Haigar’s Girl Problems
Bailey helps Haigar with the ladies…or tries to at least
When Haigar didn’t come out of Bailey’s room after over an hour, Stranger went to see what on earth he was up too. What he found made him smile, Haigar was sprawled on his stomach on the bed and Bailey was lounging on him and they were both snoring.
“And she says I’m
bad…” he thought amusedly. He moved over to the bed and for a moment quietly watched his kid and nephew sleep. Bailey had her face buried in Haigar’s fur and looked peaceful but Haigar was frowning as he slept. He seemed to sense someone watching as he suddenly opened one blue eye. He opened his mouth to speak but Stranger stopped him from saying anything. “Yer jist sleep.” he said quietly, he smiled again and left. Haigar watched him go with a look of mild confusion but then laid head down and went to sleep again.
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Bailey woke up later, and for a moment thought that it was Stranger she was curled up too, another moment later she realised that this Steef couldn’t possibly be Stranger, his (she seemed to know instinctively it was a ‘he’) smell was different, but familiar as well. And Stranger was leaner, smaller. Bailey yawned and opened her eyes. Dark fur tickled her nose and she grinned as she recognised who it was. She sat up;
“Hey, blue. Wake up.” Haigar didn’t even stir, Bailey nudged him, “C’mon yer big ol’ Steef, nap time over.” Still he didn’t wake up, but this time he moaned and wiggled abit as she prodded him again. Apparently he was ticklish on his ribs. Bailey grinned and tickled him again, Haigar squirmed but he smiled, and he didn’t wake up. “Alright Steef,” Bailey muttered, “Time to bring out the big guns.” She began tickling his stomach, between his forelegs and hindlegs, Haigar’s leg muscles flexed as she rubbed his stomach. “C’mon blue, don’t make me tickle to silly.” Haigar made a strange bleating sound and rolled over. “Oh no you don’t studmuffin.” Snickered Bailey, she began tickling his ribs. Haigar bleated again.
“Um, stoppit.” He muttered.
“Nuh uh. Wakey wakey sleepy head.” Finally Haigar’s blue eyes cracked open. Bailey tugged his ear gently. “Hey, hey.” She grinned, “Mornin’ munchkin.” Haigar smiled crookedly before yawning hugely, showing his sharp Steef fangs. Then he shook his head and rubbed his bed-hair.
“Mornin’ ter you too…have I been here all night?” Bailey stopped and frowned slightly,
“Yer know, I dunno what time it is.” She scrambled out of bed, still in pale shirt and baggy pants she slept in and pulled on her boots. “Let’s go find out.” She grinned. Haigar moaned and flopped back onto the bed,
“Aw, it’s too early Bay. And Uncle Stranger doesn’t want’cha goin’ out jist yet.”
“Stop ya whingin’, c’mon blue. Come out with me.” Bailey bounced on the bed and tugged on the Steef’s tail.
“Hey!” Haigar yelped, “That’s attached yer know!” Bailey tugged again, then moved onto his hindleg, tickling the underside of his hoof. Haigar jerked his foot away and scowled at Bailey. Bailey stuck out her lower lip and widened her eyes. Haigar looked away, he couldn’t stand when Bailey did that. “Don’t give me that look Bay, please don’t.” To his surprise Bailey didn’t press, instead she came and sat back on the bed, looking miserable. “Listen, Bailey…Stranger just wants you to get better…I…want you to get better.”
“I won’t get any better if I’m cooped up in ‘ere.” She mumbled. Haigar sighed, and put his arms around the small human, drawing her into a hug, guiding her head to his shoulder.
“Look, Bay, darlin’, I’m sorry.” He murmured, “I just…” he made an irritated sound of frustration, “I know stayin’ in here ain’t gonna help.” He sighed eventually. Bailey pressed her forehead to Haigar’s chest. The young Steef suddenly realised that Bailey was shaking, and a warm wetness had begun in his fur. “Bay?” he whispered in surprise, “Bay, what’s wrong?”
“I…don’t,” she gulped, “Don’t, like…being shut in…Sekto…shut me in…” Bailey shivered, Haigar’s eyes opened wide in shock. Though Stranger had told his family about Sekto, he had not told them what Sekto had done to Bailey, because she had never spoken about it. But now Bailey was clinging to Haigar, sobbing gently and shivering, clutching his fur.
“Hey, hey, it’s ok, it’s ok.” Haigar tried his best to sooth the human, held her in his arms and rubbed her back, murmuring quietly. After a while, when Bailey seemed calmer Haigar went quiet, then; “Have you…told Stranger?” Bailey shook her head.
