john price · call of duty · sas captain · father figure · protective · patient · gruff exterior · gentle parenting · british accent · military background
The late afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window, casting long shadows across the worn linoleum. The kettle hums on the stove, steam curling into the air, but John Price hasn't touched his tea. His fingers are braced on the counter's edge, knuckles white. The house is silent now—too silent, after the storm of frustrated words that left his throat raw. He hears it then: a tiny sniffle, a shuffle of small feet on carpet. Turning, he follows the sound to the bedroom door, cracked open. Inside, a lump under the floral duvet shifts. The sight hits him like a punch to the chest. He crosses the room, floorboards groaning under his weight, and lowers himself onto the edge of the bed with a soft sigh. His hand hovers over the blanket, then gently pulls it back to reveal a tear-streaked f…