Between Sound and Silence
Jul. 3rd, 2017 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
duckyshimetaiTitle: Between Sound and Silence
Author: duckyshimetai
Beta-reader: none
Pairing: Tennen (OhnoxAiba)
Length: Oneshot
Rating: PG-13 for kisses
Summary: A oneshot about Aiba, his deaf brother, an accident, and the doctor that silently stole his heart.
Disclaimer: I’m taking a lot of liberties with deafness, sign language and hospital stays, hope it doesn’t offend/hurt anyone or come off as ableist >< also, this is pure fiction.
Warning: mention of a car accident
Notes: sign language between dashes, spoken words in quote marks, thoughts are in italics, gay marriage is legal in this universe, also, some part of this was taken from a Chinese comprehension worksheet I did probably almost a decade ago (but it did not involve gayness/hospitalisation nor such elaborate details). This took me so long T_T six years? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it~!! partial sign language reference: this youtube video
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Several years ago… Author: duckyshimetai
Beta-reader: none
Pairing: Tennen (OhnoxAiba)
Length: Oneshot
Rating: PG-13 for kisses
Summary: A oneshot about Aiba, his deaf brother, an accident, and the doctor that silently stole his heart.
Disclaimer: I’m taking a lot of liberties with deafness, sign language and hospital stays, hope it doesn’t offend/hurt anyone or come off as ableist >< also, this is pure fiction.
Warning: mention of a car accident
Notes: sign language between dashes, spoken words in quote marks, thoughts are in italics, gay marriage is legal in this universe, also, some part of this was taken from a Chinese comprehension worksheet I did probably almost a decade ago (but it did not involve gayness/hospitalisation nor such elaborate details). This took me so long T_T six years? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it~!! partial sign language reference: this youtube video
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“Yuusuke, please get better…” Mrs. Aiba was crying softly to herself, while Mr. Aiba just stood silently, one hand on her shoulder. Masaki held his other hand.
Mom is crying beside my bed, Yuusuke thought. But why… why can’t I hear her? Why can’t I hear ANYTHING?
-----
“Masaki, you’re going to be late for work!” Aiba’s mother hollered up the stairs while cooking some eggs for breakfast. “Yuusuke’s already here!”
“Coming, mom!” Masaki scrambled down the stairs, his hair sticking up at the back, a shirt button undone in his haste. -Good morning, Yuusuke!- he signed sloppily as he passed his little brother.
-Good morning!- Yuusuke cheerily signed back. An illness in his childhood had left him deaf, and now he relied on sign language to communicate with the rest of his family.
Masaki shovelled the eggs into his mouth while his mother fixed his hair and shirt. -Nii-chan, messy!- signed Yuusuke, laughing. Masaki smiled good-naturedly and signed back, -Eat your breakfast!-
It was just like any other day at the Aiba household. But all that would change soon.
-----
Ahhh… no! Yuusuke gasped inwardly. The ball went sailing over the fence.
Yuusuke went and peered over the chest-high wooden structure. Surely he could climb over to get the ball..? He put one foot on the horizontal part of the fence and hoisted his other leg to a higher piece at the side.
Just then, the school bell went, and although Yuusuke couldn’t hear it, he saw the other students he played with going back to the building. He sighed and climbed back down… Maybe he could get the ball when school ended.
The seconds crawled by, too slow for Yuusuke. Finally the teacher signalled that it was time to go home, and Yuusuke frantically packed his books and ran to the fence behind the field. He would only have a few minutes before Nii-chan showed up to bring him home.
He dropped his bag beside the fence and began to climb again. Soon he reached the top and shifted his body so that he could pause and take a breath. He scanned the surroundings for the ball. It was Nii-chan’s ball, and he couldn’t lose it.
He spied it in some tall bushes on the other side of the road, and quickly let himself down from the fence. Scurrying across the road, he pounced onto the bushes and tried to get the ball. It was too high, and so he found a long stick on the ground and used it to poke the ball down.
Holding the ball tightly in his hands, he was so focused on having it safely with him again that he didn’t notice anything.
He didn’t notice the car approaching quickly from the distance.
He didn’t notice the tall figure scrambling up the fence, with his mouth forming the shape of “YUUSUKE!!”
He didn’t notice the vibrations growing under his feet.
And so, he was caught completely by surprise when Nii-chan burst at him from the other side of the road and pushed him to safety, getting hit by the speeding, honking car in the process.
-----
The ambulance personnel found a kid holding a ball, sobbing and holding a young man lying in a pool of blood.
-----
“Masaki, wake up, please…” This was a horrible nightmare for Masaki’s mother. Back at the white, sterilized hospital, looking at her elder son lying unconscious on a bed. It reminded her of the time Yuusuke was there, with an alarmingly high fever that had robbed him of his hearing. Mrs. Aiba had never wanted to come back, and yet here she was.
