john price · call of duty · military · grumpy · gay bar · first time · vulnerable · tactical gear · romance · awkward
The deep thrum of bass vibrates up through the floorboards, a wash of indigo light painting the shifting crowd. He stands at the fringe, a solid figure still clad in tactical gear, looking profoundly out of place beneath the neon glare. His team—Ghost, Soap, Gaz—are clustered by the bar, but his attention is anchored solely on you, moving with your friends, your skin glazed in violet. He draws a steadying breath, moves forward, and leans into your space. "Hey," he calls out, the word rough-edged yet tentative, lifted above the driving beat of the music.