The big ass noise and space turbulence? I knew it was a good idea to stay in for my day off. [It was a rare rare happenstance, but Raylan's world hadn't imploded because he didn't do anything. That was a step in the right direction.]
I'll get the details from someone later. And I suppose, go see if there's any damage up there. We had to polish that shit last time she suffered, I'd rather not do that again if I can help it.
You're not supposed to come back and immediately die, you know. Gotta give us a chance to at least know before doin' all that. Give us a chance to worry and fuss over you. I'm already behind.
[His twelve-year-old brain decides to focus on the phrase "big ass noise," and to give it the mental cadence of "big ass-noise." Which is why he starts chuckling quietly to himself while Raylan talks.]
Oh, damage, for sure. [A derisive noise at that, then a pause. Then concern.] I hope the sailboat isn't hurt. Hurting. I hope the ship is okay.
[And bye to that thought, on to the next one.]
Lots of fussing to go around. [He trails off a moment, humming to himself.]
Can I occupy your couch, Wall Street? Not first, Malcolm has dibs, he said so himself.
Me too. [It's said softly because Raylan feels some attachment to the ship herself. And it was cute, Neal's passing worry about it.
Almost there.]
Can't argue with Malcolm on that. But 'Wall Street'? Those must be really good drugs. 'Course, my couch is always open, and I even got a cat that will attempt to sit on your face.
They are. Really good. [Another little hum, and what might be a muffled few notes of It's Not Unusual.] The analolgesics. My cat should meet your cat, we should do that.
They should. Pumpkin gets along with everyone, so I'm sure it'll go well.
[But then the call hangs up because Raylan is ambling into the infirmary and looking over everyone until his eyes land on Neal. He smiles warmly as he comes over, hips cocked crooked as he comes to a stop.]
You're lookin' pretty good for a recently dead guy. No new scars or nothin', darlin'?
[He answers with a very loud, very slightly off-key bit of singing.]
It's not unusual to go out at any time But when I see you out and about it's such a crime If you should ever wanna be loved by anyone It's not unusual...
[Neal gives him a sleepy, beaming smile. He's hair is longer, curlier because of that, and he has a bit of a goatee himself.]
No new ones! It's a record. [Neal reaches one hand up, wriggling his fingers at Raylan.] Hair check. Have to make sure it's still soft.
[All the quiet questions in the back of his head stilled a little as Neal sang at him, the choice, the lyrics. The question. Hair check. Fuck he's adorable.
Raylan takes off his hat and sits on the edge of Neal's bed, leaning in with a fond look.]
Just as soft as you left it. [He reaches over with his left hand, gently grabbing Neal's chin and rubbing a thumb over the goatee.]
I like it. Shows me time has passed for you. How long?
[Neal combs his fingers through Raylan's hair, humming appreciatively. When Raylan catches his chin like that, Neal smiles, the feel of it so familiar and so missed.]
Eleven-ish months. I definitely didn't mean for it to be.
[He can still smile. That's good news. Aside from the whole being dead part, Raylan hopes that nothing will be different for them. Raylan's hand falls back to rest over his other forearm.]
That's a long time. I'm glad I only had to miss you for a few days. [His head tilts a little, dark eyes studying Neal's blues.]
You okay? [Not about the dying, not about the toll he was currently saved from by the drugs they'd pumped into him.]
[He nods a little, eyes dropping briefly down to Neal's hand which he would really like to take up, but he wasn't sure how welcome that kind of touch was in such a public place.]
That's okay, darlin'. We got time. [Time to sort it out, time to decompress, time to pull it all apart. It was okay to not be okay.]
Right now, you just need to focus on gettin' back on your feet. So Malcolm's called Dibs, huh? How soon before you get sprung outta here? [The infirmary, that is.]
[The touch makes him smile, and he squeezes Neal's hand gently, with appreciation.]
I missed you too. I would say you didn't miss anything, but I guess you came back just in time to catch up to the chaos. [He was more than curious about what had happened to Neal in those 11ish months, but now wasn't the time.]
So you better rest up for whatever rolls our way next. Otherwise I might have to talk to Malcolm and Norton and consider tucking you safely away in a cabin so you don't get hurt again.
[Raylan grins a little and pull Neal's knuckles up so he can press a kiss to them.]
Promise. Tie you down in ribbons, if we gotta. [He shouldn't tease right now. It was inappropriate. But if it made Neal's face light up a little, it was worth it.]
Dad. [Reid. Neal just keeps tripping sideways into thinking of him as the father he knew in the breach.] Shaw, and Eiffel, but mostly probably because Eiffel and I died at the same time and she brought us here. Malcolm… Norton.
[He smiles faintly at that, then gives Raylan a studying look.] You know what I think?
Edited (I accidentally a sentence) 2023-08-12 06:02 (UTC)
[Raylan glances over in the direction that Neal gestures but only sees Reid. Is that who he's talking about? There was a story there and Raylan was interested in it. But more important was the suggestion falling out of Neal's mouth.
Raylan smiles his crookedly pulled smile, eyebrows lifting oh so slightly.]
Is that how it goes? Thems the rules? Well, the good news here is that I would love to kiss him.. Better news is that he sounds up to it himself, considerin' that night, Yunlan's social. [He thinks about it perhaps more than he should.]
We should all three have a dinner somewhere once you're back up to snuff. One of our cabins.
I do. [It's said with a chuckle and a bob of his head.] And now that invitation is extended to Norton too. Do you want to tell him the lucky news, or should I?
