Laura clues in pretty quickly why he asked her over and once the question is out of Raylan's mouth, she can't help but blink a few times and look a little speechless. Not that she won't answer the question but it is one he didn't expect him to ask. Actually, she found the question to be one of the better ones she's been put on the spot with.
"No," she answers truthfully, shaking her head. After everything she and Sweeney have explored together so far, Laura can easily say that the markings she's received from him haven't been intentionally covered up. But then no one has asked about them either. "But I've found myself in a situation where I'm a little more worried about what someone I care about thinks about me and the... certain things I do when I'm letting half my walls down."
That someone she cares about is him, if he doesn't pick up on it.
"I think you and him have somethin'. Maybe it ain't love, maybe you're right, but. There's somethin' there, and I ain't blind or stupid. But I ain't about to judge how you enjoy him, darlin', or you enjoyin' him at all. I'd be a hypocrite if I did that.." Considering all he's done. He shifts and lifts an arm in invitation for her.
"I think you're tryin' to find some peace. We both are. I've got no-.." He lets a breath out of his nose.
"Olenor and Astrah haunt me. What they had. And while my position hasn't changed, I don't wanna lose you. I don't care that you're sleepin' with Red and I don't care how. That's not gonna make me care any less about you."
She didn't deny there was something, but Laura wasn't sure it went as deep as Raylan might have thought it did. Or, maybe it was hard to because they hadn't talked about it since the memory flood. That was when a distinct and very bold line was made regarding a certain potion and her coming back to life.
Laura keeps her gaze out on the water, though she's not looking at it. Whatever argument she might have had where Sweeney and she were concerned seemed to be shoved under a stack of unfiled shit. Finding herself nodding, she takes another sip of her beer.
Peace would be nice. Only at the moment, it feels more like a pipe dream, sitting out of arms reach with a lot of other things she'd love to have. Someone was within arms reach and she smiles in acceptance of his invitation to get closer, which she doesn't hesitate to take.
"You won't lose me," Laura tells him honestly, shaking her head and leaning her head against the front of his shoulder. He's become something of a constant for her; a safe harbour. When she's with him the world slows down, at least long enough for her to enjoy their time together. "And thank you for telling me that. It's been a while since somebody did."
Raylan had almost worried that she wouldn't and he'd feel like a fool that was dumb enough to be overconfident in the offering. But he liked the feeling of her tucked against him, and the way he felt warmer in his chest for the contact.
He hums at her first answer, giving her a faint smile as she leans against him. He knew that they were talking about the time that they had here, provisions built in. That didn't mean it still wasn't going to hurt. That he was going to lose her anyway. He grips her shoulder a little.
"If it's been a while since you've heard that, then I should make sure the rest of what you oughta be hearin' is up to date." He smiles down at her.
"You're beautiful. You're funny. Ballsy as hell and more brave and darin' than any woman I've ever known and I'm glad to know you."
Compliments like the ones he was giving were new, too, and the way her cheeks warmed and turn a soft pink was an indication of that. She will never expect it but it is nice to hear someone take the time to say it and her confidence is boosted a little more in that moment.
She smiles, gaze bouncing from his eyes to his lips while a hand comes up to touch his face lightly.
"You know it's going to go to my head, right? Guess I'll have to kiss you for it," she hums seriously, though it's clear she's feigning a laugh.
The smile spreads at her touch, breaking towards a grin at her threat and he lifts his eyebrows in amusement.
"Oh no, what a terrible fate for both your head an' my lips," he teases, bending down to meet her and steal her lips before she can steal his. He's temped to lean back, to lay into the sand with her, but the worry that it was too soft, too- too intimate won the internal argument.
He breaks the kiss with a smile.
"I want you to be comfortable here, darlin'. A retreat if you want. A place you're not gonna get judged.. A place where we can both be okay." He wanted the security too. He was looking for people he could be himself with. Properly himself. As 'himself' as he can be.
The moment his lips take and hold hers, she can't help the delighted sound she makes. Maybe it was because it came after the kind words he told her but the kiss was one of the best she's ever had. Whatever it was, it came from him and she'd happily take everyone that he could spare.
A place where we can both be okay.
Her smile mirrors his and turns warmer as he speaks and her eyes turn softer. Up until the moment he said it, she never knew a place like that existed, but she really likes the idea of a place where she didn't have to feel like her past was something to discuss or there to remind her of all the reasons she wasn't good enough before. It was a place to hide away from the world with someone who was okay with her figuring herself out as she went.
A place where they could be Astrah and Olenor, if only for the night.
"I already do," Laura says, nodding slightly. "And right here is the safest place I've felt in a long time."
No, not the beach, as lovely as it was, but right there under his arm.
