Participants:
| Scene Title | Super Chatty Snips |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Ben goes for a haircut and Raquelle does an admirable job at getting him chatty. |
| Date | May 7, 2009 |
Super Snips
Super Snips! They have chains in malls, strip malls, and other places all over the USA probably, one of those nifty walk-in places that provide hair cuts, washes, blowing, styling, perms, extensions?you name it, and of course waxing and make-up because who doesn't want to just give up and go to the salon. This afternoon, things are a bit slow but the girl's at the front desk just waiting.
Ben can appreciate chain stores, especially for haircuts, and especially ones he can just walk into without an appointment due to his crazy schedule. He's tired and rumpled looking as he approaches the counter, though he has a small smile for the girl at the front desk. "Can I get a trim?" He needs one. His hair's curling up a little at the back.
The girl at the front desk gives Ben a once over and pops her gum, lowering her 17 magazine and /sighing/ with a hint of a pose as she gets to her feet and pushes forward the clipboard. "Oh, whateeeeeeever, put your name and stuff. Raquelle will see to ya."
Ben turns the clipboard around and writes his name and pertinent information down. He is Ben. That done, he puts the pen down and looks for a place to sit. Man. Teenagers.
The teenager applies lip gloss and glances towards the clipboard. And there is a small wait, before Raquelle comes out from the back room of the salon, guiding a woman who's eyebrows look freshly groomed towards the front and flashing a charming smile before kissing her cheek and she moves to pay. The hairstylist today is wearing a fitted t-shirt with the sleeves removed, black and it is a modified Super Snips shirt. Dark jeans, docs on his feet and a black apron/hairstylist like toolbelt tied around his waist and those eyeliner rimmed eyes glances towards the clipboard and he purses his lips. "Mmm…Ben?"
Ben stands up from the seat he barely had time to get comfortable in and offers the small smile to Raquelle now. "That's me. Hi. Just in for a trim." He strides over toward the hairdresser with a brief flicker of resignation on his face.
Raquelle's eyes travel up and down Ben's body slowly, undressing and redressing the man quietly in his head before those baby blues linger on his hair and she bites her bottom lip. "Oh dio mio, dear god, and whoever that Japanese female goddess person is." A flip of his wrist with one hand and the other is offered to the man. "C'mon honeybuns, let me see what I can do. Don't you worry, Raquelle will take care of you."
Ben remains oblivious to the check out; he looks a little puzzled but reaches for Raquelle's hand, automatically going for a shake as he follows after. "Just short. Regular. Nothing fancy. Or requiring gel."
Raquelle has to laugh, a low chuckle of an amused sound as he gives Ben's hand a quick squeeze and leads him over to his chair. "Let me ask you something-when's the last time you shaved?" He asks curiously before turning his chair around so that Ben can sit, shaking out a glittery purple cape and raising an eyebrow curiously.
Ben lowers himself into the seat - the cape gets a flicker of amusement. It's glittery. He has to think on the shaving question, though. "…Is it Wednesday or Thursday?" Answer: probably a few days.
Raquelle settles that cape around Ben, fastening with a soft squeeze of the man's shoulder. Those deft fingers move quickly to run through Ben's hair and then around to smooth a thumb against his cheek with a grimace. "Oh sweetie, the caveman look only works for people who are really big or really short and are running around in a loin cloth. He tsks and shakes his head, tugging at his hair a bit. "C'mon, let me get you to the back station so we can get your hair washed."
Ben tenses up; he is not so great with the touching, but he gets up and follows after Raquelle anyway, big glittery purple cape flowing as he goes. "I'm not really trying for any kind of look. I just… don't always have time to shave." That's ever so slightly defensive.
Raquelle mmhms and gets the shampoo station set up, choosing his products carefully before gesturing for Ben to sit. "Shhh, no need to explain buttercup. You're just too good looking, very handsome. Scruffy works for some people, but for you it makes you look like unkept student with a /hella/ cute ass who just doesn't see how handsome he is nor does he care because his head is always down and in a book or something sweetums. A precious look but I'd have to give up my certifications if I let you /leave/ looking like that."
Ben is only oblivious to so much; his ears immediately go pink. "I just - uh, I - really, I don't want anything fancy. I'm fine with the unkempt student. I like books," he finishes lamely, resting his head down in the little sink nook and crossing his arms under the purple glittery cape, which cannot be mentioned enough because it is purple and glittery.
"Nothing fancy. Lean back." Raquelle gets the water started as he has to laugh softly. "Oh honey…books are awesome, I like to read as well and you really apparently need my help. Geeks are sexy, as are nerds and braniacs, but you gotta tweak the part to work for you." Then he wets Ben's hair down and then after a moment there's something creamy and white before spread on his cheeks.
