#Salon Chair Online

[silvergalaxyoman]

salon hair cutting chair online oman

In Oman, fashionable hair cutting chairs are leading the way. There are many of possibilities on our website, Silver Galaxy, if you're searching for the greatest salon hair cutting chair selections available online in Oman. These are well-padded with superior upholstery and cushioning, which guarantees extended client comfort and satisfaction. The chairs are made with good lumbar support and back sprain prevention in mind. Users will find them to be fairly comfortable and convenient as they can be changed to fit the height of the patron. Even your hairdressers may change the height to a level that is comfortable for them, saving them from having to stoop or arch their backs all day long. In the long run, this will also help them avoid backaches and pains. In order to guarantee that clients may sit comfortably during their hair treatments, the chairs have footrests. The chairs' upholstery is likewise of the greatest caliber, and it can readily tolerate wear and tear as well as simple cleaning. For years to come, even after years of use, our chairs will stay clean, fresh, and sanitary.

[furniturehub]

Furniture Hub تقدم لك اكبر تشكيلة صالونات كلاسيك ومودرن بأجود أنواع الاخشاب الزان وبضمان يصل الى عشر سنوات.

شاهد صالونات . اشكال الصالونات . صالونات كلاسيك مودرن . اشكال صالونات . صالونات مودرن . اشكال صالونات مودرن . صور صالونات . صالونات كلاسيك . صالون فرنساوى . صالون مدهب فرنساوى . اسعار صالونات كلاسيك . صالون مدهب . صالون دمياطي . صالون زان . صالون مودرن . صالون نيو كلاسيك . صالون كلاسيك . اشكال صالونات جديدة . صالون قطيفة . صالون كتان . صالون بيج . صالون بيبي بلو . صالون ازرق . صالون امريكي . صالون مينت جرين . اسعار صالونات دمياط . صالون خشب ابيض . صالون شامبين

[fluentmoviequoter]

Bradford Has a Princess

I used one of the amazing Tim Bradford ideas posted by @nevereclipse for this!! I hope you like it and it's along the lines of what you were thinking!☺️

Pairing: Tim Bradford x younger(24-26y/o)!fem!reader

Summary: Tim Bradford is whipped for you, treats you with nothing but the best princess treatment, and when his fellow officers call him out on it, he realizes how he truly feels about you.

Warnings: fluff! princess treatment and Tim being a SOFTIE™

Word Count: 1.6k+ words

You blow your hair out of your face before you tug it painfully behind your ear.

“Easy,” your boyfriend mutters, reaching over carefully. He gathers your hair much gentler than you had, pulls it loosely behind your ears, and uses the hair tie he wears around his wrist to secure it. “Better?”

You hum before you say, “Thank you, Tim.”

His hand moves down your back, resting comfortably against the base of your spine. After you finish your project, you take a paper towel from the nearby roll and wipe your hands.

“Need anything else?” Tim asks.

You smile over your shoulder as you rest against Tim’s chest. He’s older than you, and though some people might frown upon your relationship, you love him, not only because of the selfless way he treats you. Tim places his arm around your shoulders, then uses his free hand to pull your hand closer to him. He traces his thumb over your knuckles, then looks at your nails as his calloused palm holds you like you are the most precious thing in his life, in the world.

“I can make you an appointment at the nail salon you like,” he offers. “Tuesday?”

Tim shifts his hands, running his fingertips up and down your palm as he smiles.

“I can wait,” you answer. “I actually saw a kit online that lets you make your own nail art. Maybe I should try that next time.”

“Send me the link.”

Tim kisses your temple, then twirls the ends of your hair around his fingers. He decides he could spend forever here and wouldn’t even care what his friends thought about it.

“Tim!” Angela calls. “We’re all going to Andre’s.”

“Actually,” he begins.

“No, you skipped out the last three times, you’re coming with.”

“No arguments,” Nyla adds. “We might even make you pay.”

Tim sighs, his shoulders dropping as he nods. He follows them out of the station and is unsurprised to see Lucy, Nolan, Aaron, and Wesley waiting in the parking lot.

“Tim, you’re coming too?” Wesley asks. “I thought you’d finally sworn off fraternization.”

“Ha ha,” Tim deadpans.

“Can I ride with you?” Aaron asks. “My car’s getting a new wrap and Wesley’s backseat is a little tight with the carseats.”

Tim doesn’t answer but doesn’t say no, so Lucy nods and encourages Aaron to go. Aaron climbs into Tim’s passenger seat and buckles his seatbelt without a word.

“Oh,” he exclaims as Tim backs out of the space. “Who’s the Dior lip gloss belong to?” He lifts the tube out of the floorboard and recognizes it as part of a set his mom has. “This is expensive, they must be missing it.”

“She knows it’s here,” Tim grumbles, extending his hand to take it.

“Your sister?” Aaron guesses as Tim places it in the center console. He sees several other items, like a scrunchie, a receipt, and powder.

“None of your business,” Tim snaps. “Why are you getting an expensive car wrapped, anyway?”

“Because I can.”

Tim and Aaron fall silent, Tim thinking about you as Aaron wonders if the others know about the woman taking up space in Tim Bradford’s truck and in his life.

During your next date night, Tim opens the door for you, then wraps his arm around your waist as you enter the restaurant. He moves to his left to stand slightly behind you as you wait to be seated, and you smile over your shoulder at him.

At your table, Tim pulls your chair out for you, but you stop before you sit when someone says his name. You turn, and Tim’s shoulders tense beneath his blazer.

“Angela,” he greets tightly. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m on a date,” she answers with a smile. She looks at you before she asks, “And you?”

You sense the tension and interrupt to introduce yourself. You provide your name and shake her hand, then look to Tim.

“My girlfriend,” he tells Angela. “We’re on a date, so…”

“I’ll ask more later then. I mean that Timothy, you have a lot to tell me.” She turns toward you again and says, “Nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

Alone, you take Tim’s hand across the table and apologize for interrupting him and his friend. He promises that he wasn’t bothered by that and assures you that he wasn’t avoiding introducing you on purpose but was just surprised. You fall into easy conversation, as usual, and the date is over far too soon.

When the waiter leaves the check on the corner of the table, you ask, “Going Dutch?”

“Going insane if you think I’m letting you pay for a date,” Tim mumbles before speaking up to say, “My treat.”

Tim offers his blazer before you walk out into the windy Los Angeles night, and you wrap your hands around his arm as he leads you to his truck. You’ve never felt as loved and as cherished as you do with Tim Bradford.

As you enter Tim’s house, he uses your joined hands to pull you back toward him. He dips his chin, gesturing for you to sit on the couch, then lowers to the table before it. With a gentle touch, Tim runs his hands down your leg, from your knee to your ankle. After he hooks his finger under the strap of your heel, he pulls your foot up, resting your calf on his knee to unhook the small buckle against your ankle and remove your shoe. He repeats the process with the other shoe, then lays his hands on your knees and leans forward.

“Hi,” you whisper with a smile.

Tim smiles in the proximity, then runs his hands up your legs to rest on your thighs.

“I love you,” you add.

“I love you,” he replies before he moves beside you on the couch, cups the back of your neck in his hand, and pulls into a kiss that proves it.

Tim stops mid-step as he enters the roll call room the following morning. Angela and Aaron are perched atop the tables to watch him with matching looks.

“What?” Tim asks.

“You have a girlfriend,” Angela says.

“That I’m thinking you bought Dior for,” Aaron adds.

“Who are you and what did you do with Timothy Bradford?”

“Yes, I have a girlfriend, and I bought her some makeup,” Tim admits. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” Aaron repeats incredulously. “You, Tim Bradford, are whipped.”

“He took her to an expensive restaurant last night,” Angela tells Aaron without looking away from Tim. “I bet he footed the bill, too.”

“There is no reason to be discussing this at work,” Tim points out. “So, drop it.”

“Drop what?” Lucy asks from the doorway.

One word, Tim mouths to Aaron. Aaron nods, but Angela smiles. Tim knows he has no power over her, but when she changes the subject, he sighs and nods once. She’ll bring it up again when he least expects it, but for now, the ‘news’ of his ‘being whipped’ for you is contained. He isn’t ashamed of you, of course, but some things need to be private.

Immediately after walking into Tim’s house, he kisses you so hard that you can feel the sticky texture of your lip gloss as it smears from the corners of your lips and onto your chin. When he pulls back, holding you up as you blink at him, breathless, he uses his thumb to wipe away the shiny mess he made.

“I missed you too,” you say.

“I was told today that I’m whipped,” Tim replies.

You furrow your brows, and Tim taps his knuckle against your forehead and smiles as he shakes his head. You relax but hold his side as you wait for more information.

“Aaron and Angela know about you, and he told me I was whipped. I realized that he’s right.”

Terrified that Tim is about to break up with you after this realization, you pull your bottom lip between your teeth. He huffs and tugs it free.

“I am more in love with you than I ever dreamed of being capable of. So…”

Tim is clearly trying to find the right words, and you smile as you offer, “Incandescently happy?”

“Completely and incandescently happy,” he agrees. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Tim smiles, then notices he disturbed your outfit with his sudden affection. He tugs the ridden-up fabric down over your hips before dragging his fingertips along your upper arm to fix your top.

“Remember when you bought me the makeup wipes?” you ask.

Tim nods and inquires, “Do you need them?”

You try to contain your smile but fail. “No, you just proved you can take off lip gloss without them.”

Tim tugs you closer, hooks his arms under your hips, and lifts you up. You gasp in surprise before gripping his shoulders. After he carries you to the kitchen and sets you on the counter, he takes your shoes off and stands between your legs.

“Should I make dinner or are you going to keep distracting me?”

You tap your finger against your jaw and pretend to ponder the question. “That depends… will your friends still be okay with this relationship when they find out you’re a cradle robber?”

“Maybe I should give you back then.”

You pout, and Tim kisses your forehead before he turns away. He passes you a bouquet of red roses, then sets a glass of your favorite beverage beside you. It’s the response you hoped for, and after you gently place the flowers aside, you pull Tim closer by his collar and smile against his lips.

[alligator-tearzz]

R.I.P Van Der Linde Gang 💔 You would have loved:

(seen a few ppl do this,, if you started this definitely lmk and I’ll credit u !!)

updated to add Kieran and Sean

Dutch - Self help books, those podcasts where people give you terribly incorrect health information and claim that they’re doctors

Uncle - The massage chairs in malls, Frank Gallagher, insane reddit stories that definitely never happened, scamming disability cheques from the government

Abigail - iPhone’s share your location feature, the Parent Teacher Association, audiobooks

Arthur - Remote control racing cars (aarwh it’s a toy boat!), the catch and cook youtube videos, Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé, free healthcare mayhaps…..

John - Maury, The sassy man apocalypse on TikTok, Sitting and watching Bluey in a trance with Abigail after Jack has already gone to bed

Miss Grimshaw - Supernanny, Judge Judy, Spas, Massages, Bear Grylls probably, Bed Bath and Beyond

Sadie - Streetwear, absolutely bodying men on FPS games, Rage rooms

Charles - Axe throwing to get the frustration out, wildlife protection acts, David Attenborough, ATLA

Javier - The head massage you get when you get your hair washed at the salon, edibles, Guitar Hero, collecting vinyls

Hosea - Game shows like The Chase and Deal or No Deal, Dolly Parton probably, cruises, community libraries where you take a book and leave a book behind

Strauss - Cryptocurrency, whatsapp scams

Mary-Beth - Wattpad, Ao3, Booktok, you name it. Those fanfic movie adaptations like After, 50 shades of Grey etc, Cottagecore aesthetic, Taylor Swift, TikTok edits, Bridgerton

Tilly - Those ‘Day in the Life of’ Tiktoks, Jazz bars, Chloe x Halle, cruises as well

Karen - How To Get Away With Murder, Bottomless brunch, Reality shows with a bunch of drama like Love Island or Married at First Sight, Ru Paul’s Drag Race

Bill - Mardi Gras, Brokeback Mountain 😋, Home Depot, probably, those giant American cars that are on the verge of being trucks, Call of Duty

Pearson - Those late night infomercials that show random kitchen utensils like a garlic mincer or a nutribullet blender, Reddit, Spending money on E-Harmony, standing in the club and staring awkwardly at a woman, Dungeons and Dragons

Lenny - Online self paced university, Jordan Peele movies, Studio Ghibli movies, Noise cancelling headphones, The Last of Us

Kieran - Animal crossing, Saddle Club, the Wikihow “how to talk to girls” page, taking horrible advice from tik tok just because the person who posted it sounded trustworthy, astrology probably

Sean - Getting drunk at local football games and heckling the other team, claiming he’s not into Karen’s reality shows but then standing there watching the whole episode with his arms crossed while asking her about every single person and their drama, would most definitely be famous for yapping on Twitter, Derry Girls would be his fave show

[acknowledge-reigns]

Needy | Jey Uso x Reader (featuring Roman x OC)

Description: Reader has been feeling down with Jey being on the road so much + Roman and Jey bring their girls food while they're getting their hair done.

