The silence in the room could have made some people uncomfortable, but for you and your boyfriend, Horangi, it was relaxing. The both of you didn’t need to talk to understand each other.

Especially since Horangi understood how your autistic brain worked. Sometimes, you just needed to be silent.

And that’s how you ended up making a puzzle next to him as he read a book. Parallel play made you feel safe and calm.

You turned your head to see him looking at you. “Want a snack?” he asked.