That's my hot take. I'm ACE-ADHD not autistic. I feel like I've been masking to survive my whole life. I can only imagine the more challenging making must be for anyone on the autism spectrum.

As the relationship grows, Quan's empathy with Anna's needs and responses flows naturally from the everyday to the intimate. All of which I think changes Anna's comfort level with intimate touch.

Quan, having grown up caring for and seeking to understand their neuro divergent brother, better recognizes Anna's needs in everyday moments. As Quan expresses they care for and understand Anna, regardless of making, Anna's internal desperation to mask lessens.

The lack of empathy of previous partners, in both intimate and everyday moments, undoubtedly impacts Anna's desperation to mask and their sense of discomfort. The more intimate the moment, the more complex masking required, the greater the emotional and physical strain impacts Anna.

In intimate moments, every aspect of the body is on display. Masking now becomes a full body task with so much more of themself needing to be assessed simultaneously over an intense time span.

I listened to the audiobook on Libby. I fully agree. Masking takes a significant emotional and physical toll on Anna in everyday situations where she only needs to consider her clothed body, voice, facial expressions.