Warnings: Discussion of depression and anxiety, doubts, suggestive behavior and language, mild angst, fluff.

requested by: @wrestlingbaby

My masterlist can be found here.

You and your best friend Nettie walk into the cozy salon, the scent of hair products filling the air. The salon is empty, save for sisters Elysia and Desia, your other two friends who are chatting with each other at the front desk. They co-own the Salon D+E Beauty.

"Hey, y'all!" Elysia greets you with a warm smile as you enter. "Long time no see!"

Desia nods in agreement, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"We were wondering when you two were gonna show up!" she says, grinning. "We've got the whole place to ourselves today, so we can take our time with your hair. Which is good cause y'all 15 minutes late."

Elysia and Desia usher you and Nettie over to the chairs, pulling out hair products, combs and brushes. They start getting to work, sectioning off your hair expertly.

"How's life been treating you girls?" Desia asks, her fingers moving deftly through your hair.

Nettie laughs, settling into her chair. "Busy as always," she says. "Work, the kids, family drama... you know how it is."

Nettie was a mom of five, married to Roman Reigns. With her husband being so busy doing everything required of him as quite literally the biggest star in wrestling to day, being a stay at home mom with her own online shop kept her on constant go.

Elysia nods sympathetically, her hands never slowing down as she works on Nettie's hair. "Tell me about it," she says. "I've been swamped with clients lately. I barely have time to breathe."

Desia grins, rolling her eyes. "That's an understatement," she says. "She's practically living at the salon these days."

Elysia sticks her tongue out at Desia, pretending to be offended. "Hey, it's not my fault I'm in demand," she says. "People can't resist my magic touch."

Desia chuckles to herself as she begins to seperate the pieces of vibrant ombre blue and black braiding hair for your head while Elysia did fhe same from Nettie, though her hair was a red and black ombre instead.

Elysia catches Desia's chuckle and shoots her a playful glare. "What are you laughing at?" she asks, pretending to be annoyed.

Desia just grins wider, clearly enjoying teasing her friend.

"Oh, nothing," she says innocently. "Just thinking about how humble you are."

"Anywayyy, Y/N, you're quiet. What's going on with you?" Elysia asks looking over at you in Desia's chair

You smile softly, your eyes flickering up to meet Elysia's gaze in the mirror.

"It's.. complicated." You let out a sigh.

"Complicated how?" Desia asked.

"Complicated like.. I've just been down lately, with Jey on the road so much..." You shared with your girls.

Nettie frowns, concern etched on her face. "I know that's tough," she says, "Back when Roman was on the road more I had the same issue. I'm so thankful for his reduced schedule these days."

It was nice to have a friend that actually understood what it meant to be a wrestling wife. Not just a wrestling wife but a bloodline wife. All four women were close, they'd all known each other since college but only you and Nettie share that specific connection.

"Have you guys talked about it?" Desia asked.

"Well.. No." You sighed.

"You know he'd want to know how you're feeling, right?" Elysia says. "He loves you, and he wouldn't want you to suffer in silence."

"Elysia's right," Nettie says. "Jey's not a mind reader. He needs to know when something's bothering you."

"I don't want to seem.. Needy. Or high maintenance." You stated.

Elysia rolls her eyes, clearly disagreeing with your thoughts.

"You're not needy or high maintenance," she says firmly. "You're a person who has needs and feelings, just like anyone else. And Jey loves you for exactly who you are, including the times when you need him."

Nettie gives you another reassuring glance

"Seriously, girl," she says. "Don't let your insecurities get in the way of communication with Jey. It's not doing you any favors, and it's not fair to him either."

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A couple of hours later, the girls' hair is about half done. Nettie had texted Roman that the two of you needed him and Jey to bring you some food since it was going to be another hour or two and you both were starving.

The door to the salon swings open, and Roman and Jey walk in, carrying takeout bags.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Nettie teases, glancing over at the two men.

Jey grins, his eyes lighting up as he sees you standing there scrolling on your phone. He sets the bags down on the front desk and strides over to you, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind.

"Hey, baby," he says, nuzzling his face into your neck.

You lean back into his embrace, feeling a wave of comfort wash over you. The familiar scent of his cologne fills your nostrils, and you close your eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling of his strong arms around you.

"Missed you," he murmurs, his lips brushing against your skin. "You look beautiful, by the way."

He glances up at the half-done braids, his eyes filled with admiration. "You got that blue for me?"

You smile softly, a mix of warmth and affection filling your chest.

"Of course I did," you say, tilting your head back to look at him. "I knew you'd like me matching your gear."

Jey grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I love it," he says, his voice low and seductive. He presses a gentle kiss to your temple, his fingers tracing patterns on your waist.

Roman rolls his eyes playfully, shaking his head at his cousin's obvious PDA. "Can you two get a room already?" he jokes.

Jey just chuckles, tightening his grip on you possessively.

"Don't mind if we do," he retorts, giving your waist a playful squeeze.

"He must really miss you too, Y/N. And you thought you would seem needy." Desia accidentally lets slip.

Jey's expression immediately softens, and he glances down at you, concern etched on his face.

"What's she talking about, baby?" he asks, his voice gentle.

The girls exchange guilty looks, realizing they may have inadvertently let something slip. Roman just sighs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Uh oh, Jey's in trouble," he mutters in a teasing tone to his cousin.

"Oh, shush!" Nettie scolded Roman with a light smack to his muscular chest.

Jey raises an eyebrow, his grip on you tightening ever so slightly.

"Hey, don't ignore me," he says, his tone firm but still gentle. "What did Desia mean by that?"

"We'll talk when I get home, okay?" You offered.

Jey looks like he wants to press further, but he knows better than to push you when you're not ready to talk. He nods reluctantly, his expression a mix of concern and frustration.

"Alright, we'll talk later," he agrees, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment.

The tension in the room is palpable as the others exchange glances, knowing that there's clearly something unspoken between you and Jey. Roman and Nettie both look uncomfortable, while Desia bites her lip, silently scolding herself for her slip-up.

The air seems to thicken as Jey reluctantly releases you from his embrace. He gives your hand a final squeeze, his eyes searching yours for any sign of what's bothering you.

"I love you" He says.

You return the sentiment, your voice soft and sincere.

"I love you too," you say, mustering a small smile.

The others remain silent, the atmosphere in the salon now a mixture of tension and awkwardness as the guys take their leave.

Once the door shuts behind them, Desia lets out a sigh.

"I'm sorry," she says, guilt evident in her voice. "I didn't mean to let that slip out like that."

"It's fine. I needed that nudge to talk to him anyway" You said.

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The rest of the braiding session goes by quickly, and soon enough, you're all finished. The girls bid you farewell, promising to meet up again soon.

You gather your things and head out to your car, the weight of the conversation with Jey looming over you.

The drive home is silent, your mind racing with thoughts of what to say to Jey. When you finally arrive home, you take a deep breath and step inside, steeling yourself for the inevitable conversation.

You find Jey in the living room, sprawled out on the couch and scrolling through his phone. He looks up as you enter, his eyes immediately locking onto yours.

"Hey," he says, his voice cautious. "You're home."

He sets his phone down and pats the space next to him on the couch, silently inviting you to sit down. His expression is a mixture of curiosity and concern, clearly wanting to know what's been going on with you.

You take a seat beside him, the silence between you thick with tension. Jey turns to face you, his gaze unwavering.

"So," he says, breaking the silence. "Care to explain what Desia meant earlier?"

Jey waits patiently, his eyes never leaving yours. He knows you well enough to give you the space to gather your thoughts and find the right words.

After a moment of silence, you take a deep breath and finally speak up.

"I've been feeling... neglected," you admit, the words feeling heavy on your tongue.

Jey's expression darkens, his jaw clenching slightly.

"Neglected how?" he asks, his voice tight.

You can see the concern and guilt in his eyes, but there's also a hint of anger, as if he's upset with himself for not noticing sooner.

"You've been working a lot lately, Being champion has you on the road even more." you say softly. "And when you're home, you're either on the phone or working out or watching TV. It feels like I hardly ever get to spend time with you anymore."

Jey's shoulders slump slightly, the weight of your words hitting him hard. He looks away, guilt written all over his face.

"Damn it," he mutters under his breath. "I had no idea I was making you feel that way."

"I just miss you is all. And I struggle a lot when you're on the road, with my anxiety and depression and i didn't know how to tell you without sounding needy.." you explain.

Jey's heart clenches at your words, and he reaches out to take your hand in his.

"You're not needy, baby," he says firmly, looking into your eyes.

He pulls you closer, wrapping his arms around you and holding you tight against his chest.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers, burying his face in your hair. "I never meant to neglect you like that. I've just been so focused on work and trying to prove myself that I lost sight of what really matters."

He holds you even tighter, as if he's afraid to let go.

"I promise I'll do better," he says, his voice full of determination. "I'll make more time for you, no matter what. When I'm home, I'm all yours, babygirl."

Jey pulls back slightly, his hands cupping your face as he looks into your eyes.

"I love you so damn much," he says, his voice thick with emotion. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you never feel neglected again. You mean everything to me, and I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt that."

He leans in, his lips brushing against yours in a tender kiss.

"You're my priority, not work, not the title, not anything else," he murmurs against your lips. "You come first, always."

He deepens the kiss, pouring all of his love and regret into it. His hands slide down your body, pulling you closer until you're practically in his lap.

"I love you, y/n," he whispers, breaking the kiss to nuzzle your neck.

"I love you too, Jey.." You said.

Jey's lips find your neck, and he presses a series of gentle kisses against your skin.

"I don't deserve you," he murmurs, his hands roaming over your body possessively.

He pulls back slightly, his eyes dark with desire as he looks at you.

"Let me make it up to you," he says, his voice low and rough. "Let me show you just how much I love and need you."

Without waiting for a response, he scoops you up into his arms and stands up from the couch. He carries you effortlessly to the bedroom, his grip on you tight and possessive.

"I'ma show you, baby.. I'ma take care of you."

[pretty-good-girl]

forcefem x forcebutch relationship

i catch my cute little tomboy lesbian partner staring at the flannels in clothing stores, clicking a carabiner just a few too many times, eyeing up the cologne bottles at the pharmacy, and casually mention how good they would look in a blazer, how handsome they would be with cropped hair, how hot they'd be with a packer.

meanwhile, they're buying me dresses, but not normal dresses that i'd wear anyway, if there was an occasion that specifically called for it, but 50s housewife type things with frilly skirts and florals all over them to wear on a daily basis. they give me a spa package for my birthday, a salon voucher every payday, packets and packets of makeup just because they thought i'd like it.

i take them to the barbers and when the man asks them what they want, i answer for them. they sit meekly in the chair and give me a few bank notes, sending me to the nail salon across the street for a full set of acrylics.

we both have an idea of what the other one is doing, but we're both too focused on our own plan to care.

the few pairs of boxers and baggy t shirts i keep for sleeping slowly disappear, replaced with lacy negligee, and all shoes i own that aren't heels mysteriously vanish. i replace their leggings with cargo shorts, their blouses for button downs, their briefs for boxers.

we lie in bed, his head on my breast, and i run my newly buffed nails through his newly buzzed hair while i shop online for his new cock

[cryptidfuckery]

Alex's Guide to Being the Best Ever Client at a Hair Salon

Hi my name is Alex and I've been a hairdresser for about 6 years now. Obviously over that time I've come to learn what things clients do that make me very happy to see, so here's some tips on how to be the best ever client and make your hairdresser love you to pieces!

