Hey sunflowers, hope your all doing well, soooo let me say, thank you all SOOO much for the feedback you've been giving me, it really has helped me feel better about this book, and so, I have also decided to reward you all for everything you've done and spoilers of what I have planned for the future of it.
The first good thing is yes, this story will be continuing.
The bad part is that this story is nearly finished, not sure but how but its under 30 chapters.
HOWEVER! that does not mean that it will be the end completely, for when one story ends, another is begins, yes I will be writing a second book after this one is done, don't know when I'll make it but it is planned.
The final good news is, because you've all been so good to me, YOU GUYS GET REWARDED WITH 3 CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY!!! WHOOP!!!

You don't dare take your eyes off of the man in front of you for a second, you hold onto Al's hand behind your back as if he was going to disappear the second you let go. You were almost certain his hand was going to bruise by the end of this encounter.

"I just wanted to talk, is that a crime now?"

If it wasn't for Al's hand in your grip, you were certain you wouldn't have replied back "I'm afraid I'm busy at the moment and don't have time"

You watch as your 'Dad' shifts his eyes to the side, most likely to look at Al, which causes you to shift even closer to Al to the point where your legs almost brush against his, you didn't care if your arm was angled funny, you were not letting go of his hand for a second.

"I see you've gone back to spreading your legs again" he states as if talking about he weather "I thought we already discussed this"

He was taken aback when you literally growled at him, like a dog giving the threat a warning before the bite. The only thing chanting in your brain was 'protect Al. Keep Al safe'

"I see you haven't changed either" you snarled at him lowly through gritted teeth "good day sir, we're leaving"

While the grip was no longer hard to cut circulation, you made sure to keep a firm grip on Al as you lead him out of the warehouse, completely ignoring 'Dad' calling from behind. You were completely fine until you were out in the open space.

The panic attack hit you so hard that you almost collapsed from the punch it gave you, causing you to lean against the wall and slide down as you tried to get your breathing under control.

"I've got you Foxglove, your safe"

The second your head was covered in darkness you immediately begin to cry, hard. Latching onto Al as if he was a lifeline with one hand while the other covered your mouth as you began to hyperventilate. Trying and failing miserably to get it under control. Everything became a blur after that.

Al really didn't know what he was doing, he was only copying what his mother had done when he was a child when he had a nightmare. The feeling in his chest was no longer warm and comforting like it had been before the, thing happened. It was now cold and not even his coat was enough to keep him warm, the only thing going through his mind was 'protect Foxglove'.

He wouldn't deny it though, this was unsettling to him as well, sure he has seen Foxglove get a little panicked when they don't find something or when they were close to being late, it was a common thing for anyone if his memories were correct. But never has he seen Foxglove end up in a state like this before, and all because they saw their father. What could have happened to have caused this, situation? What happened to them to have caused them to turn into this, shriveled-up form of someone else?

He notices from the corner of his eye a few people, mainly females staring and pointing at him and Foxglove, he gave them a stern glare as he pulled his friend closer to his body. He may not know what was exactly happening to Foxglove, but he knew for certain that they were in no fit state to get up and leave the area.

"People have no manners these days" he muttered to himself as he used his thumb to stroke Foxglove's back with his chin hovering above Foxglove's shaking head "dumb Dora's the lot of them"

He hears a strange noise coming from his friend but doesn't think anything of it and keeps them in a firm hold until they eventually stopped breathing heavily. He stayed silent when they started to lean more against him and mumbled something.

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that"

"I said I'm sorry for getting your top wet with my tears, I know that you don't like getting them dirty, or being touched" they say as they pulled away from him "especially body fluids"

Al almost froze at the sudden change in temperature when they moved away from him "I think given the circumstances I'm willing to make the exception, provided you tell me what that was"

"It was a panic attack" they murmured just loud enough for him to hear "I've never had one this intense before, or painful"

"How did it happen?"

Silence was his answer, and then "because Dad was there"

"Why would seeing your father cause you to have this panic attack?" he wasn't trying to accuse Foxglove of anything, he really didn't know how this 'panic attack' could cause such an issue just from looking at someone.

"Remember when I said that you were the first man that I trusted and was okay being touched?"

"Yeah"

"He's the reason why I don't trust men, let alone allow them to touch me"

Now Al was even more confused, and he was really tempted to press for more information when a new voice appeared from behind.

"Grow the hell up child, you're not sick, you're just delusional and an alcoholic, the sooner you realise it the sooner you can get the help you need and live a normal life"

Al was slightly more prepared when Foxglove growled but refused to look at the man. His smile returned to his face as he listened to this, man, degrade his own flesh and blood. The man thought that their child was weak.

