It's been an especially long time since I've written anything for Regular Show. But recently, I've spend some time re-visiting the show, and ended up binging it. I forgot how special this show was~

What I'm working on, is a series of one-shots, presenting one main major character at a time as autistic in each chapter. I have my headcanons for each one that will be explored. Keep in mind, this story is not intended to re-create the characters so that their main character trait is 'autistic.' That's something I fear. This is simply a story of representation and exploration. As someone who is also autistic, representation is something that is important to me. So, I consider this to be a major personal project.

Final note, please keep in mind that not every autistic person is the same. For example, some autistic people with have more severe sensory needs, and sensitivities, while some will have none at all. Autism is so variable with its symptoms. Each character is going to be represented in a different way, and with differing needs.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it!

Chapter one: Mordecai, Visual Sensory Seeking

Ever since he was little, Mordecai could remember having a fascination for bright light. He would hold bright, flashing toys as close to his eyes as he could, sometimes even pressing them against his face. He would sit close to the television, his face right up against the screen. He even remembered the times when he would go shopping with his mother, and as he waited for her to pick something from the shelves, or for their turn in check out, he would tilt his head back to stare up at the bright, fluorescent lights, sometimes even twirling if he had the space. Hence, his nickname of 'moth' when he was small. Attracted to the bright lights, just like one.

It was hard to put into words why he loved these lights so much. Something about them was just so fixating, and calming. In a world where the sounds were too loud, and the people crowded too close together, and the rules were too confusing, something about the lights were very regulating. Even in school, when the kids complained about the lights being too bright, Mordecai honestly loved them, almost too distracted by them to work.

As he got older, he learned to find different ways to self-regulate. Ways that were more...socially appropriate. It was too much for some people to see a grown man staring up at the lights in the store, flapping his wings all the while, or seeing someone bring a flashing toy to school to use when he was feeling unregulated. The scorn, the funny looks, the chuckles, it was embarrassing... So, he held back.

Though, he supposed he could consider himself lucky that he had at least ONE friend who didn't judge him...

"Y'know dude, as much as I hate the stupid 'baggy full of coins' Benson pays us with, it does have it's perks," Mordecai smiled as he turned the park cart into the parking lot.

"Yeah it does!" Rigby cheered, jingling the bag of coins in his lap. "Unlimited arcade weekend! Let's get it!"

"Let's get it!" Mordecai grinned, turning off the cart and pulling out the keys once they reached their spot. "C'mon dude, let's get inside."

"Yeah! First one in is a loser!" Rigby laughed, hopping out of the cart and hurrying ahead, his friend right behind him. Rigby burst in through the doors and was immediately off towards the games, leaving Mordecai behind.

For now, Mordecai took a moment to take in what he was seeing. The modern music playing overhead was quite loud, and the crowd of people made him sigh. Since it was a saturday, it was a lot more crowded then it would be any other day. He could already imagine all the people brushing against his feathers, bumping him from behind, shoulder-checking him with a half-hearted ''scuse me.' He liked his space, and some people seemed to feel entitled to their own space, AND Mordecai's. It made him uncomfortable and overwhelmed.

But there were two things that made it bearable. Two things that made arcades, parties, and crowded shopping malls bearable: Rigby, and the big, bright lights. They kept his sensory needs in balance, and kept him feeling calm.
Mordecai walked slowly as he went further into the arcade, looking for his friend. His eyes darted from place to place, looking at all there was to see. Everything seemed to distract him and pull him away. And he seemed to only be going a foot at a time. Ugh, there probably wasn't a point in looking for Rigby. He was long gone. So for now, he approached one of the more vintage games. It's lights were a little duller, but it was better then trying to wonder into the crowd and risk being touched.

As Rigby ran around, doing his own thing, Mordecai tried to find games he liked to play. He felt lucky that there was such a neat selection available to him. But, it was hard to focus. People breathing down his neck as they waited to play, people brushing against his arms as he looked, people cheering in his ear as they got far too close. Ugh, this was why he liked coming to the arcade better on sundays, not as many people. Even the weekdays were usually better!

As time passed, he found his patience levels were started to grow lower and lower. Rigby came by now and then, and dueled with him in a game. But it became clear that Mordecai was started to feel upset, and ready to go home. When he wasn't playing, he was scratching at his arms, a sign that he was starting to reach the end of his rope. It was a habit he had picked up as he grew up, forcing himself to mask, and hide his needs. No one would notice him scratching, unless he went too far with it ans began to bleed. Though, he knew when he started scratching, that it was time to remove himself from the situation before the mask dropped.

Yeah, he was about ready to go home.

Until...

"Mordecai! There you are!" Mordecai was snapped out of his browsing by the sound of his friend who ran back to him. "C'mon! There put in a new dance-dance machine! You gotta come check it out!"

"Dance-Dance? But, you can't...y'know...dance?" Mordecai point out.

"Shut your mouth, yes I can!" Rigby huffed. "And I can prove it! Come on, this way!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Mordecai chuckled as he followed his excitable friend.

