Page 26 of Tempt

I enter Gia’s condo without knocking. Mostly because I wouldn’t hear them if they yelled at me to come in, and no one ever gets up to answer a door around here. It swings open without a problem, and I can immediately feel the vibrations of people moving around, music playing, and there’s the scent of spices in the air from whatever’s cooking.

Kicking off my shoes, I make my way past the foyer and into the living room where I see Cielo lounging on the sofa.

‘What’s up?’

He smiles at me, looking a lot better than he did before I left. His blue and violet hair is pulled into two long French braids, and he’s wearing his pink jacket. He’s gained some weight, and most of the vicious, violent wounds on his body have now healed into faint scars, stretched across his blue skin.

He sweeps his long fingers around the room, ‘Decorating,’ he signs. ‘Many colors, balloons.’ His cheeks puff out as he signs that, and I feel a flutter of affection for him.

I tilt my head and look up at the balloons sitting against the ceiling. ‘Yes. Bright.’

Cielo’s hand sweeps out, and he adds, ‘It is impressive.’

That makes something inside of me burst. He’s just so fucking cute. His curiosity and innocence are things most of the world is missing these days. The fact that he was hurt fills me with rage, but the awe in his rainbow eyes eases that burning sensation. I can’t help but pull him into a hug, and for a sharp second he freezes, almost unsure, and then he squeezes me back.

When we pull away, he looks over at Dante, who looks much happier than when we had our video call, his face not nearly as strained and stressed.

I bet he didn’t have to go to that appointment at the clinic.

I bet it all worked out in the end. I have a feeling that if it hadn’t, things would not be as light and airy as they are now.

“Frennnnd.” Cielo says and signs. I can see the way his lips move as he draws out the consonant.

‘Yes. Friends.’ Cielo’s ears flutter in happiness, and I ask, ‘So, how can I help?’

As those words leave my hands, Gia and Amara finally notice I’m here and bring me in for a long hug.

‘You were gone forever!’ Gia says, her sign exaggerated before Amara interrupts.

‘How was the expo? Meet any hot guys while you were selling dick cookies?’

And yeah, that’s the last thing I want to talk about, especially with Cielo here. There’s a damn good chance Cielo knows Eissa, and I don’t think I can handle him knowing how well I was fucked, then how badly I was rejected.

‘Nothing interesting. How’s work?’

Amara launches into a very dramatic retelling about Carol, the co-worker who keeps stealing her lunches. She’s always been very good at that. I could see her in an ASL theatre if she ever wanted to get into performing.

‘…so I walked over to her desk, and I was like, bitch—’ her sign freezes in the air as she pops it off her chin, and I realize something’s happening behind me that I can’t hear.

I turn around, my gaze on the front door where I see my parents stepping into the house.

“We made it! The party can get started!” They are signing and speaking at the same time, their signs large and swaying.

They’ve never let me not be included. When the doctors told them that I was Deaf, they learned ASL quickly. Even my dad took classes, which is remarkable.

They don’t always get it right, but it’s more than most Deaf kids born to hearing families get.

Cielo takes a step back, almost trying to make himself invisible, which looks a bit ridiculous considering he’s a huge monster in this small space.

“Amori miei—ah mamma mia!” I read off my mom’s lips when she catches sight of him in the corner. “Why is there a Vyastil in your apartment?”

Dante steps forward, replying in both ASL and voice, “This is Cielo. He’s my friend. He’s staying with me for a bit.”

Cielo blinks at them as my father shakes his head and steps forward, his hand outstretched.

“Hello, Cielo. Nice to meet you.” He’s not using signs right now, but I can read his lips well enough to know what’s going on. Cielo stares down at the outstretched hand, almost as if unsure what my dad would like him to do with it, and eventually he unwinds his tail from around his waist and lays it in his palm.

My dad stares down at it, and his shoulders shake with a laugh as he squeezes the tail gently.