dopplehusband

Four and a half years of knowing Bunny and I have never, once, seen him without his beard. The beard that gets long and unruly and unkempt and has been known to create certain discomfort when kissing. The beard that's adorable and handsome and ruggedly masculine and seems to give his looks an extra "oomph" that makes him look so much like himself.

As much as I tease him about it, I love it. The beard suits him. Plus, it may be his only remaining public claim to being a redhead and apparently that matters to him.

I've always said I would like to see him, just once, barefaced. I figured being married to the man it would be nice to know what his face looks like underneath that inch of hair. Mostly I figured I'd wait another four years before there'd be any give on the issue (although really, I always said that I just wanted him to shave once, then he can go ahead and grow it back.) Last weekend it happened: my husband de-bearded himself. (And I shaved off the winter forest of leg hair, to make things somewhat even.)

He's just the same, except so incredibly different. The shape of the corner of his lips, that's always been hidden by scruffs of hair. Under his beard his skin is so much softer and more even than I'd expected. At the outer edges his jaw is even more defined. he looks younger.

It's a little like he's his own twin brother, and kissing him feels a little naughty. Granted I can never use the same argument again to get him to shave but now that I've seen him once I'm happy.