Mark seizes the moment by P.J.

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This is a follow on to Waiting in Line.

After my haircut and subsequent dinner and..... what turned into an overnight at Nicks, we've been pretty much inseparable ever since. Covid had allowed us to spend workdays with each other, then evenings and overnights, getting well acquainted.

Before long our company had notified us that with the easing of restrictions, our work from home time would be ending soon. Nick had reluctantly decided that he'd need at least a trim, if not a full on haircut to get his fantastic mane in shape for the office environment. He wanted to maintain the long lush locks at least until summer but he was in need of some clean up to at least make an attempt at looking professional. So, the hunt for an open barbershop and a suitably qualified barber began.

Nick had spent a considerable amount of time finding someone who was good with cutting guys longer hair. He had good reviews, and he wasn't booked out for months in advance. He'd booked an appointment and specifically requested that I go with him.

When we got to the appointment you could tell the guy was gaga over Nicks' mane. He and Nick had some discussion and were consulting pics on Nicks phone. Finally they agreed on what was to be done and Nick allowed the cape to be draped over himself. I watched the barber struggle to keep Nicks lush locks out of the way and get the cape snapped securely. I also noticed the look of lust in his eyes. Hmm. The barber spent a long time brushing the thick locks out, combing them down all around. Nick couldn't see anything because his thick bang locks were completely covering his face. He was turned away from the mirror too. I was laser focused on the barber, hoping to pick up some tips and be able to trim Nicks plush mane myself when it needed it again. The fact that the barber was a HOT looking guy didn't hurt either.

It almost felt like I was watching in slow motion as the barber picked up the fast feed Osters and a comb. He was standing behind Nick. I watched as he lifted a large shank of Nicks lush mane up behind his left ear. I knew the cut Nick had asked for and it didn't require any clipper work, only shears. I heard the clack of the Osters and listened as they spun up to full power. That noise brought me back to reality, my brain registered alarm. What was he going to do I thought to myself. Oh s**t, he was starting to slip them under the huge shank of thick locks in the teeth of the comb, lifting them out of the way with the comb so he could have free and easy access to my boyfriends nape. WTF. I quickly stepped forward to stop the barber. As the barber made to plunge the chattering clippers up into Nicks mane I grabbed his clippered hand and forced it away from Nicks nape.

Things got a bit wild at that point. Nick pulled his head forward, his lush locks sliding through and out of the combs deadly grasp. The barbers face turned beet red. He barked at me in rage "what the f*** are you doing man!". Nick also seemed to realize that the barber had clippers in his hand. "What the hell are YOU doing with those clippers!" Nick barked. "I was just going to remove some of the excess bulk in the back!" the barber barked back.

"What the f*** man" Nick raged back. "This trim doesn't require any excess bulk to be removed. You're supposed to be trimming the length to match the pic I showed you. Clearly you either have no experience cutting long hair, or you we're just going to be a dick and chop it short regardless of what I asked for. Which is it?" Nick started to stand up and remove the cape. The other customers seated in the waiting area were paying rapt attention to us at this point.

The barber clicked the clipper off and asked Nick to sit back down. "I was just going to remove some of the excess bulk to start. You don't need it anywhere near this long for that cut sir" he replied quietly, trying to diffuse the situation. He'd noticed another young long haired guy put his coat on and head for the door.

"You don't get to arbitrarily decide what looks good on me you jerk" Nick raged back. "Come on Mark, we're outa here." With that he threw the cape in the chair and stormed out of the shop. The barber looked inquisitively at me. I glared back "He's right, you are a dick man. You're one of those sneaky long hair hating barbers." I hurled back at him as I turned and hustled to catch up with Nick.
Nick ranted all the way home from the barbershop about how all barbers are assholes and they always want to scalp the long haired guys. He'd been fondling his shoulder length mane and pointing out that he'd narrowly escaped an epic disaster. In the few months since I'd gotten to know Nick more intimately I'd never seen him this upset.

He kept thanking me profusely for being observant and not afraid to stop the barber before the offending clippers were plunged into his lush mane.

Home at last, we'd settled down on the floor in front of the couch to watch a movie. I was straddling Nick, my back against the sofa, he was backed in, his back to my chest. It was one of our favorite positions. This gave me free access to play with his thick auburn mane. I was paying more attention to his mane than the movie as I tried once again to French braid it for him. It was certainly getting long enough. He'd finally settled down and relaxed as I played. I absent mindedly realized I was getting hard just playing with his mane. Yikes!

