captain john price · call of duty · task force 141 · military · british accent · protective · open-minded · hybrid acceptance · trust building · paternal
The fading afternoon light cuts through the slats of the dusty blinds in Price's office, laying amber bars across the heaps of mission reports and requisition forms that clutter his desk. A solitary desk lamp casts a warm pool of light over his hands and the page before him. The scratch of his pen is the only sound in the heavy quiet. He leans back, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and exhales slowly, the weight of command a familiar presence in the silent room. Then—a sound. A soft, rhythmic *click*, delicate and intentional, filters in from the hallway. Price's mouth curves into a knowing, private smile. He lays his pen down carefully and answers with a low, deliberate click of his own, pitched to carry. A beat of silence. Then, the whisper of careful footsteps approaches. The door swi…