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It’s a late night at the cabin. All of the survivors have said their goodbyes and headed up for the night. All but two. Guest 1337 and 007n7.
They sit on the couch by the fireplace, absorbing it's warmth while they chatter about anything they can think of. The company is comforting and the laughter is light. Guest was just finishing up telling a funny story from back at the orphanage when he ran his hand through his hair. Well, attempted to, 007n7 noticed, as Guest’s hand could only make the gesture halfway before his fingers were enveloped in knots. There was a pause as Guest reminisced on the memory a moment longer, and 007n7 couldn’t take his eyes off of his hair. It had always intrigued him, how someone could have such bright blue locks naturally. And yet Guest did, like the beautiful phenomenon he was. Guest pulled his hand out of his hair, leaving a mess of tangles where he had pushed it back to. He turns his focus back to 007n7, about to add something when he notices 007n7’s gaze, who is immediately embarrassed he got caught looking. Guest quickly turns a shade of light pink and averts his gaze again, a sheepish smile on his face.
“If it’s about my hair-”
“Sorry! I-I shouldn’t have been staring. That was rude. And you, uh- you don’t have to tell me about it, i-if you don’t want to.”
Guest looks back for a moment to see a hesitant yet sympathetic smile on 007n7’s face. Maybe it won’t be so bad to tell him.
“Well, uh…”
Tela, he never gets nervous about such small stuff like this. Especially around 007n7! Guest felt like he was the only person he could truly feel comfortable around. Still, it was hard to be vulnerable. He swallows the lump in his throat.
“It’s just, with all the running around during and between rounds, I don’t really get to take care of it. It’s grown out and I’m not really used to the length, so I just kind of…neglected it.”
007n7 clicks his tongue in sympathy. He realizes now it’s his turn to steel his nerves.
“Well, if you want, I can help you with it. I’m used to longer hair, as you can tell.” 007n7 lets out a nervous half-chuckle. “I can, uh, I can grab my brush if you’d like?”
Guest looks back at 007n7 in surprise, and he watches the other man consider the offer. Eventually he breaks out into a grateful smile.
“That’d be great, actually. I’d appreciate it, if you don’t mind.”
007n7 lets himself smile too. “Yea, of course. I’ll be right back, then.”
He gets up off the couch and runs upstairs to his room to grab his comb. The thin bristles worked well for his fine hair, but he’s not sure if perhaps a thicker toothed comb would be a better fit for Guest’s fluffier and coarser strands. It wasn't like he had options, though, so he heads back downstairs. Guest is absentmindedly humming a tune and tapping along with his fingers. It was a new habit 007n7 had caught him doing a few times. He found it quite endearing, especially since Guest insisted he had no sense of pitch or rhythm whenever the topic of music is brought up. Sensing 007n7’s return, Guest looks back at him and smiles.
“So, how should we do this?”
007n7 realizes they can’t both sit on the couch, since Guest was taller than him.
“Well, the best bet might be for you to sit on the floor while I work.”
“Awww, I’m getting kicked off the couch?” Guest gave him puppy dog eyes, a look he only ever laid on 007n7 in private. It looked absolutely adorable on his features, and the absurdity made 007n7 giggle a little. He gave some thought to what Guest had said, though. He didn’t want him to be uncomfortable, since they might be at the detangling for a while. Suddenly, 007n7 had an idea.
“Well, there is one thing…”
Guest perked up at that. “Yes?”
“I can sit on the couch and you can lay your head in my lap? It might be more comfortable than sitting on the floor. I-it’s fine if you don’t want to, though-“
“Sure, sounds good. Plus, laying down sounds about nice right now.”
“Hey, don’t go falling asleep on me! I need the company.”
“No promises.”
007n7 lets out a little chuckle while he sits down, back pushed up against the arm rest. Guest scoots closer before turning to lay down, resting his head in between 007n7’s crossed legs. He was now staring straight up at 007n7, though his face was upside down. They sat like that for a moment, just smiling at each other. 007n7 cleared his throat and moved his attention to Guest’s hair. It was pretty matted, and he moved the other man’s head side to side to asses the extent.
“This is probably going to take a while.”
“Yea...” Guest looks away for a moment, a light pink dusting his cheeks, before muttering, “Thanks for doing this, Seven. You really didn’t have to.”
007n7 softly smiles down at him and hums a response. “It’s really no problem. I told you, I enjoy the company.”
That answer seems to ease Guest, and 007n7 is swept away by the work of detangling the mop of electric blue hair that surrounds his fingers. Initially, Guest flinched at some of the knots being pulled, and 007n7 would mutter an apology before lightening up the pressure. Guest was surprised at his delicate touch, and how it seemed to hurt less and less as time went on. Eventually, the repetitive sensations made him feel drowsy. He let himself drift off as the feeling of warmth and safety overtook him. 007n7 could hear the fireplace crackle behind him as he methodically worked through the mess of hair in his lap. It started to get easier to brush the comb through the tufts, and 007n7 could start to admire their true beauty once more. Guest always had that fluffy, untamable hair, but he wore it well; it suited his gruff persona. Now, as he slept in 007n7’s lap, his hair was as soft as his heart.
Before he even realized he said it, 007n7 mumbles, “Your hair is so pretty…”
It was spoken so quietly it was hard to register, even in the almost silent room. So 007n7 was more than surprised to hear a response mumbled back.
“You’re so pretty…”
That made his heart flutter and his face heat up. He lets himself zone out as he finishes up, running the comb through at every possible angle to ensure he left no knot or tangle in place. He sets down the comb, and, without thinking, leans down and places a kiss on Guest’s forehead. One of the other man’s eyes flutter open, and panic descends over 007n7. He’s about to open his mouth to babble out an apology, but before he can, Guest just lets out a hoarse chuckle and closes his eye. He lets out a long exhale, and his body relaxes against 007n7’s. The smaller man lightly places his hands on Guest’s head, and he leans into the touch. And so 007n7 runs his hands through the brushed locks, enjoying the softness that encircles his fingers, until he too feels the tiredness from the day catch up with him.
Just before he dozes off, he gets out, “We can do this again if you’d like.”
Guest rises out of his slumber just long enough to mutter, “Yes please.”
007n7’s eyelids drift closed as his mouth pulls up in a smile, hands still buried in Guest’s hair.