Lockdown was bliss at first for two of my teens. The relief of no social pressure! It allowed the one with a diagnosis of ASD to come to terms with himself, and persuaded the older one, without a diagnosis, to ask to be assessed.
The younger, diagnosed at 12, had had an awful time at school. I don't need to go into details, they're familiar to parents of ND children.
He joined the Tech Club at school and worked on a very successful project with another boy, who introduced him to third boy, and suddenly, just before lockdown, there was a tentative friendship between the three of them. It grew over lockdown, through communicating online without any in-person interaction.
From that first trio the friendship group expanded to 6 boys, each in some way 'different'. ASD, immigrant, obese, underweight, geeky etc.
Their friendship has been a joy for the parents, as well as the boys. They are all so different and so lovely. They look out for each other and stand up together against their old bullies. They consult together over whether they should let another person into their friendship group, and only do so if everyone agrees.
The years on, they have all matured enough, and are confident enough of their mutual friendship, to be comfortable when one introduces a girlfriend, or a few go off to do something without the others, etc.
In 2019 I could only have dreamed that my then 12yo would ever be as secure as my now 16yo is.
Of course he's still autistic. But it's OK.