Bonding
Haigar and Bailey do some bonding…aww
Bailey came round to several Steef faces leaning over her, looking seriously concerned. They backed off slightly as she sat up slowly.
“What happened?” she moaned as a headache pounded behind her eyes. No one answered, after a moment Bailey felt herself being picked up and she leaned on a warm, furry chest. She knew who it was without even looking. “Stranger?”
“Not now.” Murmured the Steef, “Wait until we’re inside.” Bailey nodded and kept her eyes closed, holding onto a handful of thick, warm fur. After a while the light leaking under Bailey’s lids dimmed and she no longer felt the warmth of the sun of her face. She cracked open her eyes as she was lowered onto her own cot. Stranger had a hand on each of her shoulders and he peered worriedly into her face. “What was that?” he asked finally.
“What was what?” Bailey asked perplexed. Stranger sighed,
“I’m not kidding around squirt, what you did back there was incredibly stupid… Why did you do that?” his voice sounded so worried and vaguely upset. Bailey looked down. A crooked finger nudged her chin up, “Hey, hey.” Stranger crooned, “It’s ok, I’m not angry. This is me yer talkin’ too.”
“I couldn’t let him take Loki.” Bailey said, “I just couldn’t Stranger. I’m sorry.” She whimpered, Stranger looked surprised,
“Whadda yer sorry for kid?” he asked, he pulled Bailey into a hug, “It was reckless what yer did, but I’m still proud of yer.” He grinned when Bailey glanced up at him. “Yer a young human an’ yer beat a full grown Steef, not many can say tha’.” Bailey made a ‘hrm’ sound and cast her eyes down in thought, Stranger looked down to see a frowning expression on her face. “Somat wrong kid?”
“What happened? I mean, I remember fighting ‘im, and I remember when he…” she paused and her fists clenched, “When he said what he was gunna do ter Loki…but then it all goes blank.” Stranger’s expression became worried again and he swept back Bailey’s hair, feeling her forehead. It wasn’t feverish.
“Well,” he said at last, “You fought ‘im fer a bit and then you just stopped, an’ whatever Karnan did, yer didn’t move an inch, and then you began pushing him back, yer beat ‘im and then you shouted out if any one else wanted to fight yer, an’-”
“And Chiron did.” Bailey finished, “I remember that bit, Karnan attacked me didn’t he.” Stranger nodded. There was a pause, “I must ‘ave got real angry…” Bailey muttered to herself.
“Eh?” Stranger asked, frowning. Bailey nibbled her lip, as if she’d said too much, but then she sighed and explained,
“Sometimes…when I get really angry…something happens, I dunno what it is, but then I blank out, an’ when I come back again, it’s like wakin’ up, I dunno what I’ve done while I was in a rage…but I tend to get violent…it’s only happened two or three times, but each time I ‘wake up’ an’ whoever I’m with looks terrified…because of what I’ve done…” Stranger was quiet. “I don’t like what I become Stranger,” Bailey whispered, “It scares me…” Stranger cuddled the little human closer.
“Whatever yer did, yer saved Loki,” he looked down at his kid and smiled reassuringly, “An’ that can’t be a bad thing.” Bailey looked comforted and rubbed her cheek in Stranger’s fur.
“Thanks Dad.” She muttered, Stranger practically glowed,
“Yer welcome.”
Bailey wanted to go back outside after a while, but Stranger wouldn’t hear of it.
“Yer ain’t goin’ anywhere until yer’ve recovered. You ain’t eaten or had a proper kip fer ages.” Of course Bailey whinged and moaned but Stranger wouldn’t budge and eventually Bailey gave in, she ate some warm, porridgey stuff and went off for a nap.
Stranger looked in on her later and found the human fast asleep, breathing gently and calmly, no nightmares, and no other worries on her mind. Stranger grinned to himself and left Bailey to sleep in peace. He found Haigar waiting for him, looking awkward and uncomfortable, in the main room. Stranger crossed his arms.
“Howdy Haigar.” He said sternly.
