History Main / EyesAlwaysAverted

* ''Literature/TruthOrDare2000'': Mrs Reynolds remembers that Patrick Jordan, a boy with undiagnosed autism who lived in TheForties and TheFifties, never looked anyone in the eye, even as a baby.

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries''. Along with HatesBeingTouched for the title character. Even when talking to someone right next to it Murderbot prefers to stare at the wall, and use one of its drones or a hacked security camera to look at them. Some of this has to do with spending most of its time (before it became a RogueDrone) hidden behind an opaque faceplate wearing PoweredArmor, but it's implied that it's also a [[AmbiguousDisorder trait of Murderbot's personality]].

* Hannibal from ''Literature/TwelveDays'' has been avoiding eye contact since he was twelve years old.

* In ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'', [[{{Chuunibyou}} Yoshiteru Zaimokuza]] {{cannot talk to women}}, so when he asks for help, he usually only talks to Hachiman Hikigaya, avoiding even eye-contact with [[IceQueen Yukino Yukinoshita]], who also asks things when he goes to Service Club for critics about the light novel he's writing, getting very nervous when Yukino confronts him about not getting any attention from him, not even a look.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', [[{{Chuunibyou}} Yoshiteru Zaimokuza]] {{cannot talk to women}}, so when he asks for help, he usually only talks to Hachiman Hikigaya, avoiding even eye-contact with [[IceQueen Yukino Yukinoshita]], who also asks things when he goes to Service Club for critics about the light novel he's writing, getting very nervous when Yukino confronts him about not getting any attention from him, not even a look.

* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf'': Holo tends to keep her eyes averted from new people and in negotiations, only directly looking at someone as a tactic to manipulate them (such as Lawrence's moneychanger friend) or after an arrangement of some sort has been reached. The American covers of the light novels (except for the first one) curiously depict essentially the same scene as the Japanese covers, but with a more realistic art style and with Holo's head turned away.

* Literature/{{Mouse}} can't make eye contact without being painfully overwhelmed by the flood of information. He mostly tells people apart by looking at their shoes, and only briefly glances at their faces to learn what they look like.

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries''. Along with HatesBeingTouched for the title character. Even when talking to someone right next to it, Murderbot prefers to stare at the wall, and use one of its drones or a hacked security camera to look at them. Some of this has to do with spending most of its time (before it became a RogueDrone) hidden behind an opaque faceplate wearing PoweredArmor, but it's implied that it's also a [[AmbiguousDisorder trait of Murderbot's personality]].

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries''. Along with HatesBeingTouched for the title character. Even when talking to someone right next to it, Murderbot prefers to stare at the wall and use one of its drones to look at them. Some of this has to do with spending most of its time (before it became a RogueDrone) hidden behind an opaque faceplate wearing PoweredArmor, but it's implied that it's also a [[AmbiguousDisorder trait of Murderbot's personality]].

* In ''Literature/TheJungleBook'', it is made clear that wolves and other predators avoid eye contact. Mowgli occasionally asserts dominance over them by staring them directly in the eye.
* Kea from ''Literature/KeasFlight'' is autistic, so eye contact makes her fidget and clench her stomach.
* Tara from ''Literature/ThePlaceInsideTheStorm'' finds eye contact weird and uncomfortably intimate. When Dr. Gutierrez tries to force it on her, she flinches and freezes up. [[spoiler:Later she reaches a mostly-autistic commune, where it's considered rude to make eye contact with people you don't know well.]]

* Erin from ''Literature/TheNowhereGirls'' never looks people in the eye. When she has to look someone in the face, she looks just below their eyes so they can't tell the difference.
* Emmet from ''Literature/TheRoosevelt'' finds looking directly at people overwhelming, but he can see very well through his peripheral vision. One perk of this is that he can check out Jeremey without him noticing.
* In ''Literature/{{Clade}}'', the autistic boy Noah only very fleetingly looks at other people. He spends most of his time absorbed in his screen.

* In the ''Series/{{CSI}}'' fanwork "[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4828756/1/Face_The_Music Face The Music]]", Grissom is like this for quite a few chapters after his rescue because his captors kept slapping him in the face and forcing him to avoid eye contact. Consequently, his mind still fears more abuse if he makes eye contact.

* A common characteristic of [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]] people, including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members. It's often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. It's usually when they appear to be completely out of touch that they're the most connected and paying attention to you.

* A common characteristic of [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]] people, including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. It's usually when they appear to be completely out of touch that they're the most connected and paying attention to you.

* ''TheMurderbotDiaries''. Along with HatesBeingTouched for the title character. Even when talking to someone right next to it, Murderbot prefers to stare at the wall and use one of its drones to look at them.

* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf'': Holo tends to keep her eyes averted from new people and in negotiations, only directly looking at someone as a tactic to manipulate them (such as Lawrence's moneychanger friend) or after an arrangement of some sort has been reached. The American covers of the light novels (except for the [[ContemptibleCover first one]]) curiously depict essentially the same scene as the Japanese covers, but with a more realistic art style and with Holo's head turned away.

* A common characteristic of [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]] people, including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. It's usually when they appear to be completely out of touch that they're the most connected and paying attention.

* A common characteristic of people who are [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]], including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. It's usually when they appear to be completely out of touch that they're the most connected and paying attention.

* A common characteristic of people who are [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]], including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. Sometimes when they appear to be completely out of touch is actually when they're the most connected and paying attention.