#More carmen stuff to come if i let it out of my head | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

violentdelightsandviolentends · 4 months

Note

hi baby!! dont worry!! it was about reader getting so stressed and annoyed while building a gingerbread house that they throw it in the garbage because its going all wrong and carmy finds it hilarious lol then he builds one for her hehe<3 love u

Perfectionist.

Your boyfriend being a professional chef has its perks - especially when it comes to gingerbread houses.

pairing - carmen berzatto x female reader warnings - cursing word count - under 1k!! short and sweet author's note - just a little dose of carmy at christmas for you. thanks baby angel for sending this request in (twice!!) <3

masterlist. inbox.

"Fuck this."

Carmy hears your raised voice and immediately comes running, coming to a halt in the doorway of the kitchen.

"You good, baby?"

"No."

The frown on your face is amusing him to no end, fighting to keep his smile from breaking out. He doesn't want to minimise your feelings, but you're cutest when you're mad.

Carmy takes in the scene in front of him, surveying carefully. There's chunks of gingerbread scattered across the table, icing dripping from the tablecloth. Your kitchen looks like a candy store exploded - sweets in red, green and blue littered over every surface. You're caked in frosting, hair falling into your eyes as you take deep breaths to try to keep your anger at bay.

"I knew this wouldn't be easy, but fuck me, Carmy... I'm on the brink of a breakdown here."

He makes his way over, grinning like an idiot. It's not often he gets to help you with things - you're fiercely independent, determined to get stuff done all by yourself. He likes teaching you, getting to feel like he's easing your worries a little.

"You want my help?"

"I said I'd do it," you huff, on the verge of stamping your feet and pushing the table over.

"It won't kill you to ask for what you need, baby."

You roll your eyes, bottom lip caught between your teeth. It's difficult for you to admit defeat, but you might rip your hair out if your gingerbread collapses one more time.

"Can you help me, Carm?" you whisper.

"What was that, honey? Say it again?"

You sigh in exasperation, slumping back into your chair.

"Can you help me, Carmen? Please?"

He beams at you like the cat that got the cream, making his way over to sit next to you at the table.

"Lets start again, hmm?"

"Good idea."

You pick up the remnants of your gingerbread house and throw them so forcefully, the trash can almost tips over. Carmy laughs, wrapping his arms around you from behind.

"I think we've finally found the one thing you're not good at, honey. It's a Christmas miracle."

You can't help but chuckle, leaning your head back to rest against his shoulder. He presses a kiss or four into your neck, nosing at the spot under your ear.

"Okay, Mr Michelin Star. Show me what you got."

You bake, first, Carmy explaining how to get the perfect texture you need for structural soundness. He even gets out a ruler, measuring the rolled out dough so the sides will be even.

He kisses you lazily while your gingerbread is in the oven. You're propped up on the counter as he stands between your legs, arms thrown around his shoulders. He tastes like cinnamon and spice, groaning when you lick the sugar straight from his tongue.

When it's cooled, you begin your assembly, sitting back while Carmy trims and remeasures. He draws out a template with a pencil and cuts accordingly, ensuring each piece has a straight edge. You watch in awe as he works, so careful, so attentive. You're fighting not to jump his bones at any given moment.

It's time to build, and Carmy has the perfect plan. He's made a thickened sugar syrup that acts as a glue, hardening when it dries and keeping everything together. His tongue darts out to wet his lips as he concentrates, determined not to mess this up for you.

He steps back, then, to let you decorate. You clearly have a vision, your picturesque idea of what you wanted your original creation to look like. Carmy makes you multiple bags of icing in different colours, and melts down candies so you can make windows and doors. He opens packets of chocolates, and carves into them with a knife to make little trees for the yard.

Hours later, when you're both covered in powdered sugar and melted chocolate, you step back to admire your masterpiece.

"Holy shit, Carm."

"We did good, huh?"

"Is there like, a business in this? Can we do this for a living?"

He laughs, the sound vibrating through you from where his chest his pressed to your back. He's got you tightly in his arms, swaying gently to the soft music that plays from the radio.

"What were you saying about finding the one thing I wasn't good at, Berzatto? Hmm?"

He spins you, pressing his forehead into yours.

"I take it back. I take it all back, baby. You're good at everything."

"Especially gingerbread houses."

You lean up to kiss him, wiping some frosting off his cheek with your thumb.

"Thanks for not making me feel like an idiot."

"I would never. Life is a learning curve, baby, You taught me that."

"I love you," you whisper. "And just so you know, we're never eating that. It's going to have to be display only."

He laughs, full chested and whole hearted, moving his hands to cradle your face.

"I love you too, baker extraordinaire. We don't need to eat it, anyway. We've got all this candy to get through."

You reach behind him to pick up a chocolate, tossing it into your mouth.

"It isn't as sweet as you," you wink.

A blush rises up his cheeks as he rolls his eyes, pulling you in closer.

"Merry Christmas, baby."

"Merry Christmas, Carmen."

1K notes · View notes

mrscarmenbearzatto · 3 months

Text

lost in translation | carmen berzatto

you get a job working as a waitress at the bear. if only you knew it would get you here. ─ 3.68k ─ angst and fluff, breakups / fighting, some cursing, reader is younger then carmy.

THE STRANGERS PHASE

The first time you and Carmen met was when Nat and Richie had hired you as part of the Bear staff.

A waitress, and a sweet looking one at that. Younger than him. "You guys finally settled on a candidate?" Carmen asks as Natalie and Richie watch you from the small window in the kitchen.

You sit there for a moment before adjusting the silverware, passing Richie's test almost immediately. "I believe we just did." Nat confirms. Carmen takes a look for himself and swears his heart skips a beat as he watches you for a brief moment before clearing his throat, having to pull himself away. "Okay. Cool." He brushes it off.

He didn't get the chance to meet you right away, not until the night before their soft opening. You'd been through training, getting used to the system at the Bear and getting accompanied with staff. All but one. The head chef and owner, 'Carmy' as everyone called him.

"Hey, you're the new hire, right?" A voice asks as you shut your locker. You jump a bit, as you turn, smiling. "I am." The male nods, holding out his hand. "Sorry about scaring you. I'm Carmen Berzatto, don't think we've had the chance to meet." He introduces.

You accept the handshake, swearing you feel a little spark between you two just from touching him.

───

From there, it was like clockwork. You and him would get stuck closing together, and each night you'd dive into a new part of his past. "So, what made you wanna open this place?" You question. He exhales, momentarily pausing his movements of scrubbing the counters before he sniffles. "My brother left it to me after his death."

You pause, staring at him. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked-" He laughs. "You couldn't have known. It's okay, really. I actually wanted to work here, or what used to be here, for the longest time by his side but he didn't let me. Never knew why. It was the thing he left me in his will." He gives a more in depth answer.

You nod slowly. "I'm sorry about that, Carm. His death and not letting you work here." You specify as you look at him. "If it's any comfort, I think your brother would be really proud of what you've turned this place into." You say.

He nods, sniffling again. You set your rag back in the soapy water, sighing as you mark off your final station to clean on the clipboard.

"See you tomorrow night?" He asks as you begin walking to the lockers.

You smile. "It's a date, chef." You confirm. He blushes at the idea of you and him being on a date.

───

Carmen swore to himself he'd take you on an actual date. The planning was easy, it was actually asking you that he found to be a challenge.

"So, are you seeing anyone?" He asks, trying to sound as casual as he can the next night when you two are closing, which didn't come for almost a week. Though he was grateful, it also felt like torture having to wait to get you alone.

"No, I'm not actually. Chicago hasn't exactly been my Paris, you know? City of love and all that bullshit." You answer as you stare at the chore list for that night. "Check the mayonnaise labels. Does Nat think our mayo is expired?" You question.

“Nat thinks all of our stuff is expired one way or another. It doesn’t expire ‘till the nineteenth of May.” He grabs out a knife to start chopping the vegetables. “Anyway, Chicago isn’t really known for its romance.” He points out.

"So I've been told." You stare at the menu. "What's a vegetable medley?" You question as you look back up at him, catching him staring at you. He clears his throat and quickly sets the knife down, wiping his hands on a towel. "Uh, it's a bunch of veggies like green and yellow bell peppers, asparagus and squash topped with balsamic vinegar.” He answers.

You nod slowly. “Only you can explain something like that and make it sound so good right now, Carm.” "Did you eat today?" He doesn't hesitate to ask. "Haven't had a chance to. Richie had me running around all day with the new system, but don't worry, I'm gonna make myself something at home."

"No, come on. I'm- You're not driving home hungry like that. It’s a safety risk. Sit." You go to protest before he repeats himself. "Sit."

The entire night was spent with you and Carmen eating his way too fancy dishes and talking. Sharing memories - childhoods, dreams, stories.

He likes to consider it your first date.

You like to consider it the night you fell in love.

───

You weren't sure what you and Carmen were after that night in the kitchen. Or how to even ask. Do you just come right out and say it? Is there a specific way or time to ask? Google provided zero help, so it was up to you to solve this one.

Maybe that’s what was driving you and Carmy apart for the next week: your mind trying to run through how to even approach that with him. It wasn't until he ambushed you at your locker that you were forced to approach the topic with him. "Not talking to you all week has been driving me insane. Are we okay? If dinner was too much.." He lets his voice trail off.

You smile, as you exhale. "Carmen, I loved dinner. I was just unsure of where we stood. Thought I was driving myself crazy trying to figure out if that was a date or not." You admit. He stares at you, nodding slowly. "Let me take you out to an actual dinner. A real date night." He requests.

You nod. "Okay, I'd like that." You barely have another chance to speak before Richie's calling your name. You place a hand on Carmen's shoulder as you pass him, giving him a small smile before you rush to find out what Richie needs you for.

Carmen watches you leave, wishing you'd come back to him.

Carmen had thought of your date night perfectly. A romantic, rooftop dinner overlooking Chicago’s nighttime streets. “You bring all the girls up to your rooftop, Berzatto?” You question as you stare at the cars passing by.

“Only the special ones.” He’d answer with a grin.

You wished he kissed you that night, but he didn’t. Instead he settled for dropping you off at your apartment before leaving. You could tell he wanted to kiss you, too, but he wanted to wait.

"So, you and Carmen?" Sydney asks as you help her open the Bear that morning, cutting vegetables up with her. You sigh, a smile on your face regardless. "How'd you hear about that?" You question in return.

“It’s the Bear. There’s no such thing called secrets when you work here. Everyone knows everything about everyone. Now, you and Carmy?” She asks again as you laugh. “There’s nothing going on between us. He and I got dinner a few times, but I don’t think it’s going anywhere.” You say with a shrug.

She stares at you, noticing the blush in your cheeks. You grin. “Don’t even. Nothing has happened between us.” You reiterate. She laughs, grabbing her bucket of vegetables. "Whatever you say!"

You roll your eyes, turning and staring at Carmen in the doorway. There he goes again, staring at you when you aren't looking. It doesn't slide past you that he has a noticeable sparkle in his eyes.

───

Of course the universe would have it out for you and Carmen to close together that night. As you two stand over the counters, cleaning them down, you decide to ask the question that had been plaguing your mind.

"What are you and I?" You ask, looking up at him for the first time. His scrubbing stops, as he looks back at you. "I want us to be together." He answers honestly, and you're a bit taken back by his honesty.

“You seem like you’ve thought about this.”

“More than you know.” Translation: I’ve thought about you.

You nod slowly as you walk over to the sink, beginning to wash your hands. "I want us to be together, too. I just don't want this to be weird between us because we work together, you know." You voice your concerns as you grab the towel, drying your hands.

You turn, finding him standing behind you. "I don't care if we want us to be together. I want us to give.. us.. a chance." He says, taking your hand in his. You stare at your hands interlocked as you hum. "Carmen."

"Yes?" He asks softly.

"If you don't kiss me right now I might just walk out and not come back." You tease.

He doesn't have to be told twice, and he kisses you like he's been thinking about it. Like he's been needing that. Hands cupping your face, yours finding his waist.

You didn't need much of an answer as to what you and Carmen were after that.

THE LOVERS PHASE

You and Carmen had agreed: the staff didn’t need to know you two were officially dating. If it was important enough to share, sure. But other then that, you two wouldn’t go around publicly announcing it.

Turns out, dating Carmen wasn't much different from being friends with him. Except now you were in the kitchen at two in the morning, slow dancing with him.

It'd started with dinner that night. Him holding you from behind,

Frank Sinatra plays lowly on the radio as he spins you around, with you grinning as you sway with him. “Who taught you to dance, Berzatto?” You question.

“Nat did. Taught me for her wedding. Said if I looked like a fish outta water she’d ban me from the reception.” He answers with a lovesick grin. You laugh, throwing your head back. “Sounds like Nat.”

He smirks. “And who taught you?” He asks in return. You hum as he pulls you closer to his chest, as Sinatra’s ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ plays. “I did. Convinced myself when I was a little girl I'd be like Misty Copeland.” You answer.

He grins. Only two weeks had gone by with him being officially yours, and he was falling in love with you. Maybe that’s why it spilled out as he held you close.

“I love you.” His voice is hushed.

You pulled away only a bit to look at his eyes. Maybe searching to see if they were genuine, if he said what you think he did. "Carmen..." You smile, a laugh coming out. "I love you, too." You repeat it back to him.

"Take the too out. Makes it sound like you're just agreeing." He requests softly, lips brushing barely against yours. You giggle at his plea, but comply anyway. "Carmen, I love you." You say it again, this time it feels more real.

Two weeks in, and you two are in love. If you knew any better, you'd assume you were screwed.

───

"What do you wanna do with your life?" The question startled you as you and Carmen sat on the balcony of your apartment, overlooking downtown Chicago. Buildings illuminating the night sky, car horns blaring every few minutes from the nighttime traffic.

"I wanna open a bar. Maybe go to Los Angeles or New York, just open my own place. You know?" You hold your knees up on the patio chair with you, a cup of tea in hand. "Some dive bar but... fancier. Live music, live entertainment."

He nods slowly, grabbing out his notepad. "Get out of Chicago?" He asks. You laugh. "Pretty much. Don't get me wrong, I love this city. This just.. isn't the plan." You say with a shrug.

"Mm." He says, scribbling something down on the paper. You lean over, staring at it. "What are you drawing, Berzatto?" You question. "Nothin'. It's a surprise, if I show you it now it won't be a surprise." He points out.

You grin as you lean your head back. "Okay. What about you? Is the Bear your final dream?" You question, still looking over at him. He sets the pen down, looking over the skyline. "I don't know. Though until I met you I had all my dreams and goals figured out."

"Don't say it-"

"You're my new dream." He grins, looking over at you. You laugh, rolling your eyes. "That was unbelievably cheesy, Berzatto. I don't know if I can ever look at you the same after that." You tease.

"You don't have to look at me to kiss me." He points out as you roll your eyes, standing up. You give him a quick peck as you open the door, stepping halfway inside. "Don't take too long getting to bed, okay? It's cold out here." You comment.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He waits until you're fully inside to pull back out the notepad. Sketched on is a logo for a bar, your bar. Your name written in what he imagines is neon lights. 'ANGEL'S BAR'. The way he views you, an angel. His angel.

He hums, standing up and making his way inside, the notepad tucked under his arm. He finds you in the living room, sorting through the mail. “Hey, hey, my old college roommate’s getting married. New York. What a terrifying city.” You laugh as you set the invite down, before his arm wraps around your waist, pulling you down to the bedroom.

───

Carmen had spent so much time in your apartment that it practically felt like his own. So, the idea of asking him to move in wasn’t totally crazy. His clothes were now hung up in your closet, his cologne and cedarwood soap lingered.

Your relationship with Carmen had grown, so much so that you were now spending time with his family. You stood in the kitchen of the Berzatto home. Your first family dinner with them, and it had been more drama filled then a soap opera. Soft music filled the room, cinnamon roll scented candles lit making the house smell like a bakery. Your scarf hung on the staircase banister.

"First official Berzatto dinner. How ya holdin’ up?" Sugar asks as she slides beside you, handing you a glass of wine to match her own. "Oh you know me so well. It's going.. as good as I expected it to be. Are they always this chaotic?" You question.

"Hell yes. The Berzatto family has never been calm, y'know?" She laughs. "But you seem to be fitting in nicely. And this is the first year of us doing one of these that Carmen truly seems happy, I think you're to thank for that."

You grin. "Well, as long as he's smiling." You and her watch him in the living room, chasing down the younger family members, laughing as they tackle him down to the floor.

"Yeah, well, I've seen Carmen with other girls before, and none of them have made him this happy. So, on behalf of the Berzatto family, thanks for bringing us a smiling Carmy." She raises her glass to you as you laugh, lifting yours as well.

Carmen watches as you clink glasses with Nat as he enters the kitchen. "You two doing good in here?" He asks. "Oh, we are doing wonderful. I should go find my husband." Nat says, smiling and walking out of the kitchen.

You sigh, setting your wine glass down behind you on the counter. "Hi." He greets, arms wrapped around your waist. You hum, wrapping yours around his neck. "Hey you." You reply, pressing your lips against his.

“I’m really glad you’re here.” He says quietly after he pulls away, placing his forehead against yours, closing his eyes.

You smile, placing a hand on his cheek. “I’m glad too, Carm.”

───

Arguments in relationships are common. They’re healthy, they bring growth. You and Carmen had a fair share of disagreements but never ones where he called you the name he did tonight: clingy.

“Can you just fucking leave me be for a second?! I don’t need you crowding me and being so- so fucking clingy.” Right in the office of the Bear, as you made sure he understood what was happening with Syd’s plans.

Now here you were, in Nat’s living room. “He probably didn’t mean it, you know?” She asks softly as she pushes some of your hair out of your face, wiping tears that fall down your cheeks. “I think he’s just been so worried about our mom, her issues and the Bear.”

“What if he did mean it though? What if.. What if he was just with me out of convenience or pity?” You voice your worries. She shakes her head. “I have never seen Carmy as happy anywhere else as he is with you. He loves you, Y/n. He wants to be with you, no one else.” She replies.

“You don’t call the people you love clingy.” You point out. She sighs, letting you lay your head on her shoulder. No matter what she said, nothing changed how you felt. Carmen thought you were clingy. Whether subconsciously or not, he thought it.

The thought made your heart ache.

───

You were younger than Carmen, you knew that much from the moment you met him. But it had never been an issue in your relationship, until now it seems. A simple, offhand comment about kids and marriage you had made to Syd. You wanted those things, and you wanted them with Carmy.

That’s what landed you in this position on a cold night, with him sitting on the armchair in front of you and you on the floor, crouched to try and read his eyes. Find any sign that you could get past this.

“We’re just on different paths. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get this close to you. And I should have stopped myself before I hurt you.” Translation: you’re still young and I can’t hold you back.

He didn’t stay after that. His clothes still hung in your closet, with you on the floor of the living room.

Translation: what now?

THE ENEMIES STAGE

“So, plans for you being in New York?” Diane asks as you and her sit on the rooftop of her apartment building. You sigh, as you lean back on your chair. “Drink a lot. Forget my relationship problems in Chicago and hope for the best.” You answer with a nod.

She rolls her eyes. “Come on. You can’t expect to fix your relationship in different states without talking.” She points out as you look over at her. “When did I hire you as a relationship therapist?” You tease. “Carm and I will be fine.”

You couldn’t find the translation anymore for what “fine” meant.

───

The wedding was gorgeous. Diane looked stunning and her husband was the sweetest man. The sun was setting over Manhattan, as you sat at the open bar perched on the rooftop. Staring at the missed call from a familiar contact: ‘Chef’s Kiss’. Carmy.

Maybe you had asked him for too much. Wanting kids, marriage. He’d give them to you if you asked, you knew that. But the idea of him just putting up with that just to keep you?

