(MADELYN CLINE, CIS-FEMALE, SHE/HER) Oh, is that AVERY HART? I heard the TWENTY-NINE year old is COMPASSIONATE. But don’t let that pretty face fool you, they are also DISORGANIZED. Makes sense seeing how they are a CLEAN civilian who works as a ER NURSE.
INFORMATION
name: avery rose hart
nickname: aves
gender / pronouns: cis-female, she / her
date of birth: may 7 (29)
zodiac: taurus
traits: compassionate, disorganized, persistent, patient, self-indulgent
hometown: newark, new jersey
sexuality: heterosexual
occupation: er nurse
education: bachelor's degree
face claim: madelyn cline
height: 5'5
piercings: two for each lobe
tattoos: a few small ones on her hands
scars: one on her thigh from falling as a teenager
TW: mentions of divorce, hospitals
HISTORY
Avery surprised her parents, Marshall and Alexa, by arriving three weeks early. The small family was just getting started, and the new parents couldn't have been more excited. For three years, Avery enjoyed being an only child, but that changed one afternoon when her parents sat her down and explained she would suddenly be sharing her toys with not one but two siblings.
The entire family was overjoyed with the news, and Avery was insistent that she was going to have two sisters. So imagine her surprise when two brothers were who greeted her when she was brought to the hospital to meet them. The twins’ birth was the beginning of the end for the Harts. The stress of three children proved too much, and within a year of their family being complete, Marshall and Alexa were finalizing their divorce. The twins ended up staying with Alexa, and Marshall was given custody of Avery.
When Avery was in elementary school, she realized she wanted to be a nurse like her mother. Although her mother was thrilled by her decision, her father was less enthusiastic. Marshall had never been fond of his ex-wife's profession and hoped Avery would outgrow this ambition before college. He wanted his children to pursue careers he deemed more lucrative, so they wouldn't face the struggles he had experienced once he started having children.
By the time Avery was in high school, she was more determined than ever to gear her studies toward her future and took every possible class she could to prepare her. She was scheduled to shadow a nurse at one of the local hospitals for a few weeks the summer before her senior year, but that had to be canceled after she fell hiking with friends and ended up needing stitches for a deep cut along her thigh.
She applied to multiple universities, but she decided to attend Rutgers despite not having the financial aid to cover the tuition fully. After having to take out several loans to help with the costs, she graduated four years later with a degree and ended up moving back home for a brief period before she started working at a local hospital in Newark.
After two years of working in a slower paced ER, Avery felt she was ready for more excitement in life, and she made the move to Manhattan with the help of her small savings. She secured a job in one of the more chaotic and faster ERs and has been working there since. She still clings to the idea that there is good in the world, and she wants to leave her mark and make a difference as much as she can. Even if some days she does walk out of work feeling defeated.
HEADCANONS
Avery's favorite flowers are white lilies. Her parents still buy her roses for special occasions because of her middle name, and she has never told them she doesn't like them.
She loves to cook, but she isn't always successful at it. She tries to learn people's favorite meals to make them when she can, but the first couple of tries don't always turn out the best.
She's known she has wanted to be a nurse since she was very young.
Her family still spends all the big holidays together even though her parents are divorced. They agreed they wanted their kids to have good memories of the holidays and tried to be civil in front of their children.
Her favorite color is dusty rose, and she used to wear that color for her uniform before everyone had to match.
if she was determined enough to find him off the grid, he believed she could. henry was an expert when it came to hiding, but he didn't doubt her perseverance, either. stubbornness looked good on her. he was stunned for a moment, but he wrapped his arms around her in return, sighing lowly. it was easy to focus on avery and tune out the pain. "if it was someone i cared about things would be a lot different. i sure as hell wouldn't still be here in this bed if it was." he'd be out, looking for whoever it was that made him lose someone important to him.
