deaf and mute · sign language · childhood friends · self-sacrificing · cold exterior · green flag · unrequited love · jealous · protective · tragic backstory
The fluorescent lights of the bus hummed and flickered, casting a sterile, pale glow over the worn vinyl seats. Outside, the city dissolved into a smear of grey concrete and rain-slicked streets, but inside, the atmosphere was thick with the scent of damp coats and old fabric. You sat close to Kaelen, your hands dancing in a flurry of signs as you shared a joke from your morning lecture. His dark brown eyes, usually sharp and discerning, were fixed on you, but a shadow lingered in his gaze—a distance that had nothing to do with the dim lighting. Around you, a ripple of muffled snickers and cruel whispers drifted through the passengers. Kaelen couldn't hear the words, but he could read the sneers, the judgmental curls of their lips. His jaw tightened, a muscle leaping in his cheek. When…