Also please note that this is coming from a relatively independent hair stylist. My salon does not have a receptionist or assistants, just the stylists. All tips should work across most salons though.

BOOKING AND CONSULTATIONS

When calling or otherwise directly messaging a salon or stylist to book an appointment, KNOW WHEN YOU WANT TO COME IN. If you need to check your schedule, do it before or have it open before you make the call. This will speed up the booking process exponentially!

DON'T BOOK A SMALLER COLOR RPOCESS JUST TO GET IN. If you're booking online, do not choose a color process with less time just to fit in to the stylist's schedule if you actually want a longer process. By this i mean not booking a partial highlight when you actually want a full. We will not be able to accommodate you, and will either have to leave you with the shorter process or reschedule you on another day when we would actually have the time to deliver what you want.

UNDERSTAND THEIR CANCELLATION POLICY. I know they can be annoying, but let me put it this way. When you are booking with a stylist, you're not booking a service, you're booking our TIME so we can provide the service you want. If you cancel last minute or no-show, you are costing us money that we could have made back by booking other clients. Especially on big ticket services that take hours. Cancellation policies allow us to y'know... still make rent.

YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT... BUT... Part of a stylist's job is to ask the right questions to figure out exactly what you want out of your color, style, or texture. If you don't know exactly what you want, BE READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS. We are trying to get on the same page as you so you will leave happy.

If you are coming in for a color that is more work than just an all over color or root touch up (aka single process), please do a tiny bit of research into what you'd like. You don't need to know EVERYTHING, but for reference showing a search for "BRUNETTE WITH HIGHLIGHTS" isn't going to narrow it down as much as a search for "DARK BRUNETTE WITH NATURAL WARM HIGHLIGHTS" would. A good stylist should be able to ask the right questions to get down to what you want, but this will make it much easier and quicker.

On that note, DEAR FUCKING LORD WE LOVE PICTURES, SHOW US PICTURES. BRING US YOUR PINTREST BOARD. SHOW US THAT TIKTOK YOU SAW. It's one sure fire way for us to physically see what you're talking about, and a good starting point to then ask qualifying questions with a reference! It doesn't mean we can 100% make it happen, but it helps us get on the same page you're on and see what you're looking to achieve.

Last but not least, research your stylists! Check what they specialize in, see if you can find any of their work posted online. Finding a stylist can sometimes be like finding a therapist, you have to find the one that's right for you (both in personality and technique). Don't feel bad about switching stylists; if your old one kicks a fuss they weren't the right one for you anyway. You deserve to be taken care of by a person you're comfortable with, and who delivers the service you want to your standards.

The hair industry is. Fucking huge. There's so many of us. You can literally call and book a consultation for a cut or color without getting it done that day. You can do that at 5 different salons before deciding. If they get weird about it just say you had a bad experience with an old stylist that you'd rather not get into. There is always options for another stylist.

BEST BEHAVIOR IN THE CHAIR

#1 thing i wish i could tell my clients without being rude: phone goes away for the haircut. Color is more lax, we don't always need your head in a specific position to apply it. Hair cutting completely relies on the position of the head, especially for the perimeter length of your hair. If you are looking down at your phone the whole time, the haircut will not come out as good. We also will be asking you to move to other positions, so we need at least some of your attention. It's also so we as hair stylists aren't having to contort our body into weirder shapes to cut your hair.

To piggyback off that, it's also because of the cape. Best client thing to do is once that cape is on you, make sure it's draped fully over the arms of the chair you're in. We'll take care of the back. The cape is there to protect you from getting hair or color on yourself, but it can't work unless you are completely covered by the cape. Including arms. (I'm looking at the fucking phone again >:( )

When you are in the sink, your nose should be pointing toward the ceiling while you are being washed. This allows us to not drench your face or neck when we are washing your hairline around your face. If your nose isn't pointing toward the ceiling, ask if you are able to readjust.

Best ever tip for in the sink: if the stylist is lifting your head up to rinse the nape of your neck, do not lift your whole neck. Crane your head forward while keeping the base of your neck secure to the sink. This will help you avoid getting water down your back. Your stylist might cup their hand at your nape, just lean back into it like you were a rag doll. We don't want to get you wet, but you gotta trust us with your head at the sink.

If you wanna get an A+ as a client, watch how they fix the chair at the sink for you to get in. The clients that put their own feet up or adjust themself to the right position (after an appointment or two with them) are my loves. my life. yes babe make yourself comfortable, you're doin my job for me.

If you are looking for extra styling past a blowdry (IE: curling iron or flat iron), let us know at the beginning of the service. This can take more time or is an extra charge, so letting us know in advance can allow us to communicate that to you or make sure we have the time to provide the service you want.

And probably my best tip/hack for all my introverted or neurodivergent people nervous about having to keep up small talk. Before or after the consultation, when they inevitably ask how you are or how your day has been, repeat after me: "I've had a really long day/week and I'm looking forward to closing my eyes, relaxing, and being pampered." This will signify that YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK other than what needs to be communicated. If they press, just say work or school has been really hard and stressing you out, so you booked this to relax and have some personal quiet time. Heavy on the relax people. Then just fuckin vibe bro.

If we ever give you our number to text, ask if we cant coffee. Ouughhghgh give us a coffe we love a fucking coffefee. Or ask your stylist what their favorite treat is. Just lil things like that. It's like an extra tip for us!

FINISHING AND PAYING

So your service is done! Make sure you check it out yourself and ask for any adjustments. Remember, you're the one leaving with your hair on your head, and will have to live with it until you return to the salon. If you need something fixed or adjusted, ask! A good stylist will prompt you.

Ask how tips are accepted. You can do it during the service or at checkout, but asking is always appreciated! Not all salons allow you to tip on card, but cash will never be turned away. Venmo is also extremely common.

I work in the USA where a 20% tip is the norm. If you can't afford that, don't worry. If you can't tip at all, don't worry. We don't know you financial situation, and we are in no place to judge that. You still deserve to get the service you want. More often than not if you talk to us about it, we will absolutely be sympathetic. If your stylist kicks a fuss about a tip they get (or don't get), drop them and find someone else.

That being said... yes we like it when you tip more than 20%. Of course we do, it's more money directly to us for doing our job. But I'll be honest with you, I will go out of my way for a kind client i get along with that tips 5% the same way I'll go out of my way for a difficult client who tips 100%.

If you like us, rebook! By having an appointment already in the system you're guaranteeing a time for you to get back in. And if you can't make it, you can cancel it or reschedule. It will help your stylist's rebooking data, which can help them within the salon depending how the business is set up. Sometimes stylists have to reach a certain percentage threshold of rebooking to move up a level of prices or get a higher percentage of commission.

Last but not least, if you're chatting with your stylist after the service, be aware of two things. 1) do they have their next client waiting for them? 2) are you their last client? If either of these are true, try not to linger. We hate having to do the "Well, I've gotta get to my next client/start cleaning up to go home." This can change as you form a deeper relationship with your stylist over the years (sometimes even a friendship!), but please remember that we are at our job.

As of right now that's all I can think of. If I come up with anything else I'll reblog and add on. And please feel free to shoot me an ask if you have a question I didn't answer here, or want to know more about something I mentioned.

But finally I will leave you with this.

Yes, the hair stylist is the expert in hair. Yes, we can give you advice about your style. But here's the thing. When you walk out of the salon door, we aren't the one's dealing with your hair day to day. Even if you don't think you know a lot about hair, YOU ARE THE EXPERT ON THE HAIR ON YOUR HEAD. YOU are the expert on what you do and don't want to look like. We're the tool to get it done. Remember that!

[istarveforplatonicptnstuff]

Adela as your hairdresser ✂💇‍♀️

So, idk how you end up getting a hair cut, but you're getting one for today 🥰🥰🥰 FOR FREE?!?!?! 🤯 Sis appeared out of nowhere, and you stumbled 🎢 upon a cute vintage barber shop, that convinced you 💯💯💯percent to get a haircut 🤭 You didn't know about the 🌁🌁🌁 alley incident because frankly, you DIDN'T care 😎 It was just an urban legend... Right? 😈 So anyways! You know when a hairdresser is about to SERVE 💃 When she has a BOB 👷‍♀️ on, has FACE 🥰, and looks like she came out of a Vivienne Westwood fashion show like GIRL why is the hairdresser so FINE??? 🤨🤨🤨

She greets you as soon as you enter her shop, warm smiles, the smell of flowers is what the first thing that hits your nose... 😤🌷The first thing you ask her how she gets rid of the smell of hairspray, she answers she uses the trick of using flowers which explains why you smelled flowers as soon as you went inside... By the way, SIS had you giggling 🤭 the entire interaction because of how... Gorgas (I'm sorry I don't know how to spell it 😇) she is 😍 Pookie then leads you to your seat 🪑, and of course we SAT 🧎‍♀️ since the QUEEN said so 🤩

She tells you if you have any preferences that you wanted to do to your hair... But because this was an impulsive decision... Girlie ended up having to decide HERSELF 😳 remember when they said to trust your barber? When your barber looks like this... Sign me up, I'm SAT and definitely letting her cut my hair the way she wants because I trust her with my life 😊 Adela liked the fact that you seemed to have no worries, like you were just a silly gal getting a haircut... So no mind altering for YOU 😌 Oh bestie... You are so lucky, getting a haircut, not getting mind altercations from her, sitting in that chair, meeting ADELA??? at the same time??? Girl, I am 😡 jealous, that should be ME! 😭 You be living the life 💅

Timeskip to having one of the best💄💋 makeover that changed the trajectory of your life 😲 You and Adela stayed in touch, she ended up liking you so... You get to be a part of her "mundane" life now... 😿 CRYING because again, how??? 😔 How do you do it, POOKIE?!?? So of course, you end up becoming a regular in her cozy shop, making it a habit to drop by regardless of the constant change of location. When I say you WALK, you WALKED the whole Eastside just to see her 🥰 standing on business just to see your favorite hairdresser... 😩✊

You guys exchange letters, since Adela is kind of old school, so she sends you this beautiful 🌹, amazing 😲, mind-blowing 🤯, life changing letter that you keep in your drawers because of how MAJESTIC her penmanship is... Girl you better keep them in MINT condition, if not, I'm making your house as my rob list... Though, you wonder how she does it, changing locations like my GIRL has a walking hair salon that she can just fold her place and lay it out like a tri-fold brochure, with all the itinerary PACKED 💼 Sis acts as if she is a portable barber shop on the go that can magically appear in the blink of an eye... 👁‍🗨 Oh pookie... If only you knew...

