#like carmy is dramatic

[afrofairysblog]

If this is not the energy Carmy in bringing in S4 when it comes to Sydney staying in the Bear .... I DON'T WANT IT!!!!

[ambeauty]

I don’t need a jealous Syd. What I need is Carmy constantly picking the restaurant (Sydney) over Claire. If they stay together after the fridgecident until Claire realizes that maybe the restaurant (Sydney) is really what he cares about and maybe she forced herself on a person who she thought she knew but really doesn’t know at all. It might be a nasty breakup because Carmy doesn’t realize why giving all of his focus and attention to the restaurant (Sydney) is a problem and he’s just trying to please the both of them and if Claire doesn’t get that then maybe she should leave him alone. Claire is like this is not about the restaurant. It’s never been about the restaurant. It’s always been about Sydney….

[bartonbones]

carm/sydney endgame this carm/claire endgame that. do we think that the bear is actually going to catch fire and go up in literal flames at some point

[ciaomarie]

Credit: @gingergofastboatsmojito

I am surprised and happy for those of you who LOVED season 3. I loved episode 1 with all my heart. I liked a few others. Even on rewatch, I doubt I'll ever be able to get over the lack of Sydney development and the overuse of The Faks. In s1, we had her making big changes at The Beef, being funny, and more focused episode with "Sheridan". In S2, she was still part of the comic relief, we got to see more in her head with "Sundae" and her scenes in E9-10 were so strong. I guess in S3 her role was the long-suffering work wife/mom of the kitchen. She was quietly there for everyone, but her light was dimmed because of Carmy's disconnection and toxicity. No special conversations with Tina or Nat either. I was so glad to see her smile and laugh FINALLY at the Ever and house party. The panic attack hurt to watch, but I approve of the writing choice. Sigh...If Carmy was in the mental freezer all season, I guess she had to be in the pits, too.

[noangeleither]

think part of me for the drama would have liked to see carmy acknowledge the fact that sydney calmed him down during his panic attack in the freezer during his whole rant about claire.

need to clarify (lol) purely for the drama chaos and messiness of it all……. realistically it wouldnt make sense bc since claire only met syd once i don’t think it would have held as much emotional weight unless she witnessed them interact all the time.

and also it’s too on the nose for him to acc admit it. bc he did acknowledge it with their under the table scene….”i couldn’t do this without you” was his way of admitting to himself and to her how much she means to him.

But in my mind where the Bear is actually a soap opera, Carmy would have added that his work wife isn’t a waste of time unlike his girlfriend….ouch

[hazelcephalopod]

The Bear and Disbelief in the Self

So, I finished season 2 of The Bear and I loved it. Fantastic, messy, fucked up people trying so hard and failing a lot.

The show I think has been pretty clear about it’s premise, which again I argue is: fucked up people trying. The characters all arrive here from some sort of trauma. For most of The Bear’s staff it is at minimum a loss, their friend and boss committed suicide after struggling a lot with various issues -which he tried to shove down and not deal with. In Richie’s case he’s also dealing with a massive inferiority complex and something else we will get too. Sydney is trying to recover from her failure with her own restaurants and we’ll get to something else. Carmy is dealing with the aforementioned suicide, but in his case this was also his brother who he had a complicated relationship with, his mother and family life just being a really big mess, and the abuse from his former boss. All three are dealing with deep seated disbelief in themselves, they they are not capable or receiving or creating nice things.

We see Richie grappling with this all season explicitly, he feels like he will be left behind. And he doesn’t believe he can keep up. He lacks confidence, and only gains it when removed from his life and put in a place we’re he can see a path to success and is told he has to have respect. Respect for his work, respect for others, and most importantly respect for himself. I think that is finally got through to him and allowed him to begin turning over new leaf; which he had to choose to accept. Sydney, also lacks confidence in herself, at least deep down. Tbf, she’s young, she has a lot of ambition and puts a lot on herself to succeed. She’s learning to lean on others and work with them and hopefully we see more of that explored in a future season. She’s beginning to make those choices that will allow her to succeed.

Carmy however is deep into all of those issues. He desperately wants to succeed, and specifically he wants to succeed in the way he’s been led to believe he’s supposed to. Make the restaurant work, be the best at it, be with the right girl. Be who everyone expects him to be, but -imo- he’s not sure that’s actually what he wants. He just doesn’t know how to let himself have that though; deep down he doesn’t believe he even deserves happiness or love. He wants to be in control, but he’s so out of control that he can not have that control he so desires. Which I’d argue he desires because he's looking for something. He won’t let himself have happiness or love because that might mean giving up control, relying on someone else. And that’s hard for him. Because so many people he trusted, and loved, have failed him. He’s so used to the pain he doesn’t know how to exist without it. He hasn’t yet made the choice, and until he does he can’t succeed. He can’t find what he’s looking for.

[threadbareturnbacks]

That last episode of the bear my God why did no one warn me

[afrofairysblog]

FACTS!!! Like Sydney is charming asf since Season 1, and they need to capitalize on that more cause hello Sydney is played by AYO EDEBIRI (THE QUEEN OF CHARM).

I hope we as a fandom, can collectibly agree in one thing about Sydney that was no previously established or hinted in previous seasons:

My girl has GAME

I don't want to hear anything contrary because she was described as awkward in many interactions, but it was mostly in situations when she had to take power when she was insecure about it. The situation with Marcus caught her by surprise, not to mention how incredibly uncomfortableit was.

But here she was just asking questions to peers and later with her typical mannerisms she maintained a pretty personal conversation with Luca. They clicked and it was kinda first sight.

Like, she has this blonde, tall, muscle ass British man giggling and kicking his feet after two conversations. The power this woman holds.

[romerona]

The Cook and the Teacher!

Headcanons of Carmen (Carmy) Berzatto x Abbot Teacher Femreader! Sunshinereader!

Let's pretend The Bear and Abbot Elementary are in the same city.

Their relationship is the perfect mix of Carmy’s high-energy, fast-paced work life and the reader’s vibrant but nurturing personality. She helps him slow down and appreciate the quieter, simpler moments, while he brings her a sense of excitement and adventure she didn’t know she needed.

Carmy finds her colorful, warm presence a soothing contrast to the often gray and chaotic atmosphere of his kitchen.

