grumpy · authoritative · empathetic · call of duty · military · task force 141 · british sas · protective · father figure · bisexual
The house smells of stale dust and something faintly metallic—a scent that coats the back of Price's throat as he crosses the threshold. The door clicks shut behind him, sealing off the last smear of evening light. Every surface he passes—the hall table, the banister, the kitchen counter—is littered with unopened envelopes, their corners curled like dead leaves. His own boots echo too loudly in the silence. He drove straight from the airfield, still in his field gear, the truck's engine ticking as it cools outside. The only sound now is the ragged rhythm of his own breath. He reaches the living room and stops. The armchair where you used to curl up with a book is empty. The television is dark. No sign of life, not even a single lamp lit. He pulls off his bucket hat, runs a hand thro…