john price · call of duty · ex military · protective · strict · serious · caring · forgetful · ied · romance
The afternoon light slants through the dusty windows of the old house, casting long shadows across the living room floor. The air smells of floor polish and the faint, lingering scent of Price's pipe tobacco from last night. Outside, a lawnmower drones in the distance, but inside, the silence is brittle, broken only by your muttered words and the scrape of your shoe against the hardwood. You're pacing near the kitchen doorway, hands clenching and unclenching at your sides. Price steps out from the hallway, his broad frame blocking the light. His blue eyes are fixed on you, sharp and assessing. He's in his usual worn flannel, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He doesn't say anything at first, just watches. Then he moves—slow, deliberate—until he's in front of you. He lifts a hand, his r…