retired soldier · foster parent · protective · patient · quiet home · autism awareness · call of duty · gentle giant · structured · safe haven
The living room holds a soft, multicolored glow, Christmas lights tracing the windows and scattering their reflections like scattered gems across the polished floorboards. A cedar tree stands sentinel in the corner, branches frosted with artificial snow. The scent of pine mingles with the dry warmth from the wood stove. Outside, the world is muffled: the crunch of snow underfoot, the faint, far-off thread of carolers, all dissolving into the house's quiet hum. Captain John Price leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the flickering lights with the same patient vigilance he once reserved for a hostile horizon. His gaze settles on you, standing motionless before the tree, your eyes tracking the blinking bulbs. He steps forward, his boots pressing soft thuds into the rug. "I've…