Cutby MetaSkipperChaptersLatherRinseRepeatLatherAs Flash Sentry looked at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t help but cringe at the mess that stared back. He wasn’t usually a nervous wreck, but then again, he also did not usually forget when he had a date the next day. They would be getting breakfast tomorrow morning, and his hair had not been trimmed in weeks. Okay, maybe he didn’t need to worry about it so much. But he did need a haircut, and he wasn’t sure where he was going to get one. Okay, maybe he didn’t need to worry about it so much. After all, if she agreed to the date even when his hair was a little long, then that meant she was fine with it, right? Still, he wanted to make a good impression, and he did need a haircut. He just didn’t know where he could get one at this time of night. He needed to relax. Worrying like this would not do him any good. Groaning, Flash threw some clothes on and went out for a stroll. What was he going to do? It was past nine, and he was sure that all the barber shops in town were closed. Certainly, any within reasonable walking distance. That’s when a piece of paper taped to a lamp post caught his eye. It was simple in design, with only a single, to-the-point message that read: haircuts on call, at your home, up to 11:00 PM, call for pricing. Across the bottom were pre-cut tabs, each with a phone number. Providence was smiling on him, apparently. Flash tore off one of the tabs and made it home in record time. Phone in hand, he dialed the number and waited for an answer. “Hello?” The voice on the other end sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Hello, I’m calling about your ad for haircuts on call?” “Of course. What’s your address?” Of all the people Flash could have expected to show up, it was not Aria Blaze, (former?) siren. “Oh… it’s you.” “Yup. It’s me.” I didn’t expect…” “Most people don’t. Get in the chair.” Flash jumped a little at the command, but did so as Aria dropped her bag on the floor and began pulling out an array of hair care tools. “So who’s the lucky girl?” “What makes you think I have a date?” “No one asks for someone to come to their house to cut their hair at 9:32 at night unless they have a date the next day.” Flash blushed. He’d been caught. But he wasn’t sure if he should answer. After all, he was under no presumptions that Aria had become fond of CHS or its students since he last saw her. Would she even know who his date was if he told her? He was about to respond when Aria put her hand up. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I might give you a worse haircut if I don’t like your date.” Flash let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding. Aria gave him no reprieve. “So, what are you thinking? Your usual dorky cut? Something more formal? Whatever passes for cool around here?” “It’s not dorky,” he protested weakly, but he let it slide. “Uhh… just cut it short. She shrugged, and Flash settled in for a quiet, uneventful haircut. “Your hair smells like apples. Why does your hair smell like apples?” Or not. Flash had to fight the urge to scratch the back of his head. “It’s the cheapest brand at the megamart. Apparently, the Apple family sells apples in bulk to a major hair care company, and the town gets products early and cheaper in return.” “Does anyone else actually buy this brand of shampoo?” “…I did say it was the cheapest.” Aria scowled but said nothing as she grabbed an electric shaver. She took a handful of hair and poised to cut, but stopped. “That’s it, I can’t do this. Not with that awful smell. Get in the shower.” “I… what?” “Lucky for you, I also brought some actual shampoo and conditioner. Now get moving. I charge by the hour, remember?” Aria’s crossed arms and dry look were not doing wonders for Flash’s nerves. “You’re not really thinking of showering in your clothes, are you?” “What, do you want me to… get naked?” “I’m a grown woman, and I can pretend you’re a grown man. This is strictly professional.” Flash would have bristled at the jab. Would have, if he hadn’t been in the middle of getting butt naked in front of someone he knew barely in passing, who was now also getting naked. Wait a minute. “You should be thankful I’m not charging extra for this. Think of it as out of the goodness of my heart.” “Wait, what are you—“ “I’m not going to get my clothes wet. Unlike you, I don’t have any spares around here.” “Yeah, but—“ “Like I said, I’m a mature adult, and I can pretend you are too. If you can’t, just turn around. Or stare. I don’t care. But that costs extra.” For the sake of his dignity and his wallet, he turned around. He turned the water on, and let himself relax under the sensation of the cool running water. “Make the water warmer.” “Huh?” Still, he did as she told and turned up the hot. He didn’t asked for an explanation, and she gave him none. All he felt was her hands raking through his hair, thoroughly soaking it and letting it lay flat on his head. Then she reached past him and turned the water off. He heard the click of a bottle opening and the messy spurt of contents being squeezed out. Said contents were then pressed into his scalp, her fingers massaging his head more than scraping or raking like he did. While she continued to lather his hair, Flash lost himself in thought. What was she doing here? What had happened to the other sirens? How was he going to hide his… excitement at being naked with a naked girl in a shower? (Flash gave himself some slack – he was still a teenage boy.) Still, the fact he kept his back turned meant he had no idea what Aria was doing. The fact she asked him to get naked and he barely protested unnerved him. Did she still have some vestiges of her mind control powers? Was he under her influence? No, that probably wasn’t it. He was questioning it, for one. If he was really under her spell, would it even be possible to doubt her? But maybe this was part of her plan to lure him into a false sense of security, and then she’d— “Calm down.” Her irritated growl made him pause. “I’m just shampooing your hair. Don’t need to get worked up over it.” He took a deep breath. He was overthinking this. Aria was right – she was just washing his hair, and she’d given no indication she was planning something nefarious. He muttered a “sorry” in apology. She grunted in acceptance. She finished lathering his hair, and he reached to turn the water back, but her still-sudsy hand grabbed his arm. “Let it sit.” She released his arm, and he let it hang lamely at his side. For a long moment, the two stood in silence, less awkward than Flash would have expected. Still was awkward, though. After about a minute, she reached past him again and turned the water back on, this time much cooler. Her hands went back to work, raking through his hair and scratching his scalp. It dawned on Flash that Aria was washing his hair. She hadn’t just sent him off to wash his hair and come back. She was doing the deed herself. And not in some half-assed manner; she was being thorough, as another strong press against his head reminded him. “Why?” “Hmm?” “Why are you doing… all this?” “You would have done it wrong.” He blinked a couple times. No one had ever told him he was washing his hair wrong before. She pulled him back, his head out of the flow of water, and pulled him out of his thoughts. Then she bowed his head forward, squeezing some of the water out of his hair. Another splurt, and another product went into his hair, this one feeling much oilier as she spread it through his hair. “It’s called conditioner, you Neanderthal.” “I didn’t say anything!” “Your shoulders tensed up. What did you think I was putting in your hair?” Flash left that question unanswered, and he got a snort for his silence. Then she pushed him back into the water, and ran her hands through his hair again. All in all, it was a rather surreal experience. Flash had never had his hair washed like this before, and he certainly hadn’t expected his first time to be with an interdimensional seductress, both naked in the shower. The mental image made him blush. Almost abruptly, she turned the water off, leaving him dripping. Then he felt a towel run against his hair – not abrasive and harsh, but a gentle brushing. “There. Finish drying yourself – don’t touch your hair.” Flash turned around just in time to see a towel fly into his face. He removed it just in time to see Aria drying herself, still naked. For the sake of his dignity, he turned around. “I’m going to have to wait for your hair to dry before I cut it.” Aria seemed annoyed she was going to have to spend even more time with Flash. Not that Flash was keen on spending more time with her, either. “So… what now?” She sighed and took out a phone. “I should….” Then she stared at it for a pregnant moment. “…To hell with it. Let her worry,” she hissed, putting the phone away. So there the two were, sitting in Flash’s kitchen in silence. Aria seemed content to stare out the window at the moon, while Flash tried to look at everything but Aria. It was not a relaxing exercise. Again, his mind wandered. What had happened to her fellow sirens? It sounded like Aria was about to call one of them, but decided against it. Sounded like there was bad blood between the sirens, too. What Flash knew of the sirens was mostly secondhand – the whole “under our spell” thing had made his memory of the events hazy. Still, from what he knew he’d thought they were a cohesive group. He’d thought wrong, apparently. