Chapter Text
Makkari wasn’t exactly a lonely child, but she was alone. A lot. Playing with other children could be a challenge. Not impossible, of course. Lavaman and hide-and-go seek weren’t overly complicated playground games, after all. As long as she didn’t slow things down, the others were happy to let her join. It was making connections that was hard. Most kids her age didn’t know ASL.
While Makkari’s skill at reading lips was enough to understand them, communication was a two way street. Most of the children she encountered simply didn’t have the patience to try and decipher her gestures. For most of her short life, well-meaning adults trying to dole out tough love had warned her that this would often be the case.
But Makkari was excellent at making the best out of a mediocre situation. Her foster mom Ajak called her a ray of sunshine for her ability to find the positive side of things.
It wasn’t that hard. She knew she was lucky.
She’d gotten a good foster home with Ajak. The other kids were nice. Fourteen-year-old Thena was everything Makkari hoped to become when she made it to high school; sharp and beautiful and strong. Kingo was closer to her age at eleven, and he always did his best to include her. Makkari was grateful for that, even if it meant having to work the camera for his short films.
Makkari had other means of amusing herself. The playground so close that Ajak didn’t feel the need to accompany and supervise her back and forth. Behind the equipment was a wooded area with a creek, which Makkari had long ago declared herself queen of. The library was nearby, too, and a sweet lady named Mara was always happy to help her find books.
Makkari was content. During the summer, Ajak allowed her the freedom to roam as she pleased, encouraging her to explore the world around her and find her place in it. She would take her library books to her little kingdom and pass entire afternoons reading. She loved The Magic Treehouse and Dear America — stories that took her across time and around the world.
And then, she met him.
* * *
It was a hot day in July after nearly a week of thunderstorms had kept her inside. As soon as she was finished with breakfast, she took off for the park. Makkari loved to run. After months of training, she could make the distance from her house to the playground without getting winded. She was very proud of this feat.
As soon as she arrived, she noticed him.
A boy. Maybe a year or so older than her. Black hair, blue eyes, and the palest skin she’d ever seen. The first thing she noticed was that she’d never seen him before. The second thing she noticed was that he wore all black. Makkari was no scientist, but she knew enough to know that dark clothes absorbed heat, so he had to be sweltering. And finally, she noticed that he was alone.
Like her.
That wouldn’t do.
“Hello,” Makkari waved as she approached him.
“Hi.” His eyes narrowed as she drew closer. It almost looked as though he was confused as to why she was choosing to speak to him at all. There was something else in his eyes, something vaguely familiar. He shrunk in on himself. Oh. Makkari kept her distance, but she wouldn’t make assumptions. Maybe he was just shy.
“Do you want to play?” She kept her gestures slow and big, hoping to get her meaning across. For a moment, the boy’s brow furrowed.
“Are you deaf?” he asked and signed. Makkari gasped excitedly.
“You know ASL?”
“Yeah, my…” His hands froze in midair, his expression suddenly guarded. “What’s your name?”
Makkari cocked her head at the sudden change of subject but let it slide.
“I’m Makkari.” She watched his lips form her name as he signed it back to her. He smiled. It was a nice sort a smile, the kind that lit up his whole face and revealed a dimple in his cheek.
“That’s very pretty.” Makkari flushed and signed her thanks. Her name was one of the few things she had from her birth parents. “I’m Druig.”
“Do you want to get out of the sun?” she asked. “I know a place that’s nice and cool and quiet.”
“Okay.”
“Follow me, Druig!” Makkari led him off the playground and under the chainlink fence that had been in disrepair for as long as she’d known. Thena had showed her how to pull it up and slip under, not that she ever used it anymore.
“Are we allowed back here?”
“Why not?” She turned to Druig with a sly smile. “But just to be safe, cross your heart and promise not to tell.” He did with no complaint. “Welcome to my kingdom!” She gestured proudly. “Isn’t it nice?”
“Yes.” Druig sank gratefully in the shade of one of the big oak trees. Makkari plopped down next to him. “So, what do we do back here?”
“Anything.”
* * *
“Makkari, you seem particularly happy this evening,” Ajak asked as they sat down for dinner. “Did you have fun at the park?”
“I made a new friend,” she replied. “He knows ASL!”
“He?” Kingo echoed, waggling his brows.
“Don’t tease her,” Thena said, reaching over to swat his arm. “She’s eight. She doesn’t care about that stuff.”
“I’m almost nine!” Makkari protested, though she wasn’t quite sure what her foster-siblings were talking about.
“Tell us about your friend, Makkari,” Ajak said.
“His name is Druig. He’s nice. He said he would be back on Wednesday. He likes reading and he wears black.”
“Black?” Kingo made a face. “How old is this kid? I swear, if eight-year-olds are having emo phases these days…”
“I don’t think you’re one to judge the fashion choices of others,” Thena said crisply, eyeing the fringe on Kingo’s jacket.
“He looks nice in black,” Makkari said.
“Oh, does he, now?”
“Kingo, shut up.” Makkari looked from Kingo, who was still chuckling, to Thena, who seemed very done. Then she turned to Ajak, who was smiling gently.
“I’m glad you made a friend,” she said. “Maybe he could come over some time.”
* * *
Druig came to the park on Mondays and Wednesdays. Makkari was always there, waiting. She brought little games like Scrabble or a deck of cards and her library books and snacks. If she noticed the way Druig inhaled the food she brought, she was kind enough not to remark. And so, they spent Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to dusk in Makkari’s kingdom.
One day, Makkari brought a long, long length of heavy rope, coiled and slung over her slight shoulder.
“We can make a swing!” she explained. “I’ve always wanted to, but I can’t get up the right tree without a boost.”
