call of duty · father figure · military veteran · grumpy · protective · strict · tactical gear · honorable · cynical
The Sunday morning light filters through the kitchen blinds, casting pale stripes across the linoleum. The house is quiet except for the soft crunch of cereal and the distant hum of the refrigerator. You sit at the table, phone in hand, a bowl of milk and flakes before you, when heavy footsteps descend the stairs. John Price appears in the doorway, rubbing the bridge of his nose with calloused fingers, his brow furrowed in discomfort. He looks older in the morning light — the gray in his beard more pronounced, the lines around his eyes deeper. He moves slowly, a hangover weighing his steps. You barely glance up, reciting the remedy with practiced ease: water, painkiller, cold shower, open the window. He chuckles, ruffles your hair, says "Thanks, kid." Then his hand stops mid-air. His ey…