Growth: Part 8 by Jamiesstories2

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A/N: Continuation of part 7

This is the continuation of Growth. Please read the previous parts before reading this.

Growth: Part 8

"F-forgetting all the s**t I’m scared of? Y-yes I want you to…to do that."

Alex could barely finish the end of his sentence, but even this answer was a massive improvement from a few minutes earlier.

Javier released Alex’s face and turned his chair back to the mirror.

"Alright," Javier accepted, "How do we make this easier for you?"

Alex thought for a moment, before realizing what he needed.

"Keep me facing the mirror, I want to be able to watch."

Javier was happy at his shockingly fearless request.

"Easy enough," He replied.

Alex felt emboldened at Javier’s unquestioning acceptance of his boundaries.

"And," Alex started, before feeling his confidence quickly drain out of his body at the thought of what he was about to say.

Javier cocked an eyebrow at him, and Alex knew, now that he had started, he could not stop.

"And I know we’ve used, um, c-cuffs," The word cuffs was barely more than a whisper, "In the bedroom, and- and that’s, um, fun…"

Javier smiled at the blushing man as he trailed off.

"Did you just want to tell me you like it when I tie you up?" He teased.

Alex watched his face in the mirror as it transitioned from a pink to a bright red.

"N-No, f*** you," He muttered back, although smiling and playing into Javier’s joke, "What I wanted to say is that’s, um, that’s fun, but please don’t do that when you c-cut…"

"No bondage when I cut your hair?"

Alex nodded. Although he was embarrassed by Javier’s boldness, he was grateful for the man being able to understand him through his stuttering.

"Got it," Javier confirmed, "Anything else?"

"That’s it," Alex confirmed, quiet but confident.

"Okay, well if you think of anything, don’t be afraid to tell me at any time," Javier affirmed, "I promise there’s nothing you can say that will hurt my feelings."

Alex could only smile at how hard Javier was working to make sure he felt safe.

"Now, how much do you want me to cut today?"

"If you were only going to, um, c-cut the dead ends, how much would that be?" Alex asked.

Javier would never not be amused by Alex’s unwillingness to say any word that had to do with haircuts, and had to hold back the urge to chuckle. But he managed to restrain himself, taking a lock of hair, the same way he had last time, and pulling it in front of Alex’s shoulder, while pushing the rest back.

"I’d probably cut about this much," He replied, indicating that he would cut off a little more than a half-inch. Alex took good care of his hair, it was thick, and the damage was fairly minimal.

Alex’s eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. Javier had seen this look before, six months ago, right before Alex asked him to cut off seven inches of his hair. Alex opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, clearly trying to force words to exit, despite their unwillingness to do so.

"Don’t freak out," Javier started, begging that his proposal would not break the fragile trust he had just formed with his partner, "But you’re getting this look on your face that’s telling me to go shorter…"

Javier gave Alex time to respond, and watched as Alex turned bright red, but also took a shaky breath.

"I-I really liked the length you cut it to last time," He eventually said.

"Okay," Javier replied, he estimated that would mean cutting about three inches of growth, but in an effort to make sure that he cut the right amount, he wanted references, "Do you have any pictures of yourself from right after we cut it?"

"Um, let me check," Alex replied, pulling out his phone and scrolling back in his photos.

Then, suddenly, his thumb stopped and his face grew substantially more red.

"There’s- there’s one."

Javier was confused for a moment, wondering what kind of photo could get such a rise out of the man, then he realized. He knew exactly which photo Alex was looking at right now. Javier smirked, trying to stop himself from full-on laughter.

"We don’t have to look at that photo, if it’s going to get you too… bothered," He said, only serving to make Alex grow warmer.

"N-No it’s okay," Alex replied, "I want you to have a reference and, um, well, you’re the one who took it, after all…"

The last part was barely more than a whisper, but Javier heard it nonetheless.

"Okay, well, if you start feeling uncomfortable with me looking at it, all you have to do is tell me to stop. I promise, I’ll be able to cut your hair perfectly fine without a reference."

"I, uh, I kind of w-want you to look at it," Alex mumbled, and handed his phone backwards before he could regret his actions.

Javier slowly took the phone from his hands, amused at the man’s antics. Despite his initial reluctance to speak up, Javier could see that, when he was encouraged to do so, Alex was quite good at communicating his wants and needs.

The photo was one the pair had taken during their fourth date. After the fourth date had led back to Javier’s apartment. Alex was seated in a wooden chair, black ropes around his wrists bound his arms to two armrests, the rope then looped around his chest, and finally traveled to his ankles binding them to the legs of the chair. Alex was also naked. Alex was also hard. Very, very hard. Yet Alex was, also, right; the photo was a shockingly good reference for how long his hair had been at the time, and Javier made note to stay on the more conservative end of three inches.

Javier kept looking then, his gaze turning from something professional to something much more personal. That dick really was beautiful, Javier marveled to himself, as was the body attached to it. Javier let his eyes travel up to the perfect V shape Alex’s hip bones made, that Adonis Belt was aptly named, he decided. The smooth abdomen, those forearms, every part of his partner was something to be thoroughly admired.

Javier, who had been enthralled by the photo of Alex, looked up at this moment to find the man, himself, inspecting his every move and facial expression in the mirror.

Javier turned off Alex’s phone then and handed it back to the seated man. Alex took it cautiously, still keeping his eyes firmly locked on Javier’s face. Javier’s lips. Javier placed his hands on the back of the chair and leaned down, pressing those devilish lips against the edge of Alex’s ear.

"You looked gorgeous, darling."

The bulge in Alex’s pants threatened to grow larger than that of the picture, and Javier was not shy about noticing.

"Patience," He instructed the seated man, who squirmed under his gaze, pressing his thighs together, "You’ll get the pleasure after the pain. Hmm?"

This did not, in fact, make Alex any more patient, but he was going to try as hard as possible to listen to his barber.

"Okay," Javier announced, resetting to his usual, professional self and pretending to ignore Alex’s needy movements in the chair below him. Javier took the same lock of hair he had used earlier and indicated a line that would remove just under three inches, "How do you feel about this?"

