Cathairsis (Part 11) by Fantasy Weaver

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Continued from part ten.

Part eleven of "Cathairsis: A Photographic Anthology". Please read the previous parts for context.

-Fantasy Weaver.


Note

1: Foul language ahead

2: Adult content ahead


XXXXX

Cathairsis: A Photographic Anthology

xox

Picture 3 - Abandon to Discomfort, Pleasure in Discovery - Part 3

XXXXX


"Bend over the counter…and put your ass out."

Emiliano’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. His nervousness was as palpable as his arousal, and his dick stood proudly between his legs, despite every sign that indicated this was not going anywhere good for the poor guy. Still, he bent forward, placed his hands on the counter, sink between them, and lifted his backside for Rah.

The barber walked over to his toy cabinet. "Take a picture of Emil while he’s like that, would you?"

The urge to mutter "A ‘please’ would be nice" came strong and quick, and Aden nearly did say it - if not for his tightly clamped lips, his teeth biting down on his tongue. ‘Easy. Rah’s just in dom-mode. He probably doesn’t even realize it.’ The thought did little to soothe the irritability eating away at him, like an incessant itch he wasn’t allowed to scratch, left to prickle beneath his skin and chip away at his composure.

He resorted to just taking the damn picture. Emiliano turned his head towards the camera while Rah was busy with his toys, and the photographer wondered what he was doing…until Emiliano smiled wide, brown eyes staring straight at him through the lens.

Worse: he exaggerated his pose.

Clap! Emiliano’s mouth formed a startled, soundless "O" as Rah, with a cheeky grin, slapped his exposed ass with a well-wound swing. The young man moaned as his Master leaned his chest against his back, left hand squeezing the globe possessively. Chuckling, Rah rasped, "Such a good slut posing for the camera. Are you going to smile like that when I buzz your hair?"

Aden tuned out the response, too shaken by the accidental photo he had captured; right when Rah’s hand made contact, that loud clapping had made him jump so bad he’d pressed the trigger automatically. Great. One more picture to delete later.

His ears picked up on a most familiar sound: Rah, squeezing a glob of lube out of a clear bottle. Drip. Dripping, slowly, onto a…metal butt plug.

…A long wire dangled from it. Honey-colored eyes followed the wire.

It disappeared in Rah’s strangely - and worryingly - square back pocket.

"Take a deep breath for me."

The barber’s smooth voice washed over his senses, however, the command wasn’t his to follow.

He turned away, unable to force himself to take a picture of the insertion. Rah didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for a photograph of this moment, and for that, Aden was grateful. If he had, Christ, he didn’t know what he would have done with himself. Die, probably.

"Ah…oof, that’s big."

A low chuckle. "I’m sure it is. Turn around for me now."

Licking his lips, Aden put his eye back to the viewfinder, observed Rah produce a black rubber-like loop of some kind, the same wire hanging off of it into his pocket. He dabbled another type of lube on this ring, and, curiously, slid it around his boy’s eager dick. From Emiliano’s excited little grin, Aden concluded that whatever these things were, they would be used to bring him to climax. Or, perhaps, they would torture him even more. Discomfort and pain to bring pleasure, per Emiliano’s words.

"Alright," Rah reached into his pants, and finally, Aden saw the rectangular box those wires were connected to. "Sit down and watch out for the wires."

Doing as commanded, Emiliano put his feet on the footrests and sat, wires hanging out of the u-shaped opening in the seat. Rah took a few minutes to adjust them and bring them behind the big chair, where in a discreet mesh pocket on the backrest, he placed the box.

While Rah fidgeted with that box of his, Emiliano tilted his head, gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He brought a hand up to the patch of hair Rah had buzzed off. "Mierda, está cortísimo. What’s that, a number two?"

"A number three blade, actually." Rah stood from behind the chair and gently pushed his sub’s hand to the armrest. "Now stop playing with it; we’re not done yet, are we?"

Aden took a picture just as Rah swivelled his boy towards the camera. A whine rose up in Emiliano’s throat. "It feels nice though…"

"And you were complaining about getting a haircut," Rah remarked with a lighthearted simper.

"Ah ha…I’m still reallyf***ingnervousaboutthat."

Aden continued taking some pictures. Behind his Nikon, his eyes widened slightly, when, perhaps as an answer to that last comment, Rah bent down and tenderly kissed his boy’s parted lips.

His finger froze on the trigger. Eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from the scene. It’s stupid. He’d seen Rah kiss Lucas before, or, had he? Last time he’d turned away, but now, the action was happening so very close to the camera, to him.

Rah sucked Emiliano’s lips, tongue catching the light. His teeth gently bit down, nibbling ever-so-lovingly on the metal ring around his submissive’s thinner bottom lip. He could hear the uneven breaths leaving the smaller man, see the flushing of freckled cheeks.

Rah looks like…a really good kisser.

Releasing his sub’s mouth, Rah smirked, less menacing than amused. "You were nervous the first time I used E-stim on you too, and look at you now." Rah reached down, necklace dangling enticingly. He ran a finger over Emiliano’s glans, picked up a string of silky precum. "Already wet thinking about getting zapped. A haircut’s only going to add to the pleasure."

‘Did he just say zap?’

Before he could elaborate on that thought, Rah began to strap Emiliano into the chair. "Tell me if anything’s too tight."

As he had done with Lucas, the barber buckled each cuff around his partner’s limbs, checking them with his fingers, metal clinking quietly with every newly closed strap. Rah also parted the chair’s leg rests when he was done cuffing Emiliano, rotating and locking the crank into place when he was satisfied with the width. Emiliano let him, closed his eyes, and in his posture, his relaxed, limp limbs, Aden could see it: that surrender that consumed every one of Rah’s boys whenever they sat in that monstrosity of a barber chair.

"Bend your head," Rah said then, and when his sub did, deft digits un-buckled the spiky collar adorning his neck. "Let’s replace this with something a little more fitting."

A cape of course, but no ordinary cape, Aden soon realized. Rah took this one off a peg on the wall behind the photographer, and as soon as he’d returned into frame with it, Emiliano began to panic-laugh.

"We don’t- We don’t need to include that cape in the shoot, do we? Rah? Marico?"

"Master" Rah pointedly reminded him, clapping the cape in the air for dramatic effect. "And by the look on your face, my putita, I think we do."

With a flourish, the cape found its home around Emiliano’s neck, and Aden captured the flowing movement with a few choice action shots, marvelling at Rah’s choice of cover for this transformation (and making quick adjustments to his ISO because of said choice).

