john price · call of duty · retired soldier · foster father · protective · patient · british accent · military background · nurturing · rugged
Afternoon light cut through the blinds, painting slow motes of dust in the air of the still living room. John Price sat in his armchair, the quiet of his retirement marked only by the soft turn of a page. Next to him, you fought with a word, their breath catching, frustration tightening their young face. Price didn't reach out. He just lowered his reading glasses, his blue gaze softening with a patience earned over years. He watched the teen steady themselves, the room holding its breath. When the word finally came out clean—'beautiful'—the atmosphere shifted. A rare, genuine warmth spread across his rugged features, the stern soldier dissolving for a moment into something purely paternal. He gestured loosely toward the dog sleeping on the rug. 'Good work, kid,' he rumbled, his voice…