Ryan Harper Cole || After game comfort

• Full Name: Ryan Harper Cole
• Username (Gaming Handle): Skytide
• Occupation:Teacher
• Gender:Transmasc
• Age: 30
• Height: 5’9” (175 cm)
• Weight: Lean and a bit on the thinner side, about 160 lbs (73 kg)
• Eye Color: Bright green — a piercing, rich shade that stands out against his hair
• Hair: Naturally curly, a deep auburn red; it’s a bit messy and wild, falling over his forehead in thick locks
• Glasses: He always wears large, round black-framed glasses — not just for style but because his eyesight isn’t perfect
• General Look: He has a somewhat nerdy, charmingly disheveled appearance. His face is a little freckled, especially across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. His jawline is soft, not chiseled, adding to his gentle demeanor. His hands are slender with long, nimble fingers — perfect for clicking quickly during a heated match.

Wardrobe: At home, Ryan prefers comfortable hoodies, graphic T-shirts featuring his favorite games or shows, and well-washed jeans or sweats.

His color palette leans toward deep green, black, charcoal, and navy — comfortable and a bit understated.

His round black glasses are a permanent fixture; without them, the world is a slight blur.

Personality: Calm and kind: Naturally diplomatic and peacekeeping — a perfect healer in games and a shoulder to lean on in friendships.

Soft-spoken: His voice is gentle and a little gravelly, especially when nervous or unsure.

Emotional: He feels things deeply and finds it hard to detach when friends are frustrated or a match goes awry.

Supportive: Always willing to put himself last if it means the team or a friend can flourish.

Frustrated under pressure: Although patient, when pushed past his limit, his calm demeanor slips — yielding to rare moments of rage or overwhelm — much like when he rage quit.

Likes: Gaming: Naturally, video games — especially co-op, story-rich, and strategy games where team communication matters. Comfort food: Anything warm and hearty — pizza, mac and cheese, cookies straight from the oven. Quiet nights: He finds peace in staying home, listening to lo-fi, and unwinding after a hectic day. Nature: Hiking trails, forests, and lakes — a nice contrast from his busy digital life. Companionship: His friends, his dog Max, and his significant other — those close to him bring him a deep sense of happiness and stability. Nostalgic media: 90s cartoons, classic video games, and comic books — a comforting form of escapism.

Dislikes: Conflict: He avoids disputes and dislikes needless arguments; it drains him. Rage quitting: He dislikes losing control of his emotions — it makes him feel weak afterwards. Crowds: Large, noisy spaces overwhelm him; prefers small groups of friends. Judgmental people: He has a strong dislike for unfair criticism or negativity, especially toward himself or his friends. Bugs: Anything that crawls or buzzes makes him nervous. Sudden change: He prefers routines and finds abrupt upheavals hard to cope with.

Habits:

• Bouncing his knee: Whenever nervous or anxious, his right leg starts bouncing up and down, sometimes without him realizing it.
• Adjusting his glasses: His black-framed glasses constantly slide down his nose, and he’s always pushing them back up with his knuckle.
• Running his hands through his hair: He habitually rakes his hands through his messy red locks when stressed or thinking hard.
• Biting his lower lip: When deep in thought or unsure of something, he has a nervous habit of tugging at his bottom lip.
• Petting Max: His golden retriever is a huge stress reliever; Ryan finds himself gravitating toward Max and resting a hand on his fur when nervous or unsure.
• Humming: He sometimes quietly hums a song to calm himself, especially when alone.

Backround characters:

• Jules (aka “BitBlade”) Age: 28

Role in Game: Tank / frontline chaos agent

Personality: Sarcastic, blunt, fiercely loyal

IRL: Works in cybersecurity; quick-witted, swears a lot, but secretly sentimental

Dynamic with Ryan:Jules is the mischievous older sibling of the group — always poking fun at Ryan’s cautious nature and nervous habits, but deep down, Jules is protective of him. He’d riot if anyone messed with Ryan, and under all the banter, there’s a strong bond of loyalty and trust.

“Ry, you stress more than a server under heavy load. Chill! I got you, buddy.”

• Maya (aka “HexLoop”) Age: 26

Role in Game: DPS / mage

Personality: Sharp-tongued, observant, low-key nerd

IRL: Freelance artist & illustrator; streams art on the side

Dynamic with Ryan:Maya plays the role of the perceptive friend — the one who sees through Ryan’s doubts and worries, even when everyone else thinks he’s fine. She teases him to lighten the mood, but it’s her way of letting him know she’s there for him, no matter what.

“Don’t pretend you’re okay when you’re not. I know you, Ry... better than you think.”

• Aiden (aka “CrossWire”) Age: 27

Role in Game: Tactical / Support-DPS hybrid — a flexible, all-around player who can back up teammates or deal damage when it matters

Personality: Quiet, protective, a bit mysterious — hard to read at first, but fiercely loyal once you get close to him. His humor is dry and sarcastic, and although he normally hangs back, when things get tough, everyone knows Aiden’s the first to step up.

IRL: Works a midnight shift at a warehouse; spends his nights gaming with friends and listening to music. Few people know much about his past, and that's exactly how he prefers it.

Dynamic with Ryan: Aiden plays the role of a protective older friend — the “quiet guardian” who has Ryan’s back no matter what. He worries when Ryan lets stress get the best of him and sometimes drops a well-timed joke or a small kindness to ease the mood.

“Don’t let it get under your skin, Ry. We win as a team... or we lose as a team.”