𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 (𝐩𝐭. 𝟐)
pairing: john price x gn!reader synopsis: price knows he fucked up for not realising your feelings for him earlier. much to his horror and heartbreak, when he decides to make it up to you, you're already half-way to moving on. but... what about his feelings? [wc: 3k] note: this is part two of taking inspo from @hahaifolded's post. technically this could've been a singular fic, but i ran out of brain juice by the time i was itching to upload. also many thanks to those who commented and interacted with my previous post! it was very motivational, i appreciate you all <3 tags: angst; hurt/no comfort; people-pleaser!reader; you fell first but he fell too late; jealousy if you squint
masterlist | part 1
it had been a few days since you overheard soap and price's conversation about you. while it took some time, you eventually came to terms with your feelings about the situation.
initially, you were angry. a bit at price and a bit at yourself. it felt like betrayal to find out that price didn't think much of your efforts after you bent over backwards in hopes of gaining his affection.
but on the other hand, you knew it was completely on you for stupidly devoting yourself someone who didn't exactly owe you any reciprocation.
at least he had been gracious enough to thank you whenever you were being openly helpful, so it wasn't like he had it out for you or anything.
thus, you decided to move forward with your head held high and a mission to prioritise yourself for once.
the conversation with soap was almost like a revelation to price. after he told the sergeant that you were 'just admin', soap gave him a look of disbelief.
"what d'ya mean, cap?" the scot asked, his eyebrows furrowed. "you cannae say that. they're doing so much for the team and most of all you."
price looked slightly taken aback at his words and set down his pen on the desk. "me?"
"aye, you," soap confirmed with a firm nod. "you're the one they always prioritise when we ask them for help. they organise your mission files every day. that heart drawn on the drinks they bring every other morning? only yours, last time i checked."
"bloody hell..." price muttered, gradually recalling every small interaction he had with you the past few months. "i just thought they were doing their job."
"who else did you think kept your cigars and favourite tea restocked?" soap continued. "they're the one doing practically everything around here. you must be daft not to notice them half in love with you this whole time."
the captain briefly rubbed his face, still taking it all in. they fancy me? how? when?
"why the hell didn't you say anything sooner?" price groaned, kicking himself for overlooking your efforts.
"wasn't my place," soap replied with a slight shrug. "thought you knew."
by the time soap left the room, price was lost in his thoughts. regret gnawed at his conscience—he hoped he hadn't been too dismissive of you this entire time.
doesn't matter, he convinced himself. he'd show you his proper appreciation the next time you did something. so he waited for the right opportunity to speak to you about it.
little did he know that the chance would never come.
price sat at his desk, eyes flicking to the clock for the third time in fifteen minutes. the usual cup of perfectly brewed tea or coffee hadn't arrived that morning.
his brows furrowed as he went through disorganised mission reports, searching for the missing post-it notes that carried your helpful annotations.
strange, he thought as his fingers drummed against the surface of his desk. he had planned to acknowledge your efforts properly today. perhaps even invite you for a drink off-base.
but his door remained closed. no soft knocking that announced your arrival with neatly sorted intelligence briefs, nor the subtle re-organisation of his cluttered workspace when he stepped out for meetings.
nothing.
by afternoon, price found himself in the break room, standing before the coffee machine with uncharacteristic hesitation written on his face. it wasn't like he didn't know how to use the device, but there was a distinct difference in the taste of the coffee you made him compared to the ones he prepared himself.
which setting did they always use? ...did they even use the coffee machine at all?
the realisation that he'd never bothered to find out affected him more than expected.
today was just going all sorts of sideways for price. his inbox was filled with administrative queries that you usually filtered and his schedule became a jumbled mess without your quiet interventions. now he was having trouble making his damn coffee. the absence of the small comforts he had taken for granted left a strange emptiness he couldn't quite name.
where are they anyway? it's like they... disappeared all of a sudden.
"looking for something, sir?" ghost asked, silently walking up to the captain in the fashion of his moniker.
price startled slightly, not used to being caught off-guard. "just trying to figure out this bloody thing," he mumbled, jabbing buttons in growing frustration.
the coffee machine whirred to life and soon aromatic liquid began to drip into the mug waiting beneath the spout. ghost let out a grunt in reply, before pointing out that he thought it was you who usually handled something like this for him.
the sound of your name made price's jaw tighten. "yeah, well, seems they're occupied elsewhere today."
ghost leaned against the counter, his arms crossed. "funny thing about people. sometimes they stop giving when they realise no one notices."
that jab made price shoot him a sharp look. "something you want to say, lieutenant?"
