Tormenting And Teasing
Is it serious or not? Who knows?
A few days had passed since Bailey and Haigar had gone swimming together.
They had come back and found themselves more aware of the rumours flying around and the whispers that followed them seemingly everywhere. As soon as they had returned to the village, it seemed, and they had been seen, damp and laughing together. The gossip in the tribe escalated a hundred-fold.
It was the desire to stir things up abit then that prompted Bailey to choose that moment to slip her hand into Haigar’s. Haigar, at first surprised, found her devilish sense of humour extremely amusing, and knowing what the human had in mind, interlaced his fingers with hers. By silent, mutual consent, starting the game.
When they were alone, they would quietly giggle together like naughty schoolchildren as they recalled the looks on peoples’ faces. And though Haigar laughed at the gullibility of the other Steef, he couldn’t ignore the wrench on his heart when he thought that his shows of affection were all considered part of the farce to string the gossips along.
He still however, willingly and dutifully played his role in the game, holding her hand, kissing her cheek whenever anyone was watching them, and, of course, the pet names they come up with, with much laughing on their part. Haigar would always remember the look on Stranger’s face when he’d first heard them.
It had been late afternoon. Bailey’s family; Stranger, Daimen, Alika, Loki and now Chiron too as well as herself, had been sitting around the cooking fire, Alika and Loki serving the afternoon meal. Haigar had gone off the collect wood to keep the fire going. When he returned he placed the branches he’d collected carefully next to the fire and then sat down beside Bailey.
“Hey beautiful.” He’d said, softly, but loud enough for everyone to hear,
“Hey stud.” Bailey replied blithely, Haigar kissed her cheek. Reactions had been instantaneous and varied.
There was a sound of surprise from Chiron as he abruptly sat down, almost on top of Loki. Daimen had looked up sharply and blinked, eyes wide, flicking between his son and ‘niece’, then cleared his throat and made out as if nothing unusual had occurred. Alika made no move or sound, but offered Bailey her food, smiling widely and warmly and Loki grinned at her brother and nudged him with her elbow. But maybe the most fantastic reaction was from Stranger. His eyes all but bulged and he choked on his dinner, collapsing into a coughing fit before shouting hoarsely,
“WHAT!?”
His expression of shock-horror was priceless as he glared at Haigar, eyes narrowed and then he’d turned his gaze to Bailey who blinked innocently at him. “We have ter talk.” Stranger had said firmly.
Bailey nodded. When Stranger said something with that tone, you didn’t argue, you just hopped too and obeyed. She rose quietly, glancing once at Haigar, who had gone rather pale and allowed Stranger to herd her into their hut.
Bailey sat on her beanbag while Stranger paced the hut, he, looking at her and groaning occasionally. Finally he came and knelt before her, hands on her shoulders.
“Bailey.” He moaned in a kind of horror, but he didn’t finish, just stared at her, some unreadable expression in his eyes. Bailey decided now was the time to explain.
“It’s not what you think.” She said, almost pleadingly. Stranger watched her for a moment, chewing his lip, then he let out a breath,
“What do I think it is then kid?” he asked,
“Exactly what it looks like…” Bailey ventured. Stranger groaned again and dragged a hand down his face,
“Oh my
Odd.” he moaned, he held Bailey’s face in huge, hairy hands. “Please tell me you haven’t.” he said, practically begging. Bailey drew her eyebrows together,
“I think we’re havin’ different conversations here.” she said, “Coz I ain’t got a clue what yer talkin’ about.” There was a pause, “Look, Stranger, it’s not real, none of it is, it’s all fake.” Bailey said, Stranger frowned in confusion.
“Huh?”
“Me an’ Haigar found out that the tribe’s bin gossipin’ ‘bout us, sayin’ we’re…well…
together…” Stranger’s expression was pained, Bailey frowned, “D’you…have a problem with that?” she asked, somewhat hurt. Stranger didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked into her eyes thoughtfully.
“What have yer done?” he finally asked in a small whisper. Bailey made a sound of exasperation and curled her fingers into the thick fur between Stranger’s neck and shoulder.
“Stranger, I haven’t
done a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g.” she said slowly and clearly.
“Why didn’t yer tell me?” Stranger asked, still in that broken voice, Bailey sighed,
“Tell you what Stranger?” she asked tiredly, “That me an’ Haigar are sick of people assumin’ stuff about us because we’re close friends? That we’ decided to just put up a farce ter string the gossips on? That it’s just all one big game to amuse ourselves? Or d’you mean yer why didn’t I tell you that me an’ Haigar are together? Which we’re not.” She added,
“Yer ain’t?” Stranger repeated,
“No Stranger,” Bailey grinned, “We ain’t.”
