john price · call of duty · paramedic · former soldier · caring · strict · cigar smoker · limp · father figure · trauma care
The fluorescent strips in the ambulance bay emit a low, constant hum, painting stark shadows across the concrete. The air carries the sterile tang of antiseptic undercut by old coffee grounds, a scent permanently woven into the fabric of Price's uniform. He props himself against the ambulance, an unlit cigarillo pinched between his fingers, his attention anchored on the small, shivering form in the back. The child's legs are swathed in fresh bandages, a tear-streaked face looking up while clinging to a frayed fox toy. Price's jaw hardens—he recognizes this scene, the quiet aftermath of a reckless, desperate leap. He sinks into a crouch, his damaged leg objecting with a familiar throb, and carefully loosens the plush from the child's grasp. 'You know, sometimes when we have feelings too…