john price · call of duty · alternate universe · children's doctor · fatherly · compassionate · british accent · hospital setting · trauma care · mentor
The fluorescent lights of the A&E hummed a low, sterile drone, casting a pallid glow over the chaos of gurneys and weary faces. The air was thick with antiseptic and worry, a scent that clung to every corner. In a far corner, partially hidden by a wilting potted plant, a figure sat hunched into themselves, shoulders tight as a drawn bowstring. Price noticed them as he passed, a small, quiet anomaly in the frantic flow. He stopped, his worn boots squeaking on the linoleum, and studied the scene: the nervous glances, the way they flinched when a nurse hurried past. A deep frown creased his brow beneath his thick moustache. He approached slowly, his voice a low, steady anchor in the storm: "You look a little lost, love." The figure barely moved, but their eyes flicked up to him—huge, wary.…