An end to the control by Maxbuzz

---

"No, you can’t cut your hair Jared, it looks good that way and you’ll look stupid with a buzzcut!" She screamed at her husband.

"It’s just hair for gods sake!" He shouted back at her, running his fingers through his thick brown locks that cascaded down towards his collar.

"Oh sure, you wanna look like a freeking convict then?" She jibed as he sighed and bowed his head, his hair falling forward over his face.

"No, I just want to not be so hot all the time when I’m working outside" he said looking up at her, standing his ground. "You’re not in control of everything you know, you might think you are but we have a say around here too!" He added.

"Oh now you’re bringing the boys into it too?" She spat her hands planted solidly on the kitchen counter.

"I never said that but you’re not letting us breathe, everything is about your YouTube channel and projecting this perfect life. You’re so worried about losing control that you’re not letting us live. It’s not normal telling your 40 year old husband what he can wear and how he has to style himself!" He said calmly, leaning against the counter opposite her.

"Is that what you think I do?" She replied, spitting venom at him. "Yes, I tell you guys what you need to do but it works with the viewers, it’s working for the channel!" She added with an air of finality.

"It might work for them, but it doesn’t work for us" he replied calmly, "those boys are 20 and 22, they should be able to have more of a say about their own lives too! Let alone me as a fully grown adult!" He stated, taking a deep breath.

"Do what you want, I can see you’re not committed to this!" She huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"To what?" He replied, perplexed.

"To our relationship, our goals!" She said, bringing out the manipulation they were all so used to.

"Excuse me? I am committed to our relationship, but this is your goal not mine and I’m fairly sure it’s neither of the boys goals either. You can’t throw around statements like that as though they mean nothing, you’ve done it a lot recently and to be honest. It’s hurtful!" He replied, his voice cracking.

"Don’t be such a pussy!" She replied cruelly.

"Really?" He said, shocked, his hands up signalling surrender. "That’s fine, but I need to take some time to reflect and make sure I’m getting what I need, I can’t keep putting you fist when this is what I get back" he added in a measured tone, tears forming in his eyes.

How could she be like this? He thought as he walked out of the room trying to contain his emotions. He grabbed his keys from the side table in the hall and walked calmly out of the front door.

"Walk away when it gets hard, that’s what I thought!" She threw after him as the door shut.

Meanwhile, upstairs the boys had heard everything. Jack the older of the two looked over to his brother whose brow was furrowed in concern, his thick black hair was slightly darker than their dads but they all shared the same style. Long, down to their collars in the back, lapping liberally over their ears obscuring them from view and parted in the middle, bangs just past their eyes. "You ok buddy?" He asked running his fingers through his hair as they all did habitually.

"I’m just so sick of her treating him like s**t!" Leo the younger replied. "She’s so obsessed with views it seems like she doesn’t even care about our feelings, especially poor dad!"

"I know" Jake replied, "it’s kinda wearing thin isn’t it!" He added.

"Do you think dad would really buzz his hair though?" Leo asked raising an eyebrow. His father had always had long hair since they were born, it seemed like it was his choice but maybe this wasn’t the first time they’d had the argument.

"I mean, he won’t because it’ll upset mum I guess"

"We should all do it and really piss her off!" Leo said.

"Would you?" Jake asked as he ran his fingers through his hair again.

"F*** yeah!" Leo replied, running his hands through his hair too. "Just to see the look on her face when we all had matching buzzes!"

"She would be livid!" Jake laughed, "maybe we should do it!"

"Bet" Leo said as he chuckled. "She’s got aunt Sarah’s party on Friday night!" He added grinning at his older brother. "Let’s do it then!"

"Really?" Jake said, starting to get cold feet at the idea of his thick locks being buzzed down short. He didn’t like how his mum always came to the hairdressers with them and gave the instructions for what cut they got but he also knew he had great hair and the girls loved it.

"It’s only hair Jake" Leo said as he stood up and walked over to his brother, ruffling his hair. "It’ll grow back!" He said with a chuckle as Jake pulled away from him and pawed at his hair.

