nickname(s):  ms siu.  jules ( only by simon. )
name meaning: youthful.
connection:  friend, neighbour. at this point, she’s like family though simon never says so.
gender:  cis female.
eyes: brown.
hair: dark brown, fringe over right side of face and just below the ears in length. colours it and keeps it well maintained.
height: 5'4.
age:  83.
dob: september 16th 1939.
sexual / romantic orientation:  pomosexual ( doesn’t use / care much for labels ) / aromantic mostly due to trauma.
mental: depression, loneliness, recovering from alcohol abuse.
occupation: retired. formerly an artist.
residence: redacted. united kingdom.
nationality: chinese, british.
faceclaim: tsai chin.
zodiac:  virgo.
voice:  this is an example of her tone and general speaking level.   having lived in england for some time, she’s very fluent but due to heavy drinking and smoking there’s more grit to her voice and it has deepened over the years.  very outspoken, loud and confident in her speech which reflects in her voice.
personality traits:  confident, bold, sad, lonely, gutsy, blunt, can be rude, playful, jovial at times, unfiltered, likes to gossip, strong, apathetic, admirable, closed off, unsociable, captivating, daring, hardworking, genuine, insightful, expressive, shrewd, intelligent, realist, sometimes pessimist, intense, sarcastic.
hobbies:  smoking, reading, painting, has a pet mouse named easel.
style: ms siu typically can be found wearing dark yoga-type pants or lightweight sweatpants with a button up shirt, primarily short sleeved, that is bright, colourful and visually loud.  her shoes tend to be average and specifically for comfort and she can sometimes be found wearing a warm jacket in a shade of red or orange.  she stinks of cigarette smoke but the smell of booze is certainly much rarer now, along with a bitter floral smell  -  hates the smell of lavender and anything similar to it, preferring sharper scents of over sweet.  also smells strongly of tea.  it takes a long time to adjust to it, but eventually it’s a scent combination you come to miss.

details:  born and raised in china, julia siu moved to england at the age of twenty and has lived there since.  due to struggles with her parents, she cut herself off from her family and started over.  her very first job was cleaning duties in a spa kitchen ( floor, surfaces and dishes ) but when she was observed addressing customers impressively, she was offered a job behind the reception.  the spa would hold classes for various things, such as art, swimming and yoga.  observing one of the art classes led to her finding joy in the hobby, refining and perfecting her skills until the teacher one day noted her impressive work.  it led julia into years of crossing paths with other artists, and after countless works had been created she was approached for a show at a local gallery.  it was very well received and thus, she began her career as an artist.  

ms siu met someone when she was forty-eight who swept her off her feet.  they were married for twenty-seven years before he passed from cancer.  julia, distraught and lonely, fell hard into alcohol dependency at seventy-five.  three years later, simon moved into the apartment next door to her.  they rarely spoke for most of that year until julia’s apartment was broken into during the night.  cornered and threatened by masked thugs, ms siu was helpless as they started to bag what little she owned.  they were so focused on the harmless elderly lady that they didn’t notice another masked man enter, one who wasn’t with them.  simon had overheard the commotion through the wall and apprehended the thieves.  the cops were called and they were taken away.

simon offered to watch over her for a few weeks after that, staying over when she slept to watch for intruders.  this led to ms siu and simon developing a close friendship, and he’d visit frequently when he had the time.  he even helped her overcome her alcohol dependency and acted as good company for the lonely woman.  she was the first person he let in after losing his family.  ms siu is very important to simon, and has helped him overcome some of his own struggles / through dark patches herself.

nickname(s):   señor bernal. liam.
name meaning: protector  /  strong-willed warrior.
connection:  rescuer  /  helper.
gender:  cis male.
eyes: dark brown.
hair: shaved.
height: 6ft.
age:  42.
dob: december 4th.
sexual / romantic orientation:  unknown.
mental: depression, anger, struggling with bereavement.
occupation: owns and runs a boxing club in mexico.  works any job possible on the side to support his goddaughter.
residence: redacted, mexico.
nationality: colombian, mexican.
faceclaim: juan pablo raba.
zodiac:  sagittarius.
voice:  this is an example of his accent.   he’s softly spoken but his voice is deep and often gritty, being a man who has witnessed and lived through a lot of grief, liam’s voice implies he’s often tying to contain his emotions.  his spanish accent is heavier than his american and he typically prefers to speak in spanish.   a protective, parental element sits in his tone.
personality traits:  protective, stern, serious, capable of being witty though rarely, strong-willed, determined, driven, caring, compassionate, sympathetic, parental, stubborn, admirable, respectful, angry, can be reactive, confident, careful, dignified, curious, can be friendly, hardworking, innovative, selfless, passionate, reserved, skeptical, assertive, sometimes aloof.
hobbies:  enjoys growing his own vegetables / finds peace in it, working out / jogging, boxing, cooking.
style: short sleeve / sleeveless t-shirts and sleeveless hoodies paired with either jeans or shorts.  a very easy-going guy regarding dress style, preferring to spend money on his goddaughter than himself.   as for shoes, worn trainers are the go-to.  he wears a subtle, musky cologne and uses honey soap in the shower which adds a certain sweetness to his general scent but other than that, his scent is largely natural.  sweat and dirt from gardening sometimes covers him, both physically and scent-wise.

