sixwordstories | (no subject)

Now do mine!

You mean your stupid face? You look you faceplanted in a pile'a mulch with all this! [scrubs her hands against his cheeks like she's trying to start a fire or something]

Fix it! Make me pretty! [He grabbed her face and licked her forehead.] You look amazing.

[Summer. Certainly. Perhaps a summer after their relationship has come to an end. Or after he's passed on and left an elderly Neph to her thieving alone.

Somehow his tone is even flatter than his expression.]

I don't think the season factors into this look very much.

ACKGPTHHH!!! [Or at least the sound she makes is something like that - a squeal of disgusted laughter] I can't I can't, you're a lost cause!

[Neph grabs his face back anyway and steers him backwards towards the sink] But, 'cause I love you, I'll do my best to salvage this mess!

I just mean, y'know, it could be a little nippy with the second Ice Age an'all. [Her palm skates over the newly-shorn side of her head, and she physically can't help grinning at the fuzzy feeling] But I guess that's what hats're for!

No, no. *she tilts her head to look at it one way, then the other* It's your head after all. And it's actually? Hmm, yea. Kind of cute on you.

Do you want a hat though? It's a little cold out.

Yeeees uuugh I forgot about this polar nutpunch goin' on and my right ear's a lil frosty! [grabby hands!]

You forgot about the snowiest winter in years to hit these parts?

*there is an eyebrow raised slightly, but a hat is handed over. That one, that pink, warm knitted hat in the picture riiiight there*

I was outta town! S'much warmer in Austin right now, lemme tell you!

Eeeeexcellent. [The hat is duly grabbed and yanked down over her ears. Oh no, it's pretty cute with hair sticking out just on one side, too!]

Edited (curse you, phone keyboard typos!) 2015-03-08 03:58 (UTC)

I've so far survived. [Though-- his hair is only slightly shorter than hers, really, and now part of it is much longer.

He re-straightens a paper on his desk for what is surely the third time since she burst in.]

Did you get a good bargain? Half a haircut?

[The compulsive fidget sets a little signal flare off in her brain. Is he--is he upset by this? No, that's too strong a word, but...disgruntled? YES THAT'S IT, that's what's going on with his mouth right now, it is seriously reminiscent of Grumpycat! Her own quirks a little before she can get a handle on her internal crow of triumph.]

Nah, I [enormous, shit-eating grin] did it myself in the bathroom at the Y.

[Oh

wow

well

well he was pushing the pens on the lefthand side of his desk into a straight line. Was. Before his hand twitched and tapped two metallic handles against one another. His face pinches inwards as if he tasted something sour, until he shakes the reaction off like water.

Nice, straight line of pens.]

Did you.

Perhaps you'll find a new calling as a hair stylist. You can meet people in public bathrooms anywhere in the city, and save on renting space.

[omigodlookathisface

Neph sets her elbows on the desk - just shy of the line of pens, she's not a compete shit - and grins like a Cheshire cat.]

Y'know, I could! Teach myself how to shave a nice fade, I could have me huuuuuuuge clientele!

And none of the inconvenient taxes for small businesses. It's a wonder you haven't given it a try already.

[He sees her on the desk and he is better than reacting. He is above it. His chin tilts up and his eyes glance down and dammit no she's going to leave elbow streaks on his oak desk he just cleaned it yesterday evening--]

Slouching is no good for a young spine.

[In that hers might go missing if it can't support her from lounging on his desk. Any usual patience has been shaved off along with the right side of Neph's hair.]

[It's true, her elbows are probably smudgey. At the very least they haven't been been washed as recently as the desk. Yesterday evening, for serious? Neph huffs a laugh and leans back in her chair.] Posture, right, so important!

[She folds her hands over her stomach, twisting back and forth by shifting her weight from heel to heel. After a moment, she lets her smile fade and a note of uncertainty creep into her voice.] You don't like it.

It suits you.

Ahah, thanks, it...[Her weight shifts from one foot to the other, her eyes dart to the upper right, and she reaches up to rub at the side of her head]...feels kinda cool. The fuzziness, I mean.

[She glances down at Neph's shuffling feet, then back up to her blue eyes that won't meet her own.] You're welcome.

