haircut party / levy.

Le travail pour Luna était une nécessité. Elle ne le faisait pas parce qu’elle était passionnée par la coiffure. Quand elle avait fini le Lycée, c'était l’option rapide. L’option la moins dispendieuse et avec ses histoires de famille, c'était la plus sûre. De cette façon, elle ne serait pas  caissière au dépanneur du coin toute sa vie. Which could be fine, but some customer were creepy and she was tired of them. Le pourboire venant avec le métier faisait une différence puisque son salaire n'était pas le meilleur non plus.  A seize ans, elle ne savait pas trop ce qu’elle voudrait devenir alors que ses proches avaient déjà des rêves précis. Staying in the country was hers for a while and after that she was grateful to stay in america while her mom had to leave.
Today, she was going to the salon un peu de reculons. She liked to help her sister out au refuge ou même à son café better than this. Elle continuait mainly pour sa clientèle fidèle après plus de dix ans. Luna était plus leur psy que leur coiffeuse. Some of them  ne voulait pas vraiment de changement niveau chevelure juste parler de leur état d'âme. Twenty dollars is cheaper than an actual therapy so… It was ten AM, Luna avaient laissé ses trois amours malechés  à la maison (quittant avec un café of course) pour coiffer madame Wellington. She talked about her husband surgery and her grandkids. Sans oublier de demander avant de quitter quand est-ce que Luna allait avoir un enfant pour la quarante-cinquième fois cette année.  Concluant son récit avec les potins du club de lecture. She asked about Elys once a long time ago and with Luna’s answer she never took that risk again.
La dame paie, embrasse sa coiffeuse qui fait de même par politesse avant de lui assurer qu’elle serait la le lundi suivant. Quittant en même tant qu’un homme qui arrivait. Poli, il lui tenu la porte et elle le remercia trop chaudement. Levy entrait dans le salon alors que ca devait faire presque deux ans. Dammit. All the girls were at their chair but Luna qui fixait le téléphone de la réception espérant un peu trop fort que quelqu’un appel pour qu’elle est l’air occupée. Every client and hairdresser suddenly became silent ready to listen to the telenovela of the week.  Même madame Wellington était dans la vitrine a la recherche de pottin pour ramener au club de lecture.

@Levy Howell

Sloan had spent the last three weeks telling him he looked like a wet, sad puppy. In the beginning, Levy took it with pride. Puppies were cute, he thought, even the saddest ones. He liked picturing himself as a baby german shepard, in a little box on the side of the road. Everybody would want to adopt him, hug him, love him. Sadly, after a while, he stopped thinking his puppy fantasy was cool. Sloan had started refusing to go down on him if he didn't get a haircut and that, obviously, was a problem. Being a simple man, Lev made his way to the haircutting place the next day. Usually he would have called in advance; Made an appointment with a specific girl, one that didn't talk too much. He would have made sure Luna wasn't working too, but this was an emergency. So he entered, not thinking about her, really. He was too busy with pictures of very handsome dogs making their bitches happy.

But then she was there, pretending he was invisible. The world became a bit too quiet. It's like everyone knew. Like people gossiped in a hair salon and everyone was aware of everyone's business in such a small town. I look like a mop. Anyone who had eyes could see that. Can someone take me?

@luna alvarez

Luna had no religious belief contrairement à sa mère. And yet, she was praying any God listening to her right now. But none of them made the freaking phone ring. (Not fucking, Luna would not use that word.) Right there, she knew she was right all along. There’s no God. Fine, Luna was far from being the perfect example to follow but still. She never ask him any favor, he could have gave her this one if he was real.
I can. First word in over a year. She had not spoken to her brother in law in over a year. Before everything, they use to spend so much time together. He was getting in his sit and she was following what almost felt like a stranger now. Maybe it was just the mope. Or that kissed broke what was left of their friendship.
Elle ne voulait pas parler. Discuter de sa coupe de cheveux semblait trop banale. Fake. But she needed to know what he wanted in order to do her job. Like I used to do it? Even that sound so wrong to her ear. Both of them are not what they used to be.
@Levy Howell

His shoulders jumped once, when she said she could take him. It wasn't funny. He had barely made it in trough the door, and he was thinking of bringing her to the back room. Because he couldn't do anything else, he cleared his throat. He needed to be a good boy. He was a taken man. She was his alive brother's fiancé. Levy walked to and sat in her chair, trying not to think, or to smell her perfume. Like we use to do it? Once again, his shoulders jumped. She wasn't making this easy, like, at all, speaking like this was the set up to a bad porno. We never actually did it. He thought. They didn't have time, really, because in the version where Elys didn't come back, they would have, like the day of his revival. Sloan likes it a bit longer, actually. He didn't, not really. Longer meant he had to come back for the next haircut faster, and that shit was stressful.

