Gathering of Imagines

When Your Problem Is Hair

The greatest question this fandom has faced is: how are the Gladers' hair so short? 

Come on, you can't seriously tell me they all managed to learn how to cut their own hair. No, there must be someone with the most crucial job of all - making the Gladers look good

— — —

Almost a year after the Trials started

Leo, a Glader, is snipping away at his hair. Having found himself with hair that was longer than he liked, he had decided to see if he could give himself his own makeover. When he's finished, he takes a look at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Satisfied, he heads off to dinner.

—Dinner time, near the Homestead—

Frankly, Leo is unnerved by the staring Gladers. Was it his haircut? He didn't think it looked bad, but that was his own opinion, wasn't it?

TIM: Leo!

Leo is slapped on the back by his friend. He looks up at him, startled.

LEO: Um, yeah?

TIM: Leo, we were wondering (he gestures broadly to every Glader present) who cut your hair?

LEO (confused): Well, I did it myself? Does it look bad?

TIM: No, it actually looks decent. You cut it yourself, you said?

LEO: Yes?

TIM: Say, you wouldn't happen to be willing to do it for the rest of us, would you?

LEO: I'm kind of a beginner at this, but if you guys want me to... Well, I could try.

TIM: Great! (he stands up and hollers to the rest of the Gladers) HE SAID YES!

The rest of the Gladers give loud cheers which startle Leo. He knew that many of them were complaining about the lengthening hair; some because their hair fell in front of their face and interfered with their work, others because the sweat they accumulated after working after long hours made the hair stick to their face and neck.

As he stares at the horde of boys, Leo wonders what he's gotten himself into.

—Meanwhile—

The Runners are walking towards the rest of the Gladers to get their share of dinner. Disappointingly, the discussion after map-making had turned up no new leads.

When suddenly!

TIM: HE SAID YES!

The cheers of the Gladers are clearly heard by the Runners. They must've been very loud to have been heard by those who were nearby the Box.

The Runners are shook! Ahem, I mean, shocked. What little memories they have are enough to give them implications of what those words meant.

ADAM (turning to the others): Tim proposed to someone?!

MINHO: Hey, shank, I can't believe it either.

Hank suddenly darts forward.

MINHO: Hey, shank! Where are you going?

HANK (over his shoulder): I NEED TO KNOW IF I OWE ANY FAVOURS TO ANYONE

Not long after, the Runners arrive to where the other Gladers are. They find Tim and Leo flushing from embarrassment and the rest of the Gladers almost roaring with laughter.

Leo refuses to cut Hank's hair for the next few days. Hank eventually apologises and Leo cuts his hair.

The rest of the Gladers love their new hairstyles and officially appoint Leo as the Glade's hairstylist. Leo worries for the state of his hands and arms after having to cut the hair of forty boys.

As more Gladers arrive, Leo is given a break from his normal job whenever someone wants him to cut their hair. At least his arms won't be sore after cutting more than twenty peoples' hair at a time.

*****

At WICKED Headquarters

EMPLOYEE 1: Alright, fine. Giving a few of the subjects hair-styling lessons wasn't a stupid idea.

EMPLOYEE 2 (smugly): Damn straight.

—Meanwhile, in another sector of WICKED HQ—

TERESA (surprised): Tom? What happened to your hair?

THOMAS (slightly frustrated after failing to emulate Leo's hair-cutting process): I don't wanna talk about it.

— — —

— — —

A/N: Welp, I didn't actually mean to, but I've accidentally given some semblance of a personality to a few named Gladers. It's taken 62 chapters but it's finally happened.

Also, to anyone who didn't catch it, when Hank mentions that he "needs to know if he owes any favours to anyone", he's implying that he and some of the other Gladers have been betting on whether anyone would propose. You can take it as a "we're betting to see who will propose" or "we're betting to see who gets proposed to". Personally, I'm taking it as a combination of both: "we're betting to see who will propose to who". The Gladers are bored, they might as well start a little shipping contest.

— Minho

AN: I seriously always wondered how they didn't look like hairy monkeys. 😂

— Newt