You didn’t return his call or any of his texts. Instead, you kept quiet until you returned to Chicago a week later. A box perched on your apartment doorstep with your belongings. Jewelry, shirts you left at his place. All of them except for the scarf that still sat on Donna’s staircase banister.

Maybe he kept it because it smells like you. Or because it reminded him of something pure. The one thing he really knew was now gone, and the scarf was a fragment of that.

───

It didn’t shock any of the staff at the Bear when you turned in your notice and stopped working there. Or when you took the couch you and Carmy used to sit on during late night conversations and moved it eleven hours with you to New York. Along with his hoodies, the one you wanted to keep most because it smelled like him still.

You didn’t delete the videos or photos you had with him. It feels too real if you do.

You stared at the kitchen. Where he used to hold you, scolding you for how you handled knives. The balcony, where he told you that you were his new dream. The living room where he’d kiss you like it was the first time. The bedroom, where some nights, he made you his own, and others he held you while you slept.

The only thing you found in the apartment that was foreign to you? A piece of notepad paper, with “ANGEL’S BAR” drawn on the front. You stuck that in your pocket as you made your way to your car.

It hurts to look at. It hurts to think about him.

Now it’s just you, in your hundred square foot apartment that you share with a roommate now. You manage to delete the playlist of songs that he loved swaying with you to in early mornings in kitchen lights. You learn his favorite melody by heart: stranger, to lovers, to enemies.

───

Closing that chapter of your life, you focused more on opening Angel’s Bar. His logo on the front, in downtown New York. Soft piano playing as chatter fills the room, drinks being poured in the corners.

It may have just been Carmen’s luck to find you on opening night, chatting around with the customers as he watched from the window, a familiar red scarf wrapped around his neck to help fight the cold air.

Translation: it reminds him of innocence. It reminds him of the better part of himself, the one you brought out in him.

Carmen learned to take lessons from break-ups pretty early on into his life. The one he got from you?

“Falling in love isn't for the weak. So don't try it at home.” He closes the book that he was given as an assignment for his AA class.

Maybe you were his favorite melody after all.

𓍢ִ໋🔪 ♡₊˚ 🧣・₊✧

shine on, shine on, my loves!

thank you for reading! please feel free to engage with this post by reblogging, commenting or sliding into my inbox to leave feedback! i appreciate all of you! check out my carmen berzatto masterlist here for more fanfics!

taglist ✨ (to be added please reply to this post in the comments!)

@wabi-sabi1090

@harrysmatcha

@kpopgirlbtssvt

@urdreamgirl12

@readingwithsass

@angelicflower2020

@wadupppp

- mae

719 notes · View notes

fooled-around-and-fell · 3 months

Note

Can I humbly request a part two to the Carmy fic you just posted? It had me kicking my feet and giggling

Of course!!! Here you go 🩵

summary: you're going to the awards event with carmy, and things happen in the big, fancy, chandelier-ed bathroom.

genre: smut

pairing: carmen berzatto x female reader

warnings: smut, 18+, mdni, unprotected sex, creampie, cursing, almost public sex, bathroom sex

part one (you don't need to read this to catch up).

Masterlist

-----

somehow--from all the teasing, the tension, the touching--somehow, you've agreed to go to the awards event with carmen. as carmen's date.

you're standing in front of your mirror in a navy gown to match carmen's suit, and as your palms are sweating, you pinch yourself mentally to make sure this is really happening.

how did you get here? what the fuck happened in the shop that-

you hear your phone ring. a text from carmen:

i'm outside. no rush. take your time.

okay, no time to panic and go through a crisis. it's go time. you take your purse, put on your heels and go down to meet carmen.

"holy shit." he whispers when he sees you step out of your apartment building.

"hi." you smile shyly.

carmen's smile grows. "you look beautiful."

"thank you. you look handsome."

"all thanks to you." he says.

"you two lovebirds done? we're running late." richie rolls down the window from the driver's seat.

carmen curses richie in his head before opening the door for you, letting you sit next to him at the back while syd takes the passenger seat.

the ride to the event venue isn't quiet. richie is arguing with syd about some stuff for the bear, but your mind is focused on one thing: carmen's hand on your thigh--

--oh, let me rephrase. carmen's left hand on your inner, upper thigh. his hand slipped through the slit of your dress, and he can feel the heat coming from your cunt. you cross your legs so that syd won't be able to see and to get some friction while carmen smirks, squeezing your thigh and sliding his fingers closer to your clothed cunt.

you slowly take a deep breath, gripping his elbow tightly, and he just kisses the side of your forehead.

"stay still." he whispers.

you feel tingly with anticipation, and just as carmen's finger is about to gently, ever so slightly touch your aching clit, richie stops the car and announces, "we're here."

"fucking hell." you curse lowly and earn a chuckle from carmen.

he steps out of the car and helps you out, arm circling your waist and pulling you close once you're on your feet. "don't worry. we've got time."

you can't stop staring at his damned blue eyes and lips. the way he smells so good and the way he looks at you makes your insides churn in the best way possible.

carmen intertwines your hand in his and leads you into the venue. for what carmen called a 'small event', it has more cameramen and is way fancier than what you imagined.

"this is... a lot of people," you comment when the doors to the ballroom open.

carmen's hand is on your lower back, keeping you close. "you want something to drink?"

you nod and carmen first takes you to the table you're all sitting at before asking one of the waiters for the specialty drink. it's some fancy fruit infused champagne that you don't really understand, but if it's alcohol, it'll do.

you're surprised when you see carmen one-shotting the champagne and you touch his leg to get his attention. "carmen, you okay?"

"yeah," he reassures you. "just a little nervous. nothing to worry about."

"carmen's nominated, that's why he's so nervous." richie says. "relax cousin, we all know you're gonna win."

"it's not a big deal, alright? it doesn't matter," carmen says, dismissing the conversation. though he says that, you can see his leg is furiously shaking under the table, so you give his hand a squeeze before standing up.

"i'm gonna use the bathroom." you excuse yourself, but not before giving carmen a look.

you're hoping carmen will take the hint. you didn't exactly have an agreement on what "i'm gonna use the bathroom" with that certain look means, but you're hoping what you're about to do will help with carmen's nerves.

and then you see carmen turning the corner, so while no one is coming, you pull him to the small hallway you're at to hide from the crowd.

"there you are." he smiles.

"hi." you smile back.

carmen's heart is beating fast, and you're hoping it's because of your little getaway. his hand moves to cup your cheek and he brings your face closer to his.

"can i kiss you?"

nodding slowly, you circle your arms around his neck and close your eyes, feeling carmen's soft plush lips against yours. the kiss feels euphoric, feels unreal. he's so gentle yet firm, and the way he holds you so close to him makes you feel safe in his arms.

while breaking the kiss to catch your breaths, carmen peeks out to see if anyone's around.

"what're you doing?" you ask.

carmen has a smirk on his face, and though he looks super handsome, what carmen has in mind is definitely what you thought of when you signaled him to follow you to the bathroom.

he sneaks you into the men's bathroom while it's empty and goes into one of the stalls. the door and walls of the stall is covered from floor to ceiling, so no one can really tell a woman's in there unless you make a sound.

"carmen," you whisper, eyes wide to tell him how crazy this is.

"what?" he chuckles, kissing you again.

"what if someone hears me?" you ask in between.

smirking again, carmen kisses the spot just below your ear. "then you'll have to keep quiet."

"but-"

your sentence gets cut off when you hear someone enter the bathroom. it's a big bathroom, which means the chances of someone catching you two is smaller, but it also means that voices echo.

your eyes keep staring at carmen in disbelief when he slips his hand through the slit of your dress and inches slowly to your core. you have to cover your mouth and hold back a gasp when he suddenly drags his thumb over your clit.

but he doesn't move his thumb. it's just there, touching your clit, applying just enough pressure to leave you wanting more. you'd unconsciously clench from the lack of friction, and carmen's smirk only grows.

you buck your hips up and carmen holds it in place with his other hand. "patience." he whispers.

with pleading eyes, you take his hand and drag it down to the wetness pooling between your legs. "please carmen," you whisper, "i need you."

"holy shit." carmen's jaw drops.

carmen pushes your soaked panties aside and his fingers come in contact with your wetness. almost instinctively, carmen drops down to his knees. and, while keeping eye contact with you, he bunches your gown up, pulls your sticky panties down, and slowly kisses just above your clit.

"jesus-" you almost say out loud and slap your mouth shut, just in time for the door outside to open and a few men come in talking.

carmen squeezes your thigh before kissing the same spot and placing your hand on his head. he starts licking just below the surface, softly, gently, but when your frustration leads you to pull a fistful of his hair, carmen gets the hint and picks up his pace.

not making a sound is fucking hard, but with carmen's head between your legs sloppily devouring you, your voice is the least of your worries right now. you gently pull carmen up to stand. "as much as i would love you to finish what you're doing... i don't think we the time or place for that."

you help him with his belt and pull his pants down just enough to free his constrained cock and stroke it a few times. carmen bites his tongue as to not moan out loud and turns you around, pushing your dress out of the way again and rubs himself between your slit.

"fucking hell." he sighs when he pushes into you, feeling your warmth and tightness.

he can't go too fast, because it'll be too loud. but going slow would kill both of you. he tries to control his pace so that his balls won't slap against your clit, but the few times that they do, you try your best not to cry out of pleasure.

carmen feels so fucking good inside you. it's as if he was made out of a mold and that mold is your pussy.

your one hand is still covering your mouth while the other is pushing your weight against the door. you feel someone checking whether your stall is available or not before going to the next stall. you look back at carmen to signal him to stop moving so he won't hear you, but carmen has a different idea.

one of his hands is holding your hips and your gown on the side, and the other sneaks around under to where you're connected and he starts touching the bundle of nerves that's already throbbing.

your eyes widen as you shake your head at him, trying to tell him "don't you dare", but carmen, indeed, dares. not so slowly, carmen rubs your clit while thrusting his hips, causing your eyes to roll back while you try to keep your panting to a minimum.

carmen bends over to fully push your body against the door and nips at your neck, urging you to come around him as he comes inside you, feeling your pulsing walls.

"fuck." carmen says out loud and your eyes snap wide open to look at him, as if saying "what have you done".

but there is no response anyone, just the sound of the sink being turned off and the door being closed. that was a close one.

carmen holds back his laughter and turns you around, kissing you over and over, and not letting you go. his way of saying "you're fucking amazing."

later that night, carmen wins the award and thanks everyone on his team, his family, and though he didn't specifically mention your name on stage, the knowing smile he sent you and the things he did to you after the show were more than enough to convey how special you are to him.

356 notes · View notes

thebearer · 8 months

Text

if you lie down, lie next to me |carmen berzatto x reader|

prompt: you and carmen are newly weds, moving into your forever home.

inspired by @carmybears fic assembly required which has been SO heavy on my mind lately mixed with lana del rey's "if you lie down, lie next to me" <3

contains: fluff. just fluff newly weds, alludes at smut, some language, but tooth rotting sweetness and fluff.

“Carmen, I’m not even kidding. Where the fuck did all of this stuff come from?” You groan, collapsing another cardboard box with a huff, shoving it into the pile with the others by the door. “Our apartment was, like, one-fifth the size of this one. The living room was like our whole apartment. How do we have this much shit?”

Carmen snorted lightly, grinning and unpacking the various pots and pans. New pots and pans- wedding gifts.Your wedding came with an influx of appliances and cookware, gadgets for the kitchen that Carmen bubbled with excitement about. And a margarita maker- for you, of course- courtesy of Natalie Berzatto herself. The old apartment, you barely had space for the dishes and pots you had, let alone new ones.

So Carmen kept them tucked away, until he got the new place for you. He didn’t have a clue at the time he’d be buying you the Brownstone you were in now, nestled in the heart of Old Town. A good neighborhood, close-ish to the restaurant, zoned in a good school district- a forever home, for the two of you.

“I mean, most of it was wedding gifts.” Carmen shrugged. “The rest are your shoes.” He teased, a playful glint in his eye when he looked over at you.

You rolled your eyes. “Ha-ha,” You said sarcastically, bumping him with your shoulder. “Seriously, though, I’m never doing this again. We’re here for life, Berzatto.”

“That’s the plan, Berzatto.” Carmen nudged you back lightly, leaning to press a sweet kiss to your blushing cheeks, a loving squeeze to your ass when he passed you that left you squealing.

“The good news is,” Carmen paused, sliding the pot onto the hanging rack over the island, stepping back to admire it. “The kitchen is unpacked.”

“The most important room.” You hummed playfully. Carmen nodded in agreement, arms slipping around your waist, pulling you into his chest.

“Think we should celebrate?” Carmen grinned. “Christen it?”

“We already christened it.” You rolled your eyes at him. “Twice- no, three times, already.”

“Yeah but now it’s done.” Carmen countered. “No more boxes in the way.”

“I think you can only christen something once.” You give him a pointed look, ignoring the way his crotch is rubbing against your hip. You were still sore from the celebratory round of “putting the coffee table together” from earlier.

“And I’m starving. Should we order in again?” You hum, looking at the fridge. Nothing but a bottle of champagne and leftover takeout Chinese food. Your stomach turned at the thought.

Carmen caught your grimace, a hand running soothingly down your back. “If you want. I can run to the store, too. Grab some things for dinner. Break in the kitchen now that it’s done.”

“I think I like that idea better.” You nod, leaning against his chest, feeling his chain through his t-shirt- the same chain you had tucked between your teeth earlier. Your knees wobbled at the thought. “What are you making?”

“What’re you in the mood for?” Carmen tilted his head back to look at you. “Can make you whatever, baby, just lemme know.”

“I am down for anything that doesn’t come out of a box.” You giggle, nose snarling at the Chinese food. “Surprise me, Chef.” You grinned smugly, content at how Carmen’s cheeks flushed with heat.

“You wanna come with me?” Carmen asked, reaching over to swipe his keys off the kitchen counter.

You rolled your lips in thought. “I need to shower.” You blink at him sweetly. “I feel all sweaty and gross.”

“Alright. Need anythin’ else, baby?” Carmen is looking for his phone, patting his pockets and turning in a semi-circle to look around him.

You roll your eyes, plucking the phone off the coffee table in the living room, passing it to him. He was always losing his phone. You’d begged him to get an Apple watch but he swore it got in the way of his cooking, so you took to texting Nat or Richie- who always had their phones- when you needed him.

“Something to drink? Unless you want champagne because I’m pretty sure that’s all that’s in there.” You giggle, looking at the fridge.

Carmen smiled, pulling his hat over his tousled locks. “I got it.” He muttered, leaning to press a sweet, soft kiss to your lips, hands splaying over your hips, pulling you closer and closer into him.

He always managed to make you swoon like that, cheeks rushing with heat, dizzy and light with love. You hoped you’d always feel like this. Even when you were old and wrinkly and wobbly, you hoped Carmen would still kiss you like that- in this very spot, in this very house.

“Oh, Cass Elliot?” You grinned, spinning with the vinyl in your hands, brows raised playfully at Carmen. “He has taste.”

Carmen snorted lightly in laughter, dishrag slung over his shoulder, spooning the sauce over the chicken in the pan. The kitchen was warm, smelling heavily of spices and a dash of citrus. You’d set up the vinyl in the corner by the nook, an old school record player passed down from Carmen’s grandmother. His Nonna Berzatto, who he adored. He had told you about how he’d always go over and help her make Sunday sauce. She had that same vinyl in her kitchen, next to a picture of her parents, and a prayer candle of Mary. It was all he managed to get, keep after she passed and his parents sold everything else that they could. He’d even snagged a few records, though the one you held looked new.

“Yeah. Thought you liked her stuff?” Carmen muttered, eyes cutting to yours gently.

“I do.” You grinned, slipping the record out of the protective paper. “How’d you know that?” You lifted the arm of the record player, slipping out the old disk and sliding in the new one, careful of the bouquet you’d just placed by it. Carmen had snagged one at the grocery earlier, surprising you with the beautiful bloom when you’d gotten out of the shower.

“Because, you told me.” Carmen said simply, checking the asparagus inside the stove. Your heart fluttered. “When we were comin’ back from that trip… The, uh, the one we took to Detroit, remember? You played it on the way back.”

Your chest soared, filling with that warmth that made your body tingle from head to toe. “You remembered that? That was… two years ago?”

“Of course I remembered that.” Carmen scoffed lightly, shaking his head at you like he couldn’t believe you’d say something so ridiculous. “You said that, uh, that one song was like the love song to you. So I-I started listening to it because… ya know, it reminded me of you and stuff.” Carmen muttered, cheeks heating at the omission.

You beamed, lifting the long arm of the record player, letting it softly come to life with a scratch of static before the slow melody filled the room. “You’re sweet.” You hum, arms wrapping around his torso, swaying gently to the familiar medley. “Never would’ve guessed you woulda been this sweet.”

“Yeah? I’m given’ off asshole vibes?” Carmen laughed, hips turning slightly to face you.

“Not at all.” You shook your head. “Gave off recluse vibes.”

“Recluse?” Carmen turned to you.

“Yeah, like… quiet, shy boy vibes.” You giggle. “You barely spoke to me when I started… and you hired me!”

“I thought you were pretty.” Carmen shrugged boyishly. “And I thought if I talked to you, I’d throw up or embarrass myself. Also thought there was no way you’d be single. Too pretty and funny and… I dunno, thought you’d never go out with me.”

“Little did you know.” You grinned wickedly. “I had been stalking you in secret.” Carmen laughed at you. “I thought you were pretty, too.”

Carmen blushed at your omission, lips twitching in a smile. You swayed lightly, cheek pressed to his chest, letting the soft melody lull you. You remembered the car ride back from Detroit. Carmen was going to some chef expo there, trying to network and get Sydney the star she deserved. You’d agreed to go along. Things were far enough along it was stable, but still new and exciting. Your first real trip as a couple. You’d stayed in a hotel, gone to Carmen’s colleague’s fancy restaurant, went sightseeing and shopping hand-in-hand. You couldn’t help feeling so romantic, shuffling songs from the playlist you listened to when you were getting ready for a date. Old school tracks, filled with symphonies and ballads of love.

“I think this is almost done. D’you want to grab the glasses and I’ll-”

“-Let it sit for a minute.” You sigh contently, turning down the heat on the stove top.

“What’re you doin’?” Carmen huffs in laughter, turning while you pull at him, your hand lacing through his own, tugging him to the open space on the other side of the kitchen island.

You just smile at him, pulling him close to you. Your hand in his, the other wrapped around and settled on his spine. His free hand followed, sliding down your back. You leaned towards him, chin tilted towards his face, his curls tickling your forehead. You swayed slowly, nothing elaborate or coordinated, just a soft shuffle type sway, Carmen pulled close to you.

“‘M not good at this.” Carmen’s breath hitched, hand squeezing yours, his thumb gliding over your wedding rings.

“Yeah, you are.” You hum, nose brushing his. “Best dancer I’ve ever seen.” You mutter, your lips slotting over his sweetly. Carmen’s hand left yours, cupping your jaw and pulling you closer, his lips soft against your own. Your head found his shoulder, dipping into his collarbone, arms wrapped around his torso while he rocked you gently. The sound of Cass Elliot’s voice humming out of the record player Baby, I’m Yours fading into Words of Love. The fan from the stove still buzzing with life, wafting out the steam from the pans, rhythmically merging with the sounds from the street. A relatively quiet neighborhood, filled with quiet cars and the occasional children’s screech from their strollers that pushed by. It was all so calming, the sound of your new home. Sounds you hoped would become familiar overtime and still shared with Carmen.

1K notes · View notes

aestheticaltcow · 18 days

Text

Healing

Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto x Reader

This one went in a different direction than originally planned ngl. There isn't a lot of smut but I like how I ended it...

