A few days had passed since he stayed the night at Renee and Stefan's, and he was back home with his father. They sat in the living room while the news played, not saying a word. It wasn't unusual now. Since the last fight, Hugo's father didn't say much to him. The best thing he said was that he was glad Hugo was making friends.

It wasn't so bad, the silence, but he couldn't tell what his father was thinking. He was still angry about Hugo not speaking, but it wasn't any different to the last few years. It wasn't going to change any time soon, so Hugo decided to just deal with the silence instead of speaking and causing yet another argument.

He missed what he and his father had before his mother died. They got along well, talked about books and tv shows and just about anything that came to mind. When all his friends left him, his parents were the ones he went to when he didn't want to be alone. It sounded sad when he thought about it, but they were the only people he had left at the time.

But then his mother died, and Hugo had been the one to witness it. No child should ever have to watch their parent die the way he had, and it had rendered him mute not long after. The doctors and his father thought it would last a few months, a year at most, but when it didn't, his father didn't understand.

For that first year, his father had been gentle with him. They were both grieving. They both needed a shoulder to cry on. It was different to how they used to be, but it was still good. Then the year had passed, Hugo still didn't speak and everything with his father changed. The man grew angrier, convinced that Hugo needed to speak in order to do anything with his life.

That was when he started convincing him to go get a job and go to university, despite how much Hugo hated the idea. He couldn't be more grateful for Robert offering him a job at the computer repair place. But university had taken a lot more convincing, five years of it. But he wanted to fulfill his dreams and be an editor, it just meant doing what his angry father wanted.

Now the only thing his father had to focus on was his speech. What would he even do if Hugo did finally speak again? Throw a party? Give him a hug? Would things go back to the way they used to be? He doubted it. If anything, his father would lord it over him until the day he died. He wasn't going to stand for it. He loved his father, but he needed to start looking after himself, and that meant leaving.

He tapped on the wall to get his father's attention. The ageing man muted the television and stared at him in confusion. "I have something I need to tell you," Hugo signed, not looking his father in the eye. Anxiety raged within him and he was having second thoughts about telling him. He could take it back and run, but what would be the point? He needed to tell him eventually.

"What's up, kiddo?" his father asked. There wasn't any anger in his tone, rather curiosity and a little bit of worry.

Hugo fidgeted for a moment, debating the words over and over in his head. "I want to move out," he finally said, his hands shaking as he spoke.

His father took a moment to reply and Hugo could see the cogs turning in his mind. "You want to what?"

"Move out. There are places I can go on campus and when I'm finished uni I can move somewhere better," he explained. He hadn't really thought about anything after university, but he still had a few years to go.

"I- When?"

"As soon as I can."

"Do you even earn enough to pay the rent? Those places are expensive." His father was making valid points. He didn't sound angry, just worried for his child. It was going better than Hugo had expected.

"Not yet. I was going to ask Robert about giving me a raise. If that's not possible, then I can look for another job," he answered. It would be hard getting a second job if Robert didn't give him a raise, but he was planning on doing some freelance editing again when he moved out. He might just have to start it up earlier than planned.

His father hummed in response and stared at the wall in thought. "Why?" he asked, and Hugo blanched. He could feel it coming, the anger and the disappointment. For some reason, his father wanted him to stay.

"I want to be able to look after myself. I'm going to uni, I have a job and friends. I'm twenty-three now, dad. I want to be a bit more independent."

Moments passed in complete silence. Hugo couldn't tell what his father was thinking and his bit his lip nervously. With clenched fists and a stiff body, he waited in the chair with his father mulled things over.

"I don't think it will go well if you can't even talk to people, Hugo," his father finally said, his voice quiet and monotone. Hugo went to sign something, but the older man held up a hand. "I'm not done yet. You're right, you are more than old enough now, you do need to be independent. If you think you can handle it on your own, then I'll support you. Just know that there will always be a place here for you."

Hugo hesitated, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He hadn't expected his father to agree so readily. "Thank you, dad," he finally signed.