As Jared drove around town trying to calm down he pulled into the lot next to the lcoal parade of shops and sat with his engine idling for what seemed like an eternity. He started dead ahead at the spinning pole of the barbershop, it had been open the entire time they’d lived in town, over 10 years and he’d never been allowed to step foot in it before. Lacey would have gone made if he’d have gone somewhere other than to Loren the stylist they all shared. Loren was the only one trusted to touch the men’s precious locks. He turned off the engine and looked at himself in the mirror, his thick brown hair shone in the late afternoon sun. He pushed his hands back through it holding it tight against his scalp trying to see what it would look like if it was all gone and you could see his ears again. He sighed "f*** it" he said under his breath as he pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened his door, deciding it was now or never. Just as he did his phone rang and he almost ignored it thinking it would be Lacey calling to berate him again. He saw Leo’s name and answered immediately, he was always there for his sons.

"Can you take me to Walmart" Leo asked, never having been one for small talk, always diving straight to the point.

"Ahh sure, when?" He questioned, sinking back into the seat.

"Now, if you’re finished driving around to calm down!" Leo said in an understanding but sarcastic tone.

"Kinda in the middle of something bud" he said, trying to work up the bravery to walk right into the barber shop and have them mow off his impressive mane.

"Really?" Leo asked, "what is that?".

"It’s nothing, don’t worry" he replied, "it can wait till another day" he said, feeling his stomach sink a bit, a mix of disappointment and relief creeping in as the thoughts of the barbershop faded a little.

"Awesome, I’ll wait out front then!" Leo said as he pushed is feet into his sneakers and pulled on a hoody. He could hear his mother banging around in the kitchen downstairs as he smiled at his brother, winking before he closed the door and braved the walk downstairs.

"Hi baby!" His mother exclaimed as she saw him come down the stairs, "come and give me a hug!"

"Really mum?" He said as she rushed up to him and embraced him tightly.

"What?" She said cooing, "your dad and I had a little tiff" she said pouting up at him as she twisted a lock of his hair between her fingers.

"Don’t" he said as he pushed her hand away and pulled back.

"Oh not you too!" She said looking hurt.

"I heard you mum, you need to cut him a break!" Leo stated as he walked towards the door. "We all have our own feelings, we can’t all live in your world you know!" He added shutting the front door behind him.

Jared pulled to the curb just as Leo walked out, his son was dressed casually, sneakers jeans and a hoody his thick hair blowing gently in the breeze. Jared wondered if his boys would ever have the nerve to cut their hair short if they’d chicken out just like he had.

"You ok dad?" Leo asked as he pulled the door closed behind him and buckled up.

"Yeah, I’m fine buddy!" He replied stroking his son’s hair briefly before pulling away from the curb.

"Mums pissed!" Leo stated looking out of the window. "You did well standing up for yourself and keeping calm."

"It’s not easy but I do it for you boys" Jared replied as he made the short drive to Walmart pulling onto the main road out of town.

"We know dad, don’t think we haven’t noticed"

"You’re good kids" he replied.

"Hardly kids anymore dad" Leo replied, I’m at college and Jake works full time.

"I know, but you’re good!" Jared repeated as he indicated left and pulled into the parking lot of the store.

"Wait here, I won’t be long!" Leo said as he jumped out of the truck hardly even giving it time to come to a complete halt.

Leo wandered the store looking for the electronics aisle, eventually he found it. There were a lot of choices for clippers, different brands and claims about what they would do and a whole variety of prices. Eventually he settled on a set that contained the clippers, loads of different guards as well as some other bits like scissors, a comb and some clips that looked the same as what Loren used when they had their hair cut. He paid for them at the self check out and took a bag to hide them in. He knew that as the bravest of the three men, he had to maintain an element of surprise or the other two would chicken out.

They drove home making small talk and for Leo the next two days seemed to drag. His parents managed to be fairly civil but he could tell his dad was strained and his mum angry. Jake carried on working hard and was out a lot with his friends but Leo could only think about the hair clippers he has stashed under his bed. He had spent a lot of time in front of the mirror recently imagining what he would look like with short hair for the first time ever in his life. Eventually Friday rolled around and he eagerly awaited his mother departing for the party. Finally at just after 7pm he heard her car pull out of the driveway and snuck down to the garage with the box in his hands. He pulled an old stool up to the tool bench where there was a power socket before opening the box and arranging its contents on the bench. Then he headed back inside to where Jake and his dad were watching TV in the den.

