The Way It Is

should've seen it coming - part 1

I decide to go see Ufrik and get it over with. Usually, the longer you wait to do something you don't want to do, the worse your head makes it out to be. I will pick up my hair removal serum after.

My hair is pretty short as it is. Barely long enough on top to run my hands through it, then buzzed all around the bottom to just above my cursed pointed ears. Yes I have pointy ears, but as I said, I am not Zukrog.
Mom and Dad had always been honest with me. They didn't know where I came from. Dad found me on a hunting trip, sleeping in a woven grass baby basket, in a meadow.

He had waited for over an hour, but no one came back for me. Strapping on the baby basket, he went looking. He found no trace of anyone in the immediate area.

Considering he had been a revered hunter and tracker in our region, not just the village, that was saying something.

Somehow, whoever abandoned me, managed to vanish without a trace.

Dad had gone back later, after taking me home to Mom, his new wife. He left a small metal effigy he picked up from the local metal castor at the market shaped into an image of baby in a basket, placing it where he'd found me. On it, he had inscribed his personal contact information. Just in case someone hadn't left me willingly.

No one had ever contacted him. At least not that I had ever been made aware of. Part of me still wonders if anyone ever went looking, finding the small statue, and decided I was OK and left again. Stupid to think about. Waist of energy.

I physically shake my head to get the unproductive thoughts out of my mind.

I cross the lounge area completely consumed with myself, that is never a good thing, and I don't even see Ufrik standing by the head of the table until he clears his throat. Well, this just got more awkward than needed.

Looking like an ass for not seeing him, practically standing in front of his room, I stop dead.

Staring at my feet, I let out a heavy sigh. I am not quite ready to turn around yet. I am not sure I want to see whatever will be in his eyes.

I take a deep breath, stand up straighter and square my shoulders. Keeping my face blank, ready for anything and everything, I turn to Ufrik.

My mouth falls open. What in the stars?

"Thought you could use this."

Ufrik shakes a bottle of alcohol at me before setting it on the table. My hands twitch with the desire to scoop it up quickly and run. But this conversation needs to happen.

"Th-Thanks." I am confused at this point.

My first instinct is suspicion.

"I... I just figured. Shit! Ok, let's cut the crap." He drops the façade and letting his rioting emotions show.

He starts pacing in front of the table, running his shaky hands through his shock white hair, making the image of my hair flash in my mind.

Stopping for a second and fidgeting with his shirt buttons repeatedly, Ufrik looks at me sideways and says, "That was fucking freaky, OK? Like, piss yourself, freaky."

Ufrik waves a hand at me like he thinks I am about to explain something he doesn't want to hear and I need warding off.

He is very freaked out. I haven't moved a muscle afraid of interrupting his moment.

Finally he takes a deep breath and stops pacing. Looking at me, he braces his hands on the back of a chair, shoulders hunching, brows creasing and stares straight into my eyes searching for my K'ai. I think. I can see in his eyes he is fighting with something.