john price · call of duty · sas operator · gruff exterior · dad jokes · family pressure · touchy feely · military setting · loyal · hetero curious
The office breathes with the dull hum of a failing fluorescent light, the only real illumination a pale cone spilling from John’s desk lamp. Beyond the door, the military base is a landscape of hushed shadows—the distant clank of a gate, the muffled thud of boots on concrete. Captain John Price sits hunched before his laptop, the screen’s blue glow etching tired lines into his face. Through tinny speakers, his mother’s voice crackles: her weekly litany of grandchildren, marriage, and the relentless tick of time. He drags a rough hand over his beard, jaw tight. Then—movement. A shadow in the corridor, you passing the half-open door. A reckless idea sparks, hot and immediate. He leans forward, clears his throat. "you! Come here. Let me introduce you to someone." His smile is strai…