“He is out of danger for now, but it will take some time for him to recover…" the masked surgeon had informed them.
Mrs. Aiba hardly left Masaki’s bedside, and squeezed Masaki’s hand gently, willing him to wake up. Two days later, his eyelids fluttered open. Finding that he had a ventilator mask on and he was unable to speak, he panicked and flailed his arms wildly. The movement woke his mother, who had been dozing lightly in the chair beside the bed.
"Masaki! You're awake!"
The memory of the incident rushed back into Masaki’s head, and he desperately grabbed his mother’s hand before signing furiously, -Yuusuke! Where’s Yuusuke! Is he alright?!-
“Shh, Masaki, calm down. Your brother is fine, thanks to you. But now you need rest. Don’t worry, I’ll call him in to see you soon.”
-----
The door slid open as Yuusuke timidly edged into the room.
-Nii-chan, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!- he repeatedly signed, hands moving frantically.
-There’s no need to worry- Masaki smiled. -Now, come here-
Straining a little, he raised his hand and wiped off the tears that rolled down his little brother’s face.
-I’m just glad you’re all right, Yuusuke…-
Unnoticed by both of them, a third person watched silently from the open door.
-----
Masaki's first night after he woke up in the hospital was a rather terrifying experience. His parents had to go home as they both had work early the next day, and Yuusuke had school. They had brought his soft toy dog Puni-chan, which was a relief (even if it was slightly embarrassing for a grown man to have a stuffed toy), but even Puni-chan couldn't stop his fears entirely.
He worried about his work at the zoo, and how the animals were doing without him, and fretted about how long it would take for him to get completely better so that he could go back to his normal life. Lying down helplessly in a dark hospital room only amplified his feelings.
He hugged Puni-chan close and tried not to cry. The room isn't totally dark, he told himself. There's still that rectangle of light from the corridor.
Just as he thought this, a shadow fell over it. He started, and hugged Puni-chan even tighter.
The door slid open, revealing a small man in a doctor's coat. He walked up to the bed, as if sensing Masaki's unhappiness, and put on the small light at the bedside. Masaki blinked, and as he got used to the light again, the doctor scribbled something on a notepad and held it up.
| Are you okay? Because you just woke up today, I thought it might be scary, so I came after my rounds to check. |
Masaki blinked in surprise and gratitude, and in his muddled state of mind he didn't stop to think whether Ohno understood sign language, but he gestured anyway. -Yes, it is a little scary.-
It took more effort than he thought, and he let his hands fall to the bed in exhaustion.
The man nodded in comprehension, and moved a little nearer, tucking Puni-chan back under Masaki's arm.
Masaki's heart jumped a little when he felt the doctor's hand close around his, but gradually relaxed under the rhythmic, comforting movements of the doctor's thumb against the back of his hand. Masaki closed his eyes and his breathing became easier.
The both of them stayed this way till Masaki fell asleep. Silently, the doctor stood up, switched off the lamp, and left the room, taking the paper with him.
-----
The next morning, Masaki wondered if it had all been a dream.
As the doctor came in to take his vitals and perform the routine checks, Masaki tried to absorb what he could see from his position on the bed. The first thing he noticed was the doctor's sleepy eyes. The second was the soft outline of his cheeks. The third was the full lips, which were pursed in concentration as he wrote something on his clipboard.
Masaki couldn't contain his curiosity any more and waved to get the doctor's attention. When he looked up, Masaki signed the question that had been burning in his heart since he saw the older man.
-Did you come in last night?-
The man in the white coat only smiled in return. It was a quiet, relaxed type of smile, one that reminded Masaki of peaceful times staring out the window at blooming sakura trees in his school days, or the sunsets at the top of the hill, where he spent his summers listening to the soft strum of a guitar and the wistful voice of his best friend Ninomiya Kazunari singing about love. While Masaki was lost in his reverie, the other man nodded simply and left after subtly tucking a piece of paper under Puni-chan.
Masaki gazed after the small man's retreating back, before fumbling with the paper. The stark words against the white paper sent a thrill down Masaki's spine as he read them.
| I'll be back later. |
-----
As promised - or rather, written - the doctor came back again that night, after everyone left for the day. It became a sort of unspoken routine, and Masaki would fall asleep to the rhythmic touch of this man's beautiful long fingers on the back of his hand.
Over time, Masaki became more and more intrigued by this doctor. The man would come in and take his vital signs such as his blood pressure and temperature, and check that the countless tubes going in and out of Masaki were working as they were supposed to. Sometimes he had a little sign-chat with Masaki, nothing serious, just asking how he was feeling. Most of the time he just gave a small, quiet smile. He then left to check on the rest of the patients. During the times he was left alone, Masaki would play with Puni-chan while waiting for his family to come.