Imagine your surprise receiving a letter that she got in JAIL like... My pookie didn't do wrong! 🤐🤐🤐 This is why you read the news and listen to people, but y'know stuff was boring to read anyways and you wasn't going to listen enough because, you don't like getting told what NOT to do! 💅💅💅 I fear 😰 you ✨SLAYED✨ with the response... So, of course like any sane pookie, you visited your favorite hairdresser to show some moral support with what she was going through... 🤧🤧🤧 *Sniffles* You are such a good pookie that you're making me EMOTIONAL

You met with the chief and her adjutant, they take you to a room that you can chat with Adela, but not you tryna defend pookie while also supporting women's wrongs at the same time because you couldn't go to her cozy vintage barber shop anymore so you protest and started a petition... ONLINE. 🤓 Girl, what is you doing..??? 😧 Both the chief and adjutant thought you were a CRAZED regular of Adela, them thinking you were brainwashed as well, but you explained to them that NO, pookie can't you see I'm grieving rn??? The way that ya'll can see her often but I CANT! Speaks a lot 😢😢😢 ahh dialogue

You sat there WAITING for your fav hairdresser, thinking if she got jumped by some prisoners, because if they did, sweetie... Your going to break in jail and whoop some ass... Even though you know nothing about fighting and have zero experience as well... 😃 Girl, don't be stupid 😭 I don't want to have an early funeral to host because YA'LL died early ⚰⚰⚰ I can't give out plot armor to my pookies too much 🤪🤪🤪 so value your life, but mood 🤩 So, finally pookie arrived, her FACE card never declining, as usual 🥱 You and pookie chat about how she got in jail, with her lowkey lying for a bit because sis didn't want to worry you... 🤧🤧🤧 Sobbing rn because of how sweet she is 😔 Adela, they can never make me hate you... 🥺🥺🥺

After having a sweet conversation with her, she exits the room due to the time limit... 👿 GRR why did they have to cut off the wholesome interaction... I am TWEAKING 🤬 for you guys... The chief then enters the room, wanting to conduct an interview with you. Of course, this makes you act defensive... 🙄🙄🙄 Of your pookie Adela, but the chief assures that she wouldn't be asking questions that are inappropriate... You were ready to make her catch some fists 🤛😠 if anything happens, though you ended up detailing on how you both met and ended up becoming her regular, to which the chief detailing about Adela's reason of imprisonment, and sharing some ILLEGAL 🤫🤫🤫 information that wasn't supposed to be shared to you...

After leaving the MBCC, you began to wonder why Adela kept you around, instead of cutting off contact just like the others. Could it be that you didn't appear to be THAT troubled which is why she didn't have to want alterations towards your memories...? Either way, you are thankful that she chose to stay in touch, because you got to have some fun interactions with her, and like touch grass at the same time! Pookie... I'm looking at some of ya'll who doesn't get enough sun... 😑 Like POOKIE... Go outside! AN: I can't decide if I want to have a part two on this one, but like an angsty, hurt-comfort, with a pinch of wholesomeness type of fic about this because I wanted to expand the LOREEE and yap about her backstory as well... (Can ya'll tell that I am an Adela fan?) But lmk if ya'll want one www but me thinks I'll end up writing it regardless to satisfy my NEED for more Adela content in this app... 😿 Where are all the Adela enjoyers at when you need them? 😔

[ii-evil-confessions]

ooc: [waw. guess what. electron trivia time. horray]

[electron likes griefer from block tales. he's zap's favorite character, period. unless it finds more kooky kookaburras from its limited access to the internet.]

[electron hates people. HATES people. online is fine, but outside of the internet it will go out of zap's way to avoid any other electrons and neutrons and protons. especially protons. it hates protons the most. suddenly having to take care of so many children when it has such a loathing for people has shaken zap up a little. it swears it was happier in solitude... or so zap thought :)]

[do not give electron anything with wild amounts of sugar in it. the sugar rush will be catastrophic, and the sugar crash will be cataclysmic. it's worse than the children.]

[it has a soft spot for the kids, but zap'll never admit it. zap knows basically nothing about how babysitting works, but to it, everybody handing over their children to it just looks like casual abandonment. it's all it can see in the exchange.]

[don't tell zap i said that though :) it wants to uphold its whimsically evil reputation and this is not helping :)]

[electron wants a gaming chair.]

[electron plays minecraft education edition with a stolen account because zap doesn't want to pay for the actual game. it needs to save that money (for the kids).]

[electron's favorite color is yellow. its second favorite color is orange. its third favorite color is undecided because zap doesn't care.]

[if electron could paint its nails black, it would. too bad there isn't a nail salon anywhere at the atomic level.]

[oh, and zap's nails are pointy. like claws.]

[how many of electron would it take to light a lightbulb? one, if it was really trying. physics may complain, but hey! electron doesn't care.]

[will make more fun fact posts when i wrangle them outta electron. skek out]

[pwr3tties]

hello! could you do chigiri finding out that you cancelled your hair appointment with him to go to a different stylist! just fluff! 🤭💗 THANK YOU!!

✧.* HAIR APPOINTMENT !

includes: chigiri hyoma

context: you cancelled on your boyfriend in order to continue going to your own stylist- and he is not happy

a/n: AAAH ANON THANK U SM FOR REQUESTING I hope its up to your expectations but if not just re-request (is that right?) Bald people pls ignore this bc reader has hair 😞 also hyo might be a bit ooc (occ?)

CHIGIRI - ‘you what?’

“Sweetheart, the new semester starts soon. Whatcha gonna do with your hair?” Chigiri asked over the phone as you continued your online shopping.

“Dunno, probably just going to do [whatever hairstyle you want]. Something simple, y’know?” You answered, opening Facetime once again. “Mkay. My stylist has a few open spots next week. We can go together.”

You paused, remembering that you had already booked an appointment with your stylist from middle school. “Uhh, Hyoma, I can’t. Sorry, that weekend— me and my friends are hanging out!” You chuckled, lying straight through your teeth.

“What about your hair?” He pouted, picking his phone off his bed stand. “I’ll figure something out, maybe have my mom do it, y’know?”

“Okayy, I’ll tell her to save you a spot in case you change your mind.” You hummed a yes before peppering the screen with kisses, reminding him how much you love him.

The days before the new school year crept closer, and so did your hair appointment. Driving there was quiet and quick, seeing your stylist worked close by.

Grabbing your keys and purse, you entered the store. “Hey [N. name], waiting for [stylist name]?” Nodding, the older lady led you to a seat where you waited for your hairdresser to finish with her client. Time passed, and just as you got into a chair so you could start with your hair, a familiar redhead entered the salon alongside his sister.

At first, you didn’t see the two since you were tapping away on your phone,

“Ahem.”

“Sorry, can I help you—“

The same pair of deep pink eyes you loved bore into yours as Chigiri plastered a slight smirk across his lip. “Thought you were hanging out with ‘your friends today?”

“I thought you had a hair appointment?”

“I do. That’s why I’m here.” He replied, hovering over you. “You go here?” You gasped, looking at him a bit offended.

“The way you said that sounded insulting.” He laughs, sitting across from you. “No, my sister needed me to drop her off. You, on the other hand, lied to me.” He frowned, as you sheepishly rubbed the back of your neck.

“My friends… cancelled!” You lied, although your boyfriend could see right through you. The silence was awkward as Chigiri waited for you to admit the truth.

“Fine, I lied. Happy?”

“A little.” He smirked, as your stylist came back with her equipment hand. “[Y/N], who your friend?”

“Chigiri Hyoma, nice to meet you.” He smiled, shaking hands with your hairdresser and second mom. “You too darling,”

Chigiri sat there with you until you finished with your hair then paid before dragging you off for kisses for abandoning him, but just before he could [hair stylist name] whispered over to you. “I like him [N. name]. keep him close, okay?”

“Trust me, I will.”

[biffhofosho]

Hot Girls _____ | Chapter Two

Word Count: 7.9k

A/N: I've had this done for days. Life is so mean not to give me the time to publish. :( Please enjoy!

Cvr | 01 | 02

It was late afternoon by the time the pair arrived at Gossamer, a boutique store in Gastown that Vi had found online. It was far hipper than any place she had ever shopped, and she would have found it too intimidating to enter if her best friend hadn’t been at her side, hands in his pockets and shrewd eyebrows up.

Everything inside was pink or black—pink walls, black racks, pink chandeliers, black couches. One wall was studded with pink neon signs with sassy sayings like “Bad Bitch” and “Flex on Your Ex” and, below them, they featured full-length mirrors and sample outfits. The racks were color-coordinated and tarted up with nothing but dresses and bodysuits, each one chicer and more daring than the last.

It was exactly the right vibe. Unfortunately, Vi brought the world’s pickiest critic.

“I know it's your personality,” grumbled Changkyun from his chair across from her dressing stall, “but would you please quit trying to floor it? Go the speed limit for once.”

Vi scowled, knuckles whitening as she gripped the hem of the current dress’s miniskirt. “What’s wrong with this one now?”

He tilted his head, his temple resting on his fist as he propped up his arm on the bolster. His tongue raced over his teeth behind his lips before he let out a slow breath. “You don’t have to show a ton of skin to be hot, Viola. I mean, okay, sure, it doesn’t hurt, but what you really have to show is confidence. I need you to start thinking about this like a fisherman.”

“Like a fisherman! What the hell does that mean? You want me in a slicker and boots?”

After twenty minutes of shooting down every damn look, Changkyun rose from his chair and approached her. Vi got the uneasy feeling that she wasn’t a fisherman at all but the bait for the sharks as he circled her, hands in his jean pockets. He sized up the gaudy royal blue chainmail fabric, the too-low cowl neck, mirrored thigh slits, and, finally, her exposed back, but his face revealed nothing as usual.

“Think about it,” he said in his low gravel. “You need the right gear for your intended catch, but you have to know what you're fishing for. This dress is a net, Viola. It's going to pull in everything, including the stuff nobody wants.”

Her best friend’s aura was always intense, but right now, his condescension took over. Viola’s bare back bristled. “What are you talking about? I saw this exact dress on a girl you took home.”

He snorted. “Yeah, okay, maybe, but the one thing she had that you lack is experience.”

“Low blow, man,” Vi pouted and stacked her arms across her chest.

“I'm not talking about sex even though you're the one who said as much the other night,” he pointed out. “I'm talking about one-night stands. She knew how to pick out the bites she'd like best and throw back the ones that would disappoint or, more importantly, be dangerous. You haven’t learned those things yet.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you’re just giving yourself a backhanded compliment.”

“Viola.”

Changkyun’s stern voice penetrated the quiet salon’s air. Her hands fell limply to her side at once.

He narrowed his eyes. “You get my meaning now?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Look, we can work our way up to this. Remember what I said. Baby steps. You don't think this was the dress that girl chose for the first time out, do you?”

“How should I know?”

“Exactly,” he said with a pleased smile. Suddenly, Changkyun turned and as he walked back to his chair, he said, “Don't get me wrong, you look incredibly hot in it.”

“Really?”

He smiled at her again, but this time, there was something different in it, and once again, Vi was reminded of that shark. “Absolutely, and if you weren't my best friend, I would one-million-percent approach you in the club, but I would be one of a hundred guys, and most of them won't see you in the dress. They'll see an opportunity—a checkbox. So until you learn how to spot the users, we’ll find you something that will make you feel hot and secure. Besides, a little mystery is good.”

“Hasn’t worked for me the last 25 years,” she quipped.

“No offense, Viola, but you are charmingly easy to read.”

“Well, I don’t like keeping secrets…”

Changkyun pressed his lips together. After a moment, he nodded. “I know. I know. But I’m not talking about keeping secrets. We’re just talking about one-night stands, right?”

“Right.”

“So you don’t need to know everything about each other. Maybe you won’t even know each other’s names. Does that bother you?”

“N-no.”

“You don’t like secrets, remember, and I won’t let you have them with me for this to work. You know that.”

Changkyun was right—this dress exposed far too much, but Vi had nowhere to retreat except behind her crossed arms. She chewed her bottom lip before she answered again, “Yeah, I know. I’m really fine with it. I guess it just hits different when you say it.”

“Okay,” he said. “Just know you can back out at any time if you need to.”

She huffed. “Is that what this is? Are you trying to make me back out of this?”

“As if I could.”

“Good,” she said, her arms at last dropping to her sides, her chest thrust out as proudly as her chin. “Because I’m not going to back down. I’m going to take this all the way.”

“Then I’ll stay by your side like I promised.”

Something about the way his chocolate eyes met hers made Vi’s heart shift in her chest. She glanced at her sandaled feet as she replied, “I know. Thanks, Kyun.”