Avery hugged him tight and nodded. She didn't know if he fully understood what she meant, but she thought he did. She was a happier person, but she wasn't always happy. But it didn't feel like it mattered right now. "See, there are more important things. We can worry about the rest of it later. Right now, everyone needs to focus on getting better, and that includes you." She pulled back and looked at him. "Do you want me to bring you something when I come in for my next shift? It'll be a couple of days, but if you need something sooner I can swing by."
he had to laugh at that. henry found the fact she was teasingly insisting she'd track him down was hilarious. he was someone who knew how to stay off the grid. he was the one who tracked people down. though, he supposed someone like iris had the talents necessary to track him down even when he didn't want to be found. "yeah, well, i'm sorry to put things so bluntly, but none of those people who died are important to me." she was, though.
His laugh made her smile. She was glad her teasing hadn't upset it, but she didn't think it would. Things were different since they had broken up, but it was nice that some things still felt the same. She could think of so many things that were more important than her happiness, but his words surprised her. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. "That doesn't mean they aren't important, though. What if it had been someone that was? Happiness doesn't matter when a life is on the line, Henry."
things weren't just going to go back to normal. this was an attack, and lives were lost. some of them were innocent lives, too. everyone would be all over this. he hadn't been visited by cops yet, and he didn't want to be. henry could lie his ass off to them easily, but the thought of being bothered by strangers was frustrating to him. "i won't dodge your texts." he wouldn't put her through that type of panic, not when she'd been through enough already. he knew he should've dropped it, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. "like what, avery?"
"You better not. I'll find out where you are. I have my ways." Avery was teasing, but she was sure someone could track him down if she needed. She didn't want to have to ask. Enough of her business was in the open now, but she didn't want to share more of it if she didn't have to. She shrugged and looked down at her hands. "A lot of things, Henry. People are hurt. People died. That's more important than me being happy."
henry couldn't stand being there in that bad. he hated the way it made him feel like people were looking at him like he was weak. it wasn't his fault some dickhead fucked with the ferris wheel while he was by it. "good, i think you should." he'd already let her down once, but he wasn't going to do it again. "of course it matters, avery," he told her. "why wouldn't it matter?" he didn't care about the happiness of most people, but he did care about hers.
It wasn't easy to think things would be better in a few days. It would take time for people to heal. Whoever had caused the damage had wanted to hurt people, and she would never understand someone like that. "Expect a text in a few days. I'll check up on you. And don't try to dodge answering me. It'll make me worry." She teased him. She didn't want to bring up why it shouldn't matter. He had hurt her. He had broken her heart and caused her more pain with the unexpected breakup. But was it worth bringing up now. She shook her head and looked away from him. "There's more important things, Henry."
he didn't plan on being there much longer. henry would go stir crazy if he'd stayed for more than a couple days. he could take care of himself. once he was out, he'd resume doing whatever he pleased. maybe he'd take it a little easy, but he couldn't even guarantee that. "it won't," he assured her. whether that was through a proper discharge or one he'd given himself, he'd be out of there. he didn't believe what she was saying to him, but he wasn't so sure if it was a good idea to call her out on it. "do you really mean that?"
She knew there was a chance he wouldn't be there the next time she tried to visit. She didn't plan on being back for a few days unless she was called. She needed a few days to herself. Maybe she'd head home to her parents house for a few days. "I'll hold you to it." No one liked staying in the hospital, but she hoped he stay long enough to not end up returning. She pulled back and looked at him with a frown. "Does it matter?"
he knew she was trying to be lighthearted. henry couldn't blame her for that. it felt like there was a tension there, one that he wasn't going to address. he couldn't do that. they were already closer than they should've been. he couldn't add anything else on. "well, it won't be for too long," he said. he was sure of that. she needed as many people in her corner as possible in his head. he would never regret the time he shared with her, and he hoped she knew that. henry regretted how abruptly he ended things, how he'd stupidly left her with nothing and was the reason she was in this mess in the first place, but he would never regret avery. she was the best person he knew. he furrowed his brows at her question, taking a moment to consider it. "i don't know," he said truthfully. "i'm fine, if that's what you mean." happy, though? henry hadn't been happy . . . truly happy, in a long time.
