Requested Reader OC - Elis, deaf, sign language and lip reading, pale, dark hair, dark academic outfit
Jerome sat at the breakfast table in Anubis House, nibbling thoughtfully on a piece of perfectly toasted bread. The aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the air, mingling with the light chatter of his housemates around him. It was Saturday, and the atmosphere buzzed with excitement as everyone animatedly discussed their weekend plans. Some were planning outings to local events, while others mentioned meet-ups with friends. Jerome, however, found himself feeling a bit out of sync. His schedule was relatively empty, he contemplated browsing for new clothes online later, but other than that, he had nothing on his agenda.
Suddenly, the conversation shifted and Jerome perked up, his interest piqued. "Now all of you, remember to be nice," Trudy instructed, her tone firm. "Since Amber moved out to pursue her scholarship, we've got a new student moving in today."
Jerome nearly choked on his toast. New students rarely arrived so quickly, and memories of Nina's bumpy arrival flashed through his mind. That had been a chaotic time, to say the least, filled with misunderstandings and unexpected drama.
As the breakfast plates were cleared away, laughter and chatter continued until everyone dispersed, eager to embark on their day's adventures.
Once finished he finally made his way to the living room, he settled into the cushy couch with his laptop balanced on his lap. The soft hum of the computer filled the quiet space, but every few moments, his gaze drifted anxiously toward the front door and the large window that overlooked the driveway. The rhythmic tapping of his feet against the hardwood floor echoed his anticipation. He couldn't help but wonder about the new arrival—who they would be, what they were like, and how they would fit into the peculiar dynamics of Anubis House.
Soon enough a car pulled up outside, Jerome did try not to seem overly excited. Even if he did try peaking out the window nets only to see the plain silver car. But soon enough he heard the outer door open and Victor's voice as he walked the new student in.
Jerome sat back casually with his laptop pretending like he hadn't even noticed they had arrived yet, just as the inner door opened.
In stepped a short round girl, with pale skin, chubby thighs, and freckles. She wore a pair of brown ankle boots, some black wool tights, a plaid brown pleated skirt, a black fluffy jumper tucked into the skirt, a silver locket around her neck, her long dark chocolate curls around her shoulders, her hand on the strap of a leather messenger bag, a thick black pair of glasses on her nose and a black Brenton hat on her head.
Jerome's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the new girl. Immediately he liked her... he found her cute. She had an adorable look to her, not at all what he was expecting. He sat up and adjusted his hair a little, before tossing his laptop on the table and standing up from the couch and walking over to the girl, putting on his best charming smile he introduced himself. "Hey there," he greeted.
She softly smiled and waved,
He was trying to figure out how he should play this. Should he act nice or play the suave guy. Both options had worked well for him previously but already he felt a little sweaty and breathless like she was already making him nervous. "I'm guessing you're the newbie, right? I'm Jerome"
She smiled and offered a hand to shake,
He took her hand and shook it, taking note of how her soft hand felt in his. He smiled, deciding to play the charming gentleman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, darling. Do you need help with your bags?"
She softly blushed and nodded moving her hands a little which deeply confused Jerome for a moment. Until he realised it was sign language! Which... He didn't understand.
His eyes widened slightly. He had no idea what she was trying to say. He pondered for a second whether to admit he couldn't understand her, or he try and pretend he did... but there was no way he'd get away with pretending he knew sign language. "Uh... Sorry to break this to you, but uh... I'm not exactly fluent in sign language "
She nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from her books and wrote him a message. 'Nice to meet you Jerome, it's okay most people aren't familiar. I'm Elis.'
Jerome read the note, his heart fluttering in his chest a little at the sight of her name. Elis. It suited her. It was a really cute name. He smiled. "Elis. That's a very pretty name" he said, "Are you able to understand me alright?"
She nodded pointing to her own lips,
He nodded. "That makes it a bit easier"
She smiled and wrote another note for him, 'Is the offer of help with my bags still available?'
"Oh yes, of course, I'd be glad to help" he assured her, holding out his hand for her bags.
As she smiled warmly, Jerome and Elis carefully balanced all her belongings between them, as they navigated the staircase leading up to her new room. He stole glances at her, trying to concoct a lighthearted comment, but the realization that she couldn't hear him made the task more challenging than he anticipated, as he wondered just how much flirtatious wordplay even comes across with meer lip reading. Once they reached the door of her room, he gently placed her bags on the polished wooden floor, the sound slightly muffled by the thick carpet.
"Here we are then, darling," he said,
She smiled and signed, mouthing 'thank you' slowly,
Seeing her sign made him smile a little. He really did find it adorable. And her lips looked so soft... He had to shake himself out of his thoughts. Focus on the task at hand. "No problem. Do you need a hand unpacking too?"
She shook her head and began to work on her own,
He watched her unpack for a moment before he realised he might come across as a creep if he kept staring at her. He cleared his throat a little to get her attention. "Uh... I'm going to let you get on with your unpacking, but... I'll see you downstairs later, right?"
She didn't even flinch,
He stood there in silence a moment, "Elis? he tried a little louder and moving closer, before he then mentally kicked himself. She's not looking at him! He's trying to get her attention with sound! He sighed and movd closer into her eyeline, he waved his hand a little to try and get her attention.
She noticed his hand so turned and smiled,
He gave her a soft smile.
"I was just going to ask... Will I see you downstairs? I mean once you're done unpacking. I'll see you in a bit?"
She laughed softly and waved him goodbye before she continued unpacking,
He found her little laugh so cute. He was getting a little distracted by her again. He took a deep breath, before waving back at her. "Right, uh... See you later, Elis" he said before leaving her to unpack.
