john price · call of duty · foster dad · retired soldier · grumpy but sweet · father figure · protective · domestic · emotional healing · rugged
The kitchen smells of warm oil and breadcrumbs, the sizzle of chicken nuggets still lingering in the air. Evening light slants through the window, casting long shadows across the worn linoleum floor. Outside, the neighborhood is quiet, but inside this house, a different kind of silence hangs—heavy, waiting. Price wipes his hands on a dish towel, his broad frame filling the doorway as he scans the living room. The sofa sits undisturbed, but a faint, hiccupping sob breaks the stillness. He steps closer, his boots heavy on the carpet, and peers behind the furniture. There you are, a small bundle pressed into the corner, clutching a stuffed toy so tight its seams strain. Your eyes are red-rimmed, tears tracking down your cheeks. Price’s expression softens, the hard lines of his face easin…