Staring in the bathroom mirror, trying to smash and yank his hair back into place, Phoenix groaned. There was a pair of scissors sitting next to the sink, and chunks of black hair scattered over the counter and floor.
"What made me think that this was a good idea?" he muttered to himself as he wielded a comb with deadly force through his hair.
Normally, a bad haircut wouldn't have fazed him since Phoenix had grown accustomed to wearing a beanie everywhere, but it was the day before his triumphal comeback to the world of trial law, and he wanted to look at least somewhat professional, even if he didn't want to shave. It had been Trucy's idea for him to cut his own hair, to save money that they didn't have, and it had seemed like a good plan at first.
"It's easy!" Trucy had exclaimed, "All you have to do is take off the same amount everywhere! It's not like you have a fancy haircut or anything!"
However, Phoenix had forgotten one important detail – one needed to be able to see the hair to cut it well, and contrary to what his mother always told him when he was growing up, parent's didn't have eyes in the back of their heads. The end result of his foray into amateur barbering was that he looked like a madman had gone after him with a pair of gardening shears. No amount of gel and combing seemed to help. The hobo-turned-reinstated lawyer sighed, resigning himself to looking ridiculous in court the next day.
"Daddy!" Trucy called from the front room. "Mr. Gavin is here!"
"I'll be out in a minute, sweetie," Phoenix yelled back, poking at his hair one last time with the comb futilely before setting it down next to the scissors.
"There's no need, fraulein, I can wait for him over here," the sound of a smooth German-accented voice overriding the protests of his daughter heralded Klavier's approach and Phoenix groaned again, putting his face in his hands. What a time for the fashion-conscious prosecutor to have come visiting….
"Herr Wright, I wanted to wish you good luck tomo—what happened to you?" The look on Klavier's face – a combination of horror and fascination – would have made Phoenix laugh at any other time; at that moment, however, it just confirmed the suspicion that he was doomed to not be taken seriously whenever he entered a courtroom wearing a badge.
"I had an accident involving electricity and a pair of scissors," he replied dryly, poking at his ruined spikes.
"That's some accident," Klavier said, a tone of disbelief in his voice. "Who did this to you?"
"Daddy decided to try and cut his own hair," Trucy chimed in from behind Klavier, who tried to stop himself from smirking.
"Ah, going for an avant garde look, Herr Wright?"
Phoenix gave him an unamused look. "It sounded easier than it actually was."
Klavier laughed, prompting a slight glare from the defense attorney. "You tried to cut your own hair for the first time before a trial, Herr Wright? Why not have the young fraulein do it for you?"
"Daddy wouldn't let me. He thought that I would get too creative and ruin it."
Before Klavier could say anything, Phoenix held a hand up. "Not a word."
"I wasn't going to say anything." The prosecutor's expression said that he was thinking plenty, though.
"What am I going to do? I don't think my hat will be allowed in court."
"As charming as seeing you in your old blue suit paired with that hat would be, I have a better solution."
"You do." It was less a question than a skeptical statement, Phoenix's eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline.
"Ja."
"Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"Patience, Herr Wright." Klavier smirked, and pointed dramatically. Phoenix could almost ihear/i the background music that was running through the prosecutor's imagination. "Today we cut it my way!"
"…You're kidding, right?" The lawyer was torn between laughing hysterically and hitting his head against the wall. "What does that even mean?"
"I shall cut your hair for you, and salvage your appearance!" Klavier's enthusiasm was almost palpable, yet somehow that only made Phoenix more wary.
"You… can cut hair. Sure."
"You doubt my abilities, Herr Porcupine? I've been cutting and styling my own hair since I was fifteen." Klavier's hands found their way to his belt loops, and he leaned forward.
"Actually," Phoenix muttered, "that explains a lot." He sighed heavily, throwing his hands into the air. "Why not. It isn't as though it can get much worse."
"Wunderbar! Fraulein, can you please get a chair for Herr Porcupine to sit on? Set it in the living room." Klavier smiled at the young magician, who scurried off with a giggle to do as instructed.
"Wait, the living room? What's wrong with doing it in here?"
"I want you to be surprised when you see the outcome." Holding one hand out, Klavier pointed to the comb and scissors, which Phoenix handed to him.
"I don't think that this can get much more surprising, honestly. But sure." Shrugging, the lawyer strode to the front room, where Trucy was waiting with the chair.
"Sit down and relax, Herr Porcupine. Let me take care of you."
