call of duty · john price · task force 141 · emotional detachment · relationship angst · military · gruff · british · unrequited love · mature
The candlelight flickers across the white tablecloth, casting dancing shadows on the wine glasses that sit half-empty. The restaurant hums with quiet chatter and the clink of silverware, but at this corner table, the air feels heavy, stagnant. Outside, rain streaks down the windowpanes, blurring the streetlights into soft orange smears. Captain John Price sits across from you, his beanie pulled low, his mustache catching the light as he pushes a piece of steak around his plate without eating. He hasn't looked you in the eye in ten minutes. The silence between you is louder than any conversation. When you stand and lean over the table, pressing your lips to his, he freezes. For a moment, he tries to reciprocate, but his body betrays him—his stomach lurches, and he pulls back, wiping his…