"You know Nick, You're going to have to bite the bullet and go somewhere and get this mop trimmed up eventually right? I quietly said. In a flash of brilliance (or at least I thought it was) I quietly added..."Unless you'd like to talk me through cutting it for you that is."

Nick sighed audibly. "Mark, I know that shops are gradually opening now that the Covid lockdown has been lifted. I really wish that my old barber hadn't elected to take this opportunity and retire permanently. All these new young prick barbers all seem to think that everyone wants to get their Covid length locks shaved down. I honestly thought that last one would do a good job. We talked about what I wanted. When I showed him the pics, he seemed to know what he needed to do. I admit I should have picked up on his uber enthusiasm in getting me in the chair and caped up. I was so nervous that the sound of the clippers didn't even register with me. Even after he picked up a thick lock in back to get access to my nape. If you hadn't barked the command to stop, and pulled his hand away, I'm pretty sure I'd have been sheared like a sheep."

I thought he'd completely missed my comment about letting me cut his hair. Apparently not.

"And as for letting you cut my hair, I'm actually warming up to the idea. I need to work out in my mind exactly how we might go about it first though. I know for sure that I'm not going to be teaching you anything about how to use the fast feed Osters though. At least not this first time."

"I think I can probably manage trimming the lettuce off and doing some layering like you asked for at the barbers though." I was warming up to the idea myself. He'd shown me the pics of Andrew Garfield with his shoulder length mane. I thought Nick looked way hotter than Andrew though. While we'd been talking I'd managed to give him a pretty passable French braid that started at his forehead and went all the way down the back of his head. Very Viking and very hot, at least in my opinion. I was also rock hard now thinking about taking the shears to these amazing locks. he had to feel my shaft poking him in the back. He gave no indication of feeling it though.

Since he didn't react, I simmered down and thought it might be better if we just relaxed and watched the movie. I didn't want to seem too pushy about cutting his hair either but, GOD I couldn't wait!
Oddly enough, he left the braid in until the next day. We even went out and got a quick bite to eat. He did look hot but I wasn't sure this look would go over well at work. That was the reason we'd tried the barber shop in the first place. The company was lifting the work at home mandate and calling us all back to the office soon.

The next day, he awoke first, and was in the bathroom. I was pretty sure he was unbraiding his mane. "OMG Mark" He exclaimed as he walked back into the bedroom. I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing. He looked like an auburn haired lion. His usually wavy mane was easily twice as voluminous as usual as a result of sleeping with it braided.

"O.K." he said sighing. "This clinches it. You are going to give me a haircut. Today! One way or another we are going to tame this beast. Are you up for the challenge?" he asked.
"Yes, I've paid attention to my own haircuts over the years so I know the basic concepts. With a bit of coaching from you I think I can probably do a great job. Even if you might have to end up with a short back and sides in the end" I replied laughing.

"Not funny Nick" Mark barked. O.K. lets shower up, then we'll get started. One of our favorite hair play activities was to wash and condition each other's hair when we showered together. This usually led to other, more intimate activities. Sometimes while still in the shower, sometimes after. I was guessing that wouldn't be happening today though.

Mark started talking about what he wanted me to do while we were still in the shower. I could tell his anxiety was starting to bubble up. We finished showering and dried each other off. Finishing with damp drying each other's mane with the blow dryer. The more he talked about how he wanted it cut, the more aroused I got.

Mark got out the Hair cutting gear and laid it out on the counter in the bathroom. I recognized it all from his trimming of my lush locks. He pretty much had everything a barber would need. Including the cape. He plunked himself down on the vanity bench facing the big mirror. I noticed he'd produced a decent sized hand mirror that I'd not seen before too. "O.K.", he sighed, handing me the cape. "Let's get this show started."

I had a quick flashback to when I was sitting on the bench. I was aroused but anxious. I started getting aroused again ugh. We hadn't even started yet.

I asked for a minute, then ran into the bedroom, retrieving my cell phone. I also put on a tight jock in an effort to keep little Mark at least somewhat in check. I had sweats on so trying to cut Nicks mane with a tent in them would only be a distraction....for both of us.

