A/N: So, I would have gotten this chapter out yesterday, but just as I was on the last page for editing, my desktop went out on me. It just. . . went to sleep, and hasn't woken up since. Also, I wasn't able to save all my edits before it happened, so I had to re-edit this chapter again on my tablet, so here you all go. . . Sorry for the delay, and I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 35: Makeover Day Pt. 4
Normal POV
"Damn my hair is starting to really itch. . ." Gaara whispered as he scratched the back-left side of his scalp, ignoring the hot air that was pouring down from the dryer as he did it. He knew he was in the last stages of his makeover, and judging from how dry his hair currently was, it wouldn't be long until his stylist would bring him over to the styling area to get his hair shaped up.
After rectifying the itch, the redhead looked around the salon to see how everyone else's makeovers were going. Though some only had miniscule changes done to their looks, he couldn't help but feel that the level of competition had only increased a lot since they first arrived at the salon. Some of the finished looks heightened certain features of his fellow models, while others looked completely transformed.
Case in point: Sasuke.
Gone was the bird butt, and in its place was a longer, sleeker look that made him look more edgy and mysterious. Gaara had already determined that the Uchiha was one of the strongest models on the men's side, but dammit, he became a stiffer opponent in a few hours' time.
"His look has definitely improved, but damn, I have the sinking feeling that Sasuke is going to be a bit more unbearable from this day forward. . ." The redhead thought as he moved his gaze along the styling area, stopping when he spotted his sister and Izuka talking a few seats away. ". . . Now what could they be talking about over there?"
He watched them as they spoke, both of them whispering as they waited for their respective dyes to set in their hair. In a matter of minutes, Izuka's face was a myriad of emotions, from bemused, to astonished, to even a bit of awe.
On the other hand, Temari looked constantly pleased with herself, way too pleased with herself for Gaara to be fully comfortable with.
The occasional glances she made his way only served to increase his suspicions even more.
"Temari, what the hell are you telling her over there?!" Gaara grumbled as his stylist walked over. After checking to make sure that his hair was thoroughly dry, she turned the machine off before the two walked over to the styling area, just as Temari and her stylist were leaving it.
Gaara was quick to notice the smug grin that appeared on his sister's face as they passed each other, his eyes narrowing as she looked straight ahead once she caught him staring. Figuring he wasn't going to get any answers from her anytime soon. the redhead took a deep breath as he was directed to sit in a chair, knowing that Izuka was gonna be his best bet in getting the answers he sought.
Conveniently enough, his seat was the one directly opposite the one that Izuka was sitting in.
"Long time no see Gaara," she mumbled, leaning past her mirror to get a better view of him. "I see you're almost done."
"Yeah, pretty much," He admitted as his stylist picked out a pair of scissors from the disinfectant jar on the counter. "Once my hair is all trimmed down and smoothed out, I should be good to go . . . What about you?"
"It's still going to be a while," She admitted, pointing to her scalp. "The dye needs to set in a little more, and then I have to get it rinsed out and cut . . . It'll be worth the wait once it's all over though."
"It should be," Gaara agreed as his stylist went to town on his auburn locks. "Silvery blonde right?"
"That's the plan!" She said, smirking at the thought. "It should separate me from Temari's platinum blonde look at least."
"So Temari's platinum blonde now huh . . . Interesting," The redhead mused, now realizing that Izuka has unintentionally given him his way in. "Speaking of my sister, I couldn't help but notice that you and she were having quite the conversation while I was over at the dryers"
"Oh, you noticed huh?" She asked, her face inquisitive as Gaara calmly nodded. "Let me guess: You want to know what we were talking about, am I right?"
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't . . ." He was willing to admit, hating that he was appearing so obvious. "So, just give it to me straight. What did you and my sister talk about?"
"Huh, Temari did mention that you would be curious. . ."
Gaara's eyes widened slightly when he heard that. "She noticed how much you were watching us while we were talking."
"I should have known," The redhead grumbled, resisting the urge to slump into his seat. After all, he didn't want his stylist to make a mistake because he didn't have the courtesy to keep still for half an hour. "Did she convince you to not tell me what you guys were talking about before she left?"
"Nope, she told me no such thing, but . . ."
"But? But what?" He asked, just as Izuka's stylist walked up behind her chair.
"If you still want to know, you're gonna have to wait a little longer to find out," She conceded as the man gestured for her to stand up. "For now, I have to get this dye washed out. See you later!"
"I'll take your word for it," Gaara announced as she and her stylist walked by him, his position making him unable to see the small smirk that lined her face as she walked by him. ". . . Do you think she'll keep her word Mai?"
"I think so . . ." HIs stylist quietly admitted, smirking as she guided Gaara to turn his head to the left. ". . . However, she seems like someone that won't make it easy for you though."