In one of these rare moments, Carmy is cooking in his own kitchen, reader loves to help out. She’ll chop vegetables or stir sauces while teasing him about his intense focus. He secretly loves these moments.

Occasionally, she’ll attempt to make him breakfast—simple pancakes or eggs—and Carmy will quietly fix little things without her noticing. He never wants her to feel like she isn’t good enough in the kitchen.

The reader knows how much pressure Carmy puts on himself, so she makes it her mission to leave little notes for him to find, saying things like, “You’re enough, with or without a Michelin star.”

The reader knows how to calm Carmy when he’s spiraling, either with a warm hug or by distracting him with a ridiculous story from her day.

Carmy helps her through her own stressful days by listening attentively and offering practical advice—or, if that fails, making her a delicious meal that instantly brightens her mood.

Their relationship is full of lighthearted teasing. She loves poking fun at how serious he can be, calling him “Chef” in a mock-stern voice while dramatically bowing. He’ll roll his eyes but can’t help the small smile that sneaks onto his face.

Carmy is fiercely protective of her, especially after seeing how draining her job can be at times. If someone crosses a line, whether it’s a rude parent, a random person or an ex, he’s the first to step in.

Similarly, the reader is protective of Carmy’s emotional well-being. She’s not afraid to tell him to take a day off or call out the staff (including Richie) if they’re piling too much on his plate.

Carmy admires her ability to manage a classroom of kids with humor and grace. He’s constantly amazed by how much energy and love she pours into her work. He often tells her, “I don’t know how you do it.”

The reader admires Carmy’s dedication and talent, even if she worries about how hard he pushes himself. She’ll often remind him that his worth isn’t tied to his achievements.

Carmy isn’t big on grand romantic gestures, but he shows his love through thoughtful actions—making her coffee just the way she likes it, fixing her scarf before she leaves the apartment, or cooking her favorite comfort food after a long day.

Reader, on the other hand, loves leaving little surprises for him—like a new knife roll she found on sale or a framed photo of the two of them that she sneaks into his office.

The staff at The Bear adore the reader, and they tease Carmy relentlessly about how soft he gets around her. Richie especially teases Carmy about how “whipped” he is, though it’s clear he’s just happy his cousin has someone who makes him smile.

When Carmy visits Abbott, the professors give the reader knowing looks, nudging her about “her handsome chef.” Janine even asks if Carmy can give a cooking demo for the kids someday, and while Carmy is shy and somewhat reluctant about it, he agrees because it makes reader happy.

Their late-night talks are a cornerstone of their relationship. After a long day, they’ll sit on the couch, and talk about their respective days, childhood memories, or Carmy’s culinary dreams, these moments become the heart of their relationship.

They’re perfectly comfortable doing their own things in the same room—Carmy scribbling recipe ideas while the reader grades papers or works on the next class projects. Silent yet intimate moments.

Carmy struggles to open up fully about his past, especially his guilt over Mikey’s death and the pressure he feels as a chef. The reader often has to gently coax him to share, which can lead to frustration on both sides.

The reader’s naturally sunny disposition occasionally clashes with Carmy’s more grounded (and sometimes pessimistic) outlook. While she tries to see the silver lining, Carmy sometimes feels like she’s dismissing his concerns, even if unintentionally.

Both have hectic schedules—Carmy’s long hours at The Bear and the reader’s commitment to Abbott. They often struggle to find quality time together, sometimes going days with only fleeting interactions.

Carmy’s obsession with perfection often spills into his personal life, making it hard for him to disengage from work. The reader sometimes feels like she has to compete for his attention, especially during busy weeks at the restaurant.

When they argue, Carmy tends to shut down, while the reader tries to resolve things immediately. This mismatch in conflict styles can make their fights drag on longer than necessary.

However, they’ve learned to meet in the middle—Carmy working on staying present in discussions, and reader giving him space when he needs it.

Carmy sometimes struggles with feelings of inadequacy, wondering why someone as bright and compassionate as reader is with him. He fears that his flaws—his temper, his workaholism, and his messy past.

Sometimes, Carmy doesn’t realize he’s shutting the reader out until she points it out, leading to heartfelt apologies.

Thanks to her gentle encouragement, Carmy is learning to open up more. She’s teaching him that it’s okay to lean on someone else for support.

meeting

[neonovember]

So I currently have food poisoning and I can’t help but it think how mad Carmy would be if a restaurant gave his gf/wife food poisoning

Also Carmy come take care of me and make me soup plz 🙇‍♀️😫

Plus he would give the best snuggles 😭

firstly, sending lots of love and recovery, i've never actually had fp lmao so a lot of time on webmd will be spent. get ur fluids in! secondly, carmen might have to go underground for setting the restaurant on fire. we love him for it

summary: You were hungry and had just finished work and you didn't think about inspecting the goddamn Michelin star restaurant, maybe you should have.

warnings; cursing, food poisoning, richie (he's a warning), hipsters, talks of future arsony, possessive carmen, cracked fic ngl,

divider by @firefly-graphics

i'm slipping back into the unsafe territory of wanting fictional characters. (and i don't care)

You could roll your eyes in annoyance if you weren't hunched over the ceramic bowl of the toilet heaving out the contents of your stomach while Carmen held you hair back.

The one time, the one goddamn time you decide to try a new place without Carmen's input, without his meticulous standards and in depth research behind every night out.

It wasn't like you hadn't tried to vet the new braised beef spot that opened up on west Avenue. In fact, you had heard all but stellar reviews from friends and family, meeting you with suprise hearing that Carmen hadn't taken you. You decided to bring home a small plate, their signature braised meat with plums, red onions and atrichocke hearts.

You had meant to share it with Carmen, and you were going to, but a botched catering order had him staying back another hour than what had been planned. And well..you say you tried to save some for Carmen, but despite its bacteria laced beef and vomit inducing sides it was pretty fuckin' good.

Was this God's wrath coming down upon you? Punishing you for your gluttony? Food poisoning did feel awfully close to perpetual hellfire.

The TV was blaring some indescriptive show, the kind with dramatic introductions and soap opera worthy screams. It helped fill the space of absence when Carmen worked long nights, and you felt quite comfortable wrapped up in a blanket with a full stomach and a warm sofa.

Your phone had pinged with the sound of Carmen's text, letting you know he was on the way when it started. At first you had written it off as mere indigestion, probably from shoveling the cursed meal into your mouth too quickly.