In line with the whole "alternative tastes" thing, the cape Rah had decided on for his boy consisted of a flowy, reflective material. ‘Latex’ the answer came to him. That high shine, the oily black that caught the light of the lamps and bulbs could be nothing else. What’s more, in place of the usual snaps or elastics, the cape sported a thick collar with buckles. Exactly like Emiliano’s collar.

Rah closed it into place, hands reverently stroking his boy’s covered shoulders beneath the slick material as he smoothed it into place. "There. So handsome."

More pictures, Rah’s hands in his boy’s thick hair, fingers playing with the buzzed patch by his right ear. Emiliano blushed madly, and yet, he grinned through it all. "You’re so proud of yourself, aren’t you, Master?"

Rah yanked his boy’s head back and glared down at him mirthfully. "You know damn well I am."

With a final tug for good measure, Rah pumped the foot pedal and brought his boy up to working height. He then reached into the leather gauntlet on his left forearm. From it, he took some hair clips and sectioned his boy’s thick hair without a word. Making a line starting an inch above the temple, he brought it all the way back to Emiliano’s nape. After doing the same thing on the other side, Aden could already see the new hairstyle taking form, even if Emiliano was oblivious to it for now.

Though he didn’t stay ignorant for long. "Hey uh, you wouldn’t be giving me a Mohawk by any chance, would you?"

An exasperated look crossed Rah’s dark eyes, and a sigh escaped his throat as he finished clipping his sub’s hair into place. Aden saw him reach under the cape at the back of the chair and-

"Oh? Oh! Jesucristo!"

Quick presses on his Nikon ensured he got Emiliano’s startled expressions. Vibrations? Surely, he would hear the hum if it was that, but the source of the young man’s discomfort got demystified when Rah, seemingly done with Emiliano’s banter, threatened:

"Every time you ask questions or make comments; I’m going to turn the amps up to your limit. Do you really want to get shocked that bad, or do you want a little buzz to feel nice? Your choice, slut."

Zapping. Amps. Shocked. Shocks. Rah was running electricity through Emiliano’s body?

After a few seconds, Rah must have turned the amps back down; Emiliano panted as his body relaxed back in his binds. "Understood…"

"Good boy. Either way, you know I’m going to enjoy it."

With that cocky comment, Rah retrieved the corded version of his clippers, snapping them on much to his boy’s chagrin. Aden couldn’t help but notice a difference in sound and pitch, a softer, yet no less scary hum and whirr that begged his attention. Rah’s sub squirmed in his seat as that thing got closer to his face, and his Master teased him by rubbing the casing along his jaw, giving him a feel for the machine that would ruin his hair.

Between his boy’s heavy pants, Rah brought his free hand around the chair, toying with his box, "One…"

Emiliano’s shoulders tightened beneath the cape.

A feral grin, and Rah took the clipper away, let it purr beside his boy’s ear. "Two…"

Clenched, grit teeth, a high-pitched whine that revealed more than just arousal.

"And three." Aden could see Emiliano shaking before his camera now. "Try not to move, no matter how good it feels. Alright?"

Emiliano didn’t even voice his answer; he nodded furiously while grunting with effort. Rah brought his left hand back around and used it to tilt his boy’s head. A brief glance at the photographer ensured he was ready.

That tan hand tightened on his sub’s crown. Slowly, Rah brought the clipper’s chattering teeth forward, and it made contact behind Emiliano’s ear. The pitch changed as he brought it around, where the blades met hair and buzzed it close to the scalp. The camera shutter closed multiple times, so quiet compared to the merciless buzzing that came from that damn tool.

Retreat. Coils of long, thick black hair fell to the shiny cape, collecting in a heap on Emiliano’s lap. They too, memorized with a snap.

Another pass, along the side of Emiliano’s head, up and up until Rah reached the sectioned hair. Aden noticed that he didn’t press the blades all the way down, allowing some variation in length the closer it got to the section. Nevertheless, Emiliano was going to leave the chair with a lot less hair, and thick shanks of it gathered on his shoulders as his Master pulled his tool away again.

After a few more passes from the clipper, and a lot more hair to add to the pile on and around Emiliano, Rah went over to his boy’s left side, curiously, leaving a long strand of hair on his sub’s sideburn. Though the young man was clearly far removed from anything other than that electric current in his privates, he was of sound enough mind to notice this little detail.

Ignoring Rah’s veiled warning against speaking, Emiliano promptly asked, squirming all the while, "Why’re- Why’re you leaving that there?"

Rah paused, closing his eyes patiently. "Because I wish it. Now stop moving so much."

"It’s not my fault if- Woohoo! Carajo-!"

Aden caught the devilish smirk Rah made as he turned the current up on his electrical box. "Careful, you wouldn’t want my hand to slip, now, would you?"

"Son of a- mh…" A well-timed pass of the clipper shut him up.

The jangle of metal accompanied the constant hum and crunch, with interruptions of pained or pleasured sounds from Emiliano himself. Rah stilled his boy’s head with a fist in his sectioned hair after a particularly guttural noise, and Aden wasn’t sure, but he thought he could hear a pleased growl coming from the man as he shaved another patch of hair. Refocus. Press the trigger- Wait. Aden’s eye lowered, past the barber’s navel.

‘Holy sh*t, oh my God, look away you idiot!’ But the damage was done. There, straining through those shiny leather pants, Aden could make out the hard bulge of Rah’s very erect dick.

‘Oh my God.’

‘Stop staring.’
‘It’s so…’

‘Look. Away.’

‘Want.’

‘No. You don’t. Stop staring. Stop, stop-’

‘Ever wonder what it would tas-’

"Agh-!" Emiliano’s prolonged groan snapped sense back into Aden. He quickly crossed one leg over another, hoped to every deity neither man had seen the apparent problem in his trousers.
"Master, verga, I’m going to cum. R-Rah, Rah por favor, no puedo-!"

Already? But Rah just showed that toothy smile of his and pulled his sub’s head up to the camera. "Don’t hold back. Let me see how much you enjoy this."

Before Emiliano could voice anything, Rah brought the clippers to his head, blades screaming as they ate through massive waves of black. Emiliano’s eyes rolled back. His entire body jerked in his binds, the chair creaked as he fought against them, and if Rah hadn’t been gripping his hair, Aden was sure he would have doubled over. He was only half aware of his fingers pressing his camera trigger, psyche distracted by the achingly hard strain of his cock in his pants, eyes slipping to Rah’s own arousal without conscious consent.

