Sheraton Academy

Guilty Pleasures

Rating: G. Warnings: mention of chronic illness

It was a guilty pleasure, to be certain, though what made him feel so guilty about it, Adam didn't know. Maybe it was because in some ways it reminded him of hospital waiting rooms, where his mother would play with his hair absently while they waited for blood draws and test results. He shouldn't like being reminded of those miserable times, should he?

But it wasn't that, exactly. It was the reminder of the comfort of the thing. So when Stacey turned out to be a hair-braider, Adam almost didn't want to cut his hair when he made it to the mark of four years stable.

But he did. Stacey came over, and his mom was there, and his dad, and they all gathered around while he snipped off the braid that had been as much a part of him for as long as his eyes or his skin.

Stacey gasped and slapped his hands over his mouth, and Adam's mom hugged him, and they went to the barber's to get it cleaned up.

It had grown out since then. Adam had gone so long without getting it cut that he often simply forgot, and suddenly six months had gone by and he hadn't even gotten it trimmed or shaped. But Stacey loved it. It was the perfect length to play with, and he'd do tiny braids in the short, shaggy hair, his small, nimble fingers keeping them neat and even.

Adam shifted on the floor in between Stacey's knees and Stacey rested one hand flat atop his head. Stay still. Josselin sat across from them in the cozy common room, curled up with a book on one of the couches. They sat in amiable silence, and Stacey continued to braid Adam's hair. He didn't do all of it, or even most of it: just a little one here or there, sometimes with one of the colored strings he had in his pocket woven in. Finally, he finished at five, and he dropped a kiss on top of Adam's head, and scooted down to join him on the floor.

"Thank you," Adam signed. Stacey grinned and grabbed Adam's hand out of the air and pressed a kiss to his palm. Adam gently ran his fingers along Stacey's cheek, and Stacey sighed softly. He leaned in closer and curled his fingers into Adam's, content just to snuggle there on the floor in silence.