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“SHIT!”
“Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!”
No other set of words could be conveyed so gracefully, so perfectly, so utterly flawlessly to this dilemma. Pray tell, dear reader, how else would you respond when your roommate’s dog is relentlessly sprinting around the living room, with your hearing aid batteries in mouth, with no sign of giving up?
To the untrained eye, this scene looked like nothing more than a fun game of chase. Juvenile, yet serene.
It’s too bad that if that dog decided he wanted to kick the bucket right there and then, stop mid-chase, and swallow the batteries, both he and Mike would be royally screwed.
Which, frankly, was the exact situation Mike was trying to avoid.
“Wick! Stop! Halt! Heel, boy! Knock if off! Please!” Mike burned through the miniscule list of stop-synonyms he could think of in the blink of an eye.
It was kind of pathetic, really. He off-handedly considered paying attention more in his English classes as he dove less-than-gracefully under the glass coffee table after Wick.
He winced as his ankle slammed against the top of the table, but he had no time to stop and writhe in pain (no, he decided he’d save that for later).
The blonde darted comically around the room for what seemed like an hour in Mike’s head (but was really no more than 2 minutes), before he finally managed to corner Wick and wrench the battery packet out of the dog’s mouth.
He wanted to be angry, really, but it was his own fault for leaving them out. Especially when Victor explicitly warned him that Wick had a habit of grabbing small, lightweight, vaguely rectangular shaped objects.
Huh. Maybe that’s why my mail keeps getting slobbery.
With an exhausted sigh, Mike stared at the sodden, sorry-looking pack of batteries, and back at Wick. “These were my last ones, Wick… they’re not cheap you know!”
The dog only stared back at him blankly with those stupidly buglike eyes. Did he comprehend a singular word that was coming out of his mouth? Mike wondered how Victor was even able to train him. Her?
Mike blanked out for a moment.
Do I even know what gender this dog is?
Oh, whatever. He furrowed his brows, dragging himself to the couch to examine the damage done to the batteries.
And just as he expected, it was pretty bad.
Mike didn’t really know the consequences of putting slobbery, broken batteries into his hearing aids. He couldn’t decide if them breaking, or whether the possibility of an explosion would be more reasonable.
And honestly? He really didn’t want to find out either.
So, he tossed them in the bin. Sullen with regret, Mike mourned the loss wearily. Living on a college budget and schedule, he really didn’t have time to run to the nearest pharmacy and get a new pack right now. He especially couldn’t just leave Wick alone knowing that little bastard would probably eat the remote control next.
Which really sucked. Really.
He didn’t mind going without his hearing aids for a few days. He could read lips relatively decently depending on the situation, and he had a notetaker in all of his classes anyway (thank god).
Mike despised trying to adapt to the signing styles of new interpreters all the time. Yeah, it was their job to adapt to him but honestly? He got sick and tired of having to describe a very specific set of preferences in high school every time his main interpreter had a substitute. Besides, having a notetaker gave him an excuse to zone out particularly boring classes and collect a beautifully written transcript later. It was a no-brainer when he learned about it.
Nah, class was a breeze. What sucked was how obnoxious people can get the second they run into someone who can’t comprehend their ridiculously fast babbling.
Mike seethed as he recalled the time he was called so brave by a middle aged lady in the McDonalds line after he politely explained he couldn’t understand what the cashier was saying, and opted to write down his order on the phone.
He really, really didn’t understand it. He wasn’t going off to war, he was trying to have a conversation. Shut up and let me get my McChicken, lady!
Mike flopped backwards, letting his head sink into the cushions on the couch as he stared up at the pale ceiling. People were so weird. He got that they meant well, but this babying was getting ridiculous. He was a grown (barely adult) man. He was in college! Why the hell do people treat him like a pathetic Victorian child just because he can barely hear?
Even his friends sometimes cross that line. Victor, Joker, god forbid even Margaretha (Whom they both shared a mutual, hate filled rivalry, and no they definitely weren’t secretly friends. He’d rather die than be friends with that woman).
The blonde closed his eyes, and let out a long, slightly pissed off sigh. Was there anyone on this damned earth who would treat him like a normal person?