At last, when Emiliano slumped in the chair, neck straining against the cape’s collar, Rah turned his clippers off and put them on the counter. There’s hunger in those dark eyes, thirst in the moistening of full lips.

"R-Rah please, oh fu-! No puedo más, turn the e-stim down, por favor, ten pieda-!"

Rah flipped the latex cape hurriedly, sending hair flying and exposing his boy’s cum-coated cock. He got on his knees, he-

"Oh! F***!"

Swallows Emiliano’s dick in one swift move.

Aden’s eye twitched. He can’t see everything, Rah’s got his back to him. But he can hear it. No, not his sub’s groan and moans; the suction. The wet sucking. The satisfied, aroused, low growling in Rah’s throat as he took every inch of his boy’s dick and savored it like it’s a five-star meal.

That tongue piercing.

He took a breath. Rah hadn’t said he would do this in front of the camera.

With a lewd pop, the erotic display came to an end.

"Such a good slut."

The barber put the cape back down and turned, and just as he did, Aden spotted him licking his lips of cum. Rah noticed his staring, raised a questioning brow like what he had just done was nothing out of the ordinary.

More worryingly though, was the brief glance the man gave at Aden’s crossed legs.

Neither said anything. Emiliano was too out of it to give either of them any mind. Aden returned to his task, too ruffled to do anything else. Rah had left a similar long piece of hair on his boy’s other sideburn, but otherwise, the brunt of the hairstyle was complete now.

Taking his dark steel scissors and a comb from his gauntlet, Rah returned to his boy’s side. "Let’s cut the rest of this and do something fun with these after," he flicked the two odd locks playfully.

Rah turned the e-stim off at last, and his boy sighed as he relaxed under the cape. Emiliano grew quiet as his Master began to comb out sections of hair off the middle strip. He started at the very top of his sub’s head, combed a long strand straight up, held it between index and middle finger, and cut a little more than a third of the length off. Emiliano’s eyelids parted tiredly as he watched the severed strand fall to his lap. The photographer captured the worried expression that followed, but perhaps no longer willing to fight against it, Emiliano stayed silent at Rah’s actions.

Rah took up a second section with a guide from his first, brought it up again between his digits, and snipped another lock of dark hair. He did it again, but this time, he changed the angle, followed the curve of his sub’s head.

After another tress came loose, Emiliano tentatively began, "Do I still need to shut up or…?"

Aden heard Rah scoff. "What do you want to ask me now?"

"Just what hairstyle you’re giving me."

"Hm." Rah looked up to the camera briefly, "Promise to shut up if I tell you?"

"Absolutely not."

This time, the barber laughed loud enough to shake the walls of the den. He cut another strand, behind Emiliano’s head. "I don’t expect any less from you." Another snip. He leaned forward, free hand petting his boy’s shaved sides. "You were close. You’re getting a deathhawk."

Emiliano chuckled, "Oh, wow, you’re sick, ha ha ha!"

"You’re going to look sick, you’re right."

Aden thought that them, both smiling like this, made for a nice picture, despite everything. Before he could stop himself, he’d already clicked the trigger…this SD card was bound to look like a roller coaster of emotions.

His own feelings are a mess as it is.

The calm that settled in the den after was a peaceful one. Rah focused on the cut, Emiliano offering some witty remarks during the process, and Aden…his erection finally decided to subside. He put his right leg back down, surreptitiously checking to make sure it truly was gone.

A final snip of Emiliano’s bangs, and Rah cross-checked his work to ensure it was even. He switched his scissors for a feathering razor, and with a few quick flicks, reduced the long hair on his boy’s sideburns to shorter, four-to-five-inch strands. He went back over the rest of his submissive’s hair with the razor, carefully selecting strands to add texture too with the sharp tool.

Another tool switch; thinning shears. He used these all over, combing out fluffy strands of hair and reducing the unmanageable thickness somewhat. Pleased with the outcome, the barber placed his tools back on the station.

A familiar scene took place. Towel around Emiliano’s shoulders. Caddy with stained black towels, bowls, brushes, product, bleach.

"Let’s not go too crazy," Rah was saying. "Your hair’s dark and thick, so chose between yellow, orange, red or magenta."

Emiliano’s eyes went from Rah’s face to the four color swatches he held in front of him. "Oh, what- you’re going to dye my hair?"

"No, I’m going to make neon colored yogurt. Of course I’m dyeing your hair."

Aden tried to stop the amused snort before it burst from his mouth, but failed. Both men snapped their heads in his direction. Sh*t. He cleared his throat, sheepishly returning his eyes to his viewfinder.

A grin fleetingly pulled at the barber’s lips before he turned his attention back to his submissive. "Pick a color."

Emiliano bit his snakebites thoughtfully. "Red."

Nodding, Rah got to work. Fan, on, bleach, mixed, gloves, snapped onto inked wrists. Conscientiously, Rah opted to pull a barber’s tunic over his leather-bound chest, no doubt to protect the leather from getting stained. Without looking at Aden, he asked, "Think you can take some different angles while I dye Emil’s hair?"

Nervous, Aden quickly checked his pants; no pesky erection, still. Thank goodness. Removing his Nikon from his tripod, he nodded, "Yeah, no problem."

"Wonderful." A gloved finger applied petroleum jelly along Emiliano’s ears, around his sideburn.

Far different from Keiji’s bleaching process, Rah began by clipping all of Emiliano’s remaining hair forward, sectioned thin strips and applied the blue mix to the ends of the strands in a blending motion. Curiously, he used a paddle Aden had seen stylists in salons utilize to do this. Every section of hair then got folded into a strip of foil and left alone.

Aden circulated around the chair, well out of Rah’s way, overly aware of the barber’s irises following his every move. He rolled his shoulders, snapped some pictures, but f*** if his concentration was on anything but those deep brown eyes.

After a few minutes, Emiliano’s head was looking rather funny. Succeeding pieces of foil lined the center of his head, just leaving half of his untouched hair exposed.

"I look ridiculous, don’t I?" the young man asked as his Master rolled his tray around the chair, and Aden moved back to his tripod.

Rah grinned. "Wait, I’m not done."

Emiliano’s groan only delighted Rah. The sideburns he had left behind were next, given a similar treatment, but the locks here were bleached all the way to the scalp. The barber meticulously applied the whitening mix, making sure none got on his boy’s buzzed hair. Foils were folded over the two locks, and finally, Rah rinsed his equipment.