Ugh, the farther they went into the store, the more people there seemed to be, playing games, horseplaying, shouting, and eating. There was so much going on around it, it made his skin itch from under his feathers. Especially more so when some teenager was knocked into him from behind. Ugh, why couldn't people keep to themselves? Mordecai took a deep breath. He couldn't look at the lights when he was trying to focus on Rigby and follow him. So, the sensory experience of being touched and run into was started to bubble up and make him feel irritable.

"C'mon dude, where's that machine?" Mordecai asked, gently scratching at the skin on his arm under his feathers.

"We're almost there man, just hold your horses. It'll be worth it, I promise~"

"It had better be..." Mordecai frowned. He couldn't imagine what could be so great about it.

"Oh! There, there! Back that way!" Rigby gasped as he scampered off, forcing his friend to jog after him. "See, look?"

And there it was... It was big and pink, with the screen showing previews of different dances available. Mostly boy bands, which surprise Mordecai. He thought his friend would have scoffed at something like this, claiming it was aimed at chicks, and then look for something else to do. But no, he was pointing and grinning at the machine as his other hand swung his baggie full of coins. "Isn't it cool? And check it. No line~" he snickered, scampering over to it and sticking a quarter in it. "Wanna dance?"

"Uh...no, I think I'm good," Mordecai rejected. Well, at least they weren't running around anymore. That meant they were a lot less likely to get run into by anyone. Plus, now that he was holding still again, he could get a much better look at the game. The screen and the songs weren't all that special, just your standard dance-dance machine. But, it was the other features... The corners were rounded with a flashing, rainbow bar to make it more appealing. He could see it being hard on the eyes for anyone else, considering how new and bright it was. But for him, it was enticing. "You don't mind right? I mean, you can dance by yourself?"

"Yeah man, I don't mind~" Rigby nodded as he hopped onto the dance pad. "Will you watch me though?"

"Sure..." Mordecai nodded, turning his eyes back to the flashing lights. Most of the time, he tried to regulate without staring at the lights, knowing it would get him some weird looks. But, he knew it didn't matter to Rigby. He was used to his best friends needs and the ways he liked to manage him. Rigby used to tease him for it, not realizing right away that it was serious to his friend. He didn't always understand autism, what it was, and what it meant for his friend. But these days, he was much more understanding.

He knew his friend well, and he knew that the flashing colors would sooth his friend and buy him some extra time at the arcade. "You likey?" Ridgy chuckled.

"Huh? What?" Mordecai asked, his eyes never leaving the lights.

"Ah never mind. Don't say I never do anything for you~" Rigby snickered, turning back to the screen. Time to get his well earned playtime!

Except...Mordecai was right. He couldn't dance-

Authors notes: Here are my thoughts on the main character sensory needs/aversions in my universes. These will come into play later as we explore each character.

Mordecai: He has mild auditory sensitivity, with it mostly being an irritant. But tactile sensitivity is his biggest aversion. If he didn't have feathers, then skin against his skin would be sensory hell for him. But as shown in this story, he is a big visual sensory seeker, enjoying bright lights, things that flash, and things that spin. Weak interoception, cannot always detect hunger or other bodily needs.
Rigby: Rigby is an auditory sensory seeker, loving loud sounds and loud environments. He loves to press his ear against the speakers, and keep his headphones turned up high~ He can be very sensitive interoception-wise. Aka, hunger, thirst, feeling uncomfortable, these sensations can be much more intense for him, leading to meltdowns.
Benson: Like Rigby, Benson is also an auditory sensory seeker, and playing the drums was his way to meet that need. However, he is avoidant towards auditory stimulation. He would need to wear sunglasses outdoors, and sometimes indoors if the lights are too bright. Benson is also sensitive to vestibular simulation, getting dizzy very easily. Additionally, he also has tactile sensitivities, particularly with food, leading him to have limited safe foods/food he can eat.
Pops: Unlike Benson, Pops is a vestibular sensory seeker. He loves to twirl and swing and hop, not getting dizzy very easily, if at all. Pops does not have any sensory sensitivities.
Muscle Man: Muscle Man, like Rigby, can be almost TOO aware of his interoception, easily irritable when he is hungry, as it can register as pain. He is a gustatory sensory seeker, enjoying things that are spicy, sour, or otherwise provides a pleasurable sensation. He will not eat bland foods, like white rice, or toast.
High Five Ghost: Not a sensory seeker in any area. However, he does have auditory sensitivities. While he can handle some things, like the sound of the lawn mower, or loud music, he becomes easily overwhelmed when there are too many different sounds around him, like in a crowded shopping mall, or a concert, with so many different voices speaking and music playing.
Skips: No sensory needs or aversions.
Thomas: Olfactory sensory seeker. Will often sniff things before/while he eats, or will continuously sniff his clothing if he is wearing a scent that he likes. More severe auditory sensitivity, unable to handle continuous and loud sounds, like a siren, an alarm, or a lawn mower. Often wears ear plugs.