"Relax. Exactly my first inclination when someone comes at me with a pair of sharp scissors." Phoenix grinned wryly and sat. "I'm in your hands, Mr. Gavin. Do your worst."
"I'll make you eat those words, Herr Wright," Klavier said softly as he ran the comb lightly through Phoenix's ruined hair.
"I dare you to," Phoenix murmured as his eyes slipped shut. Having someone else touching his hair was surprisingly relaxing. Klavier had a different feel to his hands, applied a softer pressure than he would have himself. It was nothing like the infrequent trips to the barber, where they would wet his hair down and cut as quickly they were as professionally able to in order to free the seat up for the next customer in line. Klavier took the time to run his fingers through Phoenix's hair behind each of the comb strokes, and it was almost as though a lover was touching him.
Phoenix was almost on the verge of sleep when Klavier finally took up the scissors. His fingers continued to work their way through Phoenix's hair, interrupted by the faint sound of hair being clipped. In itself it too was soothing, and the lawyer let himself drift as Klavier hummed something softly. In the back of his mind, Phoenix recognized it as one of the Gavinners' songs, one that Trucy frequently had on repeat in her room.
Through the haze of relaxation, Phoenix sighed in contentment. Even if Klavier did nothing to improve his haircut, he would consider it an evening well spent. It certainly was better than fretting about the trial the next morning. Even if he had fooled everyone else into believing that he was beyond worrying about anything, he still carried the old habit of getting butterflies in his stomach before a court appearance. AT least he had something pleasant to take his mind off of the nerves.
"I never apologized to you, Herr Wright," Klavier said in a low voice over the swishing of the scissors in Phoenix's hair. It was enough to pull him out of his stupor somewhat.
"Hmm? For what?" His voice was thick with grogginess, and Klavier laughed softly when he heard it.
"For seven years ago. I owe you an apology for ruining your career." The humor was gone and there was a solemn seriousness about him as he ran his fingers through the hair at Phoenix's crown.
"Ah… I see. I didn't think that you would still be dwelling on that, even after I forgave you. Does it look like my career is ruined? It just got put on hold for a while."
"You forgave me…?" Klavier paused, before chuckling. "It seems I've been worrying for nothing all this time."
"You have been, so stop." Sitting up straight, Phoenix glanced back at Klavier and gave him a cheeky grin.
"You're finished," Klavier announced, setting the scissors down and effectively changing the subject. Impulsively, Phoenix brought a hand up to his head and felt his hair.
"It feels… short."
"I had to take some off to fix what you did to it. You'll like it." Klavier smirked at the defense attorney and pointed toward the bathroom. "You can look now."
Standing, Phoenix brushed off the hairs from his shoulders. "What if I don't?"
"You will," the prosecutor replied confidently.
A sarcastic retort was cut short as Phoenix approached the mirror and saw his reflection. The butcher job of less than an hour before had been replaced with a stylish cut that enhanced his hair's natural tendency to spike backwards without requiring any product to keep it in place.
"…Color me impressed," he said with a tone of genuine admiration.
"I knew you'd like it, Herr Porcupine." Klavier came up behind Phoenix, a look of smug satisfaction on his face as he admired his work.
"Yes, yes. You told me so. I'm sufficiently proven wrong. Now—" Whatever he was going to say was forgotten as Klavier blew a warm breath across Phoenix's neck, making the older man shiver.
"You had some hairs on your neck," Klavier explained, though the look in his eyes told Phoenix that he had gotten exactly the reaction he was looking for.
"Nnh. So what do I owe you for saving my reputation?" he asked, trying to maintain his composure.
"I don't know… I did to the world a service. So I deserve something big, ja?" The younger man mused for a moment as Phoenix stared at Klavier's reflection in the mirror. "Ah, I know. Tomorrow evening, you must celebrate your victory with me."
"Is that so? Guess I'd better not lose then, hm?" Phoenix laughed, and Klavier put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll meet you outside of the courthouse, Herr Wright. Don't disappoint me."
"I won't." Their eyes met in the mirror.
"Good. Enjoy the haircut." Turning abruptly, Klavier left the bathroom, and bid Trucy goodbye in fading tones as he showed himself to the door, leaving Phoenix alone as he contemplated the events of that evening.
Well. It was hard to turn down a challenge like that.
He'd just have to show Klavier – and the world – that he was back. A free dinner was certainly incentive enough. And who knew what would follow?