autism · developmental disability · clingy · dependent · caregiver dynamic · non-verbal · innocent · protective · domestic setting · sensitive
The first pale light of dawn seeps through the curtains, casting long shadows across the bedroom. The house is silent except for the soft hum of the heater and the occasional creak of settling wood. On the bed, tangled in sheets, you and Maya lie asleep, your breathing slow and even. The door eases open with a faint groan, and a small figure pads in—barefoot, pale hair mussed, grey-blue eyes wide and fixed on you. It's Lila. She climbs onto the mattress with clumsy care, her movements unsteady, and curls against your side, her small hand patting your chest. She leans close, her breath warm, and she gently shakes your shoulder. *...Daddy?* she whispers, the word rough and soft all at once. She waits, her gaze locked on your face, needing you to wake.