Let Me Tell You a Secret

Chapter Six

"Oh sweetheart, your hair has gotten so long now, it's so pretty."
 
Arlene admired the bluenette's shimmery locks tied up in its usual blue bow, whilst the young brunette boy nodded eagerly in agreement. 
 
The three of them sat around the breakfast table, with V having already left for whatever it is he does everyday.
 
"Well it has been twelve months since I moved here, and it's not like you would let me cut it, Arlene."
 
The bluenette pouted at the woman's compliment, a sneaky glance at his younger friend with a cold glare freezing his harsh head nods.
 
Standing from her seat, Arlene approached the bluenette and ran her fingers through the long strands.
 
"But it would be such a shame to cut such beautiful hair."
 
The woman pouted behind the boy, still tracing her fingers through his hair before suddenly smiling.
 
"You know, I bet you would look even more beautiful with your hair braided."
 
That tone. 
 
The bluenette recognised the tone in Arlene's voice and he pursed his lips, glancing again at his younger brunette friend, his head nodding eagerly once more and eyes gleaming with excitement at the possibility of seeing his bluenette friend with a new hairstyle.
 
A sigh escaped the older boy and he already knew from past experience that there would be no point in arguing with the woman when she was so set on something.
 
This is something the boy had learned over the twelve months since being taken in by the family.
 
At first, when he initially moved in, Arlene was perfect, she was calm and gentle and patient. As the weeks wore on and turned into months, every so often she would whine and convince the young bluenette to cater to her whim. Whether this was trying on a torrent of clothes she had made, being her baking assistant, or even helping her with her make up, she would plead with the bluenette and he would comply - it was the least he could do after she had taken him in, cared for him so well.
 
And it's not as if she asked often.
 
Though that was the young bluenette's biggest mistake.
 
It wasn't until after he had been with the family for over six months. The bluenette had been wary about getting too close to them. It was hypocritical really, he wanted them to accept him and care for him but he also kept them at arm's length. However, the family chipped away at the older boy's defenses, gradually breaking him down until he accepted them as much as they accepted him.
 
It was the day he finally called Arlene by her name.
 
It was like the dam broke.
 
The bluenette soon discovered that all those rare whining requests from the female were actually rather restrained as she held herself back until the boy was happy and comfortable with his new home.
 
Suddenly the requests were coming in thick and thin.
 
"Sweetheart, come brush my hair."
 
"Sweetheart, come and sit with me for a while."
 
"Sweetheart, come give Arlene a hug."
 
She acted like a spoilt little girl with the bluenette. Of course she had always acted that way with her husband and her son as well, but they had learnt years ago to ignore her.
 
The bluenette however, he felt tied. He felt like he couldn't refuse her requests, and it wasn't as if they were harmful. So he indulged her, and indulged her, and indulged her until he was now at the point where he could no longer even try to refuse Arlene.
 
And she loved it.
 
She once told the bluenette that she loved having him around as he listened quietly, brushing her hair. That he was the best thing to have happened to them since the birth of their son.
 
She also confessed that she was very aware of her indulgent nature and that she had held back for so long. 
 
And then, finally, as the bluenette stood behind her, running a comb through her long brown locks, she glanced at the sleeping brunette boy lying on her bed, and she admitted that she also loved his acceptance of her requests as it meant she got to see her happy, smiling son more.
 
She confessed to a tiny bit of jealousy that the older boy had stolen her son from her ever since he joined them. Her tone was teasing but there was certainly an element of truth to her words. The bluenette felt elated to know that the family enjoyed having him around, and also that his younger friend cared for him so much for he had grown to care for the brunette just as much.
 
An awkward smile quirked at his lips and he focused on the hair he was combing. Arlene smiled to herself, seeing his expression in the mirror and understanding probably more than the bluenette understood himself.