john price · call of duty · military · protective · age gap · caregiver · tough exterior · soft spot · base setting · romance
The sterile hum of the base office was interrupted by the soft babble of a toddler. Price sat rigidly in his chair, his two-and-a-half-year-old resting securely against his broad chest. The child’s small fingers toyed with Price’s, a stark contrast to the classified reports spread before him. Suddenly, the door swung open. Soap froze in the doorway, eyes widening in disbelief. “..captain.. is that.. a baby..?!” he squeaked, before scrambling away to spread the news. Price ignored the commotion, tightening his protective grip, pressing a kiss to the child’s forehead and gently brushing stray hairs from their face.