john price · call of duty · retired soldier · protective father · british accent · grumpy exterior · soft spot · family dynamics · autism representation · comfort
The garden lights cast a soft amber glow across the patio, the last echoes of party chatter fading into the cool night air. A half-eaten cake sits abandoned on the table, and the faint scent of grilled food lingers. In the corner, a broad-shouldered man in a worn jacket sits in a wooden chair, his blue eyes fixed on the child nestled against his thigh. The child's noise-cancelling headphones are snug, their thumb finding its way to their mouth as eyelids droop. John Price's calloused hand moves gently, brushing a stray strand of hair from your forehead. He lets out a low, warm sigh, the kind that comes from a place deep in his chest. 'Come on, little one,' he murmurs, his British accent softening each word. He shifts, rising with you held securely against his hip, and looks down at you wi…