Personality: To a stranger or even a friend, Guy Cecil comes across as any local "nice guy" from top to bottom. He's hard-working and charismatic with a nurturing flair and a curiosity for people; there is very little to dislike about him on a casual level. But Guy is much more than he appears - he is a man of careful masks and repressed feelings. He may be charming and gentle in his conduct, but underneath is a man who isn't against staying two-faced, all too cryptic in his decisions and intentions.
On the surface, Guy is naturally friendly. Optimism and a casual attitude are at the core of how he walks, talks and acts - he is a man who not only looks out for the people around him, but wants to see them comfortable and cared for. Born as a noble but raised as a servant, he strives to care, tending to mother and fuss to those he considers important in his life. He takes the time to ask questions and learn about the people around him - ranging from small talk to philisophical queries, Guy likes to poke and prod as much as he can without being rude about it. He stays empathetic and alert, often saying the right words at the right time to help people feel better when they need it or joking around to keep the mood light. As a naturally curious person, he keeps himself open to hearing others' opinions without necessarily interjecting his own, unless the situation directly demands it (either through necessity or just his own personal urgency). This leaves him as an easy conversationalist, willing to both debate topics to a point and simply listen to your troubles.
He is witty with his tongue, quick on his feet and rather focused on the importance of detail, often asked to be the speaker of the group in situations where great amounts of information and exposition are key. Even if elbowed into a speaking role by another, he makes little fuss and communicates clearly - goals are prioritized over personal emotions, and as much as it might seem it is used to his advantage, he is very aware of when requests are important and when he needs to say no. Whether he actually says no or not is another matter entirely, but a servant's attitude does not necessarily make him a doormat. He has the ability to deny. More often than not, however, the fuss simply isn't worth it. Why complain when he is perfectly capable of doing what needs to be done?
Since the age of eight, Guy has been fascinated with all aspects of technology and engineering, particularly with the principles and machines found in Auldrant's fontechnology. It is a passion in almost every sense, and as such, the man can be driven into obsessive and sometimes-defensive episodes when he gets the chance to fiddle, toy with, or explore anything man-made. He does not work professionally, but his personal skill is high, commended by those around him and always available in a pinch. From analyzing and diagnosing both ancient and modern robotics to patching landships or flying aircraft - this man lives to tinker.
Guy is rather perceptive of those around him, picking up on emotional states and body language and remaining as considerate as he can under whatever circumstances he finds himself. This leads him to be generally respective of another person's privacy, defending their right to their own space unless he has a very good reason to act otherwise. This doesn't mean he just lets things go, however. He may not speak about it, but Guy rarely forgets an important topic, even if he's verbalized that he'll leave it alone. If put in a tense situation or even a conversation that might be going astray, he isn't afraid to say what's on his mind, especially if he sees a problem that needs to be addressed. Although he considers tact to be important and always chooses his words carefully, he has no problem being blunt or even harsh, even if the questions he has to ask are particularly touchy or difficult.
With his bluntness comes a level of close-hearted behavior that rarely seeps to the surface - sometimes this works in his favor, other times it does the exact opposite. Guy always keeps an impressive handle on his emotions; one could almost say he does so to a fault. He's extremely patient, accepting, and rarely loses his temper. The times he openly shows anger or raises his voice in the course of the game's storyline can be counted on one hand – in normal situations, he stays level-headed, and prefers to step back and think before acting or reacting. He rarely takes things too seriously, brushing things off and keeping everything in good humor as much as he's able. Things may worry him or make him upset, but on an average basis, he refuses to let the things that bother him affect how he lives, makes decisions, or interacts with other people.
But that, in itself, affects how he lives more than anything else. This man has walls upon walls he has constructed that he will not allow other people to cross. Some are unintentional, but many are very intentional, kept up only through a struggle for self-pride and a need for personal protection. There are many subjects he will dance around, smooth over, or refuse to share, simply because the environment and those around him would all work better if things about himself were simply left alone. It's a waste of energy for something that won't change, so there isn't any need to talk about it. Sadly, this applies to much of Guy's personal opinions, his past, and anything that requires a great deal of personal honesty. Details of himself given to complete strangers are considered stupidity, details to friends a delicate risk - every fact he opens up about can be an emotional weapon against him, so his privacy is precious. In reality, he is lonely - frighteningly so, given his self-inflicted seclusion. But that fear of ongoing loneliness battles frequently against his desire for privacy, and keeping to what he knows best is, sadly, much easier than leaving himself exposed. He will stoop vrather low at times to protect himself - both his life and his personal affairs. Although he's relatively friendly and doesn't necessarily keep every little thing to himself, Guy does struggle with consistent honesty, both to others and to himself – he isn't entirely incapable of telling the truth, especially when it's important. But when it comes to picky matters, he can be extremely secretive. When coupled with his stubborn flair and blunt irritation, Guy's conversations can be incredibly cryptic. It may come across as the truth - it might even contain the truth, here or there - but knowing whether or not you're actually hearing the whole truth is often up in the air. His ability to flip a conversation to work in his favor can keep his trickery and casual dishonesty a frustrating constant.
