Meant For Another (5): Looking Different

Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 5th January 2007

Characters: Abrei, K'mai
Description: Abrei begs K'mai to help her with the mess she made of her hair.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 26 of Turn 4

Abrei

K'mai

Abrei arrived at K'mai's door with a trembling lower lip, a heavily bandaged hand and a scarf tied around her head hiding her hair. Even her voice sounded pathetic as she struggled against tears and whispered, "K'mai? Can I come in?"

"Oh, sweetheart, what happened?" The smile he'd put on to answer the door had fallen the moment he saw her face, and he opened his arms, offering a hug.

She hesitated uncertainly for a moment before stepping awkwardly forward and into his arms. "I did something stupid and I don't know who to talk to."

"You can talk to me, Abrei. That's what friends are for." He gave her a brief hug and led her inside.

Once inside, Abrei slumped onto his couch with her bandaged hand cradled against her chest. "I'm going to show you, but if you laugh at me, I will _hurt_ you." Without waiting for a reply, she lifted her hand and pulled the scarf from her head.

K'mai's jaw dropped, but he had no urge to laugh. "What did you do to your hair?" It looked horrible, like she'd taken gardening shears to it.

She winced and looked down at her lap. "I... was feeling emotional."

"What about your hand?" he asked, looking at the bandage.

"Knife slipped," she muttered in a voice just barely loud enough to be heard. "I couldn't reach the back very well. It was an odd angle."

"Is it bad?"

Abrei shook her head, which caused a few bluntly edged chunks of hair to fall into her face. "It's stitched up and will be fine."

"Good." K'mai's gaze lifted back up to her hair. "I could try to even that out for you. I've got a scissors around here somewhere."

After a few moments she gave a subdued nod, still not looking at him.
"That would be nice."

It took a bit of searching, but K'mai located his scissors. "We should probably do this in the bathing room," he suggested.

Rising to her feet, she tucked her injured hand back against chest and followed K'mai wordlessly. She appreciated that he hadn't started asking pointed questions like M'galec had, but she wasn't sure what she _should_ say.

K'mai sat her down near the bath and began to work on her hair. It was going to end up even shorter than it already was. "What did your hair do to deserve such a punishment?" he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

The memory of the way N'vanik had wrapped strands of it around his fingers as he kissed her made her slightly queasy. "It was too much trouble to deal with."

"That's a shame. I thought your hair was pretty, especially when you had it down." He snipped away carefully, not wanting to cut any more than he had to. "Don't worry, I'll turn this into something stylish among the female dragonriders."

She tried not to fidget as bits of hair fell and tickled her neck. "I just want to look different."

"You will, love." Just what had happened? K'mai wanted to know, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it.

When he was done, she reached up to feel the short ends of her hair with her good hand. "It looks better?"

"_Much_ better." He brushed hair from her shoulders and helped her up.
"Take a look." He brought her to the mirror.

Abrei stared at herself in the mirror for a moment without speaking, shocked at how different the haircut made her look. **And nothing like Talryne...** She could pretend all she wanted that it hadn't been the point, but she couldn't fool herself. "You're really quite talented at that," she said finally, meeting K'mai's eyes in the mirror.

"Thank you." He took a little bow. "I'm glad I could be of service."

She turned around and gave him an unexpected and somewhat awkward hug.
"Thank you for not asking questions. M'galec pestered me until I thought I was going to scream."

"I wish you'd tell me," he admitted. "But if you don't want to talk, I won't bother you about it."

She shook her head without pulling away. "It's not a talking sort of thing."

"Okay." K'mai smiled gently. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Can I hide here for a little while?"

"Sure, Abrei."

Last updated on the January 6th 2007

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Meant For Another (5): Looking Different