Steve Equinox || Co-hosted with Ranger!

A fear of being touched

AU: none specified, it's steve oc time

World/Series: Rainbow Quest

Warnings:

Word count: 541

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If anyone would have told Irma that they would have befriended a yellow steve that hadn't died in the middle world.

Then they would have laughed at you months ago.

But now the deer horned steve kneeled beside their yellow friend. Not daring to touch them.

For the past couple of months, HP, their yellow friend, would arrive at odd times. At first, they were questioned by many indigo steves as to how they kept arriving and leaving back to the overworld. However, HP never said anything about it.

After that, HP had wandered around. And Irma watched them in curiosity.

The yellow steve was interested in the floating blocks and the energy of the middle world.

It had taken weeks for Irma to build up enough courage to approach HP.

When they did, they tapped a finger on their shoulder from behind. They expected potentially getting slapped at worse.

They didn't expect the yellow steve to scream at the touch and move away from them at the speed of light.

When Irma found them, wanting to apologise, they found the yellow steve hiding against a chest, eyes wide and a handover where their heart would be.

Irma and any nearby indigo steve would be able to feel distress coming from the yellow steve.

Not wanting to cause them panic and potentially pain, Irma kneeled down in front of the yellow steve and spoke to them.

"Uhm, hi? I'm Irma and I'm sorry...

I wanted to ask you for your name, so I tapped your shoulder and- uhm..."

Why is this so difficult to do? Come on, Irma, if you don't apologise, then you won't ever be able to be friends with the yellow steve.

"You didn't react the best.
I'm...

I'm sorry that I caused you this."

That sounds good. Continue- your making this up as you go but continue.

"I don't know if I caused you physical pain or anything. Or if it's mental pain. But I am sorry. I...

I don't know how to express how sorry I am..."

Irma didn't know if the yellow steve had heard them, but they chose to wait for them.

--

It had taken some time, but the two had become friends. Irma had stopped physically reaching out after a couple more similar incidents. HP had expressed being thankful for that, especially as they had haphephobia.

--

"Haphephobia?"

"Uhm... It's difficult to explain, but it's defined as a fear of touch-"

"OOHHHH- That makes so much sense. Sorry for interrupting you."

"It's okay. I... 'don't like' touch as it can... easily destabilise me.

...

My energy has never been the best with keeping up a physical form. I mean, it's easier up here with projecting bits, but it's still... difficult.

And I don't want to just dissapate into NOTHING or just have my entire being changed because someone else messed up my energy and-

Oh, Origin, I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"Hey, hey... It's okay. I promise I won't do anything like that unless you want to-

My hands will remain right here!"

"Your hands are flying around you."

"I know. I mean, they are going to remain in my space. No chance of interfering with you!"

...

"Thank you, Irma."

"Hey! It's just what friends do!"