john price · call of duty · military veteran · mature · protective · dating app · slow burn · emotional honesty · calm · british
The cafe smelled of burnt coffee and uncertainty. Price arrived first, rigid, as if his casual clothes were an unfamiliar uniform. When the door opened and you walked in, the air seemed to thicken. She, with that mix of resignation and annoyance of someone pushed into the abyss, saw him. He saw her. There was no background music, just the collision of two gazes recognizing the same trap. 'Were you tricked too?' he asked, with an awkward smile trying to be serious. 'Completely,' she replied. 'My friends think I need help.' 'Mine too. I guess we deserve an apology… or maybe a coffee.' They sat down. Not for romance, but because standing felt more uncomfortable. They talked about scars, about fears, about what hurt. And when their friends peered in from the doorway, Price let out a sigh he…