The final part of the Six Month universe Part 1 - Six Months Part 2 - The Night When It Went Wrong Part 3 - The Aftermath Part 4 - Two Months

MDNI 18+

You bit the inside of your cheek, trying to hide the pleasure you felt when Carmy finally erupted inside of you. Carmy’s whimpered moans filled your ear as he nipped at your jaw the way he knew you loved. You sighed as you let your fingers run down Carmy’s toned back.

When Carmy pulled out, you felt his ejaculation ooze out of you, and regret washed over you. You should have just walked down the hall to your room and pretended you never saw him jacking off with your underwear while he watched a video of the two of you hooking up. You watched him lay next to you and catch his breath before rolling on his side to face you. You reluctantly copied the move and stared at him.

Carmy gently pushed your bangs away from your face before planting his hand on your cheek. You bit your lip, trying to hide the soft smile on your face. He grinned and took a shallow breath before admitting, “I’m going to work my ass off every day for the rest of my life to prove how sorry I am.”

You nodded in response and moved closer to him. Carmy’s hand left your face, and he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you on top of him as he rolled onto his back. “I love you, baby,” he mumbled into your shoulder as he snuggled you as closely as humanly possible. You nervously swallowed, “Carmy… I don’t think I’m there yet…” you felt his body shift below you. “O-okay.” he stuttered, “Can-n you lay with me a little longer?”

“Of course, Carm.”

“Mia, I need you to eat your breakfast,” you sternly explained as Mia threw pieces of egg on the floor. “Baby girl, come on.” You sighed as you crouched in front of her high chair before taking the fork from her hand. She wiggled, trying to get away from you as you stabbed the sliced banana in front of her. “Mia, let’s have a good morning that starts with a good breakfast.”

“Are you trying to bargain with our ten-month-old?” Carmy laughed as he stood in the kitchen doorway. You rolled your eyes and stood up, “You try. She’s bein’ so fussy this morning.” Carmy shook his head and went up to her. Mia’s hands immediately started grabbing in his direction, “I swear, I carried you for nine months. 22 hours of labor, and a c-section, only for you to love him more than me… you’re lucky you’re cute.” you playfully teased Mia before planting a kiss on her chubby cheek. Her giggles lit up the room as Carmy pulled a chair beside her, “Okay, princess, let’s eat.”

As you ate your breakfast, you watched Carmy feed Mia. Something was different about him. You leaned back against the counter and really looked at him. He wore one of his slightly too-tight T-shirts and a pair of black jeans with the same gold chain he’d worn every day. As you scanned his body, you saw it: He was wearing his wedding ring. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d seen him wear it. Something about it made you feel uneasy.

“Hey, Carmy… when you get home tonight, do you think we can talk about some stuff?” you asked as you adjusted Mia on your hip. Carmy looked at you like a deer in the headlights and hesitantly nodded as he picked up his backpack from the ground. “It’s nothing bad… just about last night and some other stuff,” you explained, hoping to alleviate some of his anxiety. Carmy nodded again and slung his bag over his shoulder. He stepped forward and kissed Mia’s head before playfully punching your arm, “Bye, girls…” he grinned before ducking out of the house for the day.

Carmy drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel of his car as he sat in traffic on his way to work. What did you want to talk about? Last night was everything he wanted. The two of you had sex for the first time in almost a year, the two of you slept in the same bed for the first time in months, and for a minute, Carmy had everything he’d wanted. He should have deleted Selena’s number when he got in the car that day. You were going to leave him; that’s what it had to be.

Throughout the day, Carmy was distracted. He was thinking about the conversation the two of you were having that night. He should prepare a speech. Should he buy you flowers? If he left early, he could stop at your favorite bakery and pick you up a sweet treat. Prep, family, and dinner service were a blur. He heard people talking to him, but none of what they said made sense; it was like he was back in school. Everything was going in one ear and out the other. He just needed to get home.

When Carmy walked into the house that night, he felt his heart rate accelerate. He quietly pushed his jacket off and stepped out of his shoes before walking back to your bedroom. You sat in bed doing something on your computer. Carmy sighed before making his presence known. He saw you sitting in the middle of the bed with your hair wrapped up in a microfiber towel, your face shiny from skin care products, and your glasses perched on the bridge of your nose. “Hey baby.” he weakly grinned as he approached the bed. You grinned at him and closed your computer, “Hey Carm.”

“Still wanna talk?” Carmy asked as he shoved his hands into his pant pockets. You patted the mattress beside you and watched as Carmy pulled his hands from his pocket and sat on the edge of the mattress. “Carmy, I want-” You were cut off by Carmy standing up and pacing the space between the bed and closet door. He pushed his hands through his hair, took a deep breath, and looked at you with his fingers still tangled in his hair. “Baby. You can’t leave me. I know I fucked up, but please give me a second chance-”

“Carmy! I wanna go to couple’s counseling.”

“I understand that you didn’t have sex with that grocery store whore, but you went to her house with the intention to. And that’s what I’m hung up on.” you calmly explained as you watched Carmy sit back on the ugly cranberry couch in the therapist's office. The two of you had been going to therapy for a little over a month at this point, and while a dialogue was created, he just didn’t understand why you couldn’t move past it.

“How does that make you feel, Carmen?” the therapist questioned as they fidgetted with a pen.

“I’m confused. You kicked me out for like two months, contemplated divorcing me, and then you let me come home and sleep with me, but you’re still ‘not there’ when I tell you I love you. We’re spending a lot of time together as a family, but when I try to hang out with just you- you get weird. Like last night, I sat next to you on the couch and you got up because you ‘had to check on a rendering video’; then you didn’t come back. You act like nothings wrong around Mia or family, but when we’re alone, it’s like you’re in a different universe. Look, I know I fucked up. I just want to know what I need to do to make it right between us. I get we can’t go back to exactly what we had, but do you even like me anymore?” Carmy looked at you while on the verge of tears.

“Y/N, is there anything you want to say?”

“Carmy, I care about you so much and value our relationship, but right now, I’m just frustrated. I would never cheat on you, and the only reason you didn’t cheat on me was because you ‘couldn’t get hard’... I just- I don’t know what I need from you right now. I really appreciate you agreeing to this, and you’re a wonderful father, but I just don’t know.” you explained as you picked at the hole in your jeans.

Carmy opened the passenger’s door for you, and you quickly slipped into his car. He walked around and slipped in the driver’s seat, “We should start planning Mia’s birthday party.” you brought up as he turned on the car. Carmy nodded in agreement as you grabbed your phone from your purse, “I have a couple of Pinterest boards for party inspo. Since she’s not gonna remember it, we don’t have to go all out, but I like the idea of doing ‘My Berry First’ birthday party since my baby shower was also kinda fruity themed-”

“You don’t like me anymore.” Carmy spat, cutting you off midsentence. “What?” Surprised by his statement, you put your phone down and looked at him. He sighed and pulled over into a 7/11 parking lot. You watched as he tilted his head back and stared at the car's roof before slowly blinking. “Baby. Do you like me? Do you actually want to spend time with me? The only thing we do together anymore is go to couples counseling. You never want to go out to dinner or run errands together- the only time I fuckin’ see you is when we’re doing something with Mia. You say you love me and want to reconcile, but you don’t like me.” Carmy rubbed the back of his neck before glancing in your direction.

You’d turned in your seat, bringing your left leg up to the seat awkwardly sitting on it, “Carmen… I just- I don’t know. I like you, and I love our family, but it’s just hard.” you began to explain. “Listen, Carmen, I don’t want to divorce you. There’s just this tension- I don’t know how to explain it to you. I look at you and see the man I’ve been with for, like, what, seven years? But then I start thinking about you and that fucking whore. I think about how you didn’t tell her you were married. I think about her kissing you and touching you- it makes me wanna fuckin’ puke.”

You took a deep breath before continuing, “Carmy, I like you. I’m just- not there yet….”

“Hey, I’m gonna go to bed,” you said, poking your head into the living room. Carmy nodded without looking up at you, “Night.” he said as he flipped to a different channel on the TV. You stood against the doorway and watched as he stared at the screen lifelessly. With a sigh, you walked into the living room and stood beside Carmy. He was unphased; you needed to up the antics. You stepped closer and swiftly straddled Carmy’s hips, which thankfully got his attention. Carmy swallowed when you put a hand on his collarbone, “Hey.” you halfheartedly grinned.

Carmy took swallow breaths as he stared up at you. He allowed himself to rest his palms on your hips before fanning his fingers out to grab the fat of your ass, “I’m not really in the mood, baby.”

You rolled your eyes and playfully hit him, “I swear Carmy… I like you. If I didn’t, I woulda never come up to you at that bar. I wouldn’t have agreed to be exclusive. I wouldn’t have moved into that shitty apartment you had. I wouldn’t have given up that job opportunity in California. I wouldn’t have married you or had your baby. I like you as a person, partner, father to my child…. Let’s spend some time together.”

You rubbed your lips together after applying a layer of pink-tinted lip oil. Your hair and makeup were as good as it was going to get. After slipping on a red barely long enough to cover your butt dress and a pair of black platform boots, you stared at yourself in the mirror. You smoothed down the bottom of your dress and grabbed a slightly oversized light-wash denim jacket along with your bag, “Let’s fuckin go.” you said as you walked out of the bedroom.

Carmy was in the kitchen with Mia on his hip. She had a fist full of his tank top in one hand and one of her stuffed animals in the other. When he heard the dryer go off, Carmy gently put her down, “Race ya?” he asked, hoping to tire her out enough for Donna to keep up with her. Mia plopped on the floor and stared up at him, disinterested in doing anything to make his morning easier. Carmy laughed and walked to the laundry room just off the kitchen. He grabbed a short-sleeved button-up shirt and slipped it on before throwing the rest of the clean clothes in a laundry basket. He felt nervous. It was silly, though- it’s not like he’d never had a date with you. He took a deep breath and returned to the kitchen to see Mia playing with Tupperware; he shook his head and swiftly scooped her off the floor. Mia dropped the container on the floor and grabbed at Carmy’s ear.

“You look pretty,” Carmy said as you sat in the passenger’s seat of his car after strapping Mia into her car seat. You smiled and pushed your bangs back, “You noticed…” you teased. Carmy chuckled as started backing out of the driveway. He put his right hand against your seat as he looked over his shoulder. You held your breath when you noticed his jugular bulge from his neck.

You were looking out the window when you felt Carmy reach over to your lap, you glance down to see him intertwine his fingers with yours. A blush came to your cheeks as he squeezed your hand softly, you bit your lip and rubbed your index finger between his knuckles.

Dropping Mia off at Donna’s always made you nervous; she’d changed since Natalie had started having kids, but you were haunted by her drunken rants criticizing Carmy for being with you and how you must have only been after his money. You laughed to yourself as you watched Carmy walk Mia into the house. She grabbed in your direction, her adorable little smile shining past the shield of her pacifier. You waved back before Carmy entered the house.

He came back to the car and pulled his phone out of his pocket to connect to the car’s bluetooth, “Where are we going on our date afternoon?” you asked as you nudged his shoulder. Carmy grinned at his phone as he scrolled through his Spotify playlist looking for a song to play, “If I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise.” he hit play on his phone and pulled away from the curb.

A couple of donuts and a walk through the park led you and Carmy to a secluded bench by a pond. “Have we brought Mia here?” you asked, unsure of the familiarity of your surroundings. Carmy nodded, “Sorta—you were pregnant with her.”

You smiled and scooted closer to him, snaking an arm around his waist. Carmy smiled and threw an arm over your shoulders. “It’s weird. We have a one-year-old. It feels like I was pregnant with her yesterday.”

“It is. If you could change anything—aside from the obvious—what would you pick?” Carmy asked into your hair as he kissed the top of your head. You thought momentarily, “Well, besides the obvious, I don’t think I’d change anything. We have a pretty cool kid.”

Carmy rubbed your bicep as the two of you watched ducks swim in the pond. Carmy brought his free hand to your chin, pushed it up with his index finger, and brought his lips down to yours. Before the two of you could kiss, he softly whispered, “Can I kiss you, baby?”

Instead of answering, you pressed your lips to his. He kissed back immediately and pulled you closer to him. You cupped his face in your hands as Carmy pulled you onto his lap; your stomach fluttered as Carmy’s grip tightened. As you separated your lips to allow your tongue to slip into Carmy’s mouth, you felt his phone vibrate against your hip. Carmy wanted to ignore the call and risk getting caught for indecent exposure, but when you reluctantly pulled away, he fished his phone out of his pocket and saw Donna’s name flashing across the screen. “Looks like Grandma Donna is at her Mia limit.” he chuckled and answered to have his assumptions confirmed by an overwhelmed Donna and a crying Mia in the background.

You got up from Carmy’s lap and smoothed down the back of your dress. He swallowed when he saw a peak of your butt cheek as you stood up. “We’re on our way, Ma.” he quickly said into the phone, cutting Donna off mid-sentence before hanging up.

“We can pick up where we left off later,” you say, biting your lip. Taking Carmy’s hand in yours, you trek back to the car and retrieve an overstimulated Mia from Grandma Donna’s house. By the time the two of you had gotten her to calm down and eat, the mood was gone, but Carmy had promised to make it up to you the following weekend.

“Dam, I thought the view from behind was good, but it’s even better up here.” some Andrew Tate-looking man greeted you. You internally cringed as you noticed how he looked at you like a piece of meat. You rolled your eyes and waited for the bartender to finish the drinks you’d ordered. “Can’t even get a hello?” the man questioned you, stepping forward. You scoffed, “I don’t owe you shit- maybe my husband’ll say hello to you.”

“I don’t see a husband anywhere. Don’t play so hard to get a sexy girl. Why don’t you come back to my booth?” His slimy offer disgusted you. You shook your head and slipped the bartender a $20 before taking your drinks back to the small window table you and Carmy had been sitting at. Carmy was outside on the phone dealing with some issue down at the restaurant; he shot you an apologetic smile.

While Carmy was wrapping up his phone call, the man from the bar strode up to the table to convince you to go back to his booth. You weren’t having any of it. “Where’s that husband of yours?” he questioned, sitting where Carmy had been moments prior. You gestured outside; Carmy had his back to the window as he listened to Richie’s nonsensical problem.

“That guy? The one on the phone who’s not even looking at you? I don’t believe you, sweetheart.” he purred as he relaxed into the chair opposite of you. You rolled your eyes and held your left hand up, you wiggled your ring finger; “Say that to the ring on my finger.”

“Come on, baby girl. I just bought a bottle of 925 Diamante Ley. Do one shot with me, and then you can decide if you want to come back to your ‘husband’ or not.” as he reached out to touch your bicep, Carmy cleared his throat. You looked up at him, immediately relieved. The guy looked over his shoulder, and Carmy glared at him, “Get a fuckin’ clue asshole. This is my wife and the mother of my child. Fuck off before I need to make you fuck off.”

The man looked Carmy up and down before shifting his attention back to you, “Oh hell fuckin’ no. Don’t need that nasty stretched out-” he was cut off by Carmy shoving the guy out of his chair. “Don’t fuckin’ dare finish that dam sentence. She’s a fuckin’ angel, and you should even be allowed in the same room as her.” Carmy spat as the guy stumbled back to his feet. “Yeah, whatever, man- she’s not even that hot.” he scoffed as he pushed past Carmy. You reached out to grab Carmy’s hand as the man walked out of earshot, “He’s not worth it, Carm.” you spoke softly as you squeezed his hand in yours, “Can we just get out of here?”

Carmy looked back at you, nodded, and pulled you to his side. As the two of you walked out of the bar, you couldn’t help but notice the scuzzball trying to get another table of girls to come back to his booth. You rolled your eyes and wrapped an arm around Carmy’s waist as he directed the two of you back to the car, “Fuck that dude.” Carmy mumbled as he closed your door after you’d gotten into the passenger’s side.

“You know your pussy isn’t ‘stretched out’ or ‘nasty’ right?” Carmy asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over the two of you on the drive home. You nodded, “I know Carmy.”

When Carmy parked in the driveway, he turned his head to look at you. He put a hand on your thigh and squeezed gently. You placed your hand on his and sighed softly before asking, “Do you wanna take a shower with me?”

Carmy laughed, “Baby, if I ever say no to that question, have me committed.” You rolled your eyes and opened the car door. As you walked to the front door, Carmy was hot on your heels. Before you could open the door, Carmy wrapped his arms around your waist. You put your head back against his shoulder, “Pay the sitter… I’ll start the shower.”

Carmy nodded and kissed your cheek before dropping his arms, allowing you to open the front door. You quickly walked down the hall, quickly poking your head into Mia’s bedroom before heading back into the master bedroom. Carmy stared at your ass as you walked away. He sucked in a breath and went into the kitchen to see the babysitter sitting at the kitchen island reading out of a beat-up history book, “Hi, Mr.Berzatto. Mia was a little fussy, but I got her down.” she began to explain. Carmy nodded, not really absorbing anything she’d said. He reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out to Venmo her for the night. “Thanks, kid- Y/N or I’ll call you next time we need you.”

You stood in the bathroom in your underwear, waiting for the shower to heat up and for Carmy to join you. Carmy locked the front door and grabbed the baby monitor from the kitchen counter before barreling down the hallway. When he got to the door to the master bedroom, he took a breath and slowed down so he wouldn’t come off as overly desperate. Walking into the bedroom, he put the baby monitor on your dresser before kicking his shoes off and stripping to his underwear. As he walked to the askew bathroom door, he ran his tongue over his teeth when he noticed you looking at your reflection in the mirror. He noticed you pulling at the skin on your stomach with a frown. Carmy huffed and softly opened the door more. You looked over at him as he stepped further into the bathroom. His hands found your hips and lifted you onto the counter, “So fuckin’ sexy, baby…” Carmy muttered as his lips crashed onto yours. You were taken by surprise but allowed Carmy to wedge himself between your thighs as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

“Carm- showers on…” you manage to get out after pushing his chest away from you. Begrudgingly, he stepped away and pulled the shower curtain open. “Oh god, you’re trying to boil us alive.” Carmy laughed as he pulled his hand away from the water. You rolled your eyes before hopping off the counter. After removing your bra and underwear you stepped into the shower. Carmy pushed his boxers down and joined you after turning the heat down.

“Can you sleep in here Carmy?” Carmy’s heart stopped as the words left your mouth. He nodded softly trying his hardest to not come off as desperate. You saw through it immediately and playfully nudged his shoulder as you walked past him into the bedroom. Carmy looked in the mirror and pushed his wet hair back with his hands, a goofy grin was plastered on his face at the realization that he’d managed to get back on your good side.

When Carmy joined you in bed you immediately scooted closer to him, wrapping your arms around his waist. “I missed this…” you mumbled into his chest as you snuggled closer to him. Carmy chuckled and kissed the top of your head.

“I missed this more, baby,” he responded as he pulled you onto his hips. “I love you. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but hurting you was the worst,” he said as he held you. “I’m never going to hurt you like that again.”

You nodded and pushed yourself up into a sitting position. Staring down at him, you saw the Carmy you’d fallen in love with all those years ago. “You’re not gonna get a third chance, Berzatto. Fuck up again. I’m cutting your dick off.” you threatened, much to his amusement. He shook his head, chuckling, “I won’t need a third chance, baby.”

“Good. I love you, Carmen. Don’t make me look like a fool again.”

