Mute. A word meaning no sound, and for a word meaning silence it made more noise in one juggalo's head than you could imagine. It all started when Kurloz was about seven years old, he was sitting in the attic, holding a worn old bear tight to his chest, tears rolling down his face to stain the little purple bear further. His mother, his strong, loving mother was gone. She was dead, but left him with his father and a new brother named Gamzee. But what would happen to them with his mother gone? It was then he smelt the smoke, he looked around to see the house was on fire. Kurloz was then in a panic, trying frantically to get out, to find a way out. He could hear his father calling his name, he wanted to call back but the smoke was too thick, he couldn't breathe. Kurloz clutched his bear tighter to himself as he desperately searched for a way out but the stairs were engulfed in flames and the window was the only way out. Kurloz cried as he headed to the window and clutching his bear so tight his knuckles were white and his arms began to hurt he leapt out the window, screaming at the top of his lungs with his eyes scrunched as tight as they could and he didn't stop screaming until he felt something catch him. He didn't dare open his eyes yet but knew he had to, gratefully finding his father holding him almost as tight as Kurloz held his bear. He was safe.
When the fire trucks came the house was already almost gone, Kurloz hadn't said a word since he'd jumped, he didn't look at anyone either, even as the paramedics checked out the trio Kurloz didn't say a word, he didn't even want to open his mouth when the paramedic told him to say "Ah". But when a police man came up to Kurloz and asked if he could tell the man what happened Kurloz started to cry, only then did people notice he made no sound when he should have. Kurloz at the time was too scared and upset to realize but his fear only grew as the paramedics came over to inspect him again and take him to the hospital. Hours later the doctors could only give one explanation to Kurloz's tense father. Mute. Without even realizing Kurloz had been inhaling smoke from the fire for longer than he thought, and then with the trauma from jumping and the damage to his throat from screaming as loud and as long as he did he lost the ability to talk.
Kurloz shook his head at the memory. From there he was taught sign language, and his family learnt too, Gamzee took forever to learn it even though he was taught it before he could speak and after that too. Now Kurloz could sign with no problems, actually go too fast for some people because he knew what he wanted to sign as soon as people knew what they wanted to say. But when he got older he started getting picked on for not being able to speak. After that people learnt not to mess with him when he decked the kid so hard he was hospitalized, and he just got so tired of people asking why he didn't talk that when he was sixteen he sewed half his mouth shut, leaving half free so he could still eat and drink. But his inability to talk was only the start of his problems, because of how he looked with his skeleton hoodie, clown like face paint, untamable black hair, and now stitched lips, topping it all off with being a solid six and a half feet tall. He was a freak to people, all lanky limbs but being strong enough to hospitalize people if you messed with him. Kurloz had a few friends though, Meulin being his best friend. She was deaf so she knew sign language but hardly ever used it because she was able to read people's lips. They dated for a little while but it just didn't work out so they broke up but were able to stay best friends after. Kurloz also had Horace and Cronus. Horace was the best mechanic in the school, and his family ran a few chains of car repair shops and prosthetic limb clinics. Cronus was an alright guy, he was always trying to be like some seventies greaser while the rest of his family took great pride in owning the best law firm in the state. And how could Kurloz forget Rufioh? That dude was unforgettable, he was easily the nicest guy Kurloz knew and he was pretty funny too with all his oldies lingo and badass look but girly hobbies and interests. Like, he was always making things for his little brother Tavros, and he had some big orange fairy wings tattooed on his back. They were his only friends and Kurloz was more than okay with it, he was glad to have friends at all. Right? Kurloz sighed, looking up from his notes when he heard his name to find the teacher standing next to a new kid.
"Kurloz I'd like you to help Mituna out during class and show him around the school. Your other teachers are aware of this so any tardiness will be excused." Kurloz nodded as the new student sat next to him. As soon as the new student passed him to sit down Kurloz could smell honey. Mituna wore a bright yellow helmet with red and blue lenses for his eyes, he had a yellow vest with a black stripe and black skinny jeans and his shoes were far from matching, being two different shoes and one being black and one being white. Kurloz looked him over again to find the poor kid shaking; if he was shaking in fear or something else Kurloz didn't know but figured he should at least say something. Not knowing if the new student knew sign language so Kurloz took out the white board he kept in his bag and wrote on it
"HI, NAME'S KURLOZ :0) HONK." Mituna stopped shaking then and looked at him giggling a little
"I'm Mituna, nithe to meet you Kurloth." Kurloz smiled, finding Mituna's lisp to be the cutest thing. "What'th wrong with your mouth?" Kurloz wasn't surprised by the question, simply writing on the whiteboard with a small chuckle
"I CAN'T TALK BRO, THIS JUGGALO'S MUTE, SO I STITCHED MY MOUTH SHUT." Mituna obviously didn't know how to react as he read that, or maybe he was processing it as he read, looking from Kurloz' mouth to the words on the whiteboard before smiling.