“Hullo Uncle Stranger…” Haigar murmured, he stared at the ground. It had taken him this long just to screw up enough courage to face Stranger at all, and now that courage was quickly leaking away, but he was so worried about Bailey, he had to know if she was going to be alright. He felt sick, deep in his stomach, thinking about what could have happened. Stranger’s expression softened slightly as the young Steef male before him stared at the floor, miserably scuffing one fore hoof on the floor.
“Yer here ter see Bailey?” he asked softly, Haigar glanced up but then looked down just as quickly. He nodded, still shamed face. Stranger softened further. Suddenly his nephew looked up at him and held the eye contact.
“Is she alright?” he asked. Stranger looked Haigar right in the face, he was surprised when he saw that his nephew’s pale blue eyes were glazed with moisture. The older Steef clasped the younger one’s shoulder.
“She will be.” he said gently,
“Can I see her… Please?” Haigar was just short of begging and though Stranger took pity on the young Steef, he wanted some answers first.
“Why Haigar? Why let her fight? Did you…put her up to it?” Stranger asked slowly, Haigar’s eyes widened in horrified shock,
“What!? No! I tried to talk her out of it.” Stranger saw only honest innocence in his nephew’s eyes. He tilted his head, crossing his arms, giving silent permission for Haigar to go on. Haigar sighed and swallowed. “She…was set on not just giving up, letting Karnan have Loki, she couldn’t just give in, or let it go. She wouldn’t go down without a fight… She asked me to help her to learn how to fight…” Stranger’s eyes glowed luminous green in the dim light, “I tried to make her see sense, but she refused to back down, it was either I taught her what I knew, prepare her…or…she went in alone…with nothing.” Haigar locked his clear eyes on Stranger’s. “I couldn’t just let her go in alone.” There was a pause, “I’d do it again Stranger.” He said.
Stranger regarded the young Steef intently, as if sizing him up, then;
“She’s kippin’, but you can see ‘er. Don’t wake ‘er up though.” He added firmly, Haigar sagged in relief and let out a sigh, his taut back muscles and his expression relaxed. He looked so relieved, Stranger smiled, his head tilted, a look of sudden, and not exactly unpleasant, comprehension on his face. “You really care about her, don’cha?” he said after a moment of silence. Haigar smiled wanly and nodded.
“Yah,” he said thickly, “Yah, I do.” Stranger patted his shoulder,
“Go on.” Haigar smiled and slipped past Stranger, and quietly entered the small room beyond. Bailey was asleep, just as Stranger had said, Haigar smiled fondly. She looked so innocent while she was asleep. Careful to not make a noise to wake her up, Haigar approached the bed and knelt beside it. Bailey looked okay, though she had dark, exhausted circles under her eyes and she looked strained and gaunt and worn.
“Oh Bailey,” Haigar sighed, “Why did I let you talk me into it? You saved Loki, but what if you hadn’t been able to beat him?” the young, dark Steef put an arm around her sleeping form and brushed a stray bang from Bailey’s face. The young human stirred and her eyes opened slowly, she smiled tiredly.
“Hey, blue.” Haigar returned the smile,
“Hey.” He replied quietly, “I just…wanted to make sure you were alright.” Haigar blushed and Bailey laughed quietly and grinned, touched that Haigar had been so worried, she reached her arms around his chest and hugged him.
“I didn’t know you cared so much.” She teased. Haigar chuckled and returned the cuddle,
“Course I care, you’re my best friend Bay.” Bailey grinned into his fur, only Haigar called her ‘Bay’, and she had to admit, that she liked it. “Just promise one thing,” Haigar added, leaning back slightly so he could see Bailey’s eyes. Bailey tilted her head a fraction in curiosity,
“What?”
“Don’t do anything like that again.” Bailey wrinkled her nose in a grin.
“Oh I dunno, it was kinda fun.” Haigar rolled his eyes and ground his knuckles gently in her hair.
“Rotten little human.” He muttered, but he was still smiling, Bailey suddenly yawned and blinked drowsily. Haigar brushed the hair from her face, behind her ears, “You need your sleep Bay.” Bailey nodded, letting him go and curled in her cot.
