Major Malfunction (Sequel to American Heroes)

Total Badasses

The moment Will opens his eyes, he's met with the sight of El staring down at him. His whole body flinches. "What-"

Grinning, El grabs his arms and pulls him to his feet. "Come on! I have an idea!" She yanks him out through the hall and into the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" Will asks as she rummages through the drawer beneath the sink.

She hops back up wielding a pair of scissors. Will looks at her warily. "Haircut," she explains.

"Who? What?"

Rolling her eyes, she shuts the door and turns on the faucet. Will jerks back when she reaches her hand for his hair. She eyes him. "We're supposed to be changing things up. That's what you said."

"I never said you could cut my hair!"

"So you don't want to change it up?"

"Not-" Will stares at himself in the mirror. His same old boring self. He hasn't changed much for most of his life. Same haircut. Same clothing style. He's taller, that's for sure, but other than that, it's like he's still that twelve year old kid who got abducted in his shed almost three years ago.

He looks back at El who's holding up the scissors and watching him eagerly. Taking another glance at himself in the mirror, he lets out a sigh. "Okay, fine. But-" He holds up a hand when El reaches for his hair again. "First, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

"It's a surprise."

"That's not very comforting."

She huffs, slumping her shoulders. "Do you trust me?"

"That's not the problem here."

"Will."

"Okay, fine. Just don't make me look like an idiot."

Letting out a laugh, she gives a shake of her head and moves him to lean over the sink. "I won't." She goes to work on his hair, chopping off a chunk from the side.

"I swear, if you make me look stupid, I'm never leaving this house again."

"I said I won't."

"Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Mhm. I saw it in a magazine."

"Saw what in a magazine?"

"The haircut."

"So, you don't know what you're doing."

"Will."

"Okay, fine. I'll shut up."

After a few minutes of snipping away at his hair, El grabs the electric razor from the counter, plugs it in, and brings it to the side of his head. Will jerks back. "Woah, what are you doing with that?"

"Shaving it."

"Shaving what?"

"The sides." When Will gives her a sheepish look, she rolls her eyes and presses her hand to the back of his head, pushing him back down to the sink. "You said I could do it, so let me."

"What are we doing with your hair? Do I get to cut it?"

"Just wait until I'm done with yours."

"Okay, okay. Just hurry up. We can't be late for school."

After a moment, sides of his head shaved, El turns on the faucet and runs water through his hair until its soaked. Then she hands him a towel which he dries his hair with. While he's drying off his hair and El's looking at hers in the mirror, the shouts of Jonathan echo from the front of the apartment. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you tell me?"