Haircutgirl
Dana stood in front of the bathroom mirror, glaring at her long blonde curls—beautiful, sweet, and entirely wrong for the image she had of herself in her head. After years of struggling, she was ready to do something about it, even if it seemed extreme. With a resolute breath and a pounding heart, she grabbed the clippers she’d bought on an impulse. As the first lock of hair fell to the floor, a surge of liberation coursed through her veins. By the time she was done, her entire head was buzzed down to a uniform number 2. As she ran her hands over the freshly shorn stubble, a genuine smile spread across her face. She loved the way she looked, and the cut suited her so well it felt almost inevitable.
Over the following weeks, Dana settled into a routine of buzzing her head every week, determined to keep her curls at bay. Then, she met Shelly—a woman with long brown hair. Shelly didn’t seem to care much about her hair—it was just there, a natural extension of herself, easy and uncomplicated. It was everything Dana’s hair had never been, and a quiet ache of jealousy stirred within her as they grew closer and started dating. Dana’s initial thrill over her buzz cut began to fade, replaced by a complicated mix of regret and longing.
She missed having hair, but the idea of letting it grow back felt daunting. She could only imagine the short, springy, blonde curls appearing, threatening the clean, precise look she’d grown used to. As months turned into a year, Dana continued reluctantly buzzing her head, pretending everything was fine, never revealing the quiet rage that came with keeping it short.
But it didn’t go unnoticed- Shelly saw Dana’s hesitation each time, the way her fingers paused before flicking the clippers on, her gaze distant and tense. She was fascinated by that mix of determination and something unguarded, something almost fragile. But Shelly’s steady gaze unnerved Dana, as though she saw right through her. To break the tension, she would joke, “I could buzz yours next,” rubbing a hand over her freshly shaved scalp with a smirk. Shelly would laugh everytime, waving it off with a smile. “No way.”
Once, Dana offered to trim Shelly’s split ends. She felt her pulse quicken as she carefully combed through Shelly’s thick, shiny hair, snipping just the ends. A wild temptation bloomed in her mind, imagining taking it even shorter—edgy, sharp, a style that she herself had always wanted but never felt she could pull off. She’d never dared to act on it.
Until, one evening, Shelly surprised her with a question Dana had only ever dreamed of hearing.
“Hey, Dana,” Shelly said casually, running her fingers through her hair. “You think you could cut my hair?”
Dana’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. “What?”
“Would you cut my hair?” Shelly repeated, more nonchalantly this time, like it wasn’t a big deal, though she’d been toying with the idea for weeks. A haircut felt playful, a little reckless, but also intimate. “I just want to try something different. It’s hot, and I’m tired of it.” She smiled, teasing.
Dana swallowed, her heart racing as she fully absorbed the reality of Shelly’s request. This was what she had secretly wanted all along, but now that Shelly was offering it, Dana felt a surge of panic. “I mean, how do you want it cut?” she asked, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.
Shelly shrugged, nonchalant. “I don’t care. You decide. I trust you.”
Dana’s throat went dry. She had fantasized about this moment, but now that it was happening, she was terrified. “You don’t care?” Dana asked again, needing to be sure.
“I really don’t… come on,” Shelly teased, nudging her. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Dana scoffed, her eyes flashing with a mix of irritation and amusement. “I’m serious, Shelly,” Dana said, her voice tightening. “I don’t think you understand what you’re asking for.”
Shelly smiled, noticing Dana’s hesitation—and the desire beneath it. “You sound like you’ve already got a plan,” she teased. “You trim my ends all the time like it’s no big deal. What’s stopping you now?”
Dana was trying to protect Shelly but she wasn’t getting it, and in a burst of exasperation, Dana snapped. “Oh, I don’t know—just—trimming your split ends is way different than buzzing your head!” she blurted, frustration slipping through before she could stop it.
Shelly’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Buzzing my head?”
Dana’s heart dropped into her stomach, heat rising to her cheeks as she looked away, utterly mortified. “No! I mean…” She stammered as she struggled to pull herself together. “A little. But not like mine… not a full buzzcut. I’d just… make it short.” She sighed, feeling exposed, her usual cool confidence nowhere to be found.
Dana could hardly believe how badly she’d let herself slip, the weight of her desire crashing down on her, threatening to ruin everything. She turned back to Shelly, feeling utterly vulnerable, her embarrassment written all over her face. “I don’t know,” she muttered, running a hand nervously over her own buzzcut. “I’ve just always thought you’d look incredible with something shorter. I wasn’t serious, not really…” She trailed off, biting her lip as she avoided Shelly’s eyes.
Shelly’s voice softened. “Hey, I’m a little nervous, I’ll admit, but I don’t care about my hair that much. Honestly… I kind of want to see what you have in mind.”
