"Thank You"

A hollow, short cough echoed across the cabin.

"Swallow some more, honey."

"Don't need it."

"If you're coughing, you need it."

"Said I don't."

Heyes lowered his book to raise an eyebrow sharply at his partner, who had a collection of pistols disassembled across the kitchen table.

"Stop looking at me, Heyes."

The book went back up, "could at least say thank you." Although the aroma of gun cleaning oil filled the space between them, no words filled the silence, and as it stretched out Heyes grumbled, "still think a thank you wouldn't hurt you none."

There was the soft clunk of metal hitting the table's scarred top, "you want me to thank you for the burns that mustard plaster left all across my back and chest."

The book noticeably moved closer to Heyes' face, obscuring him from Curry's potent glare.

"Hellfire, I have blisters in some places."

"It worked though."

"Not going to agree to that."

"Next time, I won't leave it on for so long."

"There won't be a next time," Curry firmly responded, followed by the distinctive sound of a cylinder sliding into place.

"Cleared your chest out," Heyes laid his book down, "you can breathe, and I say it worked." He stood, dropping the book on his chair. "So, you could say thank you since I was arrested helping you."

"You got yourself arrested, nothing to do with me."

"You can be the biggest ingrate sometimes."

Curry looked up at his partner, now standing across the table from him, his blue eyes narrowing until they disappeared.

Unmollified, Heyes put his hands on his hips, "you can."

"Not sure what ingrate means, but it doesn't sound like anything you should explain to me." Curry said, turning the Schofield's cylinder checking its smoothness, "and it damn well does not sound like anything I want to thank you for!"

"Well, what about the honey, you going to say it hasn't smothered your cough." Heyes grouched, pulling out a chair and dropping in it. "I got that for you, too."

"You did, and it did." Curry replied, setting the Schofield down, "and I could not eat another mouthful for rest of my life and be happy."

"|Then say thank you."

"No!" Curry snapped, placing both hands, palms down on the table leveling a disgusted scowl on his pal. "I used to enjoy the tasted of honey, and you ruined that for me."

Rolling his eyes, Heyes leaned forward, shoving a few revolver parts out of his way, "why can't you admit I cured you."

"Stop moving them parts, I laid them out like I want them!"

"Come on, Kid, just say thank you."

Straightening the parts, Kid muttered, "if I do, will you just leave me be."

"Might."

"Not one to bet on them type of odds."

The corner of Heyes' mouth twitched, his dimple appearing briefly and deeply in his cheek. "Won't know until you do."

"Won't know until you do."

Picking up his lukewarm cup of coffee, Curry took a long drink, emptying it. Setting the cup down, he then picked up a pistol frame, "Fine. Thank you."

A smile burst forth from Heyes, "your welcome, pal. Now you want to hear about how I was arrested all to save you?"

"Nope, you already told me."

"Yeah, but that was the short version."

Attaching the ejector rod to the Colt's frame, Curry replied, "short version was enough."

"There you go being an ingrate again."

"Sounds to me like you've learned a new word, and I suggest you stop using it on me," Curry said, softly, peeking over at his pal.

Heyes looked down, then got up, and retrieving the coffee pot, he refilled Curry's cup, setting the pot on the table. "But, there is more to the whole story."

"Heyes, I said thank you," Curry replied sliding a cylinder on the Colt's frame. "now you keep at me…." He switched his grip on the Colt, so his hand was wrapped around the barrel, "I'm going to buffalo you with this."

Stepping away from the table, Heyes' nostrils flared, "you going to act this way, I'll just take myself down to the hang out with the Boys."

Curry looked up joyful mirth illumination his face, "Thank You!"