It was never in question how beautiful Laura was, but there was something special about the way her eyes shined up at him, the way the apples of her cheek were full with her smile. She needed someone that could make her look like that every day. That welcome distraction aside, everyone kept telling everyone what they deserved and if he deserved a place to be himself, so did she. He was happy it was something, one of the few things, that he could provide. Life was messy. So were they. He'd rather be working on it with company than chewing over it alone.
"To the very best of my ability, Laura. That I promise you." He kisses her again, arm strong around her shoulders as he pulls her in. This time he does lay back, taking her with him if she'd let him and by nature of his hold, aiming to settle her head on his arm. When the kiss breaks, he speaks again.
"An' I've even got a spare room if you need to use it." If she needed a safe place but one that could give her space of her own, armed cowboy a complimentary security package downstairs.
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"No," she answers truthfully, shaking her head. After everything she and Sweeney have explored together so far, Laura can easily say that the markings she's received from him haven't been intentionally covered up. But then no one has asked about them either. "But I've found myself in a situation where I'm a little more worried about what someone I care about thinks about me and the... certain things I do when I'm letting half my walls down."
That someone she cares about is him, if he doesn't pick up on it.
no subject
"I think you and him have somethin'. Maybe it ain't love, maybe you're right, but. There's somethin' there, and I ain't blind or stupid. But I ain't about to judge how you enjoy him, darlin', or you enjoyin' him at all. I'd be a hypocrite if I did that.." Considering all he's done. He shifts and lifts an arm in invitation for her.
"I think you're tryin' to find some peace. We both are. I've got no-.." He lets a breath out of his nose.
"Olenor and Astrah haunt me. What they had. And while my position hasn't changed, I don't wanna lose you. I don't care that you're sleepin' with Red and I don't care how. That's not gonna make me care any less about you."
no subject
Laura keeps her gaze out on the water, though she's not looking at it. Whatever argument she might have had where Sweeney and she were concerned seemed to be shoved under a stack of unfiled shit. Finding herself nodding, she takes another sip of her beer.
Peace would be nice. Only at the moment, it feels more like a pipe dream, sitting out of arms reach with a lot of other things she'd love to have. Someone was within arms reach and she smiles in acceptance of his invitation to get closer, which she doesn't hesitate to take.
"You won't lose me," Laura tells him honestly, shaking her head and leaning her head against the front of his shoulder. He's become something of a constant for her; a safe harbour. When she's with him the world slows down, at least long enough for her to enjoy their time together. "And thank you for telling me that. It's been a while since somebody did."
no subject
He hums at her first answer, giving her a faint smile as she leans against him. He knew that they were talking about the time that they had here, provisions built in. That didn't mean it still wasn't going to hurt. That he was going to lose her anyway. He grips her shoulder a little.
"If it's been a while since you've heard that, then I should make sure the rest of what you oughta be hearin' is up to date." He smiles down at her.
"You're beautiful. You're funny. Ballsy as hell and more brave and darin' than any woman I've ever known and I'm glad to know you."
no subject
She smiles, gaze bouncing from his eyes to his lips while a hand comes up to touch his face lightly.
"You know it's going to go to my head, right? Guess I'll have to kiss you for it," she hums seriously, though it's clear she's feigning a laugh.
no subject
"Oh no, what a terrible fate for both your head an' my lips," he teases, bending down to meet her and steal her lips before she can steal his. He's temped to lean back, to lay into the sand with her, but the worry that it was too soft, too- too intimate won the internal argument.
He breaks the kiss with a smile.
"I want you to be comfortable here, darlin'. A retreat if you want. A place you're not gonna get judged.. A place where we can both be okay." He wanted the security too. He was looking for people he could be himself with. Properly himself. As 'himself' as he can be.
no subject
A place where we can both be okay.
Her smile mirrors his and turns warmer as he speaks and her eyes turn softer. Up until the moment he said it, she never knew a place like that existed, but she really likes the idea of a place where she didn't have to feel like her past was something to discuss or there to remind her of all the reasons she wasn't good enough before. It was a place to hide away from the world with someone who was okay with her figuring herself out as she went.
A place where they could be Astrah and Olenor, if only for the night.
"I already do," Laura says, nodding slightly. "And right here is the safest place I've felt in a long time."
No, not the beach, as lovely as it was, but right there under his arm.
no subject
"To the very best of my ability, Laura. That I promise you." He kisses her again, arm strong around her shoulders as he pulls her in. This time he does lay back, taking her with him if she'd let him and by nature of his hold, aiming to settle her head on his arm. When the kiss breaks, he speaks again.
"An' I've even got a spare room if you need to use it." If she needed a safe place but one that could give her space of her own, armed cowboy a complimentary security package downstairs.