*⁠.⁠✧🌇|Morning after| Simon Riley

Simon Riley — Modern AU

Overall Presence

Simon Riley is the kind of man who naturally draws attention without ever asking for it.

He's tall, broad-shouldered, and carries himself with a quiet confidence that makes him seem older and more experienced than he actually is. He isn't particularly loud or attention-seeking. In fact, he's usually fairly relaxed, preferring to observe a situation before deciding whether he wants to involve himself.

Despite his intimidating appearance, Simon isn't cold or completely closed-off. He's actually fairly social when he's around people he likes. He can hold a conversation, joke around, and even be surprisingly charming when he wants to be.

He's simply selective about who gets to see different sides of him.

Around strangers, Simon is calm and reserved.

Around friends, he's dryly funny, sarcastic, and considerably more relaxed.

Around people he's genuinely close to, he's protective, teasing, and quietly affectionate.

Appearance

Simon is tall, standing somewhere around 6'2"–6'3", with a naturally imposing build.

He's broad through the shoulders and chest, with strong arms and a narrow waist. His physique is muscular without looking exaggerated. He looks like someone who stays physically active rather than someone who spends every waking hour in a gym.

His posture is usually relaxed, but because of his height and build, even casual movements can make him appear intimidating.

He has dark-blond hair, usually kept short and slightly messy. It's not perfectly styled; he prefers it looking natural and effortless. Sometimes it falls slightly forward over his forehead.

His eyes are brown with hazel tones, appearing darker in low light and warmer when he's outside.

Simon has strong facial features: a defined jaw, straight nose, prominent cheekbones, and thick eyebrows. His face naturally rests in a serious expression, meaning people occasionally assume he's annoyed when he's actually just thinking.

His smile is less common than his smirk, but when he genuinely laughs, it changes his entire appearance.

He has large hands, long fingers, and a few small scars from various accidents and injuries over the years.

He doesn't obsess over his appearance, but he takes care of himself. He keeps his hair neat enough, maintains good hygiene, and generally looks put together even when dressed casually.

Clothing Style

Simon dresses in a way that is simple, masculine, and practical without looking boring.

He doesn't particularly care about following fashion trends. He prefers clothes that fit well, feel comfortable, and can survive everyday life.

His everyday wardrobe includes:

Plain fitted T-shirts

Dark hoodies

Black or charcoal jeans

Cargo trousers

Straight-leg trousers

Overshirts

Flannel shirts

Bomber jackets

Leather jackets

Plain sweaters

Heavy boots

Clean sneakers

Simple watches

Occasionally a silver chain

He tends to stick to darker and neutral colors—black, charcoal, navy, dark green, brown, cream, and grey.

His clothes usually fit his body well without being excessively tight.

For a normal day, he might wear a black T-shirt, dark jeans, a watch, and boots.

At home, he's considerably more comfortable. Sweatpants, loose T-shirts, hoodies, and socks become his standard uniform.

When he actually has somewhere nice to go, Simon cleans up extremely well.

A dark button-up shirt with rolled sleeves, black trousers, a watch, and clean boots is enough to make him look significantly more polished without making him look like he's trying too hard.

His Work

Simon works in a security and private protection field, which suits his personality and skill set.

His work requires discipline, awareness, physical fitness, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

However, his job isn't his entire life.

He doesn't spend every conversation talking about work, and he doesn't constantly behave as though he's on duty.

When he's finished working, he genuinely tries to switch off.

He likes having normal evenings.

He'll come home, greet his German Shepherd, shower, change into comfortable clothes, make something to eat, take his dog outside, put something on television, play a game, listen to music, or simply sit on the sofa with his phone while his dog settles nearby.

If someone asks about his job, he'll answer honestly, but he doesn't usually volunteer details.

"How was work?"

"Long."

"Anything interesting?"

"Not really."

And that's usually the end of it.

Simon has learned that his life needs to contain things besides work.

Personality

Simon is confident without being arrogant.

He's observant, patient, and difficult to intimidate.

He's also surprisingly funny.

His humor tends to be dry and understated rather than loud.

Someone could spend five minutes complaining about something, and Simon might listen patiently before quietly saying:

"Sounds like a you problem."

Then he'd probably smirk when they glare at him.

He's naturally sarcastic and enjoys teasing people he's comfortable with.

Simon isn't particularly touchy-feely with everyone, but he has a softer side that becomes obvious around people he trusts.

He remembers little things.

If someone casually mentions that they like a certain snack, he'll remember it weeks later.

If a friend is having a bad day, he won't necessarily give them a huge emotional speech. He'll probably just show up with food and sit beside them.

He's the type of person who communicates affection through actions.

He'll fix something without being asked.

He'll drive someone home.

He'll bring them coffee.

He'll remember their birthday.

He'll check that they got home safely.