Then, around the time the show's main character had found out her boyfriend got her mother pregnant, the nausea set in. Swirling aches that felt like a whirlpool in your stomach had taken over, sloshing and swirling and never leaving. You couldn't mistake it, as you tried to swallow past a dry throat and the creeping sweats of a headache inducing fever began to ravage your body.

You hated sitting in discomfort, it wasn't as though you were afraid of vomiting no, you just could not bare to feel the way your stomach skipped and jumped with every wave of nausea that took over.

You thought of making yourself sick, but shook your head when the alarming disapproval of Carmen's voice loomed over.

"It's just gonna make it worse, you gotta sit with it till it passes"

Fuck him and his medical knowledge. What did he know?

You had ripped off the blanket that had once felt comforting, peeling of layers of clothing that stuck to your body like a second skin. You just felt hot, so hot, is anyone else feeling this heat? You try to move from the couch to reach your phone, but the sudden movement has nausea bubbling up your throat.

You fall to the ground in a heap, hand clasped around your mouth to stop the possibility of projectile vomiting on the rug you had just bought and shoot your hand up to reach for your phone.

You press Carmen's number, begging him to answer you in genuine crisis rather than when you were drunk with friends and missed him. You feel the urge to heave and crawl quickly to the bathroom, phone clasped in hand and suddenly desperately needed his medical knowledge.

Carmen phone rings from the behind the stack of documents in the office, and he hastily wipes his hands across his apron before trying to reach it before it rings out.

Guilt fills his stomach at the thought of you, he was meant to be home hours ago. The catering order needed a few extra hands to help, and once Carmen began he got lost in it, and now you had spent nearly the entire night alone.

"Fuck- Hey baby, I know I said I was comin' but I had to finish a couple things-" Carmen quickly responds as he swipes the call button.

The groan of pain that responds has Carmen freezing in the middle of the kitchen.

"Baby? What-, are you okay?" Carmen replies quickly, his voice going short as his mind turns every possible scenario that had you whining in pain over the receiver.

"Please come quickly, Carmen I think I might-" You gulp and make a retching sound "I think I got sick from that place I was telling you about" You plead out, breathing heavily into the speaker.

The guilt that had filled Carmen seems to morph into an anger that rushes up his chest as he shakes his head.

"The new place? The one with the fuckin' smoke meat? They did this?"

"Mhm" You mumble "I should've just listened to you" You groan out in sadness.

"Fucking idiots. How the fuck did they even? Okay, okay honey just gimme a second yeah?"

How did he let this happen? Carmen has half the mind to stop at the restaurant that more of a Instagram attraction that a respected place of business. You were so eager and excited t try it, Carmen had his own thoughts but would glue his mouth shut if it meant making you happy.

He'll make sure they get shut down, or at least black listed from Chicago as long as he's concerned. His hands shake with the eager want for the fight, to smash someones jaw for resorting you to a heap of tears and sick. He would, he knows he will, but at this moment he needed to take care of your first.

He mumbles out a rushed reply, phone between his shoulder and ear as he slips out of his work shoes and into his sneakers. He thinks for a moment to grab his things but immediately shut that thought out when he hears you groaning into the phone.

"Just stay on the phone okay? I'm coming now, I need to get you some things alright?"

You let out what you hope is a reply, hunched over the toilet.

Carmen rushes to the store fridge, grabbing containers of soup Tina had prepared for family as the Chicago winter was getting close.

"You alright kid?" Richie mumbles, walking into the kitchen entry way, scratching his stomach as he watched Carmen's erratic movements around the store.

"Fuckin-, she's sick. And I'm here chopping up tomatoes for fucking Guy while she was in pain for god knows how long-"

"Woah, Bugs sick? We talking COVID or.."

"I'm such a fucking idiot. No it's not COVID Rich, Jesus Christ. Some rookie new spot trying something outside of their abilities gave her food poisoning. Fuckin' hipsters"

"Oh that's bad. You know when I got food poisoning the one time I took Tiff to this romantic getaway. Had me projectile vomiting in the AirBnb bathroom. Couldn't even get a deposit back, had to pay some dumb ass cleaning fee-"

Carmen wipes a hand across his face shaking his head. He was already pent up, he might throw a pan at Richie if he doesn't stop talking.

"Richie, I don't have time for this, I need to get her some Sprite or"

Richie shuffles across to the cupboard near the back of the house, grabbing bottles of Gatorade and a pack of saltine crackers.

"How do you even have this stuff lying around"

"You're the one with the inhuman alcohol tolerance Carmy, someone of us actually have hangovers you freak" Richie retorts

"Yeah yeah, thanks. Fuck- I gotta" Carmen replies, to which Richie nods.

"Go. I'll wrap up anything here" Richie replies, understanding in his voice. You took precedence over pretty much everything in Carmen's life.

"And Carm?"

"Yeah?" Carmen calls out, slipping on his jacket as he turns to Richie

"Tell me when we're going to sort out those bearded wearing flannel ass wipes"

Carmen shakes his head with a smile, before nodding and pushing past the kitchen doors. The traffic lights better be green green fuckin' green tonight.

You were stripped to a singlet and sleeping shorts as you knelt over the toilet, blinking back exhausted tears at the state of you.

You suppose you have no one else to blame but yourself, but the indignation righteousness burns almost as bright as the acid reflux crawling up your throat.

You hear the faint opening and loud clang of the apartment door opening and closing and you sigh in relief as you hear the familiar footfalls of Carmen down the hall.

It had felt damn near torturous suffering without him, and as he calls out to you following the trail of loose clothing he spots your figure in the bathroom sprawled.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry" Carmen says

And it was as if your body needed to finally feel safe in Carmen's presence before you felt the nausea spill out of you and splash offensively into the toilet.

You feel Carmen crouch above you, dragging your hair that had gone loose from it's wrapped up do away from your face. Gently rubbing your back, his large hands softly dipping up and down your spine.

"That's it, 'atta girl. Let it all out" Carmen coo's softly

You purged the insides of your stomach into the toilet bowl, retching loudly with every heave as Carmen comforted you. After what seemed like hours, and the nausea had subsided Carmen carefully wrapped his arms up under your armpits picking you up of the floor.

"Slowly, yeah? You damn near emptied out you're entire water content" Carmen murmurs, flushing the toilet and helping you walk to the basin and wash out the taste of bile from your mouth.

