Semper Sharp by BarberedStrong

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Edward sat in his cluttered office, the smell of old books and coffee filling the air as he stared blankly at the manuscript on his desk. His long, unkempt hair fell in front of his eyes, and he absentmindedly stroked his grown-out beard. As a professor of political philosophy, he was more comfortable debating theories and writing essays than engaging in the chaotic whirlwind that was his younger brother Tommy’s life. They had always been distant—not in an overtly hostile way, but in the sense that they lived in two very different worlds.

Tommy was everything Edward was not. Outgoing, gregarious, and loud, Tommy had been a Marine and was now the owner of a successful CrossFit gym. He was built like a tank, always surrounded by friends, and lived life at full throttle. His appearance reflected his disciplined lifestyle—muscles bulging under his gym gear, his blue eyes sharp, and his head always shaved into a precise horseshoe flattop, the sides completely bald, accentuating his square jaw. His friends—most of them former Marines or gym junkies—looked the same: jacked, energetic, and boasting similar military-style haircuts.

The brothers had kept their distance, never quite finding the time to reconnect. That is, until Tommy called unexpectedly one evening.

"Ed! How’s my favorite big brother doing?" Tommy’s voice boomed through the phone, full of energy.

"Tommy?" Edward responded, unsure why he was calling. "Hey, I’m good. What’s up?"

"I got some big news. You’re still good to be my best man, right? You know, for the wedding?"

Edward blinked, caught off guard. He knew about the wedding but hadn’t expected to be the best man. "Uh, yeah. I’m honored. Sure."

"Great!" Tommy sounded thrilled. "I just have one request. It’s kind of a tradition with my guys. All the groomsmen are getting the same haircut—you know, the horseshoe flattop. It’ll look sick, man."

Edward’s heart sank. He instinctively ran a hand through his thick hair and tugged at his beard. "Tommy, I’m not sure that’s really me, you know?"

"Come on, Ed. It’s just for the wedding. It’s gonna be a blast! We’ll all go to the barbershop together, have some beers. You’ll grow it back in no time. Plus, we’ll finally look like brothers again," Tommy teased with a laugh.

Edward hesitated, feeling his stomach twist in knots. The thought of sitting in a barbershop surrounded by Tommy’s loud, muscle-bound friends, getting his hair and beard shaved off, made him anxious. But something in Tommy’s voice—a warmth he hadn’t heard in years—made Edward pause. Maybe this was a way to bridge the gap between them.

"Alright," Edward sighed. "I’ll do it."

A few days later, Edward found himself standing in front of "Semper Sharp," the kind of barbershop he had never imagined entering. The place was packed with Tommy’s friends, all of them muscular, loud, and excited, beers in hand as they laughed and slapped each other on the back. The barbershop smelled like aftershave and fresh leather, with the hum of clippers filling the air.

Tommy’s crew were already there, boisterous and looking forward to their cuts. Each one of them sported a variation of the same look—sharp high-and-tights, flattops, and closely shaved heads. They joked loudly, passing around cans of beer, clearly relishing the tradition. But Edward could feel the tension building in his chest as he took it all in. His stomach churned at the thought of what was about to happen.

"There he is!" Tommy’s voice boomed as he came over, giving Edward a hearty clap on the back. "You ready to join the club, bro?"

"As ready as I’ll ever be," Edward mumbled, feeling completely out of place in his baggy sweater and jeans amidst all the athletic gear and muscles.

One by one, Tommy’s friends took their turns in the chair, laughing as they got their cuts cleaned up or shaved down even tighter. The clippers buzzed, and bits of hair fell to the floor as the groomsmen reveled in the camaraderie, each haircut punctuated with a joke or a cheer. They were clearly having the time of their lives, but Edward couldn’t shake the growing knot in his stomach.

Finally, it was Edward’s turn. He sat down in the barber chair, feeling the cold leather under his arms. The barber, a broad-shouldered man with a perfect flattop of his own, draped the cape over Edward and gave Tommy a nod.

"Horseshoe flattop, right?" the barber asked, picking up his clippers.

"Yup, just like mine," Tommy replied, grinning. "And shave the beard too."

Edward took a deep breath as the buzzing of the clippers grew louder. The first swipe of the clippers through his long hair sent a cascade of brown locks to the floor. Edward watched, his heart sinking as more and more hair fell away. The sides of his head were shaved down to the skin, leaving only a strip of hair on top. The barber moved quickly, shaping the top into the sharp, flat shape that Tommy and his friends all wore so proudly.

Edward sat silently, feeling the vibrations of the clippers on his scalp as the barber expertly shaped the cut. He tried to ignore the growing pit in his stomach, but every time he glanced in the mirror, he saw a stranger staring back at him.

Next, the barber turned to Edward’s beard. With the same ruthless efficiency, the clippers buzzed through the thick hair that had covered his face for years. Edward’s jawline, which had been hidden for so long, suddenly came into sharp focus.

As the barber finished, Edward looked up at the mirror and was stunned. For the first time in years, he and Tommy looked alike. The flattop, the clean-shaven face—it was uncanny. His sharp jawline and high cheekbones were now exposed, and for the first time, he saw just how much he resembled his younger brother.

Tommy beamed, clearly thrilled. "Now that is what I’m talking about! Look at you, man. You’re a whole new person. We finally look like brothers again!"

Edward stood up from the chair, still feeling a little disoriented. He ran a hand over the shaved sides of his head, feeling the smooth skin, and then up to the sharp lines of the flattop. It was a world away from his old look, but something about it felt… right.

The groomsmen cheered and clapped him on the back, offering him a beer. "You look badass, Ed!" one of them shouted.

As Edward took a sip of his drink, he glanced over at Tommy, who was smiling proudly. For the first time in a long time, Edward felt like he was part of his brother’s world.

"You know," Tommy said, leaning in, "maybe we should make this a regular thing. Just you and me—grab a cut, grab a beer. What do you say?"

Edward smiled, still getting used to the feel of his new look. "Yeah," he said, surprising himself. "I think I’d like that."

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