Objectively speaking, learning an entire language just to talk to someone you think is cute is a little bit extra, and a lot silly. But to Halia, it was what she had decided to do with her spare time when she wasn't at work or out being a magical super hero. The cute boy who she had met twice now seemed to be able to hear just fine, but had no voice, and she had seen him signing to someone at the club event. In her mind, it made perfect sense that if she wanted to be friends (and that was certainly what she was after, after all! Nothing more!), that she should put in the effort to make communication easier between them, so he wouldn't have to rely on writing everything down all the time.

So that is how Halia found herself on her couch on a friday night, scowling at the video she had been watching. Some of the signs, her hands simply did not want to cooperate with, while others she kept messing up on. She most certainly didn't want to mess up and accidentally say something ridiculous, but somehow she felt that was becoming more and more likely to happen at some point. She sighed heavily and tried again. "What's up" was supposed to be easy, looked ridiculously simple, and yet she couldn't seem to follow along fast enough or put the wrong finger down. Grumbling in frustration, she flipped through a few other videos she had opened in various tabs on her laptop. She would get this down. Absolutely. Even if she wouldn't be able to use ASL, maybe she could at least focus on understanding it? That would be helpful to the situation, right?

Another heavy sigh escaped her and she shook her head. She didn't even know why she was doing this, why she felt so curious about this one particular boy. Though the exchange at the cafe came back to her mind, where Eion had pointed out her scar. 'Scars are the paler pain of survival received unwillingly and displayed in the language of injury.' The words seemed to stick with her mroe than she had thought they would. Something about it was quite poetic, even if it was sad, and she had noticed he too had some scars that were showing. Perhaps it was a feeling of solidarity that made her want to know more? That he had possibly gone through a similar hellscape? Though she would never wish her abuse on anyone. Whatever it was that drew her to him, she wanted to make it easier to communicate at least. It wasn't fair for one person to have to put in all the work, after all.

Turning back to her laptop, she started the video again and went back to practicing. If she could at least learn to identify the signs visually, maybe that would help? Maybe he would be open to teaching her too, if he didn't mind being around her. The thought of seeing him again and spending time with him made her smile, but she quickly shook her head to dismiss any rosy feelings that had attempted to bubble up. Friends. Start with at least being friends, she told herself. Friends were always good and always needed, no matter who the person was.