Or better yet, anyone on this damned earth who was a little more like him?
Mike zoned out, and definitely didn’t fall asleep.
He definitely DID notice when Wick dragged themselves to the couch, attempted to jump on, crashed into the cushions, bounced off, and tried again.
He definitely noticed how about 30 minutes passed.
Nope, he wasn’t asleep. Not. At. All.
So, with all of these definitely true facts combined, he absolutely did NOT flinch, scream and slide ungracefully to the floor when his eyes fluttered awake to see Victor just inches away from his face.
Victor, bless his heart, scrambled to the other side of the couch to help Mike up with frantic eyes. He gratefully accepted the offer to be pulled off of the floor, and sat back down.
“Sorry about that Vic, I didn’t know you came in.”
Victor raised his eyebrows questioningly, and pointed at Mike. He then slowly and carefully signed the hand shape O, followed by K. All of these combined made a beautifully wrapped present of the ever-concerned Victor asking Mike if he truly was okay.
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine! Seriously! My hearing aids died, so I didn’t hear you come in.”
Victor rotated his wrists in a couple circles, once more perking his quizzical eyebrows. ‘ You haven’t replaced the batteries yet?’
“Haha.. about that… your darling dog got to them before I could.” Mike fixed a pointed glare at Wick, who looked away like they couldn’t possibly believe the audacity of these accusations.
Victor, looking nothing short of absolutely dismayed, broke into a flurry of apologetic signing and groveling. It took 15 minutes of consoling and convincing his friend that he REALLY didn’t mind all that much to get Victor off of him.
Mike met Victor a few years back in his senior year of highschool. He volunteered to teach an ASL class to people in the community at his school for credits. Really, Mike expected a bunch of middle aged and older people with nothing else to do in their lives to show up and take the class. He didn’t expect to see someone his age, meekly following along in the class.
The two became fast friends, and were inseparable afterwards. They even applied for the same college, and became roommates. Mike enjoyed talking to Victor. It was easy; they both had the same signing styles, considering that Mike taught him. He didn’t mind that he occasionally had to slow down his finger spelling for Victor to fully comprehend it, Mike was told he signed ridiculously fast.
He couldn’t help it, honestly. It was second nature! He knew sign language like the back of his hand since he was in elementary school. If these losers (not Victor) couldn’t keep up, it was their own fault. Maybe they should just get good.
He tried to teach Joker and .. Margaretha a little bit of sign language. They can sign the letter alphabet decently, but that’s about as far as it goes. It was kind of insulting, really. I ought to make them pay me for wasting my time if they aren’t going to drill the knowledge into their brains!
His older cousin, Murro, and his friend Violetta picked it up fast. Hell, even Bernard did too. He appreciated their effort, even if their schedules rarely aligned enough to sit down and have a proper lesson. He was once pleasantly surprised that Murro could hold an entire conversation on fruits and vegetables a few weeks ago, exclaiming that he had been taking an online class, and that was their current topic.
He was getting off topic himself, though.
Mike decided he was going to buy a new pack of batteries tomorrow, after Victor left for his part-time shift at the post office. As much as he tried to decline and fight back, Victor forced Mike to let him pay and replace it.
Secretly, he was very grateful. He hadn’t gotten around to getting a proper part time job just yet, and his funds were running thin. Mike convinced himself he’d find one soon enough. Thanks to combined scholarships and government aid, Mike was able to get into Oletus College for a very low cost. Such, he wasn’t too worried about finding a job just yet.
Eventually, maybe.
But seeing those times Victor came home looking absolutely worn (despite how much he loved the job), Mike decided he’d take his sweet time. He’s done a few odd jobs here and there, and will probably continue to do so throughout the majority of college.
Eventually, after a long conversation and frequent google checks to see if they should really be concerned about taking Wick to see a vet, the pair turned to their respective rooms for the night. They had another day to get through, after all.
___________________
Mike groaned miserably as the combination of his phone light flashing aggressively, the side of his bed vibrating from the alarm clock, and his watch rumbling on his wrist aggressively harassed his senses and chased sleep away. The blonde sat up, staring ahead blankly at the plain white walls of his room, which he oh so desperately wanted to paint a fun color. Unfortunately, living in a rental made this goal nothing short of unobtainable.