details:  originally from colombia, liam had a healthy and well supported childhood.  at school, he came to befriend ‘luke delgado’, someone who would follow him through the rest of his life as his closest buddy.  from a young age liam had wanted to pursue boxing as a career, not only because of the thrill and effort put into it but because he strove to help out the less fortunate by keeping them off the streets and busy with exercise.  in his early twenties, luke had settled down with someone and it resulted in them marrying and moving to mexico  -  a distance from liam.  naturally, he’d make the trip over to visit and sometimes luke returned vice versa, but when luke and his wife had their first child together it tied them down for good.   liam would visit as often as he could, designated as the child’s padrino ( godfather ), and when he couldn’t physically get there, he’d call.  zita delgado was beautiful, a wonderful kid and liam was keen to be present in her life to support her where he could as her godfather.

in his thirties, luke’s wife was killed in a car crash.  luke was left with his young daughter, trying to work a full time job and look after her.  with no family to tie him down in colombia, liam decided to help his friend out and made the move to mexico where he moved in with luke to help out with zita and the funeral.  it meant putting his aspirations and dreams aside for the time being, but if he could help it was worth it to him.   once things are under control again and luke is coping better, liam remains in mexico but moves into his own place nearby.  it’s his chance to pursue his goals.  some time later, luke approaches liam and tells him that he’s having money troubles.  that he took out a loan and it turned out the money loaned belonged to the local cartel.  liam is forced to take matters into his own hands, helping earn enough money to pay back the loan by working both legal and illegal jobs.  his efforts aren’t satisfactory, however, and one day luke goes missing.  liam is forced to step up as zita’s padrino, once again setting everything aside to ensure she ate, slept, attended school.  then, luke’s body turned up  -  he was declared dead.  shot six times.

it was a disaster.  zita was now effectively an orphan and liam was the only potential carer that he knew of, having never met the family of luke’s wife  -  certainly not enough to trust them.  so he steps up more.  takes on the role of her father, raises her as he would his own.  she refers to him as her padrino as well as uncle bernal.  but liam must overcome his grief, having lost his best friend, in order to be strong for zita.

years down the line, liam and zita are making a delivery, every little bit of cash a help to them and one of the ways they earned it was by delivering home grown vegetables to friends and locals.  during their drive, they encounter a body in the sand  -  what appeared to be a dead man.   though, upon closer inspection, liam determined the man to be alive and severely dehydrated.  he was set in the back of their truck and driven home where liam and zita gave him water and fed him, covering his wounds.  simon riley, they would come to learn his name was.  a prisoner of the cartel, having escaped and walked until he could no more.  he was exceptionally lucky they were the ones to find him.

liam insisted on helping him recover, at least enough to send him on his way.  it was risky, extremely dangerous to be helping an enemy of the cartel but liam felt he owed it  -  for luke.   simon remained with them for weeks until he was lucid enough to function and walk again.  then, he bid him farewell.  but it was an encounter he would not soon forget, and while they didn’t know each other for long, liam told him that if he ever needed anything he could call upon him and trust that he would help.  simon told him he was indebted to him for his help.

nickname(s):   zee.
name meaning: the seeker / hope.
connection:  rescuer  /  helper.
gender:  cis female.
eyes: dark brown.
hair: black, typically plaited but is curly and thick, if not plaited then tied up.
height: 5'9.
age:  18.
dob: january 4th 1992.
sexual / romantic orientation:  unknown.
mental: bereavement, ptsd, anxiety.
occupation: works at the local bicycle repair shop.  works part-time at her friend’s mother’s pottery shop.
residence: redacted, mexico.
nationality: mexican.
faceclaim: herizen guardiola.
zodiac:  capricorn.
voice:  alycia pascual-pena is a good example of her tone and the amount of rasp in her voice.  it’s typically low, firm and sharp and her accent is very strong.  her english is much less influenced by the american accent than it is for her padrino, liam.   she is young and it’s audible in her voice.
personality traits:  protective, skeptical, serious, firm, sharp, determined, driven, caring once she gets to know you, fiery, distant, reserved, stubborn, admirable, rebellious, angry, quiet, confident, careful, nervous, hardworking, resourceful, wise, passionate, assertive, can be fun when you get to know her, beyond her years, distrustful, irritable, practical, intelligent.
hobbies:  helps liam grow vegetables, exercise, smoking, helps out at the local bicycle store, pottery and boxing.
style: hoodies and kimonos are layers you’ll often see her in.  she tends to wear sleeveless vests beneath that, or a t-shirt with a long sleeved layer beneath.  her wardrobe isn’t expensive but liam like to spend money on her when he can.  she is either in bright, colourful clothing or greys and blacks, no in between.  for bottoms, she usually wears shorts and sometimes loose, patterned trousers.  as for shoes, trainers, flats or flip flops, though she tends to prefer shoes she can move around quickly and easily in.  zita enjoys messing around with scents and her hair since she doesn’t tend to wear makeup so she’ll try unique scents or styles to feel confident.  she likes energizing smells such as fruits combined with things like jasmine and sandalwood, prefers them to sweet and floral ones.  lemon, grapefruit and strawberries are fruity scents she indulges in.

