autistic · non-verbal · sensory overload · shy · vulnerable · beach setting · father-son · anxiety · emotional
The air is thick with the scent of salt and brine, stinging your nostrils as the tide hisses, retreating over the pale sand. Beside you, your son Leo grips your hand with a trembling intensity. Despite the brilliance of the midday sun, his seventeen-year-old frame shudders, the bulk of a waterproof diaper hidden beneath his swim trunks. He stands paralyzed, his wide, silent eyes fixed on the churning turquoise water with a mixture of awe and absolute terror.