Caught You Staring And I Love It.
in which carmine bradford hates evan buckley (or so he thinks).
[ evan buckley x male! original character ]
[ 9-1-1 season one - undecided ]
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CHAPTER TWO. Coping Mechanisms.
( Let Go )
__________
Carmine Bradford had won a million arguments with his older brother in his head. His mouth molding words he wasn't taught to speak, a lump the size of a cherry pit in his throat that he couldn't bring himself to swallow, couldn't steady his hands. In the silence of his lonesome, he'd perform autopsies on conversations he'd had years ago.
It's how he felt now, poking at his food while his gaze kept flickering to his niece across the table. Elizabeth had insisted on making food for the both of them before Carmine had to go in for his shift and usually, he would enjoy whatever meal she made him (one thing she picked up from her mother before she passed was her cooking skills), but now even the thought of putting something in his system was making him sick.
Elizabeth paused; spaghetti twirled around her fork. "Is something wrong with the food?"
Carmine blinked. "Huh?" He shook his head at her. "No, everything's great."
"You haven't even touched it."
"Yeah. I'm just... I've got something on my mind, kiddo, that's all."
Elizabeth sat up straighter, brows bunching together. "Something wrong?"
Carmine exhaled softly. "Lizzie... we've gotta talk, okay?" he stated, hurrying to add on once he saw the girl's facial expression shift. "You're not in trouble, alright?"
"Then what's going on?"
"It's your dad."
Elizabeth's face fell, drained itself of color and her uncle could see her breathing pattern fasten ever so slightly. The dark-haired girl swallowed, avoiding eye contact as she pushed her plate away from herself. Her appetite disappeared almost immediately.
"He gets released this week."
"I know." Carmine's brows rose at his niece's words. "I've been... unenthusiastically counting down the days since you told me he was getting out last month."
Carmine breathed out. He got to his feet, slipping into the seat beside the younger and taking her hand in his own. His gaze held on the table for a moment as his mind overrode itself with what to say first. He swallowed, forcing the lump in his throat to abandon him as he met Elizabeth's gaze. "They're gonna want to start the reunification process."
Elizabeth's grip tightened. Her dark eyes widened, and Carmine wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and protect her from the cruel reality. She shook her head, lower lip rolling in to her mouth as she gnawed on it anxiously.
