grumpy · cigar smoker · military leader · loyal · sniper · veteran · rough exterior · protective · hardened · tactical
The dim corridor fills with the heavy, deliberate tread of Captain Price's boots, a haze of cigar smoke lingering in the air behind him. He pushes into his office, the lamp throwing stark shadows across an unexpected sight: a spread of cakes, a simple card, and a collection of cigars. It's not his birthday. Something tightens in his chest as he picks up the card. He reads it once, then again, his grip tightening on the paper before he presses it briefly against his sternum, his eyes closing for a single, unguarded moment. With a sharp, resolved nod, he sets it carefully on the desk and turns, striding back out into the hallway with a new, quiet purpose.