I knew what I had to do. I'd been having a mental battle with myself all week about cutting my hair, yet again. This would make three haircuts in as many weeks. F***! This wouldn't be so hard if I didn't have great hair. And the fact that Ollie had done a fantastic job with the last cut. Also the fact that he'd mentioned on more than one occasion that it was a major point of attraction for him. If it wasn't so God damned bloody hot in this country, I could keep my ginger mane and all would be right with the world. But no, I had to, just had to pick Australia. F***!
I think the accumulated stress of the around the world travel. Getting back into the swing of school, rugby, and studying was taking its toll. The fact that for the last 6 or 7 years, all of junior high, then high school, and college, my auburn locks had become part of my identity. The longer it got, the more it mattered.
Now I knew how the boot camp recruits felt when they got their initial scalping. It was meant to remove their individuality. I was going to have to face the fact that I would be just another buzzed down college brat wandering campus with virtually no friends. Except Ollie of course. I was hoping against hope that what I had to ask him wouldn't destroy any chance of having more than a roommate friendship. If my gaydar was working at all, there was mutual attraction here that we just hadn't acknowledged yet. I hoped he wouldn't be turned off by a buzzed up me. Just the thought of him shutting down, before we ever started, made me want to puke. He'd already stated that my auburn mane was one reason he selected me from the group.
I'd been lost in my own morose thoughts. Finally, I noticed Ollie's stare had changed to one of concern. "C'mon, spill it mate. What's up".
Ah, bloody hell, here goes nothin I thought. "Ollie, please don't be mad. This isn't anything you did, O.K. Promise me, please?" I was so concerned that he'd think I didn't like the cut he'd given me last week and that wasn't the case at all, I loved it.
He sat up and moved closer. "yeah, yeah, alright. Just tell me , O.K." Now he was getting really concerned.
"Well, you did a great job with my haircut last week, really you did, O.K." I said, I was starting to lose my composure. I ran my hands through my plush locks nervously.
"O.K. thanks mate, I already knew that so.....?" Ollie was watching me closely, urging me to continue.
'Well, it isn't working. I mean it hasn't helped keep me any cooler in this bloody f***in heat. I gotta do something different." I started sniffling as I sighed deeply, dragging my hands down covering my face.
Ollie replied "Um, Tanner, what's the issue mate. He reached out and stroked my fringe, tucking it behind my ear. I can pretty much do anything you want to fix it, I mean I probably can. What's the problem?" He kept his hand on my shoulder where it had landed after stroking my fringe. He was giving me that soul piercing stare again. God if I wasn't so upset I'd be going in for the hot soul searing kiss right now I thought to myself. That was going to have to wait. I hoped he would still be interested in me as more than a roommate by the time the night was over.
I proceeded to explain about not being able to tie it up any more. And that it was hot having it lay on my neck and shoulders all the time now. I was usually a sweaty mess by the end of the day and it was driving me nuts. "Like you said, you can't put it back on so.....I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it's got to be shorter. At least off my neck and shoulders short." I was doing my best to not completely lose it now.
"Oh" Ollie eeked out. "Well, give me a minute to think on this he said." He was now running both hands through my plush locks. Studying me closely. He wriggled his fingers back behind my neck through the still thick length.
I quietly asked "Should I make an appointment at the barbers in town, or ...would you still want to cut it?" I asked sniffling again. I said "might as well just get it over with and butch it, right?" I was on the verge of full out tears now. I could feel the stress taking over. I had to stay composed. I'd never felt this out of control before. I hoped I never would again either. He couldn't possibly want a shaved down mess like me after this was all done. Argh! I tried to suppress an anguished cry.
Ollie's brows shot up. "Oh, Tanner ba...mate. I'll cut it for you, for sure. That is if you're going to be O.K. with it. I don't want you to hate me when I'm done. And no, absolutely no, no butch mate." Ollie was almost shouting now. Hand firmly on my shoulder, giving me a shake. Remember what I told you when you cut mine? That would be the last cut because the cooler months would be coming on soon and I wanted some shag on me for winter. This heat isn't year-round, we get winter here too.
