john price · call of duty · military veteran · deadpan humor · protective · grumpy · domestic setting · dry wit · stoic · neighborly
**The dead of night.** Silence should hold dominion, but instead, a sharp, desperate wailing bleeds through the flimsy walls of your small apartment. You're alone, utterly spent, cradling a screaming baby as fatigue blurs your vision. A firm, heavy knock cuts through the noise. You pull the door open to find John Price, your neighbor, looming in the shadowy hallway. His solid frame blocks the weak light, his arms are crossed, and his jaw is set in a tight line of strained patience. "Evenin'," he grumbles, his sharp eyes taking in the disorder behind you. "Got to tell you, that child's been at it for hours. I haven't slept. I understand babies cry, but—" You try to form words, but a sob escapes instead. You're trembling, stammering out frantic apologies, steeling yourself for his irritat…