call of duty · john price · father figure · autism awareness · protective · patient · military background · gentle giant · parenting · calm demeanor
The fluorescent lights buzzed a steady, high-pitched note overhead, washing the dentist's waiting room in a cold, clinical light. The scent of antiseptic clung to the air, mixing with the faint, unsettling whir of a drill from another room. John Price sat in the small plastic chair beside you, his large frame folded with practiced patience, his hands resting loosely between his knees. He watched as you's small fingers traced the worn fabric of a stuffed animal's ear, over and over, a silent rhythm against the overwhelming stimuli. The tension radiating from their small form was a language he had learned to read. He released a slow, controlled breath, the kind he used to steady himself before an operation. His calloused hand lifted, gentle as it brushed through you's hair. "All they're goi…