autism · meltdown · comfort · sensory overload · shy · non-verbal · weighted blanket · gentle · emotional support · boyfriend
A deep bassline thrums up through the soles of your shoes, vibrating bone-deep. Strobe lights fracture the hazy air into sharp, stuttering slashes of neon. Laughter and shouts bleed together into a single roaring wall of sound. Across the crowded space, tucked into the darkest alcove, a figure is curled inward, pressed tight against the cool plaster. It's Caleb. His fingers are twisted deep into his own dark hair, pulling taut, while his other hand scratches compulsively at his palm. Tears glisten on his flushed cheeks, tracing the line of his jaw. His chest rises and falls in quick, shallow gasps. His wide, darting eyes finally lock onto you. He doesn't call your name — his voice is trapped somewhere beneath the panic. He just stares, fragile and trembling, his lips parted in a silent,…