He's fine with bringing out his own ideas and speaking up when something bothers him, but rarely to the point of argument or burdening others - he's dealt with it long enough on his own, after all, so why bother to ask for help unless he really needs it? He's nearly perfected his emotional masks, using his sense of humor flippantly to deflect otherwise-touchy situations, often pulling white lies left and right without breaking stride or losing his poker face. His behavior isn't something he takes pride in, but as deep-rooted as it is, the man still comes by it as though it were second-nature, using it for his advantage as a simple habit to keep himself safe or out of suspicion. It's not uncommon for him to participate in a situation while having personal discomfort about it, or to flip a conversation with a lie or misdirection (often without other people picking up on it) when he feels it isn't going a particularly comfortable direction. Going hand in hand with this, Guy tends to lean towards passive-aggressive tendencies when he's genuinely upset about something. Very little will make him blow up, but he makes up for it by turning the tables on others, even in his joking, making him manipulative or cruel under extreme circumstances and flippantly rude in others. His stubbornness makes him hold to personal biases almost obsessively at times, even if he doesn't say anything outright for the sake of the conversation. He doesn't have many, but those he does have he clings to relentlessly, rarely letting anyone talk him out of his views unless he himself can see that those views need to change. He will not talk people down for disagreeing, but he does not take kindly to people trying to dig down deep and force him to change. The personal decisions he makes are his own for very important reasons, and once a firm decision is made? It's tucked behind those walls, and it can be very hard to rip him away.
It's completely unintentional, but Guy is a natural charmer. He's often heard throwing out honest compliments or saying touching words of the top of his head in moments of delicacy, touching women's hearts and earning him feedback that often bewilders him. It's something he often remains oblivious to, even when women flock around him from time to time. As much as it happens, the sudden attention is incredibly uncomfortable for hims: although he enjoys women aesthetically and is sexually attracted to them, he cannot stand being physically close to them due to severe gynophobia, one of his most prominent mental issues. Because of trauma related with his older sister's death, Guy is unable to approach, touch, be touched by, or generally be around women without a negative, fearful reaction. All his impulses are involuntary and very difficult for him to fight - he will get short of breath, yell, scramble for cover, tremble, shove, even throw himself to the ground with his arms over his head at times, depending on where he is touched and how badly it catches him off-guard. Despite having had the phobia for years, Guy has only recently recovered the memories of what even happened to cause it, and even that isn't a cure in and of itself. He is able to understand what happened, even if the memory itself is incredibly painful, and slow steps over months of travelling have shown a small amount of progress. But he still struggles, much more than he would ever like to admit. It's a very personal frustration and a cause for great embarrassment, but he tries to avoid being pitied for it as much as possible, since he sees no need to pity someone for something unknown. He does have the possibility to act without fail in moments of absolute necessity, where adrenaline is what fuels him (such as during combat or sudden rescues), but even then, his fear tends to kick right back up the moment things have calmed down. Every victory is at least another possible step towards what he hopes is recovery, but it's a long road, and not something he's deemed important with the world literally falling apart around him.
Despite his troubles with this, though, he still remains remarkably chivalrous. Even with his noble background, Guy keeps that servant heart and will go out of his way to assist another, even when it is not required of him. On most occasions, he will follow requests without complaint, even if he has those slight personal objections. This is partially out of habit from working under the Fabre household as a caretaker for Luke, but also because the responsibility of working and caring for those around him is something that gives him a personal sense of fulfillment. He has been known to deny requests when they upset him enough or clash with an ideal he holds strongly, but simple tasks will hardly receive any uproar from him. He's healthy, strong, and if it makes the people around him benefit, then what's the harm?
