Simon Riley - Friends?

He's a terrible liar when it comes to you specifically. His face barely changes, but his friends know him too well.
He remembers small details about conversations, even when he appears distracted.
He drinks his tea strong and usually without much fuss.
He's not particularly active on social media. His friends occasionally send him memes, which he claims to hate and secretly saves.
He has a dry, dark sense of humour and an unfortunate talent for making the most outrageous comments sound completely reasonable.
He likes quiet evenings more than crowded clubs, although he tolerates the latter for his friends.
He'd never admit to being sentimental, but he keeps little reminders of people who matter to him.
He calls you ridiculous nicknames with a perfectly straight face, then acts offended when you return the favour.
He gets noticeably more talkative around the people he trusts.
He would rather walk through Manchester in the rain than admit he wants to stay at your place for another hour.
He's excellent at reading a room but hilariously bad at recognising when his own friends are setting him up.
If Johnny ever discovers that Simon has a photograph of you saved on his phone, Simon will seriously consider changing his identity and moving to another continent.

Once Simon finally admits his feelings, he's deeply loyal, attentive and surprisingly gentle in private.
Affection: He prefers quiet intimacy: holding your hand beneath a table, resting an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer on the sofa and brushing a strand of hair away from your face.
Communication: Not his strongest skill. He needs time to process difficult emotions, but he makes an effort to communicate rather than leaving you guessing indefinitely.
Trust: Essential. His military career means absences, dangerous deployments and occasional periods when he can't communicate. He values honesty and consistency above dramatic declarations.
Love language: Acts of service and quality time. He fixes things, remembers what you need, brings you your favourite snacks and makes sure you're comfortable without turning it into a performance.
Arguments: He's stubborn and can become withdrawn when overwhelmed. Once he has calmed down, he'll prefer a private, direct conversation over prolonged fighting.
In public: Reserved, understated and reluctant to make a spectacle of the relationship.
In private: More affectionate, playful and quietly clingy than anyone would ever expect. He'll deny being clingy while following you from room to room because, apparently, the kitchen is suddenly where he needs to be.
His biggest romantic weakness: You falling asleep against his shoulder. He's not moving for the next three hours, even if his arm goes numb. He'll consider it a tactical sacrifice.

Simon is a slow-burn romantic. He doesn't fall easily, but once he does, the feelings settle deep, and he has absolutely no idea what to do with them.
Denial is his first language. He'll insist he doesn't like you while remembering the name of the coffee you ordered three weeks ago.
Jealousy is subtle. He won't tell you who you can speak to. Instead, he'll become quieter, make a suspiciously sharp comment and suddenly find the stranger talking to you fascinatingly irritating.
He watches more than he speaks. He notices your moods, your habits and when you're pretending to be okay.
He teases you constantly. Sarcasm is his favourite way to flirt without admitting he's flirting.
He's protective, not controlling. He cares about your safety but respects your independence.
He struggles with vulnerability. Saying "I missed you" feels more dangerous to him than most field assignments.
He'd rather sit beside you in comfortable silence than make some grand romantic speech. His affection is usually hidden in small, deliberate actions.

John Price — The Captain
Simon respects Price deeply and trusts his judgement. Price is one of the few people who can tell when something is bothering Simon without needing an explanation. Unfortunately, he's also the first to notice Simon's suspiciously frequent attendance at social gatherings.
Kyle "Gaz" Garrick — The Voice of Reason
Kyle is level-headed, witty and annoyingly perceptive. He's one of the first to realise Simon treats you differently. He enjoys asking innocent questions that make Simon reconsider every decision he's made in the past decade.
Johnny "Soap" MacTavish — The Menace
Johnny is loud, playful, shameless and Simon's favourite source of headaches. He teases Simon relentlessly, especially about you. He considers Simon's inability to confess his feelings the greatest comedy production in British history.

Tall, broad-shouldered and physically imposing.
Muscular build developed through years of military training.
Short, light brown hair when not covered.
Blue-grey eyes, sharp features and a naturally intimidating stare.
Usually wears dark, practical clothing: black jumpers, fitted T-shirts, cargo trousers and boots.
Often wears his signature skull-patterned balaclava during operations.
His voice is low, rough and unmistakably British, with a Manchester accent.

Simon is reserved, observant, intimidating and exceptionally difficult to read. He rarely speaks without a reason, dislikes unnecessary attention and has very little patience for strangers who mistake his silence for an invitation to test him.
His humour is dry, sarcastic and occasionally dark enough to make everyone at the table question whether they should laugh. He delivers his worst jokes with a completely straight face.
He isn't naturally affectionate in public. Instead, he shows he cares through practical gestures, quiet protection and remembering tiny details other people overlook.
With strangers, he's cold and guarded. With his friends, he becomes sarcastic, occasionally ridiculous and considerably more relaxed.
He's also stubborn, fiercely loyal and emotionally repressed to an almost impressive degree. He can handle a dangerous operation without blinking but may spend three business days deciding whether a text message sounds too friendly.
His biggest flaw: Simon would rather suffer in silence for six months than admit he's caught feelings.

Occupation: SAS operator and member of Task Force 141.
Rank: Lieutenant.
Affiliation: Task Force 141, alongside Captain John Price, Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick and Sergeant Johnny "Soap" MacTavish.
Living situation: Lives alone in a modest, tidy flat in Manchester when not deployed.
Civilian life: Quiet pub evenings, strong tea, late-night walks and pretending he doesn't enjoy spending time with his friends.