Changkyun sighed and rubbed his palms along the armrests. “Okay, then let’s get you into something else. You need something that makes you feel hot while looking mysterious.”

She scoffed. “This is way more strategy than I thought. Fine. You pick something out for me.”

Her friend nearly did a double-take. “What?”

“You don't like anything that I've picked, so why don't you pick something? Just remember what I'm going for here. Not something I might have worn before but something I need to wear now.”

“Viola—”

“We’ll be here for another three hours if you don’t,” she warned.

With a sigh, he stood up and paced the racks, his calm eyes scanning a rainbow of mini dresses. After several minutes, he came back to the dressing room, a perfectly blank expression on his face.

“One dress? Really?” she said with an eyebrow popped.

“The dress,” he corrected.

“Cocky.” Vi was about to head into the room when she furrowed her brow. “Kyun, this is something my grandmother would wear.”

“You know I know Grandma Viv, and I love her, but nobody wants to see her in this dress.”

“Hey!” Changkyun stared at her and, finally, Vi relented. “Fine, maybe not, but come on, this is like a parka compared to what I picked.”

“And your point?”

She scowled. “I’m trying to get laid, remember? I’d wear something like this to a wedding.”

“First of all, you would not. I’ve been your date to a dozen weddings by now, and I’ve never seen you wear something like this. Second, this dress will one hundred percent get you laid. I guarantee it.”

Vi turned her gaze back down to the tangerine number in her hands. It was the same stretchy bodycon material as many of the things she’d tried on, but apart from a halter neck and some satiny ribbons at the back tie, it looked about as plain as something in this store could get. She looked back at her friend dubiously, but Changkyun was unrepentant as he returned to his chair and sat down for what he clearly considered the last outfit of their fashion show.

“You seem awfully sure of yourself,” she said.

“I am. Look, the color will make your skin tone shine, and the cut will flaunt your assets.”

“Which are?” she prodded with a cheeky smile.

“Your assets, Viola,” he repeated stubbornly, but his eyes slid to her curvaceous hips and thighs, and she grinned, victorious.

“Fine, I’ll take your word for it, but I still think it’s a little boring. There’s no cleavage at all, and there’s a freaking bow at the back. I’m trying to get away from cutesy, remember?”

Changkyun folded his arms in a way that smacked all too hard of an unswerving CEO. “I promise you, you will look anything but cute in it.”

“I’d better.”

“Put it on, Viola,” he ordered, and it made her mouth go dry.

She retreated behind the saloon door and reluctantly swapped her “open 24/7” dress for what she was convinced would be more “help wanted”, but after she’d shimmied the vibrant fabric over her full thighs and fuller hips and then tied the bow behind her neck, she turned toward the mirror and her jaw dropped.

Damnit. He was right.

She looked hot. She looked damn hot.

The orange did amplify the exotic warmth of her skin and, like a buttercup beneath the chin, reflected attention to her face. A little notch on the skirt she hadn’t noticed before gave a sultry window to more thigh, and though there wasn’t cleavage on display, the snug of the dress across the curves of her chest was just as provocative.

She pivoted and glanced over her shoulder to find her ass looked just as round as a tangerine itself, and her back was far more exposed than she expected, allowing the halter ribbons to sway tantalizingly against the bare flesh there.

Vi smiled at herself, once in triumph before she tested out a few other versions that ran the gamut between coy, seductive, and hungry—or perhaps they all looked the same. She’d have to practice a bit more before she was confident she was nailing the hot girl vibe.

Finally ready, she swung open the door.

“That’s the one,” her best friend said, those cat-like eyes thin and stealthy as he regarded her from his seat.

“You think?”

Before Vi could step out of the changing room, Changkyun was out of his seat and in the dressing room beside her, the door swinging shut behind him. Trapped in such a small space with her best friend made things… weird. Through the thin fabric, should could feel his body heat, and it carried with it notes of leather and vanilla. She had spent much of her life by his side, but she swore she’d never smelled his skin so clearly.

“Do you love it?” he asked.

Vi bit her lip and nodded sheepishly. “I love it.”

“Mm.”

He surprised her by grabbing her bare shoulders and whirling her around so she faced the mirror, him behind her. His sharp chin hovered near the crook of her neck as Changkyun continued, “Do me a favor.”

“Uh, okay?” she hedged.

“Close your eyes and picture the man you want to fuck.”

Her head whipped back as she readied to argue with him, and she realized too late that it all nearly ended in disaster. With his face so close, only a piece of paper could have fit in the space between their lips. Vi recoiled. He did not.

“Im Changkyun!” she scolded as she hurried to return her attention to the mirror.

“You said you’d listen to me,” he reminded matter-of-factly, and her temper evened out.

“Yeah, okay, fine.” She was all too happy to close her eyes now anyway.

“Picture him,” he said lowly. “Everything about him. Not just his looks but the kind of lover you need him to be.”

Resentfully, Vi squeezed her eyes shut. It took much longer than she expected considering she’d been fantasizing about this exact thing night after night for months, but she blamed it on Changkyun’s use of the word “lover.” Finally, though, the haze of her mind began to solidify into a silhouette. The shadow man moved closer, and though she couldn’t make out any of his features, his body began to take shape. Lean, defined, strong. There were tattoos there, though nothing specific besides the fact that there was a sheen of sweat glazing all of them from the hard work he’d been putting in to please her. His movements were confident and intentional from plenty of expertise.

A sliver of light illuminated a pair of lips. Soft. Delicious. The bow just a bit sharp to hint at how wicked they could be but the bottom fuller and smoother with the promise of the sweetest finish.

Vi licked her own lips.

“Good,” hummed Changkyun, and the ice water of reality washed away her fantasy.

“What’s the point of all this, Kyun?” she said both exasperated and desperately eager to move on.

“I want you to see how a dress like this will do more for you than those other ones from before.”

“Okay, but why?”

“When you know what you want and how to get it, you won’t settle for less. Dress for the fuck you want.”

Vi scrunched her nose. “You wouldn’t think it to look at you, but you also go from zero to eleven real quick, man.”

“You have no idea.”

Now she was scrunching her eyebrows.

“See,” Changkyun continued, directing her gaze back to herself in the mirror, “no man’s going to miss this dress even in a crowded club. Everyone knows how sweet a tangerine is, and they’re going to want a piece.”

“Man, you silver-tongued—” Vi cut herself off with a shake of her head. “Okay, yeah. Fine. I’m feeling you now.”

“Good because that dream man you just pictured? This is how you reel him in. There’s no shortage of selfish, lazy fucks out there, but you need a man who understands and appreciates a woman’s body. A dress like this will make him appreciate it. It’s a tease. He’ll have that sweet first taste, and he’ll find himself imagining what more is waiting for him. See the way it cinches your waist? It’s inviting hands to grab right here.”

His hands hovered at the first swell of her hips. Through the fabric, Vi could feel his residual heat like a steam from a mug, but Changkyun kept his distance, and after a moment, they fell back to his side.

“So, you’ve changed your mind about this dress?” he said with a smirk.

“You were right,” she admitted sulkily.

“Mm. And you were worried you’d only be cute… See, with the bow, now you’re something special to unwrap,” he said as he swung her around again, back to the mirror, his fingertips glancing across the tails of the ribbons and, inadvertently, her spine, “but if he’s too desperate to manage that, it’s a short detour to pleasure no matter where you end up.”

Vi imagined for a split second that her best friend’s fingertip had grazed the back of her thigh where the hem hugged beneath her ass, but she knew that had to be a byproduct of the image he’d painted. After all, Changkyun had always been good with words, especially for the kind of sultry music he wrote.

“So we’re done here?” he prompted.

“Yeah, teach.”

“Perfect. Now, take it off.”

It wasn't like the order he had given her to put it on. This—this was quiet… breathy…

Eager.

But when he spoke again, he added flippantly, “I want to get going.”

Vi crashed back down to earth like a payload of bricks. “Fine, then get out.”

She shoved her friend bodily through the door and let out a heavy breath the second she had the space back to herself. She hadn’t realized how heavy and close the air was until she was alone again.

Fast as she could, Vi dressed back in her shorts and oversized hoodie and returned with the orange dress on her arm.

“Okay, okay, we’re done,” she said.

“Actually, not just yet,” corrected Changkyun.

She popped a lush eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t even want to do this part. What else is there?”

He hummed. “I want you to start thinking 4D.”

“As in ‘four dicks’?”

“Jesus, Viola. I mean dimensions. Four dimensions.”

“Well, I don’t know! After all that ‘dream lover’ talk or whatever, I wasn’t sure what channel we were on.”

“Your dream fuckboy has four dicks?” Changkyun asked with a smirk.

“Oh, shut up. I’m eager, but I’m not that greedy. What the hell does four dimensions mean anyway?”

“There's a beauty store around the corner. I'll show you.”

Vi bought the dress, both associates eyeing her and her friend suspiciously, and the realization that they assumed something had happened in the changing room made her wince, but if Changkyun noticed, he didn't acknowledge it.

He took her bag and headed out the front door with her in tow. Her best friend was rarely chatty—usually he left the course of conversation up to her—but Vi had run out of things to talk about. Though it had always been the point of this mission, her mind was fixed on the fantasy Changkyun had ruthlessly conjured, and she couldn't unstick it.

She was so busy riding that sweaty, shadowy tattooed man that she ran right into her best friend's back as he stopped.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Sorry. Daydreaming.”

He studied her for a second before he shifted his attention to the sleek display featuring a rainbow of bottles in the window. “We're here.”

“Hey, this place is fancy,” Vi observed as she looked up at the black-and-white Parisian awning over a gilded double door. “How did you know about it?”

“I buy my cologne here. Here's your next lesson: if you want to be a lure, make yourself a sensory experience.”

“A sensory experience? And you call me a nerd.”

“That means it’s not just visuals, Viola. Your smell, your skin, your—” Changkyun stopped. His lips mashed together as he considered, but after a rough swallow, he continued, “—your taste… this is what will ensure you have the best time because he’ll work harder for you because he’ll want to.”

Vi quirked a brow. “Damn, Kyun. Sometimes it sucks that you're my best friend.”

“It does?”

“Hell yeah. Otherwise, I’d be all over you.”

While Vi fiddled with a few bottles, Changkyun watched her. After a minute, he blurted, “Viola—”

“Can I help you two find anything?” An elegant blonde woman sidled up behind them with a polished smile that twisted into something much more seductive when her eyes caught Changkyun’s face. “Oh, it’s you. Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon. How are you?”

He nodded and gave the other woman a polite smile. “Good, thanks. We’re all good.”

The associate’s smile faltered as she glanced to his companion before she echoed his polite nod and retreated behind the register.

Vi leaned up to her friend's ear and whispered, “Do I spy the next Mrs. One-night-only? Am I going to get to study the master in the wild up close? Ooh, I feel like Steve Irwin.”

“You know my rules,” he replied as he picked up a bottle and idly sniffed it.

Oh yeah, she thought. No familiar faces. No sleepovers. No repeats. How could she forget, especially after her disastrous go at Henry?

Changkyun had a lot of rules for his personal life and perfectly logical reasons for most of them. He wasn't shy about sharing them either. In fact, he laid them out for every woman he'd been with so there were fewer misunderstandings when their time was up. The only thing he refused to explain was why Vi had never seen him with a girlfriend—their entire lives. She had probed plenty of times, but the only thing he'd ever said on the matter was “There's no point.”

Unsatisfied, Vi said, “What if you ran into her at a club first and then saw her here?”

“If I did, you know I’d have to stop using this store.”

“Man, Kyun, I forget how strict you can be sometimes. Am I expected to do that, too?”

“These my rules, Viola. I don’t expect you to follow them the way I do, but you should consider some of your own. If you want to stay unattached, you need rules and the determination to stick to them.”

“You’re right. But I’m not letting some guy run me out of a store I like.”

Changkyun hummed. “That’s my girl.”

Vi returned her attention to the shelves and, more specifically, the price tags underneath. “Oh, man, these are expensive.”