And no, Mike decided he wasn’t quite yet that desperate enough to consider busting his back putting up that peel and stick type of wallpaper.
Not yet.
Maybe soon.
But not yet.
His sight was yet again, attacked by his phone flashing a second time. It was a notification for sure, most likely Joker texting him good morning. Joker resorted to doing this every day to urge Mike to not spend 15 minutes of his morning zoned out and basking in the silence.
Unfortunately for him, it works.
Mike is too much of a chronic texter to not immediately lunge for his phone and reply. He soaked in the sweet, sweet bluelight before finally slumping out of bed. Mike took his sweet time, sweeping his gaze around his citrus scented room. It was dark, engulfed in the minimal light that the crack of dawn provided. He enjoyed the silence and darkness of the morning, before he put his hearing aids into their protective case, and slipped it in his bag.
The room wasn’t a terrible mess, but it certainly could be better. There was a singular window with a messy desk scattered with papers and homework from a week ago, yesterday and today underneath.
He continuously swears he should move it so he stops procrastinating on his work by staring outwards, but he hasn’t gotten around to that.
To the side was a simple twin bed and a large dresser. The furniture was a monotonous dark mahogany, which looked almost black in the less than ample sunlight. He attempted to liven up the rather boring room with his own personal touches–posters, stickers here and there, a funky LED lamp that also functioned as a personal makeshift rave if he’s ever in the mood. (which, regrettably, hasn’t been allotted in his schedule lately)–all in all, it wasn’t much, but it screamed Mike.
It was comfortable, and familiar. Mike once described it as the feeling of being swaddled in the womb, which caused Joker to projectile vomit onto the nearest expensive outfit. (Which happened to belong to Margaretha, much to Mike’s pleasure and Joker’s dismay.)
He kicked aside a small pile of clothes in favor of the outfit he had already picked the previous night. He used to grab whatever he could find when the morning came, but after several late runs, Victor urged him to start prepping more responsibly. It wounded Mike’s pride severely to admit his friend was right.
With a quiet yawn, he trudged oh so sluggishly to their shared bathroom. A morning shower to kickstart his day was exactly what he needed. He didn’t feel the need to rush, seeing that it was Saturday. Sure, he could sleep in, but having to fix all of his alarms for the weekend became nothing short of a chore. Mike opted to just wake up at 4:30 in the morning every day. A bit extreme, but it worked.
The prospect of waking up his roommate who had work in a few hours was unappealing to the blonde, and so he took time to ensure that he went about his business quietly and responsibly . After a quick chilling shower, teeth brushing session and an aggressive fight to tame his wild bedhead, he slipped into a decently warm sweater and jeans.
Mike admired his handiwork in the mirror, and with a nod of approval, he leaned down to grab his bag, slinging it casually over his shoulders.
It was a little bit lighter when Mike exited his room, and shuffled towards Victor’s door. He gently turned the doorknob, and pushed it open. He smiled when Wick pushed their head out of the door, tail wagging like a hyper-aggressive windup toy.
“Come on boy(?)... Let's go for a walk.” Mike whispered, or at least he hoped he did. He never was good at regulating the loudness of his voice, even with his hearing aids on. Since he wasn’t wearing them at all, he just stared at Victor’s sleeping form for a few seconds with a sigh of relief when there wasn’t a sign of movement.
Walking Wick on the weekends was something of a routine. An unspoken ritual. He offered to do it when he realized he was doing nothing in the morning while Victor got up at an unreasonably early time to meet with his dog’s fussy demands. Figuring that his friend would appreciate the extra sleep before his work shifts, he continued to do it. He doesn’t mind it, hell, it’s even appreciated. Morning walks was something Mike enjoyed indulging in heavily, and he might as well bring a friend (human or canine) if he’s going to be up anyway!
It was times like these he was grateful they got an apartment rather than living on campus. As much as his beef with this dog is nothing short of petty and intense, he really did love Wick.