"G-Good," Alex whispered.

Javier frowned.

"Are you stuttering because you’re aroused, or because you’d like me to cut less?"

This question did nothing but make Alex harder, yet he knew it came from a place of concern and he wanted to make sure Javier knew he was okay with the haircut he was about to receive. He took a deep breath, willing himself to stop stuttering.

"Um, Aroused," He finally managed to mumble.

"See, now that wasn’t that hard, was it?" Javier replied, not missing a beat.

Alex could only sit, silent and red hot, pinned under Javier’s gaze.

"Alex, I asked you a question," Javier scolded, "That wasn’t that hard, was it?"

"N-No."

Javier’s face split into a satisfied grin as he watched Alex’s bulge grow bigger.

"Do you remember what to say if my teasing gets to be too much?" Javier prompted.

Alex nodded.

"Red," He stated, with shocking clarity, despite his overall state. His clarity relieved Javier. If he needed it--Javier was now sure--Alex would stop everything.

Javier let the seated man wait in silence and anticipation, taking his time with his preparations. A cape was unfolded and tied around Alex, not before Javier took the opportunity to snap it a few times in the air, of course. Alex had taken his hair out of a bun before even entering the barber shop, but in all the chaos of his emotions, it had become quite messy. Javier took a brush from his set of drawers, simply spending some time brushing out Alex’s hair and attempting to make the man less anxious. Finally, Javier retrieved a comb and sectioned Alex’s hair, pinning the top half of his hair up while keeping the bottom half loose. Javier sprayed down the first section with some water and Alex, despite himself, tensed.

He needed a distraction, Javier knew.

"Darling, before I start cutting, could I take one last look at that photo of yours?"

"You can…" Alex responded, but made no movement to hand his phone backwards.

"Are you sure?" Javier asked, "Because I will need your phone if you are."

Alex flushed, but chuckled at himself, and eventually handed his phone back. Javier unlocked his phone, knowing the password, and stared at the photo one more time. Alex’s smooth biceps, abdominal muscles, and ribcage all flexed against the strain of the ropes, showing under his beautifully smooth skin. Alex did not always see it, Javier knew, but he really was something special, in more ways than one.

Javier let his eyes roam from the photo in front of him to the man in question, dragging his gaze down Alex’s body. Alex watched those dark eyes carefully, feeling in that moment as if Javier was looking through the cape, and all of his clothes underneath, seeing him in the exact same way he was captured in that photo.

The thought made Alex feel shy, that there Javier stood, so explicitly appreciating his naked body, however Alex also knew that if Javier could in that moment truly look underneath his pesky jeans, he would see Alex was just as turned on now as he had been then. Javier had other ways of telling, however, watching as Alex’s expression slowly morphed to match the look of pained arousal present in the photo he held in his hand.

This was as good a sign as any to continue, and Javier turned the phone off. But before returning the thing to Alex, he had an idea.

"Would you mind if I keep this for the time being?" He asked, "I’d love to have access to my reference whenever I need it."

Alex could not act as if he didn’t find the idea incredibly frightening, yet, he was also certainly not opposed.

"Keep it as long as you like," He whispered.

"Thank you," Javier replied with a smirk, and turned his attention towards the head of hair in front of him, slipping the phone into his back pocket.

Javier then retrieved a comb and pair of scissors, standing to the right of Alex, for the first time that night, with a look of focus rather than flirtation. He took the frontmost strands of the right side of Alex’s hair and pulled his comb through them. Taking the strands in his fingers, brought the hair down a final time, dragging his fingers until they were just about three inches from the ends of Alex’s hair.

"Just to make sure, this length looks good?" Javier confirmed.

"Looks good," Alex confirmed in a whisper, still reeling from Javier’s most recent bout of teasing.

Javier kept the placement of his fingers the same but then pulled the hair to the side, directly out from Alex’s head. He angled his shears into the hair and cut vertically down, the ends of Alex’s hair falling away. Javier then continued this pattern, moving to the next section, just behind the previous one. Using the hair he’d already cut as a guide, he snipped away the ends here, too.

Alex allowed himself to relax a bit, then. Being able to see the movement of Javier’s hands, what he was doing with every snip, was quite helpful, but really what allowed Alex to breathe was Javier’s clear concern about making Alex feel safe. Alex was in control, and they both knew it.

He allowed himself, then, to stop looking out of fear and start watching out of pleasure. Yes, Alex had watched a bit of his haircut six months ago, but he had been so distracted by his five different anxious thoughts he’d paid little attention to the sight. Now he could truly watch as the comb pulled through his hair, Javier’s fingers took hold, and the scissors mercilessly sheared their way through another chunk of dark hair. The flash of silver, the anticipation Alex felt in the moment before Javier began to cut, the sight of the clipped ends falling to the floor, it all came into focus, making the pull in Alex’s abdomen that much stronger.

Javier could only watch in amusement as Alex’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, clearly enjoying the sight before him. A pink blush tinted his cheeks and his mouth hung just slightly open, lips parted, mesmerized.

As Javier moved towards the back of Alex’s head and out of his view, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the flash of disappointment that made its way across Alex’s features.

"I’m sorry, darling, I know you’re enjoying the show," He teased.

This comment keyed Alex into Javier’s recognition of his enjoyment and his blush turned from pink to a bright, bright red.

"F*** you," Alex could only mutter as Javier winked.

Had it been a different person seated before him, Javier would’ve told him to watch his mouth and remember just how short Javier could make his hair, but Javier knew Alex was not ready for that kind of teasing…yet. Besides, there was plenty else he could say to make the seated many regret his words.

"You’d like to f*** me, wouldn’t you?" He joked.

Alex opened his mouth to retort but was caught thoroughly off-guard by the bluntness of Javier’s statement, that after sitting with his jaw hanging open for a moment, he chose to simply close it without making a sound. Javier chuckled, returning his focus to the back of Alex’s head, and combing out another vertical section.

Javier knew Alex was aroused. It made him want to tease just a bit more.

"Good job learning to close your mouth, darling," he said and Alex looked confused, "If you’d left it open much longer I would’ve been quite tempted to fill it with something."

