The Fallout | ✓

06 - the convict

M A D D O X

After breakfast, I head back upstairs and into the bathroom, Hazel follows suit, a menacing grin covering her whole face.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this my whole life," She gushes as she reaches for the scissors, "Sit down my dear brother."

I brush my hair away from my eyes, locking eyes with her almost matching blue ones in the mirror. I never beg, but if my hair depends on it I'll fucking bark, "Please be careful."

A smirk decorates her face now, "You're watching a professional at work. No need to worry. Plus if you stay quiet and be a good boy–"

"Don't even finish that sentence," I wince reaching for the stool we brought from the kitchen island to sit on it while the professional works her magic.

"What? I was going to give you a present, that's all."

"Yeah, yeah," I sigh staring at my image in the mirror, "Get this done with before I dash out and bail."

"Also we're going to get Ian to lawn your beard. You look like a child predator with it."

I cover my face with my hands and groan. What have I gotten myself into? I could've just gone to the nearest barber where actual professionals work, but no, I just had to let my sister and her fiancé do all the work.

"Please turn on the tutorial."

* * *

"See, it doesn't look that bad."

"It looks bad."

Hazel puts her hands on her hips and glares at me through the mirror, "At least I tried, you weren't the best customer either."

I stand up and dust my hair and clothes with my fingers, "Please call Ian, and let's get this done with."

Hazel huffs but leaves the room and shouts her fiancé's name even though he's literally two rooms away, working on another book of his.

"Here's your present, we're out of lollies," Hazel hands me a book and for a second I think it might be one of Ian's but when I look at it, it's way too colorful and childish. I turn the cover and my nose scrunches at the title.

"How to be the best daddy, really?" I deadpan at my sister holding the book just as Hazel clicks to take a picture with her phone.

"Cute."

I sigh and put the book down on the hairy counter. There's no use trying to argue with my idiotic sister.

Ian enters the room still in his Pj's, a shaving machine in his hand. He looks at my hair and he probably could feel my sister's eyes burning a hole through his skull from the back as she waits to hear his reaction.

"It looks... Great, fantastic," He says after a few seconds of trying to control his expression. He then ducks to plug the machine and starts coughing, "I'm only coughing because I have an allergy."

"See Max, some of us know how to appreciate art."

"Mhm," I hum, "How rude and disrespectful of me not to."

The machine starts it's buzzing and soon Ian starts to shave my scruff making me look years younger than I did prior to leaving jail.

The whole time I'm staring at the mirror I'm taken aback by just how much being a convict had not only changed the way I behaved but also the way I looked. It may seem like I could lift a whole ass truck with my bare hands but inside, I can't find the strength to hurt a fucking fly. Prison had made me a stronger person physically but internally, I could still feel the shame that is burning, slowly rising like a volcano ready to erupt at any given moment and wreck everything sitting on the surface below.

"Max, you good?" Ian's hand squeezes my shoulder jolting me back to the reality I've come to be part of.

"Yeah, thanks, I nod my head, running my hand over my newly shaved jaw but my mind is elsewhere, replaying dark images of my past and reminding me why I always need to leave a safe distance from those who I care about.

"No problem," Ian unplugs the shaving machine, and his eyes stray to the book Hazel gave me a few minutes earlier, "Is that for me?"

"Yeah of course," I nod.

A happy beam decorates his face as he stares at the cover before he looks at me and confesses, "Don't tell Haze, but I'm scared shitless to be a father."

"Not that I have any experience, but I think that's a normal worry to have," I say in response. I squeeze his shoulder as he did mine earlier and I stand up, "Thanks for the trim big E."

He scrunches his face at that but says nothing about it, "No worries. I'll leave you to clean up," His eyes round the bathroom and I follow suit, noting all the trimmed hair that had trashed it and the two scissors on the hairy counter.

Not only does the bathroom need it but I do too. I'm planning to go out into town and look for a new job. Living with Hazel and Ian hasn't been the worst thing ever but I sure as hell don't plan to overstay my welcome even if they won't mind, I don't want to get too comfortable— they're starting their own family for God's sake and I'm not about to intrude—, I just need to crash at their place until I could get back on my own feet.

But I'm not going to start looking for any job until I get my hair fixed or I might as well just put a warning on my face that reads do not hire.

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idk about you but I like this chapter. It's always fun when Haze and Ian are included. I love this chaotic couple

Thank you sm for taking the time of your day to read this

lots of love and confetti,
—faith

August 18, 2023
FRI - 8:13 PM