Septiplier One Shots

Deaf Ears

(Seán's P.O.V.)

My name is Seán McLoughlin. I'm eighteen and I go to a normal public school. Except that I'm not normal. I'm deaf, and I have been my entire life. I could write a whole book just talking about what I can and can't complain about, cause as you can imagine it does make life more difficult when you're in a normal public school.

However, life is a bit easier for me since I have an interpreter. He's my age and stays by my side everyday. He's been my interpreter since we were thirteen and the only time he's not by my side is after he drops me off at my house, only to walk five houses down to his own home. Then at seven the next morning, he picks me up and we walk to school together.

We've quickly become best friends and he even stopped asking for payment from my family. He says he doesn't want it. Knowing he's helping me and getting to know me is payment enough. 

One of the things that does make school challenging though is, other then my teachers, he's the only person in my ENTIRE high school who knows sign language. So, he's the only person besides my teachers and family who I can communicate too. And, even though it's awesome having that special thing with him, it makes friendships challenging.

Cause, you see, he has a lot of friends. Like Bob, Wade, Matt, Ryan, Ken, Felix, Cry, Matt, Matt... Man he's friends with three Matt's? Holy crap... Anyways, you get the gist of it. Lots of friends. And the thing is, just like him and everyone else in the school, they're all hearing. And even though I can still communicate because of my interpreter, there's always gonna be this barrier between us, something preventing us from becoming good friends. It's almost as if I live half way across the world.

And they're cool. I do love all of my friends, though my interpreter is my only close friend. My interpreter. The guy who has been in all of my classes since I was thirteen. The guy who always walks me home and then walks me back to school. The guy who is truly the most amazing person I've met. The guy I've developed a crush on, even though I really shouldn't have. The guy... Named Mark.

***

It's your average Friday, with all the same classes, all the same people. Nothing's different. Mark picks me up, we walk to school together, we get our things, we talk with some friends, we go to class, we eat lunch, we go to more classes, school ends, we walk home. The same routine I've followed for the last four years of my life without any changes.

The only change that's happened was emotional, and it was when I found out and accepted that I like Mark. That was nearly three months ago and I still haven't gathered enough courage to tell him. I still don't feel like I should like him, I feel that it's wrong. But I can't help it. He's just... Perfect in every way. 

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn, looking at Mark.

"Are you okay?" He quickly signs. I nod, smiling. I sign back.

"Fine, just thinking. What time is it?" He quickly checks his watch and then signs back the time with one hand.

"3:34." I smile, nodding. School is over, I knew that for a while now. I was just wondering if we could leave the building yet. See, our school has a policy that no student can leave before 3:30 unless they're being picked up or riding the bus, neither of which Mark and I do. So we start walking out, all smiles and happiness. 

But I still can't shake my thoughts, all of those thoughts. The thoughts about right or wrong. Mark or no Mark. My feelings and what the hell I should do. It's all the same thoughts, all the same worries, that I've been thinking about for the past three months. And I still get the exact same answers. I don't know. There's another tap on my shoulder.

"Okay. Seriously. I don't think you're okay." Mark signs, his face a mixture of confusion and worry. I frown, shaking my head a bit.

"I'm fine!" But as soon as I sign it I see the look of disapproval on Mark's face. I look at the ground, my signing hesitant. "Okay. I'm not. I'm just thinking about a lot of stuff." I look back up at Mark to see his response.

"Like what?" He asks. I stop walking, looking back at the ground. I can't tell him. If I do I'll end up telling him everything. And that's the last thing I need. 

Cause this isn't just a normal "I'm scared to drive my best friend away" thing. This is, if I scare him away he'll leave. And that means my parents have to get a new interpreter. Which costs them money, and forces me to get used to someone new hanging around me everyday. Plus... I don't want to lose my best friend.

I feel a pair of hands grab my shoulders and I look up, staring at Mark's gorgeous brown eyes. The brown eyes that entrance me everyday. When I look in his eyes I imagine what his voice sounds like. Smooth, deep, nice. Like chocolate. But then I'm snapped out of my trance when he takes his hands away, signing once more.

"Seán, you know you can tell me anything." He signs, his eyes begging for me to tell him what's been troubling me. "You've been in these thinking states for three months now. And you never tell me what's going on." It breaks my heart knowing he wants to know, wants to help. "Please."

He finishes and I've just got more to think about. I don't know. I want to tell him. I really, really want to tell him. And I know that he can see it on my face that I want to tell him. But I'm scared. I'm scared of what's gonna happen if I tell him. I study his face, trying to find something, anything, telling me that he won't leave. But there's nothing. No reassurance cause he doesn't know. So... I decide to just ask.

"Mark..." I hesitate before continuing. "Would you ever leave?" His eyes go wide at this and he shakes his head, smiling. He signs real quick.

"Never." I frown, looking at the ground. He says he wouldn't... I hope that's true. I really hope that's true cause now I'm going to do something I never thought I'd ever do. I look back up at Mark, staring at him, biting my lip. I'm going to do it. I'm gonna tell him. 

"I have something to tell you." I sign slowly, letting him realize just how nervous I am. Though, not necessarily on purpose. He waits patiently for me to continue. And before I can even realize what I'm doing, I'm signing.

"You say you won't leave, but how can I be sure? These last three months I've just been thinking over and over what if? What if? What if? Cause I don't know. I don't know anything Mark. I'm so confused and I'm so scared. Cause I don't know what's going to happen and that terrifies me. And I don't know if you'll leave even though I'm sure you will because I love you!" I stop signing, still staring at Mark. 

His expression is, in lack of better words, shocked. His eyes are wide, his mouth hanging open just a small bit. Neither of us sign, neither of us move. It's just still, frozen, as if the world itself is shocked with my silent words. He moves his hands up a bit, as if he was going to sign something, but then decides against it. And then he closes his mouth and his eyes soften. And he does something I never thought my Mark would do.

He leans in and he kisses me without any hesitation. I smile into the kiss, not having to think twice about it. I can't believe it. He's kissing me. Mark is kissing me. And I'm kissing right back. It doesn't last long, but it doesn't need to. Just a few seconds is enough to tell each other everything we want to say. After we pull away I rest my forehead on Mark's forehead, the two of us staring into each others eyes.

And then I do yet another thing I never thought I'd do. I open my mouth and I feel the vibrations in my throat as I speak. I speak just three short words, three words that mean the world to me, but I speak nonetheless. I know it probably came out weird sounding and garbled, having never spoken in my life. But I don't care.

I close my mouth again, smiling. Mark's smile is a wonderful sight, and by now tears of joy are staining his cheeks. He doesn't sign, I just read his lips as he says "I love you too." And then, we kiss once more, both of us in tears. This kiss lasts longer, and it's much more passionate and loving. We pull away for air, immediately locking lips again. 

When we decide to pull away for good we smile at each other, before continuing on the sidewalk, walking hand in hand towards home.