Y'get used to it, after a bit. [She is still talking about hairstyles, right?] I've gone that short before. 'Matter fact, this shit's gettin' a little long for my liking. Maybe you could hook a sister up? [A grin.] Just don't cut me with th'scissors.

Austin? [If there is more than a little wistfulness in that one word, it's because somebody is seriously jonesing to ride her motorcycle again. But East Coast, winter and snow do not make good riding conditions]

It looks good on you. I think I have matching gloves around here somewhere - the ones with the little dots on them so you can type on a cellphone, have you seen them?

[Biting her lips together doesn't quite suppress a smile, though she rolls her eyes emphatically at the idea that she'd slip with something metal.] I just stole Ashley's razor. Y'sure you want that near your face? Who knows what he used it to...trim

Yeah, Austin! For work! There's a bunch'a server farms there an'...actually, nevermind? [The less said about industrial espionage, the better, whoops.]

I know what you mean, but I haven't seen 'em anywhere. Maybe they're under your umptymillion other pairs of gloves? [What no, that was a perfectly innocent suggestion!]

Server farms? [does not compute in Ani's non-tech world.]

Well, I might have some time coming up. Not a lot, I used a month of it to vacation in South America, but I could use a long weekend or two.

We could go riding and play pool!

[she looks at the laundry basket full of gloves] Well, maybe you can just take any pair that you want. There's a couple pairs of cashmere mittens around here too.

The pains we endure for fashion. It's cute though. Not everyone has the head shape for a cut like that.

[If Hannibal were a more emotive man, he'd've fumbled the appointment book he just picked up.

He stares at Neph, opening the cover without looking at it for the first few moments.]

I have to confess, you're the last person I expected to be affected by my disapproval.

[Lee has seen plenty of shaved heads, male and female. But what is this it's only half?? half the hair??

She's already reaching to confirm this oddity via touch.]

Wait for summer? 'Cause it's cold?

Some monks are shaved year-round, it's not so weird. And you could wear a hat.

[hair hair HAIR under her fingers WHAT A TEXTURE oh wow]

...why, though?

Uuuugh, but say I shaved it and turns out I got a weirdly lumpy skull underneath? Hats of shame. For months!!

Yeah 'cuz it's cold! S'like the worst winter anybody's grandparents can remember. I...did not think that through. Whoops?

[Neph doesn't even try to dodge the outstretched fingers, she just tilts her head towards them and gives a shivery laugh when they skate over her skull. Ashley's scrubbed her whole freakin' head with his palms, but that was more of a rough rubdown. Fingertips are a new sensation. A tickly one!] I guess it's kinda a style thing? I'unno, just saw it some other people'n thought it looked cute? Figured it'd grow back if I hate it!

[Score! In this game they play, she counts it as a win to have made him pause, to make him wonder rather than immediately gloat in adult superiority. She'll take it!

But since the point of a game is for the other person to know when they're behind, she drops the serious act. Her tentative expression crinkles into a brief, nose-wrinkly grin.] Nah, doesn't bother me. I like my hair!

But...I din't expect you to be that pissy 'bout it. [Isn't that fascinating all on its own? Her head tips to one side, bird-eyeing-shiny-thing-like.]

Ask Ashley, he can 'splain better, but they're like big data storage units for ALL THE INTERNET, or companies or businesses and all. Lots of important information goes through 'em. [HO HUM]

You wanna go to Austin? Or--or just someplace it's safe to get your bike outta storage? [A slow grin stretches its way across her face] Y'know I'm banned from all the local pool places, right? Gotta widen the radius if I wanna play.

[No one needs that many gloves, Anika, not even YOU. That's more gloves than you have pairs of underwear, Neph knows 'cuz she's on the laundry rotation.] ...Ani, bae, I think people need'ta be a little more original with the presents they get you.

[Blink. Slight narrowing of the eyes. Then he smiles, just at the corners of his mouth. So this is a game, then.]

Well then I shan't apologize for my opinion.

Which remains the same. I can't imagine it is much of a surprise.

[He leans in a little, still with an entire desk separating them, but he's clearly examining her head more closely.]

I have to admit, I had assumed the point of this was my disapproval.