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but changed his mind. Still, he couldn’t leave the silence hanging. “Why’d you start giving haircuts?” “Someone has to pay the bills.” She didn’t bother looking at him while she answered. Again, silence reigned. “So, how do you want your hair?” “Just short, I guess.” “Inspired. How short?” “Not too short, y’know?” “Descriptive.” Armed with his answers, Aria picked up the clippers in one hand, a handful of his hair in the other, and began to trim his hair down. Flash let out sigh of relief. Now he could clear his mind and relax. Except he couldn’t. Her hands in his hair evoked memories of the hair washing not so long ago, and even the dull whir of the clippers felt like the constant hiss of running water. Even now, he wasn’t sure what to make of the whole experience. Couldn’t he have a normal life? When had his life become filled with magic and she-demons? Was not even the simple rite of getting a haircut going to remain untouched by the whirlwind that had become this town? Not that he regretted meeting Sunset Shimmer or Twilight Sparkle. They’d become good friends of his, and he sorely wished he could see Twilight more often. And knowing there was a magical portal right outside his school was cool. But for all the wonderful things that had entered into his life, he’d been the victim of two brainwashings by now, and he had a suspicion that more magical misfortune was heading his way in the future. Now she was spritzing his hair before cutting it with scissors. As if he needed more reminders. At least that was a sign she was almost done. His mind turned back to Aria. She’d hardly been tactful or pleasant, but she was cutting his hair without incident, and had gone through all the trouble to wash his hair well. Even if it had been provoked by how his hair had been smelled, she’d gone through all that trouble to make sure he looked good. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. Was this the same girl that had tried to take over the world barely a month ago? They had bills to pay, she’d said. Did they have money trouble? Would someone who didn’t have money trouble go around cutting hair at night? Flash wanted to feel good about their defeat, that they were now getting their comeuppance. But seeing Aria here now, reduced from entrancing him to washing and cutting his hair, he couldn’t stop a pang in his heart for her. A hair dryer came out, and after a blow and a brush, Aria handed him a mirror. “Good?” He nodded. “How much do I owe you?” “If I charged you as much as I should… eighty dollars.” His eyes widened. “But since I’m in a good mood… forty.” He couldn’t stop a wince. Forty was still steep for a haircut, certainly more than he expected to pay. But she had done a lot of work, and he did look good. He reached into his wallet and handed her eighty dollars. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he waved her off. She shrugged and pocketed the money. “Are you going to wash your hair again?” He nodded. He couldn’t stand the hair flecks stuck in his scalp. “Don’t if you can. Too much washing will ruin your hair. If you must, be gentle with it.” He nodded again, and she turned to leave. “Hey.” She stopped in the doorway, and looked at him. “Thanks.” She grunted in response, left, and closed the door, leaving Flash alone with his thoughts. He shook his head and ran back upstairs to his room. He needed to finish getting ready for tomorrow. As he stood in front of his dresser picking out his outfit, he looked up and in the mirror. Then he looked down at the phone number on his dresser. He might just call her again the next time he needed a haircut. RinseFlash Sentry loved his mother. His mother often went on business trips, and she rarely got to spend time with the family. Although she had tried her hardest to be around for the big things in his life, he had spent much of his adolescent life without his mother, and while he did not begrudge her for it, he always made it a point to cherish the time he spent with her. It did not make listening to her on the phone any less trying. “And makes sure you clean up nicely! Jelly Squid is an old friend, and I don’t want you embarrassing me.” “Yeah, mom.” Flash Sentry tuned his mother out as she droned on. He got the gist – their family was going to visit Jelly Squid, a confectioner that specialized in salt and sweet contrast. His mom had gone to high school with him, and they remained close friends through the years, even after he moved to Horseshy. It just so happened she would be in Horseshy on Jelly Squid’s birthday. Since Horseshy wasn’t too far from Canterlot, the family would meet up there and celebrate with Jelly Squid. Which would be fine, if Flash’s mom wasn’t such a stickler for appearances. Yes, Flash knew the importance of looking good, but wasn’t this supposed to be just a friendly birthday party? He sighed as his mom hung up. Well, there went his plans to hang out with the guys this weekend at the Rainboom’s next concert. Now he was going to have to go through the whole rigmarole – making sure his suit was fresh, picking out a good color combination for his shirt and tie, getting a haircut… Getting a haircut. His thoughts drifted back to that haircut, just three weeks ago. He’d looked good after that cut. He shook his head. It was still early afternoon, he could totally get a haircut at Joe’s, and it would probably be fine. Cheaper and easier, too. But then he looked again in his dresser mirror. In his reflection was that same, clean cut she’d given him. Her phone number was still on his dresser. He stared at it. It stared back at him. “So, what’s the special occasion this time? Got another date?” “Actually, I’m going out of town to celebrate a family friend’s birthday.” Aria was unimpressed. “And this requires another haircut… why?” He blushed. “My mom is a stickler for looking good.” She shrugged. “So, what’s your cut?” Flash scratched the back of his head. “I, uh, was hoping to ask for your advice on that.” A scowl and rolled eyes. Still, she obliged him. “Short is a classic, and it never really goes wrong. Knowing your preference for dorky cuts, however, you could go with a messier, raised-up look. Would still look clean, but not stiff.” “I’ll go with that then.” He ignored the dig at his usual style… externally, at least. She nodded. “Get in the chair.” “Do you have to say it like that?” he asked, even as he complied. She gave him a smirk that sent shivers down his spine. “Life isn’t about what you have to do. It’s about what you choose to do.” He blinked a couple times at her words. He hadn’t expected that. He was still turning over her words in his head as she got behind him and opened her bag. “Your hair doesn’t smell like apples anymore.” “Was it really that bad?” “No wonder you’re still single.” Flash winced. “Don’t move your head when someone about to cut your hair, idiot.” She ran her hand through his hair. “Do you have any gel or things like that in your hair right now?” “Yeah, I put some gel, to stick it up.” “We’ll have to wash your hair out before I cut it, then.” Flash nodded and got out of the seat. “And where are you in such a hurry to get to?” He stopped and looked at her in confusion. “I thought we were going to…” He paused as she gave him another predatory grin. “Oh, is that what you want to do? You Neanderthal.” Flash turned red. “I… what… but you said…” He backed up as she advanced on him, still grinning at him. “You know, if that’s what you wanted, you should have just said so when you called.” “I… but… no! I just…” Flash tripped over his words and his own feet, stumbling back before falling over, hitting the tiled kitchen floor with a thud. