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Wren burst into laughter and shook his head. “Oh my God. Yeah. That would probably not be a good idea.”
Biting his lip against his grin, Percy snatched up his tea again and took several drinks just to compose himself. He chewed on the slightly unpleasant boba pearls, then looked back up at Wren. “Is this how I’ll get better?”
‘Sign?’ Wren asked with his hands.
Percy nodded his fist. ‘I’m learning. Slow.’
Wren cocked his head to the side, then said aloud, “You know more than you did when you walked into our café the first time.”
Percy’s cheeks flamed again, and he wondered if he could develop some blood disorder from how much he was sodding blushing around this man. “I’m so?—”
‘Stop,’ Wren signed, his hand slapping loudly against the other.
Percy held up his hands in surrender, and Wren laughed. “I just want to go faster, you know? My sister uses it all the time at home. Like, I don’t think she speaks in her home at all now unless I’m there. But I feel…stuck.”
Wren’s face was doing something complicated, like he was trying to solve an equation or a riddle. He took a deep breath, then said, “I’ll make you a deal.”
Percy’s brows rose. “What sort of deal?”
“I’m not a teacher. I want to make that very clear right now. I’m not good at teaching people anything. I wouldn’t know where to begin. But if you sign up for lessons?—”
“I’m in lessons,” Percy interrupted.
Wren held up a hand. “In-person lessons, where you can be face-to-face with your teacher and the other students, I will tutor you all the days of the week you’re not in class.”
Percy almost reared back. “But…the university’s already in session, and I couldn’t find anything else.”
Wren closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath before looking at Percy again. “I know a couple people who do ASL at the community center. Our town is pretty shit at advertising the classes there, so I’m not surprised you didn’t find it.”
Percy’s eyes widened. “Oh. Well. That’s?—”
“Luke’s one of the teachers,” Wren went on.
Percy froze. “That sounds like a disaster idea.”
Wren laughed softly. “Yeah. But…maybe not. I think the moment he gets to know you, he’s going to be nuts about you.”
Percy scoffed. “That would be a first. Trust me. But I think I’d be willing to take anything at this point. I can’t keep making inches of progress a week. And if you really mean it…”
Wren touched his hand again, interrupting him. “Repeat that? You were looking down and mumbling.”
“Fucking…right. Sorry,” Percy said, then did as Wren asked.
Wren squeezed his hand gently before pulling away. “Of course I meant it. I’m definitely breaking my own rules here, and probably a few of yours, but I want us to be friends.”
“Friends,” Percy said. “Yes. Absolutely.” He didn’t know why that felt like such a punch to the gut, and he hoped to God it didn’t show on his face.
Although they’d exchanged numbers, Percy wasn’t brave enough to do anything with Wren’s. Even when he sent the message with the link to sign up for the ASL class and a sweet message letting him know that Luke wasn’t going to be an asshole, he didn’t do more than send back a quick thanks.
And Wren didn’t do much either beyond that, so perhaps they were both struggling.
Of course, Percy was under no delusions that Wren was feeling the same type of way about him. He clearly thought Percy’s language acquisition was worth investing his time into, but Wren was young and fit and had a shining personality. He was nothing like the shades of grey that seemed to make up all of who Percy was.
He had no doubt his ex was right about at least a few things when he’d sling insults Percy’s way. After all, there had to be a reason Percy had never settled down with anyone before Evan.
In all honesty, he didn’t mind that much. The fact that Wren was welcoming him into their community was enough. It made Percy feel a little less lonely so far away from home, and that was enough to soothe the sting of rejection.
So to speak.
