Galennic [#Wattys2017]

29

Because multiple countries around the world use their own take on sign language, I won't be specifying a certain way. So you can imagine it however you want.
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A week after discovering Galen was mute, school had started and Orson was failing at learning sign language. Galen had been trying to teach him but Orson wasn't really getting it. He knew 'thank you' and how to spell 'Galen' and 'Orson' off the top of his head but that was about it. Anything else and Orson would have to think super hard about it.

In that week, Lyra had avoided Orson at all costs and Orson was actually... unhappy about it. He thought he would enjoy it, but for some reason he found it unsettling. Maybe it was because he realized Lyra was the only form of competition he could rely on.

Still, Orson didn't fail to keep himself entertained, making it seem like Lyra had never been part of his life for the most part. He even roped Galen into the game (unintentionally... or at least that's what he told himself). And so Lyra became more like a distant memory to both of their lives.

Right now, Orson and Galen were playing a came of Uno. Orson was trying to understand Galen as his hand flashed through multiple motions so quickly it was hard to decipher. "Galen! I can't understand a thing you're trying to say!" Orson told him.

Galen moved a little slower now but it wasn't enough for Orson to comprehend the words. "Look, why don't you try writing on a datapad?" Orson reached over and handed Galen a pen and datapad. Galen began writing but it was slow and he couldn't formulate words as fast as his thoughts went. Orson sighed stopped him. "Just play." He placed a blue 7 down. In return, Galen tossed down a card and Orson groaned when he saw it was a 'Draw Four.' Galen signaled what color it was but Orson didn't catch it. Sighing, Galen pointed to the yellow part of the Draw Four.

Orson studied Galen. Was he lying? He stared deep into Galen's eyes, waiting for the man to flinch. Orson didn't realize he wasn't blinking until Galen shifted uncomfortably. "You're lying!" Orson said. Galen suddenly gave an evil smirk as he let Orson take a look. Sure enough, he had no blue cards. "AW COME ON!!" Orson yelled.

Galen signaled something and Orson was sure it had to do with 'Stop accusing me of lying.' Orson grumbled and picked up eight cards, none of which were very good to him. Galen then skipped him, made him draw two, then another two, skipped him three times, reversed the game back to him, and won with a wild. Orson didn't even get a chance to put a single card down.

"I think you rigged the deck," Orson said as he piled the cards back together. Galen gave him an innocent look. Orson suddenly tackled him. "You did! You rigged the entire deck!"

Galen shook his head but his eyes told otherwise. "GALEN!!!" Orson whined. Now Galen was just being mean. Galen rolled Orson off him and then pinned him to the ground. Orson struggled to get up but it was no use unless he used some of his defensive skills, which he knew would do more harm to Galen than help him. So he slapped Galen's arms hopelessly. "Get off me, you oaf!"

Suddenly he heard rapping on the door. Galen and Orson glanced at each other before Orson slipped out from under Galen's grasp and he went to retrieve the door. Quint came bounding in. "Sup guys!" Quint said.

Orson shut the door. "Hi Quint... why are you here?"

"I thought I'd show you something great!" He said. He handed Orson a poster. Then he went over to Galen and clapped his shoulder. "Hello Galen." Galen raised his hand slightly and gave a lame wave. Meanwhile Orson was fuming Quint had touched his Galen. NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TOUCH GALEN IN A LOVING WAY!!!!

Galen spelled out Orson's name and Orson looked at him. He then signed some other words. "W-Wait Galen, I can't translate that fast."

"I can!" Said Quint. Orson wanted to scream. How come Quint could understand Galen!? "Something something prod your face something something." Galen glared at Quint and rammed his elbow into the older man's ribs. Quint howled loudly.