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his now-sore butt. She made no sound, only keeping that same cruel smile. “Get up. By the hour, remember?” “Can’t we do this in a sink or something?” “I hate washing hair in sinks. There’s no room to maneuver.” “I don’t have that much hair, do I?” “You have enough.” So there Flash was, denuded once again in his shower while Aria – who he was starting to see more and more as some perverse captor – lathered his hair. “Also, your butt isn’t nearly nice enough that I want to look at you bent over for that long.” “But you’re willing to look at me naked and get naked yourself?” “Sure.” Flash would have shaken his head in confusion if Aria wasn’t so aggressively massaging it. But he endured, closing his eyes and just waiting for the crucible to pass. Hopefully he could get through this hair washing without any further embarrassment. “I see you have actual shampoo now.” Well, so much for that. Flash tried hard to not dignify her comments. He tried to close his eyes and relax under the water and the admittedly nice feeling of Aria’s hands working his hair. “Not the brand I would have picked, but anything has to be an improvement over a kids’ shampoo.” He tried to deflect the conversation away. “You’re chattier today.” “It’s not 9:30 at night, and I don’t have to put up with that God-awful apple smell.” Flash was starting to miss the awkward silence. Flash Sentry didn’t remember the last haircut being so painful. He was torn between hanging silence and nasty barbs. If being tired had kept Aria from being so cruel last time, he made a mental note to get his haircuts at night from now on. But he’d have to survive this haircut first. He relaxed and closed his eyes as she raked his hair with comb and trimmed it with scissor. It was still a bit mystical, having his hair cut by an ancient magical seductress since de-magicked and in a teenage-ish body. Especially when he put it like that. Which lead him to a question. “Where’d you learn to cut hair?” “You pick things up when you live this long. Who do you think does all our hair?” He barely noticed she hadn’t answered his question at all. “You do that?” She snorted. “Adagio’s curls don’t happen just like that, I can tell you that much.” “She has straight hair naturally?” “Oh, no, it’s naturally curly all right. A naturally curly, tangled-ass mess of hair.” Another snort. “Keeping that shit looking good is impossible.” “But you do it, don’t you?” He caught a glimpse of a small smile in a reflection in the toaster. Moments passed, and the two settled into a comfortable silence. Flash could live with that. “You’re lucky, you know,” she said as she prepped some gel in her hands. “I don’t normally have Wednesdays off.” “You work?” She scoffed. “Two jobs. Other than this.” Flash’s eyes went wide. But as he thought it over, he realized he hadn’t seen Aria at Canterlot High, even though Sonata resumed attending not long after the Battle of the Bands, and Adagio some time after that. He’d figured that he’d just never run into her, but working two jobs…. “That’s… a lot.” “Like I said. Someone has to pay the bills.” “Don’t Sonata or Adagio work too?” Had Flash not been in the middle of a haircut, he would have jumped out of his chair at Aria’s laughter. It filled the room, and Flash turned around to see Aria doubled over, cackling while steadying herself on the kitchen table. “Please. As if those two knew how to do any work.” It was a bitter, yet mirthful laughter. “I work the morning shift at Taco Belle, the night shift at Port of Call, and I’m on-call for… this basically the rest of the time until I go to bed.” That sounded horrific. “Don’t you ever take time off?” “I get a whole day to myself about once a month. Which I usually spend making sure our personal lives don’t fall apart.” He shuddered thinking about it. Thinking about it lead him somewhere unpleasant. “Wait, does that mean—” “Don’t remind me.” He cringed. He’d just been looking for a good haircut, and he’d ended up taking away her one free day. Little wonder she’d been so tart with him. He should have just gone to Joe’s. He sat back down, and she resumed cutting his hair. The silence that followed was not pleasant. He knew she didn’t want to talk anymore. He knew he’d already caused her enough trouble. “If you got to choose what you did for a living, what would it be?” The only answer he got was the sound of her fingers raking through and molding his hair. He sighed and settled in for the finishing moments. “Cut hair.” It was an uneventful Tuesday lunch hour, sitting with the Rainbooms. Or well, it had been, before he’d shared some candy he’d gotten on his trip. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for the candied octopus, Flash! I love it!” Pinkie squeezed him hard, and Flash responded with a sheepish smile. He elected to not mention the bits stuck in her teeth. “It was nothing. I saw it and thought of you.” Granted, most sweet things reminded him of Pinkie in some way or another, so it wasn’t a huge feat. But he’d had a hunch it would make her happy. Rarity was less enthusiastic about the snack, sticking to the cafeteria food. “It certainly is unique. I can’t say I’ve ever had anything quite like it before.” Pinkie giggled as she sat back down. “That’s okay. I know it probably isn’t for everyone. But it is for me!” She demonstrated this by taking another piece and eating it. Rarity smiled and returned to her meal. “I’m glad you were able to find something nice from your trip. I know how much you wanted to attend our concert.” “Nah, it was nothing. It was nice to see mom again, too.” Rarity nodded and hummed a nothing, but paused as she saw… something in her soup. What, Flash couldn’t tell. Neither could Applejack. “Something wrong, sugarcube?” “Oh, sorry. I just… I’m just planning out my next ensemble, but for this particular piece the hair needs to be dressed up a certain way, but the only place I know that can do it is in Manehattan, and I don’t have time to go all the way there for a proof-of-concept.” Applejack’s grin deepened. “And you got all that from looking in your soup? A worm in horseradish, you sure are, Rarity.” Rarity scoffed good-naturedly. “Oh, please. I know I caught you planning out your new pear orchard section in Calculus.” Applejack rolled her eyes, but blushed. “Actually, Rarity,” Flash interjected, surprising even himself. “I think I know someone who can do it for you.” RepeatIt was the night before the Spring Fling. Flash hadn’t gotten a lot of schoolwork done, not with all the buzz of the dance around school. He’d been too busy lining up all the things he needed to get ready. He had his suit to pick up from the dry cleaners, refill his cologne, and get his hair cut. At least he knew who was going to cut his hair. He’d barely been out the door when he took out his phone and pulled up her number. “Let me guess. Spring Fling.” He chuckled. “How’d you guess?” She groaned. “Sonata has been pestering me about it for weeks now. It’d be fine if I was just doing her hair, but I’ve got four other girls to do the night of. I’m even doing one during lunch.” “That’s… busy.” She smiled. “Consider yourself lucky. You’re not the only dude I’ve got lined up tonight. I blocked out a whole hour for you. I know how much you like your… hair washed.” She’d set aside a whole hour for him? Flash blushed, but shook his head. “Actually, I washed my hair beforehand.” A smirk, with hands on her hips. “Oh, is that so? Aww, I was looking forward to spending quality time with you.” “I- What?” He spluttered as realization dawned on him. “You- You enjoyed doing that?” Her grin deepened, and her eyes went lidded. His brain froze. He was suddenly very aware at how much she was pumping her hips as she was walking towards him. And was she licking her lips? He shook his head. When his vision cleared, she was right on top of him. He would have jumped away if she hadn’t fixed him with her gaze. She took hold of Flash’s hair, getting a yelp out of him as she inspected it. More cries and noises escaped him as she tugged on the strands and rolled them over in her fingers. Could she even tell anything from looking at his hair? “…Your hair smells like apples again.” “That’s what you got out of all that?” He pulled away and swatted her hands out of his hair, Aria snickering at his outburst. “Well, not the only thing. Not bad, there’s some decent shine in there, and it looks you’ve managed to preserve some of the natural oils. Not a lot of fraying, either. You’ve