The Commander’s Cut by Layton leib

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The bell above the barbershop door jingled as Jason, a lanky sixteen-year-old with shaggy, overgrown hair spilling over his collar, stepped inside. He paused, brushing his fringe out of his eyes, and looked around nervously.

From behind the counter, Maya, the shop’s only barber, smiled warmly. Mid-thirties, sharp-eyed but kind, she carried herself with a steady confidence that made people relax — or straighten up.

MAYA
Well hey there, soldier. You look like you’ve been carrying half the mop bucket on your head. Come on, grab a seat.

Jason chuckled awkwardly and slid into the chair. Maya swung the cape over him with a practiced flick, fastening it snugly at the neck.

MAYA
So — what’s the plan today?

Jason shifted, eyes flicking toward the mirror. His fingers fidgeted beneath the cape.

JASON
Uh… I’m not really sure. I just… I think it’s time for a change.

MAYA
Big change? Or just tidy-up change?

Jason hesitated. The hum of the shop seemed louder with his silence. Finally, he took a breath.

JASON
I… I was thinking… maybe a flattop. Sides as smooth as possible.

Maya raised her brows, then turned the chair so he faced her directly instead of the mirror. She locked eyes with him, her voice firmer.

MAYA
That’s a serious cut. You sure?

JASON
…Yeah. I want it.

MAYA
All right then. No turning back once I fire these up.

She selected her heavy-duty clippers, fitted the right guard, and thumbed the switch. The deep hum filled the room. She rested her hand lightly on Jason’s crown.

MAYA
Ready?

JASON
Yes.

The first pass buzzed straight up the back of his head. Jason flinched at the vibration, at the sudden lightness. Thick tufts slid down the cape. Maya worked methodically, sweeping up the back, then moving to the sides. Hair fell in sheets, pooling in his lap.

When the sides were stripped down to stubble, Maya set the clippers aside. She pulled out a brush, shaving cream, and a gleaming straight razor.

MAYA
Edgework, Jason. Clean and sharp.

She lathered his sides and nape, stropped the blade, and shaved them smooth, leaving nothing but gleaming skin. Jason’s skin prickled at the cold steel, at the stark contrast between bare sides and shaggy top.

Then came the comb — wide-toothed, stiff — and Maya’s powerful clippers. She lifted his top hair, leveled it, and began sculpting the flat square. Pass after pass, the tower took shape. Maya moved with care, checking the angles, stepping back, coming in again until the crown was precise and crisp.

Finally, she turned him toward the mirror.

Jason’s jaw dropped. The transformation was stark: sides shining smooth, the top standing high and flat, squared like stone. He reached up, rubbing the bare sides with wide eyes. Then he ran his hand across the bristled top, almost laughing in disbelief.

JASON
It’s… it’s amazing.

But even as he admired it, temptation crept in. His reflection looked sharper than he’d imagined — but he wondered, could it be even sharper?

Maya saw the flicker in his eyes. She leaned on the chair, smirking.

MAYA
Thinking about going shorter, aren’t you?

Jason blushed, caught.

MAYA
Don’t worry. Happens all the time. Other kids come in the same way. Just last week I had a messy-haired kid — mop down to his shoulders. Said, "Take it all." So I buzzed him no guard, right to the scalp. Then I broke out the cream and razor, and left him shining smooth. He walked out rubbing his head every step.

She kept her tone casual as she cleaned her tools, watching Jason squirm with interest.

MAYA
Another one, girl your age — came in with this long ponytail, begged me to buzz it off. I clipped it right down, left her grinning ear to ear. And then there was this slick-haired boy — hair greased back like a movie star. He said, "I want to feel the air." I buzzed him close, just shy of bald. He couldn’t stop staring at himself.

Jason swallowed.

JASON
And… what about me?

Maya smirked, picking up her comb again.

MAYA
For you, I’ve got four options. Think of it like ranks.
â€" Cadet: a few centimeters, still tall but easier to wear.
â€" Lieutenant: one inch — sharp, crisp, no nonsense.
â€" Captain: two inches, carries some authority but still soft.
â€" Commander: three full inches, squared to perfection. Bold. Uncompromising. Military all the way.

Jason’s eyes lingered on the last one. His chest tightened.

JASON
…Commander. I want the commander’s cut.

Maya’s smirk deepened. She snapped the chair away from the mirror. Her voice hardened, commanding.

MAYA
Back straight. Chin up. Eyes forward. You asked for command — you’ll sit like command.

Jason straightened, nerves sparking.

The comb lifted his crown high. The clippers growled to life again. With every pass, Maya carved the top down into perfect symmetry, the bristles squared sharp. She circled him like an officer on parade, checking angles, adjusting, leveling. Jason’s scalp tingled with each vibration, each tuft falling.

Then came the razor again — stropped and shining. She lathered the edges where scalp met square, shaving them smooth and precise. Jason held his breath at the scrape, the final refinement.

MAYA
Don’t flinch. A commander doesn’t flinch.

The cut grew sharper, more exact with each stroke. Maya was enjoying it — her eyes narrowed with focus, her lips curled faintly with satisfaction at each perfect edge. She squared the top again, balancing the lines, tightening the crown until it could have been measured with a ruler.

Finally, she stepped back.

MAYA
Inspection complete.

She spun him slowly back to the mirror.

Jason froze. The reflection staring back at him wasn’t the hesitant boy who’d walked in. The sides gleamed smooth, the crown rose tall and square, sharp as steel. His breath caught. He raised his hand, rubbed the bare skin at his temple, then stroked the rigid bristles on top. A shiver ran down his spine.

And then — he smiled. Broad, proud, almost disbelieving.

JASON
It’s… perfect.

Maya crossed her arms, satisfied, eyes gleaming with enjoyment.

MAYA
That’s command on your head, Jason. Wear it proud.

Jason couldn’t stop touching it — the smoothness, the stiff bristles, the new weight of authority he saw in the mirror. For the first time, he sat taller, chin lifted, shoulders squared.

And Maya? She just smirked, pleased. Another recruit transformed.

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