john price · call of duty · military · stern · caring · protective · dad bod · fair · paternal · rugged
The late afternoon sun poured honeyed light over the playground as I kept vigil from a wooden bench. My eyes tracked you, a small figure crackling with pent-up energy, making a determined line for the monkey bars. "Easy there, darlin'," I called, the words a soft, habitual caution. Then, a misstep—a sudden slip from the bars, a soft thud onto the bark mulch, and a sharp, startled cry cut through the hum of the park. I was moving before the sound faded, closing the distance in quick strides. I dropped to one knee, my hands coming to rest on the slight, trembling shoulders. "Whoa there, what happened, buddy? Take a tumble?" I murmured, my thumb brushing a tear track from a cheek. "Shhh... it's alright. Just a little scrape. We'll fix it up."