been washing correctly for some time now. “Although…” She gave a cross between a sigh and a grunt. “You had to go back to your precious apple shampoo.” “I ran out, okay? And we still had some left over, and I didn’t want it to go to waste.” She rolled her eyes. “Excuses.” Another sigh. “Still, it looks like you managed to do it correctly, so I can let it slide this time. I won’t even charge you extra for putting me through this torture.” “Torture? What about all the things you do to me?” “Like?” “Like…” Despite wracking his brain, he couldn’t come up with a concrete example. Not one he was willing to say aloud, anyway. “You know what you do!” There was that damned grin again. “Don’t act like you don’t like it.” “It’s… very confusing,” he conceded. Her grin softened into something that looked like a normal smile. “Get in the chair.” “Same as last time?” “I guess. Unless you have another idea?” She stepped around to in front of him, examining him. She pulled his hair up, down, twisted around. Her lips pursed as she continued to play with his hair. It was a strangely pleasant feeling. Then she went back behind him, and flicked on the clippers. “Uhh… So?” “Do you trust me?” How could he? The teasing, the condescension, the way she played him like a puppet on strings. She’d made her disdain for his usual look clear, never mentioning it without a dig. And ever since she’d first gotten him in that shower naked, she’d done nothing but turn up the innuendo with him, and not in a friendly manner. She had him on a leash, and whenever she wanted to, she yanked the chain to remind him she could. How could he not? She’d gone above and beyond in making sure he looked good, even going so far as to wash his hair herself to make sure it was done properly. All he’d asked for was a haircut, and even if the pretense was a bit mean, she’d given him much more. Despite being in a prime position to ruin his hair and/or murder him, she’d done nothing of the sort. He turned his head around to see Aria still standing there, expectant look on her face. Strange. He’d half expected her to cut his hair before he even answered. “Well?” “…Yeah. I trust you.” She smirked at him, but a softer smirk, as she turned his head back around and started to cut. “Do you miss it? Do you miss your powers?” It was a stupid question. “No.” Apparently not as stupid as he thought. “You don’t miss it? Not at all?” The snip of scissors on hair ticked the seconds away. Moments passed, and Flash resigned himself to never knowing. “I don’t have time to miss it. I’m working two and a half jobs, have two other mouths to feed, bills to pay, lies to cover.” No, he had been right. It was a stupid question. “There. You’re done.” She handed him a mirror and he looked inside. As he looked at his reflection, his hand subconsciously ran through his hair. She’d kept his classic swept-back look, but instead of a ruffled mess, it was slick, with sharp, defined peaks. His sideburns were trimmed down, and the back of the scalp was squared away. The cut was overall shorter, but still looked just as voluminous. “I… wow.” He could see her smirk in the mirror. “You like it.” It wasn’t a question. “Yeah, I really do.” He ran his hand through his hair again. “I thought you’d do something more… different from my usual look.” “I told you to trust me, didn’t I?” “Yeah, but I know how much you don’t like my usual cut.” “I told you to trust me, didn’t I?” He turned around, and for a moment, he looked at her, and he couldn’t place the expression on her face. Her head was cocked to the side, an all-too-knowing smile, but a soft smile, not a smirk or predatory grin. It was a… good look on her. She raised an eyebrow and her smile widened as he continued to look at her. “You know I charge extra for that.” He groaned and shook his head as he rose out of the seat and took out his wallet. “I thought that was only for you naked.” “Oh, would you like that too? I’ve still got some time before my next appointment.” “Oh, shut up.” She grinned at him. “How much do I owe you?” “Sixty.” He paid her her due, and while he was fishing the money out of his now significantly emptier wallet, she gave him some advice. “You think it looks good now; it’s going to look way better tomorrow when it settles. Just don’t mess with it too much. And when you shampoo tomorrow… please, not the apple shampoo.” He grinned back at her. “What, don’t want to smell it when you go to the Spring Fling?” A snort. “As if I could go to your silly dance. Two and a half jobs, remember? Also, it’s… not my thing, parties. Too noisy and lively.” He shrugged. “Alright. I’ll see you around.” She nodded, and was out the door. Flash stared at her retreating form through the open door until she was out of sight. Out of all the people that could have pulled up next to him at the punch table, Aria Blaze was not among them. “I thought you weren’t coming.” “Neither did I.” Flash raised an eyebrow at her, but she gave no explanation. He leaned against the table, and she alongside him. “So, where’s your date?” “She’s with her friends right now.” A teasing wince. “Ouch.” A sigh. “No, it’s nothing like that. I think they’re outside taking pictures.” “And you don’t have a posse of guys to hang out with in the meantime?” Flash shrugged. “It’s nice, just sitting on the edge and taking it all in.” So the two sat on the edge by the punch table and took it all in for a few moments, occasionally sipping from their cups. For a while, Flash’s attention bounced from various kid to kid, each bustling about, chatting, laughing, dancing. His attention drifted to his newfound partner. She leaned against the table, arms crossed, eyes scanning. She spoke nothing as she looked around. Instead of trying to take everything in, she lingered on places or people – he couldn’t tell. Occasionally Flash would try to follow her gaze, but he could never pinpoint what she was focused on. Instead, he studied her more. Even leaning casually against the table, her body was tense, poised to spring; Flash idly wondered if she was looking to strike something. The hard line that was her mouth never moved, not even as she sipped her punch. “You know I charge extra for that.” She didn’t spare him a glance. “Yeah, yeah…” He waved her off as he resumed watching the party. “There’s no alcohol in this punch,” she noted, irritated. “We’re all under the age, remember?” “And not one of you smuggled anything in?” “If someone did, it wasn’t me.” She scowled. “Being here is stressful enough. Someone has to make sure Sonata doesn’t do something too stupid. The least I’d appreciate is something to take off the edge.” “Relax, it’s just a school dance. What’s the worst that could—” “Don’t you dare.” Her warning had an edge he’d yet to hear from her. He decided to push his luck. “What’s the worst that—” “Don’t you dare.” Now it was his face that had the grin. “What’s the worst that could hap—” “I swear on the old tentacled ones, if you finish that sentence, I will—” “What’s the worst that could happen?” She snarled viciously at him, but before he could register it fully, her attention was back to the crowd, frantically searching for what he had to assume was her fellow siren. His attention was on her once more. No longer leaning against the table, she was hunched forward, eyes wide. She’d placed her drink on the table, her arms hung dumbly at her side. If she had been tense before, now she was wound up, on the brink of sprinting off. She gave him a passing glance, then fixed him again with her glare, as if he was at fault for the whole debacle. All he could offer was a humored smile. Slowly, she unwound, leaning back against the punch table and picking her drink up again. But not before elbowing him. “See? Nothing happened.” She scowled, but when she turned to address him she had a smile. “You’re lucky I was the one who cut your hair. Otherwise I would have dumped this punch all over you.” He smiled back – a warm, friendly smile. “Small blessings.” Again the two observed the party before them, in comfortable silence between them. They spoke nothing. They didn’t need to. They watched the student body chat, laugh, dance. Suddenly, Aria rose and inclined her head. “Your date is here. I’ll spare you the questions and embarrassment.” He turned to where she gestured, and his date was indeed coming back. But – “Wait, how did you know who…?” But she was already walking away from him, and he couldn’t help but follow her retreating form. Flash counted it a small blessing that she had disappeared into the mass and mess of bodies when his date pulled up next to him.