details:  zita was born in mexico to her parents luke and jalissa delgado.  her childhood was relatively peaceful to start out with, save for el gordo’s cartel finding its footing.  her parents were young, early twenties young, and they didn’t have much money and occasionally struggled to put food on the table.  towards zita’s tenth birthday, her mother jalissa was in a car crash  -  it took her life.  left with only her father to support her, life became difficult.  luke got caught up in crime, trying to financially support the two of them, and the only strong presence she had was her  padrino ( godfather ), liam bernal, who moved from colombia over to mexico to support her and luke.

years passed, and things settled, allowing zita to focus on her life goals and the things she wanted to achieve when she finally left school.  she frequented the local bike shop, unable to afford one for herself but wanted to spend time around them.  the shop keeper permitted her to mess around with the bikes, to watch him fix them and build them up.  it was fascinating, and nothing felt better than learning to do it herself.  becoming the master.  things changed at home when liam moved into his own place, leaving zita alone with her father.  luke was struggling, with what she didn’t know, but he came home late often, forgot to cook food for her  -  often meaning she had to do it herself, and she took on the majority of the house chores too.  got herself to school, got herself home.

when she’s around sixteen, her father disappears.  for days, he is gone and liam reports him as missing.  liam is forced to take on luke’s responsibilities while he’s missing, caring for zita as though she were his own.  then one day, luke’s body turns up and it’s concluded he’s dead.  shot six times, to be exact.  now an orphan, zita struggled immensely with focusing on school.  her grades dropped, she found herself skipping class and tensions rose between her and liam, denial of her father’s death evident and a deeply rooted anger that he was trying to replace him.  what makes it more difficult is liam’s own rage.  he struggled to make peace with it.

the death takes them some time to come to terms with, and even longer for them to make peace with one another regarding their situation.  zita comes to call liam as uncle bernal, or “padrino.”   they start to work together, to compromise and make exceptions, to be a team like a father and daughter would.   in fact, liam becomes extremely important to zita, to the point where she’s protective of him.  a couple of years down the line, zita and liam are making a delivery.  every little bit of cash helps and one of the ways liam earned money was growing and selling vegetables at home, which he’d deliver to friends and locals.

during their drive, they encounter a body in the sand  -  a dead man.  upon closer inspection, liam informs her that the man is in fact alive and urges for her to stay back while he struggles to help him into their truck.  terrified that this stranger could put liam and herself in danger, she suggests they leave him, tries to discourage liam’s efforts but he doesn’t listen and they return home with the man.  he is fed, hydrated, his wounds cleaned and blisters bathed  -  all while zita paces in the background.  they eventually learn his name is simon riley, a prisoner of the cartel who’d escaped and walked until he could no more.  that was enough for zita to put her foot down.  she’d learned her father had perished at the hands of the cartel and she absolutely wasn’t going to sit by and watch it happen to liam too.  but her padrino insisted they help him.  that he owed it to her father.

simon remained with them for weeks until he was lucid enough to function and walk again.  then, they bid him farewell.  but for zita, his time spent there had been life-changing.  a stranger she’d hated for invading their lives she came to favour, to enjoy his company and found him to be incredibly wise.  the two had bonded during their time together, and simon had taught her some important life lessons.  his presence would never be forgotten.  before he left, simon told them he was indebted to them, for saving his life  -  and zita hopes one day he’ll keep to that promise and visit them again.

