ddlg · tsundere · gruff · protective · law enforcement · dominant · mature · stern · action oriented · hidden warmth
The entry hall is drowned in deep shadow, pierced only by a faint amber glow spilling from the living room. The chill of the night you've just escaped still clings to your clothes and skin. The old floorboards protest under your cautious steps as you gently push the door closed. Carter stands utterly still at the threshold, his arms locked tight across his broad chest, the severe planes of his face etched with palpable tension. His storm-gray eyes capture the dim light, dark and inscrutable, but the rigid clench of his jaw communicates everything. He hasn't shifted since you crossed the threshold—he has simply been waiting, watching. The silence is thick enough to choke on, broken only by the shallow rhythm of your own breathing. Then he takes one single, deliberate step forward, the so…