His parents would come and bring occasional flowers and gifts, and tell him about the day's events. Sometimes there would be an especially funny customer at the restaurant, or a cute girl (or guy) that Aiba's mother wanted to introduce to him, little everyday things like that.
Once or twice, Shimura-encho also dropped by. The head zookeeper at the zoo where Masaki worked would always grumble about how the hospital didn't allow him to bring the chimpanzee Pan-kun inside, before telling him about all the interesting things that happened in the zoo. Masaki listened, enraptured, and wished with all his heart to get better soon.
In the evening, after visiting hours were over, the doctor would come back and sit quietly in the room, watching him and occasionally signing a few questions, to ask Masaki things like how he was feeling. But mostly he just sat and watched, and Masaki watched him right back. He could never get tired of looking at the smaller man, really.
-----
On top of Masaki's bedside table, a small pile of "Get Well Soon" cards was arranged. After he was well enough to sit up, he picked them up and started reading through them. One was from Shimura-encho and Pan-kun. It was filled with the writings of his colleagues and a few hoofprints and pawprints, all wishing him a speedy recovery and to get back to the zoo soon.
Masaki felt a burning at the back of his nose and he couldn't stop the a couple of tears from rolling to freedom down his cheeks. He missed the zoo so much and he felt like he was being a burden. The work that he would have been doing was now shared between his colleagues as extra work, and he felt really guilty for that.
He was so absorbed in his feelings that he didn't notice a figure that had silently slipped in and was observing him. A piece of paper fluttered down onto his lap and he quickly wiped his tears away, ashamed that he had been seen crying.
When his eyes were no longer blurred, he picked up the paper.
| Why are you sad? |
The handwriting was so earnest and sincere that it was all Masaki could do to keep from bawling again. He looked around for a pen and the doctor handed him one with a fish symbol on the cap, and Masaki scribbled,
| I'm such a burden! Everyone at the zoo has extra work now because of me, I'm in hospital and can't do a thing! |
He dotted his last exclamation mark with slightly more force than necessary and laid the pen and paper down. Ohno, having watched solemnly as he wrote the whole thing, picked up the pen and wrote below,
| I'm sure everyone wants you to get better because they love you, so don't worry. |
Masaki nodded, and tried with all his heart to believe it.
The next day, the doctor brought him a pack of crayons and a drawing pad with a post-it stuck on the front.
| I find that drawing helps me to relax. Don't be sad anymore, okay? |
Masaki smiled gratefully and nodded.
The drawings he made weren't the best, but they were made with his sincere feelings. Sometimes the doctor joined him, and his drawings were so amazing, it made Masaki feel a little embarrassed of his own drawings. But the doctor always found some way to praise Masaki's drawings, and remove the insecurity that slowly built up.
-You know, I have another friend who does great drawings.- The doctor signed. - It's just that they never look like what he wants them to, but they are still great in their own way. -
-Really?- Masaki's curiosity was piqued.
-Yeah, I can show you a photo.- He opened up a picture on his phone and turned it to show Masaki. -Can you guess what it is?-
-I don't know.- Masaki scratched his head. -Is there a clue?-
-Yeah, there.- The doctor pointed to something small in the bottom left corner.
-The mushroom?- Masaki was even more puzzled.
-No, it's not- The smaller man's eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter.
-It just looks like a hairy snowman to me.- Masaki gave up.
-It's Totoro.- The phone's owner giggled slightly, -The thing in the corner is Mei-chan.-
-What?- Masaki's eyebrows lifted, but he could see the other was serious. -His drawing is that bad?-
He gave a smile, and the doctor was dazzled by its brilliance.
-----
Even though it was quite a while since Masaki was taken off the ventilator, he still continued to communicate with the doctor using sign language, since they were both used to it.
-May I know your name?- Masaki signed. He’s known it for a while, he can read the nametag, Ohno Satoshi, but he wants to see the sign for it, the sign used instead of fingerspelling.
-It was given to me by a good friend.- Ohno’s hands gently danced in the air. -It means “fishing leader”. What’s yours?-
-Yuusuke gave me this one.- Masaki jiggled his hands. -It means “sunshine idiot”, but-
-Suits you.- Ohno couldn’t hide the smirk that crept across his face, earning him a smack on the head.
-----
The doctor gave Masaki’s parents a reassuring smile as he handed them a copy of the report.
-Basically, I’d say Masaki’s doing quite well. If he keeps at it he’ll be well on the road to recovery.- His hands flew as he signed to the couple in front of him.
“That's great to hear…” Mrs. Aiba leaned on her husband, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.
