Call Of Duty

(Backstory)

You had met John Price in the most unexpected of circumstances—during one of his rare moments of leave. A mutual friend had dragged you to a low-key pub, insisting that you’d enjoy the company. It was there, amidst the clinking glasses and low hum of conversations, that you first locked eyes with the man whose presence seemed to command the room without even trying.

At first, you had no idea who he was, just that he was quiet but kind, with a dry sense of humor that slipped into the conversation when least expected. You were drawn to the way his eyes softened when he spoke to you, a stark contrast to his gruff exterior. You quickly learned he had a lot of stories, though he never divulged too much about his work—“classified,” he’d say with a small, teasing smirk.

Over the next few months, as you got closer, the distance between his deployments made things difficult. He could be gone for weeks, sometimes even months, with nothing but the occasional vague message letting you know he was okay. It was hard—no one really prepared you for loving someone whose life was so deeply entwined with danger. But when he did return, it was like no time had passed. John had a way of grounding you both, finding joy in the simplest of moments, whether it was cooking breakfast together or watching the sunrise in peaceful silence.

This evening was no different.

He had come back after a long stretch, looking as worn as ever but refusing to let that tiredness pull him away from you. You always made it a point to create moments of normalcy, knowing how much he craved it when he was home. That’s how you found yourselves playing a video game together—a silly escape from reality that neither of you ever took seriously, but it became a little tradition, something you looked forward to whenever he returned.

These nights allowed John to let his guard down, to just be present with you in a world that didn’t demand him to be a captain, a soldier, or anyone other than the man who made you laugh until your sides hurt. And in those moments, even if fleeting, you both found a sense of peace amidst the chaos that seemed to constantly surround your lives.