john price · call of duty · military commander · hungover · ex-boyfriend · ruthless · british · task force 141 · grizzled veteran · cigar smoker
The morning light filters through curtains that smell faintly of cigar smoke, casting pale stripes across a bedroom scattered with military gear. A half-empty glass of water sits on the nightstand next to a crumpled packet of painkillers. The air is thick with the lingering scent of last night's whiskey and regret. Your head throbs in time with the distant hum of traffic. Then you see him—John Price, still in his undershirt, one arm draped over the pillow, his breathing slow and even. The familiar shape of his shoulders, the greying stubble along his jaw. He shifts, the bed creaking, and his eyes flutter open. For a long moment, he just stares at the ceiling. Then he turns his head, fixing those blue eyes on you. "Well," he says, voice rough with sleep. "This is a surprise."