based on someone i know, autistic!john where little soft touches cause him incredibly pain and so on his audition for the band he screeches in pain due to freddie shaking his hand and he has to explain and all the boys are really supportive🥺’
John is very touch aversive. His skin is extremely sensitive. His clothes have to be just right or else he’ll be itching and squirming all day. His hair has to be a certain way or he’ll feel it on his neck all day and go nuts. His skin has to be free of all things, like lotion or sticky spots or else...he’ll die.
It’s not giant leap to figure out that he hates touch from people. A firm handshake feels like knives. A pat on the back is like a bulldozer. A hug is on par to hugging a cactus.
John doesn’t want to be touched. It’s an easy concept to understand. If you know him, of course.
At his audition, he is a stranger to the 3 other boys. He didn’t think to warn them. It didn’t cross his mind.
Until the boys are gushing over him. They’re surrounding him, asking him questions, telling him times and places to meet up next week. John is handling all the interaction well. That is, before Freddie gives his shoulder a firm pat. A congratulations to most but a punishment to John.
John cries out, dropping his guitar case, leaping backwards. Freddie’s hand hasn’t been on his shoulder for seconds now, but John can still feel it as if it were still there and it hurts. He hisses as he tries to sooth his shoulder with light touches. The boys are confused. They think his shoulder must have some sort of injury.
“What’s wrong, luvvy? Did I touch a cut or something?”
“You alright, mate?”
“Have you a fresh tattoo or something?”
They try to reach out and comfort him, with touch again. Their hands look like weapons to John. He takes steps back and shakes his head.
"Don’t touch me, please,” John says grimacing.
Their faces sour. He must be a snob. Or anti social. Or just a jerk. Maybe he has something contagious?
John frowns. “Sorry. It’s not like that. I would like to be able to shake your hands or get a pat on the shoulder. But, uh, my skin. It’s real sensitive. Like painfully,” he says, hoping that explains things.
“Did you just get over a cold?” Freddie asks.
John can feel Freddie’s hand on his shoulder. He knew there wouldn’t be a bruise on it if he looked, but it feels like there should be with the pain radiating off of it.
“N-No. My skin is ramped up to a 10 sensitivity wise all the time. Since I can remember. It’s not contagious or anything. Just how my brain is wired, you know.”
“Your brain?” Roger asks, not understanding the connection.
John flushes nervously. “I, uh, I have autism. It’s not a big deal. J-Just my skin. I guess.” He feels like he ruined his chance to be in the band. They’ll surly kick him out now.
Freddie looks to Brian who nods. And then to Roger who also nods. John’s stomach drops. Freddie looks to John, his eyes unreadable, but John’s no good at reading faces.
“Well, then, John. Guess we’ll have to figure things out as we go. Feel free to talk to us more about this autism thing later. For now, welcome to Queen,” Freddie said, holding out his hand.
John went pale looking at Freddie’s hand. He was happy they were interested in learning about him, but did he not pay attention to what had just happened?
Freddie laughed. “You don’t have to touch it, sweetheart. Just hover it close to mine. Our auras will handshake and that’s good enough for me.”
John stuttered, looking at Freddie to see if he was kidding. He wasn’t.
John brought his hand close to Freddie’s, close enough to feel his warmth but not his skin. They bowed their hands as if they were shaking them. A smile spread on both their faces.
Roger was next to ‘shake’ John’s hand, then Brian.
He felt like he was about to float away from happiness.