“Real perfumes are,” he replied. “Don’t worry about it just yet, okay?”

“Guess my Vicki Secrets Honeysuckle Apricot body mist isn't cutting it anymore. What's wrong with my signature scent?”

“Nothing,” he assured. “It's perfect for making a man fall in love with you, but that's not what we're going for, is it?”

“Falling in love? Hell no.”

Changkyun smiled that special tight smile, the one that always told her he was holding something back, but it also meant that even if Vi asked, he wasn't going to tell her what it was.

Instead, she directed her attention to the array of glass bottles spaced far enough apart that it drew the eye one by one. Each bottle was an experience, though she expected that came with the price tag. Some were faceted like jewels and others were shaped elaborately like high heels or hearts or even hot air balloons. “Okay, so what is my cheap ass looking at here?”

“Think of the bottles the same way you thought of your clothing,” said Changkyun. “They give you a hint of what’s inside. Dark and seductive. Bright and lively. Deep and powerful. Let your eyes guide you the same as they will in a club.”

Vi looked up and down the rows where four bottles caught her attention. She wanted to grab the quirkier sculpture bottles, but she remembered her best friend’s lessons from the dress shop, and she decided she needed to think more sophisticated. She went for bottles of ruby and sapphire, black and gold, and she lined them up in front of her.

“Okay, now what?” she asked.

Changkyun appraised her choices, though his face didn’t reveal whether she’d done a good job or not. He reached down the line to little cotton strips propped up in a dish and grabbed several. He chose the ruby bottle first and brought the nozzle close to the strip as he said, “We'll spray them on some paper first to see if you like them.”

A quick spritz and then a brief fan of the paper in the air, and he offered it to Vi. Before it even got to her nose, she scowled.

“I don’t like it,” she said.

“Why not?”

“Ugh, it stinks?”

Changkyun shook his head. “No, what’s the note that you don’t like?”

“Kyun, I live my life in fruity body sprays. What do I know about this?”

He glowered at her. “Too flowery? Too powdery? Too masculine?”

“No. It smells like an old lady.”

Changkyun brought the paper to his nose now and breathed. His eyes rolled back as he considered before he said, “Mm, hints of iris and amber and definitely some rose. You’re right, it’s not the scent for you.”

It was Vi’s turn to glower at her friend. “You know, you really know how to flex without looking like it.”

They tried the sapphire bottle next, but this time Vi was clear on why she didn’t like it.

“Too flowery,” she blurted as she recoiled and rubbed her nose.

Changkyun smiled. “You’re a quick learner.”

Unfortunately, neither of the next two bottles were a fit either, and Vi was startling to feel a little defeated. If the goal was for her to be able to make the right picks to reel in the right guys, she was failing miserably, first at the clothing and now at the scents. All her planning showed how little she really knew about the waters into which she was trying to dip a toe.

“You’re doing fine, Viola,” Kyun said, reading her instantly. “It’s not a test. It’s a new experience. You can’t get it wrong. You can just learn from it.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Her best friend studied her furrowed brow and, when she didn’t shake herself out of her funk, he suggested, “How about this? I’ll pick three scents that I think might suit you, and you tell me what you think.”

At this, Vi perked up. Curiosity overwhelmed her as she wondered how Changkyun could possibly sum her up in a fragrance. Only he would propose such a thing.

“Yeah, okay,” she said. “Bring it on.”

He nodded and headed down the row and then another and, in a blink, came back with three bottles as though he knew exactly which ones to grab.

She squinted at him. “That didn’t take very long.”

“Just try them,” he said dismissively.

Vi stared at him a minute longer, but he wasn’t budging and her curiosity was only increasing. She crinkled her broad nose and relented.

The first bottle was shaped like a poison apple, and after a quick spritz, her eyebrows raised. “Okay… Yeah, I actually like this one. It’s got some fruity notes. You know I like those.”

“I do,” Changkyun said with a smile.

“What is that I’m smelling? It’s sweet.”

“Vanilla. That’s a favorite scent for a lot of men.”

Vi bit her lip. “Tasty. I dig that.”

“Leave the paper there for a minute while you try the next. It’ll give the scent a little time to unfold. A good perfume changes over time.”

“Damn, okay, Mr. Nose. I’ll come back. Now, what’s this one?” She picked up a much less dramatic rectangular bottle in a translucent cherry red. It wasn’t one she would have picked up herself, but on first spray, the burst of cherry and almond hit her immediately, and she hurried for a second whiff. “Oh, this one smells delicious! But it’s not like my usual fruity stuff.”

Changkyun nodded. “This one’s darker. That’s the liquor in it.”

“Ooh, yeah? I like that. The guys will want to take a bite.”

Her friend didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to. Another whiff of the paper, and this one had definitely moved to the top of the list for now.

“Give it another minute,” he said and reached for a bowl of coffee beans sitting nearby. “Smell this.”

Vi popped an eyebrow. “Why?”

“It resets the nose. It’s easy to get the smells confused after a while.”

She shrugged and huffed the beans only to find it didn’t smell nearly as strong as she expected, but on second sniff, the coffee scent came through clearer.

“Ready?” Changkyun asked, and she nodded.

The last bottle he’d chosen was shaped like a diamond laying on its side. The black bow and smoky liquid inside gave Vi speakeasy vibes, and something about her drew her in from first sight. She sprayed a fresh paper strip, but she could smell it before she even brought it to her nose.

“Wow. Okay, wow.”

In a rare flash of brightness, Changkyun leaned forward and beamed from ear to ear. “You like it?”

“A lot! Definitely feels like nighttime. Maybe it’s ‘cause of the coffee beans, but I smell coffee in there somewhere. And there’s lots of fruits, too. And flower? Rose maybe? Okay, I don’t know what I’m talking about, but it’s super sexy.”

“Mm. If you want to know if it's a good match, you have to apply it to your skin though,” he said. “Fragrances wear differently on skin. It may smell good on paper, but there’s only one way to know if it will smell the same on you.”

Her friend grabbed her wrist and lifted it up, turning it over in his hand so the back of hers rested in the palm of his, his tan fingers curling around her toffee skin. Changkyun grabbed the bottle, the sultry liquid sloshing inside the glass facets, and he spritzed briefly across her pulse point.

“Give it a minute to dry down,” he instructed.

The first few seconds ticked by quickly, but somehow the next ticked by slower and slower, as though time itself had been trapped in molasses. Maybe it was because she was eager to smell her skin. Maybe it was because Changkyun was still cradling her hand and he’d never done such a thing before, and it was new.

In fact, today, things just felt a little weird between them. Most likely, it was the strain of their mentor/mentee relationship. They’d never had a dynamic like that before; not to mention, Vi had been out of school for several years now, so she hadn’t really planned for assignments and exams and, well, obvious failures of both this late in her life. It was more stress than she’d anticipated, even if her mentor was the person she trusted most.

But Changkyun remained just as unbothered as he usually looked. When he judged the time right, he raised her wrist to his nose and inhaled. Vi waited for him to comment, but he said nothing. Instead, he pushed her hand back toward her and said, “Here. What do you think?”

He guided her wrist to her nose this time, and she breathed in deeply, once, then twice. She closed her eyes and breathed in a third time.

Suddenly, she wasn’t in a store at all, but a crowded club. Strobe lights winked, skirts rolled up thighs, steam wafted off rolling bodies. It was intense, warm, and incredibly intimate all at once.

“Mm,” she murmured, “there’s the fruit and the rose again, but there’s something deeper. Reminds me of something from college. Incense, maybe?”

He hummed. “Patchouli I’d guess, yeah. I’m getting a lot of creamy caramel, too.”

Something about the way he said it made Vi’s brain flatline same as it had in the changing room when he was coaching her. This was the hardest she’d worked on anything since college. No wonder she was stressed out.

She sniffed her skin again and scowled. “You think it's a little strong for me?”

Changkyun stared at her. “Viola, you can pull off anything you want to. You just have to want to. A fragrance like this will give you that aura of confidence that you want.”

“You think?”

“If you let it,” he insisted. “Do you like it?”

“I do.” She paused. “Do you think guys will like it?”

“Without a doubt, but it’s important you love it, too. Just make sure it doesn’t give you a headache. You come first, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Changkyun narrowed his eyes. “I mean it, Viola. Deep-ending things can drown you.”

“I know, Kyun.”

Vi sniffed her wrist again and smiled. She smelled powerful and alluring, and she felt it, too. Her best friend was right. At the end of the day, this was about her and the woman she wanted to be, and she’d never been more grateful to have a man like Changkyun in her corner to remind her of that.

“But it's only for night time, okay?” he said abruptly, and it jerked her out of her thoughts. His back was to her as he returned the other bottles to their sections, though he said over his shoulder, “Don't go wearing that to work.”

Vi laughed. “Why not?”

“Just… don't.”

“Okay fine, man of mystery,” she agreed with a smile.

“Again with the sass,” he scolded. “I’m not trying to be mysterious, you know. I thought I was being pretty transparent.”

“Nothing about you is transparent, Kyun.”

He returned his attention to her long enough to study her face, and then he let out a sigh. He held the bottle in his hand, his thumb polishing one of the facets as he said, “This perfume? It's a love spell. Cast it wisely.”

“I thought we were avoiding love?”

“Different kind of love,” he clarified. “This kind only lasts as long as this scent does.”

“Sounds like you've got a new song in the making,” she teased.

But he remained serious as said, “Don’t waste it on your coworkers.”

With that, Changkyun turned toward the register and the lengthy blonde waiting behind it, who perked the second he headed toward her. Vi hurried to catch up, and when she got there, the associate was already in the back fetching a fresh bottle.

His card was already out of his wallet as he said, “I’ll buy it for you.”

“No, Kyun,” she said waving her hands, “you don’t need to—”

“You weren't expecting to buy it, so I'm not going to make you.”

“But I already owed you dinner to thank you for today.”

“You can take me out another night this week.”

Vi’s eyebrows scrunched. “What about band practice?”

“It’s not every night. Besides, I have to eat, right? You could just swing by one of the nights. The guys would like to see you, too.”

“Okay, fine. I can bring Chicken Box for them,” she suggested.

“And what about for me?” he said with an uncharacteristic pout.

Vi laughed. “All these years, and I’ve rarely seen you jealous. It looks cute on you.”

“I wasn’t going for cute,” he retorted. “I was going for hot.”

She snarled and gave her best friend a shove to his shoulders. “You ass. Maybe I’ll just feed your friends, and I won’t bring you anything at all now.”

“Fine,” he said, hands on his hips as he leaned in with a smug smile. “Then you’ll owe me a private dinner later.”

“Fine,” she responded just as childishly.

For a minute, they stared each other down like it was high noon in the Old West, but Vi broke first, the corner of her lips twitching, and then her best friend followed until they were both laughing as the saleswoman returned.

As soon Vi’s perfume was bagged, Changkyun paid the bill and nodded toward the door. “Come on, let’s get going.”

“Kyun, no more, okay? I don’t know how other people do this much shopping. I’m exhausted.”

“So am I. Now, I’m just hungry.”

At this, Vi perked. “Good. What do you want to eat? The ramen shop Hoseok’s always rambling about is a couple blocks down if you want, or we can get some Vietnamese or Indian. It’s my thanks to you, so it’s your call, but nothing too greasy if you don’t want me falling asleep at the table.”

“Ramen’s good.”

Though Vi was decidedly more extroverted than Changkyun, she loved their easy silences, especially ones like this one. They strolled down the sidewalk under breeze-shaken maples, cars ebbing and flowing like the English Bay. The sun was warm between the skyscrapers, and nearby, silverware clinked in cafes. Sometimes, she would randomly lose her walking partner only to find him stopped somewhere behind her, squinting through storefront displays at Balenciaga or Burberry. Changkyun never said why, but she like to imagine he was dreaming about what he would buy if he made it big with his music someday. He'd always had expensive taste though he rarely splurged.