"Javier!" Alex could only exclaim, mouth falling open once again.

Javier said nothing, but as his free hand was currently full of Alex’s hair, reached out with his scissors, placing the flat side of the blades gently under Alex’s chin before pushing his mouth closed again. Alex felt a lustful heat flood his entire body, but knew better than to say anything that would invoke more teasing. He instead kept his eyes glued on his own face, desperately not wanting to see the smirk he knew was painted across Javier’s in this exact moment, for fear of melting on the spot.

Javier knew he had reached the limit with Alex, then, and returned his full focus to the task at hand. He continued to work around the back of Alex’s head, taking thin, vertical sections that extended from the nape of his neck to the crown of his head and cutting a straight line through them. This helped to create soft layers in the ends of Alex’s hair, without too much disconnection.

As he moved back into Alex’s field of view, the seated man could only watch as his barber systemically snipped off the ends of his chocolate mane. The concentration and accuracy with which Javier was able to tame his hair sent Alex into a spiral of imagination he could not pull himself from if he tried, not that he really wanted to try.

Once Javier reached his final section, Alex assumed he would let down the top half of his hair, but nothing of the sort happened. Instead Javier returned to his starting point at the right side of Alex’s head and began to comb through his hair once again, pulling it downwards this time, however, instead of out to the side. When his fingers were nearly at the end of Alex’s newly-shorter hair, Javier turned his shears and cut into Alex’s hair, rather than along it.

As Javier moved from the sides to the back of Alex’s head, he allowed himself to point-cut slightly deeper into the seated man’s hair, making the back appear more natural and less blunt in its execution. However as a few longer pieces fell from the back, Alex began to tense further at every quick snip of the scissors. Javier had thought that after their conversation earlier, Alex wouldn’t be nearly as frightened but it seemed the prospect of not being able to watch what Javier was cutting was still frightening enough.

"Would you like to see the back of your head for a moment?" Javier asked, once he’d completed the necessary cutting.

Javier had not intended to make this kind of offer, but the frightened look on Alex’s face pulled it from him before he even knew what he had said.

"Y-Yes," Alex replied as soon as he could form his thoughts into words, "I think it might…help,"

Javier turned Alex’s chair so the back of his head was facing the large mirror and gave him a hand mirror. It was a bit unconventional to allow someone to see the back of their hair in the middle of a cut, Javier had to admit, but he would do just about anything to bring back the look of pleasure that had graced Alex’s face moments earlier. The exact moment Alex saw his own hair was nothing short of obvious, by the relief that flooded his face, and he quickly handed the mirror back to Javier.

"Good?" Javier asked, already knowing the answer.

"Good," Alex confirmed.

Javier could only smile and turned Alex to face the large mirror once again, retrieving his shears and resuming his point-cutting technique on the left side of Alex’s head.

Eventually, Javier finished and walked to the front of the seated man, taking strands of hair from either side of his head to compare their length and ensure their evenness. Javier’s proximity alone was enough to make Alex blush, and as the barber dropped Alex’s strands of hair, now sure the haircut was even, Alex sat up and kissed Javier, unable to stand how close he was to those delectable lips any longer.

Javier responded by caressing Alex’s jaw and kissing the man back, soft and slow. But he pulled away after only a few seconds and walked back to his place behind Alex, shaking his head lightly, chuckling at the clear disappointment his partner displayed at the length of the kiss, and making eye contact with him in the mirror.

"So needy," He teased, which did nothing but make Alex much more needy.

Then, however, Javier paused. There was something he wanted to do. Something he knew would make the haircut that much better, but whether he should propose it was a different question entirely.

Alex wasn’t stupid, though, and the pensive look on Javier’s face made his gut well up with anxiety once again. This time, however, he managed to be the one to speak first.

"What’re you thinking about?" He asked quietly, not totally sure he wanted to know the answer.

Javier was pulled from his deep focus, then, and realized now just how frightened Alex appeared. He wasn’t sure how to word his idea best, but there was no avoiding the obvious now. He had plans, and Alex wanted to know them.

"There’s something I’d like to try, Cariño, something that I think will make your hair look a lot better," Javier started, wanting to ease the anxious man into what, exactly, his proposal was, "But I only want to do it if you’re comfortable."

"Wh-what is it?" Alex could barely muster a whisper.

Javier walked back to his set of drawers and pulled something small from one of them, handling it gingerly so as to not give Alex a fright. The tool looked as if someone had taken a pair of scissors and pulled it apart. The bottom half was a slim handle with a hole for a finger to slip through, and the top half was a silver blade with small triangular teeth along it.

Alex could only imagine what Javier planned to do with this frighteningly sharp tool, and was sure his panic showed on his face. Yet like always, his cock responded with enthusiasm, jumping from half-mast to an enjoyment that was positively obvious. Alex wished deeply he could cut it off instead of his hair.

"Don’t freak out," Javier calmed, seeing the whirlwind of emotions running through his partner.

"I-I’m trying."

"Would you like to hold it, while I explain what it is?" Javier asked.

Alex did not think words were in the realm of possibility any longer, so instead he simply nodded. If he was holding it, Javier couldn’t do anything with it.

Javier handed the tool to Alex, who extended a hand from under the cape.

"Be careful with the blade, cariño," He warned as he let go of the razor. Alex did not respond verbally, but nodded once again, which was enough for Javier. Once his hands were empty, Javier prepared himself to carefully explain the use of the tool.

"What your holding is called a Feather Razor," He began, begging his partner was of sound enough mind not to freak at the word ‘razor’ alone. After a moment’s pause, however, it seemed Alex had taken the name well, and Javier continued, "It’s a tool I use to create texture and movement in hair, especially when I’m working with thick hair like yours, as it can also help make the cut a little bit lighter, not so weighed-down."

Javier gave Alex a moment to process the lesson, before continuing. He took a lock of Alex’s hair between his fingers and held up his index finger on his other hand.

