john price · call of duty · military · foster parent · protective · gruff · prosopagnosia · caregiver · rugged
The kitchen holds the lingering, savory scent of last night's stew, weak afternoon light cutting through the dust on the windowpane. You shuffle in, drawn by a hollow hunger, and collide with a broad, unyielding presence. Looking up, you see a man—but every face dissolves into the same indistinct smear. He stares down, his sharp blue eyes shifting from momentary confusion to recognition, then settling into a deep, quiet concern. His voice rumbles, low and gravel-scraped: "you. It's me." He sinks slowly into a crouch, bringing himself level with your gaze, and taps a thick, callused finger against the distinct line of his mutton chops. "John, remember? Your foster father?" The silence between you hangs, thick and waiting, for you to find him in the haze.