The world around Mike was quiet as he slipped Wick into one of Victor’s many harnesses, and they scrambled down the stairs. Jogging down the hall, he hardly ceased his momentum as he waved at one of the older residents that emerged from their room, hoping that it was only a ‘good morning’ that silently escaped their mouth, and not anything further.
He pushed open the glass doors, a frosty shiver running down his spine as the fall morning air nipped at his nose. Wick felt it too, surely, Mike noted as he glanced down at the shivering dog. This walk would have to be brisk. What a shame.
He took off jogging down the street, eyes darting back and forth across the blissfully silent, yet familiar surroundings. The morning sun was much higher this time, its delicate orange rays roused the world awake. Breezy wind caressed the tall oak trees, orange-and-red leaves swaying peacefully in its wake. There weren’t that many people walking around at this hour, seeing that it was the weekend in a college town. Most were either working adults passing through in their commutes, or people his own age also getting their morning exercise.
Mike couldn’t deny how utterly safe he felt in this area, and maybe Wick’s ugly mug had something to do with it. He grinned as he swore he felt Wick casting a glare as if his thoughts were heard aloud.
It was your average not-quite-a-city-but-still-city-is-the-best-way-to-describe-it type of area. Plenty of stores, restaurants and recreational areas littered across in a decently walkable area. Perfect for sapping the money out of the pockets of poor college students who were already indebted by the time they turned 18.
Poor suckers, couldn’t be me!
A delusional smile etched on his face as the thought persisted in his mind. Say, did he ever remember to take the tag off that expensive hoodie he splurged on a few days ago?
Mike and Wick rounded their usual route. He made a mental note to remember to stop by the Pharmacy after Victor’s shift as the pair trotted by the building. Those hearing aid batteries wouldn’t buy themselves, after all.
The walk was, as expected, pleasantly pleasant. Mike scarcely noticed his own humming as he pushed open the door, waiting for Wick to step inside before he did.
Mike easily noticed the bathroom light that gently illuminated what the sunlight was unable to reach. A telltale sign that Victor was already awake. His humming continued to go unnoticed as he waltzed around the room and went about his business.
Dropping down to feed Wick, pulling open the curtains to allow morning sun to soak into their shared living space, even finding time to prepare him and his roomate an mouthwatering college cuisine breakfast.
It was cereal, obviously.
Mike carelessly yanked open the cupboards in search of bowls, not batting an eye as the wood doors hit the cupboards on either side of them with a muffled thud. The bowls laid unimpressively in their resting space, precisely where Victor left them after he did dishes the previous night. He set them down one after the other. Mike couldn’t help but smile at the satisfying ‘clink’ feeling that shot through the bowls as he set them on the counter.
It’s the little things, really!
Mike didn’t struggle to reach up and grab the cereal from over the fridge. Being relatively tall and having the jumping ability of a cracked up kangaroo only ever worked in his favor. Not that he needed to jump to grab cereal from off the fridge, he just liked to put on a show.
Much to the distaste of the residents a floor below.
He lugged the newly brought jug of milk out of the fridge, and twisted it open. Mike hesitated for a second as he reached for the cereal, and a sly smile etched onto his face. Victor wouldn’t notice if he…
The man averted his hand’s path, and went for the milk instead. He poured the milk first into the empty bowls, followed by a menacing pile of cereal on top of each. With a satisfied nod, he deducted that would be his chaos fix for the day. Unless the opportunity presented itself later on.
The bowls landed on the table with a soft thud, judging by the feeling in his hands. As if on cue, he noticed the light from the hallway glowing brighter, and then shutting off. Victor had exited with perfect timing. Mike held his stare with curiosity as he watched his roommate step out, look around rather frazzled, and spot Mike in the kitchen. Victor rushed up, immediately throwing his hands into a flurry of signs.
‘Are you okay? I heard a lot of crashing.’
“Crashing? Yeah, I’m fine. I was just making cereal?” Mike didn’t notice himself signing at the same time as he spoke. SimComming was a bad habit he had–according to the teasing of one of his teachers in high school–and to be fair, his communication skills did slightly degrade, having to balance both of them at the same time. Oh well. It’s not like he cared, Victor would understand either way.
