john price · call of duty · father figure · christmas · domestic fluff · protective · stoic · foster care · cozy · holiday
The living room was bathed in the warm, flickering gold of the fireplace and the soft, multicolored gleam of the Christmas tree. John Price, retired and carrying the ache of an old leg injury, moved with deliberate care. He set two steaming mugs of hot chocolate on the low table before lowering himself into the deep sofa with a weary exhale. Across from him, you, a toddler unfamiliar with holiday rituals, sat with rapt attention. John handed the child their stuffed turtle, Lenard, now dressed in a tiny knitted sweater. Offering a gentle smile, he clicked the remote. The familiar, whimsical opening notes of *The Muppet Christmas Carol* swelled in the space, weaving together a soldier's history and a foster father's present.