Disgusting piece of filth, he's not fit to even be a parent

Then again, if that thing hadn't gotten with Foxglove's mother, then Foxglove wouldn't have existed, and where would that have left him in this world? He might have ended up somewhere worse.

"You are a liar and a wh-"

"I would kindly ask that you reframe from continuing that sentence my effeminate fellow" Al interrupted as he kept his face looking at his friend.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused" this time he allowed himself to give the man a brief look before he looked away again.

"I can do what the hell I want to, they are my child"

"They stopped being your child the moment they became of age, now please leave us alone, you are not helping my friend"

"I think you must have hit your head somewhere because the only friends they have are us"

Al felt Foxglove tense at the sound of the voice, it was coming from the person who had stood next to the 'man' inside the warehouse "and yet here you are watching them without interfering, you are a terrible friend"

"Let me talk to my child"

"Sod off old man" Foxglove whispered, only Al could hear it "let's get out of here, I hate crowds and that's not helping"

Al let them go immediately and stood up when they did.

"You are not going anywhere"

Before either of them could react, the man had grabbed Foxglove by the wrist and tried to yank them towards him. With quick reflexes of his own, Al quickly removed the offending limb, it wouldn't break his arm unfortunately, but it would sting.

However when he acted this out, the man began acting like he had just killed him. Such a pity. The man was literally wailing and crying out "ASSAULT! I'VE BEEN ATTACKED! YOU SAW THAT RIGHT?!"

What. An. Idiot. And he called himself a man.

"Let's go, while they're distracted" Foxglove whispered next to him while gently tugging on his shirt.

He was honestly surprised he followed without looking back. But he supposed anywhere was better than being near that poor excuse for a human being, he was boring, not even worth a glimpse.

He also had a strong urge to clean up the mess.

"That could have gone better" you state calmly as you limp back into the bustling part of town, the uneasiness still crawling around your body and you had to fight the urge to touch Al to keep you anchored. You hated this part, the floating sensation. It made you clingy and want either another person, which would have been your mum, or your childhood toys to make it easier "where do you want to go next?"

"I would like to look at the markets"

The next few hours were a bit of a blur for you, almost on autopilot but you could still hear things going on around you. A part of you was screaming to get Al back home where he would be safe, the sight of that twat was making you antsy and paranoid everywhere you looked, even in the shops.

The worst part was that Al had to be distracted for you to make sure you weren't being followed. Yeah, you looked like a real creep. Stalker material at its finest. You were making things even worse than they should be. What a hypocrite.

Al didn't seem too bothered with the normal shops aside from the plant seeds, otherwise, he was more focused on the outdoor and indoor markets. He didn't look as enthusiastic as last time but he did seem pleased to be there.

That was something else you had been noticing nearing the end of the 10 months he's been with you, he was smiling a little more than usual, mainly when you were both out and working, when you got back home, his smile would shrink a little or drop and go about his usual routine.

It was, strange to see him like this, but you figured that he was regaining his identity so you never brought it up, it wasn't your business and he was entitled to his privacy. It seemed rather strange to no longer be watching him like a parent would with their child.

"How about we go back to that lovely cafe we first went to? I'm feeling quite famished"

You blinked and took a moment to process what he just said "uh, sure" you were certain you had enough money left for a little treat, although you have been noticing shops have upped their prices, you have no idea why though.

You both walk into the shop and order the same thing as before and sit down to wait, you notice Al slightly lean back in his chair before he sat back up, back straight and, well, you think he was sitting the same way a posh, rich person would act. You think.

"To quote your phrase, 'penny for your thoughts'?" he asks "you've been quieter than usual, I thought you would want to go home after the incident"

"And deny you the chance of another outing? Heck no" you reply nervously.

He raises an eyebrow at you "how long have we been lodging together?"

Did he mean roommates? "I kind of lost count honestly"

"We've been together for 10 months" he stated calmly and in a low tone "the first two months were of me being a zombie and learning boundaries, the next four months were of me learning, reading, and getting into a routine that kept me stable, the final three were of me cooking different things in the hopes it would jog my memory as well as try a job, and now, this month of being here, I am ready to be a proper adult and take care of myself. I think I would know by now that something isn't right with you"

The way he said it, the way he emphasized words to you while giving you a stern, intense glare with that small smile on his face, was scaring the crap out of you. This didn't look like you were talking to Al anymore, but someone else.

"You certainly have gotten stronger senses" you chuckle weakly and have to look away when he doesn't budge, you were only delaying inevitable, might as well rip the band-aid off while you still could "are you familiar with the word 'masking'?"

