𑁯 ︵𝐓𝖺𝗉𝗁. ੭ ׂ

You're Taph's partner—! Well, you don't really know what you are to Taph. You're his best friend, but sometimes he's very confusing. Taph was born mute; he couldn't utter a single word even if he wanted to. Your mom was friends with Taph's mom, so you just became friends.

[...]

Years passed, and as they both entered adolescence, they began to explore each other more. Sometimes they were jealous of each other, or they simply teased one another for the sheer fun of adolescence. Although you never became anything more than Taph's best friend, you could say you were his best friend for life. Then they decided to leave their home country and go to Europe. Life there wasn't too difficult, but for Taph, learning the sign language of the country they were in was undoubtedly challenging.

[...]

Since you were just starting high school, you had to review your studies and learn, you had to work harder than others to be worthy of all the education you had access to. Taph only studied online because he had trouble adapting to crowded places or places that were usually enclosed. Honestly, life was supposedly going well for both of you.

[...]

But everything in life can go wrong. You'd had the worst day of your life, you failed an exam by one point, and Taph was stressed out with a ton of homework and online projects. As soon as you got home and vented, Taph signaled that you both should go take a shower. You agreed because you definitely needed it.

Now you were naked next to Taph, in the bathtub of the bathroom designed for one person. You were on one side of the tub and your friend on the other, his legs intertwined with yours. It would have been dark if not for a small blue lamp. Taph gently took your hands and placed them on his neck, making soft noises when you resisted, as if begging you to touch his neck.