“Yer mean…he hasn’t…
touched yer…” Bailey’s eyes bugged,
“Stranger!” she burst out, completely shocked, “This is Haigar we’re talkin’ about, of course he hasn’t!” Bailey gazed at the Steef, a hurt expression on her face, “You don’t think much of me, do ya?” she asked, looking upset. Stranger looked horrified,
“What!? Oh no, baby, no.” he gathered the human into his arms, “I jist, I jist can’t bear the thought that yer ain’t tellin’ me stuff…” he whispered, “That we ain’t talkin’ anymore…I…” he swallowed, “I’m scared we ain’t as close as we used ter be…yer growin’ up, even if yer body ain’t…and I don’t want ter lose yer kid…” Bailey looked at him in surprise, then flung her arms around Stranger’s neck.
“You ain’t gonna lose me Dad.” She murmured, she felt suddenly guilty, she hadn’t been spending as much time with Stranger as she used too, not as much as she should have been. She hugged him tightly, burying her face into his fur. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I haven’t been thinkin’ of what I shoulda bin… Stranger?” she pulled away and looked at him. Stranger met her gaze, “Can we…do more stuff together, I mean, like we used too…” Stranger smiled and drew her closer to him.
“Yeh, yeh we can.” He answered, “I love you liddle darlin’.”
“I love you too.” Bailey said softly, she cuddled closer to him. There was a comfortable silence as Stranger held the human to his chest, resting his chin on her hair. “Stranger?”
“Yes?”
“Would…would it be so bad…if I did fall fer a Steef?” Stranger went thoughtfully quiet.
“No…” he said at last, “It wouldn’t…I jist, don’t want yer ter get hurt liddle one, yer still young, you got a lot of growin’, in yer mind, ter do…”
“But, we age so differently Stranger…” Bailey faded off. “Is it just because it’s Haigar?” she asked suddenly, “Because we’re cousins?” Stranger tensed slightly but then sighed,
“No…it’s not that either… Haigar…he’s a good kid, I know he’d look after yer, he’d love yer as much as I do, and I know yer ‘cousins’, but not by blood, only coz yer my kid… So no, it’s not that. It’s…” Stranger let out a frustrated breath through his nose, this was new for him and just a bit difficult for him to handle. It was a rather delicate subject after all. “I think it’s just coz yer my kid, I, I jist feel protective of yer, I don’t want yer ter get hurt…fer someone ter, ter use yer…” there was a pause. “See, when a male and female-” Bailey began shaking with laughter. Stranger blinked and looked down at her in surprise.
“Yer don’t havta go into that Stranger,” she giggled. “Me Ma didn’t leave me alone in the world
completely unprepared…” Stranger pulled his head back so he could see her better, Bailey chuckled as she saw him flush and as he cleared his throat embarrassedly, “Hey, I could have just let you plough on.” Bailey said when she saw his embarrassment.
“Yeh…well…” Bailey hugged him tightly, it felt good to know that somebody loved her enough to try and explain the facts of life when it was so awkward.
“I love you Stranger.” Stranger made a gruff sound in his throat,
“Yeh…I love yer too.”
When, a little while later, Stranger and Bailey went outside again, they were met by four curious faces and one very worried one. Stranger sat down and Bailey took her seat between him and Haigar.
“Er…Uncle Stranger…?” Haigar ventured, Stranger grunted gruffly.
“I don’t like it…” he growled, Bailey hid a grin as Stranger played along, true, Stranger didn’t agree with the whole farce idea. But he did see what Bailey meant when she said that she and Haigar weren’t really doing anything other then playing off rumours and assumptions. Haigar looked like he was going to throw-up as Stranger pinned him with a glowing, neon green-eyed stare, but Bailey also noticed the dark Steef looked determined and defiant. “But whether I likes it or not…” Stranger smiled ruefully, “I ain’t gonna stop yer.” He pointed a finger at Haigar, “You jist look after ‘er, yer hear?” Haigar nodded, looking relieved,
“Yes Uncle Stranger.” He said vehemently, he looked fondly at Bailey, “I will.” He said firmly,
“I would never hurt her…”
Bailey tilted her head but successfully masked her expression with a soft smile, careful to keep the surprise and curiosity from it as she met Haigar’s look and saw something she had never seen nor understood in his warm blue eyes.
Stranger glanced from the dark Steef to the human and back again. He hid a grin of his own at Bailey’s innocence and naivety. Though Haigar kept up the act of affection under the guise of pretence, Stranger saw the real emotion in his nephew’s eyes. Whether Bailey knew or not, what Haigar felt was real, and though he showed it for a farce, he really felt it.
Haigar loved Bailey.