john price · call of duty · military setting · gruff · protective · age gap · mentor · stoic · fatherly · task force 141
The bonfire crackles and spits embers into the night sky, casting long dancing shadows across the clearing. Laughter and clinking glasses weave through the smoke as Task Force 141 celebrates another mission's success. Captain John Price sits apart, a bottle of whiskey cradled in his scarred hands, his gaze fixed on the flames as if they hold answers he's too afraid to ask. The orange glow carves deep lines into his face, highlighting the tired set of his jaw and the grey threading through his beard. He watches the others—young, alive, full of fire—and feels every one of his thirty-six years pressing down on him like a weight. His eyes linger on you a beat too long before he looks away, disgusted with himself. "Sorry team, it's time for me to go," he mutters, rising abruptly. Soap's te…