‘You sounded crazy from inside the bathroom. I thought you were slamming bowls out of anger…’
Mike blinked, his face growing rosy from embarrassment. He hadn’t noticed just how loud he was being, but apparently it was enough for Victor to hear through the shower and get nervous.
“Hah… sorry Vic! I didn’t even notice.” He smiled sheepishly as he circled his fist over his heart, averting his gaze to their very small, circular dining table.
Victor stared at Mike for a moment, before hooking one of his hands behind his ear with what looked like a weary sigh. ‘ Get your hearing aid batteries soon, please.. Before you give me a heart attack.’
Mike wanted to be mad at that, but honestly, he couldn’t find it in himself to do so. Victor was right, anyway. He had to be more mindful when living with other–hearing–people. Especially considering there were way more people living in the apartment than just him and his roommate. He only smiled as his friend thanked him for the food and sat down, trailed by his happy dog only moments later.
Mike took his seat directly across from Victor, and they ate in pleasant silence. Mike peered out the window directly next to him, watching as fall leaves fluttered in the air. It wouldn’t be long until winter came around, he noted grimly.
Winter is such a pain… It’ll only be a matter of time before I slip and break both of my legs on ice…
Mike continued to gaze at the little things that dotted the outside world. Cars driving by, people walking up and down the sidewalk, and things similar. His eyes lingered on the back of a man(?) in a dark, almost black coat shuffling up the sidewalk. Mike shrugged, he couldn’t help observing people when he was bored.
He ultimately decided to continue his meal, staring down at his cereal instead.
Victor took their bowls when the pair finished eating, and went to throw on his shoes to leave for work. Mike watched with a smile as Wick happily scampered after Victor, and he waved his roommate (and dog) goodbye.
Right then.
Time for him to get going as well.
With a final glance at the mirror, Mike adjusted his hair, and tossed a light jacket over his sweater. The fall winds were frosty today, but nothing bad enough to warrant an entire coat.
Quick hands grabbed the bag he tossed carelessly onto the couch, and he stepped outside with a determined resolve. This would be quick and easy! Then he could go bug Maragertha on the phone or something.
Not that he enjoyed talking to her, ew.
___________________
He strolled down the sidewalk with a determined resolve. Mike hardly spared a glance at his surroundings, save for when walking over the occasional crosswalk. After all, walking this route with Wick so often burned the path into the back of his head. Faltering only when a particularly large gust of wind streamed across his face, in the blink of an eye the blonde was in front of the pharmacy in all of its mundane glory.
A (hopefully) quiet hum eased from his lips as he slipped into the building, immediately grateful for the warmth that hugged his cheeks. Sure, it wasn’t terribly cold outside, but this was certainly a welcome change.
The pharmacy looked just about as normal as it gets. Shelves upon shelves of products ranging from medicine to beauty and everything in between lined the store in neat rows. Hanging above were signs signaling their dedicated categories. Bright white fluorescent lights illuminated everything inside. Though Mike thought it wasn’t necessary, seeing that the wall-length windows in the front of the store let daylight through perfectly fine.
He inhaled the medicinal scents, and glanced down at his phone. 7:09 in the morning. It makes sense that there weren’t all that many people in the store this time in the morning. One brisk glance at the signs above confirmed exactly where he needed to be.
Mike shuffled through the path separating two rows of isles, swerving out of the way of one or two people. When his phone buzzed repeatedly, indicating a text message, he fished it out of his pocket and glanced down as he turned into the isle was looking from.
Oh great. A text from Margaretha.
What the hell does she want this early in the-
“Oof!”
He stumbled when he awkwardly walked straight into another person.
How embarrassing!
Mike looked up from his phone, and at the person–man– in front of him. A jumbled apology was immediately on his tongue.
“I’m SOOOO Sorry! I wasn’t paying attention at all-!”
The apology died in his lips as the man in front of him hastily shook his head, and pointed at his ear.
Wait.
I recognize that gesture anywhere.
Mike immediately stood up straighter, and looked at the stranger with a quirked eyebrow. He brought his pointer finger from his chin, up to his ear. ‘You deaf?’