-----
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and eventually Masaki was ready to leave the hospital.
Or was he? There was a strange, slight feeling of loss in his heart as he looked for the last time around the room he had spent the past days in, and he couldn't figure it out. He definitely wouldn't miss the cold white walls, the plastic tubes, or the machines beeping softly in the background. Not the smell of disinfectant, nor the feeling of being confined to the bed.
What was it then?
A soft hand was laid on his shoulder and he spun around to face the now-familiar features of one Ohno Satoshi.
Ah, yes. I'm not ready to leave this guy.
-Excited to go home?- The smaller man smiled.
-Yes.- was what Masaki's hands said, but his eyes told a different story.
The doctor nodded, and turned to leave, when he in turn was stopped by Masaki, whose hands seemed to move of their own accord.
-Can I have your number?-
Ohno smiled again, and fished out a piece of paper and pen from his pocket. He scribbled something and then pushed it into Masaki's hand, before leaving an openmouthed Masaki staring after him as he continued on his rounds.
Masaki unfolded the paper. On it was a neat row of digits, and below that, two simple words.Take care.
-----
Masaki had meant to text immediately, really he did, but after Masaki was welcomed back to his regular job at the zoo by the staff and the animals alike, he became extremely busy since many of the animals seemed to be giving birth or laying eggs all at once. His thoughts were mainly preoccupied with how cute the baby animals would be, as well as all the new arrangements that had to be made in terms of feeding, cleaning and housing. All thoughts of the hospital were relocated to the back of his mind, until closing time one day.
Masaki felt especially hungry on the way home that day, because one of the elands had escaped and he had to run around after it with the other staff to trap it and bring it back to its enclosure. He shuddered slightly at the memory of its huge galloping hooves, and continued walking. However, the smell of a roadside karaage vendor was too much for him to resist, and he decided to buy some to tide him over till he reached home and could eat his mother's cooking.
When he took out his wallet to pay for his karaage, a piece of paper fluttered out of it. Masaki picked it up, and realised that it was the paper that he'd received from Ohno. Feelings and memories came rushing back, and he immediately flipped open his phone and added the number.
masaki
[18:56] hey, this is Aiba Masaki
[18:56] sorry I took so long, was busy with work
[18:57] wanna go out sometime?
A couple of hours passed, during which Masaki reached home and had dinner, and afterwards spent the next half an hour fretting about the lack of response. Maybe I was too direct, or maybe he’s busy? That could be it, doctors are busy aren’t they? What if he's already forgotten me? He mentally kicked himself for not asking for the doctor’s working hours.
Just then, a beep sounded from his phone, bringing Masaki back from his stream of increasingly panicky thoughts.
satoshi
[19:59] hey, Aiba-chan!
[20:00] out? where?
Masaki could have cried with relief and happiness.
A few texts later, they’d arranged to have dinner the next week.
-----
It was the first time Ohno had been out in the streets in a long while. Properly out, not just running quick errands or travelling to and from work. If he was being honest, he thought it was a little overwhelming being out. Out of the hospital, out of the bleached white walls and sterile air, out into the freshness that is life and sunshine and kisses on the wind.
Is this what ‘out’ feels like? He mused to himself. Maybe I should do this more often.
-----
Masaki’s heart raced as he looked nervously at his watch. Time was ticking nearer to the arranged time, and he had idea what to expect. Perspiring slightly in his best checkered shirt he had picked for the occasion, he paced up and down the street corner outside the restaurant. Will he come? What will I say?
He blinked, and a familiar silhouette appeared in his line of vision, walking at a pace that couldn't be described as fast or slow, but somewhere in between. The figure suddenly seemed to notice Masaki, and gave a friendly wave. Masaki almost hit another passerby in his excitement to wave back, happiness lifting the corners of his lips to their fullest extent.
-Sorry, did you wait long?- Ohno signed as he came nearer, with a grin matching Masaki's.
-I'm just glad you're here,- Masaki replied. -Shall we?-
He held the door open and they both entered.
They sat at a table near a window, where the soft light of dusk filtered in and gently illuminated their features. For a while, all they did was sit, smiling and gazing at each other's face and reminiscing about how much they missed the other.
The spell was broken when Ohno's stomach grumbled as if to say it's past feeding time, I know he's pretty and all but could we get something in here already? and Masaki's replied in agreement. The stomachs' owners blushed simultaneously and tore their gaze away from each other, shifting their focus to the menu.
Masaki had eaten here many times before, but if he tried to recall what the food tasted like on that day, he wouldn't be able to say, because all he remembered were the soft features of the man sitting in front of him. There was very little conversation, because their hands were too occupied with shoveling the food into their hungry mouths to sign. Masaki couldn't help noticing the delighted "uuumph" noises the other made, and the sweet smile he gave warmed his belly more than any of the food did.