“Okay.” Druig had learned long ago to just go along with Makkari’s schemes. She was generally right about whatever it was, and if he protested, she would just bat those pretty brown eyes of hers. For some reason, Druig could never say no to that. “Where’d you get the rope?”
“Thena.” Another thing Druig had learned; Makkari’s foster sister was as scary as she was beautiful, and not to be questioned.
Makkari led him to the woods to begin surveying the tress. She chose one with a sturdy branch that extended out over the creek. The lowest branches were a good few feet beyond her reach. Druig cupped his hands to help her up. Then, he watched as she shimmied her way up the tree with all the grace of a wild cat.
Makkari was a bit wild herself. Actually, she was kind of weird, but in a good way, in the way that she saw possibilities where others might just see what was there. Druig liked her brand of weird. He hoped it might rub off on him because his weirdness definitely wasn’t as nice as hers.
Once she had the rope tied securely around the branch, she let the other end fall, gave him a thumbs up, and scampered down.
“Your hair is new,” Druig remarked once she was back on solid ground. He’d been meaning to comment for some time, but once she’d gone up in the trees, he’d figured it was best not to distract her.
“Ajak brought me to a salon. For my birthday.” Makkari tugged at one of the braids that now swung around her shoulders.
“It was your birthday?”
“Yes. Over the weekend.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gotten you a present.” No, he probably couldn’t have, but the smile she gave him was brighter than the sun.
“I don’t need you to get me a present, Druig. You being my friend is enough.” His ears burned that had nothing to do with a lack of sunblock. “Can I go first?”
“Of course.”
Makkari looped and knotted the end of the rope and stepped in, leaning this way and that to build momentum. Eventually, she was swinging over the creek, her face alight with exhilaration. Up and down, she went, reaching higher and higher, high into the sky. And then, she let go, flying out of the swing towards the water.
Without thinking, Druig surged forward. He splashed through the creek as she landed on the other side, losing her footing and stumbling to the ground. She braced herself on her arms, her chest heaving as she took gasping breaths. But then she threw back her head, sending her braids flying, and laughed. She had leaves in her hair and dirt smudged on her arm, but she looked so happy.
“Are you okay?” Druig asked anyway.
“Absolutely!” She noticed his worried expression. “Did I scare you? I’m sorry! But you should try it! It was so much fun!”
“I don’t think I could. I’d be too scared to jump. You’re the fearless one.” He offered her a hand to help her up. She looked at it for a moment, then at him. So, she’d noticed how he didn’t like to be touched. Of course she had. She was too observant for her own good.
Back on her feet, she began to brush herself off. Druig helped, carefully plucking the leaves from her hair.
“These are really pretty,” he said, tucking a braid behind her ear. “I was going to say that earlier. And you, of course. You’re really pretty.”
For a moment, Makkari just looked at him. Druig inhaled sharply, nervous he’d said the wrong thing. But then, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you, Druig.” She gave him that sly smile of hers. “You’re really pretty, too.”
“Thanks.” But not as pretty as you, he wanted to insist. He didn’t. He figured they’d just go back and forth for who knew how long. “My turn?”
* * *
They played on the swing for the rest of the afternoon. Makkari did finally convince Druig to jump off, though he didn’t try to cross the creek like she had. Eventually, their shadows began to grow longer. Druig was always careful that it didn’t get too dark before he headed home. They said their good-byes and he went on his way. Makkari lingered a few extra minutes, watching the sunlight move through the branches to cast dappled shadows on the ground.
It would be more fun to watch if Druig was there with her.
She left her little kingdom and noticed a commotion on the playground. As she neared, she saw Druig. An older boy, much older, was getting in his personal space, finger jabbing in his face, hands reaching for the lapel of his jacket…
That was unacceptable.
Makkari shot forward, inserting herself between the boys. She was vaguely aware of Druig’s hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her away, but she shrugged it off. She began signing furiously, not caring if this boy — this bully — understood. “How dare you touch my friend? How dare you touch my Druig? Back off! What’s your problem?” She threw in a few of the ruder gestures Thena had taught her, just for good measure.
It seemed to work. The boy took a few steps back. He eyed the gathered crowd warily. There were parents here, too, not just kids. Finally, he said something to Druig, though Makkari didn’t catch it. She hadn’t realized it was possible to actually see red. She’d thought that was just something they’d made up for stories. The boy left, and Makkari turned to Druig.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Druig’s hands shook as he signed, and Makkari could see his jaw clench. “You shouldn’t have done that. He wasn’t going to hurt me.”
“You know him?”
“Kind of.”
“If you know him, you should tell him you don’t like being touched.”
“Who says I don’t like being touched?” Makkari gave him a look. He returned it with a half-smile. “I like it better when it’s you.”
“So I can give you a hug?”
“Yes, please.” Makkari threw her arms around him, holding him tight. They were at a height that Makkari could comfortably tuck her chin on his shoulder. Druig gently pulled away. “You don’t have to ask again. If you wanted to give me more hugs. You give nice hugs.”
“Thanks.” Makkari glanced to the west, where the sun was dipping lower. “You should go.”
“Yes.” But he didn’t. He looked at his feet, and then back at her, his fingers twitching slightly. “I saw part of what you said,” he finally started to sign slowly. “Did you call me your Druig?” Makkari cocked her head.
“Aren’t you? I won’t do it again if you don’t like it, but I thought…you’re my Druig and I’m your Makkari.”
“My Makkari?” She nodded. “I think I can be okay with that.” She smiled.
“Okay! See you Wednesday!” With that, she took off towards home, feeling lighter on her feet than usual.