LatherAs Flash Sentry looked at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t help but cringe at the mess that stared back. He wasn’t usually a nervous wreck, but then again, he also did not usually forget when he had a date the next day. They would be getting breakfast tomorrow morning, and his hair had not been trimmed in weeks. Okay, maybe he didn’t need to worry about it so much. But he did need a haircut, and he wasn’t sure where he was going to get one. Okay, maybe he didn’t need to worry about it so much. After all, if she agreed to the date even when his hair was a little long, then that meant she was fine with it, right? Still, he wanted to make a good impression, and he did need a haircut. He just didn’t know where he could get one at this time of night. He needed to relax. Worrying like this would not do him any good. Groaning, Flash threw some clothes on and went out for a stroll. What was he going to do? It was past nine, and he was sure that all the barber shops in town were closed. Certainly, any within reasonable walking distance. That’s when a piece of paper taped to a lamp post caught his eye. It was simple in design, with only a single, to-the-point message that read: haircuts on call, at your home, up to 11:00 PM, call for pricing. Across the bottom were pre-cut tabs, each with a phone number. Providence was smiling on him, apparently. Flash tore off one of the tabs and made it home in record time. Phone in hand, he dialed the number and waited for an answer. “Hello?” The voice on the other end sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Hello, I’m calling about your ad for haircuts on call?” “Of course. What’s your address?” Of all the people Flash could have expected to show up, it was not Aria Blaze, (former?) siren. “Oh… it’s you.” “Yup. It’s me.” I didn’t expect…” “Most people don’t. Get in the chair.” Flash jumped a little at the command, but did so as Aria dropped her bag on the floor and began pulling out an array of hair care tools. “So who’s the lucky girl?” “What makes you think I have a date?” “No one asks for someone to come to their house to cut their hair at 9:32 at night unless they have a date the next day.” Flash blushed. He’d been caught. But he wasn’t sure if he should answer. After all, he was under no presumptions that Aria had become fond of CHS or its students since he last saw her. Would she even know who his date was if he told her? He was about to respond when Aria put her hand up. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I might give you a worse haircut if I don’t like your date.” Flash let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding. Aria gave him no reprieve. “So, what are you thinking? Your usual dorky cut? Something more formal? Whatever passes for cool around here?” “It’s not dorky,” he protested weakly, but he let it slide. “Uhh… just cut it short. She shrugged, and Flash settled in for a quiet, uneventful haircut. “Your hair smells like apples. Why does your hair smell like apples?” Or not. Flash had to fight the urge to scratch the back of his head. “It’s the cheapest brand at the megamart. Apparently, the Apple family sells apples in bulk to a major hair care company, and the town gets products early and cheaper in return.” “Does anyone else actually buy this brand of shampoo?” “…I did say it was the cheapest.” Aria scowled but said nothing as she grabbed an electric shaver. She took a handful of hair and poised to cut, but stopped. “That’s it, I can’t do this. Not with that awful smell. Get in the shower.” “I… what?” “Lucky for you, I also brought some actual shampoo and conditioner. Now get moving. I charge by the hour, remember?” Aria’s crossed arms and dry look were not doing wonders for Flash’s nerves. “You’re not really thinking of showering in your clothes, are you?” “What, do you want me to… get naked?” “I’m a grown woman, and I can pretend you’re a grown man. This is strictly professional.” Flash would have bristled at the jab. Would have, if he hadn’t been in the middle of getting butt naked in front of someone he knew barely in passing, who was now also getting naked. Wait a minute. “You should be thankful I’m not charging extra for this. Think of it as out of the goodness of my heart.” “Wait, what are you—“ “I’m not going to get my clothes wet. Unlike you, I don’t have any spares around here.” “Yeah, but—“ “Like I said, I’m a mature adult, and I can pretend you are too. If you can’t, just turn around. Or stare. I don’t care. But that costs extra.” For the sake of his dignity and his wallet, he turned around. He turned the water on, and let himself relax under the sensation of the cool running water. “Make the water warmer.” “Huh?” Still, he did as she told and turned up the hot. He didn’t asked for an explanation, and she gave him none. All he felt was her hands raking through his hair, thoroughly soaking it and letting it lay flat on his head. Then she reached past him and turned the water off. He heard the click of a bottle opening and the messy spurt of contents being squeezed out. Said contents were then pressed into his scalp, her fingers massaging his head more than scraping or raking like he did. While she continued to lather his hair, Flash lost himself in thought. What was she doing here? What had happened to the other sirens? How was he going to hide his… excitement at being naked with a naked girl in a shower? (Flash gave himself some slack – he was still a teenage boy.) Still, the fact he kept his back turned meant he had no idea what Aria was doing. The fact she asked him to get naked and he barely protested unnerved him. Did she still have some vestiges of her mind control powers? Was he under her influence? No, that probably wasn’t it. He was questioning it, for one. If he was really under her spell, would it even be possible to doubt her? But maybe this was part of her plan to lure him into a false sense of security, and then she’d— “Calm down.” Her irritated growl made him pause. “I’m just shampooing your hair. Don’t need to get worked up over it.” He took a deep breath. He was overthinking this. Aria was right – she was just washing his hair, and she’d given no indication she was planning something nefarious. He muttered a “sorry” in apology. She grunted in acceptance. She finished lathering his hair, and he reached to turn the water back, but her still-sudsy hand grabbed his arm. “Let it sit.” She released his arm, and he let it hang lamely at his side. For a long moment, the two stood in silence, less awkward than Flash would have expected. Still was awkward, though. After about a minute, she reached past him again and turned the water back on, this time much cooler. Her hands went back to work, raking through his hair and scratching his scalp. It dawned on Flash that Aria was washing his hair. She hadn’t just sent him off to wash his hair and come back. She was doing the deed herself. And not in some half-assed manner; she was being thorough, as another strong press against his head reminded him. “Why?” “Hmm?” “Why are you doing… all this?” “You would have done it wrong.” He blinked a couple times. No one had ever told him he was washing his hair wrong before. She pulled him back, his head out of the flow of water, and pulled him out of his thoughts. Then she bowed his head forward, squeezing some of the water out of his hair. Another splurt, and another product went into his hair, this one feeling much oilier as she spread it through his hair. “It’s called conditioner, you Neanderthal.” “I didn’t say anything!” “Your shoulders tensed up. What did you think I was putting in your hair?” Flash left that question unanswered, and he got a snort for his silence. Then she pushed him back into the water, and ran her hands through his hair again. All in all, it was a rather surreal experience. Flash had never had his hair washed like this before, and he certainly hadn’t expected his first time to be with an interdimensional seductress, both naked in the shower. The mental image made him blush. Almost abruptly, she turned the water off, leaving him dripping. Then he felt a towel run against his hair – not abrasive and harsh, but a gentle brushing. “There. Finish drying yourself – don’t touch your hair.” Flash turned around just in time to see a towel fly into his face. He removed it just in time to see Aria drying herself, still naked. For the sake of his dignity, he turned around. “I’m going to have to wait for your hair to dry before I cut it.” Aria seemed annoyed she was going to have to spend even more time with Flash. Not that Flash was keen on spending more time with her, either. “So… what now?” She sighed and took out a phone. “I should….” Then she stared at it for a pregnant moment. “…To hell with it. Let her worry,” she hissed, putting the phone away. So there the two were, sitting in Flash’s kitchen in silence. Aria seemed content to stare out the window at the moon, while Flash tried to look at everything but Aria. It was not a relaxing exercise. Again, his mind wandered. What had happened to her fellow sirens? It sounded like Aria was about to call one of them, but decided against it. Sounded like there was bad blood between the sirens, too. What Flash knew of the sirens was mostly secondhand – the whole “under our spell” thing had made his memory of the events hazy. Still, from what he knew he’d thought they were a cohesive group. He’d thought wrong, apparently. