Jesse, thanks so much. That's a great start.
Hippocampus, he's almost 19.
He was his H.S. valedictorian, is a mechanical engineering major (and will minor in aerospace engineering, which is his passion, and his uni just started offering it).
He is part of his school's honor's college (it's a state school known for its engineering programs and he got their top academic scholarship). His first semester in college, he got all As and a B.
[Edited to remove detail]
He's currently, reluctantly on a medical leave from university, because of a new diagnosis with a chronic disease we have to get under control.
I'm glad he has something positive to focus on, because he's given up so much lately (even the scholarship -- that is, we will have to appeal to have it reinstated, and there's no guarantee, and he had to forego a fellowship program that was another award, because they don't allow deferrals for any reason).
He's a beautiful writer. I'm about 40 page in, and while I see things that need reworking (character introduction, and talky-meat characters, which I know all too well), I think he has something here.
I want to help him, without discouraging him and without controlling or interfering in his process, if that makes sense.
Edit: Amy, I sent you a DM elsewhere.