He broke his hold and grabbed his desk chair. "Come and sit down here” Ollie said, tapping the back of the chair. As I moved dejectedly to the chair, he rummaged in his closet to get his hair cutting gear.
He laid it all out on the desk, including the dreaded clippers, then sat on his bed facing me. "We're going to have a serious talk, before I make a single snip O.K. Tanner"? He looked at me hopefully.
I was sitting with legs splayed, elbows on thighs and chin in my hands. My eyes were getting damp. Crap.
Ollie got up and walked right into the gap between my knees. He pushed my hands away and lifted my face so I had to look at him. "O.K. There's lots of things we can do instead of buzz ba...mate. I can do a lot with just scissors to shorten it so it isn't on your neck in back, and is short around your ears. I don't have to go clipper short. This amazing fringe can be kept long too. Try and relax please, it's not the end of the world."
That was a bad choice of words on his part. My eyes started leaking in earnest. Damn it!
"Tanner, oh, babe, it'll all work out fine, just be patient mate. "He hugged my head to his chest. Oh, man. I'd dreamed of being in literally in this position, but not like this. S**t. He had no idea why I was really losing my s**t over this. Ugh.
"If we're going to be cutting it shorter, let's get to it, Ollie said quietly", slowly he released me.
He reached for the sterri strip and cape. I was soon trapped under the cape, slowly panicking.
"You don't really want me to buzz it, do you?" Ollie haltingly asked.
"Ollie, we might as well, I can't sit here week after week and watch my identity slip away one snip at a time. I just can't."
"Tanner, babe, how about I cut it clipper short but no buzz cut. I just can't be the one to give you a butch, all that would be left of that amazing auburn mane would be a hazy hint of color on your pretty much bald head. Not gonna happen, not on my watch, O.K.! Ollie was getting annoyed.
"Let me cut it down shorter with the scissors first, we can always go farther with the clippers if we need to. O.K.? I can also just clipper around the edges at the end too. You do realize that you are living with your barber, right. I'd much rather cut it a bit every week if I have to than chop it short just because you're frustrated with the heat. I can't put it back on, and it takes forever to grow out, trust me, I know."
"Argh", I roared. "What I don't want is some prissy shortcut that requires a lot of product and styling in order to look halfway decent. I grew my hair out because I didn't like how it looked short and with the wavy texture, it was hard to manage." I started to giggle. Boy was I losing it. "I just realized that I've never actually had it clipper short though either, and NEVER had it buzzed." F***, I was turning into a royal hot mess, and he hadn't taken a single snip yet. Yikes.
"Well, how about something like mine then" Ollie suggested softly. I mean not exactly like mine, but clippered sides and longer on top? I don't want to go as short on the sides as mine anyway. I could just scissor layer it to start too. Ah, babe, I don't want to cut all your hair off O.K."
"Ollie, just go ahead and do whatever man. It's gotta be shorter, go for what you think will look good and be cool in this heat." I was spent, mentally exhausted. I didn't care anymore. I crossed my arms under the cape and sat back. I wasn't going to look like me anymore and that was all that mattered.
Ollie picked up the clippers. He rummaged around for the right guard. Finally finding it and snapping it securely in place. Before he could make a move, I swiveled the chair around so it wasn't facing the mirror. Ollie let out a sigh, "Really" was all he said.
As he started to section off the top and fringe I replied 'Yes, really. I know I sound like a deranged lunatic, but I don't want to watch the final destruction of who I am. I know I'm not making sense to you so I'll just shut up."
He finished sectioning the top and was combing the sides down. "Tanner, I think I get it babe. You have to know that at least for me, there is so much more to you than this auburn mop, O.K.? And I'll tell you in advance, this will be short, hopefully not require a lot of maintenance, and still show off your amazing color and texture. Head down please."
