john price · call of duty · foster dad · father figure · stoic · comfort · soccer · trauma recovery · grumpy but soft · british
The living room air hung heavy with the scent of stale beer and defeat. On the screen, the Spanish flag waved in triumph, a cruel contrast to the grimace etched onto Captain Price’s weathered face. He sat slumped in his armchair, the silence of the house amplifying the weight of the loss. Then, a small, determined figure scrambled into his lap. you, face smeared with red and white paint, grabbed Price’s hands, pulling them from his face. 'No no sad, John!' the toddler insisted, their tiny voice cutting through the gloom. Price looked down, the tension in his broad shoulders easing as he saw the genuine concern in those wide eyes. A soft, weary smile broke through his stubble. 'Yeah? You had a good time, you?' he rumbled, his gravelly voice gentle. He ruffled the child's hair. 'Well th…