31_days | [January 31] [Alias Smith and Jones] Heyes and the Kid

Title: Heyes and the Kid
Day/Theme: January 31; It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are
Series: Alias Smith and Jones
Character/Pairing: Hannibal Heyes, "Kid" Curry
Rating: G

To Heyes "Kid" Curry was just still just Jed. He still had that curly blond hair that made all the moms in church coo over him and call him "the sweetest little thing." He still has eyes the color of a pale blue sky, innocent-looking and eager. Admittedly he'd grown since Heyes has last seen him and put on some muscle. But when Heyes looked at him he could still see little Jed in those too big overalls that had been hand me downs trailing after his older brothers and begging to able to play with the big kids.

Heyes had known that Jed was good with a gun. Jed bought his first one years ago with the wages from their first cattle drive. He'd been so damn proud of thing and wanted to waste all his money on bullets to practice with from sun up to sun down. Jed had a natural knack with the gun from the start but he'd wanted to be better, he'd wanted to be the best. "Once I master this, nobody with be able to mess with us anymore Han. I'll be carrying my life right here on my hip."

He'd sounded so sure and so confidant Heyes had to stop himself from laughing. Jed had looked like some momma's boy clinging to the apron strings. But underneath that amusement was a darker sense of foreboding. They'd been around long enough to learn how gunslingers ended up: live by the gun die by the gun. When Heyes had tried to point that out to Jed, his cousin's expression had turned stormy. "You don't have to carry a gun to get killed by one," he'd mumbled with an angry and faraway look in his eyes. There had been a hint of steel there too. A determination that he wouldn't die that way, he wouldn't go down defenseless. Heyes' silver tongue had failed him at that point. He'd known this was one thing he'd never been able to convince his cousin to see his way, so he didn't bother trying. Besides loathe as he might be to admit it, Jed had a point.

Now Heyes pushed that memory to the back of his mind and watched as Jed lined up old cans to practice his shooting. All the other boys of Devil's Hole crowded around eager to see what the new guy could do. Almost before they could register it, the gun was out and every can was shot clean off the rail. Heyes couldn't help the whistle that had escaped. His cousin was so fast it was almost unreal. Jed stood in the middle as the others crowded around him exclaiming over his shooting or talking up their own. Jed acknowledged the other men but he was looking away seeking out his cousin. Heyes met his Jed's eyes and gave a slight nod.

The other men lined up to practice their own shooting and show off their skills to Jed even if none of them came close to his. Heyes turned away deciding he needed a walk to clear his head. He did feel proud of what his cousin had accomplished but he couldn't help the uneasy feeling rolling around in his stomach. He'd known Jed was good with a gun, had heard the stories of Kid Curry. Having the best shot and fastest draw on his side would make leading the Devil's Hole gang that much easier. He had someone he knew he could trust to watch his back. But he just couldn't shake the feeling there was something wrong about seeing Jed with a gun. He couldn't stop seeing Jed as a little boy and he could almost feel the disapproval of Jed's parents at how their son turned out.

"Hey, Hannibal," Jed called jogging up to meet his cousin, "wait up." Heyes stopped and waited for his cousin to reach him. When Jed didn't say anything else Heyes started his walk again with his cousin falling in step beside him. After a couple of minutes of silence Jed spoke again, "Is something wrong? You're okay with me joining the gang, right?"

No Heyes wanted to say, you're not cut out for this life. But he already knew it was too late for Jed. Instead he replied, "Of course, I need you here to back my play."

Jed smiled at that and Heyes had to struggle not see that eager little boy trailing after the big boys. After a few more minutes of silence Jed spoke up again. "It's just that, I thought you'd be proud of my shooting. You looked, kinda disappointed."

Heyes swallowed trying to push down the feeling in his stomach. He didn't want to start up that old argument again. "I was just surprised."

"You wear a gun now too." Jed pointed out. It wasn't the same thing. Heyes knew he was good shot, able to hit what was he was aiming for. He wasn't a fast draw but he didn't need to be, that wasn't his job. He was the mastermind, his job was to have the plan. The gun was a threat, it needed to be credible for the robbery to take place but he didn't need fire unless something went wrong.

"It's just going to take some getting used to," Heyes admitted trying to keep things peaceful. "Seeing you again, I just can't shake the feeling that this isn't the life you supposed to have." Heyes took in a sharp breath. Where was his silver tongue? He was going to start up all the same old arguments.

Jed gave him a stubborn look. "It's my life Hannibal. I make my own choices. I don't want to fight with you again," he sighed, took his hat off and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Besides, this might not be the life either of our parents' wanted for us, but it's what we got. It's too late for us to back out now, we're wanted men. "

Jed was right and Heyes knew it. When had his cousin gotten so articulate? "Jed-" he started but he was cut off.

"It's Kid. Nobody calls me Jed anymore. I'm Kid now." Heyes gave him a baffled look, Jed had always despised his childhood nickname acquired by being the youngest boy of the Curry clan with a significant age gap between him and his brothers. "I know I used to hate it. But the name slipped out and onto that first wanted poster and it's stuck now. I kinda of like the sound of it. It's grown on me."

"Kid," Heyes tried out. "It suits you," he decided forcing himself to see Kid Curry, a young man and not his little cousin Jed who he'd always felt responsible for ever since that fateful day. He held out his hand to his cousin. "It's just Heyes now, that's what everyone in the gang calls me."

"Heyes," Kid acknowledged clasping his cousin's hand.

They shook hands. "Welcome to the Devil's Hole Gang, Kid," Heyes smiled warmly at his cousin. Maybe Jed shouldn't be doing this, but Jed and Han the boys who'd once had families and proper futures had been left in the past. Now they were Heyes and the Kid ready to start a new chapter together.