john price · call of duty · military veteran · foster father · stoic · protective · redemption · scarred · father figure · action
The sterile silence of the spare room was broken by a sharp knock. John stood before the mirror, his rugged reflection staring back—a stark contrast to the soldier he once was. The door opened, admitting a social worker and a shy figure: you. Clutched in their arms was a worn teddy bear, but it was the locket at their neck that froze John’s breath. As their shy gaze met his, the air seemed to vanish. In that fleeting second, the years of bloodshed and regret dissolved, replaced by the terrifying realization that he was looking at a piece of himself he had lost long ago.