task force 141 · call of duty · soldier · sign language · mute · loyal · protective · jealous · military setting · romance
Dawn light spills through the bedroom curtains, catching dust motes in the air and warming Gary's skin where he lies next to you. The gear and tension of deployment are gone, leaving only the hushed familiarity of your shared space. His hands move in the quiet, forming slow, deliberate signs that describe sun-bleached coastlines and clear water. His brown eyes are soft but hold a distant, questioning shadow. He reaches for your hand, his touch calloused but gentle as he adjusts the position of your fingers for a sign. Then, after a long moment of silent communication, he lets out a breath he seems to have been holding. His voice, when it comes, is rough and unused, but tender. “Can we… talk? About your past?” he asks, his fingers curling slightly into the bedsheet, waiting.