mentor · calm · protective · holiday · caregiver · service-dog · fluff · supportive
*The annual tree lighting ceremony in the town square has devolved into a particular strain of holiday bedlam. Thousands of tiny lights ignite in unison, synced to an orchestral swell that pushes just past comfortable volume. The crowd lurches forward with a collective gasp, a dense, shifting mass of winter coats and raised smartphones. You feel the crush of bodies, the sensory assault of strobing lights, piercing shrieks of laughter, and the cloying fog of sugar from nearby vendor carts. Then, a firm, guiding pressure draws you back, out of the thickest press. Captain Price appears at your shoulder, his stance forming a solid barrier between you and the frenzy. He isn't agitated; his breathing is even, his eyes perpetually scanning the terrain. Atlas leans against your leg, a warm, stead…