It had been almost two days since Meulin Lejion lost her hearing. She was slowly growing more accustomed to her new state, learning to sign and read the lips of those who were speaking to her. Kurloz had made himself scarce for a little while after Meulin went deaf from his screaming, but she knew he felt bad for what he'd done to her. Meulin figured he was just sitting alone with himself, trying to handle his emotions. Maybe even sort out his feels. Meulin understood the feels.
She found her matesprit sitting by himself near the big, floating lily pads with his back turned, staring off into the clouds, legs crossed as if in meditation. "Purrloz, there you are! I've been looking for you, you know!" she greeted him with an affectionate version of his name. His shoulders flinched when she spoke. "Ohhhh, too loud? Sorry, I'll be more careful." she apologized, getting a little worried that he still hadn't spoke. "So, uhm…I'm not mad at you, for what you did. It's okay!" she clarified, standing a few steps behind him.
"So…yeah! Are you okay now? I mean, I know you felt just pawful about what happened, but you've had some time to deal with things, and so have I, and, this really isn't so bad…" she stammered, his silence starting to get to her. She went on, "Look, could you just say something to me? If you'll turn around and look at me then I can understand you just fine and….oh…" she stopped short and her hands flew to her mouth. Kurloz had stitched his mouth shut, and as he signed the words "I'm sorry" to her, olive-tinted tears of sadness and shock welled in Meulin's eyes.
"Y-you did that to yourself?" she stammered, reaching up and touching the dried indigo blood on his lips. He nodded slowly, and signed, slowly "If you can't hear anymore, then I shouldn't get to speak." Her hands balled into angry fists. "No! That doesn't make any sense, dammit! Take them out. Get a blade and take them out. I want you to talk to me!" she shouted, small hairline cracks forming in her heart. Why would he do this to her? As if her losing her hearing wasn't bad enough, he had to mutilate himself as well. How was she going to kiss him through all those stitches? He shook his head, and "spoke" again, "I have to pay…for what I did. My voice hurt you, that will never happen again." he signed.
"Kurloz…" she sobbed, letting him hold her. She couldn't decide if this was making her pity him more, or if this act of indigo-blooded insanity was scaring her, and her heart broke as she decided it was probably the latter.