Molly and Rachel - Hairy Situation

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Rachel runs into Molly while she is in the library. Molly convinces Rachel to dye her hair (a little)




Molly was in the library trying to be quiet as she studied some books for a book report over the Hobbit. She had already seen the movie so Mr. Kyle insisted she read the book cause 'the book is always better.' So far she still kinda liked the movie better but the book was growing on her.

She picked a little reading nook near a window and was curled up reading.

It was a while later that someone slipped in next to her, booted feet settling on the seat beside hers.

“Well, you look comfortable. Watcha’ readin’?”

Peeking out from behind the book, the smile showed in Molly's eyes without having to see it.

"The Hobbit. It has a lot of dwarves with swords and beards. And old timey Dumbledore," she said. She tilted her head.

"I kinda like the Lord of the Rings better. Cause it has more girls in it."

“Ah, Tolkien. Nothing like a good war story.” Rachel nodded sagely. Not that she’d ever read the books; Kitty had dug the old movies out for her to watch before she went and got herself embroiled in the long and bloody war. Korvus had liked the sword details in it, nevermind that the CG effects from the 2010s were a bit meh.

The redhead blinked. Well, fuck. There was a sudden revelation. She’d travelled back in time!

And because that was one thought she couldn’t quite keep to herself, she kind of gaped at Molly. “Have all the movies come out yet?”

It took Molly a moment to figure out the question and why Rachel was asking it.

"Nope. Just the one. There's two more left," she said, then tilted her head again thoughtfully. "I dunno why. The book is sorta short compared to the other one. They do a lotta walking."

She put her superman bookmark in the book, then put her shoes back on. She'd had them off cause she was comfy feeling her socks on the pillows of the nook.

"Are you reading stuff too?"

“Uh huh. Nothing quite as interesting though,” she patted the textbooks next to her. “I’m just about done, though. Was thinking about going to get my hair cut.” She blew her fringe out of her face. “S’getting a bit out of hand.”

Molly's nose curled at the textbooks, especially when she saw what they were. "Really? Like...short short Snow White short?" She liked that show with the fairy tales.

"Or like...a trim?"

“Uhm. Trim, I think. You need to stop referencing pop culture, squirt. You’re making me go all cross-eyed.” Although fairy tales were probably not so much pop culture as it was which version Molly was referring to. Betsy liked the darker, more bloodthirsty ones. “But I guess I should consider a different hairstyle. I’ve only ever had this… and a crew cut.”

"Oh yeah! I remember. That was really short," Molly said. It was still real to Rachel but not real but still kicking around in Molly's head too along with the bits and pieces. They were dull bits, but they came out sometimes if they got nudged.

"You could get colors in your hair! Like mine," she added, pulling her strawberry hat off to show off the bits of fading pinks and purple streaks.

"It's temporary so it washes out. But they have like clips and stuff, fake hair, in case you don't like it."

“Fake hair, like a weave? Or a wig?” Rachel laughed, but reached out to pick up a piece of pink hair with a considering look. “I could totally rock a pink highlight, though. How’d you get this done?”

"They're clips. Like barrettes with hair sewed on 'em," Molly said with a nod. She glanced Rachel over with her own curious contemplation.

"Pink WOULD look good! And black maybe. And if you don't like it or if you wanna look professional you can take it out! I think some of the others do their hair. There was someone who did it for me but I forgot who they were," she said, frowning thoughtfully. "It was a girl. Pixie maybe?" She didn't like not remembering, knowing she knew something, having it be right at the tip of her tongue.

"But you use like a box of hair color and stuff and a brush and you streak it with the brush and let it soak and then wash the dye out."

The older girl was grinning at her enthusiasm, and flicked that bit of hair out of her eyes as she rested her chin on her palm. “Hair dye would be my best bet, I think. Hate having stuff in my hair. Or on my head.”

She hummed as she thought it through. “I could probably afford one of those expensive hair scissors.” Thanks to a certain job she had recently taken up with the X-Corps. “So I could cut my hair on my own.”

Korvus used to do it for her.

