Sign Language

Bonus chapter

the earrings were just as important as Sal's mask now. he took them out when he slept and showered and put them back in when he was done, but accidents happen. he could never forget his mask, he needed that to live. his earrings, however, were just tiny enough to sometimes forget them. usually he caught this on the way to the bus and would turn around and go back, but today he hadn't. for some reason, caught in his own thoughts, he never noticed he couldn't hear Larry talking to him or anything that he usually heard for that mattered. it wasn't until he got to school was opening his locker that he realized something was wrong. Larry grabbed his shoulders and shook him slightly, clearly laughing.

"hey! Earth to Sally! you there?" Larry chuckled. the panic filled stare he received made him worry. he watched his boyfriends hands flew up to his ears and Larry noticed the earrings weren't in their places. Larry pulled him to him quickly.

"hey whats going on guys?" Ashley ask.

"Sal forgot the earrings." Larry muttered.

"what?! how does he forget them!?" Ashley shouted.

"shit happens. he usually remembers them, but he forgot today." Larry glared at her.

"this could be good for him." Todd said.

"what do you mean?" Larry glared.

"easy, I'm just saying it wouldn't be bad for him to forget them occasionally and brush up on his sign language." Todd said. he had a point, but that didn't help right now. Sal was having a panic attack. Larry grabbed Sal and pulled him off to the bathroom quickly, locking the door behind them. Sal's chest was heaving and tears were running down his face. Larry lifted Sal's mask gently and wiped away the tears, pressing his lips gently to Sal's. he pulled back and put a finger to his lips. he rubbed his fingers over Sal's ears, quietly letting him know that he knew he couldn't hear. Larry held Sal tightly to his chest.

"Larry... I-" Sal started. Larry pulled him back and looked at him.

"it's okay Sal. accidents happen. we can go back home and get them. okay?" Larry ask slowly. after a moment Sal nodded slightly. Larry pulled Sal to the principals office and explained what was happening. thankfully the principal, who liked Sal, agreed to let them go home and get the earrings he needed to hear. Larry took hold of Sal's hand and led him home. but nothing could be simple like that in this town.

~~

they were about fifteen minutes away from the apartments when they were jumped.

"what are a couple kids like you doing out right now?" one of the guys ask.

"going home." Larry replied, pulling Sal behind him. Sal was confused, the guys had their mouths covered he couldn't understand what was happening.

"hands up now." one said pulling a gun out. Larry's hands flew up but Sal looked even more confused. "hey! I said hands up!" he growled pointing his gun at Sal.

"hey! easy! he's deaf! he can't hear you! and your mouth is covered, he can't read your lips." Larry explained quickly.

"tell him to put his hands up." he growled. Larry nodded and looked at Sal. Larry motioned for Sal to put his hands in the air. Sal nodded slightly, putting his hands into the hair as he looked at Larry. Larry stepped in front of Sal.

"we're just trying to go home and his hearing aids." Larry said.

"empty your pockets." he hissed. Larry sighed and put his hands into his pocket.

"not the cops are you?" Larry muttered, pulling out a bag of weed and tossing it to him. Sal gave him a dirty look, he thought Larry had stopped smoking months ago. Larry shrugged at him and pulled out his lighter, five dollars, and his library card. he didn't pull his cell phone out. the guy pointed the gun at Sal, he lifted the face cover so Sal could see his lips.

"your turn. empty your pockets." he growled. Sal patted his empty pockets and shrugged. he didn't use his pockets. "empty them." he narrowed his eye's.

"he doesn't use pockets." Larry said. the gun was pointed at Larry quickly, who looked at Sal. he made two 'L's with his hands he hooked his pointer finger of his left hand to the thumb of his right hand and bounced his hands away from his body.

run.

Sal nodded and took off running towards the apartments.

"hey!" he growled, turning to shoot at Sal. Larry tackled him and punched him in the face, grabbing the gun. he pointed it at both guys and glared, not even noticing the bullet had hit him in the arm.

"bring it." Larry said. he pointed the gun down and shot the man on the ground in the leg. he looked at the other guy. "this one goes in your head." Larry said. the second man, having only spoken once, put his hands up and backed away. Larry grabbed the stuff he'd thrown on to the ground. he took off running, throwing the gun in a sewer grate as he pass. it didn't take him long to catch up with Sal and pull him to his chest. even as Sal screamed. Larry pulled back quickly and looked him in the eye's. "it's just me." Larry murmured, giving him a slight smile. Sal relaxed and swallowed looking at him.

"you... okay?" Sal ask. Larry nodded and continued to pull him to the apartments.

~~

once Sal put them in, they called the cops and reported what happened. Lisa was quick to call the school and tell them the boys had been jumped and were safer staying at home. the principal agreed.

"wh-what happened? why did you tell me to run?" Sal ask. Larry hugged him.

"I was afraid they were going to shoot you, because you couldn't hear them. I would've rather been shot then let you get shot." Larry murmured.

"you scared me when you grabbed me." Sal said.

"I'm sorry, I just had to stop you and make sure you were alright." Larry murmured. Sal nodded, lifting his mask to wipe his face. Larry pulled him closer and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you got out of there." Larry murmured.

"you're hurt." Sal muttered, looking at his arm. Larry looked down.

"I uh, never noticed." Larry chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "had to get the gun before they shot you." Larry murmured. Sal nodded slightly and he looked over Larry's wound.

"they shot you." Sal said.

"well yeah, I wrestled a guy with a gun of course he shot me." Larry chuckled. Sal gave him a dirty look.

"your an ass." Sal replied, reaching into Larry's pocket. Larry was confused until Sal grabbed the bag from his pocket and waived it at him. "whats this?" Sal glared.

"relax it's not mine. I'm holding it for a friend." Larry replied.

"yeah sure. how much did you spend on this?" Sal ask.

"nothing I'm literally holding it. if I keep it for him, I make an easy $600. relax. I gave that stuff up as soon as you ask me too." Larry said. Sal nodded slightly and handed him the back.

"fine but if you even smell just a little like you've been smoking weed again, I tell your mom. that shit got you in trouble and cost me nearly $2,00o in bail money just so your mom wouldn't know. don't do it again." Sal warned.

"I already promised you I wouldn't." Larry replied. Sal nodded once. "how did you forget those this morning?" Larry ask.

"well I showered last night instead of this morning and they're in the bathroom cabinet. I never even thought about them." Sal muttered. "we could've died because I forgot them." Sal said.

"nah, I could've taken them." Larry replied.

"correction, you could've died because I forgot them." Sal said, looking at the bullet wound on Larry's arm

"but I didn't and neither did you. it's okay. shit happens. I've seen you forget your mask when you go to walk into the kitchen at my place." Larry said.

"yeah but thats different. you and your mom have both seen me. I don't forget it any other time." Sal replied.

"it's fine. it happens. just relax, we made it out alive and mostly unharmed. we got this." Larry smiled. Sal nodded slightly and hugged him tightly. it was nice to know Larry had his back, hearing or no hearing.