Formula 1 One-Shots (II)

Carlos Sainz [Cozy Evening]

A/N Suggested by MoaWallentin. 

WORDS: 1005

PROMPTS: "Are you cold?" "No. I just love to shiver out of fun."
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It is one of those winter nights where I can feel the cold in my bones. The sky is in that deep reddish shade that makes it looks like a fire is burning behind the clouds. As if the angels are baking cookies like one of my friends used to say when we were children. Just an evening when nothing is better than being cuddled on the couch with a loved one.

I am already on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, fire illuminating the room with some faint scent of cinnamon candles, just waiting for Carlos to join me. It snowed today, covering everything in that soft white blanket, but I wasn't in the mood for a walk through the snow today, so hopefully it will still be there tomorrow.

"Are you cold?" Carlos asks from behind me, and I turn around to spot him in the doorway. His face carries his signature smirk and he is dressed in a slightly worn sweater he refuses to get rid of. He holds two glasses of wine in his hands, his brow raised with gentle concern that only he manages to display.

"No," I reply with a smile. "I just love to shiver out of fun."

Carlos chuckles, steps further into the room, and sits beside me on the couch, handing me that second glass of wine. He takes a sip of his wine, and I taste it as well, spotting its fruity taste.

"You always say that." Carlos says, "Like it is some sort of weird hobby of yours."

"It is." I grin. "Shivering might be considered a form of dancing, reminding me that I didn't freeze yet."

Carlos laughs, leaning his back against the couch, before wrapping an arm around me. "You are a strange one, you know that?"

"I am," I agree, a wide smile on my lips. "But I am your strange one."

Carlos tightens his grip around me and then we sit there in silence, a comfortable one. Outside the wind is howling, but on the inside, there is just the soft sound of the fire cracking. I glance at Carlos, hesitating to speak about something that was one my mind and when I see how soft he looks at me I decide to speak up.

"Do you ever think about what happens next?" I ask him, voice just barely above a whisper. Carlos's brows furrow a bit like he was caught off guard by this question. He places his glass of wine on the coffee table and turns his attention fully to me.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know." I shrug my shoulders. "The future, I guess. Like...do you think this will always be enough for us? Just you and me, fire and blanket with a glass of wine?"

Carlos stares at me for a moment, thinking about my words. The fire cracking is the only answer I get and slowly nervousness rises in my body. Then Carlos's hand grabs mine and he squeezes it gently.

"I think." He begins talking carefully. "That I am not that worried about the future. I don't need anything different as long as I have you by my side. No matter if we stay in an apartment, decide to buy a house or anything else."

I blink at his words, my heart stumbling. It's not like he never said something like this before, but it feels like the first time I truly understand the meaning of it. I was always the dreamer, the one planning the future, outlining what I want from life. But Carlos always lived in the moment. He already is where he wants to be in life and tries to enjoy every second of it.

Still, the thought of what might be behind this moment, beyond the comfort of the couch with a glass of wine has been gnawing on me. I don't want to disturb the peace we have, but the unknown seems to be terrifying to me. Squeezing Carlos's hand back I take a deep breath.

"Yeah, I guess I do. It is just something I was thinking about. Wondering if I might miss something I can't quite name."

Carlos nods slowly, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand. "I get it." He says softly. "You are always thinking about the what ifs, but maybe you are not supposed to. Maybe what we have is exactly what you need right now. Maybe it is enough."

I laugh softly, resting my head on his shoulder. "You are certain about everything, aren't you?"

"Only about you." Carlos says, voice warm, sending shivers down my spine.

I shift, so that I can face him. "Carlos, I just wonder if sometimes I hold on too tight to the future I once wanted and planned. I don't know if that's fair to either of us."

"You're not holding on too tightly." He reassures me, reaching up to gently push a strand of hair back behind my ear. "But maybe you tend to forget how good it is right now. Maybe we both need to cherish the moment more. But I am not going anywhere love, not now and not planning on leaving ever."

The intensity of his eyes makes my lower lip tremble. I always thought love was something I needed to chase, something I had to fight for, but with Carlos, it feels like it is something that is always there. Waiting, being steady and something to be sure of.

I take a deep breath. "You really think this is enough?"

Carlos smiles, tracing my cheek with his thumb. "I think it is everything we need."

I don't reply, instead, I close my eyes and lean into him, feeling the warmth of his embrace, and listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. At that moment I am sure that I don't need to worry about the future anymore. Because for once I am not thinking about what is coming next. Just being here with Carlos is more than enough.