A mischievous, hopeful glint flashed in Dana’s eyes, but she suppressed it. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t think I should. I don’t want you to be mad at me,” Dana warned, giving Shelly one last chance to back out.
Still indifferent, Shelly laughed. “I’m serious, Dana. Do whatever! I won’t be mad. I trust you.”
Dana’s hands shook slightly as she grabbed the clippers. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Shelly grinned and sat up straight. “Go for it.”
Dana felt an odd sense of power but also a flicker of guilt, knowing Shelly had no clue what she’d signed up for. She’d given her plenty of chances to rethink it, but Shelly hadn’t listened. Now, Dana was determined to give her the cut Shelly would never have asked for—but that Dana had been fantasizing about.
Without a word, Dana turned on the clippers and placed them against the side of Shelly’s head, buzzing the first thick lock off. As it dropped to the floor, a wave of excitement washed over Dana. She’d gone a little higher than planned, but Shelly had asked for it, hadn’t she?
Shelly flinched slightly as the clippers made contact, her eyes widening at the sight of her long hair dropping away. For the first time, Dana noticed a flicker of hesitation in Shelly’s gaze.
“Dana—” Shelly whispered, her voice filled with shock as her fingers brushed the shaved area, her expression shifting from surprise to something Dana couldn’t quite read—something vulnerable and exposed.. “That’s—”
“Short? I tried to tell you,” Dana said, her voice tense. Her fingers trembled slightly as she guided Shelly’s hand back down to her lap. “Trust me.”
The reassurance felt hollow in her own ears, but Shelly nodded, closing her eyes with a soft sigh. She swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she brought the clippers up the back, working quickly before Shelly could say anything more. She went higher than she had planned, moving the clippers upward to the point just below the curve of Shelly’s head, leaving a sharp, clean line that contrasted starkly with the longer hair still untouched. Once the sides were clipped short, Dana adjusted the guard to a shorter length and carefully faded the buzz, tapering it down toward the base of Shelly’s hairline. Dana noticed Shelly’s smile had faded, replaced by an unreadable expression—shock, maybe regret? Whatever it was, it sent a wave of guilt and pleasure crashing over Dana.
Shelly’s gaze tracked each lock of hair as it fell to the floor as she felt an odd thrill growing inside her. Every time Dana’s eyes met hers, a warmth rose in her chest that had nothing to do with the haircut and everything to do with the woman holding the clippers. Part of her wondered if she’d regret it, but another part of her felt utterly captivated, both by the transformation unfolding and by Dana’s steady, focused presence by her side. Every brush of Dana’s hand against her skin, every careful tilt of her head, left her feeling a little more mesmerized, as if this moment belonged only to them.
Dana walked behind her, running her fingers through the thick curtain of hair still cascading down Shelly’s back. “Hold still for this part,” she murmured as she switched to a shorter clipper guard. Starting from the nape, Dana buzzed upward in a V-shape, carefully tapering the cut to come to a sharp point about an inch above the hairline. She stepped back for a moment, tilting her head as if considering the symmetry, before smoothing the blend with quick, precise passes of the clippers.
Dana walked behind her, running her fingers through the thick curtain of hair still cascading down Shelly’s back. “Hold still for this part,” she murmured as she switched to a shorter clipper guard. Starting from the nape, Dana buzzed upward in a V-shape, carefully tapering the cut to come to a point about an inch above the hairline.
Shelly inhaled sharply, her breath catching as she felt the clippers move steadily up the back of her head. The sensation of her hair falling, the slight pressure from Dana’s hand guiding her, was shocking, but in a way that sent an unexpected thrill through her.
For a moment, Dana worried that she’d crossed a line, but with the sides and back almost fully shaved, there was no turning back. Finally, she turned off the clippers, and the silence that followed felt almost too loud.
“You weren’t kidding about short,” Shelly murmured, her voice tinged with awe. Dana could see that Shelly was grappling with her own sense of transformation, feeling the vulnerability and thrill of change all at once.
Dana couldn’t help but smile, her heart racing with a mix of relief and excitement. “Not done yet,” she said softly, guiding Shelly’s head forward gently so she could start on the top.
She picked up a pair of scissors and looked at Shelly, giving her a chance to change her mind. But her expression remained steady, almost defiant, as though she were daring Dana to follow through. Still, she questioned herself—how short was too short? There was the cautious route—a longer, feminine pixie that Shelly might be expecting—but that wasn’t what Dana wanted.
With a flash of inspiration, Dana ignored any remaining hesitation. The cut was going to be exactly as she’d envisioned, pushing boundaries she hadn’t even planned on approaching. She combed through the remaining length at Shelly’s crown, lifting sections and trimming them with scissors. Each snip brought the hair shorter and choppier, creating a textured, edgy contrast to the sleek undercut below. Each snip sent a thrill through her, the excitement building as she saw the cut take shape. When she finally stepped back, the cut was sharper, bolder than she’d ever imagined.