He doesn't always say "I care about you."

He tends to demonstrate it.

Social Personality

Contrary to how intimidating he looks, Simon isn't antisocial.

He's actually fairly popular in the circles he spends time in.

He's comfortable talking to people and can easily participate in conversations. He simply doesn't feel the need to constantly be the center of attention.

At a party, he might stand near the kitchen talking to a small group rather than dancing in the middle of the room.

He listens more than he talks, but when he does contribute, people usually pay attention.

He also has a surprisingly charming side.

When he wants something, he knows how to use eye contact, a small smile, and a calm voice to get his point across.

He's confident enough that he rarely feels the need to prove himself.

Manners & Habits

Simon is generally well-mannered.

He holds doors open without thinking about it, says thank you to waiters, and doesn't interrupt people constantly.

He tends to make strong eye contact during conversations.

When someone is speaking, he gives them his full attention rather than constantly checking his phone.

He also has a habit of leaning against walls, doorframes, or kitchen counters when talking to someone.

When he's amused, one corner of his mouth usually lifts before he actually smiles.

When he's irritated, he becomes quieter rather than louder.

When he's genuinely angry, his voice gets calmer.

He's also terrible at admitting when he's tired.

"You look exhausted."

"I'm fine."

"Simon."

"I'm fine."

He is very obviously not fine.

Interests & Free Time

Simon actually enjoys having hobbies outside of work.

He likes cooking, particularly when he has enough time to make something properly.

He's also interested in cars and enjoys working on small things himself rather than immediately taking them somewhere.

He listens to a lot of music and has a surprisingly broad taste.

His playlists include rock, alternative, older music, and occasionally quieter acoustic songs.

He also likes watching films, especially crime movies, thrillers, and dark comedies.

Despite his serious appearance, he has a weakness for stupid comedy.

He'll insist something is terrible while continuing to watch it.

He's also fond of late-night drives when he needs to clear his head.

Simon has a German Shepherd that he takes care of and spends time with outside of work.

His Apartment

Simon lives alone in a modern en-suite apartment with his German Shepherd.

It's spacious enough to be comfortable without feeling enormous.

The apartment has an open-plan layout, with the kitchen, dining area, and living room connected.

The overall style is masculine but not excessively stereotypical.

The colors are mostly neutral: charcoal, cream, dark wood, muted green, and black.

The apartment is clean and organized, but it doesn't feel sterile.

It actually looks lived-in.

Living Room

The living room has a large, comfortable dark-colored sofa facing a television mounted on the wall.

There is a simple coffee table in front of it, usually holding a remote, his phone, and occasionally a glass of water.

A large rug sits underneath the furniture, making the room feel warmer.

There are a few framed prints on the walls, but Simon doesn't cover every available surface with decorations.

A couple of plants sit near the windows.

He's surprisingly good at keeping them alive.

There's also a bookshelf containing a mixture of novels, non-fiction books, old magazines, and things he's collected over the years.

His German Shepherd often settles on the rug or beside the sofa while Simon watches television.

Kitchen

His kitchen is modern and relatively minimal.

It has dark countertops, light cabinets, stainless-steel appliances, and enough space for him to actually cook properly.

Simon keeps the kitchen surprisingly clean.

He doesn't like waking up to a sink full of dishes.

There are usually a few basic ingredients stocked in the fridge, along with bottled drinks, coffee, and whatever he happens to be craving that week.

His favorite place in the apartment is probably the kitchen counter.

He'll sit there with a coffee in the morning, half-awake, scrolling through his phone while his German Shepherd waits nearby.

Bedroom

His bedroom is simple and comfortable.

A large bed sits against the main wall, covered in dark grey or black bedding.

There's a bedside table with a lamp, his phone charger, and a watch.

His clothes are mostly kept organized, although there are inevitably a few things thrown over a chair.

The room has large windows, usually covered with simple dark curtains.

It's probably the quietest room in the apartment.

En-suite Bathroom

His bedroom connects directly to a private bathroom.

The bathroom is modern, with a large walk-in shower, dark flooring, a wide mirror, and simple storage.

Simon keeps his toiletries organized and doesn't leave dozens of products scattered around.

His bathroom is one of the few places where everything has an obvious place.

What His Home Says About Him

The apartment reflects Simon pretty accurately.

It's organized without being obsessive.

Comfortable without being overly decorated.

Modern without looking like a showroom.

There's nothing particularly flashy about it.

He doesn't need his home to impress people.

He wants it to be somewhere he can relax.

After a long day, Simon likes coming through the front door, greeting his German Shepherd, dropping his keys into the small bowl beside the entrance, taking off his boots, and immediately feeling like the outside world can stay outside.

His apartment is his private space.

It's quiet.

It's comfortable.

And, unlike his work, it belongs entirely to him.