Some Days Later

It took a while until Heyes was well enough to hit the road again. They headed towards New Orleans to lay low for a while.

Winter was near and there was no need to freeze in Wyoming when they could celebrate in the South instead. Both were looking forward to having a good time together. In the buzz of activity of the French Quarter they wouldn't stand out.

They rode aside the common tracks and rarely met other travelers. There was no reason to hurry so they moved along at a moderate pace. It was peaceful and ... boring.

"By the way, Kid what's that thing atop your head and what happened to your hat?"

"Well, that's a long story, Heyes, which ended in misery and almost cost me the best thing in my life."

"We've got time..."

"I'm not sure, if I want to tell you."

He earned an inquisitive look, Heyes's curiosity was awakened. The Kid knew there was no chance of regaining his peace without sharing the story, but he enjoyed the little game and kept silent. He could at least try and stretch out the time for his confession for a while. A quiet smile played around his lips.

"C'mon, Kid. Talk to me!"

"Why do you ask? Don't you like it?"

"Like it? That thing? How could I? It isn't you!" Heyes replied agitated. The best way of distracting him was giving him something to talk – or much better to complain - about. The Kid's smile widened. His strategy worked out fine.

"Why? It serves its purpose," he replied casually.

"It's ordinary. It's boring. It disfigures you!" Heyes shot back.

Kid Curry laughed. "Disfigures me?"

"Yeah, sure. That color! That shape! That lackluster hatband! That whole thing is an insult to your image!" he continued to find faults with the hat.

"So, let me sum it up, Heyes: I'm extraordinary, exciting, handsome and well-shaped. My brilliant appearance deserves to be pointed out."

Heyes's jaw dropped. "Who said that?"

"You, my dear genius!" the Kid countered and smiled brightly at him. Blue eyes in the color of forgot-me-nots sparkled in amusement.

"Me!?" his friend asked puzzled.

"Sure! You started comparing the hat to me!" his partner countered. "See Heyes, you said you don't like it, 'cause it isn't me. So, I have to suppose you want it to be more like me. When you list up all the things the hat is not, I have to be quite the opposite, right?"

Heyes thought about it for a while before he replied.

"No Kid, I'm sure you're wrong with your deduction. I just need some time to figure out where you went wrong!"

He paused and shot a short glance towards the blond outlaw.

"Don't get me wrong, you don't look that bad, but that really sounds a bit too exaggerated to me. I'd like to say, you..." Heyes chattered on for a while trying, to talk himself out of a corner that he had driven himself into.

The Kid just grinned smugly. The distraction had worked well. Maybe it would put Heyes off for a few days.

Author's note: If you don't want to read explicit sexual content in slash context you should better stop reading here.