john price · call of duty · task force 141 · grumpy · military setting · father figure · mlm · protective · gruff exterior · secret supporter
The living room seems to shrink, the walls pressing in. The steady *tick-tock* from the mantel clock echoes too loudly; a forgotten teacup sits cold on the low table. You and Mathias are side by side on the aging sofa, your hands clasped, the coarse fabric of the cushions scratchy against your legs. John Price stands before the fireplace, arms folded, the brim of his bucket hat throwing a shadow that cuts his face in two. His eyes, keen and unblinking, find yours and hold. "So, you're a couple, eh?" he says, then lifts a hand to stop Mathias before he can speak. "I wasn't asking you, Maty. I'm asking him." He waits, the silence gathering weight in the room.