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but changed his mind. Still, he couldn’t leave the silence hanging. “Why’d you start giving haircuts?” “Someone has to pay the bills.” She didn’t bother looking at him while she answered. Again, silence reigned. “So, how do you want your hair?” “Just short, I guess.” “Inspired. How short?” “Not too short, y’know?” “Descriptive.” Armed with his answers, Aria picked up the clippers in one hand, a handful of his hair in the other, and began to trim his hair down. Flash let out sigh of relief. Now he could clear his mind and relax. Except he couldn’t. Her hands in his hair evoked memories of the hair washing not so long ago, and even the dull whir of the clippers felt like the constant hiss of running water. Even now, he wasn’t sure what to make of the whole experience. Couldn’t he have a normal life? When had his life become filled with magic and she-demons? Was not even the simple rite of getting a haircut going to remain untouched by the whirlwind that had become this town? Not that he regretted meeting Sunset Shimmer or Twilight Sparkle. They’d become good friends of his, and he sorely wished he could see Twilight more often. And knowing there was a magical portal right outside his school was cool. But for all the wonderful things that had entered into his life, he’d been the victim of two brainwashings by now, and he had a suspicion that more magical misfortune was heading his way in the future. Now she was spritzing his hair before cutting it with scissors. As if he needed more reminders. At least that was a sign she was almost done. His mind turned back to Aria. She’d hardly been tactful or pleasant, but she was cutting his hair without incident, and had gone through all the trouble to wash his hair well. Even if it had been provoked by how his hair had been smelled, she’d gone through all that trouble to make sure he looked good. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. Was this the same girl that had tried to take over the world barely a month ago? They had bills to pay, she’d said. Did they have money trouble? Would someone who didn’t have money trouble go around cutting hair at night? Flash wanted to feel good about their defeat, that they were now getting their comeuppance. But seeing Aria here now, reduced from entrancing him to washing and cutting his hair, he couldn’t stop a pang in his heart for her. A hair dryer came out, and after a blow and a brush, Aria handed him a mirror. “Good?” He nodded. “How much do I owe you?” “If I charged you as much as I should… eighty dollars.” His eyes widened. “But since I’m in a good mood… forty.” He couldn’t stop a wince. Forty was still steep for a haircut, certainly more than he expected to pay. But she had done a lot of work, and he did look good. He reached into his wallet and handed her eighty dollars. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he waved her off. She shrugged and pocketed the money. “Are you going to wash your hair again?” He nodded. He couldn’t stand the hair flecks stuck in his scalp. “Don’t if you can. Too much washing will ruin your hair. If you must, be gentle with it.” He nodded again, and she turned to leave. “Hey.” She stopped in the doorway, and looked at him. “Thanks.” She grunted in response, left, and closed the door, leaving Flash alone with his thoughts. He shook his head and ran back upstairs to his room. He needed to finish getting ready for tomorrow. As he stood in front of his dresser picking out his outfit, he looked up and in the mirror. Then he looked down at the phone number on his dresser. He might just call her again the next time he needed a haircut.
RinseFlash Sentry loved his mother. His mother often went on business trips, and she rarely got to spend time with the family. Although she had tried her hardest to be around for the big things in his life, he had spent much of his adolescent life without his mother, and while he did not begrudge her for it, he always made it a point to cherish the time he spent with her. It did not make listening to her on the phone any less trying. “And makes sure you clean up nicely! Jelly Squid is an old friend, and I don’t want you embarrassing me.” “Yeah, mom.” Flash Sentry tuned his mother out as she droned on. He got the gist – their family was going to visit Jelly Squid, a confectioner that specialized in salt and sweet contrast. His mom had gone to high school with him, and they remained close friends through the years, even after he moved to Horseshy. It just so happened she would be in Horseshy on Jelly Squid’s birthday. Since Horseshy wasn’t too far from Canterlot, the family would meet up there and celebrate with Jelly Squid. Which would be fine, if Flash’s mom wasn’t such a stickler for appearances. Yes, Flash knew the importance of looking good, but wasn’t this supposed to be just a friendly birthday party? He sighed as his mom hung up. Well, there went his plans to hang out with the guys this weekend at the Rainboom’s next concert. Now he was going to have to go through the whole rigmarole – making sure his suit was fresh, picking out a good color combination for his shirt and tie, getting a haircut… Getting a haircut. His thoughts drifted back to that haircut, just three weeks ago. He’d looked good after that cut. He shook his head. It was still early afternoon, he could totally get a haircut at Joe’s, and it would probably be fine. Cheaper and easier, too. But then he looked again in his dresser mirror. In his reflection was that same, clean cut she’d given him. Her phone number was still on his dresser. He stared at it. It stared back at him. “So, what’s the special occasion this time? Got another date?” “Actually, I’m going out of town to celebrate a family friend’s birthday.” Aria was unimpressed. “And this requires another haircut… why?” He blushed. “My mom is a stickler for looking good.” She shrugged. “So, what’s your cut?” Flash scratched the back of his head. “I, uh, was hoping to ask for your advice on that.” A scowl and rolled eyes. Still, she obliged him. “Short is a classic, and it never really goes wrong. Knowing your preference for dorky cuts, however, you could go with a messier, raised-up look. Would still look clean, but not stiff.” “I’ll go with that then.” He ignored the dig at his usual style… externally, at least. She nodded. “Get in the chair.” “Do you have to say it like that?” he asked, even as he complied. She gave him a smirk that sent shivers down his spine. “Life isn’t about what you have to do. It’s about what you choose to do.” He blinked a couple times at her words. He hadn’t expected that. He was still turning over her words in his head as she got behind him and opened her bag. “Your hair doesn’t smell like apples anymore.” “Was it really that bad?” “No wonder you’re still single.” Flash winced. “Don’t move your head when someone about to cut your hair, idiot.” She ran her hand through his hair. “Do you have any gel or things like that in your hair right now?” “Yeah, I put some gel, to stick it up.” “We’ll have to wash your hair out before I cut it, then.” Flash nodded and got out of the seat. “And where are you in such a hurry to get to?” He stopped and looked at her in confusion. “I thought we were going to…” He paused as she gave him another predatory grin. “Oh, is that what you want to do? You Neanderthal.” Flash turned red. “I… what… but you said…” He backed up as she advanced on him, still grinning at him. “You know, if that’s what you wanted, you should have just said so when you called.” “I… but… no! I just…” Flash tripped over his words and his own feet, stumbling back before falling over, hitting the tiled kitchen floor with a thud. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his now-sore butt. She made no sound, only keeping that same cruel smile. “Get up. By the hour, remember?” “Can’t we do this in a sink or something?” “I hate washing hair in sinks. There’s no room to maneuver.” “I don’t have that much hair, do I?” “You have enough.” So there Flash was, denuded once again in his shower while Aria – who he was starting to see more and more as some perverse captor – lathered his hair. “Also, your butt isn’t nearly nice enough that I want to look at you bent over for that long.” “But you’re willing to look at me naked and get naked yourself?” “Sure.” Flash would have shaken his head in confusion if Aria wasn’t so aggressively massaging it. But he endured, closing his eyes and just waiting for the crucible to pass. Hopefully he could get through this hair washing without any further embarrassment. “I see you have actual shampoo now.” Well, so much for that. Flash tried hard to not dignify her comments. He tried to close his eyes and relax under the water and the admittedly nice feeling of Aria’s hands working his hair. “Not the brand I would have picked, but anything has to be an improvement over a kids’ shampoo.” He tried to deflect the conversation away. “You’re chattier today.” “It’s not 9:30 at night, and I don’t have to put up with that God-awful apple smell.” Flash was starting to miss the awkward silence. Flash Sentry didn’t remember the last haircut being so painful. He was torn between hanging silence and nasty barbs. If being tired had kept Aria from being so cruel last time, he made a mental note to get his haircuts at night from now on. But he’d have to survive this haircut first. He relaxed and closed his eyes as she raked his hair with comb and trimmed it with scissor. It was still a bit mystical, having his hair cut by an ancient magical seductress since de-magicked and in a teenage-ish body. Especially when he put it like that. Which lead him to a question. “Where’d you learn to cut hair?” “You pick things up when you live this long. Who do you think does all our hair?” He barely noticed she hadn’t answered his question at all. “You do that?” She snorted. “Adagio’s curls don’t happen just like that, I can tell you that much.” “She has straight hair naturally?” “Oh, no, it’s naturally curly all right. A naturally curly, tangled-ass mess of hair.” Another snort. “Keeping that shit looking good is impossible.” “But you do it, don’t you?” He caught a glimpse of a small smile in a reflection in the toaster. Moments passed, and the two settled into a comfortable silence. Flash could live with that. “You’re lucky, you know,” she said as she prepped some gel in her hands. “I don’t normally have Wednesdays off.” “You work?” She scoffed. “Two jobs. Other than this.” Flash’s eyes went wide. But as he thought it over, he realized he hadn’t seen Aria at Canterlot High, even though Sonata resumed attending not long after the Battle of the Bands, and Adagio some time after that. He’d figured that he’d just never run into her, but working two jobs…. “That’s… a lot.” “Like I said. Someone has to pay the bills.” “Don’t Sonata or Adagio work too?” Had Flash not been in the middle of a haircut, he would have jumped out of his chair at Aria’s laughter. It filled the room, and Flash turned around to see Aria doubled over, cackling while steadying herself on the kitchen table. “Please. As if those two knew how to do any work.” It was a bitter, yet mirthful laughter. “I work the morning shift at Taco Belle, the night shift at Port of Call, and I’m on-call for… this basically the rest of the time until I go to bed.” That sounded horrific. “Don’t you ever take time off?” “I get a whole day to myself about once a month. Which I usually spend making sure our personal lives don’t fall apart.” He shuddered thinking about it. Thinking about it lead him somewhere unpleasant. “Wait, does that mean—” “Don’t remind me.” He cringed. He’d just been looking for a good haircut, and he’d ended up taking away her one free day. Little wonder she’d been so tart with him. He should have just gone to Joe’s. He sat back down, and she resumed cutting his hair. The silence that followed was not pleasant. He knew she didn’t want to talk anymore. He knew he’d already caused her enough trouble. “If you got to choose what you did for a living, what would it be?” The only answer he got was the sound of her fingers raking through and molding his hair. He sighed and settled in for the finishing moments. “Cut hair.” It was an uneventful Tuesday lunch hour, sitting with the Rainbooms. Or well, it had been, before he’d shared some candy he’d gotten on his trip. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for the candied octopus, Flash! I love it!” Pinkie squeezed him hard, and Flash responded with a sheepish smile. He elected to not mention the bits stuck in her teeth. “It was nothing. I saw it and thought of you.” Granted, most sweet things reminded him of Pinkie in some way or another, so it wasn’t a huge feat. But he’d had a hunch it would make her happy. Rarity was less enthusiastic about the snack, sticking to the cafeteria food. “It certainly is unique. I can’t say I’ve ever had anything quite like it before.” Pinkie giggled as she sat back down. “That’s okay. I know it probably isn’t for everyone. But it is for me!” She demonstrated this by taking another piece and eating it. Rarity smiled and returned to her meal. “I’m glad you were able to find something nice from your trip. I know how much you wanted to attend our concert.” “Nah, it was nothing. It was nice to see mom again, too.” Rarity nodded and hummed a nothing, but paused as she saw… something in her soup. What, Flash couldn’t tell. Neither could Applejack. “Something wrong, sugarcube?” “Oh, sorry. I just… I’m just planning out my next ensemble, but for this particular piece the hair needs to be dressed up a certain way, but the only place I know that can do it is in Manehattan, and I don’t have time to go all the way there for a proof-of-concept.” Applejack’s grin deepened. “And you got all that from looking in your soup? A worm in horseradish, you sure are, Rarity.” Rarity scoffed good-naturedly. “Oh, please. I know I caught you planning out your new pear orchard section in Calculus.” Applejack rolled her eyes, but blushed. “Actually, Rarity,” Flash interjected, surprising even himself. “I think I know someone who can do it for you.”
RepeatIt was the night before the Spring Fling. Flash hadn’t gotten a lot of schoolwork done, not with all the buzz of the dance around school. He’d been too busy lining up all the things he needed to get ready. He had his suit to pick up from the dry cleaners, refill his cologne, and get his hair cut. At least he knew who was going to cut his hair. He’d barely been out the door when he took out his phone and pulled up her number. “Let me guess. Spring Fling.” He chuckled. “How’d you guess?” She groaned. “Sonata has been pestering me about it for weeks now. It’d be fine if I was just doing her hair, but I’ve got four other girls to do the night of. I’m even doing one during lunch.” “That’s… busy.” She smiled. “Consider yourself lucky. You’re not the only dude I’ve got lined up tonight. I blocked out a whole hour for you. I know how much you like your… hair washed.” She’d set aside a whole hour for him? Flash blushed, but shook his head. “Actually, I washed my hair beforehand.” A smirk, with hands on her hips. “Oh, is that so? Aww, I was looking forward to spending quality time with you.” “I- What?” He spluttered as realization dawned on him. “You- You enjoyed doing that?” Her grin deepened, and her eyes went lidded. His brain froze. He was suddenly very aware at how much she was pumping her hips as she was walking towards him. And was she licking her lips? He shook his head. When his vision cleared, she was right on top of him. He would have jumped away if she hadn’t fixed him with her gaze. She took hold of Flash’s hair, getting a yelp out of him as she inspected it. More cries and noises escaped him as she tugged on the strands and rolled them over in her fingers. Could she even tell anything from looking at his hair? “…Your hair smells like apples again.” “That’s what you got out of all that?” He pulled away and swatted her hands out of his hair, Aria snickering at his outburst. “Well, not the only thing. Not bad, there’s some decent shine in there, and it looks you’ve managed to preserve some of the natural oils. Not a lot of fraying, either. You’ve been washing correctly