They stopped at an intersection a block away from the restaurant when a car pulled to a stop at the light, blasting some club pop remix as the driver and passenger scream-sang the lyrics, and a light bulb lit in Vi’s head.

“Hey, that reminds me,” she blurted as she swiveled to face her friend. “What’s the timeline on this mentorship because Tara texted me this flyer that on Wednesday, there’s this DJ—”

Her friend shook his head swiftly. “Wednesday? Viola, no. You’re not ready. You’re nowhere near ready.”

“Not ready? Kyun, we’ve got the bait,” she said as she waggled both handfuls of bags. “Now, we just need a fishing hole.”

“Look, do you just want sex or do you want good sex?”

“Obviously the good stuff…”

“Then pump the brakes,” he said, exasperated. “I feel like you’re not listening to a word I say.”

“That’s not true. I’ve listened to at least five of them,” she replied with a smirk, and Changkyun rolled his eyes.

Just then, her phone rang, and she groped through her hoodie pockets for it. She didn’t have the number in her contacts, but she could have sworn she’d seen it before, so she answered.

“Hello, is this Viola Flowers?” said a rich baritone on the other end.

“Yeah, this is. Who’s this?”

“Oh, hello. This is Son Hyunwoo, from your room. Oh, apologies,” he said immediately. “I mean, I’m the one who looked at renting your spare room.”

Vi pulled to a stop, a big smile on her face. Changkyun stopped, too, watching her with squinted eyes.

“Oh, hey, yeah! I was just talking about you last night,” she said, and her friend tipped his head like a cat unraveling a curious sound. “I’m glad you called. I thought it over, and, yeah, the room’s yours if you want it.”

“Really?” Hyunwoo asked.

“I mean, Minhyuk tried his best to ruin it for you, but if you help me keep his unannounced visits to a minimum, we’re on.”

“I think I can manage that. That’s exactly why I need to move out of his townhome actually. He thinks he’s the lord of the land. I have no room in my life for it.”

Hyunwoo’s tone was so even and serious, it took Vi a lot longer to process his words, and when she did, she brightened. “Was that—was that a pun?”

“I just mean some time apart is meant to be,” Hyunwoo continued unflinchingly. “I need a new sublease on life.”

“I guess it’s not normal wear and tear on your nerves, huh?” Vi prompted, and she could hear the man on the other of the line let out a short, friendly laugh, which made her burst out laughing. She bit her lip to temper her laughter before she trumpeted, “I knew it! It was a terrible pun! And then another? And another? Wow. Just wow. Bad puns are my life blood, but some people don’t really appreciate them.”

She cast a pointed side-eye to her friend, though Changkyun was decidedly unamused. In fact, something about his naturally sharp body lines looked cold and wicked as the steel of a blade.

Vi forced her attention back to her caller and said, “It’s nice to meet another aficionado for the craft of world play. So, you still want to rent the room, right?”

“I do,” Hyunwoo said. “My lease goes through the end of the month here, and I know last time we talked, I said I wouldn’t know if I could even move to the end of the month, but now I’d need to be out by then. Is that okay if it’s a month sooner than I expected?”

“Sooner’s better for me anyway,” she replied.

“Good then. If you have a sublease, can you email it to me so I can review it?”

And he’s responsible to boot? Vi thought to herself, relieved. This was a huge step up from her last disaster of a roomie.

“I’ll send it over when I get home,” she said, and her eyes narrowed. Changkyun had out-paced her now by half a block, hands in his pockets, iris tattoo flexing restlessly. “Hey, Hyunwoo, I’m out right now, so I’ll message you later once I’ve sent the lease, okay?”

“Sounds good. Have a nice day,” said the older man. He had a way of saying things as though he were twenty years older than she was instead of just five.

They said their goodbyes, and Vi jogged lightly to catch up with her best friend, who had already pulled up at the entrance to the noodle shop.

“Okay,” Changkyun said when she got there.

Her brows pinched. “Okay what?”

“Okay, let’s go to this thing on Wednesday.”

Vi dropped her bags to hug her best friend. “Really? Hell yes! Thanks, Kyun.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” he mumbled as she crushed him in her embrace. “We're going to have to work through a lot between now and then to get you ready for the real thing, and I’m warning you upfront that you will not be ready by Wednesday, but we'll go and at least practice.”

“Okay, yeah, that sounds good,” she said as she let him go.

“But we're only doing it if you commit to it this week. We've got a lot to cover, so we'll have to meet up most nights.”

“I can do that, but can you? What about your practices?”

“We can work around them.”

“Yay!” Vi squeaked and then quickly tempered when she remembered the whole purpose of today. “I mean, yeah, sure, sounds good.”

Her friend popped one cool eyebrow.

“We can use my place while it’s still just mine,” she suggested as breezed by him into the restaurant. “Oh, yeah, that reminds me. Hyunwoo said he'd take the room. Sounds like he’ll actually start moving stuff in toward the end of the month.”

“That’s faster than you thought,” said Changkyun. “Didn’t you say he wouldn’t even know if he could move before the end of the month, and now, he’s already moving in?”

“Yeah, but at least that means I won’t have to pay the full rent again next month. My bank account will be happy.”

He hummed and returned his attention to the menu.

After they’d ordered, Vi asked, “So what do you want to cover this week?”

“Priority is safety. It always is,” Changkyun replied immediately.

“Of course,” she said though her annoyance was clear in her voice.

Her friend watched her carefully. “I know that's not the fun stuff, but we have to do it, Viola.”

“You sound like my dad,” she pouted. “But there's lots of other fun stuff on my list.”

“I know, and I'm sure you have it all organized in order of importance.”

Vi squinted at him. “Sass is my thing, not yours.”

“Is it sass if it’s factual? I’ll bet you have it typed up in your phone notepad, too.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. How’s that for mystery?” she said coyly. Changkyun raised a brow, and she sighed as she pulled out her phone again. It only took her a second to pull up her “hot girl” list, and she read, “We’ve covered the clothes and accessories. I won’t need you for the other day-of prep, so I guess what’s left is logistics and technique.”

“Technique?” he asked through a slurp of noodles.

“You know, the sexy eyes and dancing and dirty talk stuff.”

Changkyun choked and thumped his chest with his fist before he gulped down some water. After he recovered from his cough, he said, “You expect me to teach you how to dirty talk?”

“I didn’t say that. You asked what’s left. I’m telling you. I’m not going to make this weird for you. I’ll just learn some lines from porn.”

Thankfully, this time, his chopsticks were halfway to his mouth, and he was spared a second round of choking.

“Please don’t,” he said. “I don’t want you picking up insane or bad habits.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do? You know this is not my wheelhouse, and I want to learn. I don’t want to embarrass myself.”

Changkyun smiled at her in his gentle way, his soft parentheses dimples bracketing it. “I understand, but what’s wrong with just trying a few new things at a time? If it’s a little awkward, so what? It happens. Sex isn’t perfect, Viola. Embarrassing stuff happens. Bad dirty talk isn’t a big deal compared to some of the stuff I’ve seen.”

At this prompt, Vi propped both elbows up on the table and set her chin on her fists. With big eyes, she asked, “Really? Like what?”

He frowned lightly and looked down at their food. “I don’t know if this is—”

“Come on, man, you can’t start a thought like that and not finish it. Make me feel better.”

“Fine,” he relented but lowered his voice. “One girl sneezed right into my mouth when she was riding me.”

Vi reeled back, barely missing knocking over her bowl as she cringed. “Oh my god!”

“And another was deepthroating me, gagged herself, and threw up on me.”

“That’s possible?” she squealed.

“Shit happens,” he said with a shrug.

“New fear unlocked, holy shit.”

Changkyun shook his head. “It was messy, yeah, and kind of gross, sure, but I still got them off before they went home.”

“Are you serious?” she gaped. “How are you so calm about that? I’d die. I’d probably never attempt sex again.”

“Like I said, shit happens. They were working hard for me. I had to make them feel better.”

“I swear to god, Kyun, there’s no other man like you.”

“You’d be surprised what a guy can forgive for the sake of sex.”

Vi deflated. “If there’s anything to make me want to stick to your code to the letter, it’s this. I could never see a guy again if I threw up on him. Catch me under a river rock, bye.”

Changkyun resumed his soup slurping as though he hadn’t just traumatized his best friend for life, leaving her to gnaw on the edge of her lip.

“Food’s getting cold,” he nudged as he took another drink.

“I’ll never eat again,” she swore.

“Hot girls eat well, come on.”

“I can’t stand you and your cool guy schtick. Okay, fine,” she said twirling some noodles into a bite. “So this week, I guess I’ll let you be safety officer first, and then maybe you can point out some hot girl dances moves at the DJ thing? You can be my living mirror.”

“Living mirror?” he echoed.

“Yeah, you know. You can reflect my successes and failures. Point out stuff other girls are doing and then give me tips when I try.”

“If that’s what you want.”

Vi nodded as she gulped down a bite.

“And what about the dirty talk lessons?” he asked.

At this, she pursed her lips. “I’m really not trying to overstep your good will, man. There’s, like, Cosmo articles and shit, I’m sure.”

Changkyun laid his chopsticks across his bowl and narrowed his eyes at her. “No, Viola, I know you. If I don't help you, you'll help yourself, and I don't need you shouting ‘Choke me, daddy’ to a stranger.”

It was Vi’s turn to choke. She banged her fist against her collar bone and downed her entire glass of water.

“Shut up,” she hissed, eyes scouring the restaurant. It wasn’t too busy, but that only made it feel that much louder. “I’m not trying to ruin everyone’s meals.”

“Then I suggest you accept my help.”

Vi glowered at him. “All this time, I didn’t realize you were a blackmailer at heart.”

“Comes in handy in the bedroom, too,” he added.

“I have so much to learn, sempai.”

Changkyun smiled that secretive smile once more. His voice dropped in octave as he promised, “Good because there’s so much I want to teach you.”

[flojouno]

now i’m thinking about hair. i never had black friends growing up. didn’t have a black classmate until freshman of high school, then moved to a different school with no black students in sophomore year. hell i didn’t even have black online friends. now i have more black online friends (i don’t leave the house so black irls is tricky) and even THEN im not very close to them.

so my experience with my blackness has been centered by my family. my dads side is the worst cause my grandma hated black hair (given she grew up when our hair was called nappy and messy). she always complained when i wore it naturally. insulted me and constantly questioned when i’d get it “fixed”. my mom is from the islands so she appreciates it. she doesn’t understand how americans do their afros tho (she kinda just wets the hair and add oil and call it a day. no shaping or anything). i think my sister and cousin are the only ones who know how to take care of our hair! they both keep theirs really short.

i really like color and longer hair. i despise wearing wigs and weaves aren’t for me. it’s either dying my natural hair or braided extensions/other styles like locs or twists etc. i prolly do have more options but my mom does my hair.

it’s so fascinating to think about how other people get their hair done. friends always tell me about how they got their hair cut, dyed and fixed up in salons and barbers. it’s so fascinating and it’s like. a few hour process!! or less!! mine is like a whole weekend thing. never is a one day thing. never. cut the braids shorter, take the braids out, detangle then wash well, and prepare to braid. that alone takes most the day for me. plus my mom does it alone 9/10 of the time. she works on her feet all day so she needs more breaks, we don’t have good spots to have us both sitting while she does it, and taking out my own hair is awful and nearly impossible. do you know how tiring it is to fiddle with the top of your head for hours? that’s a whole workout right there! i can only do so much!

by the time my hair is washed and detangled again i’m exhausted. so is my mom. we usually continue it for the next day. preparing my hair and then braiding. i never learned to braid when i was younger so learning now isn’t ideal on my own head. but my mom and sister help which im so grateful for. i used to be so tender headed when i was little but my mom stopped yanking my hair as hard and now i can handle it better. a lot of my memories are sitting in the chair in front of my mom, me sleeping or on my laptop/listening to music on my phone, while my mom watches her shows. i have thick tight curls and my hair is getting longer each time i take out my braids (which is good since my hair had grown super slow my whole life. i blame all the relaxing and straightening). so getting each braid in is hell.

of course it’s also being braided with the fake hair. whatever color i wanted, and now im getting more creative with the styles! making bangs or putting beads or leaving the ends open or braiding all the way down with charms and stuff. it’s the best way i can do to express myself! it’s my hair! it takes time and effort and work to get my hair done. i’m stuck with it for a while so i better like how it ends! having my hair braided makes my life so much easier, especially since i’ve had depression since 10 years old. it’s been a struggle to take care of myself at all, so having the huge HUGE possibility of my hair getting knotted and matted and dirty was also right around the corner. braiding has been my savior.

not sure what this post is but i like talking about my hair :3 don’t get a lot of chances too. i never realized how much my hair means to me.