#carmen berzatto #carmen berzatto imagine #carmy berzatto #carmy the bear #carmen berzatto one shot #carmen berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto imagine #the bear #carmen berzatto angst #carmen berzatto fluff #carmen berzatto smut #carmen berzatto x you #carmy x reader #carmy smut #carmy berzatto smut #the bear fic #the bear fan fiction

244 notes · View notes

carmyboobear · 1 month

Note

silly little idea i have in my brain where you’ve got carmen on his back, both of you giggling and gently teasing each other before you hop on to ride him. you lean down and kiss at his chest and he’s just smirking, letting you have your fun until your tongue brushes against one of his nipples. the moan he lets out could only be described as surprised, almost like it was punched out of him, like he didn’t expect it to feel that good. his face goes beet red and he’s blinking in shock

just,..idk carmen might have sensitive nipples who knows

Anon I’m sorry for the wait! I SO agree. I kept looking back at this ask and being like😳Anyway tbh I already had some stuff like this in the works but I rly wanted to write with this prompt, so here’s this. Enjoy!

Word count: ~800

Tags: explicit MDNI🔞, subby carmy, nipple play, slight overstimulation at the end

You didn’t know Carmy’s nipples were so sensitive until today.

It was just a playful little thing, a gentle flick of your tongue against the smooth surface of his soft nipple. However, the sound he failed to stifle was nothing small. The moan that came out of him was abrupt, like it appeared out of nowhere.

Carmy’s face has gone bright red now, evidently shocked by his own reaction. His mouth keeps opening as if to say something, but he can’t get the words out.

So naturally, you lick his nipple again, slower this time, and Carmy sucks in a sharp, deep breath.

“I didn’t know your nipples were so sensitive,” you murmur, your fingers thumbing back and forth over his nipples, hardening them.

“I, I didn’t either,” Carmy pants. His cock weeps between the two of you, dripping pre cum onto his stomach. You were going to ride him, but this is suddenly more important. You don’t even think you’ll need to ride him anymore, not when he’s reacting like this.

“Really? Even when your shirts are always rubbing up on them?” You don’t mean for that question to be as sexual but it is, but his nipples are reddening and swelling as your fingers pinch at them, and Carmy’s moans are making you drip.

“It’s not—sometimes, I mean, it’s a little—“ You can tell that this whole thing is embarrassing him, but he’s too turned on to shy away. He can’t even bring himself to say it.

“Just didn’t wanna admit it, then.” You suck one of his erect nipples into your mouth, wrapping your lips tightly around it, and he moans loudly. You release it with a wet pop, and it comes out shiny. You suck at the other one, too, leaving both of his nipples swollen and glossy with spit. “Y’think you could come with just me touching your nipples?”

“Shut up, I don’t know, maybe,” Carmy groans, back arching and chest pushing towards your mouth and hands. You glance down at his nearly untouched cock to see it still dripping. Your aching pussy still wants to sit on it, feel it come inside you when you make him finish with just his nipples. Not tonight, though. You wanna see him make a mess of himself.

“Come on, Carmy. I wanna see you come.” You suddenly pinch both of his nipples with your index and thumbs and tug, and the sound he makes has your clit throbbing. It’s as if you’re deep throating his cock with the noises he keeps making. “You’re getting close, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, shit,” he admits, rolling his head back. “So close—“

You have a feeling you know what he needs. You’re eager to see him finish, so you decide not to make him beg for it this time.

You pull one of his swollen pink nipples into your mouth again, flattening it under the flat of your tongue before sucking it between your lips. While your hand tugs at his other nipple, you suck rhythmically, cheeks hollowing. You hear Carmy’s ruined moans right from his chest. He can’t form words anymore.

“Fuck me,” Carmy cries, and he writhes as he comes deeply all over himself.

You lick his nipples as he comes onto his stomach, streaking his skin and hairs with white. You feel a glob of wetness leak from your pussy from listening to his moans. You never expected him to react so well to having his chest touch. Not to say you never thought about it…just not like this.

Experimentally, you give his nipple a little bite, just barely tugging with your teeth, and Carmy’s moans spike in volume instantly.

“Too much,” he whimpers. Although you would never push him like that, the thought of biting more at his nipples and making him scream does pass through you. It rushes heat into your stomach. But you know this isn’t the time for that, and you roll back into gently lapping at his wet nipple instead.

Even then, he eventually just pushes your head back with his hands, overstimulated and beautiful. His curly hair’s a mess from how he was pressing his head against the head board. His warm skin has this gorgeous flush to it, and his half lidded eyes are staring at you in a haze.

“That was so hot,” you say with a grin. His eyes crinkle in a smile, and he shakes his head as he laughs under his breath.

“I didn’t know I could…come with just that,” he mumbles, clearly bashful. “It was…wow.”

“If I had known earlier, I would’ve gotten these in my mouth way sooner.” You give his chest a solid squeeze, and that makes him laugh again, but it’s a bit breathless.

#carmy berzatto #carmy berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto #carmen berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto smut #carmen berzatto smut #carmen berzatto x you #carmy berzatto x you #the bear #my asks #my blurbs #my smut #AHHHH I just. one of my biggest turns ons to be absolutely honest so. good ask anon tysm #sub carmy

180 notes · View notes

collecting-stories · 9 months

Text

Strawberry Gazpacho - Carmen Berzatto

A/N: Some people asked for a part 2 of Blueberry BBQ, so I decided to stay on the fruit trend!

Summary: Reader and Carmy continue to bond over food.

The Bear Masterlist

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

"What is this?" You asked, staring down at the bowl Carmy had placed on top of your papers. You were in the back office, trying to work on the week's payroll when he'd come in, told you that you needed a lunch break, and placed a plate down in front of you.

"Try it," he urged, wringing his hands in his apron and looking like an eager little kid.

"Carm-"

"Try it," he repeated and you obliged. Regardless of what it was you knew you would like it. Carmy made it, which immediately meant it couldn't be bad, but also, Carmy made it. For you, more specifically. You took the proffered spoon and dipped it into the bowl, surprised when you pressed it to your lips and found that it was, in fact, cold.

"Gazpacho?" You asked, after a second bite.

You had told him last night, while watching TV and letting him finish the tupperware of tofu feta that's you'd made the day before, that you hated gazpacho. You loved soup and tomato was your favorite; a nice, roasted red-pepper tomato, heavy on the garlic, that you'd perfected over the years. But no gazpacho. You couldn't get used to the fact that it was cold.

"You like it?" He asked in a way that suggested he might genuinely be worried that you would tell him it was horrible.

"I mean, it's the best gazpacho I've ever had," you took another bite as proof, "it's spicy."

"But?"

You weren't sure if he was fishing for a compliment or trying to convert you onto a food you held in disdain but you assumed that if he wanted someone to tell him that he was a skilled chef he would've gone to Syd or Marcus with his cold soup.

"It's cold soup Carmy, I just can't fuck with cold soup." You replied, "it's good though."

He reached for the spoon in your hand and dipped it into the bowl, trying some of the gazpacho that he had made. He nodded his head, as if to confirm that it was good, as if he didn't already know it would be.

"Should I like, fall over at your feet and tell you that you've converted me to gazpacho and it's the only thing I'll ever order for the rest of my life?" You teased, leaning an elbow on the desk. It felt completely natural to be this relaxed with him and yet, just weeks earlier, you'd been fretting over the idea of having him come over for Sunday dinner.

He handed the spoon back and you took another experimental taste.

"I mean, you're still eating it," he pointed out, grinning.

In no world would Carmy say that he was 'good with people'. If he wasn't saying the wrong thing then he was saying nothing at all (and that was also wrong). He wanted to spend more time with you, the most time he could afford outside of The Beef but the only way he really knew how to spend time with anyone was cooking. So he kept cooking for you, things you liked, things you hated but liked when he made them. He kept trying to find the perfect thing to say and the perfect recipe to go along with it, as if that would remedy his inability to tell you that he wanted more from whatever this situation currently was. You weren't dating but he wanted to be dating but he wasn't exactly the dating type (as far as having an actual open schedule went).

"Touche," you replied, taking another bite. "I can't decide if I'll regret telling you this or not but my mom has a recipe for strawberry gazpacho that apparently my grandma used to make every summer."

"Strawberry?"

"I can already see the gears turning in your head Carmy," you laughed.

He looked down at you, piercing blue eyes taking your measure, "can you get me the recipe?"

"Are you gonna make me eat it?" You practically pouted.

He nodded, "yes."

You groaned and leaned back in the office chair, "god, the things I do for you Carmy." You sighed. "I'll text my mom for the recipe...I can pick stuff up on my way home, if you want. Or if you're all gazpacho'ed out-"

"No, tonight works." He agreed.

Before you could say anything else Marcus was calling Carmy back to the kitchen. He wiped his hands on his apron once more and push himself off the desk. Before he could pick up the bowl you put your hand over his, "I might try another bite."

There were other things that Carmy could probably be doing with his evening. Catching up on sleep, working on the recipes that he and Syd had been spitballing for the updated menu, mending whatever semblance of a relationship he still had with Sugar. Instead he was looking forward to going to your apartment (which was leagues nicer than his shitty place) and cooking. He'd lived so long on white bread and peanut butter and chips and soft drinks and anything quick that he'd forgotten what it was like to cook just because he enjoyed cooking. Hell, he'd forgotten that he enjoyed it. The only thing, lately, that really felt like it brought that enjoyment back was standing in your kitchen.

"Rigoletto has taken up residence on the island and he refuses to move so...we're down some counter space," you said as soon as you opened the door to Carmy, moving aside to let him into your apartment.

He stopped at the island, leaning over to pet Rigoletto, who half-heartedly rolled onto his side to give Carmy better access to his stomach. "Hey chef," he teased. He turned to look at you, still stroking the cat as he did, "strawberry gazpacho?"

"I would just like to disclaimer that I don't think strawberries are going to improve my deep-seated hatred of gazpacho but-"

"I mean, you did eat most of the one I made earlier," Carmy pointed out as your mouth fell open in surprise.

"Angel! What a snitch!" You laughed, "I can't believe he told you."

"Hey, it's my kitchen, I've gotta know what's going on." He followed you around the other side of the island, grabbing the notebook you had sitting on the counter and scanning over the recipe. You'd called your mom on the way home and asked for a copy of the recipe, which she'd gladly texted ("does this have something to do with that cute chef where you work?"). You'd picked up whatever ingredients you didn't already have at your house and set everything out for Carmy before he'd even gotten there. You felt a little silly, being so excited just to have him come over and cook with you (for you) when there was no real definition to what your relationship was.

"Did you cook growing up? Like with your mom and stuff?" You asked, stealing a strawberry out of the plastic container.

"No," Carmy shook his head, then amended his answer, "not really. My ma always told us to help but if we did she yelled at us for doing something the wrong way...it was better to just stay outta her way when she was in the kitchen. You?"

"Oh yeah, my mom's not like...the best chef in the world or anything but she loved trying new stuff. Anything we wanted we could ask for and she'd try to make it. And then as we got older we would have like, nights where one of us got to cook." You replied, "I like it but...I don't think I'm good at it."

"You are...I mean....not like, you've got potential." Carmy explained, blue eyes glancing up to meet you across the island and you smiled.

"Thank you chef."

You left Carmy to the strawberry gazpacho and the chicken he'd brought over to make some dish you'd never heard of before while you got Rigoletto's dinner out. The cat had finally moved off the island and you sprayed it down with cleaner to at least give yourself a better chance of not picking white cat hair off your dinner plate.

Carmy fit right into your kitchen, probably the whole apartment for that matter. It was something both of you had thought, more than once, but neither of you said anything about. He felt like he was waiting for something bad to come from all the good you had been supplying in his life recently. Bad news always felt like it was lurking around the corner for him, especially these days, and he didn't want to put everything in one basket. But being in your kitchen, in your space, felt good. It felt like he was supposed to be there.

"Did you know," you were saying as you came back into the kitchen, leaning near him to look at the chicken he was searing on the stovetop, "that I didn't know what mortadella was before I started working at the Beef?"

Carmy turned his head to watch you fish a piece of garlic out of the skillet and eat it whole, "Did you just?"

"It was cooked."

"It was a whole clove of garlic."

"I love garlic," you shrugged, dropping the fork in the sink, "but seriously, I had to google it cause I didn't know what Richie was talking about when he was trying to explain it."

"It's very Italian." Carmy replied.

"You're very Italian." You grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"I am, yeah." And then, "I still can't believe you ate that."

"You act like you've never eaten garlic before."

"Not just shoved a whole clove in my mouth." He replied.

"It tasted good." You shrugged, "I always use too much garlic. Like if a recipe says three cloves I use six."

"Yeah that's why I said you had potential."

"Well now I just feel like that's your 'I don't wanna hurt your feelings' way of saying I'm actually shit at cooking." You replied.

"Nah, if you were shit I'd tell you."

"Yeah but then who'd balance the books for you?" You teased, searching in the cabinet under the island for wine, "red or white?"

"Uh...white for this." Carmy replied.

You pushed the bottle of red you were holding back into the cabinet and went to the fridge, pulling out the Chardonnay you'd bought last week. You grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, handing him one once it was poured.

"Is this the 'only white you'll drink' wine?" He asked, taking a sip.

The last time he had come over to cook with you (for you) there had been a long discussion about different wines in which you'd explained that there was only one type of white that you liked. More accurately, one brand that made a chardonnay you didn't completely hate.

"Yeah...they finally restocked!" You exclaimed, leaning against the counter, "the woman at the Wine and Spirits definitely thinks I'm an alcoholic though...I bought like, four bottles."

Carmy shook his head, reaching a hand out for the bottle and splashing a little into the pan when you handed it to him. Kitchens were crowded and Carmy was more than used to working in an environment where people were constantly at each other's side or back or space but something about having you leaning there against the counter beside him was both extremely nerve-wracking and extremely comforting.

He didn't say anything about it though, at least not until after you'd eaten dinner and were sitting on the couch avoiding the dishes. Then he blurted it out while you watched reruns of Murder, She Wrote with Rigoletto. "I always thought I would do stuff like this when I was younger."

"Watch 80's tv shows on a Tuesday night?" You asked.

"No," he laughed, "Just like...I don't know....you know, make dinner with someone. Or, I guess, not feel like my entire life was in a restaurant all the time."

"Well I'll always be happy to make dinner with you...or at least supply the wine while you make dinner." You replied, grinning at him.

"Yeah," he nodded his head slowly, as if convincing himself that what you were saying was true.

"Yeah," you agreed.

#collecting stories imagine #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto x you #carmy berzatto fluff #carmy berzatto imagine #carmy x reader #carmy x you #carmy x y/n #the bear fanfiction #the bear imagine #the bear fanfic

480 notes · View notes

emotionoitme · 10 months

Text

human, for a minute

part three of about a girl

read part two here

carmy berzatto x reader

warnings: angst, mentions of a stalker, mutual pining feels, crying, carmen in denial, a hint of steaminess

wc: 4.7k

a/n: angst chapter!!!!! i hope i make u all cry >:) please leave me a comment to let me know what you think! <3 i’ll be posting a spotify playlist link on my page for the series soon. if you’re enjoying the story stay tuned for one more part!

shame - human, for a minute

the phone rings again, for what seems to be the fiftieth time, blaring through the restaurant in a piercing shrill. clamor of utensils and dishware, the occasional shout of instruction breaking the static noise. the man feels a headache creeping on, trying to force himself to not check the clock again. it hadn’t been long since he last checked it, and he knew he would regret it the moment he did. his eyes dart upwards. it’s 1:35.

she wasn't supposed to come in until 3, scheduled to close that night, he reminds himself. in that moment he craved the sense of peace she brought to the environment, the noticeable ease in dinner services within the past five months of her employment reasserting her essentiality. orders were smoother, customers were happier, shifts seemed shorter. he also found it thoroughly grounding to be able to look up from his work, through the expo window and watch her for just a moment, not that he would admit to it. he had dropped her off at home on his way to the restaurant that morning, watching her walk up her complex stairs clad in a white shirt and a pair of hanes, both borrowed, and noticeably oversized.

he cuts back to his task at hand, setting a plate down, drizzling a sauce over the surface, not checking the clock.

he thinks back to when he had gently woken her hours earlier. slipping out of bed at the sound of his alarm, hand groggily coming to rub his face, making his way to the bathroom. he practically forgot she was there in his tired haze, the memories of the night flooding back to him when he returned to the bedroom, staring at her sleeping form. his heart inexplicably ached at the sight as he gently opened his dresser drawers, beginning to get ready for work. he dresses, mentally rattling off things that need to be done at the restaurant, running his hands through his unruly bed head. he brushes his teeth, locates his keys and wallet, and puts on his socks all before making his way back over to the sleeping girl.

he wanted to leave her there, come back home and find her waiting there just for him. the man checked the time on his phone, nearing 7 o’clock. he leans over the bed, placing a hand on her side and lightly rubbing. she shifts, blinking awake, meeting his eyes.

“hey,” he greets softly, brushing her hair behind her ear, resting his hand on her for a moment. she sleepily smiles, eyes bleary.

“morning,” she responds quietly, looking him over, “you gotta go?”

he nods, internalizing his disappointment, removing his hand from her hair.

“okay,” she responds, rubbing her eyes, “i’ll get up.” she slowly sits up, holding the blanket to her bare chest, trying to blink away the sleepiness. carmy notices the slight sway in her seated form, eyes heavy, watching a small shiver pass over her.

“you can stay,” he tells her, “go back to sleep if you want.”

she looks up to his standing form, tempted to accept his offer, wanting nothing more than to stay cozied up in a bed that smells like him. she rationalizes the situation, though, tying her hair up out of her face. she wasn’t going to overstay her welcome, telling herself, he’s just trying to be nice.

“you’re not scared of me snooping through your stuff?” she asks, eyebrow raising a bit. he lets out a laugh, slightly taken aback by her question.

“would you?” he asks.

she thinks for a moment, head tilting.

“probably not…but you would never know if i did,” she answers, grinning. he smiles in amusement, quickly raking his eyes over her face, trailing down to her collarbones, shoulders, exposed back.

“do you think you could take me home?” she asks, “on your way to work?”

“yeah,” he answers, “yeah, of course.” to which she smiles in response.

she goes to get out of bed when she remembers her nudity concealed by the sheet, pausing, embarrassment evident on her face. he smiles at her hesitation, the girl acting as if he hadn’t seen her stark naked the night before. she turns to him, “can i also borrow something to wear home?” she asks, “please? i wanna get back in bed.”

in that moment he couldn’t fathom saying no to her, immediately grabbing her a few things she could choose from, her selecting a plain white shirt and a pair of his checkered boxers. she gets out of bed, skin raised in goosebumps from the chill morning, slipping his shirt over her head, then walking past carmen to the living room, searching for her discarded panties. the man watched her, entranced, surprised at how viscerally affected he was at the sight. he loved the way she looked in his clothes, debating telling her to keep them forever.

he tries to ignore the implications of their time together, as he stands over the finished plate, phone on the wall still ringing.

“hands!” he calls, moving away from the dish, wiping his hands on the rag draped over his shoulder.

fuck, he thinks, what am i doing?

everything had been moving so fast— having told himself prior he wouldn’t pursue her at all, let alone invite her to stay the night wrapped in his arms, mind completely clouded with the thought of her. he thinks to his initial intention, a quick hookup, something to help him let off some steam, alleviate the pressure that built within him the second he laid eyes on her. it didn’t alleviate anything, though, finding himself stuck on the thought of her more now than ever.

“fuck, can i get some hands, please?” carmen yells out, already busied by the next task, eyebrows furrowed and jaw tight.

it was like he was trying to quit a drug by injecting it directly into his veins, incessantly tortured by his inner dilemma surrounding her. it was apparent to many that the restaurant required her help, especially amidst a rush much like the one happening now. he knew this. knew that she couldn’t continue to work here if the two of them were to grow closer than they already had, their current relationship being a major conflict of interest, to say the least.

gotta put an end to it, he tells himself, chest tightening at the thought. he shakes this away, takes a deep breath and refocuses himself on his work. he glances up at the clock again. an hour left. he rips his eyes away, mentally chastising himself.

i have to tell her today, the thought creating a sinking in his stomach.

