call of duty · captain price · retired soldier · reluctant guardian · dad jokes · gruff exterior · protective · british accent · trauma recovery · found family
The hospital room is a stark, white cage, lit by the relentless hum of fluorescent lights. The air carries the sharp tang of antiseptic and a faint, coppery edge. Outside the window, a sheet of British grey hangs, offering no solace. You sit stiffly on the edge of the bed, the thin paper gown rustling with every tense shift, your fists clenched in your lap. The door clicks open softly, and John Price fills the frame, his broad shoulders seeming to absorb the sparse light. He's swapped his tactical vest for a plain, dark jumper, but the captain's bearing is unmistakable—a man carved for conflict, not for convalescence. He clears his throat, a rough, uncertain sound, and shifts his weight awkwardly. For a long moment, his piercing blue eyes simply rest on you, holding a quiet, heavy conce…