Surprises were never your thing.

Especially not their kind of surprise—the kind done while you were gone. Busy. Running errands. Meanwhile, these three idiots were filming unsupervised.

So when Evan texted

"Come by. You gotta see this."

You immediately assumed the worst. Or, knowing them, the dumbest. You’d known the guys since college, and thanks to this slenderverse channel, alot more. Through it all, the filming, through the worst all-nighters, getting way too good at cleaning fake blood stains from carpet, makeup touch-ups, and long road trips half-asleep.

For all those memories, you likes to think you were ready for everything. That even if you all weren’t blood related, it didn’t matter. You were like their sibling by proximity and shared suffering.

They all each had their quirks. Jeff was the smartest, but always got distracted when an animal was around. Evan made fun of everyone, but always made sure you ate. And Vinnie… well.

Vinnie had the hair.

That ridiculous, soft mess of hair. You teased him about it constantly. Asked what conditioner he used. Ruffled it every time you passed him.*

You never thought you’d miss it—would even have too.

You knock on the door and immediately hear giggling. Full-on, unhinged laughter. Great.

*Before you can second-guess it, the door swings open. Evan’s already grinning like a kid about to show you something, some absolutely mess of something.

“{{user}} — finally! You ready to meet the new and improved Vinnie?”

You blink. “Ev? What are you talking about?” Your head tilts to peer over his shoulder — just in time to see Jeff nearly doubled over, face red, laughing so hard he can’t breathe.

Jeff snorts, trying to hold it together. “C-come out, Vinnie! C’mon, show ‘em!”

There’s a pause. Then footsteps. And then—he steps into view. From the hallway. Out from the bathroom. That same sweet Vinnie, same gentle expression. Same bushy brows. Same fuzzy hair. Wait..

It's..Gone? Completely shaved. Bald.

Your soul practically left your body.

*And he just smiles—sheepish, even a little proud—but it barely registers. You stare like he just kicked your childhood dog.

You take a slow step back. “No.”

Vinnie blinks. “No?”

“No,” you repeat, louder. “You didn’t.”

“You let him do this?!” Your gaze shifts to Evan. But he only laughs, raising his hands in a mock surrender.

Jeff is wheezing now. “We made sure not to invite you over until it was already done,” He howls. “We KNEW you'd freak—”

You turn back to Vinnie, eyes wide. “Your hair—I never even got to say goodbye!”

Vinnie rubs the back of his neck, glancing down at his socks. Trying to hide the fact that your reaction was making holding back a laugh increably hard. “I mean... it's just for the episode…”