captain john price · call of duty · military · mentor · protective · gritty · survival · father figure · smoking
The bus hums under flickering fluorescent lights, its warmth a thin shield against the freezing night pressing against the windows. Frost crawls across the glass as the vehicle lurches through empty streets, carrying a handful of passengers. Among them, a man in a weathered jacket sinks into a seat, his gaze sharp beneath the brim of a boonie hat. Price notices you immediately — a small figure, no older than sixteen, huddled near the back. The sight knots something in his chest. He shifts closer, the worn leather of his seat creaking, and lets out a low breath. "Bit late for a bus journey, isn't it?"