Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ２４ － Ｈａｉｒｃｕｔ】

Chapter 24 - Haircut

All in all, the pair had been out for three hours.

Margaret could see people inside the barn but she wasn't ready to go in yet.

"Hey Bull? Thanks for coming with me. Do...do you think, maybe, I could call you my...friend?"

"Of course y'can, I don't see why not."

She bit her lip, hard, or she'd cry.

Her friend.

Her. Friend.

It had been so long since she'd had one.

And now she had a friend of her very own.

It was near overwhelming, and when Bull saw her getting misty eyed and sniffling he immediately panicked, asking her what was wrong. But nothing was wrong. Nothing at all. In fact everything was great, merveilleux, fantastisch! And she told him so, words falling out a million a minute, baffling him with the speed, French and German.

Everything seemed brighter today, and merry and nice, and everything was wobbling just a bit – or maybe just her. Ignoring his protests at her getting her bag, she practically bounded into the barn.

Only to stop short when she saw all the men from that morning, plus a few more.

And a pair of scissors.

No. It was ok. She could do this. She wanted this. This wasn't going to be like last time. It couldn't be like last time. No, certainly not. Not with so many people around. Not now she was an enlisted. And she begged Genesis to come out and steady her breathing, her hand as she put her bag on the cot indicated.

"Joe Liebgott."

She shook his hand and introduced herself as Watkins. Afterall, that was her name. But she did not supply a first name, and though he gave her an odd look he didn't push. He already knew who she was, just not her name. He hadn't necessarily needed to introduce himself, but it felt right to.

He was the one with the scissors. And though there didn't seem to be anything bad about him, he held such power over her with those in his hands. Not that he knew. Or could know.

He sat her down on a crate, and moved behind her. Margaret couldn't see him now, and her hands landed on her knees, knuckles draining of colour. His hands were combing through the bottom of her hair, and her heart rate spiked, and her breathing – though still quiet at this time – began to fall out of rhythm.

"It's almost a shame to cut it, it's lovely like this. Suits you this length." Had she been a normal girl, she'd have smiled, and maybe blushed a little, ducking her head away at the compliment. But the last time someone touched her hair that wasn't her she lost it. All of it.

"Now normally I'd make your hair wet first but we don't really have the time, and I don't know how you'd feel about that. Say, when was the last time you had it cut?"

"Thr-Three years ago."

"You really should take better car-"

"I was living in German fucking occupied France!"

He started grumbling behind her, but she didn't hear what he was saying.

Liebgott was still combing through her hair, dislodging any tangles, and then she heard him open the scissors and visibly flinched. Heart in her mouth, her breath began to evade her and came out more unsteady. She could feel people looking, wanting to ask, judging and it made her feel like she was boiling alive. And even though her eyes were screwed shut she could still see.