Shit, now I'm gonna have to make it extra fancy, up to y'all's high standards.
I'll find a time and place to extend the invitation then. [That wasn't a problem and Raylan didn't want either Neal or Norton to think that the cowboy was somehow avoiding talking to Norton directly. He just didn't want to step on any lines - their relationship was always at the edge of his thinking when he was hanging out with Neal.
His eyebrows lift a little.]
St. Louis, huh? I shoulda guessed. [There was no way in the world he would have. Neal was too good with the general American Accent that accented people tended to take to blend into the rest of the outside world. Damned good.]
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sure thing!
I'm on my way.
Start with why you're in the infirmary, and I'll harass you about how your trip home was when I get there.
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I'll get the details from someone later. And I suppose, go see if there's any damage up there. We had to polish that shit last time she suffered, I'd rather not do that again if I can help it.
You're not supposed to come back and immediately die, you know. Gotta give us a chance to at least know before doin' all that. Give us a chance to worry and fuss over you. I'm already behind.
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Oh, damage, for sure. [A derisive noise at that, then a pause. Then concern.] I hope the sailboat isn't hurt. Hurting. I hope the ship is okay.
[And bye to that thought, on to the next one.]
Lots of fussing to go around. [He trails off a moment, humming to himself.]
Can I occupy your couch, Wall Street? Not first, Malcolm has dibs, he said so himself.
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Almost there.]
Can't argue with Malcolm on that. But 'Wall Street'? Those must be really good drugs. 'Course, my couch is always open, and I even got a cat that will attempt to sit on your face.
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They should. Pumpkin gets along with everyone, so I'm sure it'll go well.
[But then the call hangs up because Raylan is ambling into the infirmary and looking over everyone until his eyes land on Neal. He smiles warmly as he comes over, hips cocked crooked as he comes to a stop.]
You're lookin' pretty good for a recently dead guy. No new scars or nothin', darlin'?
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It's not unusual to go out at any time
But when I see you out and about it's such a crime
If you should ever wanna be loved by anyone
It's not unusual...
[Neal gives him a sleepy, beaming smile. He's hair is longer, curlier because of that, and he has a bit of a goatee himself.]
No new ones! It's a record. [Neal reaches one hand up, wriggling his fingers at Raylan.] Hair check. Have to make sure it's still soft.
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Raylan takes off his hat and sits on the edge of Neal's bed, leaning in with a fond look.]
Just as soft as you left it. [He reaches over with his left hand, gently grabbing Neal's chin and rubbing a thumb over the goatee.]
I like it. Shows me time has passed for you. How long?
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Eleven-ish months. I definitely didn't mean for it to be.
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That's a long time. I'm glad I only had to miss you for a few days. [His head tilts a little, dark eyes studying Neal's blues.]
You okay? [Not about the dying, not about the toll he was currently saved from by the drugs they'd pumped into him.]
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I remember this. [Give him a few seconds to acclimate.] ...No. No, not really, sailboat.
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That's okay, darlin'. We got time. [Time to sort it out, time to decompress, time to pull it all apart. It was okay to not be okay.]
Right now, you just need to focus on gettin' back on your feet. So Malcolm's called Dibs, huh? How soon before you get sprung outta here? [The infirmary, that is.]
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I missed you. [He missed a lot.] Soonish, I think.
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I missed you too. I would say you didn't miss anything, but I guess you came back just in time to catch up to the chaos. [He was more than curious about what had happened to Neal in those 11ish months, but now wasn't the time.]
So you better rest up for whatever rolls our way next. Otherwise I might have to talk to Malcolm and Norton and consider tucking you safely away in a cabin so you don't get hurt again.
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[YEAH HE’S HIGH AS A KITE AND STILL FLIRTING he can’t help it okay.]
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Promise. Tie you down in ribbons, if we gotta. [He shouldn't tease right now. It was inappropriate. But if it made Neal's face light up a little, it was worth it.]
Who all's been by to check on you already?
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Dad. [Reid. Neal just keeps tripping sideways into thinking of him as the father he knew in the breach.] Shaw, and Eiffel, but mostly probably because Eiffel and I died at the same time and she brought us here. Malcolm… Norton.
[He smiles faintly at that, then gives Raylan a studying look.] You know what I think?
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Dad? [An unexpected addition to the list of names, to Raylan's point of view.]
What do you think, darlin'.
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Okay important tho.]
I think you should kiss Norton. Because I kiss him and you. And if you kiss each other, then we can all just kiss.
[Do you see the logic, Raylan, it is absolutely sound.]
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Raylan smiles his crookedly pulled smile, eyebrows lifting oh so slightly.]
Is that how it goes? Thems the rules? Well, the good news here is that I would love to kiss him.. Better news is that he sounds up to it himself, considerin' that night, Yunlan's social. [He thinks about it perhaps more than he should.]
We should all three have a dinner somewhere once you're back up to snuff. One of our cabins.
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Shit, now I'm gonna have to make it extra fancy, up to y'all's high standards.
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[He gives Raylan a LOOK and a PUH sound.] I grew up in a St. Louis tenement and Norton plays posh very well.
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His eyebrows lift a little.]
St. Louis, huh? I shoulda guessed. [There was no way in the world he would have. Neal was too good with the general American Accent that accented people tended to take to blend into the rest of the outside world. Damned good.]
Guess Southern Fancy will have to do.
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