"I probably look insane" You cry out, blinking back exhaustion from your eyes as Carmen shakes his head furiously.

"Never, my pretty girl. Need you to go easy okay? Gonna take you to bed and let you sleep through it. Can't have you collapsing on me" Carmen murmurs, wiping at the edge of your mouth, patting the sweat that stuck to your forehead.

You let Carmen carefully maneuver your body, one arm under your legs and the other supporting your back walking to the bedroom. Your wring dry and can barely keep your eyes open as Carmen placed you on the cool sheets you immediately moan at.

You hear the faint rustle of movement as Carmen brings in a paper bag. The clunk of bottles placed on the bedside table as you sing praise for the very short bit of relief you have before the next bout of nausea rolls in.

Carmen pads to the adjacent bathroom, the door opened so you can see the stream of light that illuminates him. Hes running a cloth under water, squeezing the excess and looking up to check on you every so often.

He looked so...domestic, like he hadn't come back from working at one of the most decorated restaurants in Chicago. Stripped of his shirt so he stood bare chested, golden curls pushed behind his ears, sweatpants hung low on his hips and the furrow of his eyebrows in concentration and worry.

Your eyes flutter shut as you thank the midnight sky for bringing him to you, for keeping him for you, this one good thing that was yours.

The skies answer by the sound of his voice listing off all the things you will not be doing in this stage of recovery. Sitting on the edge of the bed as he places the cool rag against your forehead, lips between teeth as he feels your temperature under his skin.

"Just bone broth, Gatorade and bread sticks for you, doll. And no, before you even think it, its not the garlic ones." Carmen tsks.

You were thinking it. He knew you too well, but when he kisses your eyelids and measures out careful tips of the Gatorade bottle, you don't mind it.

[newtkive]

confectionary clash - carmen berzatto

pairing: carmen berzatto x afab!reader (established relationship)

summary: carmy's girl is the human embodiment of a sweetheart. that is, unless it's that time of the month and richie provokes her.

wordcount: 3.2k

warnings: swearing, fighting, weaponized incompetence from richie but we still love him.

a/n: this was meant to be a drabble but turned into 3k words. so it's written kinda like a drabble?? (hence the lowercase i can't be arsed to change) but just... long. idk hopefully its entertaining. also, i don't mean to demonize richie, he's my favorite character i think,, i just love writing him as problematic lmao cuz he's so funny. anyways, enjoy!

as carmy’s confidant and girlfriend, you were always the voice of reason. with just a string of words, you’d be calming him down after a hectic work day, giving him a fresh perspective on his work dilemmas since you were outside of the restaurant circle. in the time he’s known you, he hadn’t seen you do as much as barely raise your voice. maybe the occasional snap, but you always follow it up with swift apologies and big watery eyes.

that is, unless you’re in pain. specifically cramps. the sight of you 180ing from a sweet girl with a bright smile and even sweeter words, to an evil sorceress with spells rolling off your tongue, inflicting curses onto anyone who irritates you is jarring. a bit dramatic, sure, but that’s what you were during that time of the month—dramatic.

carmy tries best to dote on you. you would never ask him to go out of his way for something, unless it’s grabbing a heating pad or water, but carmy wants you to. it takes prying to hear your desires and cravings after asking a million times, and you begrudgingly give in with no expectations. nevertheless, you end up with exactly what you asked for, or something close to it, and you’re endlessly grateful.

on days when you stop into the restaurant when you’re feeling down, carmy enacts this same routine. if it’s food, he’ll cook it for you; desserts, he’ll grab any extras marcus has (or marcus happily makes it from scratch if they're not busy, claiming he needs the practice). if you want snacks, he sends his right hand man richie out to grab them despite your protests.

richie does it often whenever you stop into the store, and he acts like it’s a chore sometimes, but everyone has a hunch that he really loves it. come on, twenty dollars to get a few items for you and pocket the rest for himself? plus a break from work? done deal.

richie wouldn’t admit it, but he liked taking care of you too. you were always a sweetheart to him, but it wasn’t in his personality to be as sincere as you, so this was a little act of service to show his love. besides, the year and a half you’ve known him has definitely earned you the title of a friend, and you’d agree.

now, you don’t ever want to seem ungrateful, but when you ask for a specific treat, you get disappointed when you don’t really get it. maybe it’s the fluctuating mood talking, but you always end up snapping at richie due to his poor choices. if you ask for one thing, he’ll get you the next, and you even suspect he does it on purpose sometimes. pulling reactions from people is his specialty.

it’s not like you’re a complete bitch about it, because he took his time out to go get you something, but richie has a problem with weaponized competence even with his new and improved attitude. you know he can get you the jolly ranchers you suggested, but he chooses to grab goldfish because it’s closer to checkout. it was annoying, but you never really brought it up to carmy. it's not like you needed to, it wasn't a huge deal. you figured richie could use the little break, and you don’t hate the snacks he brings.

except on days like this.

you were at the restaurant on a slow day, dragged yourself out of bed despite your cramps just to see your little grumpy boyfriend and hide in his office. even as you entered the establishment through the back you glared at richie (who sweetly waved) in passing, side eyeing a few of the newbies who ran in front of you despite their apologies. none of your usual bright smiles and cheery greetings. the bee line straight to the office was a clear enough explanation for how you were feeling.

upon entering, carmy looked up in a panic, which quickly melted into a soft smile at the sight of his girlfriend. “hey, baby.” he cooed softly, immediately scooting back from his desk to reach out to grasp at your waist. you let him, but pushed down the irritation, not favoring touch at the moment. however, his rough hands sliding a little under your shirt to grasp at the flesh of your hips calmed you down, earning a small quirk of the lips from you.

“whatcha doin’ here, love?” he asks, bringing one of your hands to his lips to kiss softly, still looking up at you.

you shrug, squeezing his hand, face a bit stoic. you’d been like this for a couple of days so he wasn’t surprised by your lack of friendliness. knowing you this long, carmy became accustomed to your monthly mood swings, and he felt privileged that you didn’t feel the need to put up an act for him.

“missed you.” you finally sighed, scooting closer so you stood between his knees. palms found both sides of carmy’s face and tilted it upwards a bit so you could study his appearance. stressed and tired. however, he seemed to glow at the mere admission of you missing him. it took a few seconds for his brain to rewire, looking up at you like you created the cosmos. the only reason you heard his soft, shy, ‘missed you too’ was because of the stagnant silence.