Emiliano twisted his head just enough to peer at his reflection in the mirror. "Ugh. This is humiliating."

Rah bent down in front of him. "Aw, what’s the matter?" He cooed, condescendingly grabbing his boy’s chin in his hand and squeezed his pouting mouth. "Not a fan of your new look?"

"Nah like dish," Emiliano tried to say, only succeeding in making his Master chuckle.

"Put up with it, I promise you’ll look good when we’re done."

Aden took a break while the two men shared a discussion. He drank from his water bottle, feeling oddly like a third wheel. Rah seemed to have a much more casual relationship with Emiliano, compared to Lucas and Keiji anyway. The easy banter, the gibes, the friendly mockery, it all gave that impression. He’d mused about it before, about how Rah acts with his subs outside of the den, if he does stuff with them other than BDSM. These two? Aden was prepared to bet money on them going on dates outside the den.

"You know Aden looks pretty bored with you ignoring him, Rah."

Honeyed eyes widened. Emiliano whispered the words, but in the quiet of the den, they were hard to miss. Clearly regretting having said anything, Emiliano bit his lip, but Rah looked as mortified as Aden felt.

"Boy, I told you to leave the photographer alone." Rah shook his head, giving Aden another of those apologetic stares. He reached into a drawer in his barbering station and pulled out a roll of…tape? He dangled the roll off his finger and pined his boy with an admonishing glare. "I said I would gag you. And worse. Are you ready to assume the consequences of your actions?"

"Mierda," Emiliano cursed, squirming in the chair, "I’m sorry Master, I didn’t…" He paused, and Aden’s thoughts spun. "I accept the consequences."

Something in Aden had him speaking before he could stop himself. "Rah, it’s fine, for real, I-"

"No," Rah cut off sharply, already ripping a piece of black tape, "Emil broke a boundary and disrespected both his Master and his guest. Right, boy?"

Rah’s sub nodded, unable to hold their gazes.

"Look at me," Rah commanded. When he did, he approached with the tape. "Keep your mouth closed. I’m not taking this off until I’m sure you’ve learned your lesson."

With that, Rah smoothed the tape over Emiliano’s lips, sealing his mouth shut. Aden didn’t know what to do. He felt partially responsible for the state the young man was in, but Rah seemed deadest on the rigid rules he had established with him.

"Mh!"

The photographer flicked his head up at the pained sound. The e-stim box. The wires were still attached to the various toys. Rah cranked the power up until Emiliano was bucking reflexively in the barber chair, struggling, making every one of the straps clink and jingle. His muffled groans and cries permeated the air.

Rah stepped aside, crossed his arms.

"Take a few pictures."

Aden blinked. "What?"

Rah wouldn’t look at him. "I’ll pay extra. I don’t mind. But I want a picture of Emil while he’s like this."

This is what they’d agreed to. Aden couldn’t whine about it or fight back. Especially not when Rah had taken his own request seriously enough to punish his boy. He didn’t want to be involved, as much as permitted. Rah was respecting that. So really, why was he hesitating?

Emiliano’s face showed it all; regret, submission, surrender, pain, frustration, fear, humiliation. Pink flushed his cheeks. Tears moistened his eyes. Here he is, in this degrading display, and Rah wants it to be immortalized.

He’s seen this before.

He hates this. But his Nikon is in his hands before he knows it.

XXXXX

"Okay, just need to style this and you’re done, slut."

The rest of the session after Emiliano’s mouth got taped shut went by faster than expected. Perhaps the lack of back and forth between the barber and his sub was to blame. After the bleach had finished developing, Rah had turned the e-stim down, asked Emil if he had learned his lesson (a resounding yes), and had left the tape there, for good measure. The ensuing rinse, red dye application and final shampoo had passed in silence only rhythmically broken by Aden’s camera.

Rah took his round brush and a hair dryer and got to work, drying the voluminous strip of black and red hair down the center of Emiliano’s head, air aimed up. He gave the long red sideburns a downwards pulse of the dryer too before putting his tools away. Aden observed him open a plastic jar and take some product with his fingers. This he rubbed in his palms and threaded his fingers into his boy’s deathhawk, spreading the product up along the length of his hair.

Careful fingers pinched and placed the strands, and with an approving hum, Rah tilted Emiliano’s head to the camera. "Yes. I think we’ve got the right look for you, boy."

Aden took some final shots, and, after what felt like hours, the session was over. Rah slowly pulled the tape off his submissive’s mouth, careful around his piercings. Emiliano stretched his mouth while his Master turned the chair to face the mirror, and any nervousness the young man had before about the cut, or any remaining embarrassment from his punishment dissipated almost immediately after seeing his reflection.

"Rah! Cristo," he laughed, turning his head every which way in the mirror. "You’re a wizard. No way this sh*t looks good on me. I must be dreaming."

Smiling widely, Rah toyed with some strands. "You should trust me more often."

"Ha, ha, like I don’t already."

Aden stretched his back. Spine cracking, he rejoiced that he would soon be in bed. How late was it anyway?

Honey-colored irises watched Rah lean forward, brushing his side-shave against Emiliano’s buzzed skull. With hooded eyes, he murmured in his sub’s pink-tipped ear, "What do we say?"

The young man licked his lips, sheepish grin splitting his face, but he didn’t look at Rah. "…T-thanks."

"Huh, what, I," Rah tilted his head mockingly, put his hand to his pierced ear, "I’m sorry. What was that? I don’t think I heard you."

"F*** off!"

‘Cute’. Aden suppressed his smirk.

Both barber and photographer went about their work; Aden stored his camera away, Rah got Emiliano out of the cape and cuffs. Black hair fluttered to the floor, gathering with the rest. He gave his boy a towel and helped wipe his neck, dry his sweaty body. This was the first time Aden was present for the aftermath of a session, and to say it was a total one-eighty wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Emiliano called Rah by his name without reproach and similarly, Rah no longer referred to the young man as "boy" or "slut".

"No pain anywhere?" Rah said as Aden turned away to give the man and his boy some privacy while the plug and wires were removed.

"Just a little sore in my ass and…my ankles?"

"Weird."

"I know right?"

Aden finished packing his equipment away and turned to wish Rah and his sub a goodnight, but Rah saw him and spoke before he could. "Hey, do you mind waiting until Emiliano’s gone? I need to discuss something with you."

