Fresh Cut, Fresh Start (d2 - EM)

[Tristan]

The bells on the door jingles as Tristan pressed it open and stepped into the barbed shot. It was early enough that the place was mostly empty. Only the earliest risers would be in to grab a cut before heading to work. Well, and Tristan.

He looked about, trying to find the man he'd been sent to ask after.

[Redmane]

There is an older man getting a cut and watching the news, Redmane was busy but nodded to the newest customer with a broad smile. A young man was sitting in a chair tapping on his phone his backpack at his feet. Another barber was sitting in his chair watching the news waiting on a customer and having a chat with Redmane and the old man in the chair. The topic is local politics, but they both turn to look at the Summer Lost.

Redmane spoke, "Come in, William can get you right now unless you're here just to talk to me."

William added, "Yeah you want to get cut up by Red Lazyhands you can wait but if you want a fresh cut, I got you fam."

[Tristan]

"Bit of both, truth be told," Tristan said with a politeness that hinted at the warmth within him.

"Wouldn't do to be running around town shaggy as I've gotten," he said, gesturing to his auburn bangs which were just beginning to dip into his eyes.

"Just a trim should suffice - and maybe the word around town if you're amenable to sharing," he finished as he strode towards William.

[Dapper Dog]

William nodded and had him sit and then put the customary white cloth covering over Tristan and inspected the hair before starting and said, "Well it all depends on what you want to know, local sports and who the baddest ladies around here are, you come to the right man. All that goofy weird stuff, you better chat with Big Red."

[Tristan]

"Let's start with the sports then and maybe I'll grab Mr. Red after," he replied with a chuckle, "I'm here for a cross country meet if you know anything about Miskatonic's best runners. Otherwise... They play any rugby down here?"

[Dapper Dog]

"Cross country, now you're pushing it but uh, yeah we got some good runners in the program. Ain't sure about Rugby, football yeah," he responded as he continued cutting.

"Tyrese ain't your school got a decent wrestling coach?" he said to the young man sitting across from Tristan.


Tyrese looked up and said, "Yeah, I guess."

William continued, "I been trying to tell Tyrese he should get on them sports, but you know kids these days."

[Tristan]

Tristan smiled again.

"Still think of myself as one, if we're being honest," he said, nodding at Tyrese, "Feels like some days I'll never get my life together you know?"

He cut his eyes back to the mirror and took in the cut, admiring the word vertigo of seeing the barber work on hair, nestled in antlers he couldn't perceive.

"Sports aren't for everyone of course - what about you? What do you do for fun around here?" he asked, seizing the boy up and deciding that he probably had a few years on him.

He looked to be about the age that Tristan had been when... He shook himself. Ever onward.

[Dapper Dog]

"Man, fuck..." Tyrese started and then was cutoff.

Redmane chimed in, "Language."

Tyrese frowned and said, "Nah, just ain't my thing right now, been on that Fortnite tip you heard? But been trying to get down with Apex or maybe go back to Overwatch and yeet some bi-... dudes. Been building my own rig, you heard, using discarded parts from school, just need a good card, but ain't got not bread for that at the moment."

"Straight cold on the sticks though, ask anyone."

[Tristan]

Tristan shrugged.

"Didn't care for Apex and Fornite myself - too chaotic. Rewards fast twitches over strategy and planning. Fine for instant gratification, but not great for the long term planning. Overwatch, a little bit, but the real stuff was that old school Halo eight on eight capture the flag, you know?"

He stretched his legs out and reclined a bit in the chair, "I was a kid, but like, the days of realizing you and five buds were going to get that flag and trusting two of your own to watch yours - you know? And it went fine until it didn't? ANd then all of a sudden you're carrying a flag back to score and you hear, 'Flag on the move! Warthog left side!' and your like, 'Shit - someone with a Rocket Launcher go solve that shit!'"

Tristant looked sheepish for a moment theen looked over for a moment and shrugged an apology.

"Sorry - language," he said with a half-grin.

[Dapper Dog]

"At least this dude gets it, ya'll old heads still stuck in the past," he said directing the words to Redmane and William.

William responded, "Listen here young buck, while you beep bleeping your phones when I was your age I was out hustling trying to make a dollar out of nickels and dimes. My father marched to make sure you ain't got to drink from no colored fountain, so give some respect for us Old Heads."

Tyrese countered, "Yeah, yeah... your daddy marched, he gets mad respect from me... you, I done heard what you was you up to. Anyway Halo was like before my time, played it some though. Everyone round here is on that sports tip; but there's a tournament at the college gonna be lit."

William responded, "E-sports, what kind of junk is that, you ain't no athlete sitting around a TV playing them games."

Tyrese frowned and added, "See, old heads don't get it."