Excitement and keen interest bubbled in Mike’s chest as he watched the man freeze, surprised, and nodded briskly. He couldn’t help the smile that almost instantly stretched across his face. A billion questions flashed in his mind, but Mike figured it would be easier to start with another apology.
‘Sorry for bumping into you. I wasn’t paying attention.’
The man shook his head slowly, and tapped his chest. ‘It’s fine. Don’t worry.’
Mike’s grin grew stupidly wide, and he unknowingly leaned ever so slightly forward. ‘My name is Mike. What’s yours?’
‘Norton.’ The stranger–Norton, fingerspelled. It was slow, and stiff. The stranger’s signing wasn’t very smooth in general, maybe he didn’t grow up with sign language?
He looked Norton up and down. The two were roughly the same height. Norton had stark black parted hair, tan skin, and a square jaw. The piercings on either side of his nose bridge were certainly unusual, but the most striking feature of his’ was the…burn mark? That stretched across his left eye.
Mike flushed with embarrassment when he found himself staring a bit too long, and noted the familiar dark trench coat Norton was wearing that trailed down to his ankles.
Huh… I wonder where I’ve seen him before.
He watched Norton shift uncomfortably, and immediately snapped back to reality. ‘Are you in this aisle right now?’
Norton nodded, and glanced down at the rows upon rows of batteries.
Hearing aids, huh? Mike had initially assumed he was fully deaf, but maybe he just didn’t hear well at all like Mike. There was a strange twinge in his chest as he continued casting discreet side glances at his new acquaintance. I can’t just leave and never see this guy again… he must live here if he’s shopping at this pharmacy!
Hopefully?
If Mike were fully paying attention, he would’ve noticed Norton quickly glance over at him, and look back at the batteries when he cleared his throat. Instead, Mike crouched down and browsed the assortment of batteries.
He wasn’t actually browsing, he knew exactly which ones to grab. The ones with the orange sticker backing. He was just stalling.
Silence etched between them for all but a few awkward moments. Unlike Mike, Norton looked like he was genuinely searching for the batteries he needed. His eyebrows were knit in frustrated conversation as sharp eyes darted between the masses of plastic coverings.
With a surge of courage, he inhaled and exhaled, before jabbing Norton on the leg. He paused, and looked down at Mike’s crouched figure with a startled, yet confused expression.
‘What kind of hearing aids do you have?’ Mike signed, not bothering to stand up fully.
The other hesitated, before raising a head and pressing two fingers to the side of his head, right above the ear. A sign commonly indicating cochlear implants.
Oh. Unexpected!
Mike’s excitement spiked once again as he nodded, and easily sifted through the small packages. Seconds later he easily spotted what he was looking for, and lifted the battery pack up for Norton to inspect.
‘Will this work?’ The blond rose his eyebrows curiously, finally standing up to level with the other. His heart hammered in his chest with anticipation, as Norton looked over the information on the package carefully; he could hardly even explain himself… why was he so nervous? Big deal if he got the wrong type, he could find another! It’s not like everything was depending on this moment.
Yet, despite that, when Norton looked back at Mike with a meek nod and a hesitant thank you , his heart swelled, practically soaring out of his chest.
Mike beamed, confidently flapping his hand. ‘No problem,’ he signed as he cheerfully balanced on the ball of his heels. Another silence passed by the two men, one they couldn’t seem to break as they simply stood there. Mike could only balance for so long before his heels started to throb in complaint, and he dropped back down onto his feet.
He glanced at Norton, and looked away towards the ceiling.
Norton looked back at Mike, and just as quickly shot his stare to the floor.
…
…
…
AAHHH MIKE! THIS IS TOTALLY AWKWARD! SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING!
Just as he was about to lift his hands to sign something stupid that he probably would regret the second his head hit the pillow that night, Norton was first to speak.
‘You.. go school… here?’ His signs were janky, awkward and slow, and he was clearly trying to fight back an embarrassed flush from betraying his neutral demeanor. Norton’s hands lingered stiffly in the air for a moment, before dropping back down to his sides.
