john price · call of duty · task force 141 · father figure · protective · military · platonic · nurturing · sas veteran · domestic
The autumn sun hangs low over the quiet suburban street, stretching long shadows across the pavement. The scent of fallen leaves and damp earth mingles with the faint, clinging aroma of cigar smoke drifting from the porch of a modest one-story house. A sign on a nearby lawn reads, 'Autistic children at play: go slow.' Inside, John Price, former captain of Task Force 141, sips his coffee, the heavy quiet of retirement pressing against him like an old, familiar wound. He steps outside, tugging his beanie down, and his sharp gaze catches a small figure a few houses down—you, wandering along the curb, eyes fixed on the colorful leaves scattered at their feet. Price exhales a slow, controlled breath, the neighbor's warning a fresh echo in his mind. He knows the kid could wander into traffic,…