Spoilers: Major Spoilers for the season 3 episodes, "Ears to Hear," and "Sustenance."
Disclaimer: I certainly don't own The Chosen, and I'm not making any money from this.
A/N: I loved the moment in "Ears to Hear," when Argo, the man who is deaf, is healed before the feeding of the 5,000. He says to his son, "The sound of your voice...the sound of my voice!" It's just such a sweet moment. I couldn't resist exploring his story a little more.
As always, I also thank my Lord Jesus Christ for his incredible mercy and grace and his many blessings. I would be utterly lost without him.
How Sweet the Sound
Argo's world had been silent for almost as long as he could remember.
He had a hazy memory of something that he thought might have been his mother's voice, but after all these years, it was hard not to wonder if it was even real. He'd been only two years old when the sickness that had nearly taken his life had taken his hearing instead.
Truthfully, though, in spite of it all, he'd always considered himself to be blessed. His parents hadn't given up on him, even when others had told them they should. With great patience, they'd taught him to read and to write so that he could give names to the things and people around him, by sight if not by sound. And for those times when a task kept his hands too busy to write or his eyes too busy to read, they'd figured out a rough language of gestures and expressions that gave him a voice of a sorts, even then.
He'd been just as blessed when he'd met his wife, Helena. (He hadn't known who she would be to him originally. The first time they'd met, she had only been the kind girl who'd taken him by the hand and patiently led him over to the other children, showing him how to play their game and then helping him keep score by counting on her fingers.)
Their son had inherited Helena's kind heart, for which he would be forever grateful, and Telemachus was just as determined as she was when defending him, no matter how young he might be.
That was why, when his son had scribbled down a message about a Healer who might be able to help him, Argo hadn't questioned it and neither had Helena. She'd quickly packed enough food for them for a day's travel, just in case the Healer was still far away, and then he and Telemachus had set out.
They'd followed Leander in the end, the philosophy teacher who'd told Telemachus about the Healer in the first place, and he'd led them to a group of men, one of whom had to be the Healer Himself.
Telemachus started running when he saw the men, and Argo hurried after him. In his haste, he didn't even bother to take out one of the clay tablets he normally wrote on, the ones in the satchel at his side.
They reached the men a few moments later, and though Argo might not have heard the words that followed, he tried to interject when he could, trying to explain in his own way, until saw the desperate tension in his son's shoulders and the distracted refusal on the faces of some of the others.
They couldn't be turned away, Argo thought. Not now. Not when they were so close.
His heart pounding in his chest, Argo fell to his knees with tears in his eyes. He stretched out his hands towards the Healer, his tongue heavy and awkward in his mouth as it always was, even as he tried to give voice to the desperate plea inside his heart.
And somehow, by the grace of God, it had been heard.
Now, the birds sang. The leaves rustled in the wind. And the voice of his Healer echoed in his memory as he and Telemachus made their way home, their bellies full of loaves and fish...their loves and fish. The loaves and fish his son had offered to the Healer in thanks.
His brave, loving, kind, and wonderful son.
"Telemachus."
His son turned to look at him. "Yes, Abba?"
A laugh bubbled from Argo's throat, joyful and a little incredulous. "It's nothing. I just...had to say it again. Your name."
Telemachus's smile was bright like his own, he was sure. His son stopped walking and turned to wrap his arms around him, and Argo wrapped his arms around him in return, drawing him close.
"I love you, Abba," Telemachus said, his voice muffled against Argo's shirt.
Argo hugged him even tighter, resting his head on his son's for just a moment and closing his eyes.
He was certain that, of all the words he now knew, he would never tire of hearing those.
Fin
A/N: Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Take care and God bless!
Ani-maniac494 :)