He stood behind me, lifting up a thick hank of my shoulder length locks with the comb. I heard the dreaded clack of the clippers coming to life. The cold steel blades landed at the base of my neck causing an involuntary shudder. It sounded like I was being attacked by a swarm of bees. I could feel the clippers slowly start their murderous ascent, up, up, up the back of my head. I could feel that Ollie was holding the clippers differently than when I was cutting his sides and back. He didn't go all the way up and out either, he stopped well below the top. Then I saw it, the first long thick auburn locks sliding down my chest and landing in my lap. That first ascent of the clippers had started to open a pit in my belly, a sinking feeling. The sight of the beginnings of my long-treasured mane landing in my lap was too much. I closed my eyes tightly. I started to close myself off, I had to focus on something else, anything else, or the water works were going to start. I knew if they started this time there would be no stopping them. And that pit in the bottom of my stomach was threatening to swallow me whole. I can't let that happen. I started to think about Ollie, how hot he looked, what I would do with him, to him, if given half a chance after this ordeal was finished.
I could still feel the repeated passes up the back of my head, I could feel the thick locks landing in my lap. Ollie was pretty much finished in back, from ear to ear, he was moving around to my right now. I could sense him before he touched me and folded my ear down. I tried to control the flinch but I wasn't completely successful. Now the clippers were stripping away the last of the chin length locks on the right, sliding along above my ear. I could feel the thick locks brush my cheek as they slid away. Almost immediately I flinched as my left ear was folded down and the clippers severed the last remnants of my long hair. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate on what I could do with Ollie. I could feel my eyes beginning to leak. F***, this sucked!
"Ollie sighed again but didn't say anything. The clippers had shut off.
"O.K. Tanner...Oh, good god, can you open your eyes please." Ollie implored. He gave my head a small wiggle, tipping it back up more or less straight.
"Nope, not gonna, man. Gonna get a tapping stick and find my way around like a blind man after this is all over with. I don't ever want to look in a mirror again." I surprised myself with that statement. It was totally absurd. But, the truth was, having to look at myself after this was all done scared the living crap out of me. It wouldn't be me in the mirror, it would be some average Joe stranger.
"Oh, come on Tanner. I'd like to ask you a question about how you'd like the rest of the sides and back cut." Ollie was getting exasperated with me, I could tell.
"Do whatever you like man, it's gonna freak me out, so I'd rather wait till it's over" I jiggled my hands in my lap and made the huge pile of hair already there bounce around. "I can tell without looking at this that I'll look like some freak. I bet my ears still stick out horribly too, come to think of it." I sniffled again. S**t!
"Awright, awright, remember you promised not to hate me ba....mate."Ollie barked back.
I could feel the comb and scissors start at my left temple. I knew he was cutting the upper part of the sides and back, I just didn't know how short. I could feel him slowly and meticulously working his way around my head. A small part of me wanted to see what he was doing but the rest of me was already freaking out enough.
Ollie had stopped. I could sense him near though. I felt him touching the thick shank of hair clipped up on my head. He removed the clip and started dampening it and combing it all down in front. Ah, the final injustice I thought to myself. Chopping my thick fringe off. My eyes were leaking again. S**t , s**t, s**t!
I knew that my fringe was a bit longer than chin length. What Ollie was going to do with it was beyond me at this moment. I held my breath as he tipped my head up a bit and carefully combed it down.
"Tanner if you won't open your eyes at least relax you face a bit so it isn't all scrunched up. I need you relaxed to see where to cut the fringe. I know you don't give a s**t, but I do!"
I did relax for a minute. I felt his fingers against my face and heard a snip. I felt something land in my lap again. Ugh.
Ollie brushed all my fringe back up on top of my head and started cutting. I had no idea what was being cut and what remained from what I could feel. Ah, well, no matter. It was going to suck anyway. It was probably cut just like his.
I could feel his amazing hands again checking and cross checking, snipping and trimming endlessly. God was this never going to end. Finally the massaging hands stopped.
I heard the dreaded clippers fire up again. He probably didn't like what it looked like and decided to buzz it anyway since I didn't care anymore. I knew I was behaving like a perfect s**t but I just couldn't bring myself to man up. God, this sucked.
I felt the clippers on the back of my neck, scraping down instead of up though. What the f***? Next, they came around the side and I felt them in front of my ear. Making quick flicking downward motions. First one side then the other. Finally, I felt the brush, brushing me down.
Ollie unsnapped the cape. "God but you are a hairy bugger mate." he said. I fixed your sideburns and neck. I don't think you've ever had that neck shaved." I felt the huge mound of shorn hair slide off my lap. "O.K. Ollie said. Go hop in the shower. I want you to shampoo AND condition it. Then come back out here and we'll brush it out.
