Checking Up Gone Wrong

Writers: Chelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 7th February 2014

Characters: Bahji, E'rae
Description: E'rae checks up on Bahji and is surprised by her reaction
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 20 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, Gelira, K'lvin

Even after talking the whole thing over with K'mai, E'rae was no closer to
understand why she had done what she had done. He supposed it didn't matter. After all, they had ended up together, she hadn't been hurt, and she had said she'd never do it again. After duties and Threadfall, and sweepriding, he finally realized he hadn't
seen her in awhile. **I wonder if she's avoiding me on purpose?** Her last look had been rather upset. Sighing, he decided if she wouldn't show her face, he would go find her.

The weavercraft was the first stop. Walking inside, he asked someone if she
was inside. Peeking around, he tried to spot her.

Bahji wasn't to be found at the weavercraft area. A young apprentice noticed
E'rae and immediately walked up to him, flashing a wide smile on a young, slightly gap-toothed mouth. "You lookin' for Bahji?"

"Sure am," he answered easily, glad that someone was going to save him some
time.

"She's not here." The youth supplied helpfully. "Hasn't been for a coupla days."

Now that was troubling. "Hmmm thanks..." E'rae's eyes clouded over and
he tried to reassure himself. **She wouldn't go home, would she? No
no...** The thought kept niggling in the back of his brain however. The
bluerider turned and walked away, checking the common areas of the Weyr. When she wasn't to be found, he went to the last place- her quarters. By this time he was quite
concerned. The knock ended up rather severe when he placed it on the wood.

At first, there was no answer to the knock, but there was the sound of
footsteps as they approached the door. There was a long pause before
the door slowly opened and Bahji's face appeared. "Hello?"

First relief flooded him. She hadn't gone home. So then, why on Pern had no
one seen her? "Have you been ill or something?" came his easy question. He
didn't push himself inside, rather waiting for her to move aside and invite
him.

The sound of his voice made Bahji go still. She hadn't expected him to
come down here at all. But then the abrupt question...She blinked and
her hand on the door tightened only a fraction. "E'rae. Uhm..no. I
haven't been ill."

"Then why hasn't anyone in the Weyr seen you in awhile?" He was watching her
and tried to discern whether or not she was, in fact, ill. His question was
asked in a light manner, though. He wasn't accusing, just curious.

She frowned. "They have. I've been with Gelira and yesterday I ate lunch
with K'lvin. I just haven't been to the Weavercraft area. I moved my small
loom in here so I could work in quiet."

Gelira he knew. That was the Dragonhealer's daughter. "Who is K'lvin?"
E'rae tried not to sound too curious, but he was wondering. He knew most of
the Weyrfolk since he'd been here so long and that name didn't ring bells.

Bahji caught the curiosity in his voice and her head tilted. "He's a
bronzerider who just moved to the Weyr with his daughter. A very nice
man." She frowned, still holding on to the door. "Why?"

"Because I'm wondering what he thinks about you." There was also the feeling
that bronzeriders usually got what they wanted and blueriders be shelled,
but he didn't say that. He didn't know this K'lvin. Maybe he needed to say
hello.

Her brow furrowed. "We had lunch. He was very polite and personable and he
treated me very kindly." She took a deep breath and stood straighter. "I
really need to get back to work. I'm fine, really."

"Are you?" Did he know her well enough to detect a lie? The beauty of
Bahji's blindness was she didn't know what her face looked like when she was
thinking something. "Usually you don't kick me out."

Her lips moved from side to side and her hands tightened on the door. "No.
No I'm not fine." She lifted her chin. She may not have been able to stare
him down, but she was tired of moping and tired of feeling like she had done
something wrong. "I've been upset at you. I'm still upset at you. I don't
like feeling ashamed of myself for enjoying something. I don't like feeling
like I'm weak and can't take care of myself. And I'm tired of being upset
too. " Now that it had started, all the frustration bubbled to the surface
and exploded. Her fist curled up against the door. "I want to feel normal
again. I want to enjoy myself again. And I want you..." She thrust her
finger at his chest, poking it. "..to stop treating me like I don't know
what I'm doing or that I'm some brainless hold girl. I may not know
everything and I may be na?ve about a lot of things, but I'm not helpless.
And I'm not some fragile piece of pottery that will break at the slightest
bump! So...until you can realize that, go away!" She stepped back and
slammed the door.

**Where the shells did that come from?** Shaking his head and looking at the
door slammed in his face, he turned around and started walking in the other
direction. E'rae was a carefree person. Generally speaking, he liked to keep
his focus on Leith, Threadfall, and sometimes other things. Before Bahji,
his life had been relatively carefree. Now, things had changed. Still, the bluerider had pride and holder upbringing. He didn't take well to her speaking to him in such a
manner much less slamming the door in his face. "K'lvin was very polite and personable.
K'lvin treated me kindly. E'rae you treat me like dirt. You make me feel
weak. You make me feel ashamed. K'lvin this and K'lvin that."

He cared about her. All he was trying to do was take care of her. Apparently
she didn't want that. Apparently she wanted to take care of herself. She
didn't need him-not at all. Frustrated and angry, he walked off down the
hall, determined to go and get his bow to shoot something.

Bahji leaned back against the door, stunned at herself. She hadn't expected
her temper to erupt like that and immediately felt a surge of guilt. He had
been checking on her, after all. She stood, hand moving to the door knob and
was about to open it to call after him when she stopped herself. She'd been
telling herself over and over again that she had to get herself back. She
had to get her independence back. She took a deep breath and forcibly pulled
her hand away from the door before leaning her brow on it.

Last updated on the February 8th 2014

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Checking Up Gone Wrong