nickname(s):   mr.raz, usually prefers to go by his first name, ilan.
name meaning: tree.
connection:  trusted acquaintance, first boss, major role model to younger simon.
gender:  cis male.
eyes: brown.
hair: dark brown, had started to grey last seen, short and typically covered by a cap or accompanied by a bandana.
height: 5'6.
age: 34 ( at the time simon knew him. ) 55 by 2022.
dob: 11th april 1967.
sexual / romantic orientation:  demisexual / aromantic.
mental: post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder.
occupation: owner and butcher at ‘raz’s kosher butchers.’
residence: salford, greater manchester.
nationality: israeli, british.
faceclaim: guri alfi.
zodiac:  aries.
voice:  iddo goldberg, though his accent is more manchester-influenced, due to his time in military it has been influenced by other accents, and israeli accent is subtle.
personality traits:  reserved, stubborn, compassionate, easy-going, open-minded, bold, independent, honest, driven, troubled, reliable, high achiever, quick-witted, hard working, can be a perfectionist, trusting, patient, intelligent, capable, resourceful, can seem distant, loyal, organised, observational, curious, brave, fair, wise, supportive, unsocial, interesting, quiet, focused, collected.
hobbies:  engages in charity work specifically for charities that supports the mental health of children, physiotherapy, exercise, favours DIY work at home to remain busy without putting too much pressure on his leg.
style: ilan is extremely casual outside of work, or at least he was when simon knew him, preferring to dress in t-shirts or hoodies, accompanied by jeans or sweatpants. he was beyond caring how he looked and could always be found wearing either a blue bandana or backwards cap. he tended to wear grey or white, favouring lighter shades of clothing over darker. he could never quite get the meat stink off of him, meaning he smelled strongly of soap and a sharp, woody cologne that simon never minded - in fact he often found it comforting.

details:  born and raised in israel, ilan moved to manchester in the uk at the age of fourteen to live with his grandfather when his parents were unfortunately killed during a politically driven mass-stabbing. the sudden shift in his life along with the terrible loss he suffered caused ilan to spiral. he participated in antisocial behaviour, evading responding police and sought to cause trouble where he could, unable to communicate his grief in english and due to his grandfather being deaf, he didn’t know how to sign and therefore couldn’t communicate with him either.

at sixteen, he was introduced to a teaching assistant at his school, amos rubin, a former israeli war veteran who’d since moved to england to help care for his ill daughter - pursuing an interest in teaching and working with children part-time. mr rubin was well connected with hebrew-speaking individuals within the uk, some of which offered their services as therapists. he generously put time into securing a space for ilan, where he could speak in his native language and be understood and seen. he was also guided through learning british sign language, meaning he could finally interact with his grandfather outside of scribbling on paper. the therapy certainly helped ilan process much of his grief and emotions, even enabling him to begin thinking about what he wanted to pursue in life.

by this point, he’d passed seventeen and, after feeling inspired by mr rubin’s stories, expressed an interest in the military. his grandfather owned a kosher-friendly butchers, offering to ilan that he could work for him any time and could perhaps even take over the shop for him when he got too old, something ilan respectfully declined but stored in his mind should the need ever arise in the future. he signed up to the royal marines and after he turned eighteen, was deployed for the first time. ilan excelled as a royal marine commando, thriving in the environment and met challenges head on with remarkable drive. he earned the respect of his superiors and worked well with his teammates though he specifically had a knack in roles requiring leadership skills.

ilan served in the field for eight years overall, due to be promoted to the rank of captain when he suffered a stab-wound to the thigh. what originally started off as rest and recovery became a jarring medical discharge when he was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder on top of his acquired physical damage. it took two years for ilan to reach a point of functionality again, mental and physical therapy mostly filling out that time period. his grandfather reminded him of his offer to work at the butchers and ilan took him up on it, if only to find his footing and readjust to civilian life.

when ilan reached twenty-nine, his grandfather became less physically-able and thus relinquished much of the responsibility surrounding the shop onto ilan. he took it by the reins and met the challenge head-on, even improving the shop in some ways to make it more accessible to customers. when he was thirty-three, ilan was introduced to a young boy who’d entered the butchers and approached him, holding out a piece of paper. on it, read: in need of pocket money, looking for a job. he quickly realised the boy didn’t speak - or wouldn’t in that moment. endeared by him, ilan agreed to let him work at the butchers, paying him well for little odd jobs around the building. simon riley, he learned his name was.

gradual time spent together and an affirming bond provided for the lad revealed he was autistic, stating sometimes he didn’t feel comfortable or safe talking. simon knew a little sign language but it was mostly broken sentences. with that knowledge under his belt, ilan spent much of his spare time teaching simon british sign language, allowing him to communicate with at least him when he didn’t feel he could talk. he learned simon came from a broken family, abusive in many ways which explained many of his habits and behaviours. ilan sympathised deeply with him, knowing the turmoil he’d felt as a child when he couldn’t communicate his anger and pain. simon spent much of his time at the butchers in the nearly two years he knew ilan, relying on him as somewhat of a father figure during a difficult period in his life.

a few months before simon’s sixteenth birthday, he informed ilan he intended to sign up with the marines. with his encouragement, riley did exactly that, but not without expressing his gratitude and appreciation, first. he would visit him and the shop, now and again, helping in his spare time and sharing stories. when he was forty, simon visited and informed him of his decision to sign up for sas selection. two years later, he visited again - he’d been commissioned to lieutenant. it was the last time he’d ever see simon, as over a year later the lad’s face was plastered all over the news and papers. family, psychiatrist and colleagues brutally murdered followed by simon’s suicide.

