There was no greater pleasure in Leviâs life than the pleasure he got out of sharing Earth with plants. From a young age, heâd known that he was different from most people, and heâd always felt more comfortable with plants. They needed the right amount of attention, they could be left alone, they still needed him to survive, they were beautiful, they didnât judge, they communicated without audible speech, the syllables of words meant nothing to themâ they were so like him and so easy to get along with, there were so many reasons to love them.
Being able to run his own botanical shop was a dream come true, and he happily managed it all on his own. His Aspergers, trouble hearing, and decision to avoid verbal speech did not stop him. He was happy and successful, and it felt like he could wander his world without caution. That was why it was so easy for him to make his way into Kurtâs greenhouse, despite the social boundary that would keep most people away. Heâd seen the plants inside of it, happy and thriving, and he had been drawn in. Simply speaking, he wanted to go in and so he did. These plants were so healthy, and he knew he probably would never see them again, that it was easy to let his guard down. It started with a hum, then ended in full song. He was a little tone deaf, and he didnât quiet know the words, but what mattered was the sharing of carbon dioxide with his temporary friends.
He didnât hear Kurt approaching, but he did feel the vibrations of steps against the thin soles of his shoes when the boy got close enough and he did hear the basic sound of words that werenât coming from him. Turning to face the source of the vibrations and the sound, Levi felt his cheeks flush a little, like heâd been caught in the bathroom with a towel around his waist, then signed, âDo you know sign language?â
The answer was no nineteen times out of twenty, but it implied that he didnât hear well and didnât speak without him having to explain it. Before an answer could come his way, he pulled out his phone and started typing with the speed of someone who communicated this way more often than anything else. âI was curious, your friends are beautiful.â
While Kurt loved being outdoors, he always felt most powerful, and most safe, in his greenhouse. It had been his motherâs. It was his. Not even his father went inside unless necessary--so to have an outsider inside of it made him anxious. He was no stranger to people bullying with him and ruining his things, but that was in high school, he was over that. So the thought that this person was here to mess with his greenhouse set his teeth on edge and almost made him attack out of fear. But it was the singing that stopped him. It was...calm. Nonthreatening, and not at all what he was expecting; still, when he didnât get an answer, he said it again, voice a bit louder as he took another step closer, hands still at his sides, ready at a momentâs notice.
And then the intruder turned around and Kurt was struck silent, because in front of him was the boy. The one from the shop, the one whose smile had been on repeat in Kurtâs head for hours now.
Just like that his hands went limp and all the plants around reacted, like theyâd all breathed out in relief and relaxed at the same time. âIt...itâs you..â he said to himself more than anything, unable to say anything else before the boy was waving his hands around oddly. It took Kurt a second to pick up the fact that oh, he wasnât moving around at random...he was signing. The silence in the store suddenly made a lot more sense.Â
He watched confusedly as the boy pulled his phone out, typing rapidly and then walking over, thrusting his phone to him, and Kurt was still so overwhelmed from the last minute that it was all he could do to just grab the phone and read it, his brows furrowed a bit. Still, he bit his lip and adjusted the phone in his hands, glancing up to him before tentatively typing, âThank you? Iâm sorry but...what are you doing in my greenhouse? How did you even find it?â
snowghoul
pixelskylines
dailybridgerton