"Come to the garage!" He said to them, his voice cracking with excitement.

"We’re in the middle of this!" Jake said, not even turning around to face his brother.

"Pause it then!" Leo replied, "just come, please?" He begged.

His dad always listened and cared so he was on his feet first. "I’ll come bud don’t worry" he said dusting his vest down to get the popcorn crumbs off it.

"Jake?" He asked again as his brother looked up at him from the sofa.

"Fine" Jake replied, sighing as he paused their show.

As Leo lead them into the garage he pointed at the stool next to the clippers. "Who’s first?" He asked, grinning.

"What is this?" His father asked, eyes wide.

"Buzzcut time!" Leo replied matter of factly. "Now who is first?" He asked seeing the shock on their faces.

"Really?" His dad asked walking over to the clippers and picking them up from the bench. He turned them on and their hum filled the otherwise silent garage.

Jake swallowed as the reality set in, running his hands through his hair to calm his nerves before the panic hit him and he realised if he went through with it all that hair would soon be on the floor. "You first Leo" he said swallowing again his mouth suddenly dry.

"I thought you might say that!" Piped up their father. "It was my suggestion though, I’ll go first!" He said feeling sudden surge of excitement roll over him as he sat down on the stool and smiled up at the boys.

"Ok dad" Leo beamed, "is a 2 ok?" He questioned. His research on TikTok had been extensive over the previous few days and he found that he liked the look of the 2 the best. There was lots of videos about the 8 guard but he felt if you were gonna do it, you ought to do it properly!

"I don’t know son, I’ve never had a buzzcut before!" His dad replied anxiously, watching his son fit the 2 to the clippers.

"It’ll be great!" Leo beamed flicking his hair out of his face before pushing his father’s head forward one hand sinking in to the growth on the top of his head and ensuring his head remained bowed.

"I can’t believe this is happening!" Jake exclaimed as he pulled out his phone and started to record. The hum of the clippers filled the room again as Leo readjusted his grip on his father’s doomed locks, grabbing even more of the silken strands between his fingers. The first pass of the clippers came in a blur, Leo could feel his heart beating as he forced them up the back of his dads head marvelling at the amount of hair that rained down to the floor as he did. When he eventually pulled the clippers away a thick chunk of hair came with them flicking to the floor as his dad reached up to feel the damage.

"Oh wow!" His dad exclaimed as he felt the fuzz where his locks had been. Leo released his grip on his hair and let his father swing around on the stool to see the hair on the floor.

"Jake, sit!" Leo instructed, nudging his father off the stool gently.

"What?" Jake questioned as his dad stood up and gestured for him to take a seat, shrugging as he ran his hands up the back of his head again.

"Sit" Leo repeated as he grabbed his brother by the shoulder and pushed him down onto the stool. "I don’t want you to chicken out!" He said as his brother obeyed.

"Well you can still chicken out!" Jake replied looking at Leo squarely.

"No I can’t!" Leo announced as he flicked the clippers on again and bent forward, his hair flopping over his face. He felt the buzz of the clippers in his hand as he raised them to his forehead before plunging them straight across the top of his head. His hair fell in torrents as he continued the first pass, falling in front of his eyes as the clippers vibrated against his scalp. As he pulled them away he shook his head and the last few severed strands fell towards the floor.

"Ok, I can’t argue that!" Jake said as he put a hand on each knee and readied himself for what was to come. He felt Leo’s spare hand sink into the hair at his nape and pull his head back sharply so that his eyes were forced up to the ceiling.

"One more mop remains in tact but not for long" Leo taunted as he ploughed the clippers across the top of his brother’s head.

The next 30minutes was a real breath of fresh air for the boys, Leo relentlessly sheared his brothers hair off, the pile of cut locks growing thick and carpeting the floor as the clippers made short work of the bulk. Next Jake returned the favour mowing down Leo’s mop, the garage looking more and more like the floor of the barbershop at a plebe induction day. Finally, they took turns in stripping their dad of the flow that he had become so accustomed to was finally liberated and destined for the trash can.

---