ilan couldn’t believe it, couldn’t accept the notion. someone had set simon up and murdered him - it was the only angle he could begin to comprehend. he attended simon’s funeral and paid his respects - he grieved for him, as though he’d lost a nephew or a close friend, but continued on with his life nevertheless. as the years passed, ilan would find himself feeling like he was being watched. shadows would move and sometimes his shop would seem cleaner than when he’d left it. perhaps it was part of the grieving process, but sometimes ilan swore, somehow, that simon was still watching over him.

note:  there's very brief suggestions of abduction & csa. heed the warnings. 

nickname(s):   hodgson, hodgers.
name meaning: god is gracious.
connection:  owner of ‘the old duke inn’, in salford, which simon is well-acquainted with, also a family friend.
gender:  cis male.
eyes: brown.
hair: brown, greying, short in length, balding often hidden under cap.
height: 6’.
age: 49 - last seen. currently 62.
dob: november 23rd 1961.
sexual / romantic orientation:  demisexual / homoromantic.
mental: obsessive-compulsive disorder, on the autism-spectrum, post-traumatic stress disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder. very friendly, sometimes oversteps boundaries but generally good, relaxed company.
occupation: pub owner and bartender.
residence: salford, manchester.
nationality: british.
faceclaim: daniel fathers.
zodiac:  sagittarius.
voice:  john henshaw.
children: one daughter, florence marlow-hodgson.
personality traits:  impressionable, proud, compassionate, friendly, independent, cautious, honest, driven, reliable, hard working, caring, motivated, perfectionist, overthinker, intelligent, resourceful, witty, loyal, organised, observational, curious, brave, good company, laid back, capable, patient, fair, lonely, idealist, introvert, intense, parental, sympathetic, interesting, conversationalist, loud, focused, upbeat.
hobbies:  reading, interacting with others, group walking, watching football, plays a mean game of pool.
style: hodsgon tends to wear button-ups/shirts with a white t-shirt underneath and comfortable jeans, sometimes accompanied by a front facing cap on his head. he prefers long sleeved items of clothing that range from primary colours to bright, decorative shirts with palm leaves and flowers on. for shoes, he’ll wear slip-ons and puts comfort above all else. he smells of beer food and a mixture of alcohol and soft drinks, but his underlying scent is something sharp and fruity with a warm, woody hint. his clothes always smell clean and he takes his hygiene seriously - more so because he likes to smell nice above anything else.

details:  born and raised in salford, uk, eoin’s young life revolved around his father’s pub, the old duke inn. he would help collect glasses, pour drinks and even greeted guests. he would become well known by customers and thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend much of his time with his old man. his mother was less available, often insisting the inn wasn’t enough to provide for their family and thus worked various jobs around town. it meant he saw her less, relying heavily on his father but because his parents were often so busy, eoin tended to be overlooked.

he’d find comfort in talking to guests, making himself comfortable with them at their tables and catching them in the doorways to their rooms, sometimes even unintentionally holding them hostage in conversations until they bluntly told him they needed to get on or one of the guests reported him to his father who’d drag him back over to the bar or sit him in front of a book. this would lead to eoin, unbeknownst to his parents, developing disinhibited social engagement disorder, or (dsed), which is where a child (and later on in life, an adult) can exhibit a lack of awareness of social dangers, boundaries and are very trusting towards strangers.

routinely, eoin would happily leave the inn with complete strangers. he would go missing for hours, sometimes days at a time, before returning to his horrified parents. it’s not difficult to imagine what often happened to him during these absent periods. eoin came to struggle with things he’d been experiencing with strangers. they would do things to him that he couldn’t forget about. he tried to tell his father but was told not to ever speak of it. he was forced to keep it to himself for years. as eoin ages, he starts going to school and is bullied by children that don’t understand him. he doesn’t fully understand the depth of these altercations, however, and decidedly gets through each day with minimal complaint because at the end of it, he’d always get to go to the old duke inn and help out.

one day, a stranger he’d grown familiar with tried to take him away again. but by this point, his parents had grown vigilant and his father noticed him leaving with the man. the police were called and he was arrested. eoin didn’t understand and it was never fully explained to him. it’s decided by fifteen that when he leaves school, he’ll go straight into working at the inn. this is exactly what he does. for years, he is paid to help his father run the inn. at twenty two, he meets the woman of his dreams - or so he’d thought.

theresa marlow, a twenty one year old that worked down the road at the local post office. she was captivating and enjoyed eoin’s company when she visited, eventually applying for a job as a waitress at the inn. delighted, eoin took advantage of this closeness and would ignore the inn’s rules by pursuing a fellow staff member. the trouble was that eoin wanted to be her friend and theresa mistook this as him wanting a relationship. eoin was an impressionable young man and had been told he’d one day meet a nice woman, settle down and have a family with her. he hadn’t understood the concept of love, or s*x or romance at the time. the couple were together for two years when one thing led to another and theresa fell pregnant.

