Don’t yer just love all the mushy crap?
Prepare to squee…
Pain In The Butt
The bowstring drew back smoothly with a slightly creak as it took up the tension. The wooden bow bent slickly and the arrow quivered ever so slightly as it rested on Bailey’s hand. Squinting one eye Bailey sighted the other down the arrow shaft.
She released.
The bowstring relinquished the arrow with a twang and it vibrated madly from the aftershock, the arrow, spinning on it’s axis, sped through the air and hit the target right in the centre with a knock and thud.
The human drew another arrow and set it to her bow, she drew back the string, allowed herself a couple of seconds to aim and then released, the arrow, driven by the pent up energy of the bowstring, once again flew as swift as any bird and hit the target again, so perfectly it cleaved the first arrow in two.
Bailey grinned, it had taken over a year of hard practice to get herself up to her current standard and she had reason to be proud of herself. She was also pleased to find that the several months she had neglected her archery hadn’t seemed to have unduly hampered her skill.
“Bet you couldn’t do that again.” Said a soft voice by her ear. The hair on the back of her neck rose and Bailey jumped around. Haigar stood behind her, grinning that grin that was for Bailey only. Bailey returned the smile, her heart thumping, half from the surprise Haigar had given her, and half just because of Haigar.
“Oh yeh, how much ya bettin’ blue?” she answered teasingly. Haigar crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.
“Hrm…I’ll think-a somethin’.” He said after a pause. Bailey grinned to herself, confident she could win.
“How about whoever wins get one thing, anything they want. Agreed?” Haigar thought about it.
“Fine, fine, now stop stalling.” He said, smiling. Bailey grinned wolfishly and drew another arrow, nocking it to her bow. Haigar stood innocently behind her, slightly to one side. He waited for that few seconds between the draw and the release before he moved. Leaning down, the Steef kissed her, just below and behind her ear.
The arrow flew wildly to one side, missing the target completely and plunging into the forest behind. Haigar chuckled in a satisfied way. Bailey turned on him, eyes narrowed.
“Ooo, you sneaky Steef.” She said in a deadly whisper, but Haigar heard the humour tinting her voice. There was something else as well in her tone, something Haigar couldn’t quite distinguish. He hoped it was what he thought it was… He grinned in answer to Bailey’s accusation. He bent down slightly, so they were more at eye-level.
“I still won.” He said in an amused voice. Bailey narrowed her eyes, then she huffed and stood straight, folding her arms and giving Haigar a half amused and half incredulous look.
“Fine, whadda ya want?” she said in resignation. Haigar’s eyes glowed.
“Don’t worry,” he said deeply, “It’s nothing that bad.” He moved closer, so that he and Bailey were almost touching, Bailey quirked a curious half-smile and looked up at him, raising her eyebrows momentarily in a challenge.
“So sure of yourself, oh great Steef?” She said mockingly, Haigar grinned. Gently, careful not to hurt the human he clasped her upper arms in his huge hands. The teasing look went out of Bailey’s eyes, replaced by confusion and not a small bit of uncertainty.
“Don’t be afraid.” Haigar murmured. “I won’t hurt you…I’d never hurt you…”
“Haigar, what are you…” Bailey’s voice died in her throat as the young Steef lowered his head and tentatively brushed her forehead with his muzzle. His warm breath washed over her face. It made her heart flutter, then go wild in her chest. She fought to keep her breathing steady as Haigar’s soft, nuzzling snout moved across her temple and drifted down her cheek. Bailey felt herself trembling. Haigar drew back slightly, an apprehensive look in his eyes.
“Are you afraid of me Bay?” he questioned quietly. Bailey swallowed and looked into his eyes, some unfathomable expression glowing in the blue depths there. Her trembling stopped, like icicles melting in the sun.
“No.” she said firmly, “I’m not afraid of you…I, I just…it’s so strange…” Bailey whispered. Haigar, looking slightly relieved, moved closer again, this time brushing his nose down Bailey’s neck and across her collarbone.
“Don’t you want this?” Haigar asked, still in that same, soft, slightly worried voice.
“I…I don’t know…” Bailey answered truthfully. She felt overwhelmed, so many things in her head – and in her heart – clammering for attention. Haigar was her friend, her dearest friend. She didn’t want that to change, but then there was this feeling in her heart, one she wasn’t entirely sure of. It was like what she felt for Stranger, but different somehow, more confusing. Part of her mind, the part that was still only young, was confused and slightly scared, through those eyes she saw Haigar only as a friend, someone she could trust and confide in. But then there was another part of herself, an older, maturer part. Through it’s eyes, she saw everything her younger eyes did, that and more. She saw a handsome young Steef, unappreciated by all the female Steef, who was also her dearest friend. And to whom she found herself irresistibly drawn. Something about him, something about Haigar drew her. Made her stay here now, and relish his touch, made her need him. This part was glad none of the Steef females wanted him. Because she wanted him.
Bailey’s mind reeled. She wanted him. She wanted Haigar. She looked up sharply and met his eyes.
Haigar looked down at the human. She really had no idea how she made him feel, how crazy she sent him. Had no idea how wild her very scent made him.
It had started when she had asked him to teach her to fight. He had admired and respected her then. Haigar knew he’d always cared for Bailey, ever since she had arrived. She had been his best, his most loving friend and he had cared so much about her, had wanted her to be happy. But then, when he taught her to fight, she had surprised and impressed him. She had become dearer to him then, for her fiery temper, her wild, completely untameable spirit, her stubbornness, everything about her had endeared her to him.