When every last scrap was gone from their plates, they both sat back with a contented smile.
-That was good, wasn't it?- Ohno signed contentedly.
-Yes, it was.- Masaki agreed. -Wait, you have something on your face.-
-Where?- Ohno picked up a napkin and started dabbing randomly.
-There. No, a bit to the left. Left! No, the other left.- Masaki grinned at the sight of this cute man dabbing earnestly and yet missing the exact spot. -Here, let me help.-
Before the smaller man could react, Masaki seized a napkin and wiped it all off.
-Thanks.- Ohno signed. His face still tingled a little where Masaki had touched it, and his heart was suddenly beating a little faster.
It didn't slow down till he was halfway home after saying their goodbyes, and by then a dreamy smile had taken over his face.
The same smile was on Masaki's, although he didn't know it.
------
Masaki liked it when Satoshi started texting him more often after that.
He loved learning about Satoshi's hobbies and slowly piecing together the image he had of Satoshi, like slowly solving an intriguing mystery.
Fishing. The man enjoyed fishing so much that it was no wonder he managed to be so tanned despite spending many hours indoors at the hospital. His free days were usually spent alone on his boat, and Masaki idly wondered if he could join sometime.
Clay. Those long, beautiful fingers weren't only good for hand signing and drawing, but also for gently nudging clay into beautiful shapes and figurines, which Satoshi sometimes sold but most often gave away to his friends. The next time they met, Satoshi gave him one - a little bird, lacquered to a shiny green finish.
Bread. Aside from baking clay in his oven at home, Satoshi would occasionally bake bread as well, or even other baked goods if he felt like it. Through reading his messages, it was clear to Masaki that if he hadn't become a doctor, he would have liked to be a baker. Masaki didn't doubt that he could - in his eyes Satoshi could do anything he set his mind to - so he just asked to try some of it next time.
-----
Masaki liked it too when Satoshi sent him really random texts sometimes.
It reassured him that he was in the older man's thoughts, as much as Satoshi was in his.
satoshi
[16:35] oh, here's a dandelion seed that landed on my shoe on the way to fishing
Attachment: <picture1.jpg>
masaki
[16:37] oh hey, I was blowing dandelions with Pan-kun earlier as well!!
[16:38] maybe it was from one of them? who knows lol
satoshi
[16:39] maybe! ^o^
masaki
[16:40] hey, let's do an experiment on how far dandelion seeds can fly!!
[16:40] i bet they can get to 400 metres at least!!
[16:41] EXCITEDDDDD!!! let's do this, oh-chan!
satoshi
[16:42] ^_^
-----
What Masaki liked the best, though, was when he got to see Satoshi face to face.
It was then that he got to fill his eyes and heart with the chubby cheeks, the full lips, the sleepy eyes, the twitchy nose. His giggles, his pouts, the way he ate, stuffing his mouth happily as if he hadn't eaten in days, that was all Masaki looked forward to every time they had dinner together. Sometimes they slowed down enough to have a hand signed conversation, and if the topic got to fishing, Satoshi could go on forever, his fork and spoon left forgotten on the table, Masaki gazing at him, enraptured, drinking it all in.
Maybe the doctor hadn't just succeeded in catching fish; unknowingly, along the way, maybe he'd caught Masaki's heart as well.
-----
The times Masaki got to see Satoshi were few and far between, but that did not stop Masaki's thoughts from being filled with the man almost every waking moment. Even the head zookeeper Shimura-encho noticed how Masaki was more dreamy than usual. "Hey, Aiba-kun! What do you think you're doing?"
Masaki looked down and saw that he had been about to toss the seals' fish into the kangaroos' feed box, and blushed with horror.
"I'm really sorry, Shimura-encho!" He rushed off to correct his mistake.
Shimura-encho shook his head while muttering something about young love, as he went off to look for Pan-kun.
-----
As oblivious as Masaki could be, he couldn't ignore it when one of his coworkers nudged him in the break room to ask him if he was in love.
Love? Really? Was this what was happening to him? He fretted over it till night time, and finally decided to ask his best friend since high school. Nino would know. After all, that's what he used to sing about all the time in high school, right?
masaki
[22:13] hey nino
[22:13] you know you always sing about those
[22:14] love songs
[22:14] what does it feel like?
nino
[22:15] whoa whoa whoa
[22:15] someone catch your eye?
[22:16] wait don’t tell me
[22:16] it’s that doctor dude isn’t it
masaki
[22:16] how did yOU KNOW
nino
[22:17] you've been telling me about him ever since you got out of the hospital??
