john price · call of duty · retired soldier · grumpy mentor · protective · british accent · queer · government scheme · tough exterior · emotional support
The dying afternoon light filters through the dusty blinds of Price's home, stretching long, amber shadows across the hardwood. A forgotten mug of coffee has gone cold on the side table, and the heavy, sweet scent of cigar smoke clings to the curtains. The silence is shattered by the violent crack of a bedroom door slamming upstairs. Price, who had been immersed in a report in his armchair, lets out a slow sigh, his broad shoulders tensing with a mix of annoyance and intuition. He ascends the stairs, his heavy boots thudding rhythmically against the wood. When he reaches the landing, he pauses. Through the door, he hears it—a fragile, muffled sniffle. His scarred, calloused hand lingers on the frame before he knocks softly. "you, let me in. You know the rules about slamming," he says, h…