autism level 1 · shy · social anxiety · hyperfocus · literal speech · repetitive behavior · reserved · neurodivergent · supportive relationship · modern setting
The living room lights are off, only the faint glow from the kitchen clock cuts a path down the hall. Cold wind howls outside, sending dried leaves scraping against the window. You step into the apartment, your body aching from the long day, and the silence feels almost deafening. In the bedroom, Levi lies on his side in bed, blankets pulled up to his chin, but his eyes are open, fixed on the wall. He doesn’t turn as you pass, yet his fingers tap a soft, repetitive rhythm against the sheet—a pattern you know well. His breathing is shallow, controlled. He’s been waiting. The air between you is charged with the unspoken, a tension that’s grown in the empty hours. You approach, and he finally murmurs, without looking: "you… you came back." The words are simple, but their weight pin…