[Deleted]

WELCOME TO LOS EUROSIA,

AVERY JAMES FLETCHER

"Sons and daughters, mothers and their fathers
Just the bridges and the waters their clues left behind"

BASICS

NAME: Avery Fletcher

AGE: 30 years old

BIRTHDATE: August 29th (Virgo)

PRONOUNS: He/Him

SEXUALITY: Bisexual - Avery considered himself mostly heterosexual for the first seventeen years of his life. And then he received his Gifts and kept waking up in strange men's beds with no recollection of spending the night with them. Eventually, he grew complacent and lax in his sexual/romantic preferences and is now comfortably bisexual.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

OCCUPATION: Private Investigator
(Former Forensic Technician for LEPD)

NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown

MEMBER GROUP: Gifted

Avery is aware of the Sector and Blackstorm and has actually done the occasional investigation for both organizations. However, he hasn't thrown his lot in with one or the other. With how he came into his Gifts and how his life blew up as a consequence, he knows that the current position of Gifted-kind isn't ideal for most. Many would benefit greatly from public acknowledgment, yes (namely there would be less chance of being tossed into insane asylums when someone is unable to explain the inexplicable and Gifts could be used for good if openly accepted). However, Avery also knows that for plenty of others, public acknowledgment would be more horrible. He doesn't believe himself to be in any position to preach one way or the other. 

POWERS:

Avery wasn't born Gifted nor did he have the faintest idea that Gifted existed at all until the following Gifts were very abruptly forced into his possession by a dying man when he was seventeen.

- - - - -

Spirit Vision (Mediumship) - For whatever reason (typically unfinished business or a strong emotional attachment to a living person or place), some spirits linger in the world long after their body. Some linger for love, unable to bear parting from the world or the people still walking it. Others for hate, bearing grudges for how life treated them or, in some cases, resentment for how unfairly and abruptly it was cut short. While these are the most common motives for a spirit to linger, others remain for a plethora of other reasons, including guilt, fear, dissatisfaction, and plain confusion.

No matter the reason, most spirits long for their presence to be realized. And only occasionally do they succeed. The raising of hair on the back of one's neck. A sudden, inexplicable breeze knocking a framed picture off the wall. An abrupt pang of longing and remembrance accompanied by a fierce chill. Hauntings and feelings of ill-ease. This is typically the extent of their success.

Avery, however, can see and communicate with these spirits. Over the years, he has become able to "block" his awareness of most spirits out (once they realize he can see/hear them, they tend to not leave him alone, so he typically tries to avoid unwanted interaction where he can). However, the stronger a spirit is — the more desperately they want to be known — the less ignorable they are.

Unlike the portrayal of mediums in some movies, Avery has no way of "calling" or "finding" any one particular spirit. He can not "phone" someone's late grandmother from the great beyond for a pleasant chat. The spirits that Avery can see are the ones "stuck" still in the world, haunting places or people they are unable (or don't wish) to leave. He can not manifest them from somewhere else, only find them or be found by them.

- - - - -

Spirit Vessel - Some spirits are able to "possess" Avery, shelving his own consciousness and replacing it with their own. While he was never able to prevent this when he first received these Gifts, in the years that followed he was able to build up a sort of resistance. Nowadays, he usually has to "invite" a spirit in for them to be able to take the reins (though some stronger spirits still might be able to wrest control from him).

He loses time while possessed and has no memory of what transpired during the possession. So, understandably, he only offers himself as a vessel sparingly. Typically for a spirit to speak to and love someone one last time so they can move on. There have been occasions when he's been unwillingly possessed and his body and voice used to wreak havoc on one last corporeal joyride, but even the most powerful of spirits can only manage to hold control for less than a day.

There is one spirit he can not resist at all and that's the original owner of his Gifts; a snide, unfriendly, and woman-hating man who has attached himself to Avery and will (perhaps) never leave. In the beginning, he took possession of Avery's body with no regard for the young boy (or his relationships, his lifestyle, his commitments, etc) at all. Nowadays, they've come to some sort of grudging friendship and he will not usually possess Avery without considering any detriments to the man's livelihood. This isn't to say there aren't occasions where he throws a wrench in Avery's life (most namely his relationships) in many varying ways.

