He's mute, not deaf

Chapter 5

Tw for this chapter: Mention of past death, talk of religion/religious trauma

Note: This chapter again talks about religion, and again I'm not making fun of any religion.

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

The small word, the small sound kept playing over and over in Ranboo's head. He felt bad that he had half forced Tommy to say the rest, so he didn't want to truly count that as Tommy talking. But the small word,

Amen

Was Tommy talking. That was something he said of his own free will.

Ranboo spent too long thinking about it. He thought about how for these past few weeks that he's known Tommy he thought he was completely mute, just for him to say that.

Ranboo couldn't help but wonder, what happened to Tommy to make him feel okay with saying that? Of course Tommy had explained part of this, said what caused the selective mutism in the first place, but he didn't explain why he was okay with saying Amen.

Was Tommy's family weirdly religious? Were they the ones who made Tommy feel like he had to rely on a god?

Ranboo didn't know what to do or say, so he didn't do anything. It's not like he could straight up tell Tubbo either, because who knows how that would go.

Tubbo spent most of their English classes just trying to talk to Tommy, despite the fact that Tommy won't talk back. They argue sometimes, which is a bit comical when you just see Tubbo yelling and Tommy angrily typing away at his phone.

But it seemed semi-normal, and soon it had been two months since Tubbo and Ranboo moved into the new town. That seemed completely unreal to Ranboo.

He remembers the day they moved in, it didn't feel like it was more than a week ago.

"This house is fucking ugly." Tubbo said shortly as he dropped his bag straight onto the floor. Their mom sighed as she walked in dragging a suitcase behind her.

"Well, when you pay bills you can pick the house." She replied. She put her suitcase against the wall and looked at Ranboo. "How are you kiddo, feeling okay?" She asked and Ranboo nodded, "Let me know if that changes."

"Mom, he said he's fine." Tubbo said, not turning to look at them. She rolled her eyes and gave Ranboo's shoulder a small pat.

"Alright Tubs, enough. You both go check out your room, it's upstairs to the left." She said as she walked towards what seemed to be the kitchen. Tubbo was fast to dash off to the new room, his bag long forgotten on the floor. Ranboo was right behind him, both of them wordlessly racing one another.

It was Ranboo who made it to the room first. Tubbo rolled his eyes and said something about longer legs as Ranboo opened up the door.

The room wasn't huge, but it wasn't small. It had enough space to fit two beds and maybe a couple of desks, a bathroom was attached to the side and Ranboo could spot a stand up shower alone inside, no tub to be seen.

Tubbo scoffed as he stood in the middle of the room, and without taking a step he was able to lean far enough to touch one wall before leaning over and touching the other. He laughed and rolled his eyes, sitting down on the ground.