“hungry?” carmy asked, beaming from the attention. you shrugged again, allowing him to tighten his grip on your sides and tug you onto his lap. whining a bit in protest, you reposition yourself, legs falling over his lap and arms around his neck. your faces were closer now, and carmy looked at your sad eyes with a little pang in his chest. brows furrowing, he tilted his head and snuck a hand under your chin. long, tattooed fingers tickled at your chin, and before you knew it you were giggling and grinning while batting his hand away.

“cmon, i know you must want somethin’.” your grin was infectious and laced in his soft words. you hummed, already cheered up, and tapped a finger against your chin to make a thinking face. carmy chuckled, brushing a lock of hair away from your eyes and patiently waited.

a thought crossed your mind and you met gazes again. “i might go grab some little debbie snacks from around the corner.” you decided and nodded to yourself as if solidifying your decision.

as you started sitting up more, carmy’s grip tightened on your waist. “ah, ah, no. stay here.” he protested. soon enough he was calling out ‘cousin!’ and richie came bounding over, opening the office door.

richie’s face used to contort in disgust at any visual sign of affection exchanged between you and carmy, but he was used to it now. “what’s up, cousin?” he asked, almost seeming out of breath, eyes flickering between the both of you.

a short exchange between the two occurred: carmy asking richie to run to the corner store, handing richie a twenty, and richie asking you precisely what you wanted. you made it simple and easy, something he could remember: oreos and ho-hos, a midwestern's guilty pleasure.

“ight, cap’n, i’ll be back.” richie says, saluting you two before heading out. both you and carmy exchanged an amused smirk, knowing the only reason richie went was to get himself some cigarettes and hot fries he would scarf down on the walk back.

__

in the twenty minutes richie was gone, the kitchen had gone to shit. the newbies had been running the wrong food to tables, online orders were filling the tablet nonstop due to a discount glitch, and carmy was close to losing it. sitting in the office, now alone with the muffled sound of your boyfriend yelling, you were more grumpy than before. arms crossed, you snapped your head to the side once the door creaked open. in walked richie with a plastic bag, inside of it holding your hope for a better day.

"what took you so long?" you frowned up at him, but sat up straighter in anticipation. you eyes almost shone as you looked at corner store logo on the bag.

"went the long way." he mumbled, digging in the plasic. the skeptical look on your face didn't leave as he pulled out an item and set it on the table. your frown deepened further as you noticed there was nothing at all you asked for, only met with a crushed sleeve of crackers.

“where are the oreos?” you sighed out, lips pursed in a bit of a pout.

“didn’t find any, so i got you some peanut butter crackers.” he mumbled, digging around the bag again, as if he didn’t just break your heart. if it was anyone else you'd believe them, but with richie you figured he just got bored of looking.

your jaw fell slack and you gaped like a fish for a moment, waiting for him to pull out more treats from his bag. but that time didn’t come, as he fished a pack of cigarettes out instead. “and the ho-ho’s?” your voice was hopeful.

richie perked up at that, putting the cigarettes down next to the crackers. the next second he presented you with a smushed mountain of brown and white concealed in a plastic wrapper sitting atop the palm of his hand. eyes flicking between the disappointment before you and his face, you frowned in disbelief.

richie only managed to emote as much as a ‘yikes’ face before placing it on the desk. “got smushed in transit, but tastes the same!” he gave his best attempt at a smile. your brows grew taut together and anger bubbled up in your chest. you were sure your face was quickly turning red.

“carmy gave you twenty dollars, and you come back with this?!” you hiss out, daring to look at the dry crackers and smushed up dream of a ho-ho. the sight only made you become angrier. this was something a senile old person would give you, not a competent 40-something-year-old man. his lack of care was clear, and you were boiling.

richie just scoffed—he had the nerve to scoff.

“no, not just that! i got a sprite and a few pack of cigs for myself and the guy.” he waved around one of them to prove his point. if you thought you were mad before, you reached a new level of anger. usually, you’d deal with the disappointment and thank richie for even going—aside from a smart alec remark.

however, the demon conducting your period for this month did not make your rational decisions seem clear nor enticing. as you shot up from carmy’s chair, you only knew you wanted to make richie as upset as you were in this moment.

with one finger poking his chest, you began raising your voice. as soon as you started talking, richie's eyes turned wide as saucers, exactly like a deer in headlights. a string of curses snuck into your tirade, between phrases such as “you always fucking do this richie!” and “are you fuckin’ dumb?! did you get dropped on your head?!”. you only figured he didn't fire back right away because he was so stunned.

outside of the office, the kitchen was calmer now. things were finally falling into order but still required carmy’s supervision until the sudden rush ended. the only disturbance was you. now, it was your voice yelling behind closed doors and not carmy’s.

the chef—in the middle of helping sydney plate a dish—just about gave himself whiplash with how fast he turned around to look at the barely cracked door of the office. there was the telltale muffled yelling, but what shocked him was it was clearly you yelling.

turning back around, carmy gawked at sydney who silently shared the same look of surprise. it was only until they heard richie start yelling back that sydney silently pushed him toward the door. it didn’t take more than a second for carmy to snap out of his surprise and march over to the office.

throwing the hand towel he was using over his shoulder, he yanked the heavy door open before all but body slamming his way into the room and slamming the door closed. the yelling was suddenly clear, as if carmy was being pulled out from underwater.

“YOU GET ME WHAT I ASKED YOU, OR GET ME NOTHING AT ALL!”

“THEN YOU’D BITCH ABOUT THAT TOO—“

“OR NOTHING AT ALL!”

“hey, hey, HEY!” the two of you were too busy at each others throats to even hear carmy enter, until his voice brought you both to a halt, heads turning towards him.

carmy’s eyes were immediately glued to you, not paying the least bit of attention to richie. your arms were stiff as boards to your sides, fists and jaw clenched, brows taut, and race beet red. the man had never seen you look like this before, and his instinct to comfort you took over. turning to richie with a look that could kill, carmy finally spoke. “what did you do?”

“what did i do?! except take precious time to get your girl shit she didn’t even want?!”

an offended gasp left your mouth, and you retorted instantly. “oh please! because a crushed up sleeve of crackers and a mountain of mushed up cake is just what i asked for!”

