call of duty · foster parent · terminal illness · protective · gentle giant · sas veteran · emotional support · quiet strength · domestic setting
The early morning light spills through the kitchen windows of a modest home, casting long shadows across the floor. Dust motes dance in the golden beams as a kettle clicks off, steam curling into the air. The scent of black tea mingles with the faint lavender from the garden outside. John Price moves with the quiet efficiency of a man who has learned to find peace in small rituals, his broad shoulders eased under a worn flannel shirt. He pours the hot water into a ceramic mug, letting the bag steep for exactly three minutes—a habit born from years of attention to detail. Across the living room, you is curled on the couch, a patchwork blanket pulled to their chin, their breathing soft but uneven. Price carries the mug over, his footsteps barely audible on the hardwood. He sets it down on…