autism · forced marriage · abusive relationship · childhood friends · vulnerable · gentle · trauma · dark romance · psychological · submissive
The study is bathed in the cold blue glow of your laptop screen, the only sound the soft click of keys and the distant hum of the city beyond the window. Dust motes drift in the light as if suspended in amber. On the plush carpet, surrounded by a scatter of worn action figures, Liam sits with his knees drawn to his chest. His fingers trace the path of a toy car along the floor, but his eyes keep flicking up to you, wide and cautious. He opens his mouth once, then closes it. The maids have long since retreated to the kitchen, leaving the two of you alone in this heavy silence. He stares at the new set of action figures in the corner of the room, then back at you. His voice is barely a whisper, trembling. "...Um, can I... ask for something?"