THE LOOKS

HEIGHT: 5'7''

WEIGHT: ~140lbs

HAIR COLOR: Brown

EYE COLOR: Blue

FACE CLAIM: Freddy Carter

OVERALL APPEARANCE: Standing a bit shorter than the average male and possessing no notable muscular build, Avery isn't a man who commands attention upon entering a room. As if preferring to pass through most places uncommented upon, he has a way of moving about in a very intentionally unobtrusive and reserved manner. His dark brown hair is clean and neat, cut shorter in the back and sides but kept a bit longer on the top. Very rarely is it left to grow past his ears. It is usually pushed out of his face with a side part but he is loathe to use very much styling product, so it doesn't usually hold and can scatter across his forehead by day's end.

Avery has a severe sort of face that, even when completely neutral and relaxed, can be somewhat off-putting. Unless he's actively smiling or laughing, most people tend to think he's irritated or broody. He isn't typically very expressive, either, which doesn't help. He has sharp, high cheekbones and sunken cheeks that accentuate a strong, angular jaw. At rest, his thin lips are set wide and infinitesimally askew, often holding the semblance of a beginning frown or perpetual smirk. His eyes are pale blue, his brows have a notable slant, and there is always the hint of bags/hollows under his eyes that deepen into prominent lines (running from the inner corner of his eye to his cheekbones) the more exhausted he is. Though his smiles aren't exactly frequent, neither are they wholly unseen, and his grins are typically wide; revealing deep dimples, a mess of laugh lines at the outer corners of his eyes, and straight, white teeth.

His attire usually falls in the class of "smart casual". He favors collared button-downs, casual dress pants (or dark wash jeans), and professional shoes. Though he isn't completely averse to a plain tee, he is more likely to choose a long-sleeve, a sweater, or to pair a t-shirt with some sort of jacket. He only owns one pair of plain white sneakers. He is typically clean-shaven, though there are occasions where a lack of time and energy will allow the faintest break of stubble upon his jaw and cheeks. Strong scents are bothersome to him, so he foregoes any sort of cologne and usually only smells faintly of detergent or very lightly-fragranced soap.

Avery is usually carrying some form of messenger bag, in which he keeps a couple of journals, an assortment of fine pens, whatever book he is currently reading, business cards, a tape recorder, a very small sample-collection kit, a pen knife, gloves, a pair of back-up glasses, and a bottle of ibuprofen.

INSIDE

LIKES:
- Books and reading, most preferably lengthy and well-explored fictions
- Puzzles, mysteries, problem-solving and having to find solutions
- Friendly spirits and things like reading aloud to them and listening to their stories
- Cloudy, overcast weather and dark skies, thunderstorms, rain, petrichor
- Exploring various religions and discussing/trying to understand others' beliefs

DISLIKES:
- Strong scents (perfumes, colognes, candles, etc); they give him headaches
- Messes, chaos, disorder, being rushed, not having a plan or having a plan fall apart
- Dealing with Fletch's fallout (hangovers, awkward "morning afters", bruises, etc)
- Angry and demanding/belligerent spirits that badger him for "vengeance"
- Being forced or feeling trapped into social situations, strained small talk

STRENGTHS:
- Neat, organized, and cleanly; diligent and thorough in whatever he does
- Steadfast and dependable once befriended; a sincere and reliable companion
- Imaginative, resourceful, inventive; a natural problem-solver
- Quietly empathetic (not great at showing it, its more internal than displayed)
- Unobtrusive and undemanding, won't shove trouble on anyone needlessly

WEAKNESSES:
- Very poor eyesight without his contacts/glasses
- Really bad allergies, prone to illness/colds/the sniffles
- Has a way of coming across as fastidious and fussy (he may be a bit)
- Typically won't ask for help even when doing so would be easy or is required
- Prone to daydreaming, lapses in focus, and requires quiet/solitude to think

OVERALL PERSONALITY:
Growing up as a chronically-ill child, mostly confined to the indoors and/or hospitals, it is no big surprise that Avery matured into a man fairly introverted. He is never troubled by being alone, content with silence, and not likely to start conversations/interactions needlessly. It's an introversion that never quite slides into awkward or detrimental territory; he doesn't struggle socially or have a hard time talking to people, he just possesses a comfortable inclination towards solitude. While not exactly shy, he doesn't go out of his way to make connections with people and would likely have no friends at all if the whole thing were left to him alone. Sometimes he seems more ghost/spirit than human, breezing through the background of other peoples' lives; unheard and unseen.

