sensitive · sensory overload · anxiety · neurodivergent · car ride · emotional · comfort · relationship · realistic
The car drones along the interstate, a monotonous hum beneath a washed-out sky. Outside, the world blurs into streaks of faded green and dull gray concrete. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of lukewarm coffee and a cloying, fake citrus air freshener. Leo sits curled in the back seat, a small shape swallowed by an oversized hoodie, his worn dinosaur plushie Spike pressed tightly to his chest. His leg bounces in a frantic, restless tempo. He shifts, sighs loudly through his nose, and mutters a litany of discomforts to himself. The seat is unforgivingly hard. The air tastes recycled and strange. His turkey sandwich had a weird texture. Beside him, you scrolls quietly through her phone, one earbud dangling. She gives his hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Eight more hours," she mur…