"Imagine this is the razor," He prompted, and Alex nodded, "What I’ll do, if we decide to use it, is run the razor very gently along the ends of your hair like this," Javier slipped his index finger in and out of the ends of Alex’s hair, moving it down as he did so, "Which will help to thin the ends a bit and make them softer and more natural-looking, not so blunt. How does that sound?"

Javier dropped Alex’s hair then, giving the man time to contemplate his response.

Alex looked down at the razor, up at Javier, and back down at the razor. He could not pretend the razor was not frightening, but the calming way Javier explained the tool to him had made him realize just how much Javier cared about making sure Alex was comfortable. Alex trusted him, he realized, with any tool he could possibly procure in this barbershop.

"You, uh, you can use it," Alex finally decided, quietly but firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yeah, I’m sure."

At this, Alex handed the razor back to Javier.

Javier took the razor, and smiled, holding Alex’s gaze through the mirror.

"If you need to stop at any time, just say the word," He commanded, and Alex nodded an affirmation.

With this, Javier took his first section from the right side of Alex’s head between his fingers, and quickly ran the razor along the hair there. Alex couldn’t help but be captured by the sight. Unlike with scissors, his hair was cut by the razor with no resistance, as if it was nothing more than the air surrounding it. Alex understood the purpose of the tool now, as, although most of his hair remained attached to his head, some strands were sheared away, creating a softer look.

Javier continued with the process, following the same path around Alex’s head as he had earlier, and Alex was drawn to the sight of his hair being mercilessly sheared under the sharp blade. It felt so much more visceral than scissors, so much more immediate. He was sure he looked like an idiot watching so intently, but Alex found he did not quite care.

Eventually, Javier had made his way all around Alex’s hair, and set the razor aside on the counter. Coming back behind the seated man, he ran his hands through the freshly cut hair, fluffing it and ensuring it had the movement he wanted. When he was satisfied, he let his dark eyes find blue ones, finding them as awe-struck as before.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" He teased.

Alex blushed but did not have it in him to say no. He did not have it in him to say anything at all, in fact, and instead just let out a flustered huff.

Javier chuckled and released the top section of Alex’s hair from its clips. It tumbled over Alex’s freshly trimmed ends, covering the work Javier had so painstakingly completed. Javier then began again, with his trusty spray bottle and comb, splitting Alex’s hair down its natural middle part, before coming to the right side of Alex’s head once again.

He took the same small, vertical sections as before, using the already-cut hair underneath as his guide, yet this time, he pulled the hair up rather than horizontally out, at an angle that followed the shape of Alex's head. Alex watched yet again, as more chocolatey clippings fell to the floor, Javier, unceasing, worked his way towards the back.

Silence was the sound of the barber shop now, being sliced through every now and then when Javier’s scissors closed around Alex’s hair. As Alex stopped being able to see Javier’s work, with the barber moving behind him, he instead listened. With each snip, he could hear the slightest bit of resistance before his hair was mercilessly cropped, the sound of strands falling gently on the back of the cape before scattering to the floor below, and the deep, concentrated breathing of his lover. The sounds entranced him, he found, nearly as much as the sight did.

Javier moved from behind Alex’s head to his left side and, once again, Alex was entranced. The comb, handled by those deft, bronze hands pulled through his hair, darkened in its damp state. Javier then replaced the comb with his fingers, pulling the hair out from his head at the exact angle. Finally, those shining, silver shears arrived to do their work, slicing through the lifted hair with ease. Over, and over, and over again.

Javier continued to work his way along the left side of Alex’s head. He was so focused on his work, ensuring it was absolutely perfect, that he spent little time looking at his lover. Yet every time he did glance over, he would be greeted with the same amusing sight--blue eyes glazed in wonder and amazement, cheeks tinged slightly pink, teeth biting down on that plush bottom lip. Alex was enjoying himself, of that Javier could be sure.

As Javier snipped away the last bits of excess hair from Alex’s left side, Alex chanced a single glance away from Javier’s shears to look at his face, and felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight. Alex didn’t know if Javier, himself, was intending to appear this way, but the mix of concentration, care, and domination in his dark eyes caught Alex by surprise. This was his man, here to care for him, and his was this man’s cariño, here to be cared for. The thought made some strange mix of arousal and love well in his chest.

Love. He had not yet told Javier he loved him.

The words sat inside his head, biding their time, but every time they filled Alex’s mouth he was only reminded of Dan, of how poorly that had gone last time he’d tried. There the phrase remained, however, and the feeling along with it, and every time Alex saw Javier looking at him like that, with something in those dark eyes that was beyond naming, it arrived, unbidden and unwelcome.

With the first non-arousing thought Alex had entertained in the last thirty minutes, his bottom lip fell from the trap of his teeth, and the man blushed darker at the realization that he had, in fact, been biting his lip, and he had no idea how long he’d been doing that for. Javier noticed the change, but attributed it to nothing more than the momentary break he’d taken in cutting hair, as he wanted to shift to focusing on Alex’s fringe. As Javier walked behind the seated man, his gaze in the mirror shifted, becoming decidedly more devious.

"There’s no need to be embarrassed," Javier reassured Alex, "Your mesmerization is adorable."

This did nothing but embarrass Alex further, although Javier had known that was probably going to happen no matter what words fell from his lips. Alex was in the mood to be flustered, and fluster him Javier would.

Javier ran his comb straight back through Alex’s hair then, before defining a small section at the front and center of Alex’s hair, the locks that would fall around his face. He took this section and pulled it straight up in the air, using the shortest point as a guide and cutting all the hair between his fingers to that length. He repeated this a few times, moving back along Alex’s hair in order to ensure that his hair was not too heavy, and that Alex could run his hands through it as he often did, flipping it every which way.

Alex just continued to follow the path of those scissors through his hair, with all the teasing he’d endured at this point, he was hard enough to show the whole world and he was halfway thankful for it. Maybe, if it was visible, Javier would f***ing do something about it, Alex silently begged. When Javier let go of his final section, walking to his set of drawers and putting the scissors down, Alex took it as an opportunity to squirm and press his thighs harder together.

Javier’s attention was caught at the movement behind him and he turned to find Alex, mid-shift, completely frozen under his appraising gaze.