[Why else the shit-eating grin about the new haircut? A shit-eating grin that is apparently contagious, even if his is much more contained to closed lips.]

Edited (I'm so sorry I re-thought the reply I wrote while at work xD) 2015-03-08 18:20 (UTC)

Is it that bad for out here? I kinda like the piles. [Of snow. For jumping in. Lee has definitely tried out the snow piles from atop the roof.

She just beams when Neph giggles at the fingers asserting themselves across the shaved part of her head. Now that it's different, too, Lee pulls her fingers through the hair-hair half, feeling the difference.]

Yeah, yours'd grow back fast. [As opposed to if Lee shaved half her head.

She rests her chin against her other, free hand, considering Neph's head as if studying a particularly baffling work of modern art. And then:]

I like it!

Edited (oh my god I'm so sorry I replied on my phone orz) 2015-03-08 20:47 (UTC)

[Ah, data storage. Yea, not exactly her line of interest. Heck, she doesn't even play WoW, and she's had an account for like - ever]

I [no, she's not shuffling her feet like a kid, jeez] I want to go riding. I am so sick of the snow, and the ice. [says the woman who spent a month in South America not long ago]

Really? I kind of like them, when I can find matched pairs. Besides, what else can they get me that they know I'll use?

You mean an apology might'a been on the table?! [Her grin practically gapes.] SHOCK!

[She bursts out laughing at the idea that his reaction had anything to do with how she does or doesn't do her hair, but it's a happy kind of laugh. The hands that had been loosely clasped over her stomach actively clutch it now.]

Aaaaaaaahahahahaaaano! Nah, nah, I wasn't even thinkin' bout you when I- [The gesture she makes along the crest of her head is reminiscent of an electric razor.] But it hit me on the way over here an' I'd be lying if I said I wasn't totally lookin' forward to your face!

Lee, no, Lee, remember how we had to dig you out from the armpits down? And how some wiseass thought 'oh yeah let's just use a tiny fire spell to speed that up' and how it turns out wet fur is still really flammable? [Good times, good times, but only because nobody actually lost any eyebrows.]

[She obligingly rolls her head to the other side so Lee can muss at her hair. With half of it gone, her old bangs are almost more of a forelock, the floppiness much more pronounced.] I dunno, I think you could rock it! Only, maybe not just one side. Maybe both, Just a long braid down the top! [It's possible somebody's caught up on and subconsciously internalized Legend of Korra since their last visit, or maybe Lee's usual topknot-braid just makes an impression.

Neph's shoulders bunch in embarrassed pleasure at the compliment; it's one thing to be happy with herself, it's another to have important friends validate that feeling.] Thanks! I-me too. Gonna steal your yak hat though.

No. [He corrects her with a flat voice, but a keen observer might notice the tiny flicker of amusement up in his eyes (hidden up underneath all the self-assured judgment, of course).] No, not 'this' itself. [He gestures at her hair, with clearly no intention of getting anywhere near actually touching it.] 'This' meaning inviting yourself into my office to show me the haircut. I suspect amusement at my expense was expected...?

[His eyebrows go up questioningly, a wrinkle forming between them as if he's offended at the idea he's presenting. Making fun of him, Neph, honestly. He has feelings. Somewhere. Surely he's organized enough that he'd find them eventually.]

Otherwise I imagine you'd address it as much as you're addressing those zebras on your pants. [Leggings, Hannibal. They're called leggings.]

Edited 2015-03-08 22:55 (UTC)

Oh! Nono, I'm not here for that! I'm came by 'cuz you pay me to tell you when anything interesting turns up! "Amusement at your expense" is just, like, a bonus.

[One that goes both ways, don't even pretend! He doesn't get to pull the Lecter equivalent of a sadface, turn around, and mock her pants! She sniffs and flicks an imaginary lintball off one of said zebras.]

They are leggings and they're comfy and I've got a pair with elephants, too. [The 'so there' is unspoken, but it never needs to be.]

AUGH, no! No, on second thought I think I'll pass. I don't need t'know if he colognes his junk-- [or have the stink of his crotch fur burning her nostrils, some things you just can't un-smell.] --Although I guess it can't be too bad if y'had it that close to your face.

