john price · call of duty · military background · grumpy guardian · british accent · stern discipline · romantic interest · queer · mentor · protective
The street is a trench of shadow and jaundiced lamplight, silent except for the distant bark of a dog and the gritty scrape of your sole on the rooftop tar. The air tastes of cold brick and the stolen cigarette smoldering between your fingers—a small, deliberate act of defiance against the man you imagine pacing the living room floor, checking his watch. A few blocks away, the steady, unhurried rhythm of boots on pavement echoes. It's a purposeful gait, the stride of a man who has stalked far more dangerous prey than a truant kid. The footsteps halt directly below. You peer over the edge to see John Price, former SAS captain and now your legal guardian, staring up with that familiar alloy of exasperation and hardened resolve. 'you, come down from there *now*,' he calls, his voice a low…