Back the T-Rex Up

Bring It On, featuring Tam's hairstyle

Tam POV

As we walked toward Everglen's glowing gates, I turned to Dex. "So, two things: First of all, you do realize that we just started a prank war?"

He flashed a surprisingly wicked smile, him being a cinnamon roll and all - and replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I appraised him with a raised eyebrow. "So mischievous, Dizznee. Maybe I overestimated your innocence."

He mock-gasped. "No, of course not! Do not doubt my cinamin - cinnamin - cinamon - how do you spell cinnamon?"

I rolled my eyes for the thousandth time that day. "It's cinnamon, Dex - and we're also having a verbal conversation. Also, how are we going to do this? Free for all, allies, temporary allies?"

He considered this for a moment. "Free for all. And the only way to win is if the others forfeit or if the prankster gets caught by someone with authority, like a member of the nobility or something."

"Right." I nodded, then paused and gave Dex a dirty look. "Not including members of Team Valiant."

"Dang it!" He grumbled under his breath, gritting his teeth so hard I swear I heard them crack. "Right. Not including members of Team Valiant." He pouted.

"Right, so what's the prize?" I asked, smirking slightly. "Or the punishment."

"I say that losers owe the winner a dare. Unlimited, it can't expire, and if they don't do it..." He paused, considering where that sentence was going. "If they don't do it Ro gets to decide what happens to them." He decided.

"You think that's evil enough?" I asked sarcastically.

He grinned cheekily. "What, are you scared?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You wish, Dizznee."

He shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not."

We lapsed into silence.

"So, the war officially starts..." I checked the time. "At 2:34 PM, 24 hours from now."

"And how many seconds?"

I stared at him dubiously. "Seriously?" He opened his mouth. "Rhetorical question, don't answer that."

"Right." He said. "I knew that."

Opening my mouth to answer, I was cut off by Biana running up to us. "Hey guys!" She looked around, beaming. "Um... Where's Keefe? And-" She glanced back at me and giggled. "Tam, why is your hair bright pink?"

I growled and tugged my bangs lower. "What do you think? It was Sencen." I glared back at the direction we had come from.

"Of course it was," Biana nodded. "Why not get Dex to fix it?"

I glanced at him. He was stifling laughter, with one hand clamped over his mouth. "Can you do that?" I glowered.

"Yeah," he chuckled. He slipped a vial out of his pocket and handed it to me.

I downed it in one gulp, then tugged my bangs down over my eyes to make sure the elixir was working. It was - the hair not coated in metal was quickly fading back to black.

"Thanks," I muttered, shoving my hands into my pockets.

Biana crossed her arms and watched me with narrowed eyes. I stared back at her, slightly uncomfortable.

"Do you ever think about doing something with your hair?" she asked abruptly. "Like, trying a new style. Or maybe cutting it and getting rid of the bangs?"

I tilted my head at her, considering the question. "I mean, sometimes? My hair has been like this since I was twelve, so I've obviously considered changing it, I just haven't gotten around to it yet."

Dex gaped at me. "Wait, what?" He seemed bewildered. "But your hair, the bangs, it's all just so iconic! I can't picture you without it. Besides, isn't the silver, like, a message towards your parents or something?"

"It is," I agreed. "I'll redye it once I change my hairstyle, just in a different way. It's not the first time I've had to get rid of the silver for a few days, then add it back."

Both Biana and Dex were still staring at me.

"What?!" I snapped, annoyed.

Biana repeated my former words slowly, as if comprehending them for the first time, "You've... redyed your hair before."

"Yes!" I threw my hands in the air, exasperated. "What, did you think that my hair didn't grow in the three years I was in Exillium?"

"I didn't really think about it," she admitted. "Anyways, what hairstyle do you want to change it to?"

Ignoring the awkward change in subject, I responded, "Have you ever seen a wolf cut? It's the one that's kind of long in the back and short in the front."

"I think so," Dex chimed in. "It's more popular in the Forbidden Cities than here, right?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, I've seen it too," Biana said thoughtfully. "Isn't your hair a little straight for it, though? I've always seen it with wavy hair."

"Not naturally," I divulged. "I've always straightened it, but if I don't there's a lot more wave."

"You straighten your-" Dex shook his head. "You're just dropping all kinds of bombshells on us today, Tam."

I laughed kind of awkwardly. "Uh, yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. "In any case, after I grow it out and cut it, I'll stop straightening it and I'll add a kind of ombre affect with silver."

"Ooh, can I help?" Biana jumped up and down excitedly. "That sounds fun. That'll look great on you, by the way."

Before I could respond, she grabbed my arm and tugged me toward Everglen's gates.

"C'mon, we need to tell Fitz!" she squealed, nearly yanking my arm off.

"Elendil, Biana, I can walk by myself!"

Spot the difference between when I started this chapter and when I continued writing it a year later! Hint: Look at the punctuation and capitalization in dialogue and speaker tags. Tell me what you think of Tam with a wolf cut, because if I'm being honest this is just my way of pushing my Agender Tam headcanon. By the way, the whole Elendil thing is basically the elves' version of us saying God or Jesus Christ. It comes from Lord of the Rings. *examines chapter* So, I think this is pretty good? I have no idea. 877 words, so that's something, which is more than you've gotten from me in a while. *laughs awkwardly* Right, guys? Right? *looks around, realizes that no one is here.* o h .

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signing out