—

she flings open the heavy metal door, quickly finding safety inside, heart rapidly beating from her rushed pace. she lets out a shaky breath, trying to calm herself. she walks further inside, opening a locker and setting her bag down, zoning out for a second, deeply perturbed by what she had experienced on her commute.

“hey, welcome in,” she hears a chipper voice, turning to see sydney.

“hey. thanks chef,” she responds softly, taking a moment to process the simple greeting, tying her hair back out of her face. the girl, heavy in thought, slowly makes her way to the front of store, passing by carmen’s office, his door ajar.

“hey, chef,” she hears him call out to her. she pauses, turning to the seated man.

“hi,” she gently greets, attempting to silence the waver in her tone. she pauses, looking at him, debating to tell him what happened.

“you okay?” he asks, concern on his face. she decides to shake it off, wanting to get through this shift without any tears, go home, crawl under her covers and never come out again.

“yeah,” she nods, “i’m okay.”

carmen keeps the same expression, tilting his head slightly, not fully believing her. she looks away from him, feeling as if by locking eyes she would bare her soul. he narrows his gaze, studying the girl, and she feels herself cracking.

“i’ll tell you later,” she compromises, crossing her arms.

“okay,” he accepts, nodding, eyeing her form before she turns to walk to the front of house.

the man feels a slight churn in his stomach, wondering if she would beat him to the conversation he wanted to initiate. except she had looked pale, almost like she had seen a ghost. he rubs his hand over his face, leaning back in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh.

the dinner shift that night was hectic beyond belief. broken dishes, incorrect tickets, increased waiting times— the kitchen was tense, carmen rounding off orders, sydney bustling back and forth between stations to assist. the usual rhythm the dinner crew seemed to fall into proved to be virtually nonexistent. the young woman at the front blamed herself for his, her head completely out of it tonight. she had punched in orders wrong, mixed up drink requests, misplaced seating sections. she brought her hand up to rub her forehead, trying to fix an error she had entered into their system, brain pulsing with a headache. she refused to check the clock, knowing she must be only four or five hours in at this point. her brain felt foggy, clouded by the jarring things that had been said to her on her walk to work.

i’ll get some cold water and go take a breath in the back, she thinks, trying to mentally encourage herself through the shift. she quickly walks to the back, trying to be as fast as she can, squeezing through the kitchen and darting for the back room. her body feels hot, panicked, as she nears the last turn.

“corner!” she hears all too late, slamming face first into a firm chest, the impact knocking the air out of her lungs for a moment.

“shit!” he curses, tightly grabbing her hips on instinct to steady her. she lets out a labored breath, bringing her head up to her forehead, pounding even harder. she looks up to meet carmy’s gaze, embarrassment on her face.

“corner, chef?” he asks, brow creased, letting his hands linger for a moment before letting go of her.

“i’m sorry, chef,” she breathes out, tears brimming at her eyes, a waver in her tone. the frustration on his face is replaced by a look of concern, bringing his hand to touch her arm.

“hey,” he says softly, “you alright?”

she takes a deep breath, knot heavy at the back of her throat.

“i’m alright,” she answers gently, “i just need a second.”

he softly says her name, deeply searching her eyes as if they would present to him all her troubles.

“i just don’t wanna think about it right now,” she whispers, lip beginning to tremble.

“okay, sweetheart, that’s fine,” he reassures her, the name slipping off his tongue unintentionally. she wants to cry, dive into his arms hearing his soft tone, quickly wiping a tear before it can slip down her face.

“why don’t you go sit in the office, huh? take a breather,” he suggests.

she nods, looking down to her shoes. he gives her arm a soft pat before removing it altogether, walking past her to the kitchen. the sight of her anguish was admittedly difficult for carmen to see, his mind rattling with possibilities of what could be upsetting her so badly. he waited in anticipation for closing time, trying to keep a close eye on the girl throughout the night, who seemed to be falling back into rhythm after her short break. the last three hours of business wrapped up quickly, staff numbers dwindling more and more as the night progressed. carmy spent the last thirty minutes of the night in his confined office, sorting through licenses and finalizing next week’s schedule into the system. he turns the computer off, closing his eyes for a moment to alleviate the strain he felt, reveling in the quiet. rising from the chair and stretching, he walks through the small office door, turning the corner to come into the kitchen. his eyes land on her, wiping the pristine flat top with a dry rag. she looks up at the movement, hard gaze softening at the sight of him.

“hey,” she greets softly, “i’m all done. just finishing the counters.”

“looks great, thank you,” he returns, nodding. she gives a small smile at the praise but he can still notice a heaviness upon her demeanor, eyes more dull than they usually are.

“i’m, uh, just gonna smoke,” he continues, “then i’ll take you home, alright?”

she nods. “thank you,” meeting his gaze, drifting her eyes over his incredibly handsome face. she doesn’t make any small talk, drying the last wet spot and walking to the back to toss the dirty towel in a hamper. carmen walks back into his office, removing his apron and pulling his wallet, keys, cigarettes from the drawer. he then switches off the small desk lamp, coating the room in thick darkness. he emerges towards the glow of the kitchen fluorescents, the girl washing her hands, drying them, and walking to retrieve her belongings out of a locker. they silently make their way outside, carmy turning off the lights behind them and shutting the back door. they both revel in the fresh air of the cool night, a sense of serenity in the silence that engulfed the alleyway. he hears her take a deep breath, fishing a cigarette from his carton and placing it in between his lips. he shoves his hand into his pocket, finding only his wallet and keys. he checks his other one, then the back pockets.

“fuck,” he swears, head falling back against the metal door, nerves pricking with inclination. he turns to the non-smoker in a glimpse of yielding hope, “you got a light?” he asks. she stares forward, fixated on the same point, leaning against the same door. it takes her a second for her to meet his eyes in a glance, her response delayed

“lighter? uh, yeah i think,” she answers, beginning to dig through her bag. she pulls out a bright blue bic, and he chuckles in relief. she hands it to the man, his fingers sliding over hers as he takes it from her. carmy ignites the flame, bringing it to the tip of the cigarette and deeply inhaling, a noticeable tension subsiding within him. he goes to hand the lighter back to her.

“keep it,” she tells him, bumping her shoulder against his lightly. he smiles, pocketing the blue object.

“thank you,” he responds, genuinely, taking another long drag. the two share a beat of silence, the girl unmoving from her position, shoulder flush against his. a breeze sweeps through the street, calm after the storm.

he clears his throat.

“so you, uh, gonna tell me what happened?” his tone soft, keeping his eyes trained forward. he feels her deeply inhale, mentally preparing himself for the worst. she thinks for a moment, piecing together her explanation. a cloud of smoke seeps through the alleyway from carmen.

“you know how i used to work at ricky’s?” she starts. he glances at her, nodding. “well, um,” she continues, “there was this regular that we had, some older guy. he was always there during my shifts,” she hesitates, “and, uh, he turned out to be kind of a creep.”

carmen turns to her, watching her closely now.

“like, he would wait for outside for me until i was off and try to talk to me,” she explains, voice beginning to strain, “and, uh, he got my phone number somehow? and started sending me these terrible messages.” the man holds her in an unwavering gaze, his jaw tightening. he takes a drag of his cigarette, watching her.

“so, i got a new number,” she clarifies, “and uh, a new job,” glancing at him, “and everything stopped.” her eyes start to brim with tears.

“okay,” he encourages, eyebrows deeply furrowed, but tone soft and sweet. he stubs his cigarette out, tossing it. she takes a shaky breath.

“and then this morning i was walking here,” quickly bringing her hand up to wipe a stray tear, “and this truck pulled up next to me,” her throat grows tight and hot, “and it was him, carmy,” she lets out in a sob. he instinctively pulls her into his arms, wrapping around her tightly, resting his head on hers. his gaze was fixated behind the girl on the ground, a hot wave of anger burning beneath his skin.

“what happened?” he asks, an urgency in his words.

she buries her face into his chest, slightly shaking, tears soaking his white shirt.

“he said all these…horrible things to me,” she sobs out, grabbing onto him as if he were her lifeline. he puts his hand on her hip, pulling back slightly to look at her, worry spread over his features, tears pouring down her cheeks, face flushed.

“hey,” he says in a concerned tone, her puffy eyes coming to meet his. carmen tightens the arm around her back, whispering her name, “what did he say to you, baby?” he really never means to call her that, it just slips out.

she bites back a sob, wishing she could melt into the man— escape from everything, remain engulfed in the soothing warmth of his safety forever.

“i can’t, carmy,” she cries, shaking her head. he feels a pit in his stomach, anxiety prickling through his body.

“okay,” he concedes, nodding, “that’s okay, you don’t have to right now.” he scans her face, bringing a hand to her cheek and gently wiping the tears from her eyes.

“you don’t have anything to worry about now,” he tells her, voice low, “i’m gonna take care of you, okay? that fucko isn’t gonna come anywhere near you,” he asserts, gripping her tightly.

“okay,” she whispers, the weightless feeling of the tremendous fear alleviating in her chest.

“let’s get you home, yeah?” he asks her, watching the girl shut her eyes, nodding, a few stray tears rolling down her cheek and sliding off her jaw, bringing her sleeves up to dry them. carmy keeps his hand wrapped around her hip, turning to slowly walk her to the car. he felt an overwhelming possessiveness clouding his rationality— an unyielding urge to do whatever he can to protect her, the thought of another man even looking at her wrong electrifying him with anger. they arrive at the passenger’s side, carmy opening the door for her and helping her into the car as she mutters a soft thanks. he closes her door, letting out a deep sigh, plagued by indecision, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the dark car window. the answer would be incredibly simple had he chosen to go with his heart, but carmen was reluctant in trusting something that had previously brought him only distraction and turmoil. he’s gonna be logical about this, he decides, reassuring himself no good boss should be fucking around with his young employees. he wanted to be a good man to her, too, feeling undeserving of her attention, her loving gaze. he makes his way to the driver’s door, getting into the car. he starts the ignition, pulling out of the alleyway into the street, turning in the direction of her apartment. the short ride was quiet, the exception of a few spare sniffles sounding from the girl. a soft melody played on the radio, drowning out the hum of the road. he glances to her, the girl’s gaze fixed on the passing surroundings outside her window. he turns down the music, slightly.

“you did good today,” he praises, impressed by her resilience. she lets out a scoff.

“i cried in your office for like ten minutes straight,” she responds, watching the light of the moving street lamps bleed together.

“i know,” his voice gentle, low, “i’m still proud of ‘ya,” he tells the sulking girl. she finds herself start to smile very softly at this, the man’s words warming the chill she had felt since being approached by the strange man. he slowly pulls up to her complex, shifting the gear into park, the girl undoing her seatbelt.

“carm,” she calls, directing the man’s attention to her, eyes expectantly meeting hers. she feels at a bit lost for words, unsure of how to express the tremendous gratitude she felt for him, how to express to him how much she feels she needs him. so instead she just leans forward, throwing her arms around the man, burying her head into his neck. he lets out a breath at the unexpected touch, wrapping his arms around her, bringing a hand up to grasp the back of her neck.

“thank you,” she whispers into him, “for everything.”

his heart clenches, a deep ache growing in his chest.

“you shouldn’t thank me,” he softly responds, holding her close to him, feeling entirely unworthy of the gratitude, knowing soon enough he would have to hurt her— end things completely.

she pulls back, bringing her forehead to his, closing her eyes.

“come inside?” she asks him, breath gracing his lips, “please,” she pleads.

carmen’s eyes flutter shut, sliding his hand from the back of her neck to the side, grabbing, savoring her sweet scent. he feels something ignite within him touching her like this, nose brushing against hers. he wants so badly to lean forward, engulf her lips in his, taste her. he lets out a groan, forcing himself to pull away from her, dropping his hand from her neck. he sighs, hesitating for a moment, fighting against every urge within him.

“i, uh… i can’t,” he tells her, drawing his gaze away from her, towards the illumination of his headlamps on the asphalt. she presses her hands onto the center console, turning and leaning over it to the man. she brings a hand to his face, pulling him in slightly, dipping her head into his neck to gently pepper kisses along his skin. her hand slides to his firm chest, pressing into him. his head falls back, clenching his jaw, rationality crumbling rapidly beneath her lips.

“please, carmy,” she prays into his skin, “come make me feel better,” biting to leave a small mark. he feels hot from the inside out, blood rushes through him, a growing pulse beneath his pants. he takes a deep breath, trying to recenter himself, focus on anything but the feeling of her against him. he says her name, sternly, the girl pulling away at his tone, meeting his gaze. he shuts his eyes tightly, running a hand over his face.

i guess it’s now or never.

“we, uh… we can’t,” he sighs, pausing, piecing his words together. “we can’t do this anymore.”

her expression remains flat, brows slightly furrowed.

“do what?” she asks carefully, sitting back in her seat, away from him. he just looks at her, implication in his silence. her brows set further, biting her lip to stop it from trembling. the look in her eyes is almost disbelief, a gnawing forms deep within carmen’s stomach. she shakes her head, slightly.

“where is this coming from?” she asks, voice quiet. he can’t bring himself to meet her eyes in the moment.

“i don’t want this to go… too far,” he hesitates, throwing her a quick glance, “I don't-,” pushing his hair back, taking a breath. she brings her hand to rest on his, moving closer.

“i don’t want to hurt you,” he admits, locking eyes with her, finding serenity in the depths of her irises, his shoulders noticeably untensing, leaning further in towards her when he doesn’t mean to. she scoots closer, her hands cold on his, falling deeply into his cerulean gaze. he selfishly pulls her into him, once more, strong arm coming to wrap around her, holding her against him, her arms coming to clutch his shirt. he smells her sweet perfume, deeply inhaling, feeling almost human for a moment. she pulls back just slightly, her cheek brushing against his, coming to rest her forehead against his once more, almost as if it would ease the pain. she shuts her eyes, inching impossibly closer, eager to feel him pressed against her.

“i don’t want you to either,” she whispers, tears burning behind her tightly shut eyes. his hand comes up to the base of her neck, carding his fingers up through her hair, softly grabbing. she sighs against his lips, yearning.

so close.

hearts pounding, skin hot, faces flush.

fuck it.

she leans forward, finally pressing her lips against his— warm, plump, so incredibly soft— the two moaning in tandem at the sensation. it’s almost overwhelming for carmen, his breath hitching at the contact, selfishly letting himself melt into her, the best thing he’s ever had on his lips. he knows this will blur lines between them even more, complicate, hurt, but he didn’t care, their kisses soft and slow, electrifying nerves. he grabs her hair, tighter, pulling her closer to him, gently sliding his tongue along her bottom lip. she accepts it, kissing him deeply, letting out a whimper, grabbing whatever she can of him, desperate to fully feel him against her. her hands fall onto the muscle of his bicep, squeezing, the pressure of his lips hot against hers, marveling at the intensity of the kiss. teeth clash, tongues embrace, pulling, grabbing, each exchanging a small piece of their soul through the heat of their lips. his free hand grabs her waist, slow, hot kisses increasing in ferocity, his mind feeling completely numb to any previous objection. she sucks his lip, lightly, the man groaning deeply, the sensation of her mouth greater than anything he’d ever experienced. he deepens the kiss. her core aches, wanting to hoist herself up, slide in between him and the steering wheel, have him take her right in his car. but she pulled away with a final few kisses, the two breathing heavily, car windows fogging with condensation. he frowns at the loss of contact, opening his eyes, meeting her face, lips swollen, eyes low.

“you’re right,” she admits, quietly. he looks at her in confusion, needing to feel her again. she bites her lip, a few tears growing in her eyes. “we need to stop,” a whisper.

his lungs tighten, pit in his stomach. he shouldn’t have kissed her back, he thinks, head spinning.

she wipes an escaped tear, leaning forward to hug him once more, savoring the feeling of him, safe and solid. he doesn’t know what to say, so he just holds her tightly, for what he knows to be the last time. she sniffles, coming back to kiss his cheek, then pulling away completely, grabbing her bag off the floor of his car.

“thanks for the ride,” she tells him quietly, opening the door, locking eyes with him, the two with a mutual look of pain behind their gaze. he just nods, not trusting his voice. she steps out into the summer night, taking a deep breath, turning back to him.

“goodnight, carm,” shutting the car door and walking to the stairs of her complex. once her back is to him, she lets the salty tears stream down her face, knot in her throat, face hot with embarrassment, heart clenching inexplicably. she knew this would happen, so why did it hurt so bad?

it was never supposed to go this far, but it did.

small fragments of heart scattering behind her like crumbled porcelain, leading back to the idling car where he sat, numb.

fuck, he curses himself as soon as the door shuts. he tries taking deep breaths to calm himself, to no avail, the space of the car now feeling confined as if it were closing in on him.

“fuck!” he yells, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. it was supposed to be the right decision— things were never supposed to go so far. so why did it feel like his heart was shattering beneath the weight of his ribs?

he watches her trudge up the stairs, her shoulders visibly shaking.

—

i really hope you liked it! final part coming soon, and will be a long one! <3

thank you for your continued support on this series!! :)

part 4 - under the moon

#carmen berzatto x reader #carmy x reader #carmy berzatto #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto smut #carmy berzatto imagine #the bear imagine

685 notes · View notes

bellewintersroe · 7 months

Text

Daniel Ricciardo x HornerDaughter! Reader

Part 14, here’s the LINK to part 13 warnings: mentions of hate, body insecurities, some bold ‘fans’ approach the couple on holiday and Daniel is a protective boyfriend. Mentions of smut at the end of the chapter, this will link onto part 15.

Danny’s hand gently nudged at the girls phone in her hand, setting it down on the table as he watched her with a sympathetic gaze. “It’s fine, Daniel.” The words fell off a sigh a little harsher than she intended. She knew that he knew exactly what she was reading through, all the dm’s all the posts, comments, stories, everything about her and Daniel together.

“It’s not.” The Australian gently spoke, taking her smaller hand within his. “Let’s just enjoy our last night, fuck whatever that’s saying. It’s not real life, baby.” At his words, she offered him a gentle smile, squeezing his hand in a hope he knew she didn’t mean to snap at him.

“Yeah… you’re right. I’m gonna miss being on holiday with you. I wish it wasn’t ending so soon.” “Well how about we go somewhere else? Just the two of us, maybe somewhere more relaxing.” The pair had joined numerous friends, attended festivals and drunk plenty. The idea of an intimate holiday with just the two of them felt needed.

“Relaxing… where are you thinking?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Somewhere hot… maybe we could flight right out. Italy?”

She let out a pretend moan at his words. “You read my mind, Ricciardo.”

“Maybe I just know you too well… Horner.” Daniel and y/n winced when he spoke her last name. “Ew, that reminds me of your-”

“-dad. I know. Don’t say that.” She finished his sentence, Daniel watched her with a sheepish smile, admiring the beautiful girl. “You’ve had a good time though? Despite all that stuff?”

“The best time.” She honestly nodded, hand squeezing his. “Thank you, Daniel.”

“No, no, don’t thank me. I’m just glad you came with me, it’s made my trip.” Flustered by his words y/n almost didn’t know how to respond, her smile wife and gaze nervously darting around the table. As soon as she went to respond, she was cut off.

“Daniel!! Is it okay if we can take a picture with you?” Both their heads snapped up to see two girls around y/n’s age stood directly in front of their table with their phones ready. Y/n was positive one of them was already filming.

“Uh, yeah, yeah, sure guys.” Daniel flashed her a look to which she smiled in response, hand slipping out of Daniel’s as she glanced back down, snacking on the few last chips on her plate.