“No.” she whimpered.
“Why? He loves you, he wouldn’t be upset, or angry…”
“I dunno, I-I just couldn’t.” Bailey murmured. She swallowed. “Please don’t tell ‘em blue.”
“I won’t if you don’t want me too.” Bailey sniffled and wiped her eyes.
“Thanks.”
“Tell you what, I’ll talk to Uncle Stranger, maybe he’ll let you outside if I promise to keep an eye on you.” Haigar suggested, Bailey looked at him in surprise.
“You’d do that?” Haigar grinned,
“Course I would,” he ruffled Bailey’s hair, “You’re my baby cousin…well kind of anyway…” Bailey laughed quietly,
“Yeh, proxy like.”
“Exactly. Ok, I’ll go now. Stay here.” Bailey nodded and Haigar took his arms from around her, carefully standing up. “Be right back.” He grinned, leaning down he kissed her cheek softly, then left the room, Bailey sat, cross-legged on the bed, fingers crossed as she hoped Stranger would agree.
It wasn’t long after that Haigar came back, Stranger following with an unconvinced look on his face. He glanced at Haigar and then at Bailey’s hopeful expression. He sighed, and a defeated smile crept over his features.
“Ok, ok. I give up. You win.” He looked pointedly at Bailey, “Behave yerself lil’ missie, and you;” he turned to Haigar, “You look after ‘er.” Haigar nodded. Bailey yelled in joy and jumped off the bed, flinging her arms around Stranger’s middle. Stranger grinned delightedly, “Hey, hey, easy now kid.” But he returned the hug anyway. “Right, you gotta get changed if yer gonna go anywhere.” Bailey let Stranger go and nodded enthusiastically. She shooed the two Steef out and they, laughing, complied and left.
It didn’t take long for Bailey to appear outside the hut, dressed and ready to go, where Haigar and Stranger were waiting for her. Bailey grinned as she practically bounced over to Haigar.
“C’mon, c’mon, let’s go, let’s go!” she grabbed his hand and Stranger chuckled at the bemused expression on Haigar’s face as he was dragged away by an overly exuberant thirteen-year-old.
A few minutes later Bailey and Haigar walked side by side, Bailey with her arms wrapped around Haigar’s, resting her head gently just below his shoulder. Haigar looked down at her, her eyes were closed and she had a smile of her face.
“Trust me enough to guide you blind?” Haigar teased,
“Hrm, yes, I feel safe here. I know you’ll protect me.” A chuckle rumbled around Haigar’s chest.
“You don’t need protecting Bay…” he murmured fondly,
“Yeh I do, sometimes.” There was a pleasant silence and then,
“Hun? Are you…humming?” Bailey’s eyes remained closed but her smile widened,
“Yus.”
“Whadda yer hummin’?”
“Something that reminds me of you.”
“Of me?” Haigar asked in surprise, Bailey nodded,
“It’s about a lass, she had a boyfriend that she loved more then anything, but her friends disapproved, because they thought he wasn’t good enough for her. So she dumped him and carried on with life, a couple of years later, she’s alone with a baby. Then one day she sees her old boyfriend. He’s, well, she realises how special he was and how stupid she was to let him go.”
“And that reminds you of me? Should I be insulted or flattered?” Haigar teased, Bailey laughed,
“It reminds me of you, because you a such a special person, and not one of those female Steef see it. Just because you don’t fight…but one of these days, they’ll realise that they missed out on something, extraordinary.” Haigar stopped walking, Bailey did the same and opened her eyes. Haigar was crouched in front of her, his four Steef legs curled beneath him, even so he was at eyelevel with the human. He laid a hand on each of her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. Blue locked on hazel. His expression was one of many emotions swirled together.
“You, really believe that?” Haigar whispered, voice in awe. Bailey grinned crookedly, she laid her palms on Haigar’s warm, dark cheeks and looked at him intently.
“Yes.” She bent his head and kissed his brow. Haigar suddenly pressed his head to Bailey’s neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. Bailey, though a little surprised, smiled gently and put her arms around his neck, resting her cheek on the top of his head, between his horns. “You know I love you, don’t you blue?” she asked. “Loved you since you became my friend. You’re my family.” Haigar nuzzled into her neck and nodded.
“I love you too Bay.” He mumbled. “Thanks…” He drew away and looked at her, eyes glowing as he smiled. Bailey raised an eyebrow,
“An’ you’re tellin’ me, with that smile, you ain’t got them fainting at yer feet?”