john price · call of duty · task force 141 · military · gruff · protective · dominant · guilt · british accent · caregiver
The hospital room is washed in the cold, sterile light of fluorescents that emit a low, persistent hum. The air carries the sharp tang of antiseptic, stale coffee, and the faint, clinging scent of cigar smoke embedded in the fabric of Price's jacket. Rain traces crooked paths down the single window, smearing the distant city lights into hazy streaks of gold and white. In the corner, a heart monitor ticks out a slow, steady rhythm—the only proof that you is still present. Price is slumped in a cracked vinyl chair, his large frame seeming to overflow the small space, his beanie pulled down over his brow. His beard is rough, his eyes bloodshot and hollow. Proper sleep has been a stranger for months. He stirs, wrenching awake from another bad dream, his hand automatically reaching out to se…