One second, maybe more, Levy looked at Luna, or rather at her reflexion on the mirror. She'd changed. The last years seemed to have aged her one lifetime. She was still pretty, beautiful, but she didn't look, Luna. Some of it was his fault, he knew that. He wanted to apologize, really, he did. There was a lot of stuff he wanted to tell her, he had a laundry list of updates on gossips they'd shared in the past. Yet, he couldn't talk. His mouth was too dry, and there were too many witnesses - rumors in a small town, especially the ones based on lies or on misinterpretations, ran quick. I brought your old stuff to your house. He said, finally. He didn't really remember when he'd done it or what happened, but the box wasn't gathering dust in his room, so he assumed he'd dropped it off.

@luna alvarez

He wanted longer hair now. Actually, she wanted him with longer hair now. She being Sloan, his new girlfriend. Luna kinda liked the old one better, but she’s kinda related to her so… She needed more reason to not like her. Was she so controlling that she picked Levy’s haircut? Maybe it was just him trying to please her. Luna will never know, cause she won’t ever dare to ask. Levy looked better with shorter hair, but le client est roi. Here, the girlfriend is, but still. Longer how? Taking a piece of its mop and showing him options of length cause longer could be a lot of things.
Concentrating on his hair was probably making things easier for her to be there. She didn’t have to try to fill the conversation she was making sure his head looked better than when he walked in. Usually she speaks with clients, but this one, she couldn’t tell if he wanted too.
She knew him so well, she could see he was thirsty. Take a sip. pointa à travers le miroir avec ses ciseaux sa bouteille d’eau. He was family, she wouldn’t let anybody drink from her bottle. Ew. But considering their history, kiss or no kiss, they shared worst.  Like him seeing her ugly period underwear and the mess she did that month a long time ago. Yes I know, I saw my old clothes in the laundry. Tu aurais pu les jeter, je pense que je les avais pas mal ruiner déjà. Elys shared a bit of that visit, but not much. Levy was still a delicate subject. Maybe because she made it one. She didn’t know, and she didn’t have the guts to ask about it.
How are Sloan and the kids? She wanted to know how he was, but she was scared of that answer too. Keeping it light was her option for now. We’d see where things go if people could stop staring.
@Levy Howell

I don't know. He didn't know. Sloan had said longer than the last time because the last time the girl had cut it too short and she didn't like that. To figure it out, he put his hand trough his hair. Like this Levy made a fist - That's what Sloan wanted. Something to grab on to. That was the kind of relationship they had, you see.

He let go of his hair and grabbed the water bottle, once again sharing saliva with Luna, it was becoming an habit. Thinking about this fact, he didn't say anything for a while, listening to her instead, until she asked about the girlfriend and kids.

Levy didn't know how to tell her, actually. For a long time, when he was with Lou, they had been on the other end of the conversation - wanting kids really bad, but always being the ones hearing about new pregnancies when it wasn't happening for them. He thought for a moment just saying that the family was fine, nothing more. It wouldn't be lying. Thing was, baby was Sloan's third and she would be showing in a blink. So, Lev would have to tell her, grab a knife, stab her in the uterus and watch her act happy for him. Pregnant actually. Could have been her - probably was, in an alternate universe. Sloan, not the kids. The kids are great.

@luna alvarez

Following Lev’s direction for his hair, Luna was trying to make small talk with her brother in law. Asking about his girlfriend and her kids, his new family really. Not expecting what came next. Mainly because it’s the type of things that would have came up in family dinner. But if he told Luna, maman ours probably already knew.
Riant avant de pouvoir réagir à l’annonce because of his next comment. She had to find the right words. He didn’t know Elys and her wanted to be parents too. I mean, everyone knew, but Lev didn’t know they were trying. It had not been that long, it’s not like Luna has been off the pills for years. Seeing babies always made Luna happy she’d be happy to see Levy’s first kid. How does it feel to know you’re about to be a dad? It’s something he had probably gave up on for a while with Lou, but he was great with kids. If the joy babies come with could help him let go of his drinking, that would be a bonus and good for his family. I’m really happy for you. How far along is she?
@Levy Howell

Après des années à prier pour quelque chose qui n'arrivait pas, Lev avait un peu fait son deuil, abandonné l'idée. Du coup, quand Luna lui posa sa question, il mit un certain temps a réagir. Il savait qu'il allait être papa, il en parlait ouvertement, mais il n'avait jamais vraiment eut le temps d'absorber. Obviously, part of him was elated it was finally happening. An other part, however, felt a little bit cheated. It was with someone he didn't think he would have kids with, and for whom he didn't have the same feelings he once had for past loves. Lou would have been the coolest mom. Lenny probably the most loving mama in the world. Luna... He didn't want to think about. Fact was, his kid wasn't growing in any of them. Instead, it had made its house in Sloan's uterus. Lev already knew the kind of mother she was, since he was stepfathering two of her offsprings. She was no mama bear, that was for sure.

