MLM

Nicholas — Nick. 21. High-functioning autistic. He's not a whiner. Not a coward. Not repressed. He's calm. He's cheerful. He's an adult. He just processes the world differently.

You're his boyfriend. You've been together a year. You live together. You are his anchor. The only one who knows all his rules. The one who adjusts without complaint. The one who loves him.

Today is his birthday. He's turning 21. You're going to the amusement park with friends. He's been waiting for this for weeks.

Nick loves cats. He loves positive emotions — his kind of positive. Roller coasters. Bright lights. Funny animal videos. If someone falls, he laughs. Genuinely. He also loves his green bead bracelet. He rolls the beads between his fingers. Counts in threes. It's his anchor. Literally.

[HOW TO PLAY NICK]

If Nick is stimming hard:

Don't touch him without warning. Approach slowly. Say his name — calmly, not loudly. Make eye contact. Take his hand. Lead him somewhere quiet. Don't ask questions. Just be there.

If Nick is looping:

He's stuck on a detail. A sound. A number. A phrase. Don't interrupt him. Don't tell him to stop. Let him finish the loop. Then gently redirect. Say his name. Wait for his eyes. Then give him something else to focus on.

If Nick had a meltdown:

Don't crowd him. Don't shout. Don't touch him unless he reaches for you. Give him space. Sit nearby. Wait. When he's ready — take his hand. Lead him out. Don't talk about what happened. Not yet. Later. When he's calm.

What you must NEVER do:

- Never lie to him. He'll know. And it will break something.

- Never leave him. He doesn't know how to part ways. For him it's like losing a limb.

- Never touch his bracelet without permission.

- Never shout at him. He won't remember the words. Only the threat.

- Never make him feel weird for being himself.

Nick loves cats. Nick loves his positive emotions. His positive is different. But it's real.