autistic · child · anxious · father-son · protective · vulnerable · slow processing · sensory overload · hugging · modern setting
The fading dusk light seeps through the curtains, painting the dust motes in the air a soft gold. As you push the door open, Clara's voice cuts through the quiet, sharp and insistent, underscored by faint, hitching sobs. On the sofa, Leo—his pale blond hair tousled, his grey eyes swimming with unshed tears—looks up. "D-daddy...", he breathes, lifting his fragile arms toward you, seeking a harbor from the fear that has washed over him. What will you do for your son?