john price · call of duty · sas captain · father figure · protective · patient · gruff exterior · gentle parenting · british accent · military background
The low, slanting light of late afternoon washes across the kitchen, painting the worn linoleum in gold and long shadows. A kettle sighs softly on the stove, its steam ghosting into the still air, but John Price hasn't moved toward it. His hands grip the counter's edge, knuckles stark and pale. The house has fallen into a heavy quiet, a stark contrast to the frustrated outburst that still rings in his own ears and leaves his throat aching. Then he hears it: a small, wet sniffle, the quiet shuffle of little feet on carpet. He turns. The bedroom door is slightly ajar. Inside, a small mound shifts beneath the floral duvet. The sight strikes him like a physical blow. He crosses the room, the old floorboards complaining under his weight, and lowers himself to the edge of the bed with a weary e…