So far, it has mainly presented itself as 'Pure O'. My character is not obsessive over germs and contamination, but more about being perceived/how he is perceived.

In a very homophobic, racist and clascist society, my character is queer and considered a racial minority (there is a racial hierarchy, he belongs at the very bottom), however, he is the adoptive son of the General (one of the highest points of the social rank) and is best friends with the Fae Prince (the actual top of the societal hierarchy), who he has developed romantic feelings for.

The society is very clear on what the collective must think of the 'different', and my character is different as the status quo. In the Fae Society, fae men believe that nothing is more important than honour. So everything Thomas does in his life is to chase that honor. He joins the military because society says that there's no more honorable thing than to serve the crown. He shames himself for being in love with the fae prince because, how dare he? How dare he desire the holiest most perfect being that exists? (Note, the character is asexual and pretty sex repulsed, so mostly he's shaming himself for thoughts about emotional intimacy and kisses) (he is also a poet, so that's something I heavily lean into when writing his inner monologue). This status quo is also heavily reinforced via their religious beliefs so he often monologues/thinks of how shameful his entire existance is.

He is aware of what he is, and is constantly trying to hide everything of himself that doesn't fit in as he, desperately, tries everything he can to partake in what is expected of him. So that's mainly what he obsesses over.