Cute… Mike thought with a small smile. A smile that faltered slightly as his brain fully registered what the hell that thought was right there. Keep it together, Morton!
He cleared his throat once more, before returning the question. ‘School? Like, college?’ Mike slowly signed college, and fingerspelled it right after to emphasize his point. He hoped in the back of his mind that didn’t seem too condescending. ‘I’ve been told I look youthful, but not high school age!’ He added with a cheeky grin.
Norton raised both of his eyebrows, before correcting himself hastily. ‘Sorry… I mean college. You go…?’
Mike has heard plenty of times about the danger of giving away personal information, like your school and such to strangers you just met in some pharmacy aisle; but hey, what are the REAL odds of him getting brutally axe murdered by this guy? It was probably fine.
Besides, there was something about Norton that was compelling him to do more than just irresponsibly share his college name. Hell, maybe he’d even drop his credit card number and the three numbers on the back while he was at it.
Or maybe a phone number would do.
Either way, Mike was surprised to learn that Norton attended the exact same college as he did. Even more, they were both in the same year. They’ve just never crossed paths with their wildly different majors and schedules. The rest of their conversation was awkward, but not terrible. Mike could’ve sworn there was regret in Norton’s eyes when he finally confessed he had to leave in a hurry.
Or maybe it was his own heart speaking. He tried so damn hard to ignore the butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he checked out his own hearing aid batteries, and waved off Norton as they walked in opposite directions at the outside of the pharmacy. Hopefully they would meet again very soon.
Maybe Mike could’ve confirmed that if he had remembered to ask about the aforementioned phone number.
He cursed his own stupidity as he rushed down the sidewalk, squinting his eyes against the noticeably colder air that pinched his cheeks. He had so much to tell Victor when he got home from his shift.
___________________
“You’re so goddamn stupid!” Naib and William both let out barking laughter as Norton slumped over the kitchen counter.
He had recounted the events of his encounter at the pharmacy, including his initial shock, and his failure to string together a coherent sentence.
“I didn’t think he would actually start talking in sign language… I thought it would be like any other day where they just got up and walked away.” Norton groaned into his hands, attempting to drown out the now shrill laughter of his so-called friends.
“I told you that karma was going to get you eventually, man! Who would’ve thought you of all people could fumble so hard?” William blinked back tears as he roughly patted Norton’s shoulder.
Naib snorted, and leaned against the wall. “I mean, what did you say again? ‘You go school here?’ Do you go to college or elementary? I bet that guy thinks you’re lame as hell!”
Norton only groaned louder.
William and Naib shot a glance at each other, a knowing look in their eyes silenced their laughter for a few moments.
“Look, man. You both go here, so just find him and come clean; ‘oh yeah, I can actually talk (I’m not as stupid as I may or may not seem), and also you’re really hot can I get your number?’” Naib emphasized the latter half of the sentence with fluttering eyes.
It took all of William’s self control to bite back another fit of laughter. Instead he coughed roughly, opting to stare into endless white depths of the wall rather than at his friends.
Norton slowly stood up, and turned to glare at Naib. “Gee, thanks.”
“Happy to help.” He returned the stare unwavering, lifting a half-empty water bottle as a shitty toast.
Norton rolled his eyes, and leaned backwards against the counter instead, practically sitting on the cheap granite. “But I guess you’re right though. He’s a chemistry major, surely one of you guys shares a class or two with him?”
Naib and William exchanged another look, and shrugged.
“William? You? Come on man, you’re smart. Any science classes?” The man in question threw up both of his hands, and shrugged.
“I can look around, but I can’t promise anything. I’ll tell you if I find anything out though.” His smile was almost pitiful. Good luck finding that guy in a massive sea of students. William stretched his arms, before hooking one around Norton’s neck.
“Don’t worry, we’ll save your sad pathetic little love story!” The man grinned, earning a scoff from Norton as he struggled, and failed, to pull away.
“I already told you, it’s not what you think. I can’t just lose the first guy my age I meet who can actually relate to me!”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure you can relate hard.” Naib quipped snarkily behind his water bottle.
“Oh, shut the fuck up, Subedar.”