustment, chest pressing against the line of his shoulder and back. He pressed a kiss to Malcolm's shoulder.]

There's always time out here. And I'm sure I can find an axe or two.

[ He brushed his thumb back and forth over Malcolm's skin a few times and listened as he fell asleep. For some reason, Raylan couldn't quite get his eyes to close and time crept by him without much of any notice as he studied the shape and breathing of Malcolm in the dark. Finally, after what felt like a long while, Raylan's eyes relented and he started drifting off himself.]

[Malcolm didn't ease into his night terror that night. It started with a jolt as he lurched suddenly towards the edge of the bed, straining at the restraints. He clearly would have bolted if he weren't strapped in. Held tight by Raylan's excellent taste in bolts, he swung back the other way, straight into Raylan, thrashing wildly and screaming as he came up against an obstacle and his subconscious found no physical escape from whatever was attacking him.]

[ There was no telling if his eyes had been closed a second or an hour - all he knew was that Malcolm was jerking away. His arm lifted a little as he came about, just in time for Malcolm to slam his shoulder into the center of Raylan's chest.

It knocked the wind out of him, but that didn't stop him from him from securing his arm and swinging a leg over Malcolm's.]

MALCOLM! [he half shouted, not putting any real weight on the profiler, but not letting him thrash wildly. It meant Raylan had to dodge an errant elbow, but it let Malcolm dictate their back and forth.] MALCOLM, IT'S A DREAM, JUST A DREAM.

[If he could find any other way to wake Malcolm without slapping him, he was going to try.]

[When he failed at twisting out of Raylan's (but not Raylan's, as far as he knew) grasp, he heaved a choked sob and began trying to push him away with his hands, just as ineffectively.]

I don't know how to help you. Let me go. LET ME GO!

[ If Raylan had thought the scream was bad, the choked sob would be defined as heartbreaking. Sliding his leg off, Raylan resisted the urge to let him go and shook him again.]

Darlin', its okay, Wake up, wake up, you're safe here, you're safe. No one is getting you here.

[The words came pressed against Malcolm's shoulder, since he didn't trust the man not to headbutt him in his struggle. It suddenly occurred to Raylan that his attempts, as kind as they were meant, maybe didn't help..

That was heartbreaking too.]

[The struggle stopped as suddenly as it started and he gasped awake, his whole body trembling, his eyes darting around like a hunted animal before they fell on Raylan's ear, on the firm line of his shoulder. He took a shaky breath, blinking against tears he didn't remember shedding and managing to get out one breathless sentence.]

Did I hurt you?

[Raylan didn't realize that his eyes were pricked glossy til he opened them again, but he was suddenly grateful for the poor lighting in the room. He wasn't entirely sure it was all over til Malcolm spoke and the sharp inhale he took in was uneven as he lifted his head and looked over what he could see of Malcolm.]

No. [Not in any way that mattered. He didn't ask if Malcolm was okay, he just unclasped the restraints.] Was it her? The girl?

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