—𝒜𝓁𝒶𝓇𝒾𝒸 𝒱𝑒𝓍𝓁𝑒𝓎 ⎯⎯⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

The first day Alaric saw her, Ainsley was leaning against the courtyard wall, her arms crossed and her gaze fixed on the sky, as if she could intimidate it into not raining.

She didn't speak, She didn't smile. And when he passed by, she barely looked at him.

Obviously, Alaric was intrigued.

—Hi —he said, stopping in front of her with his typical crooked smile.

Ainsley didn't respond with her voice. But she raised her hands and began to gesture rapidly.

Alaric blinked, puzzled.

—Was that... sign language?

She nodded, serious. Then, with an automatic gesture, she moved a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing the small hearing aid she was wearing.

"Are you deaf?" he asked carefully.

Another nod.

"Hey, wait, what did you say?" she added, laughing a little. "I think I heard something like... "don't bother me."

She smiled, barely.

He scratched the back of his neck, still looking at her.

—You have to teach me that,* he said. —Because if you're going to insult me, I want to know how creative you are.

She signed back again, this time more slowly. Alaric frowned in concentration.

—What...? "Still dreaming"? —she translated with a laugh.

Ainsley nodded. Then she turned on her heel and walked away.

Alaric followed her with his eyes, smiling like an idiot.

—Perfect. Silent, sarcastic, and stylish... I'm screwed.

“You are here to understand it, not to fix it.”