Sheraton Academy

Shut Up and Kiss Me

Rating: G. Warnings: none

It was cold. The coldest winter Stacey had ever seen. Adam had gone through much, much worse – he was from Massachusetts, after all – but the snow was different here, Stacey insisted, and that was why everything shut down when there was only a half inch of it on the ground.

"Sure. I believe you," Adam said, in a way that made it clear he didn't believe Stacey at all.

But regardless of whether the snow was different or not, everything was shut down this cold, cold weekend, and Stacey was holed up in his room, peering out the window at the snow-dusted red brick of the school buildings. The ground was clean and white, unmarred by footprints, if dim from all cloud cover. It was afternoons like this he missed the sunny beaches of Greece where he grew up.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he slipped it out. It was from Adam.

Hey! I know everything is closed, but do you want to go out to the Village for a walk? I'll bet it's beautiful with the Christmas lights and everything!

Stacey smiled. It was already nearing the middle of December, so the shops that did windows probably had them up, now, too.

Okay! Meet you by the gates?

Fifteen okay?

Yeah!

Stacey wrapped up in his favorite jacket and scarf, black and white pinstriped and black and white houndstooth, respectively. People had always warned him against trying to wear multiple patterns, way back when, but he knew he could pull it off. He rubbed his hands together, stuffed them in his pockets for a few minutes to warm them up, and headed outside.

He pulled his scarf a little tighter around his neck as he reached the gates. Adam wasn't there yet. Stacey leaned back on the cold brick of the arch and looked around, taking in his surroundings. He wasn't expecting anyone else to be out, but better to know where anyone was than risk getting snuck up on.

He slid his phone out of his pocket and began to text Adam to let his boyfriend know of his arrival, but someone grabbed him and twirled him in a circle. Stacey dropped his phone and flailed out in a panic. His fist contacted with the hard, sharp edge of a jaw, and the person dropped him. Stacey scrambled to his feet, wide eyed, phone forgotten, and whirled around.

It was Adam, rubbing at his jaw.

"Sorry," Adam signed. One of the first ones he'd learned, and he'd needed it a lot.

"I'm sorry," Stacey replied. "Are you okay?"

Adam nodded and rubbed once more at his jaw, then pulled out a small tissue wrapped parcel from his pocket.

"I got you a present," he said. Stacey kept his eyes on Adam's lips as he spoke. Although his boyfriend was learning BSL, he wasn't great at it yet, and they often had to rely on a combination of gestures, lip reading, and notepads to get their points across.

Stacey grinned and took the package, turning it over and then unceremoniously ripping it open.

Inside was a pair of knitted black and white striped mittens. Stacey stared at them for a long, long moment, then looked up and signed, "Are you telling me to shut up?"

Adam furrowed his brow. Stacey pointed at him, then at himself, then made a zipping motion over his lips. He tilted his head to the side and hiked an eyebrow.

"Am I... asking you to be quiet?" Adam asked haltingly.

Stacey nodded. It was close enough.

Adam frowned, then his eyes widened and he realized just what his gift had implied.

"No!" he said. "No, no, I wasn't telling you to be quiet. I'm sorry. I just thought, it's cold, and my mom knits, and she wanted to send you something, and I didn't think...? A hat would have been better. I'm sorry."

Stacey's smile came back and he shook his head and waved it away with his hand. Adam smiled back.

And ducked down and pressed a soft kiss to Stacey's cheek.

Stacey blushed bright cherry red and pushed his scarf up over his cheeks. He and Adam had been together a few months, but their relationship had moved slowly, barely going past chaste kisses and holding hands and fully clothed cuddling. Adam smiled, tugged the scarf down, and gave Stacey's other cheek a kiss to match the first.

"I love you," Stacey signed.

And Adam wouldn't admit it, but I love you was the first sign he'd taught himself. Just in case.