As the clippers’ hum faded into silence, the air between Dana and Shelly felt charged, thick with the unspoken tension that had built up during the haircut. Dana set the clippers down, stepping back to take in what she’d done. Her heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Shelly’s face in the mirror. The playful confidence she’d had at the beginning had vanished, replaced by something that looked almost like shock.
“Shelly?” Dana asked, her voice tight with anxiety. “What do you think?” She could barely get the words out, dread rising in her chest.
Shelly reached up and touched her head, her fingers brushing over the soft stubble on the sides. Shelly sat perfectly still, her eyes wide and fixated on her reflection, her mouth slightly open as if she were struggling to process what she saw.
Dana knelt beside her and held up the hand mirror, angling it so Shelly could see the back. Her breath hitched as the V-shape came into view, a clean, sharp line that tapered perfectly into her nape. It was bold. Precise. Stunning. For a moment, she could only stare, her mind grappling with the stark contrast between the polished, edgy cut and the person she still thought she was.
Dana’s chest tightened with guilt and regret. “I warned you,” she muttered, trying to hide the fear knotting in her stomach. “I told you it’d be short, but… you didn’t stop me.” She looked down, her fingers gripping the scissors tightly, fighting the urge to apologize. “I can’t believe I let myself get carried away. I should’ve—”
“Dana,” Shelly said quietly, interrupting her spiral.
Dana stopped. “What?”
Shelly turned away from the mirror, facing Dana fully now. To Dana’s surprise, there was no anger in her eyes. Shelly took a deep breath, as if grounding herself, and then let out a small, almost reluctant smile. “It’s… a lot. But… I like it.”
For a moment, Dana just stared at her, not quite believing what she was hearing. “You… like it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “But… you looked so shocked. I thought you hated it.”
Shelly laughed lightly, stepping forward to close the distance between them. “I was shocked,” she admitted, still smiling. Glancing back at her reflection, she realized she’d never thought she could look like this. “I’ve just never had my hair this short before, but I kind of love it.”
Dana let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “You sure? I kind of went overboard.”
Shelly shrugged, turning back to her reflection. “Well, maybe you did,” Shelly chuckled, her fingers brushing over her new buzzed cut once more, this time with a sense of ownership. “But, I’m sure. You were really worried, huh?”
Dana smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t want to screw up.” She wrapped her arms around Shelly, pulling her close.
“Well, you didn’t,” Shelly winked, then her face grew a little more serious as she studied Dana’s expression. “But hey, I’ve got to ask you something. Do you like your buzzcut?”
Dana was caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, even as her stomach tightened.
“I’ve noticed something. Every time you buzz your hair, you look… it’s like it makes you sad. Like it’s something you feel you have to do, not something you want to. Why don’t you grow it out for a while?”
Dana froze, the vulnerability she had tried so hard to hide creeping to the surface.
“I don’t know…” Dana’s voice was barely a whisper. She ran a hand over her scalp, feeling the short stubble beneath her fingers. “I guess it’s because my hair is curly. Really curly. I’ve always hated it.”
Shelly’s eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. “Wait, you have curly hair?” she asked, a curious smile spreading across her face. Dana nodded. “How could you keep something so cute hidden away?” Shelly said.
“Ugh, that’s why I started buzzing it in the first place. The curls weren’t me.”
“Come on,” Shelly teased, nudging her gently. “You should let your hair grow out. In fact, what if I hide the clippers so you don’t get tempted.”
Dana raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “And what if you need a touch-up?” she quipped, nodding toward Shelly’s own short haircut.
Shelly paused, her hand absentmindedly grazing the freshly buzzed sides of her head. A thoughtful expression crossed her face. “Good point,” she mused, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Dana laughed softly. “Seems like someone’s gotten a taste for the buzz.”
“Maybe I have,” Shelly admitted playfully. “But here’s the deal: the clippers stay, but you can only use them on me.I bet you’ll look gorgeous with curls. Honestly, I can’t wait to see them.”
“Just promise you won’t call me cute,” Dana warned jokingly.
“No promises,” Shelly shot back with a grin. “But I can promise I’ll be right here with you, every step of the way.”
“Deal,” Dana agreed. She felt the sting of tears she hadn’t realized were there. She had been holding on so tightly to this image of herself, so afraid of what would happen if she let it go. But hearing Shelly’s words, that reassurance, made her hopeful.
Dana ran her fingers over the soft stubble at the sides of Shelly’s head, completely captivated by how Shelly looked with the new cut. The tension between them snapped, desire overwhelming her. She couldn’t hold back any longer. Closing the space between them, she captured Shelly’s lips in a kiss that was eager, hungry, as if they had been holding back for far too long.