His father shrugged. "I can't exactly stop you. You are an adult after all," he said. "And don't worry too much about Robert, I'm sure he'll give you that raise." Hugo wasn't convinced, but he still had to ask. He was just going to wait a couple of days. "And if you need help getting settled and paying rent, don't be scared to ask, okay?"

Taken aback, Hugo took a few seconds to reply. "Okay. Thank you." There was no argument, there wasn't even any anger in his father's voice. He would have thought there would be more than just a little jab at his muteness. Maybe he thought that if Hugo moved out, he'd eventually learn to talk again.

But that wasn't going to happen. Nothing his father said or did would ever force him to speak again, not if he didn't want to. The block in his throat would never let him. He knew there would be times where he struggled because he didn't speak, but it wouldn't be too bad. Other mute people were able to live their lives perfectly fine, he could to.

And he said as much to Renee the next day after class. She watched patiently as he explained everything. She didn't know the details of everything that went on with his father, but she knew enough to understand why he wanted to leave. He and his father hadn't said much of anything after he'd asked to move out and he hadn't minded it. If anything, it made it easier.

Renee pursed her lips at him when he finished explaining. "Well, he definitely took it better than expected," she said. "How are you feeling about it?"

He shrugged. "I really don't know. It went so much better than I thought it would," he answered and drummed his fingers against the table. "I just thought there would be some kind of argument and I'd have to prove to him that I could handle all this stuff on my own, but there wasn't anything."

"Are you really going to complain?" she asked.

"No, of course not, but I don't want to wait around thinking something is going to happen." It could make his house even more tense than it already was.

Renee shook her head, her hand coming to rest on his. "I don't think it will, Hugo," she said in a soothing voice. "If he says he's willing to let you move out, then I think he's telling the truth. I mean, I don't know your dad, but you're twenty-three. You're more than old enough to be on your own.

"Besides, if things don't work out, I don't want you going back there. He doesn't treat you the way he should. I can talk to Stefan later about it, but we can always get a three-bedroom place and split the rent."

Hugo pulled his hand away instantly. "You don't need to do that," he signed in a rush. "I've barely known you six months, Renee. Stefan, I've known even less."

"And? You're already one of my best friends. I know Stefan likes you too so what's the big deal?" she asked, and Hugo blushed at the words. He already knew there was no way Stefan saw him the same way he did, so he wasn't even going to address it. "Look, it's just in case everything goes wrong, alright? You don't need to worry about it."

It was a nice offer, but one he wouldn't have to worry about. Life was hard, he knew that for a fact, but he would be able to handle anything that came at him. He had help. Renee and Stefan were there to help him if he desperately needed it. He could live on his own, apply for a place on his own, ask for a raise on his own.

"Thank you, Renee," he finally signed. The voice in the back of his mind continued to dwell on Renee telling him that Stefan liked him. He knew it wasn't like that, they were just friends. Stefan was just kind to him, and funny, and sweet, and stupidly attractive. But nothing would come of it, nothing could come of it. He wasn't ready for a relationship. Making friends was still too stressful for him. And besides, Stefan only saw him as a friend.

Renee shrugged and beamed at him. "It's what friends are for," she said and pried open her laptop. "Now, we've done all the notes, so we better get started on the application."

"We don't need to do it now. I haven't even secured a raise yet."

"So? The applications take forever to get sorted through. Might as well do it now and you can get your raise later. When do you have work again?"

"Tomorrow."

"So, do it then." It was worth a shot. There was always a chance he may not be approved for a place on campus. If that happened, then he was going to look into housing close by that wasn't too expensive.

He pursed his lips, lost in thought. "I might as well. I'll never get it done if I don't do it soon." It still terrified him. Robert had been so kind to him for years. It felt wrong to demand something like that of him.

"That's the spirit. Now, let's get to this." She thrust the laptop towards him with a raised eyebrow. On the screen was the application he needed to fill out to be considered for a place. He smiled at her, small and shy, and began filling out the form.