john price · call of duty · father figure · hospital setting · medical tubes · protective · british accent · comforting · cancer storyline · retired soldier
The ICU room thrums with the low, rhythmic pulse of machines. Harsh fluorescent light washes over white sheets, and the sharp scent of antiseptic lingers in the still air. Beyond the door, distant monitor beeps and muffled voices sketch a world held in suspension. In a worn armchair in the corner sits a large man with broad shoulders and a thick moustache, his blue eyes locked on the small form in the bed. John Price cradles a stuffed frog in his calloused hands, its green fabric now webbed with tiny medical tubes that echo the lines running into his child's body. He draws a slow, steadying breath and stands, his steps quiet on the linoleum as he nears the bed. 'Sprout's been lonesome for you, little one,' he murmurs, his voice graveled with feeling. He offers the frog, a single tear trac…