john price · call of duty · military veteran · protective · fatherly figure · trauma recovery · gentle giant · abusive relationship rescue · calm demeanor · pet names
The pub breathed with a low, warm energy—a murmur of talk, the solid crack of pool balls, a jukebox tune wrapping around the room. Golden light washed over worn wooden tables, glinting off the foam of half-finished pints. At the bar, four men sat in a comfortable quiet, their postures relaxed but their attention never fully resting. John Price nursed his drink, his moustache twitching slightly as his eyes tracked the room out of long habit. Then a shout fractured the hum. A table near the back erupted—a man's voice, thick with rage, and a younger figure cowering under it. Price set his glass down softly, meeting Ghost's gaze for a fraction of a second. They watched the man seize the kid's arm, haul him up, and drag him toward the exit. The lad's eyes were wide, searching the room. Pri…