How Does Your Character React To Physical Touch?

[Dat Oni]

Let's face facts here. Some of the players on the RPC have characters who are total cuddle-monsters. 

 

But, this is not always the case. It's not uncommon for characters to have an aversion to physical touch, sometimes to the point of freaking out just from having a hand laid on their shoulder.

 

So, out of curiosity, I'd like to ask the community, how physical are your characters? Do they shy away from contact in fear, or are they kittens that brush up against the nearest hand, begging to be pet¹?

 

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^{1. This is not exclusive to Miqo'te, by the by, and I swear to god if you start anything about Miqo'tes not being cats or generally fan the flames of the Miqo'te debates I will find you and destroy you.}

[cuideag]

Jajara generally does not like to be touched. She's gotten much, much better about it - at first, even the slightest brush would make her flinch - but she is still generally averse to it. There are a few people she will tolerate pokes, prods, and even hugs from but for the most part she finds unsolicited physical contact barely tolerable if not inappropriate.

 

Delial, on the other hand, doesn't mind it at all. She is not normally the affectionate type but if it helps her get to what she wants or needs then so be it. The right kind of touch can be as much of a weapon as any spell or word.

[Aysun]

Aysun does noooot like people in her personal space. She'll lean away, flinch if the touch is sudden or particularly intrusive. She may even hit someone if it is taken the wrong way. Unless they are close friends, then she will accept it/enjoy it. She is awkward about hugs and such!

 

Not liking to be touched seems common too, really.

[Faye]

Faye hates physical contact for a plethora of reasons. Not only is she a distant person who values her personal space and proper manners, but she can't have riffraff touching her and wrinkling her clothes or messing up her hair! If it's a hug from a friend she may awkwardly return it, but if it's anything more than that she will likely be shoving the person away.

 

Of course, she doesn't mind being very intimate with her fiance! However, she feels strange doing much more than holding hands with him in public. Public displays of affection are not proper etiquette!

[Crisiet]

Crisiet dislikes physical contact and will avoid it where he can, especially when it comes to strangers. It's just not polite to be touchy feely with someone you've just met, you know? There's a dozen other IC reasons for it, too.

[Rosekitten]

Eh, I wouldn't say freak out over simple things like shoulder pats or hugs. Though the hugs would only be from people she knew and then she still isn't quite sure on how to handle characters who do that at random or in greeting. 

 

Personal space is liked by my character but she isn't to the point where there has to be a 5 foot radius around her or something. I think it more of falls to the lines that she is more tolerant if she knows whoever she is speaking with and they decide to invade that so called space. A random person glomping her or something she might give a death threat to... circumstances.

[Whittledown]

Eyeless Charm is very uncomfortable with physical contact. She doesn't freak out, but her discomfort can be seen in her demeanor.

 

Hornet really enjoys touching, unless the touch is coming from someone she's not physically attracted too.

 

Nildrohain is kind of contradictory. She has some imprerious tendencies that would reject touch from someone she hasn't deemed worthy, but for those she has decided are worthwhile she can be very physical.

[Lost River]

As I have many characters, I'll give each of their responses:

 

 

Lost River doesn't mind to be touched nor does she mind touching others; she at times has no idea of the concept of a "personal space bubble" and everything is hands on. After all, She's kissed Siobhan in public.

 

Orella Blackthorne is the exact opposite; she doesn't like anyone to invade her personal space and when they do, they tend to get a violent response. She's not haughty or afraid, but not much of a people person past business of fighting.

 

Lucinne Jandelaine is a mix of the two; she doesn't go out of her way to invade personal space, nor does she welcome it. But she doesn't mind touch, hug and such; she's a romantic at heart, so it is to be expected.

 

Ophelia Rainteau is much like Lucinne, but she is more of a "here and now" kind of person, her romances are quite fleeting at best, no one has been able to tame the "wandering wood" as she has been nicknamed before, perhaps that can change.

 

Senah Fashonti is the last of the group; complicated and quite booksmart, but when it comes to social situations, she is curious and a bit afraid. She doesn't know how to respond, tends to fluster and blush at the curious situations of being touched; as well, she has had herself act like a cat before and embarrassingly elongated words and make cat-like noises when surprised.

[Sail]

Sail is not an affectionate person.

She would have to feel very, very close with someone -- which is unlikely enough to start with -- just not to up and leave.

[Roen]

Roen does not flinch or dislike personal touches or contact, but being raised mostly by a distant and cold father, hugging and physical closeness was not something she was used to.  She was and perhaps is still a little awkward when it comes to hugging.  But due to recent events, she has given embraces to others for their sake, and have learned to take comfort in it as well.

[FreelanceWizard]

Originally, L'yhta had no concept of personal space -- she'd hug people she just met, lean against people standing near her, and generally annoy the heck out of the "no touchie" types. Over time, she's reined this tendency in, but she's still a big fan of hugs and other forms of physical contact.

 

The one thing she does hate, though, is being patted on the head or petted. There's basically only two people from which she'll put up with a pat on her head (but never petting); anyone else will get a diatribe about how that perpetuates a foul prejudice about her people, how it's inappropriate and belittling, and how would they like it if people thought it was okay to randomly tug on their long ears, poke their big noses, or otherwise make light of their race's physical features.

[Elyscia]

Depends on her current disposition or moods, but if highly stressed, Elyscia would simply recoil at being touched, and her tolerances will differ depending on which race and gender. They're still varying levels of 'nope,' however.