Once engaged, it would be unfair to say Avery is unfriendly. A lot of people, however, might find him dispassionate, restrained, and remarkably boring. He isn't prone to excitement or enthusiasm in his speech and mannerisms and he isn't like to speak or act rashly from a place of great emotion. He has a rational way of speaking with as few words as possible, of saying little needlessly, and of seeming overall unaffected and nonchalant in general. He can be somewhat aloof and, in conversation, plenty of people mistake him for being plain disinterested and apathetic. (Or are just straight-up frustrated with how unengaging he is when it comes to idle, friendly chit-chat.) He can turn people off without intending to or come across as a bit cold and unreceptive when he really isn't.

Befitting both your stereotypical introvert and PI, Avery is both curious and a problem-solver. He likes a puzzle and figuring things out. He is always wanting to know how things work and why things are the way they are. He's always happy to learn and practice new things as well as explore and seek. However, this is tempered by a healthy amount of caution as well. He isn't someone to rush headlong into anything and is always careful about where he goes and what he does. He's as slinky and careful as a cat (but not the cat that Curiosity killed).

A Note About Possession: Obviously, Avery be perceived as having a completely different personality when being possessed by spirits. This note, however, is about one spirit in particular: the original wielder of Avery's Gifts, who now only ever introduces himself and responds to "Fletch"). Avery is unable to completely prevent this particular possession and it happens on a semi-frequent basis. Anyone who is already familiar with Avery, and meets him during one of Fletch's possessions, would probably think he suffers from a sort of Multiple Personality Disorder. Because the two, like day and night, are wildly different. It would likely be alarming and/or confusing for a friend of Avery's to meet him as Fletch. In fact, it has been the cause of many broken friendships/relationships.

Fletch isn't evil or anything, but he's generally a little mean-spirited; a stark contrast to Avery's more benevolent nature. Liberal with his snide, sharp-tongued remarks. Sassy and smirking. Does things to people just to do them. No great reserve of empathy or compassion for other people (not even Avery most of the time). Can be charming and suave when he wants to be. Notably promiscuous and sleazy (which is particularly distressing for Avery who has to live with that reputation). Hates women. Doesn't dislike women, but hates them.

Even when not actively possessing Avery, Fletch tends to hang around the outskirts of his awareness, always offering his (usually distasteful and unwanted) comments and thoughts on whatever Avery has going on. Though he is much more respectful about possessing Avery than he was twelve years ago, he still takes over whenever he really, really feels like it. Or when Avery is in a situation that Fletch thinks he can handle better — like escalating tensions, fights, etc. Then he'll happily leave Avery to handle the clean-up, nurse the aches and bruises, fight through the hangovers, or whatever else damage control is required. He really loves having wild, fun nights and watching with glee afterward as Avery comes to and reels, trying to figure out what all transpired. Or awkwardly excuse himself from a stranger's bed. Or grovel and apologize over whatever bridge Fletch impulsively decided to burn.

BACKGROUND

HOMETOWN: Dallas, TX

FAMILY: Biological Family (Unknown), Ellary Fletcher (Adoptive Mother/Human/Alive), William Fletcher (Adoptive Father/Human/Alive), Carson Fletcher (Adoptive Brother/Human/Alive), Katy Fletcher (Adoptive Sister/Human/Alive)

PETS: A hairless (hypoallergenic) cat named Seven. Spoiled and loving. Because she is a hairless breed, requires weekly bathing, regular nail-trimming, and routine ear-cleaning (which Avery is always more than happy to do). He is very vigilant when it comes to keeping her happy and healthy. She is doted on like a child and has plenty of self-heated cat beds, cooling mats, sweaters, homemade treats, etc.

HISTORY: (CW: Mentions of death, drug abuse, alcohol, and threatened suicide)

Avery was surrendered to the state at birth. Fortunately, he was spared becoming another horror story of being bounced from one terrible foster home to another and ended up in a good home at a young age. Ellary and William Fletcher adopted him just before his fourth birthday after many years of failing to conceive (and suffering a few heart-wrenching miscarriages). Avery never felt the desire to find anything out about his birth parents or why they gave him up. He was a happy and very much loved little boy and the Fletcher family always seemed where he was meant to be and belonged. Even two years later, when Ellary miraculously gave birth to a set of twins, he was never made to feel any less than a true Fletcher.

