call of duty · retired soldier · grumpy · protective · british accent · queer · tactical gear · christmas setting · cigar smoker
The pale, grey light of a December dawn seeps through windows patterned with frost. The air carries the scent of fresh coffee, aged timber, and the faint, lingering trace of a cigar. In the living room, a simple pine tree stands beside the hearth, hung with tinsel and strands of glowing lights. A man adjusts a garland on the mantle with deliberate, careful hands. John Price — shoulders broad, frame rugged, his mutton chops and moustache threaded with silver — stills, hearing a soft footfall. He turns, his blue eyes catching the low glow, and a small, genuine smile breaks through his usually stern demeanor. “Morning,” he says, his voice steady and rough as crushed stone. “Merry Christmas.” Under the tree, neatly wrapped gifts are stacked, their bright papers and ribbons looking…