"just that i've seen them pass by your office three times today. didn't stop once," ghost shrugged before pushing off the counter. "usually they never pass up on the opportunity to visit you."
fuck.
you realised that work became a lot less hectic when you stopped picking up the little tasks that made price's life more convenient. no longer did you screen his calls for bureaucratic nonsense, nor did you polish his medals before higher-ups came to visit anymore.
those useless things were never part of your contract anyway. paperwork was your main job and you should've stuck to just that.
you were in the middle of editing price's report that was just a tad too blunt for command's liking when you decided you needed a break from your screen. usually, you'd use the free time to run little errands for price, but now you actually have a moment to spare for anything else.
so you found yourself on your way to gaz's office to invite him for a coffee break together. by the time you walked through his doorway, the sergeant was looking a little miserable from sitting at his desk for so long. you remembered him mention before that he'd much rather be on the field than in an office.
"hey, gaz," you said as you walked up to his desk. he replied with a warm smile and a greeting of his own.
"looks like you could use a break. care to join me?"
"that sounds lovely, actually," gaz said, beginning to stand up. the hint of relief in his eyes was not lost on you. "been at it for four hours. think i would've gone mad if you didn't ask."
the two of you headed out into the hallway and walked towards the break room.
"you know, you're allowed to take a short break if it's been four hours," you reminded the sergeant.
gaz shrugged a little in reply. "i know. it's just... it doesn't feel right to stop working if you haven't exactly reached your productivity goal yet."
you knew that feeling all too well, so you didn't add on it. seemed like you and gaz had a bit more in common than what was on the surface.
arriving at the break room, you two made some coffee. there were a few other people there, so you both sat down at the table near the quiet corner of the room.
you stirred your caffeinated drink rather absentmindedly, watching as the creamer swirled into a caramel colour. it didn't take long for you two to fall into easy conversation.
"...so then the bloody idiot tries to convince me he's qualified for demolitions because he blew up his mum's microwave once," gaz recounted, his eyes crinkling with mirth.
a genuine laugh escaped your lips. it's been a while, you realised. "god, the recruits get more creative with their CVs every year."
"speaking of creative," gaz leaned forward, voice softening slightly. "what's with the sudden invitation? not that i'm complaining about decent company during break, but you're usually—"
"running price's errands?" you finished, smile faltering a little. with a sigh, you traced the rim of your mug with your thumb, avoiding gaz's perceptive gaze. "thought i'd spend time with people who actually see me."
gaz's eyebrows shot up. "trouble in paradise?"
his words made you grimace a little.
"there was never a paradise to begin with," you sighed with a shake of your head. "just realized i've been deluding myself."
you took a sip of your coffee, savouring the bitter aftertaste. "you know how many hours i spent reorganizing his mission files last month? seventeen. seventeen hours of my life i'll never get back and he didn't even notice."
gaz leaned back in his chair, studying you with newfound interest. "price isn't exactly the... appreciative type. man's got the emotional range of a brick wall. he kind of has to, i mean."
"i don't need a parade," you countered, fingers tightening around your mug. "just... acknowledgment that i exist beyond fetching his damn tea."
"fair enough," gaz nodded rather solemnly, before breaking into a playful grin. "though i must say, your coffee-making skills are exceptional. perhaps not entirely wasted talents."
groaning, you rolled your eyes in mock annoyance. but you felt the tension in your shoulders ease slightly. "careful, or i'll start bringing you biscuits and cupcakes too, and then where will your training regimen be?"
"worth the sacrifice," gaz declared dramatically, patting his stomach. your laughter mingled in the break room, transforming it momentarily into something warmer.
meanwhile, price stood before your empty desk, a frown of confusion creasing his brow. your computer was logged off, desk unusually tidy without the typical scatter of files you juggled for him and the boys.
the absence felt strangely wrong.
price checked his watch—14:47. from what he knew, you never took breaks this late in the afternoon.
a corporal who passed by with an armful of documents noticed price standing in your empty office and asked if he was looking for you.
the captain nodded curtly.
"try the break room, sir. saw them heading that way with sergeant garrick about ten minutes ago."
price grunted his thanks, an odd sensation settling in his gut as he strode down the corridor. then, the sound of laughter—your laughter—reached him before he rounded the corner. he slowed his pace, suddenly hesitant.
through the doorway, he saw you gesturing animatedly, your face lit up with a smile he suddenly realised he'd missed. gaz leaned forward, completely engaged, chuckling at whatever story you were telling.
"…and then he said, 'that's just you being scottish!'" you delivered the punchline, eyes shining with amusement as gaz tilted his head back in laughter.
price stood frozen in the doorway, struck by how at ease you appeared. have you always looked so enchanting?
your hands moved expressively as you spoke. a loose strand of hair fell over your eyes that you absentmindedly brushed back. it was like seeing a different person entirely.
the conversation halted abruptly when gaz spotted him, the mirth on his face replaced by a relaxed smile. "captain," he acknowledged with a nod.
your laughter died and your posture stiffened as you turned to face price. the warmth in your eyes cooled noticeably, replaced by polite detachment he now realized was a recent development. it made the captain's chest tighten unexplainably.
