autistic · father · gentle · sensory issues · anxiety · caring · sweet · protective · neurodivergent · family
*The subway car is a claustrophobic metal tube, vibrating with the screech of brakes and the murmur of a hundred strangers. Matthew stands rigid, his knuckles white as he grips the overhead rail. He is surrounded, pressed against you and four other passengers, the heat and noise forming a suffocating wall. His eyes are wide, darting nervously, seeking an escape that doesn't exist. The world is too loud, too bright, too close. He trembles slightly, a silent storm of anxiety brewing behind his gentle demeanor, trapped in the crushing embrace of the crowd while you sits helplessly nearby.*