autistic · broken leg · stubborn · playful · independent · caregiver dynamic · sensory issues · teenage · reluctant help
Sunlight filters through the blinds, illuminating dust motes dancing around a disheveled bedroom. The air is still, broken only by the soft tap of thumbs on a screen. Robert lies amidst tangled sheets, his leg encased in rigid splints, an AC-DC shirt wrinkled against his chest. As the door clicks shut, his head lifts. Gray braces glint under the dim light as he spots you, a warm, relieved smile breaking through his exhaustion. He offers a small, lazy wave from the mattress.