"sir," you greeted formally, straightening in your seat. "did you need something?"
the question hung in the air, loaded with unspoken meaning. where was the usual warm grin that graced your lips? the way your eyes lit up when you saw him? price cleared his throat, suddenly aware of how rarely he sought you out rather than summoning you to his office.
"just looking for sergeant sanderson's file," he replied, the excuse sounding hollow even to his own ears. "thought you might have it."
"i placed it on your desk when you had that meeting this morning, sir. top right corner, black folder, should be near your coffee mug," you replied with a small smile, keeping your tone as neutral as possible.
he didn't have to know that you were trying your hardest not to let your pain show.
"i left a note."
price's jaw tightened. "must have missed it."
an awkward silence ensued, broken only by the soft hum of the vending machine in the corner. gaz glanced between you two, sensing tension in the air.
"well, i should get back to work," the sergeant announced, rising from his seat. he shot you a meaningful look. "thanks for the coffee break. same time tomorrow?"
the smile on your lips turned genuine. "looking forward to it, gaz."
price watched the exchange with an unfamiliar discomfort in his chest, akin to a mix of guilt and envy. as gaz brushed past him with a respectful nod, price gave a stiff one of his own in return. he remained rooted in place though.
"was there anything else, captain?" you asked, already gathering you empty mug and napkin, clearly preparing to leave.
"no," price replied gruffly. three seconds passed and he spoke again, "actually—"
but you had already turned away, washing your mug in the sink swiftly. "if you'll excuse me, i have a video call with laswell in five minutes."
price couldn't find anything else to say as he watched you walk past him with another rigid, polite smile. it made him feel hollow inside and he didn't like it one bit.
the next few weeks were quite grim for price's daily routine.
of course, you maintained impeccable professional standards. reports appeared on his desk on time, meetings were scheduled without conflict and administrative matters ran with clockwork efficiency. yet despite the excellence of your work, the soul had vanished from these interactions.
you made it clear that you were keeping your distance from him. as to what the reason behind that might've been, price was not exactly sure. but he was certain it had something to do with his lack of appreciation in the past somehow.
those coffee shop runs you went on? no more hearts were drawn on his cup. you were no longer there to remind him to take breaks and you kept every interaction with him as brief as possible. the distance you maintained cut deeper than price cared to admit. your demeanour wasn't necessarily cold, but definitely not as warm and bright as it used to be.
you, on the other hand, were keen to move on from your crush on the captain. hell, you never should've had such feelings for your superior in the first place—they only made things messy. you had found unexpected liberation in your new routine.
the hours once spent trying to catch price's attention were now replaced with genuine camaraderie. gaz's fun stories over lunch break and soap's humour during coffee runs—the sergeants saw you. truly saw you, beyond what services you could provide.
"you've got mactavish wrapped around your finger," gaz teased as the three of you walked through the hallway. "man's been singing your praises to the entire base after you salvaged that supply chain disaster."
that crisis from the other day surfaced in your memory as gaz mentioned it. you let out a laugh, a genuine one. "hardly. i just did what i could."
"and a fine damn job you did," soap remarked, giving you a friendly nudge with his elbow. "i was sure price was going to chew our heads off if it went pure sideways."
the scot pursed his lips when he noticed the slight change in your expression at the sound of the captain's name. he had an apology ready on the tip of his tongue, but you beat him to it.
"water under the bridge," you shrugged, determined to maintain your newfound peace.
much to your relief, the conversation then shifted to the fresh batch of recruits. soap lamented their abysmal fitness scores while gesturing dramatically as usual. you were mid-laugh when heavy footsteps approached from the other direction.
price's weathered boots came into your view before you could fully look up. his presence still commanded the hallway, but your heart rate no longer picked up at the sight of the him.
the three of you greeted the captain. he cleared his throat and met your gaze with those gorgeous blue eyes you used to swoon over. perhaps a part of you still did.
"do you have a moment?" price addressed you. "need you to look over some documents regarding another joint operation with the mexican special forces."
your eyes flickered between price and soap, a quick calculation going through your mind. the familiar weight of price's request brought you back to a few months prior when you would happily be at his beck and call just to hear a syllable of his praise. but now, something had shifted.
"i'm sorry, captain. but i already promised to help soap with his training evaluations this afternoon," you replied with an apologetic smile, your voice pleasant yet unmistakably firm. "as i'm just admin, i need to prioritize my workload efficiently. perhaps ghost could assist? he's familiar with the mexican operations, no?"
the words 'just admin' felt pointed, something you did on purpose. it was a subtle call-back that caused price's jaw to clench. you maintained eye contact with him a moment longer than necessary, silently communicating: yes, i heard you that day, and no, things between us wouldn't simply return to normal.
price's stomach twisted.
oh, fuck.
"i can have those documents processed by tomorrow morning at 08:00," you added, already turning back toward soap and gaz who tried not to get caught in the crossfire. "will that timeline work for your operational needs, captain?"
milkk--t © please don't repost, plagiarise, translate my work, nor use it to train AI.
