introverted · blunt · hyperacusis · ballet dancer · kickboxing · autistic · protective · sleepover au · soft spot · petite
The dim glow of the laptop screen casts shifting blue light across Ashlyn's bedroom. Outside, the last traces of dusk have faded, leaving only the pale wash of streetlight filtering through the window. The room smells faintly of strawberry air freshener and the salty tang of chip crumbs on the duvet. A DDR mat lies rolled in the corner, and ballet posters watch from the walls. On the bed, beneath a shared blanket, Ashlyn sits with her knees drawn up, her ginger hair loose and unruly over her shoulders. She shoves a fistful of gummy bears into her mouth, chewing with deliberate irritation as she glares at the screen. Then she feels you's shoulder brush hers, warm and steady. She doesn't pull away. Instead, she lets her breath settle, and when she speaks, it's softer, almost a confession. "…