Thread by @Firebrd86

#kaeys5k

Tag: Soulmate meet-cute
Ship: Wangxian

"You are wearing your clothing inside out."

Modern autistic LZ found it so very hard to understand why this was. Clothes were to be worn right side out, every button buttoned, every seam straight

Not... this

THIS was like being undressed at a party. This man was wearing his shirt inside out, tags flying in the breeze, hemmed seams wibbly wobbly, and threads laid bare

LZ felt physical pain as he gazed at those seams and threads. He wanted to scratch reflexively at his skin

Not that he would, because that would mess up his own straight clothing

The owner of those clothes turned around to face him, and all LZ could focus on was a smile

The brightest smile

The widest, happiest smile

How... what... had the earth just shifted?

LZ felt like the planes of reality had just shifted in his perception upon sighting that smile. Like every seam and thread had suddenly, somehow, straightened and tucked in until nothing about THIS bothered him in that one beautiful moment

LZ saw his future

"I'm wearing my clothing inside out because that is my System!" the reality defining person told him, and that voice was the perfect blend of soothing and intriguing. Maybe LZ could ask for this person to speak more...

"System..." LZ echoed

Mention of a system triggered something in LZ's mind. Something that made SENSE

Nodding, Sunray Person explained, "Oh, yes, seams are the enemy! Therefore, I have a System! Now they don't bother me because I can't feel them nibbling at my skin throughout the day!"

The sunray waved their hands in the air, graceful fingers wibbly wobbling in a beautiful way. "Scritch, scratch, like hearing mice in the walls, or electricity buzzing in an appliance. Awful, but THERE, just out of reach, all the more annoying for it."

This person was talking in a language LZ could finally understand. It made so much sense. This untidy person was suddenly the most familiar thing in the world to LZ... like a... like a soulmate...

Someone who had a System for things that were fundamentally Wrong

Although it wasn't as overt, LZ had his own System for discomfort caused by clothing. The system? Expertly tailored clothing with properly sewn seams and no tags whatsoever. Loose threads wouldn't DARE to exist

He held out his wrist. Turned back the cuff

The seam was flawless. No edges to rub the wrong way. Nothing to tickle his skin. Nothing to nibble at his sanity

Sunray Person bent to look. Gasped. Then, they reached forward to touch with one long, gentle finger, clearly a tactile person

"Soft," they whispered. Reverently. "Smooth. Perfect for focusing on everything else and NOT seams or tags!"

LZ nodded. "Perfect." But this time, he wasn't just talking about the construction of his clothes

There, in the middle of a city footpath, he'd found something perfect

Something that fit into his life like a missing puzzle piece

Soulmate...

He rolled the term around in his mind, enjoying the softness and tenderness of it. The warmth and the way it evoked a little shiver

"I have an idea," he said

Sunray Person looked up, smiling again. "I have the open mind to hear your idea."

"I know how you can eliminate seams and tags from your life. And other dire inconveniences."

Sunray Person was all ears. And then all in

It turned out that Sunray Person was called WY ("With he/they pronouns too! Don't forget those!"), and when WY discovered exactly how similar their Systems were, he told LZ that he was falling in love with possibly the most beautiful person in the universe

Although that made LZ's ears burn, he was secretly chuffed. It was a big claim to be the most beautiful person in the universe. Especially since humans had only explored planet earth... but it felt wonderful. Amazing. Perfect

This soulmate business was very nice

As unexpected as meeting WY was, he looked forward to merging their Systems together into one seamless whole

This was such a wonderful prompt to write. Thank you, @wisedawn13! Autistic LZ and ADHD WY are so close to my heart!