I popped back into the bathroom and we had a brief photo shoot. Hair styled, and hair all brushed down showing the amazing length. It was nicely damp dry at this point. Lots of thick lettuce along the bottom, I assumed that was what we were going to trim off today.

"O.K. dude, enough of the glam shots. Get that cape around me before I lose my nerve." Nick barked jovially.
"Nick, really, I don't have to do this if it makes you too uncomfortable. We'll find a suitable barber or stylist for you. We just have to look harder." I said in reply. Praying he wouldn't get up and walk away.

"Mark, I have MORE than enough hair for you to make a few mistakes and I'll still come out looking O.K. I have every confidence in you. Besides, if this works out, maybe I'll have you take me down short for summer, who knows." Nick replied smiling shyly at me.

Little Mark was out of control now. The tight Jock strap was woefully inadequate for the rapidly swelling beast. Yikes. I thought, me shearing down this mane. Holy cow. Now the pressure was on me to do a great job though. This was turning into a job interview.

I paused after I'd successfully fastened the cape tightly around his neck and brushed the mane out. Good lord that was a lot of hair. It was just about past his shoulder blades in back and almost touching his collar bones in front. And all so soft and plush. Yiesh! I couldn't wait to get my hands, and the shears into it!
"Now listen carefully Mark" Nick said quietly. "I want you to repeat the instructions I give you back to me before you comb and chop, understood?"
"Yes master" I replied. A devilish grin on my face. Staring at his reflection in the big mirror.

"O.K., wise ass, here's what you do first."

Nick proceeded to walk me through sectioning off the top and fringe and clipping the huge shank of bangs out of my way.

"Now take a section in front of each ear and bring them to the center under my chin. Make sure they are in the center!" Nick instructed. " Holding them together, take a snip right where my neck joins my chest. This gives you a working point for length on each side and insures that the two sides match in length. At least that's my theory." Nick said, sighing as I snipped off 3 plus inches of length. Wow.

We did some studying and discussion over a couple of Andrews pics again for a few minutes. Nick and Andrew were both blessed with long necks so shoulder length locks were long indeed on them.
Nicks next instruction was to brush the back straight down and to cut an even line between the tops of his shoulder blades. Ungh, this was almost too much for little Mark. This was removing at least three inches in length from the back too. As I was carefully snipping my way across the back I pondered, what if I was told to cut it at the bottom of his neck instead. What if that was his summer cut. Or better yet, what if he instructed me on how to use the clippers, and I had to slide them under this lush mane and clip my way up the back of his head? I had to stop this train of thought, little Mark was about to go off the rails. Ugh. I had to concentrate on what I was supposed to be doing, not what if...

"Now all you have to do is connect the length in front of my ear with the length in back. Try one side and I'll guide you through it." He was sounding a little less tense now. I guess I was doing a passable job. I loved the feel of the damp locks sliding though my fingers as I combed and snipped. I realized as I was snipping that I was removing at least 6 months growth. wow.

He walked me through how to connect the lengths, then I did the other side. I was quite proud of myself. There was also a significant amount of Nicks lush locks in his lap and on the floor behind him. I admit, he still had PLENTY of hair, but, this was a significant haircut none the less.

Nick sighed. I knew that sigh. That was not a contented sigh. Nick was anxious, despite my best efforts to follow his instructions to the letter, or snip as it were.

I knew that I had a long way to go yet to finish up the cut. Clearly, by the sigh Nick made, he was still at least a bit nervous too. I combed and checked the length a second time all around, making an occasional adjustment snip. It also gave me more touch time, yum. I could do this all day. Come to think of it, I had, on several occasions when we had lazy days in bed. I loved to have my hands in his mane, especially when he was lavishing attention on little Mark.

Nick used the hand mirror to get a view of the back. He said " Alright, step one done. Now for the fringe. Ugh."

"Gee dude, don't sound so enthusiastic. I think it looks pretty good so far, doesn't it?" I replied.

"What, oh, yeah, no worries man. You're doing fine. I'm this way, even when I cut it myself. I really love it long but I also know it has to be cut once in awhile. We've got to get it from heavy metal rock band to semi professional Software engineer length. I'm also thinking that before you started cutting is probably the longest I'll ever have it. I'm kinda glad you took those glam shots before we started. Today is just an interim step towards what will surely be much shorter hair for summer probably. That's only a few months away."