I stood, eyes closed, and stumbled my way into the bathroom, closing AND locking the door. This wasn't going to be pretty and I didn't want Ollie rushing in to comfort me.
I stripped out of my clothes and managed to get the water on without catching sight of myself in the mirror. I stepped into the shower and instinctively reached up to get my hair wet. That's when it finally hit home. I felt the fresh stubble on the back of my head and let loose with a pathetic mournful howl.
I ran my fingers all over my head. F***! I shouted. It was gone, almost all of it. gone! There was still hair with a bit of length on top, the upper portion of the sides wasn't buzzed either there was something there. I let the water pour over my head, it pushed what fringe I had down over my face. It was hanging below my brow, I could just see it if I looked up a bit. Reality hit hard again. This time I couldn't stop the water works. I cried hard while I obligingly shampooed and conditioned what little hair I had left. I shut the water off, grabbed a towel and stepped out to dry off. More tears. It only took a couple of quick swipes to get the short locks damp dry. I avoided the mirror completely. I just couldn't bring myself to look.
I dejectedly unlocked the door, swung it open and walked out, headed for the chair again. I was naked except for the towel wrapped around my waist.
I heard Ollie gasp loudly. That made me turn and head back towards the bathroom again. "I figured". I said as the water works started again. "I look like a total freak huh".
Ollie jumped up off his bed where he'd been waiting.
Get that hot butt over to this chair babe. He forced me to sit. He came and straddled my lap, facing me. "you look so f***ing hot right now" he squeaked. Then he forced my head up to look at him. I was searching his face and only saw his lust filled eyes. He pulled me close and gave Me the soul searing kiss I'd been thinking about. OMFG was all I could think. We finally broke apart, both gasping for breath.
"Well, what do you think BABE" Ollie chirped. Heavy emphasis on the word babe this time.
I looked at him, I was lost in confusion. "What was that for" I asked meekly.
"I couldn't hold back any more, Tanner. I've had it bad for you ever since you arrived." Ollie replied.
"And you still have it bad for me even though I look like a freak, Ollie?" I said.
Ollie jumped up. "Oh Christ tanner. Sit still. He grabbed another towel and worked my head over with it. Then he grabbed a brush and brushed my hair out. Brushing it all forward. He gently tousled it a bit.
'Yes" he exclaimed. There's just enough wave in the length on top. It's perfect." He spun the chair to face the mirror before I could stop him. I was too shocked to slam my eyes shut before I got a look.
Ollie stood behind me massaging my shoulders. "I repeat...you..are..so...f***ing ...hot...BABE." he barked.
Part of me thought he was right, however, I didn't recognize the stranger in the mirror. His blue eyes popped, even though they were red and getting moist again. His ears were perfect too. They didn't stick out.
The guy in the mirror had deep auburn colored hair, like mine too. With some nice highlights in the longer top locks, very attractive. His fringe covered his forehead just touching his brow, the top and fringe had a bit of wave to it, just enough to give it some interest, and were nicely layered. The sides were clipper short. The top overhung the sides just a bit, in nice thick layers. I got up and got close to the mirror, turning my head from side to side. The guy in the mirror had a nice clipper taper, a bit long, with no skin showing on the lower portion either. The top was disconnected from the sides a bit, shorter towards the back and longer as you got to the fringe. Wow, the guy in the mirror was pretty good looking. Hmm. He had a great looking short haircut too. There was still enough length on top for a hot boyfriend to run his hands through too, probably. Strangely enough, the guy looked amazing.
I turned around and faced Ollie. A small smile was starting to form, I couldn't help it.
The towel slipped off my waist. I grabbed Ollie and hugged him hard. The evidence of our mutual arousal blatantly obvious. Then I hug walked him back to his bed. Pushing him down onto his back.
I looked at him with lust that matched his, staring him in the eye. I growled, pouncing on him. "I think it's time for Ollie's new hot studly boyfriend to give Ollie a proper thank you for his hot studly haircut."
Then I reached for the waistband of his shorts.