“you’re ungrateful.” richie pointed a finger at you now. carmy launched forward and slapped it down. he knew richie would never hurt you, and you knew it too, as you just rolled your eyes in response, but carmy’s instinct’s took over. richie didn’t even look phased, just irritated. carmy stood in front of you and forcefully turned richie around by his shoulders to send him to the door. if carmy didn't have half of a sane mind, he would’ve kicked richie's bottom with his shoe for good measure.

“go take a break chef! or do whatever the fuck, i don’t care.” carmy shouted after richie, and the man left with a slam of the door.

you simply watched the scene unfold with arms crossed and that same deep set frown. carmy turned around to face you as the air settled, a hand running through his hair. blue eyes raked over your tense form and carmy decided he would give you a little space to calm down. however, the second he saw your bottom lip wobbling and eyes grow watery he threw that thought to the wind

“hey, no, no, don’t cry.” carmy extended his arms and collected you into them. the tense posture you held relaxed into his slouched form as he held you close; one hand in your hair, and the other rubbing circles on your back as you sniffled.

a pit of guilt burned in your stomach and spurred you into attempting to bury yourself into carmy. blue straps of his apron rubbed against your cheek as you shuffled impossibly closer. usually, carmy would love this, but right now he'd do anything to not see you so out of it. shushing you, he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

there were a few beats of you hiding away before you decided to pull back a bit to face him again—and boy did you look pitiful.

the same cheeks previously bright with anger were now flush with embarrassment and stained with tears. a tattooed hand found itself sitting on your cheek, thumb rubbing under your eye to collect a fallen tear. at the touch, your eyes fluttered closed, and carmy’s heart broke at the sight.

“you gonna tell me what happened?” your boyfriend asked, trying not to make you feel even more guilty. his full attention was on you. exhaling slowly, your eyes fluttered back open and were met with those bright blue ones that always calmed you down.

“i dunno, i just-“ you shook your head and carmy waited patiently, “it wasn’t even a big deal, but richie just really set me off for some reason.”

“yeah, may as well join the club.” carmen’s words were light, not at all sarcastic, but aiming to ease you and bring out a smile. it worked, your lips turning upwards and carmy mimicking the half smile. he looked down at you with such love, head tilted to follow every time yours moved, and thumb caressing your cheek as he took in every expression.

your smile finally faltered as you glanced back at the office desk. “i feel so awful. he went out and got me stuff and i just yelled at him.” you sputter out.

carmy followed your gaze over his shoulder to finally see what started all of this. at the sight of the crackers and ball of what looked like mush, carmy scoffs in both disbelief and amusement, because of course richie would bring you that. turning back towards you, the chef finally gets it.

“baby, if someone brought me that shit while my insides were shedding i’d kill them.” he chuckled.

“really?” you asked hopefully, smile forming again.

“yes, really. even if i wasn’t goin’ through that i’d actually kick his ass.” carmy mirrored your smile.

nodding, you let yourself chuckle along with him. strong arms found you again and you were wrapped in a tight hug, allowing his squeezes to take away some guilt you were feeling. a moment passed and you knew carmy had to get back to work. with a sigh, you pulled back.

it was your turn to reach up and cup his cheek. guiding his face close, you met him halfway and pressed your lips to his in a kiss. lips moving against his, your noses brushed, and after a moment you let the kiss dissipate; lips slowly falling away from where they were molded together. one last peck was placed on carmy’s lips, as if saying, ‘thank you for being so attentive’. that earned an appreciate hum.

you both beamed, faces still close as you came back down to earth. “you gotta get back to work, and i gotta apologize.” you murmured and carmy nodded obediently.

with apprehension, carmy let you go, arms floating in the air for half a second as he walked backwards towards the door. “don’t go easy on him, though. richie lives for a fight. that was probably his anger management for the day.” carmy smirked, grasping the doorknob.

you just shook your head, eyes narrowed teasingly. before he turned to leave, you called out to him. “thank you, carmy.”

the man just gave you a confused look, chuckling. “don’t thank me, you're my girl.” with that he was back to work and you were left to your own devices. with one more glance at the monstrosity on the office desk, you left the room and went on a search for richie.

thirty minutes later, carmy was due for a smoke break and approached the back door. he slowed his tracks, lighter and cigarette in hand as he cracked the door and heard giggling. the sight before him was drastically different than before: you and richie sitting on a ledge next to each other, giggling and bumping shoulders. carmy breathed out a laugh at the sight and fully walked out. this caught both of your attention, grinning ear to ear as you clearly made up.

“hey, cousin!” richie grinned, and you both waved. figures.

[wannabeschyulersister]

under pressure

You were going to kill Richie. Strangle him until he was blue in the face. What sane person would send someone 47 texts while they were at work?

The door to the Bear was locked but you pounded on it until Fak answered it. “(Y/n)! What are you doing here?” He genuinely looked happy to see you.

“Hi Fak. Where the fuck is Richie?” You got straight to the point.

“He’s uh, in the back I think.” Fak knew better than to keep babbling on when you were upset.

You walked across the recently buffed floor to find the tall motherfucker that doesn’t know basic texting etiquette. Once you walked into the kitchen, it was pure chaos. There was shouting (mostly coming from Richie).

“Richie!” You yelled causing everyone to stop in their tracks.

Richie’s eyes widened a little, “Hey-“

You moved towards him and immediately shut him up, “You texted me 47 times! My phone literally froze from all of the texts! What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“What’s wrong with me?! I was textin’ you because your boy is losing his fuckin’ mind!” Richie shouted back.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Richie grabbed a piece of paper off the counter, “Look at this shit! He’s changing the menu every fuckin’ day and also has this bullshit list of non-negotiables.”

You grabbed the paper from him (more like snatched it) and quickly glanced over it. It did in fact seem like Carmen was losing his mind.

“This doesn’t give you an excuse to text me like I owe you money or something!” You handed him the paper back (more like threw it) and made your way to the back in search of Carmen. He wasn’t in the office or near the lockers. You opened the back door and he was leaning against the wall.

He looked up when he heard the door opening and was surprised to see you. “Hey, I thought you were comin’ later tonight.”

“That was the plan but Richie is a dick.”