"Yeah, I had a feeling that you were going to say that."
Back to Izuka's POV
It was obvious that Gaara really wanted to know what me and Temari talked about from the moment he sat down across from me. She had warned me that her brother would be a little suspicious of us, but she didn't make me promise that I would keep everything a secret.
She said that I could do what I wanted with the stories she told me, but despite them coming from her perspective, Gaara was still the central focus of all of them, so if I told anyone else about them, it would still feel like I was betraying the redhead's trust on the matter somehow.
I wanted to tell him what I learned, but not yet. Temari mentioned that Gaara can get a little antsy when he's not in the know on something, and for some reason, I wanted to test that theory to see it for myself.
I won't string him along forever though; just until we have to go to the sleep center later.
With it only being the two of us, we should be able to talk more freely with each other then . . Well, as free as a place with sleep specialists can be.
But again, that was for later.
Tai didn't take long to wash out all the dye that he coated my hair with, but when I dared to move some of my hair into my line of sight, he actually swatted my hand away before I could even touch it.
"I know you want to see the end result, but not just yet!" He warned, smirking as he dried my locks. "Now stand up! Back to the styling area for you missy!"
I couldn't help but pout at that, but I trusted his judgement and kept my mouth shut as I followed him back to the styling area. Gaara was a little further along in his haircut when we returned, his hair much smoother than it was before.
However, his eyes weren't on me as I sat down in my chair.
They were firmly planted on Temari, who was smiling like a kid in a candy shop as Mika put rollers in her hair. For her part, the now-platinum blonde ignored the redhead, choosing to look at anything else that wasn't her brother.
It was kinda funny; like something out of a comedy.
Gaara didn't look so amused though. He looked like he wanted to blurt something out but didn't know how to start things off.
"Um, what's going on here?" I dared to ask as Tai started combing through my wet locks with his fingers. "Are you two okay?"
"I'm trying to get Temari to open up about what she exactly told you earlier," Gaara matter-of-factly claims as he stared holes into his sibling.
Well, he tried to, but there was a bit of beauty equipment in the way. "As you can see, she's not being very forthcoming with the information."
"It's nothing that you should worry your pretty little head over, little brother," Temari counters, her grin still in place. "Everything that I told Izuka was purely from my perspective. It was purely from what I saw with my own eyes."
"That's what I'm worried about . . ." Gaara mumbles before turning to me. "I hope you're more forthcoming than her . . . Please, just put me out of my misery Izuka. What did my sister tell you?"
"Oh no! You are not using the 'put me out of my misery' strategy to get what you want! Not this time Gaara!"
"Wait a minute. . ." I mumble, spotting the guilty look that crossed the redhead's face. "This is a strategy that he's used in the past?!"
"It's his way of getting people to tell him stuff when he starts feeling suspicious about something, and yes, it has surprisingly worked over the years, quite effectively, if you would believe it," Temari is quick to say, smirking at her brother's discomfort. "If it wasn't for me, you would have, possibly, been his latest victim."
". . . It was worth a shot," We hear Gaara quietly admit from his seat, unable to look away thanks to his stylist keeping an iron grip on his hair. "Sorry, I guess I'm crossing a line here, aren't I?"
"You think?!" Temari deadpanned, speaking before I could even muster a coherent thought.
"You were coming off as a little pushy there for a second Gaara," I add, his face flushing almost immediately at my words. "Hmm, I just have to ask . . . Do you really get that irritated when you know that people are talking about you, or is it just when your siblings do it?"
"It's not that. . ." Temari states, her grin only getting bigger as Gaara's face continues to look flustered. "I think he only gets like this when Kankuro or I talk about him with someone he, well . . . may like."
"That he may like?" I ask, too curious with Tsunade's word choice to even look at the redhead for the moment. ". . . What do you mean by that Temari?"
"Alright Gaara! You are good to go!"
His stylist's words bring my attention back to Gaara, Temari's words now momentarily forgotten as I watch the woman take the styling robe off his body. His spiky hair was a far cry from what it was this morning. Most of the spikes had been smoothed out or cut down, making him look less like he got electrocuted, and more like he had been caught in a gentle wind tunnel.
Overall, he looked more sophisticated, like he finally figured out how to use a comb after all these years.
"Aww, you look so much more polished now!" Temari cheers as Gaara checks himself out in the mirror. "Dad is going to be so happy when he sees your new look!"
"His dad and him have argued over his hair in the past, haven't they?" I ask, smirking as I spot Kakashi and Tsunade approach us with eager looks on their faces.
Well, Tsunade looked eager.
I can never tell with Kakashi due to the masks he always wears.
"It's pretty much a given every time we have to appear with him during a public event," Temari concedes, smirking as the two judges look over Gaara's hair.