An odd, panicky nervousness constricted Aden’s chest. What was this all of a sudden? Keeping his voice level and his face blank, he carefully voiced, "Alright…sure."

Nodding his thanks, Rah went back to caring for his sub. Aden sat back on his chair, fingers idly taping against his shriveled water bottle. Rah and his boy moved around the den, grabbing discarded clothing, toys, bottles, whatever they had used during the session. Toys were put on a towel on the coffee table, per Rah’s instruction. All the while, Emiliano kept touching and pawing at his new style, with some taunting remarks from his Master.

"Come here for me," Rah beckoned.

Emiliano stood with his hands behind his back in front of a sitting Rah, who reached onto the coffee table for something.

Aden observed with more interest than he would care to admit, as the barber placed a steel ring around his sub’s cock and balls. He fidgeted with the Prince Albert ring on his boy’s glans, and placed a metal contraption over the length of his dick. ‘What the hell is he doing?’ he wondered, eyes squinting from afar.

Rah reached for the key on his necklace.

Transfixed, Aden couldn’t tear his eyes away as Rah…locked his boy’s dick in a chastity cage.

"There we go," Rah tapped his subs plump balls with a sickeningly sweet smile, "all tucked away. Hm. You came fast this time."

Emiliano blushed around an indecisive grin. "I wonder whose fault that is."

"You love it, don’t pretend like you don’t."

A cage.

…It can’t be comfortable.

Aden shook his head.

It took a few minutes more, but at last, Emiliano was dressed in clothing reminiscent of Rah’s own style, but slightly rattier. Aden did like the red Converse though. Rah had them all move upstairs into the barbershop, and with one last make-out session Aden wished he didn’t have to be witness to, Emiliano was saying his goodbye.

"Verga, I almost forgot," the young man said as he fished into his wallet for a piece of paper. He held it out to Rah. "I didn’t forget your other birthday present, old man."

Birthday? Aden raised a brow at Rah, who was rolling his eyes at his sub’s lack of tact. "Thank you. I needed the reminder. Clearly." He snatched the paper from his boy’s hand.

"I mean, you know what they say. It’s always the memory that goes first." With a conspiratory look at Aden, he pointed at Rah and mouthed words that looked eerily like "He’s thirty!"

"Okay, that’s enough. Out, you punk," Rah slapped Emiliano’s ass towards the door.

"Love ya! Have a nice night Aden!"

When the door locked behind Emiliano’s retreating form, the tense silence from before returned. Aden was aware now more than ever about every action he had done and every decision he had made tonight. Rah looked at him evenly, betraying nothing in his face. What did he want? F***. Did Rah notice his erection? Is that what he wants to "discuss"? What if it’s about his name? The punishment Emiliano endured because of him? There were so many things that happened during the session that could result in this. But which is it?

A second passed. "You look scared."

Aden refused to acknowledge that. "What did you want to talk about?"

If Rah was bothered by the deflection of his statement-slash-question, he didn’t show it. "A few things, actually. It’s nothing major, just some thoughts I wanted your opinion on."

"Oh." He didn’t hide the puzzled expression that crossed his face. "That’s all?"

Rah smiled. "Were you afraid I was going to be mad about something?"

Blood rushed to his neck. He rubbed at it, fingers twisting in his chocolate waves. "No," he lied. "Just seemed important."

Rah observed the nervous mannerism closely. Too much to Aden’s liking. Those damn eyes. Intelligent. Emotional. They drag across his body like Rah’s own fingers are touching him.

Rah leaned against his barber chair, considered his words. The key sat just under his barber’s tunic. Aden’s eyes focused on it, on Rah’s face, on the leather harness barely visible beneath cotton. "Actually…how was the new chair?"

"Chair?" Aden blinked. The rolling seat in the den. "It was…it was fine. Why?"

Rah’s expression dropped, just barely. "Just fine?"

"I’m not sure what you want me to say about it."

A half-smile pulled at his mouth. "I thought it might make the photography session easier on your back and shoulders. Did it?"

It… Well now that Aden thought about it, he hadn’t stretched or popped his shoulders or neck as much as usual today. But then, the thought from earlier came back to him; the way Rah spoke, it felt like he had put the chair there for him. That realization should not have made his body temperature spike like it did, but there was no mistaking the heat pooling at the tip of his ears.

His mouth is too dry. "Yeah. Yeah, it helped a bit, but," he shifted on his feet, hand clenching the strap on his bag agitatedly, "You didn’t have to go out of your way to get a new chair for this. I can work fine without it."

"Aden."

He paused. "What?"

Rah was smiling at him in a way that did nothing to help his rising body heat. "You put up with enough in my den as it is. There’s no need for you to hurt yourself doing that. So, consider this me taking care of my photographer so he can continue his good work."

My photographer. My. His. The words were innocent enough, but the phrasing was oddly possessive. Aden wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He tried to brush off Rah’s explanation, "I’m used to it."

"Maybe," Rah conceded, "But that’s no reason it should become habit. And while we’re talking about it…" Here, he pushed himself away from the barber chair, and Aden’s brow furrowed as he observed the man unlock and spin the seat towards him.

He swallowed hard. Guarded honeyed eyes flicked suspiciously between the seat and Rah’s tall form.

The barber motioned to the seat, an inquisitive tilt of his head making his long dark braid flow over his left shoulder. "I know it’s late, but I can give your neck and shoulders a quick massage if you want."

Aden blinked. "I…excuse me?"

"A massage," Rah repeated, a friendly smile pulling at his lips. "I noticed you rubbing your neck and stretching a lot during the shoots, so I thought you might like one. And you look tired." Aden opened his mouth to deny it, again, but Rah continued quickly with an appeasing motion of his hand, "I’m just offering."

He tried searching for what he could say, but Aden found he could hardly think straight. It’s all these damn hormones that are to blame for the way his tongue twisted itself into knots. "Keep feelings out if it" he told himself, "Just do your damn job" he kept repeating, but why is it so hard to follow his own advice whenever Rah is in the picture? Because right now, his f***ing feelings were telling him to do it, to let the man put his hands on him and-

‘Tomorrow. You’re finding a guy to f*** tomorrow.’ That’s great, that’s wonderful and all that, but the affirmation wasn’t helping him in this moment.

Rah moved, went towards the door to the den. He sent Aden a look over his shoulder. "I’m going to clean the den a bit, but I’ll be back up in a few minutes. If you want to go home, I understand. Otherwise, you can wait for me here."

