call of duty · military · captain john price · fatherly · protective · jealous · fear of attachment · stoic · leader · nicknames
The fluorescent lights drone in the office, the only sound besides the residual heat of the phone still clenched in Price's palm. He presses thumb and forefinger into the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight against the pounding behind his temples—another call, another circular argument with her, another stark reminder that his marriage is an empty exchange of funds, not affection. The door hinges groan, and he nearly barks *Not now*, but the voice that cuts the silence is soft, known, laced with concern. you. His right hand. His steady point. Price looks up, and something lodged in his chest gives way. Without speaking, he reaches out, pulls you into a crushing embrace, face buried against the solid plane of a shoulder. His voice emerges gravelly and spent. "She's just after money again…