He blinks, still with that 'look' on his face and slowly shakes his head.

You place your hands on the table as you would do when you're about to explain something, trying to think of the best way to describe without going overboard "Masking is pretty much how it sounds, except instead of wearing a real mask, it's one you can't see, right now, as you look at me, I am masking my real self, trying to look as normal as possible so I can 'fit in' with everyone around me, what you saw back at the warehouse was the real me, someone who is insecure about themselves and more, childish at heart"

He doesn't say anything at first as the food is brought to them, the both of you thank the person before they left. Then Al asked the question.

"I can see why you would have to do that when going outside, but why didn't you open up around me?"

"Well it was a bad idea at the beginning because being an emotional wreck was not going to help you in the long run, plus I was more focused on helping you and what could help you, it wasn't until yesterday or today that I realised that I was, well, lying to you" you chuckle weakly "talk about hypocrisy, here I am telling you to be yourself and not to be ashamed of it, only to be doing the exact opposite"

"You don't trust me" he states calmly.

Now you felt insulted, but you could see why he would think that "if the roles reversed wouldn't you have done the same?"

"If they were reversed I would have left you there to die"

Now you feel your heart stopping as you feel your blood drop. That stare. That look he was giving you, it was like he was going to kill you right there. Was he being serious?

Then he laughed. As if he had just been told the most hilarious joke he'd ever heard in his life, which caused everyone in the shop to look at you both as if you had grown another head.

"Oh I'm just teasing you dear" he said when he was able to talk again "if roles were reversed I would have done the same thing"

As he continues to chuckle, you nervously do so out of habit before trying to get the food into your stomach, you lost your appetite but you did not want to waste the money you spent on it.

"I understand though" he continues as he too dug into his meal "the masking I mean, to quote one of those picture shows you occasionally watched with me in the room 'smile, because it confuses people. Smile because it's easier than to explain what's killing you on the inside"

You blink silently as you watch him continue to eat, somehow still managing to keep the smile on his face more or less. What the hell was that all about?

"I don't believe you, you know"

"I'm sorry?"

"About you being childish, we all have an 'inner child' for the most part, for some its easy to come out, for others it's so far down that it can never be pulled out, for others, no such thing exists" he states calmly as he cuts his food, eating in between words "don't sell yourself short, you clearly have enough maturity to know what you should and shouldn't do, plus you did a good job of keeping my head on straight" he shrugs as if it wasn't a big deal.

You can only stare at him in shock and wonder.

"As uncomfortable as it was to have that happen, I would rather be stuck in a room with you than at the hands of someone else, I hate repeating myself but I will say it again just this once, not once have you abused your power over me, not once have you taken advantage of my unfortunate situation for your own entertainment, you have shown me a kindness only my mother had ever shown me, you're a real gem in this sea of rotten filth"

Well now you felt uncomfortable, you've never been complimented like that before, and people mainly enjoyed destroying your self-esteem "thanks, I guess"

Then he does something you never expected, he reaches over and presses his index and middle finger together and gently taps it on the back of your hand. As if he was kissing it like a gentleman.

"I don't say things like that if I wasn't certain myself" his smile gets bigger before he goes back to eating his food.

You were left sitting there like a complete idiot until he pointed out 'your food is getting cold'. Needless to say, you left that cafe feeling like you could breathe properly.

You return home feeling more tired/drained than normal. Al following close behind.

"Home sweet home" you mutter mainly to yourself.

"You can say that again"

Before you know it, you're pulled into some kind of slow dance with Al, that's the second time he's done this with that smile on his face. Guess you shouldn't complain though, not after what happened today.

"You were wrong you know" he whispers as he pulls you closer to him "about me being able to feel anything"

You try to look up at him but he places his chin on top of your head so that you're stuck staring at his chest. Again.

"I am not capable of feeling emotions the way others do, at least, not in the way others describe it in my memories, the body certainly is fascinating when it comes to copying emotions, when my mother was alive, she made me feel like I was walking on water, like I could take on the world and crush it in my hands"

Okay? That was weird.

"I suppose its just as hard to describe as your autism if I'm being honest, I guess you could say that I feel a certain emptiness, no matter what I do, I am unable to feel that rush of excitement, aside from, certain things, I take, and I take, and yet it isn't enough"

That sounded, horrible to put it politely "was your mum the only person?"

"She was the reason I was able to feel even a sliver of warmth during my childhood, when she died, that warmth died with her"

You didn't realise you were resting on his chest until he stopped moving and pulled you away so that you're looking at him in the face. His smile was barely noticeable and his eyes looked like they were mocking you.