Ben is still pink. And highly uncomfortable. ISN'T HE DARLING. "I don't need it to work. I don't have any time - it's been years since - I'll just be quiet now so my face doesn't get sliced off, how 'bout that?"
"Awwww, aren't you the cutest little thing." Raquelle, flicks open a straight edge razor, old fashioned in that he isn't going to use a regular razor but he handles it with professional ease, stropping it before starting to work on Ben's face. "Tell me about yourself, just don't move your head and you'll be okay."
"Doesn't moving my mouth count as moving my head?" Ben ventures hopefully, but of course it doesn't. "Not much to tell. I'm an EMT." He closes his eyes, brow furrowing. Just why is he talking, anyway? "From Boston… how 'bout you?" Yes. Make the other guy chatter.
There is the barest scrape of a razor as Raquelle works, not a knick and it is a close shave. He also listens. "EMT? Well isn't that all noble and helpful." He laughs softly. "I'm a hairstylist and a father of 2. And I'm from Nashville." Then his nose wrinkles as he rinses cheeks and checks something before going back to work.
"…Like, cats?" Ben ventures, because he has made some assumptions. It just kind of pops out. "I didn't mean that. Not cats. Cats?" The thing where he's not getting cut is kind of impressive for this kind of joint.
Raquelle rinses his blade off as he purses his lips and concentrates then he has to pause. "Cats? No, I don't have /cats/ I have girls. Like little girls? One wants to be Snow White and the other wants to be a scientist." He explains before just carefully rinsing Ben's face off, yay! All shaved. Now he goes working on the shampoo, giving a bit of a massage as his fingers rub against his scalp. "Do you have pussies darling?"
"Oh. Tough, two little girls," Ben ventures. He opens his eyes to squint up at Raquelle for a moment, forehead rumpling. "I don't have any cats, no. I don't think I'd have enough time to take care of one properly. I had a cat when I was little?"
"Close your eyes." Raquelle instructs as he shampoos/rinses and shrugs his shoulders. "I love my little angels." He admits. "You should get a cat, they are pretty independent but you shouldn't be alone, not when you deal with people in dire situations on a daily basis." He conditions and checks hair between his fingers to check. "What type of things do you like." Towels are wrapped around Ben's head. "Up up up."
Ben dutifully sits up, blinking again. "They still need some attention," he says. "I've thought about it. I don't know, though —— uh. What do I like? I like reading?" He sounds so uncertain, though that might be him being uncertain as to why he's answering questions. He just wanted a haircut!
"You need attention too sweetums." Raquelle leads the way back to his chair, tousling Ben's hair and brushing a thumb against his cheek to check for any stubble, but it is a clean shave. He gets him settled in the chair before laying out his hair-cutting supplies. "Reading what?"
"Anything," Ben says with a faint sigh. "Anything at all. You must have hobbies. Tell me all about them." ALL ABOUT THEM.
Raquelle sprays a conditioner in Ben's hair, working a comb through it and getting it like he wants as he breaks out another razor and he gets to work on Ben's hair, occasionally scissors are used, but mostly the razor and he squints from time to time. "Mmm, vague equals mysterious equals nummy you realize." Then he has to laugh. "I write music, I sing, I raise children, I read annnnd I do hair. I also have a motorcycle I ride sometimes. Turn your head a bit." He works quickly.
Ben's ears are going pink again. "Motorcycles are really dangerous," he says. "I hope you wear a helmet. And lots of protective gear. And can lift your bike. I've seen some pretty nasty splatters."
Raquelle mmhms softly. "Now when I'm finished here, you come back and see me when you need to get a touch-up." He tilts Ben's head one way or another. Before tousling it in a different way a few times, doing a few extra snips here or there until it gets perfectly the way he wants it.
"That's it? Looks good," Ben says, and he's already trying to get up off the chair and away from his purple glitter cape. "Great job, thanks."
Raquelle rolls his eyes, removing the cape and coughs softly. "Of course it looks good." He offers the man a business card and blows a kiss. "Get a lollypop before you go." He gestures towards the jar of lollypops at his station.
Ben looks down at the jar. Lollypops? Really? "No, that's…" And his stomach rumbles, so he quickly reaches down and snags a lollypop from the jar. A purple one. "Thanks."
"Anytime sweetums, come back and see me okay? Bring a book, we'll get some lowlights in there and really bring out those pretty little eyes, okay?" Raquelle offers before going to work to clean up his station.
Lowlights? Ben is puzzled. But he has a lollypop, so he goes and pays and leaves a tip and everything. "Take care," he calls as he heads out.