Pete, the Mall Barber by burrlypup

---

My boyfriend Dan and I have been hanging out all summer, and today we were at the mall trying to find a gift for his moms birthday. As we were about to leave empty handed, I noticed a new barbershop had opened so I curiously peaked inside. There was a handsome barber in a tunic finishing up a marine high and tight. Maybe I looked a bit too long, but I walked back to where Dan was. I stroked his long ponytail, smoothing it to the small of his back. I continued to stroke it as he asked my opinion about some fancy soap. I glanced behind me and noticed the barber had finished with his customer and was outside of his shop, leering at me and Dan. The smirk on his face was clearly one of mischief. His expression and gaze seemed to invite me without a single word.

I had recently buzzed my head down with bare clippers, so I had a white scalp and tan face. Dan became preoccupied with the mall vendor so I slipped away to the sidelined barber.

"Hey, I'm Rob." I said as I approached him, he reached forward and met my handshake.
"Pete here. Seems like one of you needs a shearing."
"Oh, Dan. He's never going to cut his ponytail."
"Bet you $50 I can have his head shining like a bowling ball in an hour. Just get him in my chair, I'll do all the talking," Pete grinned.
"He would hate me forever if that happened." I responded. I loved Dan, but our relationship seemed to hit a plateau and it wasn't exciting anymore. Everything was predictable.

"And yet you're still here talking to me. You want that mess of hair gone?" Pete continued, "Tell him we're old friends and I'll trim the tips for him."

I stammered, "I dunno, it seems..." I stopped as I felt Dan rub my head and hug me from behind.

"Hey Dan, this is Pete. We're old friends." I said, unsure of what else could possibly make sense.
"Nice to meet you Pete," Dan smiled and shook hands with the stranger barber. The next few minutes were like watching a professional hustle, as Pete wove a backstory in a performance worthy of an Oscar. Before five minutes were up, it was like Dan and Pete were best friends, and within ten minutes, my handsome boyfriend was caped up for an on-the-house 'trim'.

I watched suspiciously as Pete snipped the faintest millimeter from Dans long brown hair. I anticipated a big, unexpected chop - which never came.

"There you go, still nice and long, but a bit more well kempt." Pete proudly ran some sweet smelling pomade through Dans hair, relishing the nearly four foot long silky strands. Dan seemed a little let down. This was his first time in a barbershop ever, and it was clear to me he was enjoying Pete's undivided attention. Pete noticed the look, and he knew it well. As Pete began to remove the cape, Dan spoke up.

"It's still a bit long, maybe you can trim another inch or two?" Dan said, throwing me a curve ball. Just this morning, he said he would never cut his hair. The charming barber swept him off his feet, "As you wish," and minutes later, a full two inches was gingerly snipped. I felt secure in winning the $50 bet, as surprised as I was that my boyfriend was so eager to have two inches snipped, it was inconceivable he would go any shorter, and I was right. After Dan stood up and ran his fists through his slightly shorter hair, he fell in love with it. Two inches it would be. Pete slipped me a $50 bill as we parted, a man of his word.

"Why don't you have a seat, old pal?" Pete beckoned me.
"Not much to cut my friend, but what the hell. Sure." I agreed and took the chair. Pete wrapped a hot towel around my head. It felt like heaven! I must have moaned slightly as he spread hot lather over my head and scraped my buzzcut off with a straightedge. I hadn't even asked or said a word, he just shaved my head smooth. I reached up and felt the most soft skin on top my of head. I looked up at Dan who walked up and rubbed my head.

"It's perfect! I love it!" Dan practically squealed.

"I can get you bowling ball smooth as well, no extra charge." Pete sweet talked Dan.

"Oh, I could never shave my head." Dan shot back, but with less conviction.

"I was joking. It would be a shame for such 'pretty' hair to be shorn off so brutally." The word 'pretty' stung Dan. Pete was slowly chipping at Dan's subconscious masculinity. Dan rubbed my smooth bald head and I felt something snap in him, he was thinking and I knew this wasn't over.

We finally left the barbershop, and what a night it was. Dan couldn't keep his hands off my head. I was loving the attention, honestly. I let his long hair pour through my fingers - it felt so soft. Whatever Pete put in it made it so soft to the touch. I could still sense something different in Dan, he seemed less sure of himself. Before the cut, his hair was wild and all over the place. Now it was sleek and trimmed. The rebellious nature of his hair was diminished by the mere removal of two inches.

The rest of the week seemed normal, Dan thought it would be fun to return to Pete's barbershop to get my head shaved again - something I was eager to experience again. While Pete was shaving my head, I noticed in the mirror that he and Dan were exchanging glances. Before I was two steps from the chair, Dan was once again caped up. I grabbed some coffee and took a seat.

"What'll it be today, stud?" Pete asked, clearly playing to Dans' masculinity.

"Barbers' choice." Dan told him, as I nearly spit out my coffee.

"Well, that's rather risky, are you a risk taker?" Pete asked, knowing Dan would eat it up.

"I need a change, the fate of my hair is in your hands." Dan responded.

Before I could process what was happening, Pete had already snipped off the ponytail. I heard Dan sigh heavy as his unbound hair fell into his face. He shivered as the bare clippers ran from his nape, slowly to his crown. Pete cleared the sides of Dan's head high, then began to scissor the top off about an inch long. The floor was covered in thick, light brown hair. Pete seemed to contemplate his next move, then nodded at me and smiled.

He placed a #2 guard on his clippers and ran them over Dan's head, until only light brown velvet was left. He blended the sides. Hot towel. Lathered up the back and sides, and shaved them as smooth as he shaved my head. Pete massaged Dan's shorn head under and steamy hot towel, and pulled it off revealing a sexy high and tight haircut. It suited his face perfectly. Dan rushed his hands to feel the plush top and bald back and sides. He was ecstatic, with not a hint of regret on his face. I couldn't be happier. I handed Pete back his $50, and then paid for our haircuts. Pete was grinning ear to ear as we walked out feeling up my boyfriends new cut.

Dan was a new man and after the initial hurdle of having his head buzzed, about a month later, he was all too eager to take a seat and ask Pete to shave his whole head bald. I enjoyed watching the process and Dan looked so handsome with his shining head when it was all done. When he reached up and felt it bald for the first time, his face lit up and I knew there was no looking back.

A day later, we're sitting in my tub with our heads lathered up taking turns shaving each others head. This is love.

---