He's glad when Raylan leans in. It means Neal can hold him a little closer, a bit tighter, so the lines of their bodies blend a little. He picks up his own glass, turning his head to kiss Raylan's cheek. "As long as you don't hurt yourself doing it."
He's seen people have far worse coping mechanisms than smashing up something unoccupied.
When the facade drops entirely, Neal shifts so he's facing Raylan, still with a hand on the other man's back.
"I'm sorry," he says, quietly. That Raylan and Malcolm fought, yes, but for more than that. "I'm sorry I kept picking fights with you when I first got here, and for the way things started in the Lounge. I think you and Malcolm have something very unfortunate in common."
He leans against the counter, running his hand up and down the small of Raylan's back. "People take physical swings at him because because he's blunt and awkward and cavalier about his physical safety, and they assume it's more allowable than hitting someone else because he shrugs it off on the surface."
He takes a little sip of the red, making a softly pleased sound at the taste. Neal sets his glass back down and rests his other hand against Raylan's stomach, dropping his fingers to hook his thumb over the front of Raylan's jeans. It's oddly nonsexual as a gesture. "People take emotional swings at you and assume it's fine because you seem on the surface like you have a heart that doesn't bruise."
Neal leans in to kiss his cheek again. "Which is not a criticism of you."
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He's glad when Raylan leans in. It means Neal can hold him a little closer, a bit tighter, so the lines of their bodies blend a little. He picks up his own glass, turning his head to kiss Raylan's cheek. "As long as you don't hurt yourself doing it."
He's seen people have far worse coping mechanisms than smashing up something unoccupied.
When the facade drops entirely, Neal shifts so he's facing Raylan, still with a hand on the other man's back.
"I'm sorry," he says, quietly. That Raylan and Malcolm fought, yes, but for more than that. "I'm sorry I kept picking fights with you when I first got here, and for the way things started in the Lounge. I think you and Malcolm have something very unfortunate in common."
He leans against the counter, running his hand up and down the small of Raylan's back. "People take physical swings at him because because he's blunt and awkward and cavalier about his physical safety, and they assume it's more allowable than hitting someone else because he shrugs it off on the surface."
He takes a little sip of the red, making a softly pleased sound at the taste. Neal sets his glass back down and rests his other hand against Raylan's stomach, dropping his fingers to hook his thumb over the front of Raylan's jeans. It's oddly nonsexual as a gesture. "People take emotional swings at you and assume it's fine because you seem on the surface like you have a heart that doesn't bruise."
Neal leans in to kiss his cheek again. "Which is not a criticism of you."