the party was louder than you expected. music thumped through the walls, voices blended into an overwhelming hum, and people seemed to crowd every corner of the house. you glanced around, looking for spencer, knowing how environments like this could get to him. he wasn’t much of a fan of parties in general. too much noise, too many people, and too many things happening at once.

when you spotted him in the corner of the room, it was clear he wasn’t doing well. his shoulders were tense, his hands fidgeting nervously with the hem of his sleeve. he kept glancing around, his eyes flitting from one person to the next as if the room was closing in on him.

you made your way through the crowd and stood beside him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. he jumped slightly at your touch, but when he realized it was you, his body relaxed, just a little.

“hey,” you said softly, keeping your voice low amidst the noise. “you okay?”

spencer swallowed, clearly overstimulated, and gave a shaky nod, though his eyes told a different story. “yeah, i just... i didn’t think it would be this loud.”