𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚢 (𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚃𝚘𝚍𝚍 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛)

07

Your sleep that night was anything but restful. It felt as though you were in a constant battle to stay unconscious, every sound dragging you back to the surface. Strange bumps and thuds echoed in your mind, their source unclear, feeding a growing sense of paranoia that kept you on edge. You couldn’t pinpoint why this particular night was so restless, but as you tossed and turned, you silently wished it wouldn’t happen again.

By the time the first faint light of dawn began to creep into your room, you were already awake, staring at the ceiling with heavy eyes. Slowly, you sat up, stretching stiff limbs as a long yawn escaped you. A glance around the room tempted you to fall back into bed and bury yourself beneath the covers, but you knew it wasn’t an option. Exhaustion clung to you like a heavy weight, but there was no time for rest.

From the next room, the sharp whistle of a kettle broke the silence, catching your attention. Todd must be making tea, you thought. Not a bad idea... The warmth and bitterness might help shake off the grogginess.

Pushing yourself to your feet, you grabbed a pair of pants and pulled them on, too tired to bother with a shirt. The cool morning air nipped at your skin as you stepped out of your room into the main area of the barber shop. The muted sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a soft, golden glow over the space.

“Good morning, Mr. T,” you mumbled, your voice still heavy with sleep.

Todd, standing near the kettle, turned his head toward you. His eyes lingered a little longer than usual, darting back for a quick second glance. You realized, perhaps too late, that stepping out shirtless might not have been the most conventional choice, but you shrugged it off. It wasn’t like you cared all that much.

“Morning,” he hummed, his deep voice steady and calm. After a brief pause, he added, “Let me make you some tea. Then... maybe a shave?” His gaze lingered on you for a moment before he gestured toward the chair. “Clean things up a bit?” A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and for the first time, it didn’t feel awkward or forced. It was genuine, a rare sight from the usually reserved barber.

“Oh,” you said, caught slightly off guard by the offer. “I appreciate that, Mr. T, but I don’t want to trouble you.” You returned his smile, though it felt smaller, more hesitant.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “A shave, free of charge. Consider it a lesson—something you should know how to do. After all, I have been thinking of taking you on to help in order to pay for your stay here”

His words carried a warmth you hadn’t expected, a casual kindness that seemed to seep into the room, making the barber shop feel a little less cold and impersonal. Maybe the shave wasn’t such a bad idea after all. 

With a slow nod, you sit, the comfortable barber chair engulfing you. It definitely wasn't a bad chair. Neat and beautiful, quite a bit of hardware around it.. but it was comfortable. The cushion plush, the backrest smooth and cool. It seemed to be real leather. How lovely.

Slowly shutting your eyes, you rested your head back, listening to the sound of the straight razor sharpening against the leather strop. It eventually came to a slow, a bowl now being prepared with shaving cream. You could hear the light brush sliding through the cream as he fluffed it up, preparing it for use. It didn't take long for the shockingly cool cream to be lightly brushed onto your jaw. It had a crisp iciness to it, causing you to shiver slightly. As he brushed it over your lips, time seemed to pause for a second before a light cloth wiped it off. The two of you sat silently for a few moments, long enough that you debated opening your eyes to see what had caused the pause. Right as you were about to, a cool, sharp blade was brought to your neck. It was held there for a second, lightly digging into your skin. You could feel your breath hitch, your body growing tight. The pressure of the blade making your nerves spike, the sudden fear of your neck getting slit. Your pulse quickened, your eyes pressing shut- then the razor moved, slowly traveling up your neck and cutting the hair. Slowly, you release your breath, the pressure in your lungs and body leaving. 

Slowly, you let yourself relax, listening to Todd start to hum as he slowly dragged the razor across your skin. You slowly let yourself smile, peace seizing your body. Your head started to grow heavy, your limbs relaxing. And before you knew, you fell into sleep.