What she didn’t expect was one of the fans to come around the back of her hair, barging into her and possibly the person behind her. There was no apology, she physically attempted to nudge the chair out of the way like there wasn’t a literal human being sat there. Daniel felt his mood sour as his eyes narrowed down to where she’d touched his girlfriend. “Woah, careful. There is somebody sat there.” He joked it off, but there was a hint of annoyance behind his voice, y/n could hear it. “Right.” The girl gasped it off, holding her phone up in front of their faces.

“Is she your girlfriend?” The other boldly asked. Y/n tilted her head ever so slightly. “Yeah.” Daniel nodded, with a smile. Neither of the girls said anything for a few moments.

“You can’t give him your number now, Carmen.” Both y/n and Daniel almost spluttered in surprise. “Oh, no, no.” Daniel, again, laughed it off, attempting to sit back down in his seat, thanking them.

“Could we make a couple videos with you.” The same girl then probed, banging into y/n’s chair again. “Uh- no. Can you watch her chair, please?”

“Not even one video?”

“Please, Daniel.” The two became borderline pleading. Y/n swear the awkwardness was just seeing through her bones, she could tell Daniel was just trying to finish the rest of his beer in peace.

“No, not today I’m sorry.” Both the girls seemed to turn sour, the same girl huffing and stomping back around Y/n’s chair again. This time her hip bumped into her back, and she didn’t think it was so unintentional.

She shot her a look of annoyance, one as if to tell her to back off. Never been good at biting her tongue in these situations, she was finding it really difficult.

“Nah, leave us alone now guys. You’ve bumped into her chair several times. Just let us eat here.” As pissed as Daniel was, he tried to make his voice sound less harsh than he intended it to.

“We came to see you, not her.” The girl who wasn’t doing all the thumping, Carmen, y/n remembered her name was, spoke as though it was obvious. Y/n giggled in response, but the amusement was short lived when noticing how pissed Daniel looked.

“Alright, we’re leaving. I don’t have any fuckin’ time for this.” Daniel took his girls hand. The two had already paid previously, but still she couldn’t help but feel the disappointment of leaving early.

“Daniel-” she went to mutter. The two girls went silent as he placed a gentle hand on her back, leading me away from the two.

“What the fuck.” One of them eventually muttered. “They can get fucked, let’s go.” Daniel muttered to the girl, nudging her ahead of him. When they got out of the restaurant she was stunned to see a few people lingering, perking their heads up and taking pictures when Daniel emerged. Y/n’s brows knotted and furrowed and head dropping instantly, although there wasn’t hoards of people, she didn’t expect to see people forming. The two girls she could shake off, so could Daniel, but now this? She could feel from his grasp he was growing tense.

She knew their motive. Normally they would let Daniel be, but word had spread where they were, and the pictures taken on the yacht probably influenced to take their own pictures, just to see what else they could get hold of from the budding relationship.

“C’mon.” Daniel sighed, gripping her hand tightly and leading the way. He was pretty quiet the whole way back to the hotel, apart from checking up on the younger girl every now and then. Y/n was more worried about him.

When they were comfortable, she knelt up behind the Australian on the bed. “You good?” Her hands over his shoulders whilst he sat on the edge of bed. He was texting somebody on his team, probably his friends, telling them to avoid that place at all costs. “Mmmh, I’m fine, baby.”

“You don’t sound it.” Daniel let out an inward sigh in response and dropped his phone to one side. “I’m just pissed.” He fell bad, head resting on her lap.

“I know what can help you with that.” She giggled. “No, I’m serious, y/n!” He nodded, rolling over to face her. “Im pissed.”

“Mhm, they were fuckin’ rude.” The girl replied, but her mind was beginning to float elsewhere as she played with the strap on her shoulder, teasing it down her tanned skin.

“Really fuckin’ rude, I didn’t even wanna hear anybody’s shit, they couldn’t have just been nice, you know? Could they? They had to fuckin’ ruin it.” He groaned, head dropping against her thighs. She hummed again, slipping the strap off, the other hand curling in his hair.

“If they were men that treat you like that I woulda fucked them up.”

“Oh yeah?” She laughed lightly, tongue pressed to her inner cheek. Daniel pressed a kiss unintentionally close to the inside of her thigh. “Uh huh.” He sighed.

“So protective.” She hummed as he glanced up to see both straps off her dress slipping off her shoulders. Just when she thought he got what she was hinting at, Daniel reached up and fixed them for her, thinking it was unintentional.

“Well yeah.” He shrugged, watching her move around the room and began to take off her jewellery. When she dropped an earring to the floor she purposefully bent all the way over to pick it up, revealing under her dress. Again, Daniel was blind to it and just thought of it as an accident.

“They must’ve told people we were in that specific place. You know?” He ranted as she hummed in response, slipping out of her dress.

“What’re you doing?” Daniel paused for a breath. “Getting dressed.” She shrugged like it was obvious. “Oh yeah. But, yeah, I don’t know, the fact they were all outside pissed me off more. I don’t care every now and then, I like speaking to people, but not when it’s invading my privacy- invading yours. Fuck, I got so angry.”

“I could tell.” She gently spoke, sitting down in the plush chair across from the bed he sat on. She was classed in only her underwear and heels, crossing her legs and leaning back in amusement. Although Daniel eyed her up and down, he still continued with his rambling.

“In fact, I’m gonna text fuckin’ Joe and everyone right now.” He reached back over for his phone. Y/n sighed. “Do you have to?”

“Yeah, I’ll be 2 minutes, sorry baby.” He hummed. She sighed, running her hand down her lace cladded bra.

“Can’t we do something… else?” The ache between her legs only grew when she lifted one onto the chair, spreading them slightly.

“Mmmh, what do you wanna do, baby?”

“Clearly you’re not interested.” She teased, lifting the other leg into the chair. Her fingers slipped over her core and Daniel froze.

“What’re you doing?”

“Something that you should be doing.” She moaned, swallowing with an inhale and exhale of pleasure as her fingers rubbed softly. Daniel swore he felt himself grow hard immediately. The sexual hold she had over him was unlike anything else, and when her hips gyrated slightly, he was startled into action.

“Fuck, c’mere.” Despite his words, he rushed to her, attempting to kiss her but she pulled her chin down slightly and let out a low moan instead. “No, you can watch instead.”

“Oh, you wanna be like that now, do you?” His arms rested on either side of the chair. “Yeah, it’s fun.” She giggled, pressing her finger to her clothed clit. The pressure was something she began yearning for.

“Not fun for me.” He shook his head, eyes falling down to where y/n pleasured herself slowly. “Sit back on the bed, Daniel.” She whispered, but he didn’t respond, he wanted to be in charge. He had so much anger bottled up, maybe he could release it in one way or another.

“No.” The Australian muttered, hand reaching out to hold her throat. Her breath hitched and a small smile grew on her face.

“Then fuck me, Danny, stop making me wait…”

————————————————————————

Taglist: @dinodumbass @mccall-muffin @allabouthappiness @benbarneslut @ricciardhoe-3 @headinthecloudssblog @f1wintermoon13 @hrlzy @topguncultleader @victoriaholland @thatsouthernblondewiththeass @j-cat @lovzmez @laneyspaulding19 @fanboyluvr

#daniel ricciardo x reader #daniel ricciardo #f1 x reader #daniel ricciardo x you #daniel ricciardo smut #daniel ricciardo smut x reader

180 notes · View notes

playbucky · 7 months

Text

Boundaries

You have always been a family friend of the Berzatto’s, through thick and thin but ultimately, you’ll reach your breaking point. Word Count – 2.3k. Characters – Reader, Carm, Syd, Richie, Fak and Claire.

‘What’s your problem Syd?’ Carm asked, she lifted her head and got ready to turn. ‘You.’ You cut in, everyone turned and looked at you. Surprised that you spoke out in front of everyone ‘What?’ His head whipped to you. ‘You heard me.’ You lowered the hammer you were working with, so you weren’t tempted to use it. ‘Y/N.’ He said lowly, a warning. ‘Do you want me to go into detail?’ You quizzed, he tilted his head. ‘Please.’ ‘Two months ago you were all about this place, let’s make it bigger, go to uncle and get more money to give this place a facelift.’ You started, his intense eyes looked at you, ‘Suddenly you’re spending all your time with Claire, at parties, parties? Which you refused to come to my twenty first because you didn’t like it.’ You pointed out to him, Richie watched the pair of you amused, knowing you were going to kick him in the balls. ‘So, what do you what me to do?’ Carm questioned, you raised an eyebrow. ‘Pull more weight here.’ You gestured your hands to the open space, the familiar kitchen and front of shop no longer existed. ‘I am.’ He said as he stepped closer to you, you scoffed at his attempt to try and intimidate you. ‘Carm you left at lunch time it’s now almost midnight.’ You pointed out, the clock still positioned on the wall backed you up. ‘It sounds like you want me to stop dating Claire.’ He accused you, your jaw bounced. ‘Did I say that?’ You asked, you stepped closer so your chests were almost touching. ‘I think you’re jealous of what we have.’ He added, you scoffed. ‘Yeah Carm, I’m jealous you’ve got girl.’ ‘Y/N.’ ‘Pull your shit together Carm, help out more or -,’ You trailed off, you didn’t want to speak it out loud. ‘Or what?’ He questioned, head cocked to the side. ‘I quit.’ You lifted your hands up. ‘Go ahead, not like your part of this family anyway.’ He replied, everyone fell silent, no one tried to interrupt, all anger dropped from your face as you watched him. ‘Go fuck yourself Carmen.’ You scalded him. Everyone remained silent as you marched over to the small area unaffected by dust, everyone’s jackets and bags were piled there. Quickly you untied your apron and rolled it around your wrist. ‘Cou -,’ Richie started, everyone watched as he ran his hands through his hair before he yanked it. ‘Shit, I know.’ ‘Y/N.’ He called as he turned to you, you ignored him and continued to stuff your apron into your bag. ‘Y/N.’ You turned to him just as he reached out to cup your elbow ‘Touch me Carm and swear to God you won’t work for a week.’ You spat, he held up his hands, his blue eyes wide with worry and regret watched as you grabbed your jacket. ‘I’m sorry.’ He said, you stopped, his eyes brightened thinking he had won you over. ‘I’m surprised you know that word.’ You said before you pushed the door open.

‘Y/N.’ ‘Carmen.’ You said, neither of backed down until his eyes flicked away. ‘I made a mistake.’ Carm said, you raised an eyebrow. ‘So, it does work.’ You commented, you still hadn’t moved away from the door. ‘What?’ He asked. ‘Your brain.’ You replied, the corner of his lips jumped. ‘I didn’t realise how much it was affecting us, affecting you.’ He pointed out, you shook your head. ‘Wasn’t affecting me Carm, understand that, I’m used to the bullshit that follows the Berzatto family but the partners aren’t.’ ‘You came in and flipped everything up and then you and Syd, god Carm, you’ve left her in charge of everything then come back and say no to everything she’s knocked off.’ You reminded him of what he had done. ‘I know, I know.’ He breathed out, he continued to rubbed his fingers around his wrist. ‘Do you? Or are you trying to make me forgive you?’ ‘I need you back at the restaurant.’ He stated, you pursed your lips and nodded. ‘No.’ ‘No?’ ‘Unless I hear from Syd that you’ve apologised to her and are helping her for at least a week I won’t be in.’ You told him, shoulders dropped as his eyes darted across your face. ‘Y/N.’ ‘Carm, I’m setting boundaries.’ You said, ‘something you should be doing.’ ‘So, I’ve to apologise for having a girlfriend?’ He asked, you inhaled. ‘No, you know what,’ you held a hand up as you stopped your thoughts, ‘you think I’m pissed or jealous that you have someone but I’m not, you’ve been in love with her forever and I’m glad your together but please don’t focus on her and no one else.’ ‘I’m not.’ He replied quickly. ‘Carm, you’ve found someone you love, that’s good,’ you reached a hand out and held onto his forearm, ‘But don’t have a fun time with her whilst the bridges you’ve built burn.’ ‘And Carm, it needs to come out your mouth, not your gesture. Okay?’ You asked. ‘Okay.’ He nodded and you gave him a small smile before you shut the door, he listened as you slid the lock back over. ‘You fixed it cous?’ Richie quizzed when Carm dropped back into the passenger seat. ‘Yeah.’ He said, he ran his hands through his hair before he dropped his head back. ‘You don’t sound sure.’ ‘I’ve to apologise to Syd.’ He said, Richie’s eyes widened. ‘Oh shit.’ ‘At least it’s not gonna be hard, I mean, I apologised to Y/N, right?’ Carmen asked, Richie nodded his head slowly. ‘Only cause you’ve known her your whole life.’ Richie told him. ‘Richie.’ Carm said, Richie shook his head. ‘Nah come on, attached at the hip, that’s all I remember is if one of you was someone where the other would be to.’ He said, the visions of the pair of them running wild. ‘Everyone was surprised that nothing happened between you.’ He added, Carm’s head snapped around to him. ‘What?’ ‘Come on man.’ Richie twisted in the seat to look at him, ‘you were both smitten on each other, think you still are but your both too pussy to say anything or you’re just accepting it now, dunno.’ He replied as he shrugged and started the car.

‘Y/N!’ Fak almost screamed, your brows raised as the door shut behind you, keeping the frozen Chicago air out. ‘You’re back.’ He said, he walked over and wrapped his arms around you, he tightly squeezed as he chuckled. Richie appeared next, he smiled at you as you took in the black suit that was tailored to him, you raised an eyebrow at him. ‘You’re all acting like I’ve been gone for months.’ You stated, they nodded almost in sync. ‘Feels like it.’ Fak commented, you patted him on the back. ‘So, he grew balls huh?’ Richie asked, you raised a shoulder. ‘For now.’ ‘He’s in the back.’ Richie said, you nodded. ‘Thanks, you look good.’ You said, the black suit did wonders for him, he smiled widely and stood taller. He was confident in it. ‘I know I do baby.’ He commented, you smiled at saluted at him before entered to the back. Syd, Tina and Marcus all lifted their heads, smiles took over their faces as you gave them a wave. You walked into the small locker area and placed your bag and jackets into one of them. You pulled the apron on, the wraps tight around your waist as you walked back out, you took in the new starts that were furiously chopping vegetables. ‘You’re back chef.’ Tina said, you nodded. ‘I am.’ You replied. ‘Where do you need me?’ You asked as you turned to Syd. ‘We’re all good for now, maybe go see chef?’ Syd slyly replied, you narrowed your eyes at her. ‘Did he completely apologise? Not just rubbing his chest?’ You quizzed, she nodded. ‘Yeah, last night before we left.’ Syd told you, you rubbed your lips together as you nodded. ‘Good.’ ‘Carm.’ You knocked your knuckles against the door. ‘You’re back.’ He seemed surprised, you leaned against the door frame. ‘You apologised, I tend to stick to my words.’ You commented, he nodded. ‘Know you do but it seemed like I pissed you off too much.’ He stated, you raised a shoulder. ‘Used to it.’ ‘You shouldn’t have to be though, you’ve put up with it all your life.’ He said, you narrowed your eyes at him as you looked down at him. ‘Hate to break it to you Carmy but it comes with the Berzatto’s.’ You reminded him. ‘Thank you.’ ‘For what?’ You asked, an eyebrow raised. ‘Putting up with my shit.’ He replied, you dipped your head. ‘I heard you were back but had to see for myself.’ Sugar said, you smiled and turned to her, your eyes widened. ‘Shit Sugar, you’ve popped over the week.’ You took in the bump that was poking out from the cardigan that she wore. ‘Oh, I know.’ Sugar ran her hands over her bump.

‘Get in here and sit, Carm move.’ You commanded, you placed a hand on Nat’s lower back and guided her over as Carm stepped to the side. ‘You should be off your feet.’ ‘Kinda busy.’ She said, both eyebrows raised. ‘I can see but you’re meant to be bossing them around, you know that right?’ You asked her, she glared at you. ‘I’m fine.’ She said, it must’ve been comically to her as both you and Carm’s brows shot up together. ‘Okay, I’m not but it’s nothing unusual.’ She corrected herself. ‘Nat you’re growing a baby, a fucking creation of life.’ Your hands motioned to her belly. ‘Stop swearing.’ ‘Oh, I’m sorry, want me to sing Mozart to them?’ You asked, she glared at you as her hand rubbed over her stomach. ‘You’ve been hanging out with the boys too much.’ She commented, her eyes darted to Carmen. ‘You ate anything?’ You quizzed, ignoring her statement. ‘No yet.’ ‘I’ll make you something and then you can give me a rundown of what needs to be completed.’ You told her, she nodded. ‘What you feeling?’ You quizzed, her brows furrowed then her face lit up. ‘An omelette, been craving it since Syd made me one?’ ‘That I can do.’ ‘You’re avoiding me still.’ He commented, he stood close to you as you gathered the ingredients you needed. ‘Carm, no I’m not, I’m getting Sugar food and then I’m gonna start on prep, the way it was before.’ You told him. ‘I don’t want it the way it was before.’ He breathed out. ‘What?’ You quizzed. ‘I- can we speak after?’ He asked, you stopped and looked at him. ‘Yeah?’ You said, he nodded and held eye contact before he nodded again and walked away. You turned back got the stove and got to work.

‘You wanted to speak.’ You appeared next to him. ‘I’m sorry.’ He apologised again. ‘You’ve said.’ You told him, your arms crossed over your chest. ‘No, I’m sorry, I’ve been a dickhead to you almost our entire friendship and always put you way down at the bottom of the list of my priorities.’ He gave you a reason this time. ‘Not holding it against you Carm.’ ‘But you should.’ ‘You’ve loved me for the entire time I’ve known you, yet you’ve allowed me to fuck around.’ He commented, you closed your eyes briefly. ‘You realised.’ You sounded surprised. ‘Richie pointed it out.’ He said, you raised both eyebrows and sighed. ‘Carm,’ you exhaled, he looked at you, ‘I might have loved you, I know you wouldn’t return it, I got used to it and don’t expect anything back.’ You informed him ‘But I should’ve loved you.’ He said, you shook your head and dropped to his level so he would make eye contact with you, his chest started to quicken. ‘No, you shouldn’t.’ You told him, ‘Your heart wasn’t open to be mine and it won’t be, I realised that a long time ago.’ ‘But you showed me you loved me in thousands of ways but -,’ you inhaled, your hands reached up to his warm cheeks, ‘maybe in thousands of other universes we’re together, but not this one.’ ‘Y/N.’ ‘You’ve got Claire, she makes you happy, that’s all that matters.’ You informed him. ‘I don’t th-,’ He started but you shook your head. ‘You haven’t loved me and that’s fine, go give your love to her.’ You cut him off. ‘But you.’ He added, you smiled softly and tapped your fingers against the back of his neck. ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll eventually find someone.’ You told him, he continued to stare at you. ‘But we gotta go, pretty sure Claire’s waiting for you and I need me beauty sleep before tomorrow.’ You dropped your hands from his face, he continued to watch you fixed the white t-shirt. ‘Y/N.’ Claire said, you held the door for Carm to step out and lock the door. ‘Claire, nice to see you again.’ You smiled at her, she looked at Carm as he walked over to her side, an arm slipped around his waist. ‘You wanting to join us? We’re going to a small bar, found it earlier in the week.’ She offered, you gave a tight smile as your gaze bounced between the two. ‘Oh no thank you, my bed’s calling me tonight,’ you joked, ‘maybe some other time?’ You asked, she nodded and smiled enthusiastically whilst Carm only nodded. ‘I’ll see you in the morning Carm.’ You told him as you lifted your bag and walked away before he could reply. Claire watched Carm as he watched on you walk away, he only turned to her when you veered around the corner. Claire gave him a smile before she looked back to where you disappeared, then she looked at his eyes, she could see the worry. ‘You ready to go?’ Carm asked, she smiled at him and nodded.