When she had fought, he had been in constant fear that she would get hurt, the feeling intensified by guilt at the thought it would be his fault. But she hadn’t been beaten. She had conquered, she had won. He had never been so proud of her. He knew then, how Stranger felt towards the young human. He could feel it too. When he’d gone to see her afterwards, and Stranger had voiced Haigar’s feelings, Haigar realised then that there was something more to his feelings for Bailey, though what, he couldn’t say.
Maybe it was during their conversation, when Stranger had allowed him to see her, that Haigar realised what the feeling was. When Bailey rubbed his shoulder as he’d spoken of his ‘girl problems’ and been surprised when he’d explained. Bailey had not laughed at him, in no way had she been mocking or amused, but truly surprised. She’d even called him a ‘cute studmuffin’…
Haigar blushed almost every time he thought of that. It had taken him a few days to realise that he frequently re-played their conversations in his head. Every time she had spoken fondly to him thrown into sharp relief. But it was only when he had spoken to Chiron had he known, right then, deep down, that he loved Bailey. More then a friend, more then family. Loved her as he would love a female mate of his own kind. But he’d denied and fled from those thoughts, from those feelings. Convinced himself he was imagining it, coming up with all sorts of reasons why it wouldn’t work, why it was wrong; She was his cousin, his friend, she saw him as only a friend, dear maybe, but only as a friend nonetheless. And she was not a Steef, however much she may have been like one. She wasn’t. She was human. These and countless other reasons he repeated to himself until he’d believed it.
But then, then, he’d taken her to his secret place, that place he went too to be alone. His sanctuary, it was a secret part of himself that he’d revealed. And it hadn’t stopped there. When he’d caught Bailey, just before she’d fallen into the water, he’d held her, he’d felt her, smelt her and he knew. He’d been fooling himself…
He loved Bailey. He loved her and wanted her.
Haigar met Bailey’s sudden gaze. For a moment he thought she would push him away, disentangle herself from his arms and flee from him. And she did – in part; Bailey slid her arms from his hands. He thought, for that horrifying moment that he had ruined the special bond he and Bailey shared.
She surprised him again. She didn’t back away, didn’t stammer that it was wrong, that maybe they shouldn’t see each other for a while. Instead she moved closer to him and slowly, tentatively, raised her hands and laid them on his chest. Haigar, with equal slowness and the same hesitancy, put his arms around her.
“Bailey…” he said her name in a low growl that rumbled in his chest and stomach. He saw Bailey’s eyes close for a moment and she shivered with pleasure, her fingers dug themselves into his fur, clenching. She looked up at him again. Haigar couldn’t wait anymore, he leaned down. “Bailey,” he growled her name again, saying the only thing that sufficiently expressed everything he felt; “I’m amazed by you…” He kissed her, gently, softly, still afraid that she would turn away. She didn’t. She melted into him, and she wondered dreamily why she hadn’t done this first as Haigar’s kiss caressed her senses. It only lasted a few moments and then Haigar drew back slightly, looking down at her.
Bailey tilted her head slightly to one side, then she quirked a half-smile at him and leaned her head against his ribs. She felt a purr rumbling deep inside him and she smiled into his fur.
After a moment, Haigar backed away. He let Bailey go. Bailey’s eyes opened slowly. She gazed at him in wonder and awe.
“Haigar…” she said his name softly, questioningly. “Why?” Haigar swallowed and closed his eyes, suddenly angry with himself. He should have had more control. But he would not apologise, he would not say he was sorry for something he wasn’t sorry for. And he would not make excuses. Bailey deserved the truth.
“Bay…” he began, when suddenly both of them heard a roar of surprise. Both human and Steef jumped and spun around, staring with wide eyes at the forest, something was crashing through the trees, towards them.
“Uh oh…” Bailey breathed, suddenly realising what it was, she turned to Haigar. “Blue? Could you hold this for me fer a sec?” she handed him the bow and quiver of arrows before she took off like a small, startled animal. Leaving Haigar staring blankly after her, a confused expression on his face, her bow and arrows in hand. His mind not moving as fast as it normally would have been, still drifting slightly from that kiss. Haigar eyes unfocused as he touched his lips slightly with one hand, remembering Bailey’s mouth pressed against his. He’d have to do that again, he’d liked kissing Bailey…
Haigar shook himself and looked down in confusion at the bow and arrows, but he quickly looked up again as a Steef crashed through the trees and skidded to a halt a few feet away from him.
It was Stranger, he looked at Haigar, then his eyes flicked down to the bow, and then back to Haigar again, disbelief etched on his face. Haigar frowned in confusion and looked at the bow then up at Stranger again. Only then did he see the feathered shaft of Bailey’s wayward arrow, in Stranger’s backside… Bailey’s arrow hadn’t hit it’s target, but had apparently hit Stranger in the butt instead.
“Well actually,” a voice muttered in Haigar’s mind,
“It’s his haunch…” Haigar’s eyes went wide, his gaze snapping down to the bow then back to the furious Stranger. He abruptly dropped the bow and put up his hands, shaking his head frantically.
Any other time, Haigar wouldn’t have told Stranger which way Bailey had gone, but this particular time Bailey had tried to foist the bow on him… Haigar felt a flash of amusement, and pointed in the direction Bailey had taken off in, his amusement growing as Stranger charged after the trail of the fleeing human.
He chuckled quietly to himself. She really was a literal pain in the butt. Haigar smiled slightly. He loved her anyway. Picking up the fallen bow and quiver, he slung them over his shoulder and made his way home, heading away from the forest outskirts, towards the Steef village.
He wondered idly what Stranger would do to Bailey…