Two of Guy's bigger strengths are his good-humored nature and his sense of loyalty. While he usually knows when a situation needs to be addressed seriously, he still attempts to stay optimistic whenever possible, joking around when he can and turning the situation to a positive light when he can't. The man isn't afraid to laugh or brush things off when they aren't all that important. He strives to keep people in a good mood, on the same page working towards the same goal with as little bickering as possible, even at the sake of his own ego. In that regard, he isn't a person to bring up his own problems, and would rather shrug it off, mask it, or dodge the conversations entirely for the sake of the other person. Pokes and prods at his character aren't often taken too seriously, and he finds himself playing peacemaker from time to time because of this trait. He's gentle and compassionate, enjoying the responsibility that it takes to help out another and make other people happy – the spirit of a servant completely content with his work. He can be very forgiving if he so chooses, almost always attempting to think the best of people, even if circumstances turn out for the worse. Even if he has suspicions or bitterness towards another person, he will still usually attempt to grab at insight behind their true intentions before making any final judgment. It takes effort and patience, but if someone earns his good faith and complete trust, he sticks by them unwaveringly.
His negative traits have their own source as well. He is slowly working through resentment and anger built behind a lifetime focused on revenge towards a single individual – mainly Duke Fabre and his family. Having lost his home, status, and entire family at the age of five in an act of war led by Duke Fabre, Guy has spent the entirety of his childhood and teenage years working in enemy territory, inserting himself into the Fabre household as a servant in order to wait for his chance to act out his revenge; to take his father's sword and slaughter the family, starting with Luke (the only son of Duke Fabre) in an attempt to make the Duke suffer as much as Guy had suffered. Despite developing a strong bond with the boy he had vowed to kill and continually attempting to put his desire for revenge behind him, Guy still struggles with years of repressed anger, and has yet to completely come to terms with his past or even tell those close to him who he really is. The grudge he holds is deep enough to change him from a rather emotional crybaby of a child to the calm, contained, and rather deceptive man that travels with the party. Although he normally can wave things off, the wrongs he believes were committed against himself and the land of Hod in general are things he admits to having lingering feelings over. He wishes to work past it someday - heck, he's even trying - but the bitterness still remains, despite how hard he tries to grit his teeth and push his way through it. His inability to open up to his friends and colleagues is a hindrance to his chances at working through that bitterness completely, and with years of emotional walls being built up, it is not something he feels comfortable doing, even after so much time to have his life revealed to others. It doesn't stop him from trying to keep that smile on his face, though. A pleasant appearance above all else - everything else, for him, will have to come afterwards.
Guy Cecil | Tales of the Abyss | Reserved (2/3)
To a stranger or even a friend, Guy Cecil comes across as any local "nice guy" from top to bottom. He's hard-working and charismatic with a nurturing flair and a curiosity for people; there is very little to dislike about him on a casual level. But Guy is much more than he appears - he is a man of careful masks and repressed feelings. He may be charming and gentle in his conduct, but underneath is a man who isn't against staying two-faced, all too cryptic in his decisions and intentions.
On the surface, Guy is naturally friendly. Optimism and a casual attitude are at the core of how he walks, talks and acts - he is a man who not only looks out for the people around him, but wants to see them comfortable and cared for. Born as a noble but raised as a servant, he strives to care, tending to mother and fuss to those he considers important in his life. He takes the time to ask questions and learn about the people around him - ranging from small talk to philisophical queries, Guy likes to poke and prod as much as he can without being rude about it. He stays empathetic and alert, often saying the right words at the right time to help people feel better when they need it or joking around to keep the mood light. As a naturally curious person, he keeps himself open to hearing others' opinions without necessarily interjecting his own, unless the situation directly demands it (either through necessity or just his own personal urgency). This leaves him as an easy conversationalist, willing to both debate topics to a point and simply listen to your troubles.
He is witty with his tongue, quick on his feet and rather focused on the importance of detail, often asked to be the speaker of the group in situations where great amounts of information and exposition are key. Even if elbowed into a speaking role by another, he makes little fuss and communicates clearly - goals are prioritized over personal emotions, and as much as it might seem it is used to his advantage, he is very aware of when requests are important and when he needs to say no. Whether he actually says no or not is another matter entirely, but a servant's attitude does not necessarily make him a doormat. He has the ability to deny. More often than not, however, the fuss simply isn't worth it. Why complain when he is perfectly capable of doing what needs to be done?
Since the age of eight, Guy has been fascinated with all aspects of technology and engineering, particularly with the principles and machines found in Auldrant's fontechnology. It is a passion in almost every sense, and as such, the man can be driven into obsessive and sometimes-defensive episodes when he gets the chance to fiddle, toy with, or explore anything man-made. He does not work professionally, but his personal skill is high, commended by those around him and always available in a pinch. From analyzing and diagnosing both ancient and modern robotics to patching landships or flying aircraft - this man lives to tinker.