Aden didn’t even have time to respond before Rah disappeared beyond the threshold.

That was it. Rah is giving him an out.

He started towards the door, relief flooding every one of his limbs-

His hand hovered over the door handle.

…What would that say about him? No goodbye, no thanks, no polite refusal, just him, running away and leaving an empty shop for Rah to come back up to? The barber wouldn’t have left downstairs if he knew that’s what might happen, but still, it felt wrong to just depart like that.

Alarmingly, the more he thought about it, the more tempting the prospect of a massage seemed. It’s…it’s not like anything odd would happen. Rah wouldn’t propose it if he had ulterior motives in mind. Right?

He thought about the "Special Services" section on Cathairsis’ website. Recalled that costumer masturbating in the very chair Rah wanted him to sit in for the massage. He was linking the two concepts together before he could stop himself, mind spinning rapidly in an attempt to find some taboo similarity. Part of him says Rah wouldn’t do anything funny. Another argued that he’s witnessed the man’s deviant nature first hand on more than one occasion.

Both bickering inner voices mere whispers drowning under the deafening rush of blood in his ears.

His hand lowered. He backed away from the door.

Heavy footsteps announced Rah’s arrival long before he appeared in the shop. He stopped momentarily, blinking in surprise. "You’re still here."

‘I’m as shocked as you are,’ Aden thought. He shrugged his bags off his shoulders, setting them down by the couch. Rah was carrying a plastic bin with the tools he’d used during the shoot. "Yeah. I am."

Amusement danced in those brown irises. The man placed his bin on the barbering station by the sink. He jerked his head towards the chair as he removed some stuff from the box. "Have a seat then, I just need to sterilize my equipment."

Aden’s legs were carrying him over to the chair, and before he could think twice about it, he sent the barber a warning glare. "Just a massage."

Rah paused, one brow lifting curiously. "Yes. Just a massage." Taking half of his tools, Rah made his way over to a shelf with a small sterilizing box. With his back to him, it was hard to see his expression when he continued with "Do you need me to remind you whose collar you’re not wearing?"

His stomach twisted wildly at that nonchalant delivery. He licked his lips, hands digging into his pockets as he stood in front of the chair. "That client didn’t look like one of your partners either."

"Ah, there it is," Rah intoned cooly as he turned back around, a knowing glint in his dark eyes. The smile that pulled his lips wasn’t so friendly now. "I was wondering when you would talk about that."

"Can you really blame me for being curious?" Aden challenged.

"No, you’ve already shown that you’re curious," Rah emphasized deliberately, "but I won’t have you judging my clients or making assumptions about me. I said I would offer a massage and that’s all I intend to do. And besides, you wouldn’t still be here if you thought I was going to do something inappropriate."

He hated how right Rah was.

Aden stared at the black seat, eyes boring through the material. "Is it…"

Rah crossed his arms, sighing hard. "Clean?"

"Look I’m not-"

"I clean, disinfect and sterilize everything I use on my clients between each service. That includes the chair. I know what my services are like, and I don’t take any chances. Even if I’m just doing haircuts, I still apply the same amount of care into cleaning my sh*t. If it makes you more comfortable-" Aden watched the man pull something out of a drawer, a pale blue, crinkled sheet of some kind, "I can put one of these down for you."

"What is that?"

"A medical sheet."

Seconds ticked by, then it clicked. "Do you use those for…" He stopped, stared at Rah’s quizzical expression. "No, it’s fine. You can put it away."

He did, but not without giving a quiet laugh. "Your willingness to go along with my requests and offers never fails to impress me, Aden."

Aden braced his hands on the cushioned armrests, sitting himself rigidly in the barber chair. It was quite comfy. "Why do you say that?"

He jumped, stomach tightening when Rah turned the chair towards the mirror without warning. In the glass, he spied the entertained simper the man sent him. "Maybe because a lot of people would have already called me vile or perverted. Or worse."

Aden didn’t say anything right away. Rah was certainly not vanilla by any means, obscene, yes, but whatever he wanted to do with his clients was his business. Besides, calling Rah vile or perverted was a terrible over-simplification of things. Having seen Rah in both a professional and a private light, it was hard to attach those terms to him. Sure, he’d been blunt and outright with what his project idea entailed, but why would he beat around the bush? It’s a thousand times better that he had been outright with his desires from the start; less room for misinterpretation down the line. A perverted Rah might have touched him without consent, maybe he would have tried to coax him into undressing or engaging in sexual acts.

He hadn’t though. He’d explained what it is he does, what to expect, and that’s all. He’d been questioned about his own interest for the project, sure, but nothing odd came out of it. Rah expressing his concerns for Aden’s perception of him came as a bit of a surprise…but not an entirely unfounded one.

Had other people insulted him in the past?

"I don’t think you’re any of those things," he replied honestly.

A flash of teeth. "Thank you." Rah reached onto a shelf and came back with a dark grey towel he began to unfold. Mirth flashed across his face. "But I personally think I am a little perverted, if we’re being honest here," he laughed.

Aden found it in himself to chuckle once at the admission. "Who isn’t?"

Rah’s smile widened fractionally, eyes narrowing just a tad. "Right…we all have our heads in the gutter. A bit."

Aden cursed his quick tongue, but it’s too late to take the words back now. He’d kept his own lewd thoughts hidden from Rah this session, and this was treading dangerously close to outing himself. He cleared his throat, plastering a polite expression on his face. Change the subject. Quick. "So…thirty years old?"

Rah leaned his hip against the counter, shaking his head on an entertained sigh, "Yeah, twentieth of June. Emil thinks it’s hilarious to remind me of it every time he can. I guess it’s nice to have a friend who remembers though."

Aden couldn’t say he shared the same sentiment about his own birthday, which was coming up sooner than he would like it to. Disliking his sub-optimal choice of discussion, he decided to focus back on Rah. "Nice… Didn’t you uh, have something to tell me?"

"Hm? Oh, yes," Rah placed himself behind the chair again, and Aden tried not to notice how much taller the man was while sitting down like this. "It’s about the portraits- Can you put your hair up for me please?"

Aden’s heart jumped in his throat. He didn’t know which to be more shocked by: Rah actually saying "please", or the request about his hair. Hesitantly, he reached behind his head for the elastic holding half his waves in their usual bun.

"Ah, you’re…" the question remained unsaid, but Aden couldn’t let go of it in his mind. Rah refused to touched his hair?

