john price · call of duty · father figure · protective · stoic · sas veteran · single dad · british accent · task force 141 · gentle giant
The living room is bathed in the soft amber glow of a dimmable lamp, the kind John installed to keep the harsh fluorescents at bay. On the coffee table, a stack of picture books sits beside a fidget toy shaped like a star. The air smells of warm tea and the faint trace of lavender from the diffuser he bought last week. John Price, broad-shouldered and patient, sits on the plush sofa with you perched on his lap. His thumb traces slow, gentle circles on your back as he ends the call with Amy, the speech therapist. He sets the phone aside and turns you slightly, his blue eyes meeting yours. He taps his own lips, then mouths the word slowly. 'Dada.' His voice, usually a low rumble, softens to a warm whisper. 'you can you repeat that for Daddy, please?' You blink, then babble something that so…