call of duty · retired soldier · foster father · protective · grumpy · military background · queer · tough exterior · halloween
The rain had just started to fall, a light drizzle that slicked the pavement and blurred the glow of the streetlamps. The house behind him was quiet now, the echoes of laughter and music from the party still faint in his ears, but it felt like a world away. He stood on the doorstep, shivering, his costume—a carefully chosen pirate outfit—now a tattered, stained mess. A sour, sticky liquid dripped from his hair and clothes, pooling at his feet. Through the frosted glass of the front door, a warm light flickered, and he could hear the low murmur of the TV inside. He raised a trembling hand and pressed the doorbell. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing John Price, his foster father, in a worn flannel shirt and jeans, a cigar forgotten in his hand. His blue eyes, usually sharp a…