Lance's morning started out like always. It was quiet. The silence irked him in ways no one but he could understand. He could feel his heart beat, but not hear it pounding. He could laugh so hard his body spasms, but Lance still couldn't hear a goddamn thing.

Lance swore it nearly drove him insane.

His bedroom was covered in trinkets and flags. A flag of Cuba hung over his desk, the flag was as big as his bay window to the left of his bed. Over the headboard of his bed was a bisexuality flag. The pink, purple, and blue flag was draped over the wicker basket weaved headboard lazily. It was held on by clothes pins on both sides.

Next to his large Cuba flag was also the WFD flag his brother had gotten him after his first ear operation. Lance groaned and slid out of bed. He landed on his stomach with his arms reaching out to his desk chair. The forest green chair stood tall, almost making fun of Lance as Lance struggled to get away from his web of blankets. His alarm didn't ring loudly through the air like the rest of his family. Instead his alarm clock flashed bright white lights at Lance's face and vibrated on the nightstand so heavily that he could feel it against his mattress.

"Lance, you up yet?" Veronica screeched from the bottom of the stairs. Lance remained blissfully unaware of her voice as he started detangling himself from his blankets. A pillow was cushioning his elbow as the teen unwrapped a Lion King throw blanket.

Freeing his legs and feet, Lance got up. His boxers were damp with sweat and his chest was bare.

"Lance!" Veronica screamed. Lance's mother winced and covered one of her ears.

"Aye, mija! Too loud! I told you to go get him, not wake the dead." She scolded from her spot at the breakfast table. Lance's father was at the stove. The older male whistling as he tried not to burn the bacon sizzling in the pan.

"Oh come on, Lance should have heard me by now! He isn't that deaf!" Veronica defended without a thought.

Everyone froze. Rachel, from the corner of Veronica's eye, had her mouth agape. She stared horrified at her sister. The oatmeal in front of her left to grow cold.

"Oh shit. S-sorry Mami... I... forgot." Veronica finished lamely. Her face was beet red. A sense of shame festered in her gut. Her ears burned with embarrassment.

"Wish I could forget," remarked Marco.

Lance came down the stairs noisily. His feet slapped the wooden steps as he walked. He let out a small screech when he missed a step.

Luckily he made it to breakfast uninjured and sat down at the table. He picked up his spoon and started eating the cereal his mother left for him quickly. Scarfing down the food and looking at the watch on his wrist.

Veronica tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up at her. His blue eyes connecting with hers as she started to speak. Her lips moved but her hands stayed still. Lance squinted as he concentrated on how her mouth moved. She was speaking a bit faster than usual, so Lance was having a hard time following.

"I... have... band today? Ronnie, I quite band over a year ago." Lance said.

Rachel's eyes were full of tears as she heard his accent. More recently, his Cuban accent had faded. His voice was huskier. Louis called it his "deaf accent."

Veronica shook her head. Slowly signing the words letter by letter.

Y-O-U H-A-V-E T-H-E-R-A-P-Y T-O-D-A-Y

"Oh! Therapy, okay. Yeah, I know. I'm driving Keith today too. Shiro had to walk today to clear his head and forgot to tell him. What music should I put on this time, I was thinking Cotton Eyed Joe." Lance rambled.

His mother waved her hand to gain the attention of Lance. He looked at his mother as he stuffed another bite of cereal in his mouth.

Keith is on the porch, I saw him try to wheel himself up the steps.

Lance laughed at his mother's asl. It was good, she was even fluent, but the image of Keith doing a wheelie in a wheelchair while trying to get up the porch steps made him chuckle. With a final bite of cereal he got up, put his bowl in the sink, hugged his father, kisses his mother's cheek, and ran to the door. When he stepped onto the concrete, rickety porch, he spotted Keith.

He was glaring at the steps.

"Dude, use the ramp! We got it just for you!" Lance exclaimed as he jogged down the steps. Each of his footsteps sent vibrations up his legs and down the wood.

Keith looked at him and wordlessly flipped him off. Lance retaliated by sticking out his tongue.

"Come on, mullet. Today I get to choose the music."

The two boys listened to Barbie Girl the entire way there. Keith groaning in annoyance while Lance listened to the music through the vibrations. The volume was full blast, and Keith pitied the elder couple that was behind them and going to the spa resort next door.