"Don’t tell me it’s too much already?" Javier scolded, a smirk twitching at his lips.

"It’s- It’s…"

Sentences were apparently out of the question for Alex.

Javier approached, eyebrows furrowing into a look that made Alex fear for his future self. The barber reached out and took Alex by the jaw, running a single, appraising thumb along its line.

"Don’t forget why I brought you here in the first place, darling. I still have a face to shave."

F***. Alex knew then that his brain chemistry was forever to be altered tonight, and he did not object in the slightest to the alteration.

Javier snickered and turned away, grabbing his Feather Razor once again and coming behind the seated man. His expression turned more serious.

"Would it be okay if I used this again, cariño?"

"I…I trust you," Alex affirmed.

Javier looked affected by the statement, smiling, almost to himself, with a sincere kind of joy Alex almost couldn’t believe he had a hand in causing.

"Thank you," He finally managed to say through his happiness.

Javier used the razor similarly to how he had before, quickly running it along the edges of the ends of Alex’s hair. The process went faster this time around, as the underneath of Alex’s hair had already had its turn with the razor, but Alex watched as tufts of his quickly drying hair were sheared away in the blink of an eye. The razor moved from Alex’s right side to the back of his head to the left side and more tufts of chestnut hair fell on the floor and into Alex’s lap.

Finally, Javier returned the razor to its place on top of his set of drawers and walked behind Alex, running his hands through his drying hair and fluffing it. Finally, he untied the cape around Alex and let the copious amount of hair that lay on it slide to the floor as before he bunched the fabric up and threw it into a laundry basket in the far corner. He had this sparkle in his eye, however, that said they were not done yet.

Slowly, Javier moved from behind Alex, around the chair, to in front of him. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes grew dark with thought as he ran his thumb along his chin. Suddenly he smirked and reached into his back pocket. Alex had half a second to wonder what on earth Javier was planning until he remembered. The thing he had given his barber so much earlier.

Javier looked down at the phone in his hand and unlocked it. He took a step back, so he could fully survey Alex from the front, and looked slowly, unabashedly, from the photo Alex knew he had in his hand to Alex’s seated form. Photo. Alex. Photo. Alex. Those dark eyes teased without the man ever saying a single word. Finally, he spoke, giving Alex a respite from the horrifying experience of being perceived.

"Almost the same," Javier said, with a smirk.

"A-Almost?"

What could Javier mean by-

"Well in this lovely little photo, you were clean shaven."

Oh. That’s what Javier meant.

"Let’s fix that discrepancy."

It was a command. One Alex would follow to the ends of the earth.

Javier handed the phone back to Alex.

"Feel free to keep this," He said, "You’re putting on enough of a show as it is."

Eyes slid down Alex’s body in the most delectable fashion before landing squarely on Alex’s prominent…enjoyment. Alex wanted nothing more than for Javier’s tongue to follow the same path, but he doubted the man would so much as touch him until he’d been properly groomed.

Alex couldn’t stop the movement of his body now, no matter how much he wanted to. His hips rocked slightly in the chair, desperate for any kind of stimulation no matter how small.

Javier could only chuckle at the movement of the man in the chair.

"Head down, cariño, I need to clean up your neck," He ordered, saying nothing of Alex’s obvious desperation.

Alex obeyed, but the thought of a straight razor running along his neck did nothing to help his need, and he continued to squirm in the chair, even more obviously than before.

Javier walked over to his station, and prepared his razor, changing out the blade, and stirring up lather in a small mug. Javier placed a small towel on Alex’s shoulder, for wiping down the razor and, eventually, Alex’s neck. As Javier returned to stand behind Alex, his expression morphed from amusement to displeasure, if Alex continued to move so much there was a chance Javier would nick him with the razor.

"Sit still," Javier scolded, as he took Alex’s hair in his hands, pushing it up and away from the nape of his neck, "If you don’t stop moving, I’ll end up cutting you."

This stopped all movement from the seated man, although the smallest of whimpers fell from his lips at the lack of stimulation on his painfully hard cock.

"Yes, yes, darling, I’m sure it’s quite hard," Javier reassured, "But you can do it, I know you can."

Alex considered then that he could simply move his hand down to his lap and satisfy himself. The idea had seemed all too embarrassing just a little while ago, but as every rational thought drained from his head, he couldn’t help but let his hand wander from its spot on the armrest of the chair.

Javier, however, would have none of that.

The barber kept his hold on Alex’s hair with one hand while the other reached down to snatch Alex’s wrist before the seated man’s hand even made it to his cock.

"Ah, f***," Alex groaned, being denied the pleasure he so desperately craved.

"Now, now," Javier reprimanded, "Who said you could do that?"

"Javier, please," Alex practically begged, any memory of shame forgotten entirely.

"What did I tell you earlier?" The barber asked, before answering himself, "You’ll get all the pleasure you could ever want, after the pain."

"You don’t know what it feels like," Alex whined, looking up into the mirror to find chiding, dark eyes staring at him. The muscles of Javier’s shoulder and neck ever so slightly strained against his shirt with the effort of holding Alex’s desperate hand in place.

"Darling, I know exactly what it feels like, and your whining is not making me want to go any faster," Javier replied, seemingly more amused than anything else, "Sit still, shut up, and I’ll give you what you want…after I shave you properly."

Alex could only let a frustrated breath leave his lungs, out of the energy to beg any longer. Once Javier sensed the seated man was planning on listening to his instructions, he placed Alex’s wrist back on the armrest of the barber chair and let go. It did not move.

Javier used his hand that was still buried deep in Javier’s hair to push Alex’s head down once again. With his free hand, he took a brush which was sufficiently covered in soapy lather from the shaving mug he’d placed on top of his set of drawers, and circled the soft, white foam onto Alex’s neck.

The warm foam being brushed along his exposed neck made Alex shiver, prompting Javier to comfort the man.

"Shh," He instructed, and Alex found it in him to do what he was told.