#Carmen berzatto x reader #Reader x carmen berzatto #Carmen berzatto #carmen berzatto imagines #the bear x reader #reader x the bear #the bear imagines #the bear

150 notes · View notes

ciaonicole85 · 16 days

Text

Neighbor Series Ch. 3:

If He Wanted To

Back to Sydney's POV shortly after moving in to the same building as Carmy. By this time her walls are slowly coming down because The Bear is running smoothly and the workplace dynamics are far more healthy. Sydney forgiving him after Friends and Family and the crew having his back helped Carmy be kinder to himself. So less rage. More cuteness. Too bad the actual show is going to rip our hearts out before he gets better! Anyways, here's part 3. Sidenote: Ayo can actually sing.

ALL Sydney wanted was a long hot shower after 12 hours at The Bear. The showerhead in her new apartment had perfect pressure. The scalding water was melting the butter and garlic from her pores. Her vanilla currant scented body wash had just been lathered all over, when she spotted an alien presence. She did a quick spin under the water to rinse off hoping against hope that she just had eye floaters from exhaustion. She gingerly stepped onto the bath mat and grabbed her huge pink terrycloth robe. Okay, it was go time. She scanned the ceiling and there it was!

"Don't move" she whispered.

Sydney dashed to her kitchen and came back armed with a copy of the largest paperback she owned, The Joy of Cooking, and a can of insect spray. The enormous (actually quarter-sized) spider was poised in the top right corner of her bathroom.

"I'm not afraid of you. I work with Richie every day," she taunted the beast.

She aimed the spray and shot. The spider spun down and launched itself at her! With a yelp Sydney dropped the heavy book and ran for cover slamming the bathroom door behind her. She ripped off her shower cap furious with both herself and the stupid spray. This stuff was supposed to kill on contact, not antagonize it!

Soon there was a panicked knock on her door.

"Hey, Sydney! Are you okay?" a man's voiced cried. It sounded like Carm.

Sydney groaned. This is what it means to live above your boss. He gets to find out more of her quirks and weaknesses. Hurray.

She went to the door and cracked it open a few inches.

"Hey! Yeah…I was just trying to kill this big spider. I dropped a book. It's all good now. Thanks!"

The corners of Carmy's mouth twitched and he asked "Well, did you get it?"

"No. The bathroom's his now".

"Just let me get it, Syd."

"Fine."

Sydney let him in and noticed his hair had just been washed and his clothes, thin joggers and surprise, a white t-shirt, were clinging a little to his body. He'd obviously been showering too when he'd heard the commotion. Don't stare. Don't stare. DON'T STARE. He smelled like cedar and musk. DON'T SMELL EITHER.

"Nice robe " he said smirking.

"Are you coming in to help or what?"

"Yes, just get me a paper towel."

Sydney padded into the kitchen to get it leaving a delicious scent trail of her body wash, which Carm inhaled deeply the moment her back was turned.

A moment later with a paper towel in hand he entered her bathroom.

"Why are women's bathrooms always so much better?" he thought as he searched for the spider. Soon he found it running erratically around the tub, obviously maimed by if not yet dead from the spray. With one swooped he had it crumpled in the paper towel and tossed in the wastebasket.

Reentering the hallway he informed Sydney that "It is done" with the seriousness of a hired hitman.

"Thank you. And sorry for interrupting your night. I owe you."

"Yes, you do."

Sydney scrunched her nose, "Okay, what? I don't want it hanging over my head."

"I want a song."

"Excuse me?"

"Either now or within 24 hours, I want a song. I've heard you singing up here and you're good."

"Carmy, that's ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous is you interrupting my shower, for a little spider. So, I'm owed a ridiculous request."

Sydney shook her head giggling, wondering how her life went from melancholy coming-of-age drama for the last couple of years to…this. Her life was now filled with hope, an amazing workplace family, and Carmen Berzatto. With him she was achieving her dreams and if she could only continue keeping her rogue feelings or hormones, or whatever in check everything would be great.

"I'm too tired to argue with you, so fine. A song. Anything in particular?"

Carmen stared at her, thinking for a minute.

"When he owes me, I'm going ask him to wear sunglasses on the inside" Sydney thought trying not squirm.

"Okay, there's this song I've heard you singing all last weekend, but I don't know what it is. The words weren't clear."

"Knocks Me Off My Feet? I was having a Stevie Wonder revival for a few days, but that's a cheesy one. How about anything else?"

"No, thank you. I want Knocks Me off My Feet, chef"

"FINE. For a small spider you only get a verse and a chorus," Sydney grumbled.

Carmy leaned against the opposite wall and waited.

She swallowed, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she started singing in her sweet soprano voice she couldn't help smiling and thinking of her parents. This was their song.

We lay beneath the stars

Under a lover's tree that's seen through the eyes of my mind

I reach out for the part

Of me that lives in you, that only our two hearts can find

But I don't want to bore you with my trouble

But there's somethin' 'bout your love

That makes me weak and

Knocks me off my feet

There's somethin' bout your love

That makes me weak and

Knocks me off my feet

The words cut through to his heart. Somehow when Sydney stopped singing Carmy retained his senses enough to not break every professional boundary. He did not gather her in his arms. He did not kiss her. He did not confess that he missed her on their days off and even sometimes at work when she was out of sight for too long. However, Stevie Wonder couldn't miss the look on his face.

Sydney's eyes met his and in that moment she acknowledged everything she pretended not to see before. And she decided that if this indeed would be something, then he would have to make the first move. Thanks to her father's advice and experiences with Carmen himself, she lived by the motto "If he wanted to, he would".

Breaking his trance, she said "Well, goodnight then."

Carmy blinked a few times and headed towards to door. Then he paused. If he didn't say something now, would he ever? Anyways, whatever truth he thought he was hiding under a partnership or friendship had been reflected back in Sydney's face just as sure as if she could read his mind.

He braced himself.

"May I walk with you to work tomorrow?"

"Yes, but don't we already do that?"

"Sure, but usually I'm just waiting to hear your door open before I leave. Like its a coincidence."

"Oh."

Breathe Sydney.

Okay."

"Goodnight Sydney. And I'll bring breakfast to-go."

After Sydney locked the door behind him, she slumped against the wall and slid to the floor, stunned. Did he just read her mind and decide to make a move? A baby step, but nonetheless a step.

"Great. Now I'm literally sliding down a wall over him, " she chuckled, a little delirious.

Thank God for spiders.

#the bear #sydcarmy #sydney adamu #sydney x carmy #carmen berzatto #carmy x sydney #carmy the bear #carmy berzatto #syd adamu #fan fiction #fan fic

55 notes · View notes

underratedmurder · 10 months

Text

Richie Jerimovich x Reader ~ Tastes Like Stew

__________________

Reader burns their hands and Richie offers to help :)

Stuff in this: Soft Richie, reader and Richie argue… a lot, reader is a little bit rude, Richie has a soft spot for reader but hasn’t come to terms with it yet, his love language is caring for others, he’s mean when he cares

Richie is my favorite character on The Bear rn, and I couldn't resist writing a short little something about him.

Just read this in his voice and it's great trust !!!

cw: mentions of death, getting first degree burns (ouch), very subtle sexual themes, that's it

And if anyone is interested in reading more about this dynamic or has a request I am totally open to that!

Note: yeah I know the title is so creative and beautiful and romantic thank you for noticing

Also sorry I called your eyes ‘freakishly blue’ Carmen, it’s just how I honestly feel

Okay just imagine the washcloth is tucked into his apron

__________________

Hot steam coated your forehead, as droplets of sweat dribbled down your nose. The heat and moisture from the giant pot of stew below you was starting to cook you more than the fire, and rolling up your sleeves didn’t seem to be enough to alleviate the sweltering conditions.

The Beef was bustling, more than it had been in weeks since Carmy took over. Customers filed in like sardines in a can, and the kitchen could hardly pump out sandwiches and fries fast enough.

You had been spending overtime at the restaurant since Mikey’s passing, and for Christ's sake, even your analogies were becoming food related.

The stained walls of that sweat box called a kitchen were starting to seep into your dreams. All you could see was the steam and the heat of the stove top, and the unforgettably annoying image of Richie's face. The bustle of the kitchen during lunch rocked your body like an earthquake, and yet you remained standing, somehow accustomed to the unsteadiness of it all.

Carmy seemed to have plans to fix the place up, though you weren’t exactly sure things would workout. But you hoped, you really, really hoped.

You at least wanted a proper AC. A thick stream of sweat nearly rolled off your nose and into the stew, before you caught it with your sleeve.

Alright, that’s it.

You sighed and snatched the nearest washcloth you could find, which happened to be the one attached to Richie’s hip.

You almost didn’t care to mind what you were doing, until you saw him whip around in shock.

You quickly wiped the sweat from your face and on your neck, then threw the cloth over your shoulder.

Richie, still exasperated, stared you down like you were crazy.

“Alright, give it back,” he stood there, hands on his hips as his eyes widened, like they did right before he was gonna start an argument.

“It’s literally hot as balls in here and I’m sweating my ass off, let me use the damn thing,” you turned away, not wanting to prolong the encounter, for you had a stew that needed attending to.

“Get your own damn washcloth okay, you sweaty freak, huh? You ever heard of deodorant?” He said it like he was a genius, carefully annunciating the “t”. What a dick.

“Uh yeah, I have Richie. It’s just that the sweat is pooling on my face and about to fall directly into the food. So, if you please, let me borrow the fucking washcloth, and just get another one” You clenched your fists by the sides of your face, pulling them down to exemplify not only the sweat, but also your growing anger.

“That’s my favorite one,” he said. You knew it was a petty lie.

“Excuse me?”

“That’s my favorite one, you can't just-,”

“Oh for fucks sake-

“It’s softer! And more durab-""Just get another washcloth Richie!”

Your voices were overlapping now, his neverending excuses piling on top of your unheard reasoning. His arms were waving all around like the fins of a windmill, almost hitting Tina twice. You swore the man didn’t know his own size. Standing above you, you tilted your head up to scowl at his face, washcloth still over your shoulder and unintelligible yelling spewing out of both of your mouths. It was chaos, verbal chaos that matched the actions around you, the scrambled nature of your mind. In the midst of all that chaos, you forgot all about the stew.

It was boiling over, hot and molten like lava it oozed onto the stove, getting everywhere.

“Shit shit shit. Fuck!” You scrambled over, and reached to move the giant pot from the heat.

“Here, let me help with that,” Richie offered loudly.

“No! I got it-” your hands touched the handles, and boom. Instant regret.

The pot was so hot you were burned instantly.

“Fuck!” You quivered and shook your hands outwards as fast as you could, before cradling them by your chest.

“Shit, are you okay? Let me see, let me see-” Richie quickly grabbed an oven mitt and moved the pot himself before reaching to grab your hands.

You shot back, “No Richie! I fucking got it, just fucking, back off!” The searing pain of the burns had relinquished any kind of filter you had, all your words were pure anguish.

“Come on, just let me see-” he took a step closer.

“No!”

“Whoa guys, what’s goin on?” Carmy was there in a second, hands on his hips and an equally chaotic look in his eyes that you could feel in your soul.

“Nothing, chef, I’m fine,”

“Uh, no, they are not fine. They just burned their hands on a hundred degree pot!” Richie stuck his bottom lip in his mouth, face contorted like a hysterical bird.

“And I have it handled, Richie!” You scowled at him again, part of you didn’t want to be helped, but really, you just didn’t want to place any extra stress on Carm. The guy looked like he was falling apart as is.

“I severely fuckin’ doubt that!” he inched closer, waving his arms again.

“Oh you severely fucking doubt it? Richie?” you met him just inches away, chest facing his with your hands still cradled close.

You started yelling over each other again, this time stew wasn’t the only thing that was breaking it up.

“Alright! Alright! Guys, please! Chef,” He looked at you,

“Go clean yourself up, there's a first aid kit in my office,” You nodded and headed out of the kitchen immediately, without seeing Richie actually reach out for you before you were gone.

“Cousin,” Carmy announced loudly. Even a foot in front of him, Richie couldn’t seem to listen.

His face was twisted with frustration.

“Go clean up that stew, and get another fucking washcloth, alright?”

Richie opened his mouth to speak, his head rolling back in that way it did when he was about to completely disagree with someone.

“Alright?” Carmy’s freakishly blue eyes were as wide and as commanding as ever.

Richie glanced over again at the door to Carmy’s office, you were out of sight. He sighed, and nodded.

“Yes, chef,”

Hunched over on Carmy’s swivel chair, you tended to your wounds. Or at least, you tried. Rubbing neosporin all over the swollen flaming mess on your hands didn’t seem to do anything to ease the pain. Looking at all the tools in the first aid kit, you couldn’t help but notice you had no clue what you were doing.

Your fingers twitched when you tried to soothe them, bandages stuck to your palms like tape, and worst of all, you hadn’t even stopped sweating.

You winced and quietly cursed yourself after accidentally pinching a sensitive spot, unrolling the bandage from your palm swiftly and without much care.

Your leg began to bounce up and down with anxiety and pain, gritting your teeth, all you could do was scold yourself.

Idiot, idiot, you fucking idiot. How the fuck could you let this happen, you’re such a fucking id-

Before you could finish the provocative thought, Richie was strolling his way through the door, a large bowl and water bottle at hand.

You looked up, a redness in your eyes that hinted at tears but would never dare to actually let anything out, the salt would sting like a bitch on the burnt skin.

Your expression quickly twisted into anger and annoyment.

“Don’t look at me like that, I’m here to help,” he announced and walked closer.

“I don’t remember asking,” you mumbled, watching as he grabbed a stool from the corner.

“Yeah, cause you never fuckin’ ask me for anything. Could’ve asked for my washcloth, maybe then you would’ve gotten it,” He placed the stool down by your knees, then looked down at you.

“I did get it. And fuck you, I could name a million things that you haven’t asked for but should have,” there was a spiteful but honest gleam in your eyes.

“Yeah like what? A diploma in this cooking shit? A valid liquor license? Or- or- or what? An extra fuckin set of fancy kitchen knives?” He placed the bowel on the stool.

“Yes…?”

“Nah, fuck that fuckin bullshit, I have this place handled. And yeah, you did get it, but maybe you wouldn’t have burnt your hands if you simply said please and thank you,” he sounded so righteous, but also so full of it. He looked too serious to actually mean it.

“Oh do not fucking lecture me on manners, Richie,” you rolled your eyes, he could’nt be talking.

“Oh I think I fucking will, you got a lot a’ nerve just snatching shit from me. I’m not cool with that,” He seemed genuine, you paused.

“What’s the bowel for, anyway?” you shifted forward, and suddenly the view of his waist felt a lot closer.

“I noticed you didn’t wash your hands, that’s like the first fuckin step in treating a first degree burn,” his arms were crossed, and he actually looked disappointed in you, but more so, just worried.

“Ah… I see,”

Idiot.

“Yeah you fuckin see, whats the point of this neosporin bullshit if your hands aren’t even fuckin clean,” he guestured at the first aid kit.

“Alright, lets see those hands,” he held his own out in front of him.

“Just let me do this myself Richie-”

“No,” he commanded, hand still held out in front of him.

“Don’t you have a boiled over stew to clean up? You already told me what to do so just let me do it-”

“No,” he emphasized.

“The stew is fine where it is. Let me do this, I know what I’m doing,”

He made direct eye contact with you, his gaze honest and almost pleading. He wasn’t being annoying this time, just earnest. He wanted to do this.

You very slowly, very sheepishly held out your hands to his own.

His fingers were warm on your knuckles, but light, and more gentle than you had ever seen him care to be, at least towards you.

The last time he was decently nice to you was when you first met. When he reached to shake your hand and smiled, his cheeks were somewhat red. From the heat of the kitchen… obviously.

“Let's get this mess off,”

“Hey, I… tried,” you stammered, angry but also a bit embarrassed.

“You did a piss poor fuckin job is what you did,” he spat, fingers still entirely tender despite his tone.

“Watch it,”

“Just sayin’,” he tilted his head to the side and flattened his mouth.

He carefully unwound the gauze from its loose hold around your palms, slowly revealing the sticky, red, inflamed mess at his fingertips.

You winced when the final bandage was torn away, and he frowned.

“Look what you’ve done,” he sounded like he was just about to tisk at you, how dare he.

“Me? Look what you’ve done. This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t scream in my face. I wouldn’t have forgotten about the damn pot,”

“Yeah but, you grabbed it,” he watched your hands as he grazed his thumb over yours, there was a slight tickle.

“No fucking shit, I grabbed it Richie,” you were just about to pull away at this point.

“Just shut up okay,” he muttered.

“Excuse me-” you exclaimed

“Shush,” he remarked even softer.

Suddenly his grip was around your wrists, and you had little room to protest.

He reached for the water bottle, and simultaneously guided your hands over the bowel.

With haste, he untwisted the bottle cap with his teeth and spat it to the floor.

“This might sting a little,” he said softly, all of you wanted to recoil, and push him away.

Your eyes widened with fear, “Let’s just do this at the sink-”

“Relax, I’m just gonna rinse them for now, Jesus. Plus, you really want Carmy’s voice ringing in your fuckin ear? He’s freakin’ out about that stew you know?” He grinned, you were less unnerved.

“Of course he is,” you smiled.

He poured the water over your palms, cool liquid buzzing on the heat of the burns, at first unpleasant, but then relieving.

You breathed in through your nose, mouth twitching into a frown.

“Sorry,” he whispered, his thumb rubbing your wrist lightly to calm you.

You simply shook your head to reassure him.

It was so strange hearing his voice in this way, low and quiet, but still just as gritty as usual. It was strangely soothing. Way more pleasant than his loud nagging.

He set the bottle down and dug his fingers through the first aid kit, retrieving a small sachet. He fiddled with the package, clearly very focussed on opening it.

“Is that-,”

“Petroleum jelly. It’s like the ultimate neosporin,” he noted, eyes still trained on the square plastic.

Peeling the package open, he knelt down and reached to hold your right hand, and began to squeeze some of the cool jelly onto your palm.

“How come you know so much about treating first degree burns?”

“I know how to do things, you know? I’m not useless like you love to assume,” he uttered, and it hurt to hear him say it.

The jelly was like instant gratification to the highest degree, you wondered why people used neosporin at all.

“I don’t think you’re useless,” you paused, “I think you don’t know what the fuck your doing a lot of the time,”

“Well, some of us have a lot more on our hands than just working at a restaurant,”

You knew it was true. You worked at The Beef full time, and didn’t exactly have much going on at home. Your life was relatively quiet, no roommate, no partner, no pets, just a job and a few hobbies. Your life wasn’t boring per say, no not boring at all. Richie made sure of that.

Compared to Richie though, you had it undoubtedly easy. Between Mikey’s passing, his divorce with Tiffany, and working to keep The Beef afloat, he was being stretched thin, with seemingly no clear direction to head in. You wished you could help.

All you could do in that moment though, was sit there and listen, and just be there. Granted, you didn’t have much of a choice of leaving right then, but you could still just stay. You weren’t sure if anyone else had.

“I uh, used to treat Carmy’s burns when he was a kid, he was a fuck up in the kitchen before he got any good,” he smiled while smoothing the petroleum over your other hand.

“Oh really?” you snickered, that was fun to imagine.

“Oh yeah, he'd spill shit everywhere, and touch the stove when he forgot he even put it on. Mikey was pretty ruthless about it,” his smile slowly faded, his fingers tracing yours slower and slower, until they stopped.

You were both still, air quiet but not empty. It was filled with your heart, the rapid beating ringing in your ears. When Richie's eyes met yours, you were sure there was no other sound on earth. Just your heart and the pulse that you swore was his. His eyes were sunken and sad, but as you held his stare, they morphed into something like an aching hunger.

“What are you freaks doing in there?” Carmy’s voice rang from the other side of the door,

Your head snapped in its direction, loud ringing eliminated, but the breathless feeling still lingered.