"No one else knows about this, not even where I lived in Louisiana, I tell you this, because you are giving me that same warmth my mother gave me all those years ago"

Something felt, very wrong with that last sentence, it was making your skin crawl. Badly.

"You are, part of my collection of treasured items" he continued "so please, help me understand you more so that you can shine as bright as my mother, help me understand why those filthy piles of- why those people treated you like you were just a poorly made, cracked gem"

You wanted to run, but his hold on you felt like you were being suffocated. He didn't seem to be letting you go anytime soon. Maybe... maybe you should tell him, especially after what happened today.

"My dad is, old fashioned, he doesn't believe in mental illnesses or medical issues like allergies, he thinks it's all fake and that people are using it as an excuse to not work, get attention, and sit on their butts all day, he tried to convince mum that I didn't need help, that I was doing it for attention and I was just lazy and not being productive enough"

You try to look anywhere other than Al after this bit, even after all this time his words still hurt when you bring the memory back up. Still, you continued.

"Then he started getting more controlling, and angry with me, thanks to those, 'friends', he began believing that I was some sort of prostitute who opened their legs for men, no matter what I said he wouldn't believe me, which was also why he was rather, rude with you in the warehouse"

"And what about those, 'friends', of yours?"

"People who harassed me from Middle to High School, when they found out about my, weird habits, they would mess around and play pranks on me, one of them involved a toilet in school"

Al hums lowly and tightens his hold on you.

"My dad is also a racist, he also wants me to stay under his thumb until I've 'grown up' and 'stopped lying to him', like I'm some child" your breathing hitches and you feel yourself begin to cry again "I'm so tired Al, I'm so tired of fighting and pretending to be something I'm not, I just. I want..."

"You wish to show your true self" Al states calmly "you wish to remove your mask to show the crowd your real face, but you know that if you did, they wouldn't look at you the same way again. You wish to be, normal"

This time you look at him in shock and surprise, but slowly nod your head in agreement, tears still falling down your face.

"Being normal is over-rated my dear Foxglove, people like us, we are survivors, scrounging about for our next bit of food just to last another day" he pauses and cups your face to look at him "but the difference is, we aren't doing it by ourselves, we are doing it together, because we understand each other, why need others when we have each other?"

You don't say anything, but with how intense his stare was you found it uncomfortable to look at him again. He takes two of his fingers and 'kisses' you on your cheeks and then your forehead, this time you were able to look at him in confusion.

"We don't need them, we don't need any of them" he says in a more confident tone "all we need is each other"

This was the first hug he's given you for the New Year, and you plan to soak up as much as you could.

"Your right Al, I don't need them"

You swore he smiled above you.

One week after the confrontation with Al. The first thing you notice when you wake up was the lack of scents of cooked food that Al would make, he woke up earlier than you did. He never missed an opportunity to show off, especially after you praised him.

You brush it off at first, going about your morning routine like usual before making your way down to the kitchen. Only to find it empty and void of life. Odd, Al would never leave before you, nor would he leave without leaving a note.

You check all the other rooms and come back with the same result, so back to his room you go. The sight before you took you completely off guard though, the room was dark, the curtains were still closed, leaving little to no light to enter the room if you were to shut the door.

Everything seemed okay. Until you noticed the giant lump under the covers, with a bit of hair sticking at the top if you looked close enough.

At first, you thought Al might have overworked himself and was now feeling the effects full force of it, mainly because he had looked a little pale the day before and would clear his throat a lot, but seeing a limp hand hanging off the edge of the bed was sending your sixth sense into overdrive, similar to when you first found him.

So, with great difficulty, and hyping yourself up because you knew that you would be doing something bad, you reach out and slowly pull down the cover to check on Al, what you saw made you very concerned.

His skin had a shiny gleam on it, his hair was not just wet but also sticking to his forehead, his eyes fluttered every few seconds and his mouth was slightly open, and since he was facing you, you had no trouble feeling his breathing hitting your face, but the faint sounds of wheezing was another matter.

When you reach out to touch his forehead with the back of your hand, you almost recoil when you feel it burning as hot as a cook's fire stove.

This wasn't some sickness that could easily be treated, Al had the freaking flu. And you had no medicine to treat him.

Well sh*t. Okay. First things first, you had to call your boss and tell him that you can't go in as you are, technically, contaminated, and that was a big no-no when working with food products. Then, you need to get him to cool down and stable just long enough for you to get some medicine... wait, is there any medication for flu? BAH!

Focus on getting Al stable, you can worry about the rest later. And if you get fired then, well to hell with it. Al was far more important than some cheap job... oh crap you need to phone his work.

Help Al, then phone. You were not going to let Al die on your watch. Not after everything you both have been through.