Wild West Part 2
Heero had been half-expecting to find the two other men trying to kill each other with sharp weapons. Not that he wanted that kind of thing in his town. He had been hoping that they would at least be trying to get along. Which they were.
Though-he didn't expect to see them... well, getting along quite like this.
Duo was kissing Chang. The Chinese man was bent over the black clad arm, his hands clutching the preacher's coat.
Heero blinked, and then cleared his throat. Loudly.
Duo let go, and Chang sprawled in the dirt. An instant later the Chinese man was on his feet, sword drawn.
"HOW DARE YOU MAXWELL!"
"Hey, you fell into my arms," Duo grinned, dodging the sword.
"INJUSTICE! YOU TRIPPED ME!"
"You were clinging pretty tightly." Duo was smirking now.
"I WAS OFF BALANCE!"
"It's not my fault that my natural sex appeal knocked you off balance." Duo raised an eyebrow.
The Chinese man flushed red and opened his mouth.
A tiny blur pushed past Heero and darted in-between the other two men
"Husband! What are you DOING? I leave you for TWO days and already you are cheating on me!!" A tiny black-haired woman, dressed in red, was throwing punches at Chang, who was trying to dodge them.
Heero blinked again. There was another thing he didn't see everyday.
"Meiran, I wasn't..."
"How could you do this to me? I left our homeland to follow you!" The woman turned to face the preacher, her body vibrating with anger. "And you! You pretended to be our friend and yet the minute my back is turned you set out to seduce my husband!"
"You did leave him," Duo answered mildly, apparently unaffected by the anger radiating off the woman in front of him. "He was fair game." Chang choked.
"He insulted me!" The woman turned back around to her husband, her anger obviously increasing. "Perhaps you did it on purpose, husband?"
"Injustice Meiran! You took insult where none was intended!"
"Are you saying that I'm too sensitive?"
Heero watched fascinated. Was this the man that had told him that answering to women was unmanly? His wife obviously thought otherwise. She was doing her best to flatten her husband. He was blocking her moves, or most of them anyway. A few landed that made Heero flinch. Meiran was obviously familiar with the sensitive parts of the male anatomy.
She had switched to Chinese now, and though Heero didn't understand the words, the tone was clear enough. She was working herself up into a fury.
He could almost pity Chang. Almost.
A hand touched his arm. Heero looked to his side. Duo tugged on his sleeve, a mischievous grin on his face. "Let's go," the preacher whispered softly. "Before she remembers that we're here!"
Heero followed the preacher down the dimly lit sidewalk. The sun had set during his time at Relena's and now the lamps outside the businesses were the only lighting.
"No comments?" Duo asked him when they were halfway back to the jail house.
"What kind of preacher are you?" Heero shook his head at the man next to him. "I can't believe you just..."
"Kissed Chang? I knew that would get his wife out. She's insanely jealous. Well you saw."
"But how did you know she was there?" Duo laughed.
"You didn't notice the girl in the corner wrapped in shawls? No girl in a... uh... house of ill repute would cover herself up."
"So you're telling me that you did it on purpose to draw her out."
"Well yeah. And to shut Chang up. Once he starts ranting you can't stop him."
"Looks like you managed fine," Heero frowned.
Duo's grin grew. "Jealous Sheriff? Want me to kiss you too?" He leaned closer. "Ever been kissed by a man before?"
Heero was glad that the streets were dark and near deserted. He hoped the dim light hid his flush.
"Actually, I have been kissed by a man before," he said casually.
"Oh?" Duo sounded faintly surprised. Then he recovered. "Did you like it?"
"Considering that he was drunker than a cartload of miners, smelt like a mule, and called me Sue, I'd say no. It ranks right up there as one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life." Heero said dryly.
"Ah," the preacher chuckled. "I could see that it would. Well, if you ever want to find out what it's like with a sober man, let me know." Heero rolled his eyes.
No need to tell this lunatic that the thought was a tempting one.
"Interested?" The preacher asked, amused.
Luckily for Heero, at that moment they reached the jail house and someone was waiting for him inside.
"Sheriff," the woman seated at his desk rose and Heero could've kissed her. Maybe a visitor would get Duo off the topic.
"Doc," Heero replied and took off his hat, hanging it by the door. "Trouble this evening?"
"Nope," the blond-haired woman smiled at him. "Made some extra stew and brought you some. I know how awful you are in the kitchen. Is there trouble somewhere? It's early for you to be on your rounds."
"Not at the moment, doc. Though they might need you down at Miss Relena's soon. A Chinese woman is doing her best to kill her husband."
The doctor laughed. "Ah, so another one caught her man down there, hm? Well I'll make sure to stop in." She looked at Duo. "And who is this young man?"
"Duo Maxwell, ma'am," Duo swept his hat off. "Pleasure to meet you..."
"Sally Po, MD. I'm the town doctor. So, you're the young preacher that the reverend talked into staying for a bit hm?" Sally winked at Heero. Apparently she had already visited the saloon. News traveled fast in their town.
"Guilty as charged, doc." The preacher gave her a charming smile. "I do hope you'll come and hear me preach this Sunday?"
"Of course," Sally grinned. "I already scandalize the town enough as it is. I never skip church. Do hope you're not planning on putting us to sleep like the last one."
"Haven't put anyone to sleep yet, at least not with my preaching."
Sally laughed. "Well, I'd better head down to Miss Relena's and see if that lady you spoke about left her husband in one piece."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you," Heero smiled. "Thanks for the stew, Sally."
"Good night gentlemen," Sally smiled back. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't poison this young man before Sunday." She swept out of the jail house.
"Well, looks like you're off the hook," Heero gestured towards the back of his house. "Dinner's waiting."
"She's pretty," Duo commented as they went back to the kitchen. "And it smells like she can cook. She make you dinner often, Sheriff?"
"Sometimes," Heero shrugged as he dished up the stew and handed Duo a bowl. "Doc is a nice lady, she looks out for everybody."
"Not just you in particular?" Duo raised his eyebrow. "She wasn't wearing a ring."
"Not many men approve of her. She's the only doctor around here though, so they've gotten used to her. Even the reverend talks about her unsuitable behavior though she cured his pneumonia a year or so ago." Heero focused on his dinner.
"But obviously you approve of her," the preacher drawled. "Maybe you should marry her."
Heero looked up to find the preacher regarding him with an intense gaze. "I don't think so. Being Sheriff, even here, is a dangerous job. I don't want to leave a woman behind."
"An honorable ideal Sheriff," Duo's gaze didn't ease. "If a bit lonely for you."
"I'm used to it," Heero countered. "Don't really even notice it." He finished the rest of his stew quickly. "I have to go make a round before I go to bed. You'll find some sheets in the closet in there. We'll head off early to go look at that caravan."
Heero hoped the preacher didn't insist on coming along. The man's presence unnerved him enough already.
The preacher smiled faintly. "I understand Sheriff. I should go over my notes for Sunday. I'll see you in the morning."
There was no light on in the preacher's room when Heero returned. He went quietly into his room and undressed. He had deliberately lingered on his rounds, taking his time and talking to any townsfolk who crossed his path. He had stopped by Miss Relena's again, and Miss Dorothy had told him that Doc Sally had shown up and carted the injured Chinese man and his now-remorseful wife back to her office.
Heero pulled on his nightshirt, lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Why did Duo Maxwell have such an effect on him? The preacher was the oddest man of God that Heero had ever met.
Heero sighed and rolled over. He had a job to do in the morning and staring at the ceiling picturing Duo's eyes was not a productive way to spend his time.
TBC...
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