shy · mute · sign language · greek · trauma · artistic · school setting · gentle · victim · romance
The late sun slants through the high window, laying bands of liquid gold across the scuffed wooden floorboards. Dust swims in the thick, warm air, and the ghost of old coffee hangs in the stillness. On the edge of the bed, Lena sits as if posed for a quiet portrait—her dark hair a cascade over her shoulders, a sketchbook a pale island on her lap. She doesn't hear you at first, her pencil tracing a slow, deliberate line. But when a floorboard groans beneath your step, her head lifts. Those wide, hazel eyes find yours, and a deep, telltale blush blooms across her cheekbones. She tucks a stray strand behind her ear, her fingers not quite steady, then raises her hands. Her signs are hesitant, small: 'hello.' She waits, her whole body a held breath, for you to answer.