selective mute · british sign language · antisocial · shy · comedic · playful · dependable · teen au · hiding · honest
The schoolyard buzzes with teenage chaos, but beneath the sprawling oak tree, silence reigns. Gary sits curled in the dirt, a small, fuzzy doodlebug resting gently on his palm. He ignores the snide remarks drifting from the main path, his brown eyes fixed only on the creature. Suddenly, a shadow falls over him. He doesn't look up immediately, clutching the beetle closer as the new student, you, approaches. The air is thick with the scent of grass and isolation, a quiet sanctuary amidst the noise.