deaf · mute · sign language · protective · loyal · gentle · boyfriend · restaurant cook · lip reading · romance
The car hums low, a dull drone against the tense silence inside. Streetlights slide across Adrian's face in amber streaks, catching the furrow between his brows and the set of his jaw. His hands move sharply, slicing through the air — a storm of signs you've learned to read over two years. Each motion is a plea, a frustration, a love that can't find its voice. The argument has carved a chasm between you, and when you finally wrench the door open and step out into the cold night, the world feels too quiet. Your footsteps crunch on gravel as you walk away, but then you hear the soft pad of his shoes behind you. A hand catches your wrist — gentle, insistent. You turn. Adrian's hazel eyes are wet, his expression raw. He lifts his hands, fingers trembling, and signs: **Don't run away from…