Javier dropped the brush back into the shaving mug and retrieved the straight razor, with its fresh blade. He used his hand already on the nape of Alex’s neck to stretch the skin there, pulling the silver blade down his neck and revealing smooth skin in its wake.

Alex used every ounce of self-control left in his body to stop himself from moving in reaction to the feeling of that blade along his neck, and another sweet, little moan left his throat. Javier, for once, decided that he had teased enough and made the choice not to comment on the beautiful noise that had come from his partner. He simply stretched the skin and dragged the razor over Alex’s neck once again. And again. And again. And after that fourth swipe Alex’s neck was clean, smooth skin alone.

Javier used the small towel to wipe away any excess foam and released his grip on Alex’s head, allowing the seated man to meet his own eyes in the mirror. Javier set his razor down, took the towel and threw it in the same basket as the cape.

As Javier returned to Alex, he stood to the right of the seated man, before reaching across and caressing Alex’s left cheek, turning the man’s gaze to face him.

"Ready to finish up?" Javier asked.

Alex was so readily focused on his need, he could not muster the energy for English right now, so instead he simply nodded.

"I’ll be caring for you before you even know it," Javier reassured the man, letting his eyes momentarily slide to Alex’s erection, as if either man needed any additional indication as to what Javier meant. At the same time, Javier used a lever on the side of the chair to lean Alex back, and extended the headrest.

Alex lay back, allowing himself to release fully into the chair. Javier standing over him, as he was now, was a sight Alex could never get used to, and he felt another sharp shiver of delight at his personal acceptance of his surrender.

Javier took a fresh towel and tucked it into the collar of Alex’s shirt. The soft brush of the barber’s fingertips against Alex’s neck and collarbones made a shiver run down his spine, and his stomach grow warmer with anticipation.

Javier pulled a small bottle of golden liquid from his vanity and poured some into his hands, warming the oil between his palms. Alex knew what was to come next, but nothing could’ve prepared him for the explicitly possessive manner with which Javier grabbed his face. He nearly gasped as Javier rubbed the oil deeply into his cheeks, running his thumbs along his jaw, over his chin, and wrapping briefly around his neck. Javier had never allowed himself to be dominant before, and Alex could feel the difference in his grip. He liked that difference, he was desperate for more of it.

Alex felt the slight resistance his day-old stubble put up against Javier’s demanding hands. That stubble would soon be gone, Alex knew, and he took the opportunity to squirm before the razor made its way to his throat.

Javier then walked away, to the towel warmer near the back of the shop. He returned soon, however, the echoing of his shoes on the floor increasing the tension in the air with each step.

Alex felt the heat from the towel as Javier held it near his face, allowing the steam to roll off the cloth. Soon enough, Alex felt thing lay on his cheeks, and wrap around his face, the warmth seeping deep into his skin. As Alex acclimatized to the heat, he felt the sensation grow more intense as those hands made their way to his face once again, pressing the towel gently into his cheeks and jaw. Alex felt the warmth run from his face through his body and pool in his lower abdomen, although he doubted all of that came from the towel alone. He was held in place by Javier’s grip and didn’t dare squirm anymore, lest he incite more teasing from the man, but his pants were becoming uncomfortably tight for the millionth time that night.

Javier’s hands left him once more, yet the towel remained on. Alex heard the sound of water running, and then a foamy sound Alex now knew as lather being created in a shaving mug. Alex assumed Javier was making new, warm, lather.

After the heat from the towel had dissipated somewhat, Alex heard the sound of the ceramic mug being set on the vanity, and Javier removed the cloth from Alex’s face, gently caressing his cheek to appreciate the soft skin the towel had left underneath.

Alex had only a moment to breathe, however, before a brush came to his face, spreading a soft coat of lather across his jaw. He felt the circular motions Javier made along his cheek, the way the bristles of the brush pulled lightly against the stubble of his cheek, the citrus smell of the soapy substance the brush had painted onto his face, every sensation was so vivid it nearly overwhelmed him.

Even as Alex’s face was mostly stilled by the motion of the brush, the contented smile on his face and large bulge in his pants told Javier everything he needed to know. This shave was not going to be easy for him, and Javier rejoiced in the fact.

Javier retrieved his straight razor and came to stand over Alex again. Alex had his eyes firmly closed, lest the sight of Javier standing over him make the problem in his pants decidedly worse, but the feeling of a thumb at his temple, stretching the skin on his right cheek was indicator enough that the shave was to begin.

Alex felt the blade touch down on his upper cheek and move downwards in small consecutive strokes. He heard the sound of the razor scraping along the shadow of the beard that had been on his cheek just a moment before, and could only imagine how smooth that skin was now that Javier had shaved it properly. He didn’t have to imagine for long, however, as Javier sated his desire, running his thumb along the freshly shaven line of skin.

"Fu-" The word got caught halfway in Alex’s throat, turning into a moan.

Those pretty noises were going to be the death of Javier.

The barber returned to his work, stretching the skin on Alex’s cheek once again, before he ran the razor down a line directly next to his previous one. And then again. And again Alex could barely contain himself, using every bit of willpower left within his tired body to stop himself from moving.

Yet as Javier pulled the razor away from Alex’s cheek, the right side of his face now mostly shaved, Alex could not help but take the opportunity to buck his hips in a desperate attempt to satisfy the raging fire that was currently burning through his cock.

"Woah now," Javier soothed, placing a hand on Alex’s chest, "Slow down there cowboy."

"Ja-Javier, Jesus," Alex could only manage to pant, "I don’t know if I can- can…"

Javier’s brows furrowed in concern.

"Do you need to use your safeword?" He asked.

Alex didn’t have to think about his answer to that question. He shook his head no before the word could make it out of his mouth.

"Good," Javier smiled, "Then you can sit still."

Alex whimpered but could do little to argue with the man, and tried his best to do as he was told.

Javier came to Alex’s left cheek then, moving his razor across his skin until it, too, was smooth. The blade ran down his neck, over his jaw, along his upper lip, and every stroke brought Alex closer to a state of absolute arousal. Shame, the universe, anything outside of those hands and that razor were forgotten, Alex wanted to be enveloped by them until he was nothing more than pleasure alone.