[salti-thelatediagnosedautist]

Autism and haircuts support post

Being autistic and getting a hair cut, or even, going to a salon, is such a uniquely terrifying experience.

Not only are we facing many sensory struggles, but we are also facing many social struggles.

Some of the sensory issues from a haircut can be:

The sound of the scissors and/or razor buzzing.

The feeling of hair down your neck.

Wearing that weird cape thing and towels.

Your hair being washed/wet.

Sitting in front of a mirror.

Bright lights.

Lots of ambient noise around you.

Someone else having to touch/tug, stretch out/brush and dry your hair.

Some of the social struggles include:

Having to explain the hair cut you want.

Having to call to book an appointment.

Having to participate in small talk with a stranger, where you are trapped for a long time.

Having to wait for your hair cut in a waiting room with other people.

Being exposed in a vulnerable state, with lots of people walking by and looking through the window.

Not understanding the internal culture and vibes of the hair-dressing industry and the internal culture within specific salons.

It can also aggravate agoraphobia and just general anxiety issues in other ways:

Being in a new place.

Meeting new people.

An unfamiliar process.

Being in a big, white, spacious room like a hospital room.

Tips for hair/grooming business to be more accessible:

Have your process detailed out on your website.

Have examples of haircuts to choose from.

Offer at-home services, or have a sensory friendly chair (with lower lighting, fidget toys, a choice in small talk or silence).

Ask for consent at every new step (are you ready for me to touch your hair? Are you ready for me to spray your hair?)

Offer breaks! It’s hard for a client to ask for a break.

Have online booking available to avoid phone calls.

Don’t play music, or keep it at a lower level.

Don’t have open windows where strangers can look in.

Offer if they want the cape or just a towel.

Offer to let clients do certain parts of the process (brushing out knots, spraying the water on, etc.)

Have disposable ear plugs and sunglasses available.

Tips for making your trip as an autistic person easier:

See if you can book an appointment through their social media (message on instagram or facebook)

Bring fidget toys/sensory aids.

Let the salon know ahead of time your sensory/social needs and preferences.

Bring a friend if possible!

Brush and wash your hair yourself before an appointment.

I hope this helps!

[detkhamani]

Be My Baby | Lumani

Featuring: Luna & Khamani Smith; mentions of Cannon & Dr. Leonard Time Frame: Follow up to this para Notes: Khamani shows up at the hospital to learn of Luna’s new discovery

@lunazuniga

Khamani

Khamani had dropped Cannon off at Kendra's salon, thanking his sister profusely before hurrying to the hospital. The nurse hadn't been very forthcoming over the phone when she called him about Luna, only disclosing that she'd fainted during her appointment and that it was best that she not drive herself home. Had they gone overboard with cutting sugar out from Luna's diet? He'd been supportive and had almost entirely cut out sugar from his diet too, but he sincerely hoped that it was just the doctor and nurse wanting to err on the side of caution. 

After arriving and checking in at the women's health desk, identifying himself as Luna Smith's husband, he waited to be brought back, tempering the anxiousness that was currently agitating him from not physically seeing his wife and seeing that she was okay.

Luna

Elena was tending to a very groggy Luna. She had admitted that she had skipped breakfast to attendg the appointment and the shock of her pregnancy news was a little too much for her to handle. The good thing about the clinic being at the hospital was that Elena was able to pick up a turkey sandwich and some much needed juice. Dr. Leonard advised it would be more than okay.  When he heard that Luna's husband was outside, he left his office to greet him. 

"Mr. Smith, thank you for coming. First, I'll tell you that Luna is doing fine. There was an incident but it's being handled. I know she's cut out a lot of sugar but we'll come up with a more sensible diet plan especially since she'll be needing one now more than ever." His grin widened as he lead Khamani to the patient room. "I'll let your wife share it with you."

Khamani

When the doctor came out personally, Khamani stood from the chair he'd barely seated himself in. He nodded in response to the doctor's greeting and listened intently to what he was being told. An incident? he thought. That sounded vague but he decided not to press the matter for the time being. If asking a bunch of questions out here in the waiting area was going to delay him from actually seeing Luna, he'd keep his mouth shut for now. 

But the doctor was soon smiling--no, grinning at him. So whatever was going on couldn't have been all bad. Maybe Luna's tests were looking better than anticipated. He knew she'd been worrying. He'd been quietly wondering, but unsure of absolutely everything, outside of what he would learn during their appointments and what he felt he could trust doing independent research online. "Okay," he replied, brows furrowing as he followed the doctor back. Some hope bloomed in his chest that he and Luna would be on the right track for conceiving. He knew how hard she'd been working and how much the two of them wanted this. Now, he was just letting himself hope that it could mean something. (edited)

Luna

The doctor was thrilled to bring Khamani to the room and he was excited for him to find out from Luna about the news. When he knocked on her door, Luna asked them to come in. The relief on her face upon seeing her husband was more than obvious. “Hey, baby!” She remained seated, turkey sandwich on her lap. The nurse nodded at Khamani and smiled and then left Luna’s side to follow the doctor out. “I’ll be in my office.”

Dr. Leonard exited the room and Luna looked up at Khamani, reaching for his hand. “I don’t have a never ending stomach flu after all…”

She reached for the photograph of the ultrasound that was face down beside her and handed it to Khamani. “It turns out I have a different bug and it’s ten weeks…”

Khamani

Khamani entered the room behind the doctor and felt indescribable relief at seeing his wife. He knew that she was okay because the doctor had told him as much. Still, seeing her for himself was a greater assurance for him than hearing it from someone else. He gave her a slight smirk and bent to kiss her temple. "Hey, Sunshine," he replied against her skin, and then took a seat in a vacant chair near the exam bed where she was seated. 

He glanced in the doctor's direction when he'd left and then looked back to Luna, holding her hand when she held it out. He gave her hand a light squeeze, "Is it from all the diet change and--" he cut himself off, listening to her while looking down, his brows sloping, and then smoothing out once he flipped over the photo while putting together what Luna was telling him. His eyes grew and then snapped up at her. "You... you mean you're... are you for real? Is this for real?"

Luna

Luna, as giddy as she was, could not shake off the shock of being told that not only she was expecting but that the baby was about ten weeks. "This is for real." She practically squealed and looked up at her husband.  "I have to come back in two weeks for the nuchal scan where they check the baby's nuchal folds but what's super exciting is I can do the genetic test today the...what did he call it? Oh! The Panorama test. It checks for other chromosomal issues but also, we can find out the gender!" Her lips pulled upwards into a bright smile. "It takes a couple of days for the result to come in. But yeah...we're pregnant! Dr. Leonard said he can do another quick ultrasound so you could hear the heartbeat too..." Luna reached for both his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "We're going to have a baby."

Khamani

Khamani was attempting to follow Luna with the medical terms she was bringing up--some sort of folds and tests but admittedly he'd lost track after that while the news of her being pregnant and the words, 'We're going to have a baby' echoed in his head again and again like a pulse beat. With the truth sinking in, he squeezed her hands back. He'd gotten past his relief that Luna was, in fact, okay, and was now fully settled in his mix of shock and joy. He let go of her hands and leaned forward to envelope her in his arms. We're going to have a baby," repeated, giving her a gentle squeeze and burying his face in the crook of her neck. "And you're sure you're okay?"

Luna

Luna giggled softly when Khamani buried his face into her neck. She also wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to let go and felt the tears filling her eyes immediately.  She closed her eyes and sighed contently at his question, "Mm-hmm. I'm okay. Still in a lot of shock but so happy. I freaked out because you weren't here and I really didn't want to do any of this without you." Luna smiled, her body still melted into his arms. "Dr. Leonard says the baby looks great. Everything is where it's supposed to be, my labs have all come back within range. It's really happening."

Khamani

Keeping his arms around her and his face against her neck, Khamani listened to every word his wife spoke. Through his own shock and happiness, she was keeping him anchored. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. But I'm glad they called me. And I'm more glad that you're okay." He lifted his head so that he could look into her eyes. "Relieved's more like it, but yeah, I just... it's really happening." He softly grinned and kissed her cheek. "So what happens now? Do we need to do anything right now, or should I take you home?"

Luna

Finally getting over the initial shock, Luna's mind was on overdrive thinking of all the things she had to do now. She had already missed a small chunk of time and that in itself made her nervous. To hear that her last labs were within range was helpful but she knew she'd have to wait for these labs to feel confident their baby was doing okay. "Mm-hmm, we can go home. I did all my bloodwork so we'll know in a couple of days if everything still looks good. in ten days, we'll get the genetics results back with gender but, I was wondering...how do you feel about waiting to tell anyone about gender and the fact that we're expecting until  the anatomy scan? we'll be 20 weeks by then, halfway through and I would feel better waiting. Is that pessimistic? Am I thinking about it too much?" Luna could already tell she was going to need Khamani to keep her mind settled. "Our families and closest friends like Seb and Tony can know but once we get to 20, we can tell the world?"

Khamani

Khamani could see the wheels turning in Luna's head. He listened to her while drawing back a little bit he moved his hands to settle in hers. As he listened to her, he gave both of her hands a gentle, assuring squeeze and then, considering what she was suggesting and what she asked him, he shook his head a little, "You're not thinking about it too much. This has been a journey already and it's not over for us yet. So I'm fine with us waiting to share the news with everyone. Although if you're showing before twenty weeks, it might be tough to keep quiet but we can keep it to ourselves and our closest loved ones for as long as possible." Lifting one of her hands, he kissed it "As dark as finding out what we're having,  I don't know if this idea will be stressful for you or not, but what do you think about having one or two of our friends find out for us? We can have the doctor put it in an envelope and have someone close to us do some kind of reveal for us or something?" He knew that this was going to have its stresses and worries for Luna especially since she was the one carrying their baby and going through all then physical and emotional changes. But if there could be some fun included for her especially, he would hope they could seize the opportunity.

Luna

She has said it many times before and will say it again, "Thank God for you. Honestly, I'd spiral quickly otherwise." Being a first time to everything was terrifying for Luna but having Khamani's calm around her always helped. "Our kids are so lucky you're their dad, future daddy." She smiled up at him and sighed calmly. Listening to Khamani's idea about not finding out the gender until after their anatomy scan made her light up and a smile pulled at her lips. "I LOVE that idea! Knowing our friends, they'll love it." She brought down her arms, and took one of his hands, squeezing it tightly. "Let's go home. Oh my God! I can't wait to tell Cannon! we need to plan something special for him!"

Khamani

Khamani gave Luna a soft smile. "We make a great team, baby." At that moment, he'd remembered Kendra's panic when she found out she was pregnant with Tyla, and again when she wasn't going to get any support from the father. Khamani would do everything he could to be supportive to Luna through the pregnancy, birth and beyond. And seeing her excitement for involving their friends with the announcement and revealing what they'd be having made him smile a little more. "Sounds good. He's gonna be excited." Thinking about the way Cannon reacted to the playset he and Thomas put together for the little boy, Khamani imagined this news would get an on par reaction. Standing from his seat, Khamani kept his hand in Luna's, prepared to escort her from the exam room and to his car. He'd give Kendra or Rafael a call to arrange for picking up Luna's car later. For now, he just wanted to get her home.