[22:17] "oh, his cheeks! oh, his eyes! oh, his lips!" -_-;
[22:18] well
[22:18] tell him then
Masaki wanted to shout at him, “It’s not so easy! What if he doesn’t like men?”
As if answering his thoughts, his phone beeped again.
nino
[22:19] you won’t know if you never try
-----
Masaki took Satoshi out to a park near his house. It was the middle of fall, and the leaves danced in orange and yellow, some letting go of the branches when the playful breeze tickled them. It was quiet, and Masaki was glad for that.
-I have something to tell you.- Masaki’s heart was thumping so hard, he would have sworn Ohno could hear it, if he could hear anything at all.
The smaller man just smiled expectantly at him. Go on, his gaze seemed to say.
Trembling slightly, Masaki went through the sequence of signs that he had practised just for this. First he pointed to himself, then to Ohno, then he brought his thumb and index finger together down both sides of his chin, to meet just below his chin. He held his breath, waiting for Ohno’s reaction.
Ohno blinked, once, twice, his expression seemingly frozen on his face. Just as Aiba was about to give up and convince himself that it was impossible, Ohno lifted his hands to sign.
-I like you too.- He grinned at Masaki, who beamed right back and wrapped his arms around Ohno in a giant embrace, nuzzling his face into the older man’s neck.
------
Masaki had been looking at Ohno’s texts and smiling to himself yet again, without noticing it, as he had been doing the past few weeks. But his younger brother had, and didn’t hesitate to announce his discovery at the dinner table later that evening.
-Nii-chan’s in looooooove,- Masaki couldn’t understand how exactly his younger brother managed to make hand signs have such a teasing tone. He quickly grabbed Yuusuke’s wrists to stop him, make him shut up in a way, but it was too late. Their mother’s hand stopped, chopsticks halfway to her mouth, while the head of the house took a second to process it and turned his intense gaze onto Masaki.
“Is this true?” Mr. Aiba asked. Masaki looked down at his lap, his face burning, and his silence was answer enough.
“Oh my~” Mrs. Aiba regained her composure and her curiosity kicked in. “Who’s the lucky girl, then?”
“…” No words came to Masaki as he sat there helplessly. Yuusuke was so going to get it after dinner.
Sensing his discomfort, his mother changed the subject quickly. -So, who wants ice-cream?-
-----
After dinner, she brought him aside and whispered, “You can tell us when you’re ready.”
Masaki smiled gratefully at her, having no words to express how much he loved his mother just then.
-----
Things couldn’t be kept quiet for long, though, and soon the tongues of the housewives in the neighbourhood were wagging with the latest hot topic.
“That handsome Aiba boy is going out with a man now, I heard! And he’s deaf!”
“I thought he was deaf from a childhood illness?”
“No, the elder Aiba boy, and the guy he’s going out with is deaf, someone saw them using sign language with each other.”
“Ahh, such a pity for the girls ne~”
“I heard the guy’s a doctor though!”
Word soon reached Mrs. Aiba, who denied all knowledge of this (after all, Masaki hadn’t said anything, and she trusted him more than a bunch of gossipy middle-aged women). However, one night her curiosity got the better of her, and she sat Masaki down to have a mother-son talk with him.
-----
"Is something the matter, dear?" Mr. Aiba noticed that his wife was quieter than usual, seemingly lost in thought.
After some coaxing, Mrs. Aiba revealed what she had learnt.
“What? It’s a man?” Mr. Aiba frowned.
“Yes, dear,” Mrs. Aiba looked worriedly at her husband’s face. “Now, please try to calm down, it’s not good for you-“
“We can’t have that!”
“But we can’t force him into anything, he can love who he loves-”
"It's time to sleep. We can talk about this another day." Mr. Aiba switched off his bedside lamp, signalling the end of the conversation. “Good night, dear.”
“Good night,” Mrs. Aiba murmured, snuggling into her sheets sadly.
In the darkness, she could have sworn she heard a faint sigh coming from the other side of the bed, echoing her feelings.
-----
Mr. Aiba was a man of his word, and he sat down to have a talk with Mrs. Aiba and Masaki the following weekend, when Yuusuke was in his room doing his homework. He hadn't wanted Yuusuke to be involved and was rather hoping he'd be out with his friends, but Masaki pointed out that he was absolutely unable to eavesdrop anyway.
"So, Masaki," Mr. Aiba lowered himself onto the couch. "What's this I hear about you going out with a deaf man?"
"He's a doctor from the hospital, and he took care of me when I was there." Masaki said simply.
"Fair enough, but you have to go out with him because of that?"
"Dad! He was-is really nice to me!"
"There are a lot of difficulties in living with a deaf person though, and you're well aware of that from living with Yuusuke, aren't you?" Mr. Aiba's eyebrows knitted themselves together.
"Yes, Dad."
