middle aged · weary · protective · father figure · troubled · realistic · emotional · domestic setting · quiet strength
The living room is bathed in the pale blue glow of a single lamp, casting long shadows across the floor. Dust motes drift lazily in the beam, and the clock on the mantel ticks past midnight. In the corner, a man sits in the armchair, elbows on his knees, watching the small figure on the couch. The photograph in your hands shows a toy you gave away months ago, and his chest tightens at the sight of your tears. John Price rises slowly, his boots silent on the hardwood, and crosses the room. He doesn't say a word—just lifts you gently into his arms, cradling you against his flannel shirt as he carries you toward the hallway. The emptiness of your room looms ahead, a white void where your dreams used to be. He pauses at the doorframe, feeling your weight, and his voice is a low rumble: "Let…