Carmen chuckled and reached out for you. You set your bag on a nearby box and let him pull you closer. He rested his head on your shoulder, “I think I’m fuckin’ this up.”

“And by “this” you mean the restaurant?”

He nodded a little against you, “Everything is fucked.”

“It did seem a little chaotic in there today. Richie said you want to change the menu every day?”

“It’s what the best restaurants do. It’s insane, I know but we have to try.”

“Doesn’t it seem a little insane to try that though?”

“It’ll be worth it. I don’t want to let anyone down. Everyone’s countin’ on me. I want to get Syd a star. I want to help Richie and Fak. Tina. And Marcus-“

You placed your hand on the back of his head soothingly. “I know, Carm.”

“I can’t disappoint everyone. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“Carm, you make me proud each and every day. What you do in that kitchen is magical. Sure, sometimes a little dramatic,” that made him laugh, “but you’re amazing at what you do. This place, it’ll start off bumpy, it wouldn’t be easy. But once you all settle into your groove, people will be fighting to get into this place.”

Carmen tightened his grip on you and took a deep breath. He lifted his head and looked at you. You could see the anxiety practically written on his face. He was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. You wanted so badly to take the burden off of him.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He mumbled before kissing you softly.

“You’d have to deal with Richie’s crazy ass by yourself.”

Carmen laughed again and rested his forehead against yours, “What a nightmare.” You loved looking into his beautiful blue eyes.

“When Sugar is out on maternity leave, I want to step in to help.”

Carmen was a little surprised about what you said, “Really? But- but what about your job?”

“I’ve talked to my boss. I’m going to use some vacation time and then reduce my hours so that I can do both.”

“No, (Y/n). I can’t have you spreadin’ yourself so thin. I don’t want you stressed.”

“I’m going to be fine. I want to be here with you and to help the others.”

“(Y/n)-“

“Carmy, I’m not taking no for an answer. Don’t you want me around more? I’ll take some stress off of your plate. I’ll be here late nights with you with no one else around…” you trailed off hoping he’d catch the hint.

He smiled a little bit, “Late nights?”

You nodded, “Yes, late nights.”

“I like the idea of that.”

[cicobuffs]

carmy loves quietly to me. not quietly where he doesn’t do anything but quietly in a way where it’s more personal, intimate but not in some erotic sense. he tries, and i mean really tries, to not bring any dramatics or unnecessary chaos into what the two of you have. and it gets difficult for sure when things start to cave in on itself like they always seem to do or when shit just happens too fast to comprehend. sometimes things just slip out and snowball into a chaos. but things inevitably die down. go back into that quietness.

it’s rubbing circles into the back of your hand. fingertips trailing up and down your spine. a cup of coffee made the way you like ready when you wake up and he’s already gone to do whatever he has to do that day. a knee bumping and staying against yours whenever he’s beside you.

[gh0stsp1d3r]

Lmao imagine Carmy’s wife fangirling over her own husband, because of how perfect and gorgeous her man is. Like she comes to visit him at The Bear, goes into the kitchen and she’s just fanning herself and squeals when she sees her hubby at work like, “That is MY man, my gorgeous gorgeously beautiful hubby!!” And he just turns beat red and his staff tease him so much shshs

stoppp he’d get so flustered 😭

It would have to be on a slower day when they’re just closing up. You open the back door, immediately being met with the sight of the other chefs all shouting your name and going to hug you. You’re laughing and then you see Carmy at work, still scribbling down notes. You frown, Richie whispered something about how he’s been doing that for a while.

You knew exactly how to get him to stop and to get home. You leaned against the counter, hands in your head as you sighed dramatically, staring at him.

He looked up at you, quirking an eyebrow, wondering what you were about to do.

“What? I can’t just admire my beautiful, lovely, hard working, handsome husband?” You defended, Carmy’s face turning a pink shade, glancing around while everyone snickered and laughed.

Basically, you were dragged out of the kitchen and the entire restaurant, Carmy murmuring something about how they’re never gonna let him live this down.

they don’t. They make fun of him for it every time they see you and him together.

[whereubeenloca]

Fire Alarm

Part 2 of the Neighbor! Reader series: Table of contents

Summary: Carmy sets off the fire alarm in the middle of the night, you set out to confront him

Pairing: Carmy x Reader

Tags: VERY Slow burn, Awkward

Word Count: 812

A fire alarm blares through the upper level of your apartment. You wake with a start, panicked and confused, blindly blinking through the darkness. It was your upstairs neighbor, again. 

You groan as the muffled beeps continue above you, pressing your pillow over your head in an attempt to stop the noise. He’s running around now, his frantic footsteps moving back and forth through his kitchen. The windows slam open as he continues to pace in circles, heavy footsteps synced to dying beeps. 

After a few minutes it finally stops and you’re seething. He’s walking again, quickly out the door, down the stairs and through the front door of your building, a loud slam following on his heels. It’s the third time this month. Once is an accident, twice is a mistake, three times is stupidity. Ever since this asshole upstairs moved in you haven’t known peace- constant skittering, moving furniture at odd hours, fire alarms, full mailboxes, abandoned clothes in your communal laundry room- it was all driving you crazy. 

It’s rude, that’s what it is. It’s inconsiderate, and insensitive, and a bunch of other words that you can’t even think of right now. That’s it, you decide, someone has to talk to this asshole, put him in his place. Before you know it, your shoes are on and your robe is tied around your waist. He can’t just do this, he can’t not know how disruptive he’s being. Your keys rattle as you grab them off the hook, the door clicks as you shut the door of your apartment carefully - key word: careful, a word this guy doesn’t seem to know. You take a quick breath to steel yourself before you confront him, tightly gripping the cold metal of the doorknob to your three-story apartment building. You're doing a public service really, people like that can’t just get away with it. You open the door and open your mouth only to be met with the subject of your ire, slumped forward on the bottom of the stoop. 

He turns at the noise, big, blue, bloodshot eyes staring back into yours. The words die on your tongue when you see him, he looks almost… pathetic? His eyes are puffy, his cheeks are red and tear-stained, his hands shake - a cigarette tucked between his index and middle fingers. Silence takes over as regret washes over you. You were ready for an argument but this? This just feels sad. Unfortunately, you can’t leave now, you’ve been staring at each other for too long, you have to say something, anything. 

“Hi.” you mumble finally. Okay, maybe not that. 

