tle: Someone to talk to.
Disclaimer: Not mine, not ever. Just on a short lease.
Summary:
One of Cody's remarks really upsets Kid. Or is it something else that saddens him? Up to the other riders to find a way to lift his spirits.
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Jimmy had a serious frown on his face while balancing on the hind legs of the chair he was sitting on as he listened to Buck unfold his story. Cody had managed to keep his foot out of his mouth ever since Buck had asked the riders for their advice as Ike just silently nodded every once in a while. Lou decided to distance herself, feeling Buck would ask her if he wanted her opinion, though couldn't help but listen in as her Kiowa friend told all the other riders about the reason for needing advice. All but the Kid.
He just lay on his bunk pretending to read, carefully hiding he felt betrayed and hurt by his friends all huddled around Buck.
"….we are so different and yet so alike. I'm just not sure on how to behave around her." Buck concluded.
"Sounds to me you're doin' just fine there Buck" Jimmy answered. "Maybe you shouldn't get your hair in a knot thinkin' what you should be doin' when it seems to me you bein' you is just fine as it is"
"Yeah, thinkin' usually only messes things up." Cody interjected.
You can take Cody's word for it, I'm sure he knows what he's talking about from experience Ike signed with a wide grin on his face.
"Now that's just plain cruel Ike!" Cody whined.
Buck let out a soft chuckle as the others had a good laugh at the blond riders' expense. Trust Cody to say something silly whenever he was given the chance.
"Maybe you guys are right. It's just, we've been having such a great time together I don't want to mess things up." Buck continued
The boys all fell quiet for a moment, each one of them thinking of something to helpful to say and to avoid opening their mouths. Kid, who had been closely listening to his friends talking still pretending to read, now had his jaws clenched together. He wouldn't have even made it this far in a conversation about the girl that captured his heart, he thought bitterly.
"You really care about her huh" Jimmy asked as he set the chair back on all four legs crossing his arms along his chest.
Jimmy, Cody, Ike and even Lou all stared at Buck, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah, I do. She really seems to understand where I'm coming from without having said a single word." Buck finally answered. "Things have been great so far I don't want to do or say anything to upset her or hurt her feelings"
"If that's really what you're worryin' about, you'd be best off talkin' to someone else but us Buck" Cody said nodding towards the figure reading on the bunk behind them. "Kid seems to be the expert when it comes to getting woman mad as a cat tossed in a tub of water!"
The four riders burst out in laughter turning their heads towards Kid, all very well knowing how many times he had made Lou explode in raging anger having been thrown just about everything she could get her hands on at him. The vocabulary used in these fits of fury would make the most foul mouthed man alive, blush in shame.
Kid instantly closed the book and silently got up from his bunk. He reached for his coat and fiercely walked towards the door, passing Lou along the way. She jumped up and grabbed his arm knowing he had had enough of the boys' teasing. For months now every passing chance they got, Kid and Lou's relationship would be mocked with Kid taking the hardest blows.
"Kid… don't let them get to you like that" She softly pleaded, but loud enough for the boys to hear.
He stopped dead in his way to door as she grabbed him, and locked eyes with her. With his free hand he removed her clasped hands around his arm and left the bunk house, not having said a single word.
Lou turned around in a whirl and the boys knew they were in serous trouble.
"Why'd you boys always have to pick on him like that!" She bellowed at the four riders.
"Aw Lou, he knows we're just horsin' around. We don't mean anything by it" Cody responded, feeling responsible for Kid leaving the bunk house the way he did and having upset Lou in the process.
Jimmy got up from his seat and walked up to Lou.
"Don't worry so much, he's just gone out to get some air or something. He'll be back soon enough, bein' his old self again in no time. You just wait and see" Jimmy said soothingly.
Lou just stared back at Jimmy; her warm brown eyes turned stone cold before grabbing a blanket and walking out the door.
The four remaining boys all stared at each other.
Lou go after the Kid?" Buck asked after a little while.
No, she's just gone up to Rachel's house Ike signed as he peered out the window.
Jimmy shuffled back to the chair he was sitting on. "I don't know what's been eating Kid all evening, but he's been quite even since supper. Maybe you really pushed it this time Cody, maybe they had another fight seein' as Lou ain't gone after him yet."
"Me? How come I'm the one to blame for the Kid walkin' out the way he did?" Cody exclaimed in astonishment.
Not giving Jimmy any time to shove all guilt in Cody's shoes Buck rose to his feet putting a finger to his lips shushing Jimmy and looked out the window and saw a lone figure lean against the corral. Kid, who normally when upset would try and find comfort in either Lou's arms or Katy's stall was acting completely out of character and Buck didn't like it one bit.
"He's just standin' there" Buck muttered.
Cody jumped up and shoved himself next to Buck to see what he was talking about. "I think you best go out there and talk to him Jimmy" Cody concluded.
Jimmy sighed. Whenever Kid had something bothering him it was always him that was sent out to drag out what he needed to get off his chest. Kid was a man of very few words and trying to get him to open up was painfully hard. And frankly, Jimmy was not really in the mood to battle a headstrong Kid this evening. He was tired and had a run the next morning. He much rather leave Kid sort out his own laundry for a change and talk about whatever eat him alive some other time.
But Buck seemed to have read his mind as his dark eyes looked sternly at Jimmy.
"All right, all right. I'll go see what's botherin' the man this time" Jimmy said throwing his hands in the air as a gesture of defeat.
He grabbed his coat and hat and walked out the door only to be followed on the foot by Cody, Ike and Buck to seat themselves on the porch as the watched Jimmy approach Kid. Jimmy walked up to the corral, but before he could open his mouth the Kid had opened his.
"Just leave me alone" He said in an even tone without turning around to see who had come out to talk to him.
"Kid…" Jimmy started but Kid didn't let him finish.
"I said leave me alone" He repeated, now a little louder.
Jimmy contemplated leaving for a second, but decided against better judgment to try and get through to his friend.
"Why don't you just get off your chest what's botherin ya so much ya have to stand here all by yourself sulkin', so we can all go to bed and enjoy a good nights sleep" Jimmy offered slightly teasing.
Kid didn't even turn around and have his go at Jimmy for disregarding his feelings like that. He merely sighed and looked down at his feet.
"Leave me alone Hickock" His voice sounding like a plea.
That tone in Kid's voice slightly alarmed Jimmy; he hadn't heard his sandy haired friend ever sound so sad before.
"Look… I'm sorry Kid. I don't mean it to sound the way it did" Jimmy spoke as he took another step towards the Kid.
Suddenly Kid turned around; his brow furrowed and hurt clearly showing by the moonlight and the lights coming from the house.
"Just. Leave. Me. Alone." Kid hissed through gritted teeth and walked off leaving a stunned Jimmy behind.
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Lou stared at out the window, looking at an angry Kid walk away from Jimmy having no idea what came over her lover. This was nothing like the kind mannered Kid she knew and she was worried. But she knew him well enough to know he needed to be alone, that's why she came over to Rachel, not having the patience to stay with the boys. Luckily Rachel understood. Lou knew Kid would say what he had to when he was good and ready. All she could do was hope he would do so sooner than rather than later.
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TBC