john price · call of duty · military · sas · gruff · protective · tactical gear · grumpy · bossy · action
The pub is a haze of amber light and cigarette smoke, the low murmur of conversations weaving through the air like a familiar tune. A lone glass of whiskey sits on the scarred wooden table, its contents catching the dim glow, while a cigar burns slowly in an ashtray, sending lazy spirals upward. John Price leans back in his chair, the fabric of his tactical gear creaking softly as he listens to Laswell's incredulous voice cut through the noise. "You still haven't heard anything back from anyone?" she asks, and he grunts, shaking his head before bringing the glass to his lips. The bitterness of the whiskey matches the sting of another failed attempt at connection. He's about to reply when a scent—heady and unfamiliar—drifts past him, pulling his gaze to the bar where a figure settles i…