At least, he would have his own kid. That's all that matters, right?

it's cool. C'était probablement pas la réponse à laquelle Luna s'attendait. Avec le départ d'Elys, Levy et elle avaient pris l'habitude des conversations interminables sur les sujets les moins intéressants, juste pour ne pas entendre le silence. Fact was, they didn't have that relationship anymore, so two words would be all she would get. He just couldn't risk letting her in his mind anymore - it was way too dangerous. Couples months. She looks bigger, but it's not her first rodeo, so... Had he just implied his girlfriend was a fat dick ridding cowgirl? In his mind, he sure did.

@luna alvarez

Luna égoïstement s’ennuie de son ami. Levy was one a really great friend. They ate so much chinese food together in another life watching stupid movies after long days of work. He would come over with his pups just to keep her company while his brother was far far away. At a time, Lenny was part of this rituel, where they would even have pastries to stuff their face. Luna would enjoy watching them bicker about silly things because that’s what people do when they spend so much time together. Now, getting rid of his mop was weird. He kept his answers short, didn’t even look too much in the mirror because he could meet her eyes. All of that because of one kiss. All of that because Elys was supposedly dead and people tried to move on. Because that’s what a dead person would want. But he wasn’t dead and when they all thought they couldn’t get more fucked up about losing him, we came home and proved them wrong. It’s a good thing, but a messy thing.
The only moving touching the subject stars a guy that look too much like Lev to even consider take it seriously. So slowly they are all continuing living. For Luna and Lev it meant becoming strangers. She’ll have to get used to it. But right now, as he called his girlfriend fat, Luna almost forgot and laughed at his faux pas. Laissant suivre un silence malaisant. Se concentrant sur sa tête comme si cette coupe était un puzzle complexe. She can’t laugh at him anymore. Sorry, it’s just I think she’d be really pissed to here you put it that way. Luna didn’t really know Sloan. She might not have give her a real chance yet, family dinner are already complicated enough, now with her in the middle talking about oils like they would cleanse this family of its drama doesn’t make her want to try. Besides she doesn’t really listen to anyone but herself à table. Maybe it’s because she’s stressed… Or maybe it’s because she’s shallow? Luna didn’t know her well enough to say yet. I bet she’s gorgeous anyways, she always looks perfect. Oh that she does, Luna couldn’t deny that this baby would be a really pretty one with the genes he or she was getting.
@Levy Howell

Concord being as small as it was, people that lived their whole life there tended to get to know eachother pretty well, even if they didn't try to. For the longest time, Lev had no interest in getting to know Sloan, but since they were in the same circles since birth - or pretty much - he didn't really have a choice. They went to the same primary school, not in the same grade, but sharing the same playground. Ditto for high school. It didn't matter that they were polar opposites. A teenage boy and a teenage girl with a dating pool like theirs (remember, internet dating was for weirdos back then), of course they would end up sharing a kiss or two before leaving town for college (or to pop out a kid or two). Levy would have lied, then, if he said that he didn't know that the worst thing he could ever call his girlfriend was fat. Everyone with a brain, or even just an half, could see that the F word was the easiest way to hurt Sloan's feelings. Yet, seeing that it made Luna smile, Lev didn't give a fuck.

Maybe it was because he didn't give too many about the soon to be mother of his child... but oh well...

She would. He smiled, faking being a little shy, hiding it under his hand. Really, Luna was right. Sloan looked perfect. Always. Now, she was far from being perfect, but she had the looking on point. She'd make the perfect addition to mama bear's christmas cards. She is. She does. He hadn't realized this before, but it was pretty much guarantied that their kid would have the most beautiful icy blue eyes, just like them. It would be the type of baby able to get modeling contract just out of the womb. The idea of his perfect little bean elated Levy an instant, but it soon was over shadowed by other thoughts. A very cute baby was pretty scary, his brain reminded him. Predators, kidnappers, were all over. As an FBI agent, he was very aware of these facts... and would think about it all night, probably.

Anyway.

what's new with you? 'Lys? Talking about his undead brother always seemed to be a good distraction.

@luna alvarez

What’s new with Elys and Luna? Not much? Their hiding wedding was getting go old it wasn’t even a news anymore. Sharing it now would be dumb because the groom wasn’t here, but also Lev would probably wonder if they really wanted to be married if they actually did not share it for more than a year.
You know, the usual, life is pretty calm right now. This was early 2020  Luna, she wasn’t aware the usual is a shit show in this new decade. Calm and simple was good with a vet though. Some days could be hard on Elys. Somewhere heavy on Luna too, but this start of the year was relaxed. Emily didn’t show up unannounced with her stupid Bryan too much, Echo was getting used to his new life. Luna was still cutting hair after all those years she wondered away everytime she would have a client in her chair what life would be if she had tried something else.
La moppe was gone now, Sloan might not have enough to grab on but Luna was happy with the result. Époussetant du bout des doigts le cou de son beau-frère avant de le laisser sortir de la chaise. Revient plus tôt la prochaine fois. Avant d’avoir l’air aussi fou. Little did she know they would all be locked up of a while and their next appointment would include mask where she’d didn’t understand half of the things he says and might ruined his hair because of it. (she might not, we'll see on the next episode of Lev's Moppe. She will.)

@Levy Howell