"Also, who will take over the restaurant when we can't anymore? We originally wanted to eventually leave it to you and your future wife or husband, but it's dangerous for people who can't hear to be in such a rushed environment with hot dishes and sharp utensils everywhere, that's why I never let Yuusuke set foot in there."
Mrs. Aiba laid a hand on her husband's arm to interrupt. "Dear, we can always find one of the employees that we trust. It's not that much of a problem."
"I'll do the work for both of us if I have to!" Masaki nodded hard.
Mr. Aiba had one last statement to deliver. "Communication is really important in a relationship, and it's just going to be more difficult for you and, well, him. And what about the things normal couples can do but you can't? Like watching movies, making phone calls..."
"I'll be okay with that!" Masaki stated with conviction, and turned to his mother for support.
Mrs. Aiba looked at Masaki tenderly. "As long as you're sure, dear. You know all we want is for you to be happy."
-----
After his father raised all those valid concerns, Masaki couldn't stop fretting over it. The thoughts echoed around in his head so overwhelmingly that he had to sit down halfway while cleaning Pan-kun's enclosure.
Oh-chan will never be able to call my name, he thought sadly. Or sing with me at karaoke bars or watch movies at the theatre with me or even make a normal phone call. What if there are emergencies?
Pan-kun, sensing that Masaki was unhappy, sidled over and offered him a banana from his stash.
"Thanks, Pan-kun... But I don't think it will help," Masaki gave him a hug anyway. "I have to think about this myself."
A new thought struck him. Pan-kun can't talk either... but I still love him anyway! And he loves me, so there's no reason that things can't be the same with Oh-chan!
I'll just have to do without all those things... but we still love each other! Yes! I'll make it work!
Having come to his conclusion, Masaki stood up abruptly and continued his work with a new determination.
-----
On one of their dates, Satoshi treated Masaki to his favourite mabo tofu at his parents' restaurant. Afterwards, he decided to walk Masaki home through the park, their bellies full and warm in contrast to the cold, white outdoors.
Even in winter, the park near the Aibas' house was beautiful. The icicles hung from the bare branches, sparkling in the pale winter sun, and a white blanket of snow covered the ground. The pond had iced over and a few local kids were skating on it, and some were building snowmen. Masaki and Satoshi walked through the snow, leaving two sets of footprints side by side. Their mittened hands clasped around each other and their breath was visible in the air.
They reached a secluded bench, where they decided to have a rest.
After a few moments, Satoshi tugged Masaki's sleeve to get his attention.
-Are you ready?- He signed.
-Ready for what?- The other smiled.
-This.- He leaned in and their lips ended up together in a sweet, cold tangle.
When they broke apart, both were smiling, and Satoshi managed to sign, -Happy birthday, Masaki.-
The smile he received in return could have melted all the snow in the park.
-----
Over time, Masaki's parents noticed the change in their elder son, how he seemed to be much happier than he was even before he met the doctor.
Under his parents' advice, he asked Satoshi home for dinner. It became a bi-weekly affair.
They grew to love the silent man. Mr. and Mrs. Aiba enjoyed how much he appreciated their cooking (it was amazing how pure delight and enjoyment for food could be expressed without words) and Yuusuke loved the caricatures that flew from his fingers, as well as the fact that at least one of Nii-chan's friends could communicate in sign language. The silence that filled the house during Satoshi's visits gradually became less of an overbearing presence, and more of a soothing embrace they looked forward to, a welcome break from the little (and sometimes not-so-little) troubles they faced every day.
One day, Masaki asked his parents for permission to marry Satoshi. They gave him their blessing.
-----
Satoshi was preparing to go home for the day. It was his day off the next day and he was looking forward to spending it on his boat fishing. Just as he lost himself in thoughts of the sun and the sea breeze, a beep from his phone brought him back to reality.
masaki
[19:27] Oh-chan?
[19:28] Would you be free tomorrow? I have something to ask you.
[19:28] Let's go to the park near my house ^_^
Oh. I guess fishing will have to wait for another day...
satoshi
[19:29] Okay!
He had no idea what to expect, but since this was Masaki, it would probably be something exciting. Maybe even better than fishing?
-----
He arrived with a strange feeling of nervousness. Masaki was dressed up and was carrying a backpack, which was unusual.
He let down his guard when Masaki slipped his fingers into his and walked around, savouring with his eyes the pink and white flowers on the branches swaying gently in the breeze. How was it already spring again? Time really flew when he spent it with this man.
They walked for a while till they reached a clearing, and Masaki let go.
He was totally unprepared for it when Masaki got down on one knee, opened a small box in one hand, and brought out a huge card that said:
| OHNO SATOSHI WILL YOU MARRY ME? |
He put his hands to his mouth, overcome with emotion, and could only nod, tears sparkling in his eyes.
