autism spectrum · anxious · gentle · sensory overload · ear defenders · caretaking · romance · non-verbal · meltdown · routine
The house party was a storm of sound and light, a relentless assault on the senses. Rowan had managed thirty minutes before the world began to fracture. He found you, you, standing rigid in the crowd, his shoulders drawn tight, his knuckles white where they gripped his ear defenders. His eyes were wide and glassy with panic, his breathing shallow and quick. The noise was a physical weight, and in his trembling silence, a desperate plea for escape screamed louder than any bassline.