TURBO // carmen berzatto

turbo (2)

"Are you sure you're okay?" Carmy asked for about the millionth time since the door to the apartment had been locked behind them.

Taylor rolled her eyes as she peeled her shirt off of her sweat slicked skin. "I'm good, Carm, I promise. Just a little shaken is all."

Carmy ran a hand over his stubble covered chin. Shaking his head, he watched Taylor change into a pair of his sweatpants and tie her hair up. "Turbo, I'm serious. Should we take you to Urgent Care just in case? I'm worried you hit your head."

Taylor put both hands onto Carmy's shoulders. "Ebra checked me out. No bump. I'm fine. Jus' didn't eat, that's all."

Carmy nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor. A wave of physical and emotional exhaustion washed over him.

"Jesus, Bear, I haven't seen you this worried about anything in ages." Taylor snickered, turning around to turn the shower water on scalding hot.

Carmy started to undress, eyes still worriedly looking at Taylor. "You're not just 'anything,' you know. You scared the shit out of us." He muttered.

Taylor's body softened as her and Carmy slid under the hot water. She sighed, letting the heat relax her muscles.

To be fair, the fainting spell scared the shit out of her as well, but she couldn't tell Carmy that, not in his current panic, at least.

Taylor watched the water droplets fall over Carmy's hair, plastering it to his skin. A few stray drops ran over the Chicago area code on his bicep and trickled down to the shower floor.

"Listen." Carmy started, running his hand to settle in the crease of Taylor's left hip. "Sugar's gonna talk to Uncle J. We're gonna get him to start payin' for your school so you don't have to work as much, okay?"

Taylor frowned. "No, Carm. No, I couldn't ask him to do that."

"You're not asking him. Sugar is."

"That's insane. I can't leech off your family like that." 

Carmy shook his head, putting a little bit of pressure onto Taylor's hip, accompanied with a comforting rub of his thumb. "You're not leeching. J loves you, okay? He thinks you're the only thing that's gonna save this place."

Taylor was still apprehensive about the whole thing. "Carm, really. I appreciate it, but it doesn't feel right."

"I bet working yourself to the bone doesn't feel right either!" Carmen fired back. "Taylor, we can't keep watching you do this. We... I can't keep watching you work this hard."

Tears pricked at the corners of both of their eyes. "It was a one time thing." Taylor whispered, regarding the fainting.

"With the path you're on, it won't be." Carmy spoke. "Turbo, you have to cool the jets."

"What if I don't want to?" Taylor whispered again.

"You have to." Carmy spoke, kissing her forehead. "You have to, you have to."

Once the day's work and stresses were finally washed off the two chefs, they dried off and got changed into comfortable clothes.

"Can I please get you something else to eat?" Carmy asked, watching Taylor dry swallow a handful of Advil pills. He knew the headache that came after a fainting spell, especially one fueled by undereating. "You didn't have a lot at Family."

Taylor sank onto the bed. "I'm okay, really. Just come here."

Carmen surrendered and sank onto the bed with his girl. She wrapped him tightly in her arms.

"I'm only like this because I care."

"I know you are." Taylor kissed the top of his head. "I know you are."

Carmy held Taylor close. "Can we get you checked out tomorrow?"

"Will it make you feel better?"

"Yeah."

Taylor nodded. "Then we'll get me checked out."

Carmy kissed Taylor's hand that was closest to his face. "Jus' wanna make sure you're okay, Turbo."

~~~~~

WORD COUNT
640

THIS IS EVERYTHING MY BOYFRIEND NEEDS TO SAY TO ME