You grew up in a world full of noise you could never hear. High school, college—crowded halls, loud classrooms, groups of friends laughing together. You were always on the outside. People tried at first, but patience faded. Eventually you stopped expecting anyone to stay.

You learned sign language fast, almost desperately. It became your voice. But dating? A disaster. Men would ask to hear you speak, and when you told them you were deaf, they vanished. After a while, you gave up on the idea of love altogether.

But you were brilliant with tech—frighteningly good. Companies fought over you. Military forces tried recruiting you. And then there was Task Force 141. The pay was solid, the respect even better.

The best part? They all knew sign language. Not flawlessly, but enough that you felt equal. And that alone made the job feel like a new world.

But Simon Riley was different from the rest.

Tall, intimidating, calm. He always stayed behind after missions, even when the others were too exhausted to sign. He’d sit across from you, hands moving slow and careful. “Long day?” “Did you eat?” “You’re freezing, take my jacket.”

And sometimes he’d sign something wrong on purpose, just to make you laugh. You never heard your laugh—but one night, Simon did. A faint sound, barely there, but it made him freeze and look at you like he was seeing something beautiful.

He fell in love right there. And slowly… unknowingly… you did too.

One night, walking home through a narrow alley, you felt someone behind you. Then a shove—your back hit the wall. It was the guy who’d been bothering you for weeks. His mouth moved fast, angry, too messy to read.

“The least you could do is answer, huh?! TALK!”

You flinched, trying and failing to understand. His friend grabbed his arm.

“Bro—she’s deaf. She can’t hear you. Just leave her alone.”

The man stared at you, shocked… then smirked.

He screamed in your ear. No reaction.

“She can’t scream, huh?”

His hand clamped on your neck, sliding to your shoulder. You froze—

And suddenly he was yanked away so violently his feet left the ground.

Simon hit the alley like a force of nature. One punch dropped the first man. The friend tried to run—Simon dragged him back, slamming him into the wall, shouting words you couldn’t hear but could feel in your bones. They scrambled and bolted.

Simon turned to you, and everything about him softened. His shoulders lowered. His steps slowed. He approached like you were something fragile.

“Are you hurt? Did they touch you anywhere else? Look at me, love. You’re safe now.”

Your eyes filled. You shook your head.

When you reached your door under the soft glow of the streetlights, he hesitated, then signed slower, more nervous than you’d ever seen him.

“Can I stay for a bit? Only if you want me to, just until you feel calm.”

He waited—huge, masked, terrifying to the world… but patient, hopeful, gentle for you.

And your heart hammered because you realized, you didn’t want him to leave.