“Hrm, night Haigar.” The young Steef watched her drift off, he smiled gently,
“It’s afternoon.” He grinned, then he rose quietly, leaving her to sleep.
“Blue?” Haigar turned at the sound of her question,
“Yes?” Bailey was watching him closely, as if trying to see something hidden,
“Why have you been so depressed lately?” Haigar sighed and approached the bed again. Bailey, looking a bit more awake, propped herself on one elbow, she moved over a bit and patted the mattress, Haigar, understanding, crawled onto the bed next to her and lay on his stomach, chin resting on folded arms,
“You noticed then?” Bailey nodded. Haigar made a ‘hrm’ sound deep in his chest, he suddenly looked very embarrassed as he flushed even darker under his fur, “I shouldn’t be talkin’ to you about this…” he said after a moment, Bailey’s brow furrowed,
“Why not?”
“It’s…kinda embarrassin’.” Haigar muttered.
“Oh, a-see…well, go on then, spit it out, what’cha think I’m gonna do? Laugh?” Haigar’s gaze was firmly riveted on the blanket, but he nodded slightly. “Ah c’mon blue, I wouldn’t laugh… Promise.” She added, rubbing his shoulder. Haigar glanced at her.
“Promise?” Bailey nodded,
“Yeh, I promise.”
“I’m…kinda havin’ some problems…girl…problems…”
“Oh.” Haigar looked up quickly, Bailey’s expression looked surprised, but there was no amusement.
“You’re surprised?”
“Yeh actually, how on earth d’you have girl problems, I mean really?” Haigar raised an eyebrow,
“And you say that why?” he asked, looking mildly amused, Bailey grinned and sat up, tugging his ear gently,
“Well I think yer a cute studmuffin.” Haigar broke into a smile, and then laughed.
“Thanks Bailey.” His eyes suddenly became miserable again, “At least someone does…” Bailey sighed and began rubbing the base of his ear and the back of his neck. It had the same effect on Haigar as neck-scratching did on Stranger.
“You gotta stop wallowing in self-pity fer a start.” She muttered, Haigar eyes drooped until they were half-closed and he moved his head onto Bailey’s lap where she could scratch better. “You gotta get out there.” Bailey continued, “I bet there’s a girl for you, you just got ter find her.”
“Hrm,” murmured Haigar, “Great plan, but it’s got a flaw.”
“Which would be?”
“Girls – Steef I mean – always tend to go for the big guys that fight all the time.”
“Oh, and what? They don’t give you a chance just because you’re not a bully?” Bailey said, Haigar made a sound that clearly meant ‘You got it.’ “That’s silly.” Bailey muttered, she grinned, knowing what might cheer her friend up. “Hey, I was once told the quiet ones make better lovers.” She said conversationally. Haigar picked his head up abruptly and gaped at her, Bailey chuckled at his expression and shrugged one shoulder, “What?”
“And there’s me thinking you were all innocent.” Haigar stuttered out in astonishment,
“Hey, innocence and ignorance are two separate things,” said Bailey, “I’m innocent, not ignorant. And close your mouth,” she pressed his bottom jaw up with a finger, “You’ll swallow a fly.” There was a pause as Haigar slowly lowered his head to Bailey’s lap again and she rubbed his ears again, “Hey, don’t worry, I’ll help yer find someone.” She reassured. She yawned and ruffled her hair, “But I’ll need to sleep first, scooch over.” Haigar obediently wiggled over a bit so that Bailey could snuggle down in the covers. But instead of using the pillows she fidgeted around with the blankets for a moment before resting her head on Haigar’s stomach, just lower then his forelegs. “I would say ‘Night’, but as been as it’s afternoon I can’t…” she muttered to herself.
Haigar blinked in surprise as Bailey curled up next to him, but he couldn’t say he didn’t find it pleasant, so instead of leaving, he lay down and watched her close her eyes and drift off. He moved to kiss her on the forehead but changed his mind and kissed her cheek instead,
“Thanks Bay.” He whispered before he closed his eyes and similarly went into a doze.