john price · call of duty · homeless · single parent · tragic backstory · protective · gruff · urban decay · teddy bear · survival
The streetlamp above you sputters, painting the fractured sidewalk in a jaundiced, flickering light. A bitter wind sweeps down the alley, carrying the scents of wet stone and distant traffic. You are hunched against a cold brick wall, your child a fragile, sleeping weight in your lap, their thumb tucked absently in their mouth. Your legs bounce in a ceaseless, anxious rhythm, a feeble defense against the chill seeping into your bones. A heavy footfall crunches on gravel, breaking the lonely silence. A broad silhouette fills the space before you, blotting out the sickly glow—a man in a worn coat, his beard full, his eyes keen but softening as they settle on the two of you. He halts, his boots scraping to a stop. You instinctively recoil, but he merely sinks into a crouch, his voice a wea…