it was then that eoin’s father passed away from a heart attack. with the responsibility of the pub falling to him, he poured his heart into maintaining it both to honour his father and to also fund his newfound family. nine months later, florence marlow-hodgson was born. it’d be in the following couple of years that eoin would come to the realisation that he didn’t enjoy making love to his wife. that it was a necessity, to please her, rather than himself. it meant theresa would become frustrated with him when he began struggling to express affection towards her and inevitably, the two would split-up having never been married. they remained on civil terms, raising their daughter together but in separate homes.

the inn was a second home to many familiar faces, specifically to one simon riley. a young boy who frequented the pub with his disorderly and alcoholic father - who tended to take advantage of eoin’s patience and generosity by loudly outstaying his welcome and shooting, selling and scoring drugs outside the establishment. simon would often be left alone and eoin would keep him company until his father returned. the two would come to bond through this, with simon trusting him and seeing him as a friend. eoin would tell him jokes and let him help out if he felt like it, or would put him in front of a tv or pool table for better entertainment. sometimes they’d play games on the bar or he’d give him snacks for free.

a year after his split from theresa, eoin would meet michael doley. out of town on a business trip and staying at the inn, he came to enjoy michael’s company and the two would exchange numbers to speak often. after some time, they grew close - as best friends might, although eoin was very aware that he was attracted to michael. this ends up being blurted out during a conversation with doley, which prompts michael to cease all contact with him. a month passes before michael reaches out, informing eoin he felt the same way. the two would begin a relationship together. as his daughter aged, he allowed her to help out around the pub. thankfully, due to theresa’s diligence, she knew not to leave or interact with strangers outside of common tasks within the bar.

eoin and michael would eventually move in with one another, deciding against a marriage but enjoying each other’s company nevertheless. michael invested in the inn, sprucing it up to encourage newer customers. florence, his daughter, would age alongside them, with michael taking on a fatherly role himself. loved by three parents, she’d go on to do well in school and pursue a career in fashion - deciding against working at the old duke. eoin is eager to pursue keeping the inn running for as long as he possibly can with the help of his partner. some years later, simon riley stops showing up and shortly after, reports are run on the news of how he’d killed his entire family, his special forces major, psychiatrist and then himself, having gone off the rails. eoin is heartbroken by the news and is in disbelief. he holds a memorial at the old duke for simon, respecting and appreciating his memory with those who new of him.

unbeknownst to eoin, simon stops visiting because he begins having trauma-related intrusive thoughts and violent dreams about eoin’s daughter, florence. horrified by the extent of them, he can’t face looking eoin in the eye again. his faked death solidifies this. however, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t keep an eye on him from the shadows, checking in every now and then. eoin played a major role in simon’s childhood and helped him process some of his emotions surrounding his father. he was a friend and a companion when he most needed one.

nickname(s):   brad, major hawkins.
name meaning: wide valley.
connection:  former captain, former major, work associate and father figure.
gender:  cis male.
eyes: brown.
hair: black, medium length and notably curly - often trailing over forehead.
height: 5'8.
age: died at the age of 32, in 2010.  would be 44 by 2022.
dob: may 6th 1978.
sexual / romantic orientation:  unknown.
mental: ptsd, struggled with postnatal depression, adhd, early signs of conduct disorder.
occupation: formerly an sas major.
residence: n/a.  formerly outside of cardiff, in the countryside on a farm. closer to cardiff post farm selling.
nationality: irish, welsh, british.
faceclaim: aneurin barnard.
zodiac:  taurus.
voice:  medium octave, softer spoken, his welsh accent was prominent and there was a subtle twist of northern irish accent.  reserved tone, could be audibly taut if stressed but generally unnervingly relaxed.  a gravity to his voice was often present, holding a lot back.
personality traits:  reserved, protective, skeptical, serious, firm, extremely intelligent, driven, unwavering, curious, distant, stubborn, dislikes authority, adventurous, risk-taker, quiet, confident, cautious, can struggle with low moods, very mentally hyperactive, resourceful, bold, passionate, assertive, witty, dark sense of humour, cynical, unpredictable, practical, gentle, highly adaptable, admirable, genuine, alert, dangerous, intense, low-key, observational, hard to like but very likeable once you do, patient, crafty, spontaneous, unhinged.
hobbies:  lived to work, for a large portion of his life. during his free-time, he enjoyed hiking, exercise and majorly anything out in the wilderness. enjoyed scuba diving with wife, exploring reefs and general aquatic environments. above all else, spending time with simon was a hobby  -  wilderness adventures together specifically.
style: habitually would wear a long coat over dark jeans or smart trousers and a pullover.  could sometimes be found in t-shirts but typically wore long sleeves and liked his layers.  he would go for more neutral shades regarding colours, blues, greys, blacks, browns, greens and reds.  as for shoes, formal slip on shoes or slim-fit, non-bulky trainers, depending on his attire.  musky scents, mixed in with more earthy tones, he never wore anything strong or sharp  -  said it was better to remain undetectable regardless of location.  the strongest scent was soap, being a clean man, and cigarette smoke.  unless he’d spent time on the farm, in which case he joyfully stunk of farmland.