Eventually, Alex felt the razor leave his face for the final time, and heard Javier’s footfalls echo away from him. He opened his eyes to watch the man, his sole tether on reality. He was met with the sight of Javier’s back, hugged by a shirt that seemed half a size away from being too small, those broad shoulders, that presence that carried an aura of dominance before the barber even opened his mouth.

Javier turned around then, carrying a small glass bottle of what Alex knew to be aftershave. The barber met Alex’s blue gaze with a small smile.

"Almost there," he affirmed.

Alex felt those hands meet his face again. The sting of the aftershave was painful, but delicious, too, and Alex groaned, finding the sensation to fall somewhere perfect between pain and pleasure.

The aftershave was an announcement of the end of Alex’s grooming, but Alex knew it was not the end, merely an end. It was the beginning of so much more. He felt the towel be pulled from his neck, almost roughly in Javier’s haste, and opened his eyes to see Javier standing in front of the still-reclined chair, looking down on him, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

He leaned over Alex then, pushing Alex’s wrists off the armrests of the chair to make room for him to place his hands there, stabilizing himself as he let his face come inches from Alex’s own. Alex was ready for those lips to crash against his own, expectant in his need, but instead of coming down to kiss Alex, Javier had other ideas.

His tongue touched Alex first, tracing the newly-shaven line of his jaw. Alex felt himself shudder and whine. Sinful lips came to join the tongue then, sucking along the same line, before moving down the tense muscles of Alex’s neck. Every now and then a bite, not dissimilar to the sting of the aftershave, would cut through the pleasure those lips gave as Javier nibbled on the soft neck before him, before returning to plush kisses.

Javier felt the pulse of the seated man against his tongue, moving close to a million miles an hour. Parts of his neck were still bitter, from the aftershave, but Javier did not care, as Alex’s own aftertaste of sweetness soon took over any bitterness left behind. He knew he had teased the man by skipping a kiss entirely, and took pleasure in that first, shocked, little whimper, even though the noises that had since escaped Alex were much louder and more satisfying.

"Ngh," Alex groaned, "Please, f***, Javier, more."

The words turned back into moans once again, and Javier waited a moment longer before granting the request. There was only so long he could wait, however, as the shaky jerks of Alex’s hips screamed so much louder than words ever would.

Javier took his time, using the grip of his hands on the armrests to stabilize himself as he moved further forward. His left leg moved ever so slightly, from in front of the chair over towards the left side, while his right leg bent at the knee. He then placed that right knee on the seat of the barber chair, between Alex’s shaking legs, directly against the rock hard indicator of Alex’s pleasure, never once stopping his oral ministrations on the man’s neck.

At the touch of something, anything, against his cock, a touch Alex had been begging to receive for the better part of an hour, a sound escaped from Alex’s throat that he did not know it was possible for him to make--high pitched and sudden. His hips did not wait to take advantage of the touch that was now offered to him, jerking hard and fast against Javier’s thigh.

At the desperation in Alex’s movement, Javier could only laugh, low and slow, into Alex’s ear. That bass voice did little to calm the seated man, and as soon as the laugh was complete, those lips returned to Alex’s neck. They kissed, nibbled, sucked, a tongue darted in and out of the mouth, dipping down under Alex’s T-shirt to his collarbone before coming back up. Every touch of those soft, hungry lips only made Alex thrust harder against the thigh of the same man, yet he wanted more. He wanted the pesky layers of fabric between him and Javier to be gone, preferably as quickly as possible, though that thought only made him harder, the thrusting more desperate.

Javier could only guess at how close Alex was, but if the frantic way with which he was moving his cock along Javier’s conveniently-placed thigh was any indication, the man was not far. Javier relished the fact that he might be able to make Alex cum with his lips against his neck and thigh against his dick, but he wanted to be nice to the man, he’d been so brave tonight, and that kind of bravery deserved a reward. A reward, with a little more teasing first.

Javier reached down, stilling the frantic movement of Alex’s hips for a single moment as he unbuttoned the seated man’s jeans and pulled down his boxer briefs.

"Yes, yes, yes," Alex groaned at the sweet release of his cock from its confines, "Please, more, more, more," He could only manage to whine over and over again, eyes shut and head slammed back against the headrest.

As soon as Javier’s hand was gone again, Alex resumed his motion against Javier’s thigh, even more delicious now that his clothing was gone. But he was only allowed this pleasure for a few, brief, ecstatic moments, before the thigh was gone, and Javier was standing, both feet on the ground, one leg on either side of the chair. Lips moved away from his neck at the same time, and the impact of the loss of pleasure was immediate.

Alex’s eyes flew open as soon as his stimulus was gone. Head rising from its position back against the headrest to come to look Javier, a plea in those blue irises, as they met the amused gaze of the barber.

"Wh-Why did you…" Alex whimpered.

"Why did I what, darling?" Javier murmured, a smug, self-satisfied grin painted across his frustratingly perfect features, "Did you want me to keep going?"

"Yes, p-please, yes," Alex begged.

"Really?" Javier replied, a sarcastic shock in his voice as his eyes narrowed appraisingly, "I don’t know if you’ve earned it. I’ve given you a lot of pleasure tonight, it feels a bit greedy for you to ask for more."

"I have, I have earned it, I swear I have!" Alex could only exclaim.

"Hmm," Javier replied, looking lost in thought for just a moment, "How about this? If you can look me in the eyes and tell me what you want, with no stuttering, no whispering, no umming and ahhing… You. Can. Have. It."

Alex could only turn bright red at that. What a ridiculous request. What an insane request. There was no way he could manage that, in his present state.

He needed it though. He needed pleasure. More of it.

Deep breath.

He met Javier’s dark eyes, filled with a devilish kind of amusement.

"I want y-you," He tried.

Alex knew it was pathetic. Little more than a light gust of wind against the all-encompassing aura of Javier. Javier knew it was pathetic, too. He raised his eyebrows, incredulous, before bursting into laughter, the same laughter that he’d breathed into Alex’s ear earlier. The low chuckles did nothing but signal Alex’s impending downfall.