 

She's had a repeat offender, a supposed 'friend' constantly try to touch her even though she gave him stern warnings (two), and it ended-up in him being swiped at.

[TheLastCandle]

Yvelont is a bit standoffish when it comes to this. He had a stern upbringing, with what I would call "tough love" from his father, who thought the best way to care for his sons was to prepare them for a hard life of service to House and Archbishop. As such, he is alarmed at some characters' propensity for physical contact and, for that matter, public displays of emotion period.

[Darien Cadell]

No touchy.

 

 

Not because of flashbacks or anything, but because of a very high degree of possessiveness over her own body.

[111]

Roen does not flinch or dislike personal touches or contact, but being raised mostly by a distant and cold father, hugging and physical closeness was not something she was used to.  She was and perhaps is still a little awkward when it comes to hugging.  But due to recent events, she has given embraces to others for their sake, and have learned to take comfort in it as well.

 

I wonder who has been giving Roen some of those hugs...?

 

For my character, she has no problem with touch, if it's someone she feels comfortable with, she likes it. If it's someone she doesn't feel comfortable with... she puts a stop to it. Like most people I think.

[Oli!]

Oliwat is usually okay with physical contact as long as no one tries to pick him up doll-style.

 

Or sack-style.

 

Sack-style is actually much worse and may result in lala-flailing and/or third-degree burns.

 

He also really likes cheek pinches because Lalas are adorable.

[LandStander]

Somewhere in between. He doesn't cuddle unless he's got significant ulterior motives, but he doesn't flinch or back away from touch either, unless the person smells really bad or something.

 

*Touches all up on Darien*

 

Denn likes to touch peoples faces...with her fist . Seriously though, she will ruffle hair, and punch people in a playful matter and doesn't mind the same in return. The only touching that freaks her out a bit are things involving a caring nature or intimacy. Things like hugging and hand holding are not actions she is used to being involved in, so when they happen they make her slightly uncomfortable and nervous.

 

Ozma doesn't like being touched. She is a serious woman here to do serious business, but apparently being an adorable Lalafell automatically makes people try to scoop her up or treat her like a child. I think the next person that tries to pinch her cheeks will end up getting their hand burned off.

[ArmachiA]

Loki's fine with it. Whatever. She's not a touchy feely person, considering her more cold nature, but she doesn't not mind being touched or patting someone on the shoulder. Hugging and cuddling and all those things are fine too.

 

Armi does not like to be touched at all, like at all. She'll jump back if she thinks people are going to touch her. It makes her uncomfortable and embarrassed and she would just prefer not to have to deal with the fall out of someone trying and she freaking out. There's a short list of people who can actually touch her and she doesn't freak out immediately, and an even shorter list of people who can touch her and freaking out doesn't enter her mind at all.

[LandStander]

Armi does not like to be touched at all, like at all. She'll jump back if she thinks people are going to touch her. It makes her uncomfortable and embarrassed and she would just prefer not to have to deal with the fall out of someone trying and she freaking out. There's a short list of people who can actually touch her and she doesn't freak out immediately, and an even shorter list of people who can touch her and freaking out doesn't enter her mind at all.

 

She doesn't like to be touched, yet she touches all of our hearts. What a selfish jerk .

[Clover]

Clover is unused to any touch that didn't come from her own family; something as simple as someone else taking her hand is strange, even invasive depending on the situation. She might not be against it sometimes, but it'll always be strange nevertheless.

 

K'mih is way more receptive. She's too used to hug her friends and family, so she doesn't mind -more like she likes- displays of affection.

[Raeras]

Raeras doesn't mind physical contact. At first, when it came to more romantic things like a kiss or an arm around her waist, etc she would blush a lot being unfamiliar with it all. Though she still blushes now it isn't nearly as bad as before.

 

In general though, the only physical contact she doesn't like is a surprise poke or hug or something like that

[Therese]

Celeste has been around the block a few times. So when she's touched, she usually deduces that the reason for it is hostile or sexual and replies quickly with a fist to the head/eye sockets/jaw/temple or a swift kick to the groin/stomach/sternum. This is usually the case 9 times out of 10.

 

During that 1 time out of 10 it isn't any of those things, she... flips out, basically. She's used to a vagabond's lifestyle and the few people that have helped shown her affection makes her awkward and uncomfortable and she feels bad that it makes her feel awkward and uncomfortable. ;c

[Karaan]

I have two characters so let do it

 

Karaan : Doesn't care about being touch or touch people, most of the time he will hug  or shakes hand with people (for him it mostly a formality) with no emotion behind it.  He may become angry if people poke his eye-patch to see what is behind it.

 

T'iathar : My alt is quite unique, on the outside he will seem distant and will use hug or kiss to lie and entwine people inside his web of lies. But if you start petting him or even caress his tail, the angry/ grumpy miqo'te become an adorable little kitten who almost purr because of that. (But please don't say it to Evie...)

[Kage]

Like myself, Kage needs to get used to and familiar with people before he really feels comfortable towards contact. But once he's familiar with someone he really does crave that positive physical contact like one-armed hugs and pats on the head but he doesn't initiate it often (how can you not pat a Lalafell on the head. Perfect size for it!). With new people he feels out of his element and any physical touch except from friends would really startle him. It would rattle him for sure and he wouldn't know how to react and may lash out in some way.

[C'kayah Polaali]

For C'kayah, it all depends on the context - as with most people, I'd imagine. He's pretty comfortable being touched save when the toucher is someone he doesn't like, in which case the touch really is another move in whatever hostile game they are playing.