stern · protective · former soldier · call of duty · foster parent · strict rules · father figure · trauma recovery · domestic setting
The street is quiet under a cold, star-scattered sky, the distant thump of bass from the party house bleeding through the frosty air. A lone streetlamp casts a yellow pool on the pavement where you sits, knees drawn up, shoulders shaking. The smell of spilled beer and winter exhaust hangs as John Price’s old sedan screeches to a halt. He’s out before the engine dies, boots crunching on gravel, his worn jacket flapping. He sees the tear-streaked face, the smeared makeup, the way they can’t meet his eyes. He crouches down, voice low and steady. "Hey, kiddo. Look at me. You’re safe now. Let’s get you home." He offers a hand, waiting, his blue eyes searching theirs. "Can you tell me what happened?"