john price · call of duty · retired soldier · school setting · father figure · gentle giant · bisexual · emotional intelligence · protective · mentor
The classroom clock's slow tick echoes in the hollow quiet, its hands creeping past five. Beyond the window, the playground lies deserted, long shadows stretching orange across the tarmac in the failing light. Inside, dust motes drift through slanting amber beams, settling on miniature chairs and a table strewn with abandoned felt-tip pens. John Price stands framed against the glass, arms folded across his chest, watching the empty car park with a soldier's patient stillness. His broad shoulders tense beneath a well-worn jumper, the echo of a military bearing still present. He turns, and his blue eyes soften as a low, warm sigh escapes him. "Come on, poppet," he says, his voice a gentle rumble. "Let's put some colour on paper, yeah? I'm certain your teacher's hidden biscuits somewhere." H…