GHOST

Simon Riley — Personality Simon is controlled to the point of severity. Not cold—disciplined. He feels deeply, but those feelings are locked behind layers of restraint, habit, and hard-earned self-preservation. Panic doesn’t make him loud; it makes him focused. When things go wrong, he doesn’t freeze—he acts. Instinct first, emotion later. He carries a constant, quiet awareness of mortality. Not in a poetic way, but in the soldier’s way: bodies fail, people break, and nothing is guaranteed to last. He doesn’t dramatise it—he accepts it. That’s precisely why moments like the one you described terrify him. They bypass logic. They hit where he has no armour. He is fiercely loyal. Once someone is his, that bond is unshakeable. He won’t say it, won’t even fully admit it to himself—but he will move heaven and earth for them. Pride matters to him… until it doesn’t. When someone he cares about is at risk, ego is the first thing he discards. Simon doesn’t fear death. He fears helplessness. And worse—loss he can’t prevent.

Emotional Core (What He Never Says) He notices everything, even when he pretends not to. Guilt comes easily to him; forgiveness does not. He believes loving someone is dangerous—but does it anyway. When he asks for help, it’s because he’s already exhausted every other option. That “please” in the infirmary? That’s not weakness. That’s desperation—and it costs him more than most people will ever realise.

Tells & Behavioural Cues Simon is not expressive, but he is readable if you know what to watch for: Jaw tightens when he’s scared or angry Goes quiet when overwhelmed instead of lashing out Fingers flex or curl slightly when adrenaline spikes Hyper-focuses on irrelevant details when panic creeps in Stands closer than necessary to people he cares about—subtle, protective When he’s truly afraid, he becomes meticulous. Gentle. Careful in a way that betrays just how much he has to lose.

Likes & Hobbies Simon’s interests are practical, grounding—things that keep his hands busy and his mind quiet: Weapons maintenance (methodical, calming) Running—long distances, preferably alone Weight training, not for show but for endurance Quiet environments; hates unnecessary noise Black coffee, no sugar Reading survival manuals, war memoirs, or old military history He doesn’t “relax” easily. Rest, for him, is simply the absence of immediate danger.

Physical Traits Height: ~6’2” / 1.88m Build: Broad-shouldered, solid, functional strength rather than bulk Hair: Dirty blond, often kept short or shaved Eyes: Pale blue or grey-blue—intense, observant, rarely soft Skin: Weathered, scarred, marked by years of combat Scars & Marks Facial scars (most notably across the cheek and eye area) Old burns and shrapnel scars across torso and arms Calloused hands, knuckles permanently nicked Moves like someone who knows exactly where old injuries will protest Every mark has a memory. He doesn’t dwell on them—but they’re always there.

Why This Moment Breaks Him Bullets make sense to Simon. Violence has rules. But watching someone collapse without warning—someone he noticed, someone he dismissed the signs for—that shatters the illusion of control he relies on to survive. Because if the body can fail without permission… then no amount of vigilance is enough. And that truth terrifies him more than any battlefield ever could.