She smiled as he confirmed he would be better soon. She didn't want to see anyone hurt, but he was a different case. He meant more to her than she wanted to admit to herself. She had tried to box up her feelings for him, but it was clear she hadn't done a good job. "I hope not." She meant it. She wanted to see him be happy and healthy. Henry would always be someone that meant a lot to her. She had been so happy with him until he chose to walk away. She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Then I'm fine too."
henry was exhausted and frustrated. he wanted to know who was responsible for the incident, and he wanted to kill them. he wasn't going to tell avery that, of course, because she didn't need to hear such violent words leaving his mouth, but the thought remained firmly planted in his head. he would do what he could to look out for her, but he knew it wasn't something he could do at all times. "it can always happen when i'm not around," he told her. he worried about that, he didn't want to ever see anything happen to avery. he cared for her, he always would. henry might not have vocalized that, but that was intentional. he had to keep some form of emotional distance between them still. "i don't think it's a bad thing, avery." he just thought it was a dangerous thing. "are you happy now, avery? truly happy?" he needed to know if she was being treated properly.
"Yeah, you have to have some time off, I guess." Avery smiled and shrugged. She wanted to make a joke of it, but she knew he was being serious. A part of her knew he was right, but she had others. Would anyone be able to make it to her in time if something happened? Maybe it wouldn't be bad to take some lessons at the range and feel more comfortable with her own form of protection. She knew there were things she didn't know about, but she had no idea how far it all went. Griffin had only told her a little of the information. "Good. I don't either." She smiled at him, but his question confused her. Yes was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She was happy, but the way he asked made her question it. "Are you?"
Griffin could tell she was upset, the signs were all there, the watery eyes, the way her voice sounded. So he waited as she pushed the door closed and unlatched the chain, and as the door opened and she spoke he stepped in and pulled her into a hug. "I don't care what anyone thinks, you shouldn't either. I'm just glad you are okay." He pulled away and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Come on, go lay down, I'll bring you some water."
She wrapped her arms around him and rested against his chest when he pulled her into the hug. She knew she should have messaged him, but she didn't want to deal with anyone. It was all too much. "I'm glad you're okay too." She didn't want to talk about the messages or the chat. She wanted to forget it all for as long as she could. She nodded and walked toward her bedroom. She was ready to sleep as long as she could. Maybe it would all be a nightmare she could wake up from.
He was supposed to keep his distance. She was taken, and he was her ex boyfriend. It definitely didn't wouldn't look good to any wandering eyes. The last thing they needed was for some 'ghost' to catch them and misinterpret what this was. Admittedly, even Henry wasn't even certain himself. "You know thinking like that is going to get you hurt one of these days," he told her. His tone was more upset than anything else. He wasn't trying to argue, he was just worried about her. He wanted her to be happy, and that was all he wanted for her. He still remembered what it was like to sleep beside her. It wasn't something he'd ever forget. Nor would he forget the way he longed to be beside her for months after he chose to walk away. He messed up with her big time. Henry didn't know how she was still so sweet around him. "I guess you're right about that. I don't think there's anybody out here who knows me like you do."
Avery needed to clear her head, but it wasn't something she felt would be easy to do. She liked how calm Henry was during all of this. Her world felt unstable, but he seemed to think everything would be fine. It made her hopeful and think that maybe he was right. People might not even care about her secret with everything else that had been revealed. He made it easy to think something good could from this. "How could it get me hurt when I have you looking out for me?" And the others, but she wouldn't bring them up right now. She smiled up at him and closed her eyes again. It was too easy to want to stay here, but she knew she couldn't. She would have to leave and head home to try to rest and not worry. "I hope you don't think that's a bad thing. But you deserve to be happy, Henry. We both do."
He never thought they'd be having this conversation. Henry knew they couldn't stay like this for the rest of the night, though. At some point, someone else would come in. Whether it be a nurse or someone he knew. Or, someone could walk by and see them at any moment. It was likely pointless to try and convince her that she was wrong. Avery would view people as she pleased, but so would he. "I know you want to believe that, but there are dangerous people out there." People far worse than him, and much more powerful. He didn't want her getting involved, but he knew he couldn't stop her. Knew that it was too late. He laughed half - heartedly, head shaking slightly. "It's not an act." It was. Henry sighed, wincing slightly as he moved to wrap his arm around her. "Mmm ... you know me a little too well."