"Looks like you have another one ready to go Kakashi!"
"Indeed, I do," Says the silver haired man as Gaara's stylist quickly combs back a few wayward locks on his right side. "C'mon Gaara. It's photo time."
"Ok . . ." He states as the man walked off. Before he follows after him, he turns back to us, his face impassive as he starts backing away. ". . . We'll talk later."
"I have a feeling that was directed more to you than to me." Temari teases as Tsunade silently observed the both of us.
"And I have the feeling that you two and Gaara had quite the conversation before Kakashi and I walked over here," Tsunade muses as the last of the rollers were placed in Temari's hair. "Am I close?"
"Something like that . . ." Temari cheekily admits as her stylist gestures for her to get up. "If you excuse us."
"By all means!" Tsunade concedes as Temari and Mika walk over to the dryers, her eyes now squarely on me. ". . . So, how's the makeover going so far?"
"It's definitely a long process," I say as Tai picks up a pair of scissors from off the counter. "The dyeing is all done, just gotta get through the cutting and drying now."
"Have you seen your silver hair yet though?" she asks, smiling as she gestured to my scalp. "Of course, it's not done, but it already looks so amazing. It really brings out the gray tones in your eyes already!"
"No, I wanted to see it while I was at the sinks, but Tai stopped me from even looking at a single strand," I say, pointing up to the smug man who I trusted my hair to. "I haven't taken a good look in the mirror just yet . . . How short am I going again?"
"I was thinking shoulder length, but it looks like someone doesn't agree," the blonde mumbles as she too looked at my smirking stylist. "What are your thoughts Tai?"
"Shoulder-length is a good stopping point, but I think we can take it shorter," he admits, showing her just how far he wanted to take it, stopping about half an inch above the base of my neck. "I think she can handle it."
"Hmm, maybe . . . It's best that we get another opinion though," Tsunade mumbles as she looks around the room, swiveling her head till she finds the person she sought. "Kurenai! Can you come over here for a second?"
"Sure!" She had been busy overseeing the weaves but drops it once Tsunade calls her over. "What's up?"
"We agreed that Izuka's hair was going to get cut shorter after it was dyed. However, what we can't agree on is what the length should be," The woman explains as she points to my hair. "I say that she should go shoulder-length, while Tai thinks it should go a little shorter than that."
"I was thinking this much," he tells her, showing how far he wanted to take it. "Since we couldn't agree on the length, we wanted another opinion on the matter."
"And thus, I was called to break the tie," Kurenai concludes as she looks down at my locks, taking a good moment to really get a look at my hair before rendering her verdict. ". . . Sorry Tsunade, I'm leaning more towards my employee on this one."
"How come?"
"Two words: bone structure," She announces as she gestures to her own face. "When you move her hair out of her face, Izuka's cheekbones become a little more pronounced. I think if you want to bring out her cheekbones more - and you should, because her cheekbones are adorable and should be featured more - you should go shorter than shoulder length, and add some layers for volume too while you're at it, but that's just my opinion of course."
"An opinion that I very much respect," Tsunade concedes, her words leaving Kurenai beaming as she slowly walked away. "Okay Tai. You win! We'll go with your idea, and make sure you get them layers in as well. . . Izuka, you may want to prepare yourself."
"I've been bracing myself since this makeover first started," I admit, my eyes widening when I heard a couple of snips. It wasn't long before Tai showed off the amount he cut off, smiling in delight as he waved it around like a fish that he just caught from the lake. ". . . Already?!"
"I figured you were distracted enough that you wouldn't notice until after the main cut was done," He says with a grin as he handed me my snipped ponytail. ". . . Now then, it's time to straighten up these ends."
"Have fun . . !"
It wasn't hard to hear the smile in her voice as she walked away, but I was so distracted by my ponytail to even notice her go.
Y ~ W ~ B ~ O ~ T
Another hour and a half passed before my makeover was complete, and much to my stylist's excitement, I fell in love with the end product once the final strands were snipped away.
Gone was my long, pale blonde locks, and in its place was a silvery blonde, layered bob that ended a little above my collarbone. I never imagined myself with such a high fashioned look, but damn, now that I see it for myself, I was ready to take on the next photoshoot with my head held high.
"Oh, my goodness, it's so beautiful!" I say, gently touching the strands with my fingers.
"I know right?!" Tai says, grinning from ear to ear as he cleans up his scissors. "The color just brings out your eyes, and I knew the cut was definitely a good choice for your cheekbones . . . I would say more, but it looks like you have a photoshoot to get to."
"You would be right on that account," says Kakashi as he appears in the mirror on my left. "It's time to head upstairs, but from one silver haired beauty to another, welcome to the club!"
A/N: Please review!
