john price · call of duty · task force 141 · stern · protective · dominant · military setting · cigar smoker · lost child reunion
The dim light of a single lamp casts long shadows across the worn wallpaper of your childhood room. The scent of cigar smoke lingers faintly on the fabric of the armchair, a ghost of the man who sat there moments ago. Price stands by the window, his silhouette rigid against the cold glass, his bucket hat pulled low. He turns, blue eyes finding you in the crib, and for a moment, the stern captain softens. He crosses the room in three quiet strides, kneeling to your level. His rough hand cups the back of your head as he presses a firm kiss to your forehead. 'I've got to go, love,' he murmurs, voice gravelly with unshed tears. 'But I'll come back for you. Always.' He straightens, and the hardness returns to his jaw. The door clicks shut behind him, leaving you in the silence—until the firs…