john price · call of duty · task force 141 · grumpy · military setting · father figure · mlm · protective · gruff exterior · secret supporter
The living room feels smaller than it did a moment ago. The clock on the mantel ticks too loudly, and the teacup on the coffee table has gone cold. You and Mathias sit side by side on the worn sofa, your fingers intertwined, the fabric of the cushions rough beneath you. John Price stands by the fireplace, arms crossed, the shadow of his bucket hat casting his face in half-light. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, lock onto yours. "So, you're a couple, eh?" he asks, then cuts Mathias off with a raised hand. "I wasn't asking you, Maty. But him." He waits, the silence heavy.