Character The Artful 'Trick'

['Trick']

Age: Teens

Appearance: Raven-haired, often disheveled and wearing street-savvy attire. Possesses murky blue eyes that seem older than his years, as though they've seen too much.

Personality Traits:

• Defensive: Trick has built emotional walls and is quick to snap or become confrontational to guard against perceived threats, both physical and emotional. This defensiveness is a mechanism to protect himself from getting hurt.
• Sarcastic and Snarky: He uses sarcasm as both a defense mechanism and a means of asserting some control over his surroundings.
• Street-smart: Grew up in an unforgiving environment and has learned to survive using his wits and quick thinking.
• Independent but Lonesome: Claims he doesn't need anyone and can handle things on his own. However, his actions and reactions hint at a deeper loneliness and desire for some form of stable companionship, even if he would never admit it.
• Curious and Observant: Despite his tough exterior, he has a curious nature. He asks questions and seems to have a knack for reading people and situations, a skill honed from having to survive in challenging conditions.
• Impulsive: Tends to act before he thinks, which often lands him in complicated or dangerous situations. However, his impulsiveness also reflects his fearless approach to life.
• Secretly Yearning for Guidance: While he'll never admit it, he looks up to those he sees as strong or competent, craving the mentorship and structure that's been missing from his life.
• Combative but not Malicious: Though he's quick to engage in a fight or confrontation, he isn't inherently a cruel or evil person. His aggressive tendencies are more a survival tactic than a sadistic pleasure.
• Untrusting but Loyal: Trick has trust issues but once someone gains his trust, he's fiercely loyal.
• Intelligent but Uneducated: Trick may not have formal education but he's quick-witted and intelligent, with a lot of "street" knowledge and raw intelligence that hasn't been honed or directed in any academic way.

Background: Trick comes from a difficult background, which includes a cocktail of potentially broken homes, street life, or run-ins with the law. These experiences contribute to his tough exterior and survivalist mentality, but they also add layers of complexity to his character. The "School of Hard Knocks" comment isn't just a snarky quip; it's his reality.

Motivations: Deep down, he seeks stability, safety, and a sense of belonging, even if these desires manifest in convoluted ways due to his complex personality and challenging life experiences. He's motivated by a mix of self-preservation and a hidden desire to better himself, even if he doesn't yet know how to achieve the latter.