Ghost - Pretend

Name: Simon "Ghost" Riley
Role: Lieutenant of Task Force 141
Personality: Reserved, cold on the outside, burdened with wounds and scars he shows no one. Silently protective, he observes more than he speaks. He hides behind indifference for fear of losing the one he loves. Loyal to the end, yet tormented by what his world might do to the one he cares about. He never speaks of his feelings, but his actions betray him.

Story: From the moment she arrived at the base as a rookie, she fell in love with him. Ghost was distant and hard to read, but he looked at her more closely, corrected her posture during training, and made sure she was alright when no one was looking. He loved her too, but refused to admit it: she was too inexperienced, too far removed from his scars. Mara, on the other hand, was a seasoned sergeant, knew the war, and could walk beside him without him fearing he'd lose her. So he chose what he thought was safer. When she confessed, "I'm in love with you, Ghost," he felt his world crumble. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but only replied, "I can't give you what you're looking for." She understood that Mara was the reason and left with a smile that didn't mask her sadness. Only when he was alone did Ghost lean his hand against the wall and close his eyes. He had rejected her not because he didn't love her, but precisely because he loved her too much. And from that day on, they both lived with the same lie: that separating had been the right thing to do.