Answered the character development questions on this UnVale post for the Pet Projects cast. Here's Avery's!
1. a) How does Avery see himself, b) how do others see him, and c) what is the truth?
a. Avery sees himself as an oddity. He’s been hidden away for most of his life and struggles with a lot of things that most people don’t seem to. He still feels like a bit of an oddball, even among his fellow hybrids in the L&F; but he’s beginning to see himself as part of the group.
b. To a complete outsider, he might appear to be eccentric, rude, and maybe counter-culture because of his unusual hair color. (For that reason, if his ears were uncovered, a person could mistake them for a cosplay accessory but would freak out if s/he saw them move and caught a glimpse of his teeth.)
A member of another gang would perceive him as off-kilter, dense or uptight. They would write him off as useless, thinking only in terms of physical aptitude.
Shay considers him one of her adopted children, and she values his medical knowledge and strong sense of responsibility. She finds his idiosyncrasies a little bit odd, but also thinks some of them are endearing (like his excitability about music and nature, and his unique sense of humor).
Tristan would describe him as helpful but nitpicky, and also unpredictable. He feels like he has to walk on eggshells around him because his mood can change suddenly, especially when he’s tired; but he admires his work ethic, honesty and ability to bounce back and try again when he hits a wall.
To Everett, he’s equally frustrating and fun. When he’s in work mode, he’s pushy and high-strung; when he’s in play mode, he’s a lot more laid-back and random.
Veli sees him as a big brother he can learn a lot from. He admires how knowledgeable he is and thinks he’s funny and nice – though he doesn’t always understand Avery’s jokes.
c. Avery is, at his core, a giver, though he may appear awkward in the way he shows it. He does his best at everything he sets his mind to, down to the smallest detail. His meticulousness and insistence on going by particular methods can come across as nitpicking, but it comes from a place of trying to help. When he says something that hits as too blunt, that’s usually him trying to help, too. He wants people to tell him things directly, so he doesn’t talk around things with others, either.
2. What is his main goal?
Right now, he wants to repay Shay and Veli for saving his life, so he’s acting as the L&F’s medic.
3. What is his clothing style, and why does he wear what he wears?
He prioritizes comfort over anything else, but if a shirt has a funny picture or phrase on it too, then that’s a bonus. He also likes to have pockets so he can carry his audio media player (AMP) and earphones.
4. What are his strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths:
Resilience: The phrase “give up” is not in Avery’s vocabulary. He gives 100% at everything he does, and when he suffers a setback, he picks himself back up and keeps trying.
Eagerness to learn: He soaks up knowledge like a sponge (particularly in his areas of interest) thanks in large part to his strong memory. He learns new skills quickly and works hard to hone them. He also enjoys sharing the things he’s learned with others.
Weaknesses:
Impatience: The flip-side of his earnestness is that he might push other people too hard or get frustrated when he doesn't understand why they're acting a certain way. Miscommunication (or a total lack of communication) is one of his biggest pain points.
Sensory and emotional overwhelm: When there’s too much coming at him all at once – a combination of a hectic environment, high emotions from people around him, high-demand tasks, etc. – he might shut down or melt down, particularly when the stress is prolonged and he’s physically and/or mentally exhausted. He's especially prone to this in relation to his medic role because he tends to push through when he's caring for his gangmates. Difficulty sleeping also plays into his stress levels.
Both Strength and Weakness:
Attention to detail: Avery is good at identifying patterns, which helps him troubleshoot problems and learn how to interact with his gangmates. He’s also very particular and methodical when it comes to work, but this can cause friction between himself and others.
5. What kind of person does he have the potential to grow into?
If he can learn how to cope with the chaos of street life, he could become a talented medic for the L&F once he really hones his skills. With his love of learning and passing on his knowledge, he could also become a mentor/teacher.
If the L&F were to be in danger of breaking up, he would be afraid of losing his place to belong again and would try frantically not to let that happen. He’d be very insecure and probably lean into people-pleasing.
If someone got seriously hurt or killed on his watch, he would carry the guilt of what he’d perceive as his failure. However, he would resolve not to repeat the same mistake(s) and move forward…though in the long run that might involve him applying his medical talents elsewhere, maybe even outside the L&F.
