My friends moustache by Vijay

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“Come on, man. You’ve been talking about getting rid of it for weeks," Jake said, leaning casually against the bathroom doorframe, arms crossed with a teasing grin.

“I know, I know," Aaron replied, pacing the tiny bathroom of their shared apartment. His fingers brushed over his mustache, the thick, dark line that had been his signature look since college. “It’s just… weird, you know? I’ve had it for so long."

Jake rolled his eyes and grabbed a towel from the counter. “Weird? Dude, it’s not a breakup—it’s hair. You’ll grow it back if you hate it. Now sit down and let me help you."

Aaron blinked at him, unsure if Jake was joking. “Help me? What, like you’re some expert barber now?"

Jake laughed, pulling out a stool and setting it in front of the mirror. “Let’s just say I’ve got steady hands. Trust me, you’ll thank me later."

Aaron hesitated, then sighed and sat down. “Fine. But if you mess this up, you’re buying me dinner for a week."

Jake chuckled and grabbed the shaving cream and razor. “Deal. Now sit still and try not to flinch."

The air between them lightened as Jake warmed a towel under the tap, wringing it out before gently pressing it against Aaron’s face. The heat spread over Aaron’s skin, softening the hair and melting away some of his nerves.

“You know," Jake said, his voice unusually soft, “I think you’ll look good without it. More… approachable."

Aaron snorted, but his cheeks flushed slightly. “Approachable, huh? What’s that supposed to mean?"

Jake just smirked. “You’ll see."

The towel was replaced by the cool touch of shaving cream. Jake worked methodically, his fingers steady as he spread the foam across Aaron’s upper lip. Aaron couldn’t help but feel a strange intimacy in the gesture. Jake had always been his go-to guy for support—breakups, bad days, career advice—but this felt different. Personal.

“Okay," Jake said, his tone turning mock-serious. “Time to say goodbye to the ’stache."

The first stroke of the razor was slow, precise. Jake’s hand guided Aaron’s chin gently, tilting his head to the right angle. With each pass, the mustache disappeared bit by bit, leaving smooth skin in its place.

Aaron closed his eyes, half from nerves and half from the strange sense of comfort Jake’s presence brought. “How’s it looking?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

Jake paused for a moment, studying Aaron’s face. “Honestly?" he said, brushing away the last bit of foam. “You look… really good."

Aaron opened his eyes and glanced in the mirror. The change was startling. Without the mustache, his face looked sharper, younger. He reached up, running a hand over his bare upper lip. “Huh," he murmured. “I don’t hate it."

Jake grinned, tossing the towel onto the counter. “Told you. Now, what’s for dinner? I worked hard tonight."

Aaron laughed, standing up and punching Jake lightly on the shoulder. “You did alright. Thanks, man."

As they left the bathroom, Aaron couldn’t help but glance at Jake out of the corner of his eye. There was something in the way Jake had looked at him—something he couldn’t quite put into words. Maybe the mustache wasn’t the only thing he needed to reconsider tonight.

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