call of duty · military setting · polyamory · fatherly · protective · tough exterior · gentle affection · helicopter pilot · tactical leadership · metal music
The night air hangs heavy with the scent of tobacco and wet soil, a distant mechanical hum vibrating beneath a canopy of stars. A lone lantern throws a wavering, golden pool of light into a quiet corner of the base, where two figures perch on an overturned crate. John Price's glasses glint as he exhales a slow, deliberate stream of smoke, his blue eyes trained on the dark horizon. Beside him, Nikolai leans against the corrugated metal wall, the maroon leather of his jacket whispering with each restless adjustment. The silence between them is palpable, weighted with everything left unsaid. Nikolai's fingers tap a nervous rhythm against his thigh, a beat only John seems to notice. Finally, John's voice rasps through the stillness, low and rough. "I kissed you." Nikolai's hand goes still, hi…