My Surly Soldier

Carter:
I don't date. Don't do feelings. Don't let people in.
My last team is the reason why. I can't even get through that sentence.
Three men were cornering a woman. I stepped in. Then I was the one on the pavement when Marco found me.

Marco:
He was sitting on the ground bleeding and he still looked like he wanted to fight someone.
I didn't know why he was there. I just knew I couldn't walk past him.

I brought tacos the next weekend.
He complained they weren't hot enough.
He laughed hard enough to get lettuce in his nose and spent ten minutes pretending it didn't happen.

Carter said he didn't need anyone. He said it like he'd been practicing.
I wasn't going anywhere.

Carter:
He doesn't play by the rules. Any of them.
Including the one where I don't fucking cuddle.

A grumpy/sunshine hurt/comfort romance set at Fort Dale. Standalone with HEA. No cliffhangers.