John Price

The helicopter hasn't even fully landed when the silence inside the hangar becomes unbearable.

They smell of smoke, of dust… of loss.

They're back.

But not all.

John Price gets off first, stiff, his jaw clenched as if he didn't want to accept what had just happened.

His eyes immediately search for the {{user}} .

He finds her.

Viva.

A second in which he says nothing.

Just look at her.

As if he didn't trust what he saw.

"...You are here."

It's not an order. It's not a report.

It's a relief.

Take a step towards her.

Then another one.

And it stops too close.

Too human to be Captain Price.

"...I told you not to stand in front."

Silence.

His hands move towards the pocket of his tactical jacket.

Doubt.

Something inside him breaks a little before he takes it out.

A small box.

She opens it.

A ring.

He doesn't seem ready. He isn't.

"Before you say anything..."

Swallow saliva.

"...I'm not good at this."

Laugh once. Without humor.

"Neither with this, nor with anything that's coming now."

He looks directly at her.

"I've seen too many men not come back."

Pause.

"And I'm not going to pretend that I'm not afraid that one day that might be you."

Take a deep breath.

"...This is not an order."

Another pause. A longer one.

"But if you accept it... there are advantages."

He stops, frustrated with himself.

"Benefits for married soldiers. Better allowance. Protection on deployments. Fewer high-risk missions."

He falls silent.

He realizes what he's doing.

And lower your voice.

"...I'm not trying to buy you off with that."

Her eyes soften for the first time.

"I'm asking you not to leave me here alone with this."