#getting to use an overstimulation grounding tool to calm down AND low-key flirt with your blorbo is the real dream

[ichayalovesyou]

Hiii could I get a pike x autistic!reader (preferably gn or non-binary if possible!) like maybe the reader is anxious about something or they get overstimulated at a party! Ps. Your fics are awesome!!!

Oh shucks! Thank you 💚🖖🏻💚 I’m autistic and trans too so this will probably be good for both of us 😂

Fifth is Touch (Pike x Reader)

Rating: E for Everyone

Word Count: 970

Content: SFW, fluff, just starting to fall in love cuteness, Science Division!Reader, Autistic!Reader, GN!Reader, built in self-grounding toolkit, hand holding, culinary diplomacy gone awry

Teaser: You’re Captain Pike’s plus one to an unofficial diplomatic social event. You got far more than you signed up for and your nerves are not at all happy. But, you are pleasantly surprised to see that Pike has followed you to the balcony to make sure you’re ok.

“Hey, Y/N, are you okay?”

“Yeah… No. I’m not- it’s, there’s a lot in there.”

“Yeah, sure is, can I help you in any way?”

“I don’t know I- I thought it was going to be fine. I wouldn’t have accepted being your plus one if I didn’t think I could handle it. But I did and I couldn’t and now-“

You did not sign up for the Chancellor’s ritual beads being thrown into metal bowls filled with pillars of open flame. Or the kitchen staff breaking out into a fight.

Well, you kinda did, you were in social sciences, and it wasn’t like you hadn’t done your homework, nor was it your first time in the field.

Still, you got much more than you bargained for, you had your limits.

You hoped you didn’t offend anyone by sneaking off to the balcony. This was supposed to be the day you and the Captain would get to work together instead of two completely different departments. Getting off the Enterprise while still on the job (sort of) was supposed to be a nice change of pace.

So much for that idea.

You could feel yourself getting all choked up, frustrated with yourself. Captain Pike put his hand on yours, perhaps having no idea how much safer that made you feel.

“Woah woah hey, it’s alright, if anything I should apologize to you. I had, no idea, that things were gonna get so intense back there. Usually casual dignitary parties like these are pretty dry, all expensive alcohol and humblebrags.” he tried to joke, you smiled weakly at his attempt to make you feel better.

“Still, no excuse. I would never have put you in this position if I knew.” he added, unexpectedly sheepish.

“I know Captain, and, I’ll be ok. I think, I’m just… overwhelmed.”

“Right, you told me about that. Should I leave?”

“No! No, please, don’t, I could use the company.”

Chris stayed put, you don’t know why, but part of you is surprised he did.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, nobody gets left behind, even when we’re both supposed to be off duty.”

You weren’t ready to look at anywhere other than the sea in front of you, but you could feel Captain Pike smiling.

“There’s, there’s this thing I do to come down after getting like this, sort of a sensory checklist, helps me climb back down to earth, so to speak.”

“Do you… want me to do this with you?” he offered, hesitantly.

“If you’d like.”

You took a deep breath.

“I see the ocean, the tides are lower here because there’s no moon.”

“Okay, I see the Tyson system, up there, to the left, the two red giants on either side of that white dwarf.” the Captain pointed it out to you, briefly leaning closer, making you a little flushed  with the proximity, but it passed quickly.

“I hear…” you winced, trying to focus on a specific sound after, well, everything “I hear the waves, and my breath starting to sink up with them.”

“Alright, I hear, something that sounds like Earth seagulls, but I mean, who knows what kind of fauna is out here.”

“I smell… the moisture on the wind coming off of the water.”

“I smell, not to piggyback off of what you said-“

“Piggyback sir?”

“Don’t worry about it, old Earth expression, but you can smell how warm it is outside, the plant life here enjoying it at least.”

“I know what you mean, next is, taste, I taste the salt on the air, seems like their oceans are saltwater.”

“Damn, beat me to it. Well I can still taste the food they gave us before the kitchen staff went supernova. Heh, they should’ve let me in there. Could’ve cooked up something more diplomatic.”

“You would!” hey, you were actually laughing, that was a good sign.

“You must really like the ocean Y/N, everything you’ve said ties back to it.” Pike noted

“I do, the colony I come from is a bi-seasonal island, the ocean was a big part of my life there.”

“I can imagine, when I was a kid my parents, little brothers and I would visit family in Los Angeles and we’d surf on the Pacific.”

“Oh that’s lovely, wait, I forgot one.”

“Oh?”

“Touch, the fifth one.”

“Oh, so, what do you feel?”

“Your hand in mine.”

Pike looked puzzled for a moment, before abruptly realizing he’d never removed his hand from yours earlier. He jerked away, almost apologetically, glancing between you and his hand, rubbing it absentmindedly. If you didn’t know any better, he was as flustered as you were!

“Uh… so…” Pike cleared his throat, it was strange seeing the Captain this embarrassed, it wasn’t a big deal was it? It had been very nice, after all.

“I would give the same answer but, uh, haha, clearly I didn’t notice until just now.” he spluttered.

“That’s okay, I feel a lot better anyway.” You stood up. For once he was looking up at you instead of the other way around. Clearly willing to follow your lead depending on how you felt.

“We could go back in, but there’s a chance the same thing will happen all over again. Besides, we’ve been out here for a while, I think they’ve forgotten we’re here.” You added, the ball was in the Captain’s court now.

“Well, neither of us are here on official Starfleet diplomatic business. I came here as a favor for a friend, and I feel we made good on that promise. And, I don’t particularly want cutlery to be thrown in our direction again in case they disagree on desert too.” He laughed.

“We should go.” you stated, bluntly.

“Agreed, set course for the Enterprise?”

“Yes sir!”