Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 127. Blackmail

Hearing the greeting, Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at Masha, his gaze lingering on her short hair. She had cut it a few years back, yet he still could not get used to it. Whenever he caught sight of the short blond hair, an odd feeling welled up in his chest.

It wasn't because the hairstyle didn't suit her; on the contrary, it enhanced Masha slender's neck and gave her a playful look. However, Gabriel had grown used to her waist-length hair over the years, and he also knew just how proud she had been of its length. How could he not? She had always loved to flaunt just how perfect her hair was, grinning whenever she brought up the subject.

And yet, Masha decisively cut her hair short the day she made up her mind to become a security guard. She didn't tell anyone and went alone to the hairdresser. When she returned home, she shocked everyone with her new haircut—even Alexey stared at his daughter in utter disbelief.

"Long hair is a hindrance when I move," she explained with a laugh, rubbing her neck that now felt naked. "It's also quite a weakness in a fight. I don't want someone to grip my hair and rip it off. I heard some crazy stories from my martial art teacher, you know?"

"Is that so," was Gabriel's answer. His voice broke the silence and appeared to echo throughout the living room. "Well, it suits you."

"I think so too," Masha chuckled before shifting her gaze to her little brother, who seemed to be in a daze. She bent over and pinched his cheeks, laughing, "And what about you, hm? What do you think of my new haircut?"

"..." It took a few seconds before Misha reacted, as if his brain needed time to process the words. Finally, he stretched his tiny hands to hold his sister's wrists, then mumbled, "Short hair looks awesome on you."

"Right?"

Not denying nor approving, the boy pounced on his sister and hugged her waist tightly. A soft smile bloomed on Masha's face as she ruffled her brother's hair, which was getting longer with each passing day. She gently brushed a few strands behind his ears, soothing him in silence. It was a sight Gabriel could not forget.

"A while? We saw each other not even a few days ago," Stephan laughed, snapping Gabriel out of his thoughts. "You snuck in during working hours to take a picture of your brother, remember?"

"Well, that brat refuses to put on his uniform at home," Misha grinned, mischief glinting in her bright blue eyes. "He even runs away whenever I bring up the subject."

Since Easter day was just around the corner, Stephan had required his employees to wear bunny ears and a fluffy little tail. Knowing this, how could Masha not sneak in to take a peek? Her brother dressed up in a cute bunny-butler get-up... Needless to say, she had to see it with her own two eyes.

"Of course he won't be wearing it at home! Misha is unbelievably quick to change after his shift," Stephan snickered as Masha pulled a chair for Yuki. "On the other hand, it takes him forever to dress up. It's quite entertaining to hear him curse, though I admit I'm always afraid he's going to break something in the locker room."

"You know he hates fluffy-looking costumes, and yet you ask him to wear one on his first week of work," Gabriel cocked an eyebrow. "You're asking for trouble."

"You say that, but you also came to take a peek."

"The troubles are yours to deal with, not mine."

"You're a shitty friend, you know that?"

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment!"

"Oh, really?"

While Gabriel and Stephan were busy bickering, Masha took a seat beside Yuki. She then crossed her arms before her chest and narrowed her eyes, waiting for their antics to end before opening her mouth again. Now, the playful tone was gone, and a hint of anger tainted her otherwise soft voice.