It was at that one faithful late afternoon when Emma saw something she didn't believe she would ever witness.
She was doing her usual round around the Institute, collecting plates and kitchenware that were left unretrned. It was mainly Julian's habit of doing so, especially when he was having his inspiration and muse kick in in the middle of the night and he would get hungry so he would snack and create art in his room till dawn and Emma would try to be as helpful as she could be and check up on him.
It was the same this time as well. But instead of catching Julian brushing angrily at the canvas or just simply trying to get some lines and coloring right, she found him at his desk with the laptop on, watching what looked like an advice video. He still hadn't noticed her, so Emma took the opportunity to snoop around more. It was a hair tutorial. Emma smiled warmly before nearing him slowly.
''I didn't realize you wanted to grow your hair long.'' She whispered in his ear. Julian jumped at the sudden sensation. He was surprised she was that close to him and he hadn't noticed it. He could usually feel her coming down the hall, feet apart from each other. Not because she was loud. It was the feeling. Somewhere deep in his soul, he could feel her. Maybe this was a part of being parabatai.
''I didn't hear you coming.'' He said and looked at her.
''I noticed.'' She mocked him playfully. ''Are you doing some sort of research? Or do you need to come out to me?''
''What? No, no. It's just that I want to be helpful to the girls as much as I am to the boys and I am trying to learn how to dutch braid, but there are so many styles and so much hair and I just don't know what to choose.''
''You first need to try it, to know if you can actually braid.''
''But I want to surprise Livvy and Dru with what I've learned, not test it on them. I want them to come to me when they want their hair done. I don't want them to miss out on anything just because we've lost our mother.''
Emma got his point. He was more of a father to his siblings than a brother. He loved them so so much, sometimes she wished she had a brother like him, or at least her parents back. Emma took a smaller chair and pushed Julian aside. She sat on the chair in front of him and let her hair loose, her curls falling beautifully on her back.
''Try on me,'' she told him without turning back. ''I will lend you my hair for practice until you become the master of Dutch braids.''
Julian just stared at her hair. It was such a beautiful color. It seemed to change constantly and every time he drew it, he felt there was no color in the world that could capture her real one. He also suddenly realized that Emma rarely had her hair down and it was now that he noticed how long it had gotten. It was the also the first time he was going to touch her hair. For that purpose, like that.
He gently and nervously put his hands on her hair and let the sensation take over him. Her hair was soft, silky and heavy in a way. He could feel the weight of it and he was surprised that something like this, something so gentle and vulnerable felt so strong in his hands. Julian let his fingers run through her hair and its length. He liked playing with strands of her hair and twist them around his fingers and watch them change color because of the lightning and the angle.
''You do realize that the video is playing and you have done nothing, but finger brush my hair?'' Emma interrupted his thoughts. Julian, immediately let go of her hair as if was caught doing something bad, something he was not supposed to. Even to himself, it seemed strange that he felt that way. He was sure he hadn't done anything wrong, but then again why did he feel the way he felt?
''Yeah, I just.. I was trying to smooth it out and get rid of knots if there were any.''
''Ok. Just make sure you separate it evenly into three different parts.''
It had seemed easy when he watched the video by himself, but it was a real struggle when he actually had to do it. He was struggling so hard with all the hair and keeping up with the pace of the video and the position he was in that he somehow managed to tie his sea glass bracelet, which was a gift from Emma, in her hair.
''Ow, ow ow ooooouch Jules!'' She screamed and caught his hand by the wrist to prevent him from moving and pulling more hair out than he already did. ''NOT LIKE THAT!''
''I am sorry, I AM SO SORRY.'' He was so worried at the thought of causing her pain, the only thing he could think of as a good idea was to get away from her.
''Stop pulling, Jules STOP PULLING! Stay like this, if you don't pull, it doesn't hurt.''
''Okay, okay. Oh, Ems, I am so sorry.''
''Ok, I need a mirror, so you are going to help me get to the bathroom, without you pulling away, and free my hair from the bracelet ok?''
Julian just nodded and carefully helped Emma and himself get up on their feet. Their walk to the bathroom was ridiculous and both of them were glad that there were no witnesses. With Julian's left hand stuck in the right part of her head and Emma in front of him, he was giving his best not to pull away from her, but at the same time, he also tried not to trip her. They were pretty close to each other which they only noticed when they were standing in front of the mirror in his bathroom.
''Okay, this is a hot mess right there,'' Emma told herself as she looked at the situation happening on top of her head. ''Okay'' She let out a breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Julian was sure she was about to start screaming so he braced himself for what was coming. Emma still had his hand in a tight grip around the wrist to make sure he didn't move an inch. She let go of his hand slowly and turned herself around, standing close in front of him. ''This way it will be easier for you to untangle.''
''Wait, me?''
''No, the Angel Raziel! Of curse you! Who caused this mess?!''
''I don't know how to untangle!''
''Well it is your lucky day to learn! How do you see me doing this myself when we ourselves are tangled?''
''Ok, ok. I can do this.''
''Just be gentle and slow and turn a bit to the right so that I can see what you are doing in the mirror and I can help with what I can.''
It was a good five minutes since they were struggling with it, but after five more and multiple position changes and turning and whatnot, Emma's hair was free of the bracelet. Julian got so excited when he managed to free it, he didn't realize that the tiny hairs still stuck to it hurt the most when pulled.
''Ouch! There is still hair. Wait wait wait!'' It was too late, he had pulled his hand away and Emma was now viciously scratching her scalp.
''Oh my god I hadn't realized.'' He started patting her hair and smoothen the ruffed up strands. He was still as close to her as he was in the beginning. So close that Emma could smell his scent and get drunk on it, he also felt her breathing close to his throat. It was then that he realized he was stroking her hair for way longer than accepted and that they were also looking at each other. He gave her a few slower last pats on the head before taking a step back. Both of them were lost for words and didn't know what to make out of the situation so they just stayed like this for a little longer.
''Do you want to give it another go?'' Emma asked him suddenly while she was checking her hair in the mirror, locking eyes with Julian through the mirror.
''You mean, you would let me touch your hair and experiment with it after this disaster?'' He was stunned by her generosity and bravery. This was big for Emma.
''Well, as your parabatai I am always there for you, but I also have to prevent Dru and Livvy from experiencing something like this. Jules, you need to get better before you are allowed to touch their hair.''
''Great, now I am a potential threat to my own sisters.''
''This time, make sure to follow the instruction AND to pause the video when you feel like you need time, okay?''
_
Later that night as Livvy was looking for her brother since she had noticed his missing presence at dinner, she saw him getting tutored by Emma how to braid her hair. Livvy found it sweet how much effort he put into making everyone happy and to what extent he went. He could always ask Emma for this type of stuff, but he wanted to be there for his siblings, she knew this. She knew how hard he was working to make the family happy.
''See this part goes benaeth and then you take this strand over -''
''Wait, wait, pause the video,'' Julian told her, a hair tie in his mouth.
Livvy smiled happily as she was making her way down to the training room, their voices still audible in the hallway. Maybe this was one of the reasons they ended up spending so many nights in each other's rooms, she thought to herself as she turned the corner.