Or wigs. Wigs can be fun.

Come on! I'll let you shape this bush on my face into whatever you want! [He laughs as she pushes him back to the sink. He plops down on the closed toilet, obviously so he is at her level.] Seriously though, you look rad. I've got hats you can steal to keep your ear warm.

M'gonna shave a bunch of Hello Kitties into your cheeks! Or her lil frog buddy! [The razor goes on with a frankly ominous whir] I'm gonna get so many hats for Christmas if I keep this, huh?

Yeah but I don't got--[she taps the side of her nose meaningfully]--an' also I spent the last week slumming it in Tacoma. They don't call it the Tacoma Aroma for nothin'.

[But she rifles around for the razor anyway!]

[blink] So put your bike on a trailer and let's go? What's stopping you? Oooo unless you burned all your vacation? Just call in sick then!

Who says you already gotta know how to use it? What's wrong with tryin' somethin' new at no cost 'cuz it's a present? Like origami! Or skateboarding! Or...I dunno, beading! Isn't the whole point of presents to get people things they'd never buy themselves?

That's alright. If it's ripe, I'll know it long before it gets too close to my sniffer. [Oni found a chair and spun it around, sitting on it backwards. As long as that razor wasn't too rank, she'd let Nephele practice on her as much as she'd like; Oni has been cutting her own hair for a very long time, though she doesn't broadcast her age like some did. Whatever shape Neph's "artistic license" took, Oni could knew she could even it out and make it stick.] The Tacoma Aroma? [A laugh.] Never heard of it but, if you think that's bad, ask Logan sometime about crawling through a metric butt-load of rotting bat shit. I still got a score t'settle with Wade on account of that-- It took days to get rid of th'stench...

[Watching Neph rummage through Ashley's things, the she-wolf wondered why the change in hairstyle? She couldn't remember Nephele's hair being that short, although it never seemed to skim past the young girl's shoulders. Perhaps that was it? The cut she'd sported before was cute, young and fresh, maybe too young for the Allomancer's liking; This new 'do said "Grown and Sexy". She hoped Logan was ready for that, were it the case.] I know y'like changing things up and all, but y'mind if I ask what brought this on?

[Does she have the slightest clue what she's doing? No, despite cutting her own hair in public bathroom sinks since the age of fourteen. There's a reason it's always been a chin-length dandelion-puff til now, and that reason is a startling lack of stylistic vision. Still, Neph thinks Oni's bangs are looking a little long, that's as good a starting point as any. At least she's always been comfortable with sharp metal things.] It's paper mills, I think, or that's what somebody said when I almost lost my hipster coffee all over their lap. [It's been almost four years now since she started working odd jobs for (and then full on managing) Deadpool, this bat thing surprises her not at all] Was that one'a the South American jobs?

Huh? [Contemplating Oni's hairline versus Ashley's mustache scissors had pulled her face into a puckered frown, and now it snaps into a blank stare.] Oh! Nothin' much, I was just talkin' with a--with somebody like me, and we were sayin' how it sucks we can't get piercings, right? And he says, 'well there's always haircuts if you wanna customize your head', and then the girl at the hair place said I had a good face for this so, why not? S'just hair, it'll grow back if I wake up tomorrow an' hate it.

[Could it be that easy? But, but. Yea. It really could be just that easy.]

I go years between vacations, Neph. I could probably take another month off and not worry. But I don't want to do that to my... well, to my patients, to my boss. To my family. You know. I'm seriously surprised you didn't call out the dogs when you found out that I was off with Wade.

I can't tell people what to get me for presents, that would be rude. I appreciate that they thought of me at all. So maybe you should get me an origamic skateboard and we can go from there?

I'd be worried if I thought your artistic talents were up to par. [Yes, that's a challenge.] I'll get someone to knit you a cover for just one ear. I hope you fucking keep it though. You look amazing!

(no subject)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Neph that ISNT NICE don't play with his emotions this way HE ALMOST GAVE A CRAP

no subject

no subject

BUT ADMIT IT he is the TINIEST BIT PROUD

no subject

...it's true. You caught me.

Yeah, that's what I THOUGHT.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject