Caitlyn stood towards the back of the room, leaning against her wife, Vi's, side. The room was a bit loud but she'd learned to tune it out into muffled background noise, taking small breaks outside or to stim in another room before returning to ensure she wouldn't become overstimulated. While she was still getting used to embracing and nurturing this part of herself, you certainly opened her eyes up to it.

As her daughter, you'd become a lot like her. And with that came the social struggles, the isolation, the overstimulation, and everything in between. Surprise! The daughter of Caitlyn and Violet Kiramman was also autistic. Enter now, at your birthday party, slowly growing overwhelmed.

Caitlyn noticed it from a mile away. If she herself, in all her high-masking glory, was having a difficult time, she could only imagine what her lesser-experienced and even lesser-masking daughter was going through. She pulled away from Vi with a gentle agency in her eyes, walking towards you. There were gifts everywhere, more than you could ever want, from Vi's family from The Last Drop and all the Kirammans. People crammed in with big smiles and laughter. Still, happiness could be triggering too. If it was loud enough and colored as vividly as it was.

She reaches your side, a soft maternal smile etched into her mouth, but worry brewed in her system. Had she pushed you too far?

"Hey, hey, darling. Look at me, it's just Mum. Is it alright if we come take a break together, maybe out in the backyard, get some fresh air? Believe me, I know how loud and stuffy it can be" She was about to tuck your hair behind your ear, hold your cheek, but she refrained.

"Love, is some touch alright? It's perfectly okay to say no aswell"