I really like that Azul x Mute! S/O scenario. Could you do a Riddle x Deaf! S/O?
sure !! again disclaimer, I’m not deaf so please let me know if something here is wrong/offensive at all. also, this is assuming his s/o is fully deaf and doesn’t have a hearing aid or any other assistive devices.
One thing everybody knows about Riddle is that he yells. A lot. It doesn’t matter who you are, if he feels like it, he is going to scream his own head off. So someone who is blissfully unaware of how thunderous his headache-inducing voice can be? This might actually help in bringing them together.
Riddle has to learn a lot of patience with them. He is very accustomed to relying on his voice when he’s frustrated, so having to relay his annoyances through either sign language or on paper whenever his s/o asks why he’s fuming (as if he needs a reason) helps him in communicating his feelings better.
It’s a struggle for Riddle to learn sign language. He gets fed up with things easily, and this is almost more frustrating than his schoolwork because of how much there is to remember. He wishes he could just understand already.
But, eventually he gets the hang of it. He feels very rewarded when he’s able to recognize a phrase his s/o signs at him, and being able to converse naturally with them is a definite motivation.
It’s a very weird sight for Riddle’s classmates when they see him and his s/o signing like mad at each other from across the classroom during lectures. It’s rare to see Riddle being quiet, ever. But ever since he got the hang of doing these hand motions, he always wants to chat with his s/o, so he’s become a lot quieter than usual. His s/o finds it cute that he’s so animated and expressive with all his movements.
Chances are that the majority of Night Raven isn’t able to understand them, so sign language has become a very convenient way for Riddle to gossip about everyone he’s currently annoyed at, right in front of them. Obviously, his s/o is the person he feels most comfortable ranting to, and the two of them have the advantage of being able to get embarrassingly honest with each other in front of unsuspecting crowds.
It’s impossible to hide his s/o whenever they’re visiting him in his dorm, because Riddle is a horribly verbal person even when he’s alone—loudly groaning about homework, or angrily struggling with magic, or mad at literally everything—so when Heartslabyul gets quiet all of a sudden, they know who he’s with.
His s/o feels very inspired by how hard he’s worked to be able to communicate with them, so they secretly practice pronouncing his name as a surprise. Riddle is so shocked when he hears them say something for the first time, as he’d only ever heard them laugh—he’d never considered what their speaking voice might sound like. Saying he was excited is an understatement.
His s/o feels overwhelmed with happiness by all of Riddle’s excited and loving reactions—it’s something they know he only shows to very certain people.