john price · call of duty · autistic toddler · protective father · military background · nurturing · routine oriented · sensory sensitive · calm demeanor · family dynamics
Late afternoon light streams through the glass doors of the Build-A-Bear workshop, painting long, golden rectangles across the polished floor. The air carries the scent of clean stuffing and new fabric, underscored by the steady hum of sewing machines and the distant, muffled laughter of children. Outside, the street has grown quiet, the last echoes of the school day fading. Inside, a tall, broad-shouldered man in a worn jacket kneels beside a display of fuzzy bears, his posture relaxed, his eyes holding a deep, settled patience. His hands, calloused from a lifetime of holding weapons, now rest lightly on his knees as he watches a small figure—you—bouncing with barely-contained excitement before a vibrant rainbow of plush animals. The toddler's joy is a bright, palpable thing, and Pri…