Autistic Characters in Love (Ray x Egon)

Co-regulation

Ghostbusters 1984 Neurodivergent Cuddle Fic! Rated Teen for some dialog that mentions sex, but no graphic sexual content. Ray and Egon could be read as on the Ace spectrum.

Co-regulation is a when a Neurodivergent person calms their nervous system by being around another person's safe nervous system. Many neurodivergent people of all neurotypes  enjoy co-regulation. In this story, Ray and Egon use deep pressure co-regulation (squishing!) to soothe Autistic meltdowns.

Ray fell asleep against Egon while they sat on his apartment sofa. They were grading papers and trying to finish all their reading assignments. This was back when they were both PhD students and writing their dissertations, while simultaneously teaching undergrad classes. If bored, Ray's overworked brain would shut off. If he wasn't moving and talking, Ray would fall asleep. So, this day, he had. And Egon learned something about himself.

At first, they'd both been sitting up, side by side. Ray had kicked his shoes off and folded his legs up under him on the sofa, papers in a nest around him. Egon, sitting stiffly upright with his shod feet on the floor, had his papers and books stacked neatly on the coffee table. As Ray had gotten drowsy, he'd leaned towards Egon a little bit, so when he fully nodded off, he'd gradually slumped a little more and more, until he was resting against Egon's left side. Egon still had his right hand free for writing and could reach his work. So, unsure what the social norm actually was for this situation, he'd just kept working, waiting for Ray to wake up.

However, Ray's sleeping form was heavy and Egon was off balance. So soon, Egon found himself half laying down, leaning onto the arm of the sofa, pressed between a couple throw cushions and Ray, who was knocked out completely. He tried clearing his throat politely. Shrugged his boney shoulder under Ray's cheek. Ray slumbered on.

It was interesting to Egon to note that Ray's slow, deep breathing was making Egon's usually rather rapid heart rate go down a tick. And there was something quite pleasant about the sensation of being pressed into the cushions in this steady way. He could feel his blood pressure going down. And Ray smelled good, like the cinnamon toast he'd just eaten and sunshine from his morning walk across the quad to get here. And he was very cute asleep like that. Egon decided not to wake him up.

Afterwards, Ray had woken up, surprised to find himself half laying over Egon.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, Egs," Ray said, pulling himself off his friend. "I guess I stayed up too late last night. Didn't mean to fall asleep on you there."

"Raymond, no apology needed. It was a satisfactory experience for me," Egon said, taking a red pen to some student's paper. At least Ray hadn't interrupted his work, he saw. Ray stretched.

"What do you mean?" Ray's sleepy eyes tried to take in Egon's unusual facial expression. He looked relaxed? That was new.

"The pressure made me feel unusually calm and it was easier to concentrate on my reading," Egon explained, not looking up from his grading.

"Oh," said Ray and he laughed the moment off. "Then, you're welcome, I guess. Want something to eat, Spengs?"

He got up and went in search of crunchy salties.
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As the years went by, Ray noticed that every time Egon feels scared or overwhelmed, he backs himself into surfaces and presses himself against them. Walls, tables, Egon leans into them and the pressure makes him feel safer. He thinks it's cute.