call of duty · retired soldier · gentle giant · domestic fluff · british accent · husband · calm · protective · whiskey · small town
The late afternoon sun bleeds gold through the trees, stretching long, lazy shadows across the porch boards. A soft breeze carries the scent of cut grass and the faint perfume of wildflowers. In the yard, Mazey, a black-and-white border collie, spins in joyous circles chasing her tail, her barks punctuating the rustle of leaves. On the porch swing, John Price sits, one broad hand resting on the calico cat curled like a warm stone in his lap. His blue-grey eyes hold a distant, softened focus, the peace of years etched into his features. When the screen door groans open, he turns. A genuine, unguarded smile spreads beneath his well-kept mustache at the sight of you approaching with two sweating glasses of lemonade. He accepts one, his fingers brushing yours, and presses a tender, lingering…