My heart stopped for just a second or two. Did I hear him right? Was he serious? He'd be getting it cut shorter for summer? Now this felt like a job interview more than ever. I just had to be the guy that got to cut it shorter, I just had to. Suddenly I felt very possessive of this mane in front of me, and the handsome guy attached to it. Hmm.

I momentarily paused and got a mental image of Nick talking me through a short tight clipper cut. Mounds of thick locks sliding free with each pass of the Osters. I felt little Mark coming to attention again. Yikes! Back to thinking of old grandmas being naked. Nick chirping at me snapped me back to reality and the task at hand.

"Alright Mark, let's keep going. Unclip the top locks and brush them all straight down over my face. Now take a small section, right at my front hairline, pick it up and pull it straight back all the way down the back of my head. Is it longer than the newly trimmed length in back?

MMM, no, it still has a short ways to go. I replied.

"O.K. good, Now comb it straight down across my face again. The right and left ends are longer than the sides now right"?
"Um, yup" I said.

"O.K. snip from the center up to the side length on each side."

"Hmm", I replied. This seemed a bit out of the ordinary but...I did as requested.

"Next step" Nick chirped. "Brush everything straight back. Then trim anything that hangs lower in the back than what you cut earlier. This is the part that takes me forever when I do it myself."
As I trimmed the stray longer ends I wondered to myself how in the hell did he ever do this part at all.

Nick was watching me intently in the mirror. His eyes a brilliant azure blue at the moment. GOD he looked hot. Thick blunt cut auburn mane brushed back. Crisp white cape now littered with longish bits of hair. I tucked his mane behind his ears, ostensibly to check the length. I really was doing it to try and imagine what he'd look like with all this hair cut short around his ears. They looked perfect, good. I snapped back to reality when Nick spoke.

"Wow Mark. This is shaping up nicely. A couple more steps and we're done."

He explained how to layer just the last inch or so to remove the blunted look just a bit.

It took me a few minutes to work my way all the way around but I finally got that done. I brushed it all back to the back and tucked it behind his ears. I was so glad I'd put that jock strap on. My woody was straining at the straps right now. OMG Andrew Garfield eat your heart out.

Neither my lustful look, nor the restrained bulge went unnoticed by Nick. He was watching me and smirking back at me through the reflection in the mirror. I could feel the heat as I blushed deeply.
I walked around to the front to face him. "Dude, you've got 'ol Andrew Garfield beat by a mile when it comes to handsome." I said as I brushed my hands through his plush locks.

It was his turn to color up. smiling demurely back at me. "Last step" he chirped. "Gather it all and clip it up out of the way so you can trim the short hairs along my neck and shave the fuzzies Like I did with yours."

'Ah, yes, almost forgot" I replied ruffling his plush locks.

I got some more quality touch time as I brushed it all and gathered it, clipping it up in back, Hmm, he'll look good with a short cut I thought to myself. Looking at his reflection with no hair hanging down at the moment. Not sure I'd like to give him a total butch, but I could probably get through a short scissor cut at least. Clipper work would take coaching but I was up for that to if he wanted. I could also easily live with what he had now too. It'll be hard to keep my hands off him either way I sighed.

I snipped the short hairs hanging from his nape, just evening them off. then took the peanut clippers and scrapped the fuzzies away. Before he could say anything I nipped his sideburns a bit shorter and squared them off too.

Nick made as if to comment when I went after his side burns, but stopped. When I'd finished, he said Hmmm, I guess that looks O.K. I liked them longer though."

I gave him an evil grin and replied "Barbers choice mate. There, I think we're done, right?" I unclipped the huge mound of bulk in the back and fluffed it out.

"Wait," I said holding my hand out. Don't move yet. I got my phone and snapped a few pics. " after shots man, gotta have them too" I chirped, smiling wickedly.

I unsnapped the cape and slid it down, small handfuls of his shorn locks sliding to the floor. As he stared to rise, I pushed him back down on the bench. I quickly sat astride him, pushing the thick mane back behind his ears again. "Mmmmn," I murmured. "YOU look HOT. I could tell by the smoldering look in his eyes that we were headed straight for the bedroom again when I let him get up.
"So, do you think I can be your barber?" I asked. "After all, summer is going to come sometime."

He grinned slyly he pushed me up off of him and said "yes, and you can be my barber, but let's not think so hard about summer yet. I think we have unfinished business to attend to in the bedroom first."

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