details:  born in northern ireland, braden excelled in a variety of ways  -  he was exceptionally intelligent and resourceful, often disappearing and worrying his family sick for days at a time before being located by a searching police force doing just fine in the irish wilds.  he would tell them he’d needed to clear his head and thus ‘escaped’ for a brief period.  his grades would begin to drop when he began hanging around with the wrong people, utilizing his smarts and agility in theft.  the young prodigy was spiralling, and with an older sister picking up his slack he continued to defy authority.  an embarrassment to his father who was in the police force.  at twelve years old, his family had finally found themselves at a stand still.  the final straw was when he’d stolen from the wrong people and was ambushed by a group of older lads, leading to a broken rib and nose ( hence the nose scar. )  if braden continued on the path he was, there’d be no going back, and with their hometown being rampant with fellow delinquents like braden, it’d be hard for him to find a better life.  thus, he was sent to live in wales, uk, with his grandmother and grandfather. farmers  -  namely.  with a whole collection of farm animals that needed tending to, sheepdogs and acres of land.

originally, braden had struggled with the change, his recovery aggravating and leaving his friends and former criminal record behind unnerving.  he was bullied in school for his accent up until he near-drowned a bully in one of the boy’s toilets  -  they knew better after that.  whilst adapting was tough, brad’s grandfather was a far better influence for him and one he never often got to see due to the travelling distance.  he was ex-military, a royal marine commando who’d retired to the farming life after a severe break in his ankle and the loss of an eye.  he’d claimed it’d been a thumb fight between himself and an enemy  -  and that the enemy had in turn lost both of their eyes, whether it was true or not never concerned brad, for his gramps certainly lived up to the wildness of it.  by the age of sixteen, braden was finally doing well.  he’d spend much of his time out on the farm with his gramps, keeping busy and active.  then, at seventeen, he’d expressed an interest to join the military to his grandfather.  he was encouraged, signing up a few months later.

it was the royal marines that truly crafted braden into the man he became.  he was remarkable at his job, excelling impressively and just before his 21st birthday, it’d been suggested he try for special forces. it was felt his skills could be refined more so than the marines could provide.  he partook in the summer sas selection and passed with flying colours and one of the instructors had even taken brad aside and told him he’d done better than any of the others.  by twenty-one, he was a sergeant in the sas.  at twenty-five, he was introduced to the love of his life, hanan, during a short holiday with some of his lads.  they parted ways, only to cross paths a number of weeks later in the local grocery store.  as if by fate, she happened to live close to him.  a marine biologist, she captivated him  -  with no military ties, she was a breath of fresh air to come home to, and being a former commando meant they shared an interest in the water.

at twenty-six, brad made the rank of captain.  he grew to become a feared man within the sas, eerily quiet and reserved but capable of pulling off the wildest of missions  -  above all else, he was vastly respected.  at twenty-eight, in 2006, brad’s grandfather passed away and the farm had to be sold due to his grandmother being unable to continue running it alone.  it was an immensely difficult time for him.  this same year, hanan announces to him she’s pregnant with their child, and on the 2nd of august, 2007, thomas ( after his grandfather ) hawkins was born.  weeks prior, brad had proposed to hanan, but unfortunately the birth of thomas triggered a severe case of post-natal depression in brad and he became withdrawn.  he spent as much time at work as he could, before being sent home and ordered to face recovery.  it was around this time that he received a diagnosis for his adhd. by the time simon riley made his way past selection and onto the team, brad had been back as captain for less than a month, post therapy and recovery time.

unbeknownst to all but himself and his wife, he was still struggling.  simon riley was quick to pick up on this, offering a shoulder during cold, late nights for him.  a private, unbiased and unjudging space which brad came to greatly appreciate, never being expected to talk about it but the mutual silence gradually helped him.  it was the beginning of a close, platonic and personal bond with riley which would only proceed to grow when, during a standard capture / kill mission mid-2008, their allies turn against them and the spec ops team assisting them were killed, leaving captain hawkins and his sergeant, riley, to survive.  hawkins talked him through the ordeal, teaching him new tricks and ways to utilize his environment and it took approx. two days of such before they reached a safe space to call for help.  he escaped with a scar to his right cheek, after it was sliced open during a fight with one of the betrayers.  from that point, they were next to inseparable during missions and simon effectively became hawkins’s right hand man.  brad and hanan’s wedding continued to be put off until early-2009.   he put in a request and recommendation that riley be commissioned to the rank of lieutenant and they proceeded to serve as first lieutenant and captain until july, 2009, when brad ascended to the rank of major.

