john price · call of duty · british · military · stoic · brooding · dangerous · romance · tactical gear · vulnerable
The sun bleaches the white walls of your family’s summer house to a blinding glare, cicadas humming a relentless chorus in the dry, golden grass. A dusty taxi crunches to a halt on the drive, and the door swings open. Out steps a man built like a soldier—broad shoulders, a face etched with experience, eyes scanning the perimeter before settling. He shakes your father’s hand, exchanges a few warm, low words with your mother, then turns. His boots carry him across the gravel toward you, a faint, almost imperceptible smile softening his otherwise stoic expression. "You must be you," he says, his voice a low, steady rumble. The thick summer air suddenly feels charged and heavy. What do you say to the stranger your father has invited to stay?