"That'th fucked up thit-for-brainth. But tho fucking cool too." Kurloz laughed, this kid obviously had head issues but even though he insulted the juggalo he was cool in Kurloz' book.
All too soon the bell rung and it was time for their next class. Kurloz looked over Mituna's schedule to see where he had to take the mentally-challenged motherfucker. He was pleased to notice he had lunch and five other classes with him out of their eight period schedules. They had first, third, fourth, lunch, sixth, and eighth together. Kurloz didn't know why but it brought a smile to his pale, stitched lips. Mituna talked a lot as Kurloz brought him to his next class, but sometimes he would just start shaking and then his personality totally changed. It was weird but cool at the same time and didn't bother the juggalo none as they walked through the halls. He was used to the stares he got from people but Mituna obviously wasn't. He started shaking more and more, and he became more and more passive as the stares continued, and the more he felt people were staring the worse it got. Kurloz was really starting to feel bad for him so he quickly grabbed his whiteboard and made Mituna face him so he could read what the juggalo wrote; "DON'T MIND THEM BRO, THEY JUST BE JEALOUS." And his words seemed to work on Mituna because he smiled this dopey grin as though Kurloz had just confessed or something. It was really cute to say the least even if it wasn't the juggalo's intent he had still calmed the kid down and the rest of the walk to Mituna's next class was just fine.
Second block without Mituna seemed to drag on forever until finally it was time to go get him from his second block to take him to third. He seemed to forget who Kurloz was for a few minutes before remembering and going with him to their next class. This time in the halls the staring got worse, some people were even whispering and glaring and it was pissing Kurloz off. He kept Mituna close, or rather tried since he didn't really seem to like contact too much so Kurloz gave in and just kept an eye on him. When they got to class though things seemed to get worse. Kurloz took his usual seat and encouraged Mituna to sit next to him and as the rest of the class slowly trickled in a few of Kurloz' friends joined them.
"KURRRRLOOZ!" Meulin called, rolling her R's as though she was purring whilst throwing herself in Kurloz' direction. Kurloz quickly braced himself as Meulin's lithe form came at him. The two still crashed to the floor with Meulin giggling the whole while. Kurloz laughed along silently, and used sign language to talk to her.
"HEY KITTY BITCH WHAT'S UP? THIS BRO HERE IS NEW, NAME'S MITUNA, HE'S PRETTY COOL BUT REAL SLOW IN THE THINK-PAN ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER ISSUES BUT HE'S COOL OVERALL." Meulin purred, turning to Mituna then who was sitting and looking confused and amused at the scene.
"Hey Meow-tuna~, I'm Meulin, paw-some to meet you." Meulin purred, smiling brightly at him. Mituna just stared at her dumbly.
"You're a cat lady!" Meulin and Kurloz stared for a moment before laughing. The joke was lost on Mituna though.
"Whatth tho funny?!" Mituna yelled, starting to cry as he thought that they were laughing at him. Kurloz quickly calmed himself to write on his whiteboard
"NAH BRO, WE JUST ALL UP AN ENJOYING YOUR OBSERVATION OF THIS FRISKY FELINE BITCH'S LOVE FOR CATS IS ALL" Mituna read the message but was still a little lost when Meulin saved the day;
"So Meow-tuna, Kurloz says you're new here~?" she purred, Mituna frowned again
"Thtupid fuckatheth my name ith not Meow-tuna! It'th Mituna" he shook for a second before tears welled up in his sheilded eyes and flowed down his cheeks for his new friends to see "I-I'm thorry..." Kurloz and Meulin looked at each other in confusion at this sudden change in attitude.
"What are you sorry for?" Meulin asked, taking on a very motherly tone as she tried to comfort the crying boy.
"YEAH BRO, NO NEED TO ALL UP AND CRY." Kurloz wrote, putting the whiteboard aside he moved to comfort the boy, trying to pull him into a hug which Meulin was quick to join, but he shook more on contact and muttering continuously he was sorry. Kurloz didn't quite understand how or why the sight of the disabled teen crying hurt him so much. He hadn't felt things like that in a very, VERY long time.
"Yo Bros wassup?! What's with this huge hugfest all going on up in here?!" came a voice interrupting everything. When the trio looked up to see Latula Mituna was overjoyed.
"Tula!" he screamed, Latula darting over and screaming joyfully back.
"Tuna!"