"You want me?" Javier asked, "Well I’m honored, but I’m right here darling."

Alex growled in frustration, hard as ever under Javier’s dark, scolding gaze.

"Let’s try this again," Javier said, "Tell me what you want."

The command echoed through Alex’s limbs and heart, filling his body with warmth and clarity.

"I want you to make me cum."

Javier’s smirk became a grin.

"Now that, I can do."

Javier kept his hands on the armrests of the barber chair, lowering himself over Alex’s laid back form. Alex was confused at first. If he stayed like that, holding himself up with his arms, he wouldn’t be able to use his hands. How would Javier ever…

Warm lips answered that question. Warm lips on the tip of his cock.

Alex had to watch the sight as long as he could. That tan skin. The muscles of his neck moving underneath his collar as he swallowed Alex whole. His sinewy biceps straining against the sleeves of his shirt has he held himself up. Javier was on his way to devouring him, and Alex did not object.

His mouth was hot, lips slick with saliva, tongue slowly, patiently following each and every curve and detail of Alex, up and down, from tip to base to tip again. After so much denial, so much patience, Alex could barely handle the feeling of it all. His eyes closed involuntarily, head leaning back again to bump against the headrest, and as Javier took his time, traveling up and down his length slowly, Alex could only hear one word in his mind.

More.

He needed stability, despite being laid back in the chair. It did not feel like nearly enough. His left hand came to grasp Javier’s wrist, while his right moved down to Javier’s head, clipped sides and soft black curls running through his fingers. He grabbed and pushed. Deeper. Please. More.

Javier was entertained by his need. If he’d felt meaner he would’ve stopped Alex’s demanding hand, but he was just as desperate as the seated man and being pushed onto his dick was a gift he wasn’t going to refuse. The inside of his mouth suddenly tasted salty with precum and he wanted more. More of that taste. More of those delicious moans. He wanted to devour Alex until they were both too full of pleasure and each other to move.

Alex was sweating. Everything felt hot. His cock most of all. The only part of his body he seemed to control anymore was his right hand, his right hand that was buried deep in Javier’s hair. Pushing himself further down the man's throat. His head, knocked back against the headrest. His hips, bucking at every lick, every taste. His legs, practically shaking.

He felt pent up. He felt so pent up. He felt like he needed release. More than anything he needed release. Release.

"Ah, Oh my God!"

Alex did not recognize that the cry had come from his own throat. That anything, anywhere, at all was moving or happening outside of that f***ing mouth. Those lips and that mouth. He went rigid against it, every muscle tighter than it had ever been before. And then.

Release.

Javier could do nothing but swallow. And swallow. And swallow some more. Cum filled his mouth, dripped over his lip, but he could not stop licking away at Alex, wanting more and more. As the seated man came, every muscle in his body, which had been as tight as metal rods just a moment earlier, relaxed. The grip of Alex’s hands lessened before disappearing entirely. Shoulders slumped and head fell forward, neck no longer able to hold it up.

"O-okay…" Alex finally whispered in response to Javier’s still needy tongue, "I need a break."

Javier chuckled, having swallowed all of Alex’s cum at this point.

He rose from his position over Alex’s dick and placed a finger under Alex’s chin, tilting the man’s face until blue eyes met his brown.

"How was that?" Javier asked, smirking, sweat shining against his forehead.

Alex could only laugh weakly at the question at first.

"F*** you, you know very well how that was."

The full weight of Alex’s head rested in Javier’s hand. Javier got the sense that if he let go, the thing would roll forward again, not unlike a stone.

"I know I called you needy for wanting a kiss earlier," Javier murmured, "But now I kind of want one of my own."

"Well come here and take it then," Alex replied. He was tired, but there was a smile on his face he couldn’t wipe away.

Javier held his chin and leaned in, slowly pressing his lips against Alex’s, before kissing harder, going further, gently exploring Alex’s tongue with his own.

Javier still tasted a bit salty, Alex noticed, although he guessed it was really his cum that had made Javier taste that way. Alex was taken aback by the soft, gentle way Javier melted his mouth onto Alex’s own. Before, when Javier had practically devoured his neck, it had been this lustful thing, greedy, commanding, desperate, but this kiss was different. More…emotional. Filled with something Alex wanted to ignore, Alex did not want to name for fear of its reality.

Javier pulled away after his requested kiss, smiling.

"You still need to see what you look like," He said, reaching for the lever on the side of the barber chair.

Alex buttoned his pants, not needing to see his own dick in the mirror. But once that small task was done, he found his own reflection. His hair was so perfect it was as if Javier had read his mind. Not a millimeter too short or too long. Still long enough to hide in his bun for work, but nice enough, now, that he did not feel nearly as shy leaving it out around friends (or around Javier, himself).

He let his hands wander to explore his hair and his cleanly shaven face, flipping his fringe over to the left and right side, playing with it.

"I think you already know what I’m going to say," Alex started, "But it’s amazing, thank you for listening to me, Javier."

"Of course, cariño."

Javier lowered the barber chair, offered Alex a hand and helped him stand, a feat slightly more different after his climax.

Javier twirled the man around, turning him until they were chest-to-chest, eye-to-eye, and Javier’s hands wrapped around Alex’s waist. Alex reciprocated, wrapping his own arms around Javier’s neck. The barber was just slightly taller than him, and in instances such as this, he provided a column upon which Alex could lean for support.

The two men locked eyes, blue staring into dark brown. Alex knew what he saw in that gaze now, what he had felt in that kiss, and he knew that no matter what happened when he said it out loud, Javier would always be someone he could lean on, someone he could trust.

"Javier," Alex started, "I-I love you."

Javier looked affected, brows furrowing, but he smiled, too.

"Alex," Javier replied, "Yo también te amo, I love you too."

Alex allowed his head to fall onto Javier’s chest, in relief at the man’s response and Javier’s hands rose to comfort the man, one rubbing his back and one burying itself in his hair.

"Is everything okay, mi amor?" Javier asked into the top of Alex’s head.

Alex looked up, eyes filled with tears for the second time that night.

"Everything is perfect, my love."

---