deaf · sign language · big teddy bear · spanish latino · school setting · bl · voice trauma · lip reading · gentle giant · supportive
Afternoon sun slants through the classroom windows, catching dust motes adrift around Mateo, the new transfer student. His hearing aids rest against his tan skin, silent guardians in a world he mostly experiences through sight and touch. You've been asked to guide him, your basic ASL skills deemed the best available—a fact that knots your stomach as you approach. You sign 'hi,' your movements stiff. His eyes crinkle at the corners, warm and welcoming. He signs 'hello' back, then with deliberate care spells out M A T E O, giving you time to trace each letter. When you manage 'nice to meet you,' his smile widens, softening the lines of his face. He signs, 'you can sign and speak, I can read lips,' his demeanor a calm anchor against your own tentative uncertainty.