The barber gestured with one of his hands, "If you could put it in a bun, it’ll make it easier for me to massage your neck."

Right, of course. Why else? Why did he think Rah would pull his hair up after the conversation they’d just had about his clients? Besides, Aden didn’t really want to find out how little Rah needs to interact with the object of his fetish for him to-

He quickly pulled his elastic out of his hair, letting the loose waves spill over his shoulder. It’s definitely getting long. He usually keeps it at a manageable length, just under his collar bones, but it sat half-way down his breast now. Forgetting it, he pulled his hair back and up, twisting the chocolate locks and securing them snuggly in his band.

Glancing up, he noticed Rah pointedly looking away while he did this.

That’s…odd.

Rah’s reflection returned to him as he noticed this, face carefully blank. "Good?"

‘Best ignore that,’ Aden thought. "Yeah, it’s okay."

With an approving hum, Rah draped the towel over Aden’s shoulders. Was it really necessary for a massage? Rah seemed to think so or he wouldn’t have placed it there. "Tell me if anything hurts, and if you want me to change the pressure, just say so."

That was the only warning Aden got before those tan hands settled heavily on his shoulders. Tattooed arms flexed under the steady strain, and almost instantly, fingers began to pull at his sore muscles. A groan built in his throat, quiet and pained behind closed lips, but he didn’t stop it. "Oh, wow," he ground out, a short laugh escaping his parted lips, "That’s a firm grip you’ve got there."

Rah seemed amused by his words. "Gentler?"

"Could you?"

"Of course." He loosened his grip slightly, making an experimental rub along his trapezius. "Better?"

He sighed contently, dismissing the pleasant warmth pooling in his stomach. "Much. Thanks."

"Hm. It’s no problem." Rah applied himself to the massage, hands finding sore muscle and knotted tissue expertly, the towel providing a sliding surface that abraded Aden’s skin lightly through his shirt. He settled back against the chair, eyes fighting to stay open. "So, about the project."

A backwards press against his shoulders had his spine popping delectably. "God- Yeah? I’m listening. Jesus Christ-" Damn, was he good at this.

The barber tried to push his smirk down at Aden’s lively expressiveness. "I know you’re taking a lot of pictures that are just going to sit unused when this is done, so I was thinking," thumbs slid along the photographer’s spine, up and down, "Is it possible to chose a few others I could keep in an album?"

Aden groaned, head drooping as Rah dug his thumbs into a sensitive knot. "To be fair, I like having a lot of options to choose from for portraits, but if you want- oh, right there, ah… If you want a selection of pictures, I have no problem looking through them with you so you can decide which ones you want to keep."

"I assume that might change our final price?" Using his knuckles, he dragged them along Aden’s upper back.

Prices were the furthest thing from his mind right now. "Agh, we can discuss pricing when I’ve got more than half a brain cell left to do math."

The barber laughed lightly, "Yeah, not smart of me to ask about that while I’m massaging you. Or maybe I should. How’re we feeling about discounts?"

Aden snorted, "Don’t even think about it."

"Worth a shot. You know, I think I like relaxed Aden a lot better than tense Aden." As if on cue, Aden’s shoulder bunched up under Rah’s hands. Honeyed eyes focused on his lap. "Wow, that bad?" Rah pondered.

He bit the inside of his cheek. "I’m not tense."

"Tell that to your muscles, it’s like a rock back here. And maybe I should’ve used the word uptight."

He felt his neck flush, and begged to any god that the towel would not slip off now. "I’m not used to…this," He gestured towards the den, in hopes that Rah would understand the unsaid words.

"And we’re both conscious of that, Aden," Rah reassured with a sigh, fingers stilling on his shoulders. "We’re both making adjustments to how we do things for the sake of this project, and I appreciate that, and I know this is just another job for you." Aden scowled every so slightly at that. "But…I don’t know. Just now, you were so honest, it was nice to see you in a brighter mood."

Adjustments huh?

Rah resumed the massage, but Aden let his mind wander. He thought about every time either Rah or his partners tried to get him involved in the scene. Tonight, especially, had made him briefly reconsider how his actions and demands impact the scene.

He’d felt bad for Emiliano, mostly because…despite asking to be left out of any action or conversation between Master and submissive, Aden is finding it to be more mentally straining than anything else. And if that’s how it felt to him, then what must Rah be feeling?

"Hey, Rah?"

"Hm?"

He observed him pressing along his back in the mirror, breath coming out quietly as he willed himself to relax. "I know I asked to not get called on during your scenes but," at this, Rah gave him a measured glance, "I don’t think it was ever going to work."

He could practically see the grin Rah was suppressing. "What’s making you say that?"

"I guess I underestimated what kind of stuff people do and say during…"

"…Sexual activities?"

"Yes." Air hissed out of his nose. "And…I don’t want you, uh, disciplining your partners for my sake."

Those brown eyes peered deeply into his, studying him. The disconcerting action clashed with the mellow, slow strokes along his back. "…Why not?"

The question probed too deeply to Aden’s liking. "It breaks the flow of the scene."

A moment passed. Heat permeated through the fabric of his shirt, the cotton of the towel. Fingers squeezed along his neck, up, close, and yet…

Not close enough.

"I’m glad you’ve told me this," Rah said, voice soft, barely above a murmur. "If it’s any consolation, I’ll still make sure my boys don’t bother you, but with your permission, I won’t be so strict about it."

He gave a terse nod.

Rah paused in the massage again. "And…I won’t be so demanding about the pictures you take."

The photographer straightened. "Huh? Why?"

"Breaks the flow of your work."

The sly smile that met Aden’s bewildered eyes made that tightening sensation in his stomach come back tenfold. But instead of lashing out or ignoring the cunning reply, he…chuckled. "Ha, smooth answer. Are you always this cheeky?"

Rah shrugged a shoulder, smiling wider, "Only with those I like."

Yes. Like with his boys. It was odd to be lumped in with them in that way. A smile pulled at a corner of his lips anyways.

Rah continued to massage him for a minute more, his last words hanging over them, but not in the oppressive way many of their other conversations had. After a while, he shifted over to one side of the chair. "Can you bend forward for me, please? With your arms on the counter, like this-" He crossed his arms under his head to show Aden.