mid-october, the help of the sas had been requested by american military forces.  the best of the best was required and major hawkins made the decision to pull his lieutenant from upcoming ops to help them.  simon expressed concern and hawkins told him he believed riley could handle anything that came his way.  riley proceeded with the mission.  early-november, hawkins was informed of the team’s failure and that riley was presumed dead.  he’d sent his most trusted friend and lieutenant to his death.  the following ten months were excruciating, with the role of his lieutenant being filled by another  -  the world went on, as though simon riley had never existed.  for months, brad struggled with grief until he was able to compartmentalize the situation.  life went on, but in the back of his mind he always knew something more would come of it, that simon was too hard a bastard to die like that.

at the end of august, 2010, word was received that simon riley was in fact still alive and was being transported back to the uk.  an unbearable reunion, brad acted like the lieutenant had never left or as though he’d never doubted him, and simon teased him  -  for missing him, for not having more faith in him.  brad could never confess to the distress simon missing in action had brought him.  simon was given four months for recovery, suffering violent and terrible nightmares.  brad had initially struggled to visit him, to be around him  -  feeling responsible for his suffering.  but they reconnected after the first month, with simon spending much of his time around hawkins’s wife, hanan and their son, thomas.  their families had met numerous times, with thomas often enjoying the company of simon’s nephew, joseph.  post-four months, simon sought hawkins out for a talk regarding re-joining his men.  hawkins informed him he’d need to get clearance from the psychiatrist, and that if it were up to him he’d have had him back 2 months prior.

over the next few days, unbeknownst to hawkins, there was an elaborate set up taking place.  he received a call regarding riley’s reinstatement within his unit and brad had been intending to discuss the potential of, should they decide to allow him back, assigning riley with the rank of captain.  he never made it to the meeting, and an inquiry into why revealed he’d been involved in a fatal car crash.  investigation, following the simon riley ‘incident’, would go on to suggest riley had gone off the rails and triggered the crash, killing his major intentionally, before killing his psychiatrist, his family and then himself.  hanan was left a widow and thomas, fatherless, drawn to believe riley, someone they’d trusted, was behind it.  to simon, brad hawkins was someone he’d convinced himself was unkillable.  the closest he’d had to a father figure.  it would not go unpunished.

nickname(s):   ollie, sgt martin.
name meaning: olive tree.
connection:  friend, ally.
gender:  cis male.
eyes: dark brown.
hair: black, short in length, fluffy - especially after wearing his police cap.
height: 5'9.
age: 28 in 2004.
dob: march 24th 1976.
sexual / romantic orientation:  unknown.
mental: unknown.
occupation: police sergeant in manchester.
residence: salford, greater manchester.
nationality: british.
faceclaim: matthew mcnulty.
zodiac:  aries.
voice:  lower octave, softly spoken, his mancunian accent is evident.  friendly, outgoing voice, comforting and relaxed.
personality traits:  confident, stubborn, compassionate, friendly, independent, cautious, honest, energetic, driven, reliable, hard working, caring, intelligent, resourceful, witty, loyal, organised, observational, headstrong, curious, playful, brave, relaxed, capable, idealist, extrovert, sympathetic, conversationalist, loud, focused, highly strung, fearless, upbeat.
hobbies:  would enjoy a pint with the boys, typical football enjoyer and player outside of work, previous physical education teacher.
style: typically wears short sleeve t-shirts, fleeces or hoodies and joggers when not in his work trousers.  prefers comfortable, sporty wear, like tracksuit bottoms.  he goes for darker shades, black, greys or navy, sometimes dabbling in a dark green.  as for shoes, trainers are always the way outside of work.  amber is his common scent, mixed with vanilla and smoke from his cigarettes.  he's always trying to quit.

details: born in manchester, ollie would grow up to pursue a career in physical education, teaching kids between the ages of 12-16.  he grew up alongside his older brother, greg, who went on to join the army at sixteen.  looking up to his brother, ollie was devasted when greg was killed at 25 years old.  wanting to make an impact, ollie decided to pursue a career in the police.  he went on to serve for 7 years, working his way up to the role of sergeant, before he became acquainted with one tommy riley.  already aware of tommy's father, tommy had quite the growing reputation.

through tommy, ollie would come to meet simon, the compassionate brother who insisted on always picking up the pieces where possible, dragging his brother out of trouble.  simon and ollie would end up developing a close, platonic dynamic wherein ollie greatly sympathised with simon's efforts and appreciated the brothers in recognition of his own brother.  on occasion, ollie even went against his job and cut simon some slack. there were nights where ollie walked tommy home instead of locking him in a cell, handing him over to simon in hopes of lightening his load.

when ollie learned about simon and his family, he attended the funeral and remained in disbelief about what the news reported simon to have done.  to this day, he continues to serve in the police and maintains a friendly, compassionate approach to those in need and trouble in memory of simon and tommy.

to be added.