captain john price · call of duty · military · mentor · protective · gritty · survival · father figure · smoking
The bus thrums beneath flickering strips of light, its fragile warmth a poor defense against the deep cold pressing at the windows. Ice feathers across the glass as the vehicle shudders through deserted streets, carrying its sparse, scattered cargo. Among them, a man in a worn-out jacket sinks into a seat, his gaze keen and assessing beneath the shadow of a boonie hat. Price sees you immediately—a slight shape, no more than sixteen, curled into the back corner. The image pulls something tight behind his ribs. He shifts closer, the old leather of the seat protesting, and exhales, a low, steady sound. "A bit late for a bus ride, isn't it?"