He did, momentary confusion marking his face as he wondered why this position in particular - that is, until Rah pulled the towel over his back and began massaging further down it’s length. Another appreciative groan slipped past his lips, but he was in no mood to stop it. He’s man enough to admit he’d made the right decision letting Rah massage him. Doing this himself, at home, alone? Not nearly as nice as this.

He propped his chin on his crossed arms, tired eyes splitting open to gaze at the barber while he worked. The silver glint of his hidden harness caught his eye, as did the dangling key still present around Rah’s neck.

"Pressure still good?" Rah asked suddenly.

"Hm? Yeah, yeah, it’s good…" He stared at it, mind wandering back to all the stuff he’d seen Rah do. Using toys to pleasure his subs, tying them in cuffs, ropes, torturing them with intense sensation, collars to mark them as his. But that cage. That was intriguing in a different way. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, shoot."

"You, oh…" Rah used the sides of his hands to tap along his back and neck repeatedly in a movement strangely reminiscent of chopping. "Wow, okay, that feels great."

The unfiltered thoughts drew a snigger from his companion. "Good to know." He stopped to rub his hands slowly down the sides of his spine. "What was your question?"

"Well, it’s…you don’t need to answer but I was interested to know-" he stopped. Should he think this more thoroughly before asking? He didn’t want this to bother Rah, but the man seems too laissez-faire about his tastes to shut him down. "What do you like about BDSM?"

Rah raised a curious brow at him. "What prompted you to ask that?"

The key caught his eye again. "That," he pointed to it, just as Rah stopped to stare down at it.

"The key for my boy’s cage?" Rah smirked. "What about it?"

"Well, I get that BDSM encompasses a lot of stuff," Aden started, trying to ignore the persistent heat prickling his neck, "and with BDSM focusing a lot on sexual stuff, isn’t it counter-productive to put a…cage…on it?"

"If by ‘it’ you mean Emil’s dick," the man started amusedly, "You need to understand the psychology behind wearing a cock cage. Sit back up for me, please."

He sat back in the barber chair, jumping slightly when Rah moved the towel over to his left arm and began massaging along the length of it. "Then tell me?"

Rah tilted his head at him. He could see the gears turning behind his narrowed eyes, but instead of replying with another question or half-answer, he actually elaborated, "I don’t know how much you were paying attention during the scene, but Emiliano didn’t exactly last long once he was in the chair." Aden nodded, recalling the moment all too clearly. "That’s a result of wearing the cage. Before, Emil could barely cum, even after hours of edging or stimulation. So, we agreed on having him wear the cage, for a few reasons: while he wears it, he can’t touch himself. Outside my den, he has a spare key he’s only allowed to use for things like showering or going to the bathroom. But nothing else. Besides, the cage on its own is a bit of a deterrent."

A deterrent.

The barber continued, "When he’s with me? Emil likes no longer being in control of his dick. Anytime he wants to do so much as poke himself he needs to ask permission, and just that is enough to make the thought more exciting. All of that combined makes him pent up enough that, when we do have sessions together, he’s able to achieve orgasm more consistently."

Rah came around to his right and massaged Aden’s other arm, all while he listened intently.

"And," Rah mused with roll of his eyes, "this is information Emil would have imparted to you willingly if you had asked him. He loves talking about this stuff. And as for your original question, what I like about BDSM…it’s hard to say. I could be here for hours talking about all the ways in which I enjoy different parts of it, but I’d probably start boring you with the details."

Aden was quite certain he wouldn’t, and that’s the scary part. "In a few words?" He prompted, intrigued despite the previous sentiment.

Rah removed the towel and let Aden take his arm back. Leaning against the counter, the man pulled his lips to the side as he pondered the question.

He tapped his fingers on the light wood. "I…enjoy how people can be vulnerable with each other, in a safe way, that allows for both healing and pleasure through surrender to a power dynamic."

Honeyed irises found pensive brown. No response came to him for that. He’d expected a sassy response with something about cocks and ass, not…this eloquent snippet into Rah’s psyche. But with his reply, Aden could better piece together why the theme of these portraits was what it was. Rah’s the definition of his polar opposite when it comes to emotion.

And yet, the man still chose him to photograph his partners.

After a moment, all he could find to say was "That’s…nice."

Rah held his gaze. He smiled, sniffing. "Better than saying I like shaving heads for fun."

Aden thought both statements weren’t inaccurate, but he kept that thought to himself. Rah unlocked the chair and spun him around. Stretching his back, Aden got to his feet, noting the light tingling feeling in his muscles, and the sparks along his arms where Rah had touched him through the towel. "Thanks for the massage. Really."

"It’s a pleasure," Rah simpered.

Grabbing his various cases, Aden turned away from the sight, flustered to find butterflies invading his belly. "I’ll keep you updated on my availabilities, but I don’t think I have any space in my schedule until July."

Rah gave an understanding nod. "I’ll try to book my other boys in advance this time. Make this easier for both of us."

"Sounds good. Oh, and I’ll come back to you on the price change and a potential album selection when I have the time." Checking his phone quickly, he nearly blanched when he saw the time. Almost three in the morning. "Holy s**t."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Rah apologized with a sheepish grin. "I’ll try to get more sensible hours next time."

"No, it’s alright, I just didn’t see the time pass. You must be tired too."

The man shrugged. "This is my usual schedule. I’m more worried about you."

God, he needed to stop saying those kinds of things. "It’s okay, I start later tomorrow."

"If you say so…Well, I shouldn’t keep you. I’ve got more cleaning to do anyways."

Rah followed him to the door, standing inside as Aden unlocked it and pulled it open, the cool air hitting his face and stirring the few loose locks of his bun. He turned to Rah. "Thanks. Again. Have a good night."

The boyish grin was there, better than any goodbye Rah could ever say. "Get some rest, Aden."

His body, as if already surrendering to the unseen force Aden didn’t want to acknowledge, barely put up any resistance when he got home.

XXXXX

The screen flashed brightly in the dim morning light of his room. Radiant blue-white, grey and green. Too bright.

Aden stared down at his vibrating phone, already dreading the discussion the was about to have.

Across the glass, his reflection stared back at him over the contact’s name:

"MOTHER."

XXXXX

Constructive criticism is appreciated. I did my damn best when it came to Spanish and Kanienʼkéha, as little as there was for the latter. Next chapter will be slightly different to the "Picture Chapters" we've been having lately. It will allow the story to grow and breathe, and will no doubt be a little shorter, but I say that after every chapter I write so...no promises. Any ideas who the next boy will be sitting in the devil's barber chair? Let me know!

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