“Fucking on your desk shit face!” Richie joked, a comment so out of left field you were about to become deaf from just how quickly the ringing returned. Suddenly your face was filled with heat, and it wasn’t from the kitchen anymore.

Asshole.

“Come on, you should be good now,”

“Mhm,” you nodded, face blank but barely stunned.

He quickly wrapped new gauze around your sensitive palms, his thumb lingering on your wrist longer than it probably should have.

Richie smiled at you, and suddenly placed his hand where your neck met your shoulder.

“No more touchin boiling hot pots, okay?,” he winked and lightly squeezed at the sensitive area. The touch caught you so off guard, you swore you were about to melt.

He quickly stood up, swung the office door open, and angrily announced, “And don't steal my god damn washcloth,”

He’s very concentrated and it’s very endearing

#thisismyrichiejerimovich #giverichiehairinseasonthree #richie jerimovich #the bear #ebon moss bachrach #the bear fanfiction #richie jerimovich x reader

229 notes · View notes

onestopfanficshop · 2 years

Text

Take The Lead

carmen x f!reader

word count: 1.55k

warnings/author's note: mdni! unprotected p in v sex (y'all better wrap it irl), creampie, light teasing, established relationship. this is literally my first time writing smut of any kind and i am SCARED this could literally be complete hot dog water i hope it isn't and i lowkey might delete it okay enough rambling enjoy

gif isn't mine!

You hear the lock to your apartment click quietly, and the door hinges creak slightly as the door opens. The sound of non-slip shoe soles and heavy coat fabric fills your tired ears as you recognize the familiar sound of your boyfriend coming home. He pads over to the sofa where you’re lying with your eyes still closed, stuffs his hands in his pockets, and tilts his head as he watches you breathe softly for a few seconds.

“Carmy,” you mumble, making him flinch slightly. He had no idea you had been awake. “Staring at me while I'm half-asleep isn’t a proper way to say hello, y’know.”

You push yourself up to a sitting position on the sofa, blinking your eyes to adjust to brightness of your TV screen. The baking competition show you had put on hours ago was still running. You zone out for a second, staring at one of the contestants frosting a chocolate cake. Carmy’s eyes follow yours, and he furrows his brows after a second.

“That cake looks really fuckin' dry,” he says, folding his arms and looking back at you. You take him in, noting his disheveled hair and red, sunken eyes. Your gaze softens, and you pat the spot next to you on the sofa to motion him to sit down. He plops down next to you, throwing his head back and sighing loudly. You lean over and let your head rest on his shoulder.

“Long day?” you ask, playing with the fingers on his left hand. You pay extra attention to a gold signet ring you’d given him on his birthday that sat on his middle finger. Except for when he cooked, he had rarely taken it off since.

“Yeah, um… yeah. Really long,” he exhaled. “We, uh… started doing to-gos today,” he explained, looking at you.

You grimaced. You knew that he’d been nervous about it for days now, and from what you can tell, it hadn’t gone that well. “How was it?” you asked gently.

“It was… a completely and utter shitshow. God, babe, we were so fucked. I—” he paused, raking a hand through his hair haphazardly. “I raised my voice. I yelled. More than once,” he admits with a defeated shrug.

“I bet it was stressful, hon; don’t beat yourself up over it. You made it through, at least. I’m really proud of you, Carmy,” you say, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Yeah?” he says, giving you a small smile. “Jesus, I’m just glad that shit’s over. I’m so goddamn tired. And I missed you. I need you,” he says, whispering the last sentence. Your heart jumps in response.

“You missed me?” you asked coyly.

“Always. Only thing I could think about was coming home to you. So I could do this…” he trails off, burying his nose into the crook of your neck. He plants a kiss on the skin where your neck and shoulder met, eliciting a sharp inhale from you.

“Carmy… you’re tired, you should— you should really go to sleep,” you struggle to say as he kisses the upper part of your neck.

“Shit, you’re right,” he mutters. “You’ll make it quick, yeah?”

You try to hide your grin. It was like this most nights. Carmy, usually too tired from his shifts, loved it when you were in control. You climbed over him on the sofa to straddle his spread knees, clasping your hands behind his neck and pulling his forehead into yours. You dipped down to plant a sweet kiss to his lips, but Carmy tightened his grip on your hips, willing you to deepen the kiss. Your hands left his neck in favor of playing with his hair, paying special attention to the hairs at the nape of his neck. One of your hands moves down to palm between his legs, causing him to moan.

“Baby, I dunno how long I’ll last. I’m so fuckin’— so fuckin’ tired,” he admits, murmmering against your lips.

“It’s okay, Carmy,” you breathe, the syllables of his name sickly sweet on your tongue. He groaned low in his throat. He fucking loved it when you said his name like that. He reached down underneath you to pull off his pants and boxers, noting the way your breath hitched when his hand brushed against your clothed sensitive spot.

“Did that feel good?” he asks, taunting you. You nod your head blissfully in response, and he bites back a smile.

“Yeah? Take ‘em off,” he says, tugging at the waistband of your shorts. You waste no time lifting yourself off his lap, pulling your shorts down, and tossing them off, not caring where they landed. His ringed middle finger hooks under the crotch of your underwear, and he flicks his calloused thumb over your clit. You give a ragged gasp, bracing your palms on his chest.

“Carmy—,” you whine.

“Hmm?” he replies, acting completely oblivious to the effect he was having on you.

“I thought— I thought this was supposed to be quick,” you breathed. He slips two fingers inside you and speeds up the pace at which he was playing with your clit, causing your face to crumple with pleasure.

“I know, baby. M’still gonna take care of you, though,” he said huskily. With his thumb still working your clit, he picks up the pace, angling his fingers to hit the spot inside of you that made you lose all your senses.

“Fuck, Carmy,” whisper out in a high pitched whine. Your fingernails dig into his muscular arms, and you throw your head back and shut your eyes in anticipation, feeling the knot in your stomach stretch tighter and tighter like a rubber band. You feel two fingers grab your jaw and tilt your face down.

“Look at me, honey, look at me,” Carmy whispers, his eyes roaming over your face. He takes in the sight of you— chest heaving, forehead glistening, jaw slack with pleasure— and makes a mental picture for later.

“Carm, I’m gonna- I’m so… so close,” you whisper frantically. You feel the band inside of you snap, and you dig your fingers even deeper into his skin as your eyes loll back and you reach your peak. Carmy’s name is the only word on your lips as your legs tremble while you ride out the aftershocks of your high. His fingers slow to a stop inside of you, and he tilts his head to the side, shooting you a lazy smile.

“Don’t tell me you’re all fucked out already,” he muses. “Are you?”

“No,” you say, knitting your eyebrows in defiance. “Absolutely not,” you add, running a hand up his hardened shaft as if to prove your point.

“Christ,” he says through his teeth. He reflexively throws his head back, causing you to smirk. You pump him a few times before you line his dick up to your entrance and slowly sink down.

“Oh, shit” Carmy hisses, watching his cock disappear into you. “You’re so- oh God, fuck,” he breathes. Both of his hands shoot up to grab your tits as he watched you ride him.

“You like seeing that dick slide in n’ outta ya, hmm?” he whispers. His words shoot straight down to your pussy, creating a familiar ache. You bite down hard on your bottom lip.

"Carmy," you breathe. "If you make me come again, I just might have to stop. You don't want me to stop, do you?" you finish, your tone deceptively sweet. You watch as his eyes shifts to something darker, more needy.

"No, don't— don't fuckin' stop," Carmy says through gritted teeth. He can feel your walls hugging him tighter and tighter, bringing him closer and closer to his peak. Carmy swears right then and there in that moment that you were made just for him. He digs his fingers deep into the flesh of your hips, and uses the strength in his arms to slam you down harder onto him, causing a strangled gasp to escape your lips.

"Fuck, Carm," you whine. "Are you close?"

Your question's answered seconds later when you feel his hot release into your core. You slow down to a stop, resting your palms on his chest as you both catch your breaths. Carmy gazes at you with heavy-lidded, lust blown eyes, and the sight makes you smile. You loved how he became completely and utterly undone by your touch.

"You made a fuckin' mess of yourself. Just look at the couch," Carmy teases, running his hands up and down the sides of your waist.

"I made a mess? You're the one who came in me," you shoot back, poking an accusatory finger into his chest. "And how are you gonna tease me while you're literally still inside me?" you say, fighting back a smile.

Carmy looked down between the two of you where you were still connected, then looked back at you, feigning surprise. "Shit. You might have a point, hon," he says, grinning lazily.

"Let's clean up, okay?" you giggle. "And then after that, we need to sleep. You need to sleep. Deal?" you continue, smoothing the hair from his face and holding his face in both of your hands.

He leans in to rest his forehead on yours, planting a gentle kiss on the tip of your nose. "Deal."

#carmy berzatto #carmen berzatto #carmy berzatto smut #carmen berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto headcanon #the bear hulu #the bear fx #onestopfanficshop

2K notes · View notes

thebearer · 7 months

Text

autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place |carmen berzatto x reader|

prompt: target, halloween, carmen, and you. or a short, fluffy work about halloween shopping with target bc why not? 'tis the season.

contains: fluff. that's it lol. mentions to past family memories and some insecure carmen, but honestly just fluff!

“Oh, look at this one!” You coo, snatching the tiny ghost figurine off the shelf.

“Cute.” Carmen muttered, one hand on the obnoxiously red cart, the other on your lower back. “Put it in.” He nodded towards the cart that was slowly starting to fill up.

The speakers droned out some dull pop song, your coffee and his melting away in the drink carriers on the cart. Carmen didn’t usually prefer Starbucks, much more of a fan of the local coffee spot a block over from The Bear. They knew his regular, made it for him as soon as he walked in. No fuss, no forced conversation- just the way he liked it.

But you liked Starbucks, well, in the right circumstance. You liked going to Target, you liked having a coffee to sip on while you “browsed”. Browsed, Carmen had grinned when you told him that.

“You don’t just go out and browse sometimes? Look at things? Window shop to make yourself feel happier?” You’d asked him earlier in the car, head tilting to the side.

“No, baby. I, uh, I don’t.” Carmen looked over at you, his hand still holding yours in the center console. “But maybe you’re onto somethin’.”

Carmen’s lack of decorations was deemed a crime in your eyes, which inspired the trip. Halloween trinkets filling the cart, the sly smile you’d give him when you’d slip another one in, just like you were doing now.

“It’s my treat.” You’d remind him, with a little wink. Carmen let you think that. Like he’d ever let you pay. And miss out on a chance to spoil you? No way.

“Where’re you gonna put all this?” Carmen hummed, watching you situate the tiny ghost next to the plastic cauldron and iridescent ornaments- something you saw on TikTok that you were going to attempt to DIY. “My place isn’t that big.”

“I’ll find a place, don’t worry.” You hum, sliding back in beside him, swiping your cup out of the basket. “You’ve got a bathroom, and the kitchen, and the bedroom-”

“-Bedroom?” Carmen grinned lightly, his hand snaking to your waist while his free hand pushed the cart. “You gonna put this creepy shit in there?”

“It’s not creepy.” You huff at him. “It’s cute, festive. Makes the place feel more… homey.”

Carmen decided then, he’d let you put a full fucking skeleton in his room if it made you feel that way. He’d get rid of all his shit, didn’t need it anyways, so you’d have room for all your holiday stuff. Carmen’s heart fluttered at the thought of what Christmas would look like. Would you put up a tree? He hoped you would. He’d go and chop one down if he had to. Where in Chicago he’d find a tree? He wasn’t sure, but he’d find one for you. If it made you as happy as this did.

“Ok,” You pulled him out of his thoughts, stopping the cart lightly. You plucked the bright orange bag up. “Did you know these are my absolute weakness?” Pumpkin shaped Reese’s, in their bright orange and purple glory.

“Yeah?” Carmen grinned. “This is it, huh?”

“Yes, in any shape too. But I prefer the pumpkin.” You went to set it back, Carmen’s hand grabbing the bag lightly and putting it in the cart.

“‘M more of a Christmas Tree fan.” Carmen shrugged. “You know Cicero- uh, Jimmy-” You nodded, slipping back into his side. “He, uh, he used to bring a bag of these to Christmas every year when I was little. He’d always have to hide ‘em, ya know? My dad… My dad didn’t want us havin’ all that sugar before dinner. Jimmy would come in where all the kids were, toss ‘em to me or Mikey or Richie when he started hangin’ around. Tell us not to get caught, and Merry Christmas, and hide the evidence. We’d eat them before goin’ to Mass, and he did it every year until I got in high school.”

You smiled softly, hand sliding down his back. “That’s sweet.” You hum, squeezing his hip lovingly. “You should get him some for Christmas this year. Return the favor.”

“Yeah,” Carmen scoffed lightly. “Yeah, I think he’d like that.”

A silence fell between the two of you, chatter from the surrounding people, the scratchy-screech of the cart. Carmen’s heart hammered, mind racing. Why the fuck did you tell her that? Fuckin’ ruined the moment. Stupid, fuckin’ stupid.

“Hey, uh,” Carmen’s hands shook lightly, fingers drumming on the red plastic over the cart. “I-I didn’t mean to… ‘m sorry, I didn’t mean to say all that, ya know? Ruin the-the… I just, I dunno, you said that and-and I-”

“-What?” You asked softly, brows creasing lightly. “What are you talking about? Say what?”

“The, uh, the thing with Jimmy. I-I didn’t mean to make it awkward-”

“Why is it awkward?” You pressed, setting down the candle you were smelling. “I thought it was sweet.”

“Yeah? I-I just… I dunno why I said it, I’m sorry.” Carmen rambled, a hand falling over his face, hoping you couldn’t see the blush growing over his face.

“Don’t be sorry, Carm. There’s nothin’ to be sorry about.” You shook your head, waving him off. “It’s a sweet story. I like that you told me that.”

“Yeah?” Carmen asked softly.

You nodded, smiling at him. “You know I do, bear.” The nickname rolls off your tongue so effortlessly, calmly- Carmen’s sure he’s going to melt into the floor.

“Here,” You twist the lid off the next candle. “This one has caramel. You like that, right?”

Carmen wasn’t sure how you remembered that. He’d mentioned it once, in passing, that he liked whatever you were burning at your apartment when he was over. It was caramel and coffee, you’d remembered, because you showed up at his house with the same candle the next day. A love present, you’d called it, pressing a kiss to his cheek. You didn’t want anything in return, no strings, just buying him something because you wanted to; because he liked it. It was still a new concept to Carmen, how you could love him without wanting anything other than love in return.

Carmen ducked down, the brim of his hat bumping your wrist lightly. “Yeah, I like that one.” He nods. “Smells like that other one.”

“Yeah? Not too pumpkinny?” You tilt your head to the side.

“No.” Carmen laughs, breathy and light. “I don’t smell any pumpkin. Is there pumpkin?”

“Caramel Pumpkin Latte.” You tilt the label towards him. “They’re saying it’s in there.” Carmen hummed lightly. “You calling them a liar?” You giggle playfully.

“No, but I am sayin’ there’s not pumpkin in there.” Carmen snorted lightly, putting the candle in the cart anyways. “Not real pumpkin, anyways.”

“Maybe if this chef thing doesn’t work out, you could be a candle critic.” You tease, falling into slow steps beside him. “Be a candle blogger or something.”

“Candle blogger?” Carmen repeats with an amused smile. “That’s not real.”

You look at him, eyes wide in excitement. “Oh, Berzatto, am I about to blow your mind.”

“No? Really?” Carmen laughed. “You’re fuckin’ with me?”

“No! It’s a real thing, Carmen.” You laugh, pulling out your phone. “There was this woman that, like, went viral because she was going insane about Bath and Body Works not having her candle or something.” You giggle, typing slowly in the search bar.

“That’s fuckin’ insane.” Carmen rolled his eyes.

“Yeah.” You smirk. “Think she might’ve started a trend.”

“Well, can’t do that then.” Carmen shrugged, loading the items on the small platform at the self checkout. “Don’t wanna go up against her, baby. She’s intense.”

“Yeah, good call.” You grin, pocketing your phone, opening the bags while he scanned the ghost. “Guess you’ll have to stick to cooking.”

“Guess so.” Carmen muttered, putting the plush pumpkins in the bag, reaching for his wallet.

“Eh! No!” You click your tongue, eyes flashing at him. “I told you I was buying it.” You put a hand over the card slot, glaring at Carmen with a frown.

“C’mon,” Carmen shook his head lightly, pushing your hand away lightly. “You got a number you wanna put in?” He nodded towards the screen.

You pouted, pausing for a moment. “Yes.” You mutter, typing in your number quickly, pivoting your body in front of the card machine.

“You gonna move?” Carmen looked at you, already reaching around to put his card in.

“No, I told you it was my treat.” You mutter, twisting with your phone in your hand. One look at the screen, and you were tapping your phone against the screen. The ding chimed, your smug smile spreading across your lips when the receipt printed.

Carmen was stunned, card still in his hand. “What- How did you-”

“Gotta be quicker than that, Berzatto.” You grin, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Carmen looked down at his card in his hand, shoving it back into his wallet. Maybe Sugar was right, maybe he did need to actually learn how to use his phone. He grabbed the bags from you, swatting your hand away while you pushed the basket back.

“Shoulda let me pay.” Carmen grumbled, walking beside you out the sliding doors. It had started to get chilly, leaves tinging with warm color and the temperature beginning to drop. “Stuff’s for me anyways.”

“Yeah, but I wanted you to get it.” You bump your hip playfully with his. “Besides, I told you it was my treat.”

Carmen didn’t respond, unlocking the trunk and putting the bags in carefully, but the frown didn’t fade. Brows still furrowed and lips still in a hard line.

“Hey,” You call, stopping him before he could close the trunk. “I told you I wanted to buy it for you.”

“Yeah,” Carmen’s brows furrowed. “But you shouldn’t’ve-”

“-Carm.” You groan lightly. “I wanted to pay, ok? You always get me stuff. Let me get this for you, ok?” You say lightly, arms snaking around his shoulders, looping behind his neck. “Let me spoil you, bear. Lemme be your sugar mama.”

Carmen snorts, lips curling in a grin lightly. “Shut up.” He mutters, your lips closing over his in a sweet kiss.

You pulled apart, blushed and swooned in a Target parking lot. “You gotta put the stuff up anyways.” You tease, hands sliding down his toned arms, over his color block jacket.

“Yeah?” Carmen snorts lightly, pulling the trunk shut. “You’re not gonna help me?”

“I’ll be directing.” You declare, pinching his butt lightly, grinning at how he jumped and flushed. Sliding into the passenger side, you lean across the console to Carmen. “I’ll make sure the ambiance is there.”

Carmen nodded, starting the car, eyes bright when they met yours. “Light the candle?”

“Yes.” You laugh. “And I’ll pick out a movie.”

Carmen snorted lightly, his free hand moving behind your head rest while he backed out. It made your tummy flip with excitement. “Yeah? Casper?”

You give him a feigned unimpressed look. “You know I’m more of a Hocus Pocus girl.”

“Right, my bad.” Carmen laughed, hand gripping your thigh lightly, thumb rubbing patterns over the material of your leggings. Your heart skipped. “Fine. As long as you open those Reese’s.”

“Deal.” You grin, kissing his forearm gently.

Hours later, wrappers piled on the coffee table, the candle burning in the kitchen, and the orange lights glowing from where Carmen string them over the TV stand in the living room. One Jack-O-Lantern fleece blanket thrown over both of your legs, your head on Carmen’s while the beginning credits of Beetlejuice played on the TV. Carmen decided right there that you were right. This was more homey. Felt… right and content. He wasn’t so sure it was the decorations, more likely it was the girl who picked them out.

786 notes · View notes