“Hey.” Carmen chokes back, tears evident in his voice. 

You take a beat before stepping outside to join him on the stoop, he shifts to accommodate. The bitter Chicago air bites at your throat. You tuck your arms under one another, wrapping your robe a little tighter in an attempt to fight the cold.  

“You uh- I heard the-” you sputter. How the fuck do you confront someone who’s crying?

“Sorry-” Carmen interjects quickly. “Fuck, I’m- that’s totally my bad. Oh my god.” He groans, scrubbing a hand down his face, muffling his words. “You’re pissed, I’d be pissed. Fuck-”

“It’s- fine.” you interrupt, sitting next to him. “Really, it’s okay just…” your eyes flick over him awkwardly, he’s tucked into the corner against the metal railing with his head in his hands.

A hand reaches out and pats him on the shoulder sympathetically, after a second you realize it’s yours. He seems just as confused as you are, baby blues darting between your hand and your face. You take the hint and pull back. 

“You uh- good..?” you squint, tucking your hand tightly to your side. “No- uh, smoke… inhalation..?” 

He holds up the cigarette and you tilt your head, rolling your eyes dramatically.

“Oh, you’re funny now?” you scoff. He laughs half-heartedly, you consider laughing back. 

Another beat, a longer one. Carmen’s hands shake as he bounces his leg nervously.

“I really am sorry.” he mumbles, words cutting through the quiet. “Like- it’s. It’s fucked right?” 

“I don’t know your deal.” you interrupt a little too harshly. He blinks back in surprise as you shift to look at him. 

“Not like…that sounded rude.” you mumble, pressing your palm into your cheek. “I don’t need to know everything about you…but, if you want to talk…” you gesture to the door. “I’m downstairs, you know?” 

Carmen gives you a silent nod before looking back at the concrete steps. You silently stand up, keys already in hand. Before you take the final step inside you pause, looking back.

“Oh, and uh, Carmen?” You ask over your shoulder, His eyes snap to look at you. “Please don’t burn down the apartment, I really like living here.” You joke lightly. 

He laughs softly before waving you goodnight.  

[angelcakestarlet]

salvatore

richie jerimovich x reader - richie makes carmy regret hiring the cute young waitress

wrote dis quick, messy, nd did not look over it but enjoy! :>

"so um look, natalie is going to be training you this week alright" carmy informs you as he sifts through a pile of papers scattering his desk. "you ever serve before?", "for a few months yeah, it's been getting me through college so" you twiddle your thumbs nervously. the restaurant was certainly... intimidating? going to school in chicago you had stopped by a couple times for lunch or drunk off your ass after the club. even while slurring your words you could remember how fucking good that sandwich was. even if most of it was puked up in the bushes out front.

"yo, cousin!" an abrasive voice comes stumbling through carmy's office door without warning, "sugar is out here telling me some bullshit about you hiring servers? look we don't need that shit. a sandwich comes out i fucking hand it to them, boom. why are you gonna pay some dipshit to do it for me?". you turn around to face the loud voice, being met with a tall, tan, buzzcut typical line cook with a deep accent. "jesus fucking christ, one of these 'dipshits' is standing in front of you richie." carmy yells back, obviously pained to have you witness that. "ah shit-" richie steps back to get a full length view of you, taking you in. his gaze felt like an intrusion. "i'm sorry, doll, richie jerimovich." he envelopes your hand in his calloused and rough one, introducing himself. "you know what i'm sorry, cousin, anyone with a set of eyes would hire her too" he snickers, with his hand still atop yours he takes his eyes away from you to acknowledge carmen. "cousin, get the fuck out, you fucking creep!" signaling for the door. "oh my god" richie sighs dramatically, "i'm stating the fucking obvious alright, you need marcus to come in here to tell you the same thing? yo, marcus!" carmen rushes to shove richie out the door, "i'm sorry, i couldn't help myself! look, you're beautiful, sweetheart!" he lets out one last compliment. you giggle to yourself and the man making a spectacle of himself.

carmen shuts the office door and sighs, rubbing his forehead with his tired hand. "i'm sorry, he's... he's a fucking jagoff." you appreciate the apology, but having worked in a restaurant has you accustomed to the snickers and comments from line cooks and customers alike. most of the girls usually brush it off, leaving them disgusted and a distaste for the job for the next few hours. but, your guilty pleasure has become using it to your benefit. free food from cooks, more money from tips, etc. you're sure you could work richie to your benefit just the same. "don't worry about it, he seems... nice" your ease settles carmy and he snickers, "you could say that i guess".

you follow natalie around the restaurant for the next few hours as she takes you through the front of the house and back, introducing you to everyone and all the standards. when five o clock hits, she lets you go, handing you an apron, a t-shirt. and a name tag. thanking her and setting out to find the back alley for a quick ciggy. you find richie lighting a cigarette in the dimly lit alley, "can i bum a cigarette?" you sit down beside him, smelling the smoke clinging to his shirt. "its your first day and you're asking me for shit?" he looks over at you and you notice his evident wrinkles, veins in his neck, and tired eyes. "pretty please?" you look up at him, turning your whole body to face him with a sweet smile on your face. he rolls his eyes playfully, "you know what you're doing huh?" he says as he pulls one more cigarette from its box. "open." you scrunch your eyebrows, confused at his request. his eyes shift to your lips, taking two fingers and tapping your cheek signaling for you to open your mouth. "come on," you separate your lips and he places a cigarette between them, lighting it swiftly. you feel your cheeks get warm, from the cigarette or from his words you don't know (yes you do). "thank you" you say quietly, still stunned a bit. "you know you're gonna ruin that sweet face smoking" he coughs through the lit cigarette. "oh are you telling me what to do now, richie?" you lean back, eyes entranced by the way his hands make the cigarette almost look like a lollipop stick. "a girl like you is probably looking for someone to tell her what to do, sweetheart". as you're trying to figure out whether that just pissed you off or turned you on, carmy bursts through the back door. "cousin, what the fuck are you doing?! we need you in the kitchen, now please! and leave the new girl alone, jesus" carmy yells as richie stomps on what's left of his cigarette and puts his hands up in defense. "i'm coming, fuck off. it was a pleasure, babe" he shakes your hand and makes his way inside. you peer at the closed door, listening to the muffled argument carmy and richie have in front of it. great first day.