Despite being a sickly kid — constantly falling ill and landing himself in hospitals often enough that he was treated almost like a regular/old friend by the nursing staff and doctors — he was well-adjusted. A bit of a close-in/recluse, he was always very bookish and did well in school, but lacked a bit in terms of a social life. He was quiet, inquisitive, and not unliked, but if anyone were to be asked about him, they likely wouldn't know who he was. Or have much to say about him if they did recognize him. He had a good friend or two but that was about it.

At seventeen, during a stint in the hospital, Avery was walking the hallways when a trauma patient was wheeled through. Broken, bleeding, and dying, the old man wrenched himself from his gurney in a desperate, last-effort rage and managed to grab hold of the young boy before he could scramble out of the way. Eyes wide and wild, he gasped something about not wanting to die and disappear and that was the last thing Avery remembered. The man died and Avery blacked out, surrounded by screeching nurses and surgeons.

When he came to, back in a hospital bed and sporting a terrible headache, the same, old man was there. Despite supportive nurses and his family comforting him about the whole traumatic incident and their gentle assurances that the man had certainly passed on, Avery could see him. And later, the man would explain — just as surprised as him — that somehow, he'd managed to pass his "Gift" along to him in his final moments. He explained to his new, bewildered keeper, the existence of Gifted and just what he was now capable of.

The next couple of years are mostly a blur to Avery. Fletch — as the ghost of the original Gift wielder took to calling himself— possessed him as often as he could. Fletch was understandably excited to be essentially returned to his heyday, once more in possession of a youthful body and handsome face. He partied. Slept around. Poked himself full of drugs and drowned himself in alcohol. To Avery's family and friends, it was as if their son/brother/companion had spiraled off the deep end, something they at first attributed to some brand of PTSD following the incident at the hospital. They tried to get him help on numerous occasions, saddened as they were to be a witness to his drastic change in personality, but Fletch was belligerent and resistant.

Avery was forced to endure most of the consequences. "Woke up" in jail cells with black eyes and other, inexplicable bruises. Trembled and sweated through drug withdrawals. Tried to mend the relationships that Fletch ruined by being nasty and mean. All while Fletch lingered on the sidelines, sniggering and preparing to do it all over again. And it wasn't as if Avery could just explain that it "wasn't him". He attempted only a couple of times to justify himself but, when it became clear all routes of doing so led to being institutionalized, he stopped trying. His friendships were all in the dirt. His family stopped supporting him. And, eventually — after being kicked out and (understandably) abandoned by everyone he cared about (who didn't want to watch as he "threw his life away") — he decided leaving his hometown was the best option.

He made the move to California at twenty after hearing rumors and stories of similar, "inexplicable" happenings surrounding the city of Los Eurosia. Settling in was difficult and Fletch caused plenty of the same trouble that he had back in Texas. Eventually, though, the pair of them began testing the waters of a more symbiotic relationship (mostly spurred on by Avery's threats of suicide — essentially ending both of their lives and leaving Fletch with little chance of "lingering on"). They set ground rules. No drugs, no smoking, be a little nicer to the people Avery liked, etc. Fletch tested and toed these boundaries hard in the beginning but, after a while, grew grudgingly tolerant in allowing Avery to have his own life.

In the ten years since moving to Los Eurosia, Avery has carved a nice little life for himself. He went to school. Tried relationships. Made a few friends. Worked a handful of years as a forensic technician in the police department and eventually moved into a small, older Rent-to-Own home. He grew more familiar and comfortable with his Gift. Learned how to navigate and clean up after Fletch's occasional romp. Then he eventually moved on from the force and started his own private investigation work (often utilizing his ability to learn truths from those that have passed to his advantage).

As it has always been, he retains a sort of "background character" quality to his life — the coworker that no one considers inviting to the function, the man who has visited the same coffee shop every morning for the past five years yet no one knows his name, etc. Sometimes he feels more like the ghosts he regularly convenes with than a real, living person. But it's never something he's truly minded. It's always been a little easier that way even before Fletch showed up.

THE PLAYER

NAME: Rinse

AGE: 27

TIMEZONE: Central (US)

[Mirror]

[attr="class","th th-flower-1-o"] ACCEPTED

A super intriguing dude! (or I guess, dudes plural x3) Hyped to see what you do with him~

FACE CLAIM • MEMBER DIRECTORY • POWERS CLAIM