She knew this wasn't something that should have happened. She didn't visit him for this, but she wasn't going to stop it before she had to. She knew it was dangerous for a number of reasons, but she didn't want to think about any of them while she was trying to calm the worry in her. Everyone already thought the worst of her, but she didn't want to make it worse if someone saw them like this. She laughed and rolled her eyes. "I know there are. I know things, Henry. I still think even the dangerous people can be good, though." Griffin had told her about the gangs, but there had to be info he didn't tell her. "Whatever you say, Henry. I slept beside you enough to think it might be." She teased again and sank closer to him. "I don't think that's a bad thing. You know me just as well."
He didn't want to think about the fact that he was stuck in the hospital. He would rather focus on Avery. She would be a good distraction and that was what he needed. He was unusually soft with her. Nobody else had really ever seen this side with him. Apart from maybe Brooklyn once or twice, but he wasn't even this vulnerable with her. Avery had been the only person he'd been this soft with. "You're wrong," he told her, though his voice didn't hold a lot of conviction. "There are bad people out there, Avery." He was one of them, he was sure of it. "I'm fine." He felt like he'd said that a hundred times that day, and nobody was listening. He was more concerned about her than himself. "Of course I don't mind. You can stay as long as you need to. I'm staying right here."
There were better places to have the conversation, but she wasn't sure they would be having it if they were anywhere else. There was safety within the walls of the hospital, and she felt it in the room with him. His words helped comfort and calm her and she shook her head again. This was a fight she would continue until she couldn't anymore. "You're the one that's wrong. Everyone has some good in them. No one is always bad." She needed to believe that before she lost her mind thinking it was wrong. There had to be something worth saving in everyone. "I know. You've said it, but it doesn't mean I can't keep checking that you might finally be ready to drop the tough man act." She teased him and settled in beside him. She pulled her face from his hands and relaxed against his shoulder again. "Good. At least if I'm here, I know you haven't snuck out yet."
He should have kept his distance, but he couldn't stay away. He just hoped neither of them would get themselves into trouble for being as close as they were. There was already so much going on, they didn't need to add more to the list. Henry would never understand how she saw good in him, or why she'd stuck around with him for as long as she had. He went and blew it all up, but he still didn't understand. "I'm really not a good person," he told her. "You're too kind." He'd always thought that she was, that she was going to get herself hurt in the chaos of the world because her heart was pure. He didn't want to see that happen. He couldn't stomach the thought of the world turning against her. He didn't doubt she had numerous people in her corner, but he wanted to be one of them. He might've screwed up in the past, but he could try being there now. "Just take it easy, Avery. Okay? Try and relax ... take some deep breaths," he told her as he continued to gently hold her face.
There were so many things running through her head, but she wanted them to all disappear for a while longer. She wanted to enjoy what time she had with him. The coffee shop hadn't been the way she wanted things to go with him, but the carnival had been better. Awkward, but they weren't yelling. This was so different than all of that. She shook her head and frowned. "Don't say that. Everyone is good, Henry." She would always believe that. Everyone had good in them. She could find it it almost everyone, and she knew she had found it in him. "Okay, okay. I'll try." She forced herself to take a breath and laughed softly. "I came here to make sure you were okay. You aren't supposed to be doing it for me." She smiled. "Do you mind if I stay here a little longer?"
💍 RING — does your oc have any piercings? do they want any (more) piercings?
"I have my ears pierced, but nothing else. And no, I really don't want any more right now. Maybe one day I'll want my nose or something."
🚗 CAR — does your oc have a driver's license? can they drive/operate any automobiles/machinery besides cars?
"Yeah, I have a license. I had to get a new car recently actually. But no I can't really drive anything else. I tried a tractor once on a friend's farm, but it didn't end well."