“But are you sure hair dye’s that easy to handle?”

Molly shrugged. "It was when we did it. Maybe you could ask Pixie? Her hair is reaaaallly pink though. And not red. So it might dye different." She then eyed Rachel.

"Are you sure you wanna cut it yourself? I tried to do it by myself once when I was little and..." She ducked her head. "That's um....why I got my first hat."

“Well, your hats are cute and I’ll know where to go to borrow one if I ever need to,” Rachel grinned, fingering the ends of her own hair. “Don’t worry. I know enough about this one hairstyle to give it a go on my own. As for the dye…”

The redhead wrinkled her nose, but the idea was growing on her. “Would you like to accompany out to town to buy some?”

Molly hopped up. "I've never really done it by myself. Um...if you trust me with it?" She didn't want to make her hair fall out or something.

“Of course I trust you. ‘Sides, it’s just hair shortstuff.” She could always shave it all off if it came down to that. Which she was sure it wouldn’t. Right. “C’mon then. Let’s go wheedle a car out of Blobby.”

"Kay," Molly said, completely happy since she believed her, that she trusted her. She skipped toward the door.

"Blobby is Mr. Dukes, right?"

"Uhm. Yeah. You should stick with Mr Dukes, though," the redhead chuckled, a little sheepish. "And I should work on being less rude to him, probably."

No good conflating two different people who just happened to share the same face. Bad, Rachel. Bad.

[][][][][][][]

The ShopsMart was not all that crowded on a weekday afternoon, but Rachel kept Molly close with a hand on the younger girl's shoulder as they strolled through the aisles. Molly chattered on enough for the both of them, and Rachel was more than happy to listen to the cheerful teenager natter on about one thing or another as they pulled things from the shelf into the basket hanging off of Rachel’s arm.

Shampoo. Lip Balm. Can’t forget the tampons. Ah-hah!

Rachel eyed the row of boxes with pictures of women (cartoon or otherwise) mostly with voluminous hair of varying shades. So many brands proclaiming to do the same thing. But no pink, at least not that she could see at first glance.

"They clump them together," Molly said. "All the weird colors. It's usually on the top row." She stood on her tip toes, trying to find it. They didn't usually shop here for the hair colors but they had to have it, right?

“Here, shortstuff. Let me help.” Not that Rachel was the tallest girl in her class. She placed her hands on Molly’s waist, giving her some time to protest before she lifted the teenager into the air, subtly aided by her powers. “See anything?”

Molly tilted her head. "Dirt?" Her eyes widened and she reached out. "Oooh, a quarter!" She wondered how that got in there.

"Funny coloured hair dye, Molls. Focus!"

Molly jumped, letting out a squeak and a giggle before she saluted. "Oops, right!" she said, scanning the shelves for any bright colors. She suddenly perked up, plucking a few boxes off the shelves.

"Got it!" she proclaimed proudly.

"Green and blue. There's also a pink and a red, like red red, not orange red."

"Jean-red?" Rachel asked, peering around Molly's shoulders to peer at the boxes the girl was waving around. She dropped Molly lightly to the floor and eyeballed the selection. "Green against red is... Well, it's not Christmas yet. Pink and blue would be cool. I guess red-red would be subtle enough for work too. Not that Jellybean cares. Wadaya think?"

"Green and red are complementary colors," Molly said, remembering what she learned in art class. "They go together....hmmm....Maybe blue?"

She tilted her head. "Who's Jellybean?"

"Angelo. My boss. He's a flying monkey," Rachel said cheerfully, plucking the red and green dyes from Molly's hands and putting them back onto the shelf. "I think the pink and blue is good. We could do yours too if you want?"

"Ohhh...Stretch Armstrong," Molly said. She knew Angelo very well. She nodded.

"I want blue too! We can totally match."

"Done deal!" Rachel grinned, offering her palm up for a high five. "And mission accomplished. C'mon. Let's go pay for this sh..tuff."

Molly fived her, giving her a nod of determination. "Let's do it!" She hoped it looked good when they were done.