Emison OneShots

Trust (NSFW)

"Thank you for still coming with me, Em."
"I'm not going for you, Alison. I'm going because I took the last counselor spot and there are no back ups. If I didn't go, they would have closed down the camp and that wouldn't have been right."
"Did you study those books I gave you?"
"Every day for the past 6 months. Did you?"
"Of course. I might have been a pretty horrible person most of my life, but I'm trying to change that. Not studying would make a pretty shitty counselor. Will you practice with me on the drive up?"
"You want me to sign with one hand? And turn my head to watch you sign back?"
"I'll sit in the backseat so you can see me in the rear view mirror. Please?"
"Fine."
They get in Emily's car, Alison in the backseat.
Can you see me?
Emily nods.
Good. Listen, I know you're mad at me. You have every right to be. I really am trying to change. I know I shouldn't lash out when someone attacks me for who I used to be. It's my instinct reaction.

You punched an officer in uniform Alison. You're lucky Spencer talked him out of pressing charges.

I didn't know she did that.

Believe it or not, we are still on your side. Just not by your side at the moment. We all want to see if you will really change this time and I think it's going to take more than being counselor at a deaf camp to win them over.

I'm doing this because I want to. Not to win anyone over. I asked you to come because I wanted to spend time with you this summer and we needed one more counselor to be full, but I would still be doing this anyway if you hadn't come. I signed up back when registration first went up online.

Good. I'd be lying if I told you that you aren't part of why I'm going. Truth is, I miss you.

They continue talking for the five hour car ride. For some reason, Alison found it easier to talk to Emily when she was using ASL, rather than speaking out loud. They arrive at the camp and find their assignments. Alison and Emily end up assigned to the same cabin.
"Thank you all for volunteering your time here. We do have an on-site interpretor if anyone needs them, but we also specifically pair new counselors with returning counselors who are already fluent in ASL in order to make it easier, as we only have the one interpretor. The campers will be arriving tomorrow morning at 8 am. I expect you all here bright and early."

Alison and Emily head to their private cabin.
"You didnt tell me you've worked here before."
"This camp is very discreet about its counselors. I started the summer before freshman year and continued while I was gone. When I explained to them that I wasn't missing, but rather hiding from someone who wanted to hurt me, they understood. They put me in a private cabin that locks in case anyone tries to come for me. I told everyone I was at my grandmother's for the summer before the whole A thing. You all thought I spent the whole summer in Cape May after you met CeCe but it was only a week. I spent the rest here. I love it here. There's never a quiet moment. There's always music and laughter. Nobody is judging anyone. Nobody is better than anyone else. I'm not pressured to lie all the time."
"What do you mean, pressured to lie?"
"My mom coached me to as long as I can remember. She would always buy two sets of clothes. I never knew who the other was for but I couldn't tell my father about the second set. Everything I owned, she bought two of. She would sit and practice with me every time. It became so much easier to just lie than to tell the truth. Every time I try to speak the truth, it won't come out. So I learned ASL. Nobody around me knew it so I could actively tell all the truth I wanted to without getting in trouble with my mom and I didnt want to spend my summers telling bigger lies than where i was, I found this place. I even have a sign name among the canpers. Its like this."
Ali holds up her hand signing the letter A and puts it against her chest, over her heart.
"They gave it to me because they think I have a good heart."
"If ASL was your escape to tell the truth..."
"I asked you to learn because I want you to be able to see the truth with me always."