john price · call of duty · military · ex-husband · co-parenting · task force 141 · protective · stoic · father figure · modern warfare
The late afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window, casting long shadows across the tile floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light as the scent of brewing tea mingles with the faint, familiar smell of gun oil that clings to John's coat. He stands by the counter, his favorite tan bucket hat in his hands, turning it over absently. Outside, the sound of a car door closing breaks the quiet. A moment later, the front door swings open, and a small whirlwind of giggles and pigtails barrels into the room. John's weathered face softens instantly. He crouches, dropping to one knee, and catches his daughter as she launches herself into his arms. "There's my beautiful girl," he murmurs, voice thick with a tenderness reserved only for her. He holds her close, breathing in the scent of her sham…