"Explain yourself, now." I had two seconds of patience left and I was going to give him both but DAMN I was mad. I tried to reign in my voice so I wouldn't scare him.
"Sir?" He looked up at me as if he weren't practically bald. Like he had no idea. As soon as he saw my face the blood drained from his, he knew I was angry.
I couldn't stand to look at him; it was hard on a good day but now? "Explain and then get out." I didn't have any options.
"My hair Sir? It's the only thing different, is it my hair?" He ran his hand over his stubble, breaking position. "You want me to leave?"
"Of course it's your fucking HAIR!" I forced myself to sit down in the chair because honestly I was too mad to be near him.
"It's short, I know. You don't like it? I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd care, really."
"No. No I don't like it. I hate it. What the hell were you thinking? You look like a convict or a neo-Nazi." I probably should have filtered that but it was too late now.
"I needed a cut and she messed up a bit doing the sides and Kristie finally convinced me to go short again. It was like this before, awhile ago. I'm sorry, I didn't think it would... should I have warned you? It's a surprise I guess, I didn't think about that. I should have let you know, right? It'll grow back."
"I'm a doctor and well aware of how hair works. Which part of 'The sub shall not alter or change his body or appearance in a long-term or permanent manner without prior consent' did you not understand?"
"But that's... I didn't..."
"It's WHAT? You have changed your appearance, long term. It's against your contract."
"I didn't know hair was... I mean I've cut it before--"
I couldn't take his excuses any more. "Trims, small cuts that you SHOULD have told me about but I let go because you're new. I know your schedule is less rigid than mine and I accepted it but THIS?!?!!? And I can't even PUNISH you for it! No, because that's against the contract that I actually FOLLOW. I get NOTHING!! I have rules that I have to adhere to even when you don't follow yours. How is that FAIR? How is it fair that I get punished when you misbehave? This isn't acceptable. Get dressed and go."
"NO!" He jumped up as I tried to walk past and grabbed at my arm. "I'm sorry, sorry." He looked at his hand, then dropped into forgiveness. "Please don't leave."
"I have to. It's a rule, remember? We don't play when I'm upset and in case I haven't been clear, I am seething. You got your date night and then you went and broke your contract and now I am the one who has to pay for it. You get to do whatever the hell you want and I have to suffer for it! Get dressed, now."
"You can punish me" he whispered.
"It's SIR! It's FUCKING SIR!" This was so basic, why couldn't he handle even the simplest things? I couldn't even trust him to leave; last time I'd told him to he'd ended up witnessing an implosion so I had to stay here and babysit him. He needed to get out of my house because I wasn't sure the next few hours were going to be pretty. I picked his clothes up off the chair and tossed them on the floor in front of him. "Now. Get dressed and get out of my house Christopher."
"Please punish me, please Sir. I'm sorry, you're right. It's not fair, it's not. I didn't know and I didn't do it on purpose but I was wrong. I'm sorry, please." He was almost sobbing, the words tripping over themselves.
"I know you didn't do it intentionally but that doesn't change the outcome. You have a contract for a reason and you are expected to read and understand it. We went over it several times and I gave you multiple chances to ask anything you wanted and to clear up anything you didn't understand. I have adjusted to all of your requests and limits and gone way beyond what the contract requires of me in regards to your care. Go."
"But I..."
"Stop. Your punishment is to go. You wanted a punishment so accept it. Now. There will be no more date nights until your hair has grown back out." It was a small victory but I'd take it.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry Sir." He was struggling to get into his clothes, one pant leg caught under his foot. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could... I wish I could fix it. I'm sorry. If you want me to come back later or tomorrow or... I know you need Sunday. I'm... shit I'm so so sorry Sir. I wish I was Ollie or Eli sometimes, that I just knew what you needed and what to do. You would punish him, right?"
"No because he wouldn't do this."
"But you would punish Eli when he messed up and then forgive him, right? Is that how it works?"
"Yes."
"What would you do? If you could punish me, I mean."
"Waxing every strand of hair off your body below your neck sounds like a good idea right about now."
"Oww" he hissed, imagining. "Everywhere?"
"Yes. I'm sure you'd enjoy your balls although the armpits are actually much worse than people seem to predict." He tensed his shoulders and it would have been amusing if I hadn't been so damn mad.
"I want you to have your day, you deserve it."
"I won't be having it with you. Good-bye Chris."