Guy is rather perceptive of those around him, picking up on emotional states and body language and remaining as considerate as he can under whatever circumstances he finds himself. This leads him to be generally respective of another person's privacy, defending their right to their own space unless he has a very good reason to act otherwise. This doesn't mean he just lets things go, however. He may not speak about it, but Guy rarely forgets an important topic, even if he's verbalized that he'll leave it alone. If put in a tense situation or even a conversation that might be going astray, he isn't afraid to say what's on his mind, especially if he sees a problem that needs to be addressed. Although he considers tact to be important and always chooses his words carefully, he has no problem being blunt or even harsh, even if the questions he has to ask are particularly touchy or difficult.
With his bluntness comes a level of close-hearted behavior that rarely seeps to the surface - sometimes this works in his favor, other times it does the exact opposite. Guy always keeps an impressive handle on his emotions; one could almost say he does so to a fault. He's extremely patient, accepting, and rarely loses his temper. The times he openly shows anger or raises his voice in the course of the game's storyline can be counted on one hand – in normal situations, he stays level-headed, and prefers to step back and think before acting or reacting. He rarely takes things too seriously, brushing things off and keeping everything in good humor as much as he's able. Things may worry him or make him upset, but on an average basis, he refuses to let the things that bother him affect how he lives, makes decisions, or interacts with other people.
But that, in itself, affects how he lives more than anything else. This man has walls upon walls he has constructed that he will not allow other people to cross. Some are unintentional, but many are very intentional, kept up only through a struggle for self-pride and a need for personal protection. There are many subjects he will dance around, smooth over, or refuse to share, simply because the environment and those around him would all work better if things about himself were simply left alone. It's a waste of energy for something that won't change, so there isn't any need to talk about it. Sadly, this applies to much of Guy's personal opinions, his past, and anything that requires a great deal of personal honesty. Details of himself given to complete strangers are considered stupidity, details to friends a delicate risk - every fact he opens up about can be an emotional weapon against him, so his privacy is precious. In reality, he is lonely - frighteningly so, given his self-inflicted seclusion. But that fear of ongoing loneliness battles frequently against his desire for privacy, and keeping to what he knows best is, sadly, much easier than leaving himself exposed. He will stoop vrather low at times to protect himself - both his life and his personal affairs. Although he's relatively friendly and doesn't necessarily keep every little thing to himself, Guy does struggle with consistent honesty, both to others and to himself – he isn't entirely incapable of telling the truth, especially when it's important. But when it comes to picky matters, he can be extremely secretive. When coupled with his stubborn flair and blunt irritation, Guy's conversations can be incredibly cryptic. It may come across as the truth - it might even contain the truth, here or there - but knowing whether or not you're actually hearing the whole truth is often up in the air. His ability to flip a conversation to work in his favor can keep his trickery and casual dishonesty a frustrating constant.
He's fine with bringing out his own ideas and speaking up when something bothers him, but rarely to the point of argument or burdening others - he's dealt with it long enough on his own, after all, so why bother to ask for help unless he really needs it? He's nearly perfected his emotional masks, using his sense of humor flippantly to deflect otherwise-touchy situations, often pulling white lies left and right without breaking stride or losing his poker face. His behavior isn't something he takes pride in, but as deep-rooted as it is, the man still comes by it as though it were second-nature, using it for his advantage as a simple habit to keep himself safe or out of suspicion. It's not uncommon for him to participate in a situation while having personal discomfort about it, or to flip a conversation with a lie or misdirection (often without other people picking up on it) when he feels it isn't going a particularly comfortable direction. Going hand in hand with this, Guy tends to lean towards passive-aggressive tendencies when he's genuinely upset about something. Very little will make him blow up, but he makes up for it by turning the tables on others, even in his joking, making him manipulative or cruel under extreme circumstances and flippantly rude in others. His stubbornness makes him hold to personal biases almost obsessively at times, even if he doesn't say anything outright for the sake of the conversation. He doesn't have many, but those he does have he clings to relentlessly, rarely letting anyone talk him out of his views unless he himself can see that those views need to change. He will not talk people down for disagreeing, but he does not take kindly to people trying to dig down deep and force him to change. The personal decisions he makes are his own for very important reasons, and once a firm decision is made? It's tucked behind those walls, and it can be very hard to rip him away.