🔱 TRIDENT EMBLEM — can your oc swim? do they enjoy swimming?
"I can swim pretty well. I was on the swim team in middle school, but I didn't want to continue it in high school. I don't really enjoy it anymore unless I'm on vacation."
They were playing a dangerous game. Henry knew that the closeness was not a good idea for so many reasons. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. He was telling himself it was because it was what Avery needed. Henry wasn’t prepared to admit to himself that he needed it too. “We both know I’m not much of a nice guy.” He wasn’t good enough to be with anyone like her. He caused chaos where he went, and she didn’t need that. “If anyone gives you any shit … you let me know. I’ll set them straight.” It was the least he could do, considering it was his fault she was in this mess to begin with. He knew it wasn’t necessary to keep touching her, to continue holding her face, but there was a more sensitive part of him that wanted to comfort her. “It’ll be okay, Avery,” he whispered, doing his best to reassure her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
Avery didn't want to think this was a bad decision. She had to make sure Henry was okay. She knew they weren't together anymore, but she couldn't make the worry go away until she saw him. But she hadn't thought they would end up so close. She pulled herself closer to him and shook her head. "Don't say that." She whispered the words and looked up at him. "You know I've always thought you were amazing." She had been convinced there was no one better until everything happened. But she nodded and pressed her lips together as she agreed with him. "I know you will." She had more than a few people she could call if she needed to, but she wasn't sure which one she would pick when the time came. "I hope you're right, Henry." She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know what to do."
Henry had initially not wanted any visitors, but he couldn't complain about seeing her. He knew he shouldn't feel that way. They weren't a couple anymore. He should've been keeping her at an arm's length, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He just wanted to know that she was okay. Henry couldn't stop himself from laughing, even if it hurt. "Nice?" he questioned, amused. "I don't think anyone's ever told me I'm too nice." He certainly didn't view himself as a nice person. "Then let them think it. You know the real truth, and that's all that matters." Henry had learned long ago to not give a damn what people think about him. Perhaps Avery could learn, too. It would benefit her. "I hope so, too, Avery." He nodded as he listened, hands still cradling her face gently. "Let's not worry about everything he said Not right now, okay? You're here with me, and we're in a hospital surrounded by medical professionals. We're both safe here."
There needed to be more space between them, but she didn't want to move right now. He made it too comfortable for her to stay beside him, and she was grateful for it. "Really? I never said it before?" She asked with a smile and shook her head. "I should have." She stopped herself from apologizing for it, but she felt like she should. She had been happy when they were together, and he was a big part of it. "I know it is. It makes it hard to do my job, though. My real job." She wanted to keep everything as contained as much as she could, but she knew it wouldn't be possible now that it was known. She kept her eyes on him and her arms wrapped around him as she nodded with him. "You're right... We're safe here."
He wondered what made her think that way. Had someone said something to her? Typically, Henry wouldn't care when someone was being difficult on themselves, but when it came to Avery, he didn't want to see that. He wanted her to be happy, to not view herself so negatively. "You are important," he told her once more. Even if she didn't believe it, it was true. It was difficult for him to be gentle with people, to allow his guard slip enough to make him soften, but he found it a little easier with her. He hated seeing her upset. Henry had never done well with tears, but it actually pained him to see someone like her so upset. She didn't deserve to be brought to tears by some anonymous coward. If he found out who was responsible and managed to get his hands on them, there would be hell to pay. "You don't," he argued. "You're a good person, Avery. You don't need to be sorry," he assured her, his thumb moving to gently stroke her cheek.
Avery had come to check on him to give him comfort if she could, but she hadn't expected him to be the one giving it. She felt guilty when she looked at him. He was hurt, and she was taking all the attention. She smiled and let the argument stop. She wouldn't win when it came to him. She remembered how stubborn he could be. "You're too nice." She laughed and shook her head. She blinked and tried to stop herself from crying. "I'm not sure how much that matters anymore. People are going to think what they want to." She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "I hope whoever is doing this stops. We don't need to live in fear. The things he's telling... Someone said they were fake, but I'm not so sure anymore."
