Just a short piece inspired by fandom frustration!

Heyes pulled out of a deep sleep looked round blearily, unsure of what had disturbed him, his brain sluggish from exhaustion after a three week cattle drive. Though when the moonlight shining through the thin drapes of their hotel room allowed him to focus on his partner, who was at the door, fully dressed, with coat and hat on, saddlebags over his shoulder, hand resting on the handle, he easily shook the cobwebs out of his mind, coming instantly alert. Coughing and swallowing hard, didn't entirely clear the sleep roughness out of his voice, and he knew he sounded scratchy as he snapped, “Whatcha doing, Kid?”

The Kid froze at his voice, then shrugged as he said quickly. “Nothin'” before adding. “Just feelin' restless, and goin' for a walk is all.”

Heyes sat up, lighting the lamp by his bed, wide awake and deeply suspicious. Light flooded the room, making them both blink as Heyes stared at his partner, and said sharply. “Your poker face ain't working so good, Kid!” Heyes was lying, he couldn't actually tell anything from the Kid's expression, but he knew his friend well-enough to recognise he wasn't telling the truth anyway, and added quickly before the Kid could reply. “You don't need your saddlebags to take a walk...so whatcha really doing?”

The Kid stared at him, his expression flickering for a moment, showing some fleeting guilt, before shifting back into the blankness that never meant anything good, especially with the range of emotions Heyes could see flashing in his eyes. After a beat, the younger man blew out a sigh, let go of the door handle to lean heavily against the worn wood, as he said wearily, briefly closing his eyes, before meeting his partner's gaze evenly. “Don't matter now, Heyes...just go back to sleep.”

Heyes sprung out of his bed onto his feet, hands on his hips, his eyes darkening, not trying to hide his frustration as he almost growled..“Not until you get back into bed, or at the very least take ya boots off!”

The Kid shifted his weight onto his right leg, and his expression darkened as he replied, sounding dangerous. “Mind ya tone, Heyes, you ain't in charge of me...”

Heyes stared at his partner in some surprise, not really understanding where this was coming from, they'd been fine on the drive, even staying patient with each other, despite long days in the saddle, the over abundance of cows asses, dust, and beans.

Quickly deciding he needed to stay calm to find out what the problem was, because forcing a confrontation wouldn't get him what he needed: An explanation, Heyes threw his friend a placating smile, and replied as evenly as he could. “I ain't saying I am, Kid, but I know you. Minute I'm asleep again, you'll be out that door, and I wanna know why is all.”

The Kid grimaced, then to Heyes' relief threw his saddlebags down, and sat on the bed to remove his boots with a sigh. With his back to Heyes, his voice muffled as he bent to yank off his right boot, he finally answered. “Feel like I oughta make my own way again, and leave ya to yours.”

Heyes strode over to him, and laid a hand on his shoulder as he asked, his tone a little sharp with puzzlement. “We done that before, and it didn't work so good for either of us! You got yourself a reputation, and I got tangled up with Plummer, so why try it again?”

The Kid pulled away, and stood, stripping down to his underwear with jerky, angry, precision, before he deigned to reply, leaving Heyes close to exploding. “You ever feel invisible Heyes? Since we started going for amnesty, seems like no-one cares enough to see me, 'less I got a gun in my hand, or they want the bounty on my head, and that sure don't make me feel good!”

Heyes stared in shock, his resolution to stay calm dissolving into nothing as shocked anger swept over him, and he spluttered angrily. “You're gonna split us up, because you wanna be noticed? How ya gonna do that? Go back to outlawing? Shoot someone?”

The Kid stalked towards him, his face hard, his eyes flashing in anger, and Heyes was suddenly worried he was going to hit him, but instead he came to a stop, just before they ended up chest to chest, the anger draining out of him in a rush. He took a deep breath, before rubbing his face and saying wearily. “I don't wanna go back to outlawin' anymore than you do, and I certainly don't wanna shoot anyone. I just wanna be appreciated...” He gave a small smile, shrugged, suddenly looking embarrassed. “I guess that sounds kinda dumb...”

Heyes understanding his partner's unhappiness, because it was something he also struggled with at times, patted him on the shoulder, following it up with a gentle squeeze as he said wryly. “I get it Kid, I do, but we gotta stay outta trouble, and you gotta admit, us not being noticed is a good way to do that.” He paused, then added with some sympathy, realising in a rush what had brought this to the surface for his friend. “It's that girl isn't it Kid, the pretty one at the store this afternoon?”

The Kid stepped back, and looked about to deny it, then sighed in some defeat. “ I just tried to talk to her, but she looked right through me, Heyes, she even sniffed, and wrinkled her nose like I was some kinda bad smell or somethin, before walkin' right past me, without even a smile!”

Heyes swallowed, knowing that while his partner wasn't vain exactly, there were two things he was seriously proud of: His skill with a gun, and the way women responded to him. It was more than just his charm and looks that attracted them, it was also his open and genuine interest in who they were. As Heyes also knew that he always fell half in love with every woman he spent time with, he was very aware he had to tread carefully here.

Swallowing hard, he wracked his brain for the best way to address this new problem, just avoiding giving a huff of relieved triumph when it came to him, and he began to talk. “If a girl is interested in you now, Kid, leastwise you know it's not 'cos you're Kid Curry. You really wanna be noticed by someone who don't think a working man is good enough? 'Cos when the amnesty comes through, it's gonna take some time to get set up right...and you know Kid, us going our separate ways might get us noticed for all the wrong reasons anyways. You're always telling me you're the only thing that been keeping me alive all these years...and while I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, seems we oughta not change things while we're waiting, and once the amnesty happens, you'll be free to find a girl who is daft enough to marry ya!”

The Kid stared at him in silence for a moment, and Heyes held his breath, only letting it out when his partner shrugged with a small smile. “All right Heyes, I'll buy what ya sellin'.”

Heyes gave him an offended look, though he knew his tone was relieved as he replied. “Whatcha saying Kid? I'm not peddling snake oil!”

Kid clapped him on the shoulder, and gave him a small tight smile. “Kinda more dangerous than that, isn't it Heyes? You're selling hope!” Then his smile brightened, and his face relaxed as he added. “And ya know, that isn't a bad thing.”

Heyes gave him a relieved grin as he asked lightly, more than half-convinced the danger was past, but needing confirmation. “That mean I don't have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of the night?”

The Kid laughed softly with a small shake of his head, and lay down on his bed with a tired sigh. Heyes went back to his own, and listened to his partner's breathing steady back into sleep. He waited a few more minutes just to be sure, before blowing out the lamp and closing his eyes, more than ready to be tugged back into sleep.