It's completely unintentional, but Guy is a natural charmer. He's often heard throwing out honest compliments or saying touching words of the top of his head in moments of delicacy, touching women's hearts and earning him feedback that often bewilders him. It's something he often remains oblivious to, even when women flock around him from time to time. As much as it happens, the sudden attention is incredibly uncomfortable for hims: although he enjoys women aesthetically and is sexually attracted to them, he cannot stand being physically close to them due to severe gynophobia, one of his most prominent mental issues. Because of trauma related with his older sister's death, Guy is unable to approach, touch, be touched by, or generally be around women without a negative, fearful reaction. All his impulses are involuntary and very difficult for him to fight - he will get short of breath, yell, scramble for cover, tremble, shove, even throw himself to the ground with his arms over his head at times, depending on where he is touched and how badly it catches him off-guard. Despite having had the phobia for years, Guy has only recently recovered the memories of what even happened to cause it, and even that isn't a cure in and of itself. He is able to understand what happened, even if the memory itself is incredibly painful, and slow steps over months of travelling have shown a small amount of progress. But he still struggles, much more than he would ever like to admit. It's a very personal frustration and a cause for great embarrassment, but he tries to avoid being pitied for it as much as possible, since he sees no need to pity someone for something unknown. He does have the possibility to act without fail in moments of absolute necessity, where adrenaline is what fuels him (such as during combat or sudden rescues), but even then, his fear tends to kick right back up the moment things have calmed down. Every victory is at least another possible step towards what he hopes is recovery, but it's a long road, and not something he's deemed important with the world literally falling apart around him.
Despite his troubles with this, though, he still remains remarkably chivalrous. Even with his noble background, Guy keeps that servant heart and will go out of his way to assist another, even when it is not required of him. On most occasions, he will follow requests without complaint, even if he has those slight personal objections. This is partially out of habit from working under the Fabre household as a caretaker for Luke, but also because the responsibility of working and caring for those around him is something that gives him a personal sense of fulfillment. He has been known to deny requests when they upset him enough or clash with an ideal he holds strongly, but simple tasks will hardly receive any uproar from him. He's healthy, strong, and if it makes the people around him benefit, then what's the harm?
Two of Guy's bigger strengths are his good-humored nature and his sense of loyalty. While he usually knows when a situation needs to be addressed seriously, he still attempts to stay optimistic whenever possible, joking around when he can and turning the situation to a positive light when he can't. The man isn't afraid to laugh or brush things off when they aren't all that important. He strives to keep people in a good mood, on the same page working towards the same goal with as little bickering as possible, even at the sake of his own ego. In that regard, he isn't a person to bring up his own problems, and would rather shrug it off, mask it, or dodge the conversations entirely for the sake of the other person. Pokes and prods at his character aren't often taken too seriously, and he finds himself playing peacemaker from time to time because of this trait. He's gentle and compassionate, enjoying the responsibility that it takes to help out another and make other people happy – the spirit of a servant completely content with his work. He can be very forgiving if he so chooses, almost always attempting to think the best of people, even if circumstances turn out for the worse. Even if he has suspicions or bitterness towards another person, he will still usually attempt to grab at insight behind their true intentions before making any final judgment. It takes effort and patience, but if someone earns his good faith and complete trust, he sticks by them unwaveringly.
His negative traits have their own source as well. He is slowly working through resentment and anger built behind a lifetime focused on revenge towards a single individual – mainly Duke Fabre and his family. Having lost his home, status, and entire family at the age of five in an act of war led by Duke Fabre, Guy has spent the entirety of his childhood and teenage years working in enemy territory, inserting himself into the Fabre household as a servant in order to wait for his chance to act out his revenge; to take his father's sword and slaughter the family, starting with Luke (the only son of Duke Fabre) in an attempt to make the Duke suffer as much as Guy had suffered. Despite developing a strong bond with the boy he had vowed to kill and continually attempting to put his desire for revenge behind him, Guy still struggles with years of repressed anger, and has yet to completely come to terms with his past or even tell those close to him who he really is. The grudge he holds is deep enough to change him from a rather emotional crybaby of a child to the calm, contained, and rather deceptive man that travels with the party. Although he normally can wave things off, the wrongs he believes were committed against himself and the land of Hod in general are things he admits to having lingering feelings over. He wishes to work past it someday - heck, he's even trying - but the bitterness still remains, despite how hard he tries to grit his teeth and push his way through it. His inability to open up to his friends and colleagues is a hindrance to his chances at working through that bitterness completely, and with years of emotional walls being built up, it is not something he feels comfortable doing, even after so much time to have his life revealed to others. It doesn't stop him from trying to keep that smile on his face, though. A pleasant appearance above all else - everything else, for him, will have to come afterwards.