for some time now. “Although…” She gave a cross between a sigh and a grunt. “You had to go back to your precious apple shampoo.” “I ran out, okay? And we still had some left over, and I didn’t want it to go to waste.” She rolled her eyes. “Excuses.” Another sigh. “Still, it looks like you managed to do it correctly, so I can let it slide this time. I won’t even charge you extra for putting me through this torture.” “Torture? What about all the things you do to me?” “Like?” “Like…” Despite wracking his brain, he couldn’t come up with a concrete example. Not one he was willing to say aloud, anyway. “You know what you do!” There was that damned grin again. “Don’t act like you don’t like it.” “It’s… very confusing,” he conceded. Her grin softened into something that looked like a normal smile. “Get in the chair.” “Same as last time?” “I guess. Unless you have another idea?” She stepped around to in front of him, examining him. She pulled his hair up, down, twisted around. Her lips pursed as she continued to play with his hair. It was a strangely pleasant feeling. Then she went back behind him, and flicked on the clippers. “Uhh… So?” “Do you trust me?” How could he? The teasing, the condescension, the way she played him like a puppet on strings. She’d made her disdain for his usual look clear, never mentioning it without a dig. And ever since she’d first gotten him in that shower naked, she’d done nothing but turn up the innuendo with him, and not in a friendly manner. She had him on a leash, and whenever she wanted to, she yanked the chain to remind him she could. How could he not? She’d gone above and beyond in making sure he looked good, even going so far as to wash his hair herself to make sure it was done properly. All he’d asked for was a haircut, and even if the pretense was a bit mean, she’d given him much more. Despite being in a prime position to ruin his hair and/or murder him, she’d done nothing of the sort. He turned his head around to see Aria still standing there, expectant look on her face. Strange. He’d half expected her to cut his hair before he even answered. “Well?” “…Yeah. I trust you.” She smirked at him, but a softer smirk, as she turned his head back around and started to cut. “Do you miss it? Do you miss your powers?” It was a stupid question. “No.” Apparently not as stupid as he thought. “You don’t miss it? Not at all?” The snip of scissors on hair ticked the seconds away. Moments passed, and Flash resigned himself to never knowing. “I don’t have time to miss it. I’m working two and a half jobs, have two other mouths to feed, bills to pay, lies to cover.” No, he had been right. It was a stupid question. “There. You’re done.” She handed him a mirror and he looked inside. As he looked at his reflection, his hand subconsciously ran through his hair. She’d kept his classic swept-back look, but instead of a ruffled mess, it was slick, with sharp, defined peaks. His sideburns were trimmed down, and the back of the scalp was squared away. The cut was overall shorter, but still looked just as voluminous. “I… wow.” He could see her smirk in the mirror. “You like it.” It wasn’t a question. “Yeah, I really do.” He ran his hand through his hair again. “I thought you’d do something more… different from my usual look.” “I told you to trust me, didn’t I?” “Yeah, but I know how much you don’t like my usual cut.” “I told you to trust me, didn’t I?” He turned around, and for a moment, he looked at her, and he couldn’t place the expression on her face. Her head was cocked to the side, an all-too-knowing smile, but a soft smile, not a smirk or predatory grin. It was a… good look on her. She raised an eyebrow and her smile widened as he continued to look at her. “You know I charge extra for that.” He groaned and shook his head as he rose out of the seat and took out his wallet. “I thought that was only for you naked.” “Oh, would you like that too? I’ve still got some time before my next appointment.” “Oh, shut up.” She grinned at him. “How much do I owe you?” “Sixty.” He paid her her due, and while he was fishing the money out of his now significantly emptier wallet, she gave him some advice. “You think it looks good now; it’s going to look way better tomorrow when it settles. Just don’t mess with it too much. And when you shampoo tomorrow… please, not the apple shampoo.” He grinned back at her. “What, don’t want to smell it when you go to the Spring Fling?” A snort. “As if I could go to your silly dance. Two and a half jobs, remember? Also, it’s… not my thing, parties. Too noisy and lively.” He shrugged. “Alright. I’ll see you around.” She nodded, and was out the door. Flash stared at her retreating form through the open door until she was out of sight. Out of all the people that could have pulled up next to him at the punch table, Aria Blaze was not among them. “I thought you weren’t coming.” “Neither did I.” Flash raised an eyebrow at her, but she gave no explanation. He leaned against the table, and she alongside him. “So, where’s your date?” “She’s with her friends right now.” A teasing wince. “Ouch.” A sigh. “No, it’s nothing like that. I think they’re outside taking pictures.” “And you don’t have a posse of guys to hang out with in the meantime?” Flash shrugged. “It’s nice, just sitting on the edge and taking it all in.” So the two sat on the edge by the punch table and took it all in for a few moments, occasionally sipping from their cups. For a while, Flash’s attention bounced from various kid to kid, each bustling about, chatting, laughing, dancing. His attention drifted to his newfound partner. She leaned against the table, arms crossed, eyes scanning. She spoke nothing as she looked around. Instead of trying to take everything in, she lingered on places or people – he couldn’t tell. Occasionally Flash would try to follow her gaze, but he could never pinpoint what she was focused on. Instead, he studied her more. Even leaning casually against the table, her body was tense, poised to spring; Flash idly wondered if she was looking to strike something. The hard line that was her mouth never moved, not even as she sipped her punch. “You know I charge extra for that.” She didn’t spare him a glance. “Yeah, yeah…” He waved her off as he resumed watching the party. “There’s no alcohol in this punch,” she noted, irritated. “We’re all under the age, remember?” “And not one of you smuggled anything in?” “If someone did, it wasn’t me.” She scowled. “Being here is stressful enough. Someone has to make sure Sonata doesn’t do something too stupid. The least I’d appreciate is something to take off the edge.” “Relax, it’s just a school dance. What’s the worst that could—” “Don’t you dare.” Her warning had an edge he’d yet to hear from her. He decided to push his luck. “What’s the worst that—” “Don’t you dare.” Now it was his face that had the grin. “What’s the worst that could hap—” “I swear on the old tentacled ones, if you finish that sentence, I will—” “What’s the worst that could happen?” She snarled viciously at him, but before he could register it fully, her attention was back to the crowd, frantically searching for what he had to assume was her fellow siren. His attention was on her once more. No longer leaning against the table, she was hunched forward, eyes wide. She’d placed her drink on the table, her arms hung dumbly at her side. If she had been tense before, now she was wound up, on the brink of sprinting off. She gave him a passing glance, then fixed him again with her glare, as if he was at fault for the whole debacle. All he could offer was a humored smile. Slowly, she unwound, leaning back against the punch table and picking her drink up again. But not before elbowing him. “See? Nothing happened.” She scowled, but when she turned to address him she had a smile. “You’re lucky I was the one who cut your hair. Otherwise I would have dumped this punch all over you.” He smiled back – a warm, friendly smile. “Small blessings.” Again the two observed the party before them, in comfortable silence between them. They spoke nothing. They didn’t need to. They watched the student body chat, laugh, dance. Suddenly, Aria rose and inclined her head. “Your date is here. I’ll spare you the questions and embarrassment.” He turned to where she gestured, and his date was indeed coming back. But – “Wait, how did you know who…?” But she was already walking away from him, and he couldn’t help but follow her retreating form. Flash counted it a small blessing that she had disappeared into the mass and mess of bodies when his date pulled up next to him.