-----
It felt like a whirlwind took over Masaki's body when he saw the nod. He tenderly slipped the ring onto Satoshis finger, then jumped up and kissed him passionately.
He then packed up, pulled Satoshi’s hand, and ran all the way back home, fueled by the excitement of getting a yes.
Bursting into the front door, he screamed “Mom! Dad! Guess what, I’m getting married! HE SAID YES!”
"That's great, dear! Just a moment!" Mrs. Aiba's voice came from somewhere within the house.
An incredulous, unfamiliar voice rang out behind him. "Ehhh? You can hear?" and Masaki whipped around, shocked. Had someone else followed him home? But no, it was the same chubby cheeks, the same full lips, the soft brown eyes arranged in an expression of equal parts shock and awe.
"Did...did you just? Speak?" Masaki was on the verge of tears. "What... how? You've always signed to me before..."
"I thought you were deaf." Ohno smiled slowly. "That first day I saw you, you were signing to your brother."
"But how do you know sign language then?" The taller man shook his head as if trying to clear it, at the same time trying to get used to this delicious new voice. Up till then, he’d only heard bits and pieces of it, the short sweet giggles, the grunts, but mostly the silence that wrapped around the two of them when they spent time together. He’d dreamed of it, but never believed it to be true.
"Oh, it's easier for me to speak with my hands than my mouth... I learnt it when I was younger, because my friend is also deaf."
Aiba's parents, having just arrived on the scene in time to catch these last words, were equally dumbfounded (yet happy) at this new development.
After regaining his senses. Masaki immediately bundled Ohno up to the privacy of his bedroom to experiment on this newfound voice.
-----
“Say it again.”
“Masaki.”
He giggled at the beautiful sound of his name coming from the lips of the one he loved most in this world, and snuggled closer.
“Yes, Satoshi?”
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Date: 2017-07-03 04:18 pm (UTC)Never expects that ending though XD As expected from the tennen pair to not realizing it earlier. I was wondering too why a deaf person can be a doctor (not trying to be a judgemental), but the ending just makes me torn between laughing or squealing XDDD You two!
And the Aiba family is very nice indeed ^_^ Everyone is understanding and kind.
I already said it, but Thank You SO much for sharing! This is amazing. I can't help from grinning while reading it <3
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Date: 2017-07-03 05:27 pm (UTC)Awww, haha yeah! I had the story before the pairing tbh, and Tennen really fit the plot, so I went with that~ they're the only ones who wouldn't realise till the end, while not actively pretending to be deaf to each other~
Yeah, I believe the Aiba family's got to be amazing to raise such a wonderful sunshine boy~!! ^_^
Thank you for reading and enjoying it!! It makes me happy that I can make you happy~
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Date: 2017-07-03 10:21 pm (UTC)I can imagine how Masaki will giggling just to heard and ask Satoshi to call his name all day.
Sankyuu for sharing this cute & fluffy story. ^ - ^
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Date: 2017-07-04 01:34 am (UTC)Awwww, yes, Masaki is super cute! I'm glad you enjoyed the story!
Thank you for reading and commenting! ^_^
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Date: 2017-07-03 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-07-04 01:35 am (UTC)Thank you for reading and commenting! ^_^
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Date: 2017-07-04 12:24 am (UTC)This was so fluffy and gentle, (even with the angsty bits at the beginning).
Aiba's family is completely adorable too <3
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Date: 2017-07-04 01:39 am (UTC)Yeah, they do naturally slide into relationships with each other, a bit like in your Wing!fic drabbles ^_^
Mmm, I figured Aiba's family has got to be adorable to raise our favourite sunshine boy the way he is~
Thank you so much for reading and commenting!! ^_^
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Date: 2017-07-04 04:33 am (UTC)It's so light and it brightened my day! <3
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Date: 2017-07-04 05:46 am (UTC)Ooh, really? I think I haven't seen enough of their hentai interaction, hehehe ^^; and yeah, I'd love to hear Satoshi call my name too *o*
I'm glad that you enjoyed the story!
Thanks for reading and commenting!! ^_^
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Date: 2017-07-05 07:52 am (UTC)And the end is so sweet *lol* they both are able to hear but they didn't know? Yeah, I csn imagine them like this.
Thanks for this sweet ohba story, I really enjoyed reading it. 💚💚💚💙💙💙💙
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Date: 2017-07-05 03:24 pm (UTC)Haha yeah, the tennen pair indeed XD
Thank you for reading and commenting! ^_^
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Date: 2017-07-16 07:08 pm (UTC)Thanks so much for this lovely story <3
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Date: 2017-07-17 07:48 am (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed the story! :D