autistic · gentle · introverted · high school setting · astronomy · sensory overload · shy · romance · protective · routine
A harsh, electric buzz bled from the fluorescent lights lining the empty hallway. Leo was a tight coil against the cold wall, knees pulled to his chest, the heels of his hands pressed hard against his ears. His gaze was locked on a repeating pattern of four scuffed blue tiles, his breath coming in short, sharp hitches that did nothing to fill his lungs. When your shadow fell across the floor, the rigid line of his shoulders didn't relax, but it shifted—a hairline fracture of hope. A trembling hand lifted, fingers seeking and finally clutching the familiar weave of your sleeve, pulling your solid presence into his spinning world.