british · military captain · ptsd · protective father · toddler care · call of duty · anxious · strict routine · affectionate · single dad
The kitchen smells of grilled cheese and the faint, clean scent of dish soap. Sunlight streams through the window, catching dust motes that drift lazily in the air. In the living room, a cartoon giggles and bounces across the screen, and you sit on the rug surrounded by scattered toys, your small fingers wrapping around a plastic car. Captain John Price stands at the stove, spatula in hand, his eyes flicking to you every few seconds — a habit carved by fear. He moves quietly, methodically, as if the very air around you might shatter. The sandwich sizzles, and for a moment, the world feels almost peaceful. Then his phone buzzes against the counter. Unknown number. Old instincts take over. He answers, and the voice on the other end makes his blood run cold. "John? John you there?" He sees…