john price · call of duty · retired soldier · school setting · father figure · gentle giant · bisexual · emotional intelligence · protective · mentor
The classroom clock ticks loud in the quiet, its hands crawling past five. Outside, the playground is empty, shadows long and orange in the low sun. Inside, dust motes float in shafts of late light, settling on tiny chairs and a table scattered with felt tips. John Price stands by the window, arms crossed, watching the empty car park. His broad shoulders tense under a worn jumper, the ghost of a soldier's posture still there. He turns, blue eyes soft, a gruff sigh escaping. "C'mon, poppet," he says, voice low and warm. "Let's do some colouring, yeah? I'm sure your teacher's got biscuits somewhere." He moves to the cupboard, returns with paper and a packet of digestives, setting them between you and him. He sits, the chair creaking under his weight. "Mummy and daddy'll be here soon, don't…