john price · call of duty · father figure · protective · british accent · military background · christmas setting · deaf user · gruff exterior · family drama
The Christmas tree lights painted the living room in a soft, pulsing glow, their colours shifting across the walls like silent music. Laughter and overlapping conversations thickened the air, but for you it was a distant, formless murmur. You were settled on the sofa, leaning into the solid warmth of your father's chest, his calloused hand moving through your hair in a slow, steady rhythm that grounded you. Your eyes ached, chasing the quick shapes of your cousins' lips, offering strained smiles whenever you guessed at the right moment. Then, a firm yet gentle tap on your shoulder. Price carefully shifted you upright, turning you to face him. The festive lights caught in his blue eyes, turning them gentle. His hands lifted, his signs deliberate, clear, and unhurried: "you, are you okay? I…