#such an exquisite carmy
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Teach Me Tonight - Part 1
Part 1: [Part 2] [Part 3] [Deleted Scene] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Deleted Scene] [Part 8]
Reader x Carmy Berzatto (The Bear FX)
Rating: Explicit
Tags: Smut, Set sometime after the opening of The Bear, Porn with a little plot, Virgin!Carmy, Masturbation, Mutual masturbation, P in V sex, Both Carmy and Reader have a bit of a praise kink
Summary: He scratched his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut, embarrassment taking over desire. "Would you teach me? How to- I wanna make you feel good."
It had all started five months ago.
You had finally found a good spot for your vintage clothing store. It used to be a bar, right next to a sandwich place called The Beef. Things lined up so that the new restaurant, The Bear, opened a week before your store did. You were thankful - fine dining brought just the kind of business you wanted.
After weeks of eyeing the delicious looking desserts through the window, you decided to close early and get one of each and a coffee.
"You have a sweet tooth, huh?" the server joked amicably. "Have I seen you around?"
"I own the store next door," you replied.
"Of course!" he smiled. Then added: "Do you sell anything denim?"
You eyed his all black suit, guessing his size.
"Yeah, I just got a few pieces you might like."
"Oh, it's not for me," he laughed. "I've been telling my cousin to visit for weeks but he hasn't listened. I'll send him your way tomorrow."
You hadn't thought much of it. But the next day the cousin showed up. He was short, pretty, with blue eyes and built like a brick house.
"Carmen," he offered you his hand to shake; his arms were covered in tattoos.
"Your cousin said you are looking for vintage denim?"
"Yeah."
You showed him the new arrivals and a few of the most popular pieces - everybody wanted Levi's 501s. But he surprised you asking about specific models and the lining on jackets. You didn't know it at the time but Carmy found a way into your heart and mind from the moment you met him.
He was smart without being cocky, with an offbeat sense of humor and the nicest profile you had ever seen. He started bringing you (exquisite) leftovers for your lunch, stopping sometimes for a little talk. You called him to show whatever new pieces arrived to the store. It became a thing.
You were friends until you weren't. Until he got comfortable enough to touch your hand and hug you. Until you got the nerve to ask him out and kiss him.
It had been three months of seeing each other as much as your schedules allowed, kissing at closing time and talking way too much about jeans.
Today was a rare instance of Carmy taking the day off from the restaurant, and even rarer that it had lined up with yours. The afternoon was spent in your living room, eating take out from his favorite place, your legs on his lap, talking about the frantic week he'd had and your plans of going to a estate sale next weekend. You ended up tangled on your bed making out, the song of the city playing outside your window, his tongue eager in your mouth and your hands carding through his hair. You felt electric, like anything Carmy did could light the spark within you. You writhed in his embrace and found that Carmy was hard against your hip, grinding slightly.
"Are we doing this?" you asked against his mouth. You were leaning back and pulling him towards you.
"Now?" he sounded surprised.
"I mean, yeah," you chuckled. It felt right. And you had thought about it for weeks. But he seemed genuinely taken aback so you added: "If you want."
There was a long silence. Was it too soon? You looked away, feeling mortified - this was all a mistake. You tried to disentangle yourself from Carmy's embrace to give him space but he held on tighter.
"No, I do, I want to," he said softly. "It's just-"
His thumb soothed the skin on your cheek and you realized he wasn't surprised, not really. His eyes were half lidded - it was a weird look on him, a combination of embarrassment and desire.
"Do you like kinky stuff? Is that it? Because we can talk about it-" you stopped in your tracks when you saw his face contort into a grimace. "Sorry."
"It's fine," he reassured. "Actually it's the opposite problem," he mumbled. "I'm- I'm new to this. I have done none of it. Ever," he confessed. You caressed the hair on his temples.
"Oh. That's okay," you said and he avoided your gaze. You tilted your head to look him in the eye. "It is. I promise."
"Would you-" he scratched his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut, embarrassment taking over desire. "Would you teach me? How to- I wanna make you feel good."
You smiled. "I mean, sure, but hopefully we'll both feel good."
He laughed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. You settled on the bed, lying face to face, just kissing, taking your time, warming the space between you once again. Carmy followed the pace you had set, his lips were gentle against yours. There was a nervousness to him though, he was too still. You took one of his hands and placed it on your chest, cupping your breast over your shirt. He gasped into your mouth and paused the kiss.
"Just touch me," you nuzzled your nose against his. "Anywhere you like."
His hands hovered above you, settling on your waist, lifting your shirt a little. His fingers were cold and you shivered.
"Sorry- I-" he stopped.
"Hey, you're just a little cold," you kissed his cheek and ran your hands over his chest and around his shoulders reassuringly. "I'll let you know if anything feels wrong."
"Promise?"
You nodded and placed his hand back on your waist. His fingers tickled up your sides and you hummed contentedly even though your clothes were getting in the way.
"Want to take it off?" you asked.
You lifted your arms so that he could push the blouse off of you. He cleared his throat at the sight of you, his eyes wider than you had ever seen them, and you could feel yourself melting into his beautiful hands as he touched and touched.
"Can I?" you had started tugging at the hem of his pristine, white shirt.
"Yeah," he replied breathlessly. You helped him out of it, and started tracing the lines of muscle on his arms.
"You're so beautiful," you said and he flushed down to his neck, the way he looked after a long day in the kitchen.
"Well, right back at you," he replied earnestly. "Wh- What should I do next?"
"Kiss my neck?" you proposed. He nodded eagerly and buried his face in the crook of your neck. "Keep going," you pleaded.
His hair tickled you as he went down your collarbone and the top of your breasts. You trembled with pleasure. This was new to him but also new to you. You had gotten used to men that never asked what you liked - this was different. Nice.
"I'll show you something," you guided Carmy's hands to your back, over the clasp of your bra. "There's a hook back there, feel it?"
"I think so," he furrowed his brows in concentration.
"You bring the sides together and it opens," it took him a couple of tries but he managed. "Good," you praised and Carmy smiled wide, carefully taking it off.
He continued kissing down, noticing how your breath hitched when he got close to your nipples.
"Feels good?" he asked, his breath on your skin hardened your nipples and made you arch your back.
"Yeah," you carded a hand through his hair, keeping him close and moaning when he kissed each side.
His lips and hands roamed all over your chest, so diligently, so thoroughly, that you thought you might come from that alone. Your thighs kept rubbing close together to find some relief. Carmy saw you and placed a hand on your hip.
"Show me," he said.
You took one of his tattooed hands and placed it between your legs, arching into it. His fingers pressed around aimlessly. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't good either.
"I have an idea," you said after a little while. Carmy looked up at you. "Come, let's sit."
He settled with his back to the headboard while you undressed all the way. Then, you sat between his legs, your back to his chest.
"This is nice," Carmy said softly, one of his strong arms surrounding you. You put his hand back between your open legs, his fingers over yours.
"I'm going to touch myself the way I like it," you explained, your index already tracing the outlines of your folds. "And then you try."
Carmy cleared his throat behind you. "Okay."
You closed your eyes, focused on the feeling of Carmy around you - his sculpted chest to your back, his long fingers echoing every move you made, and his breath caressing the side of your face. Carmy's hands were bigger than yours, more calloused - the feeling of them, almost in unison with yours, was making you dizzy.
"Here," both of your middle fingers touched your clit. You moaned. "Here is good."
"I can hear that," he teased.
When your hand moved around, his stayed there, drawing tiny circles on it.
"Oh," you gasped in surprise and pleasure. Your free hand started squeezing at your breast only to be replaced with his other hand. "Fuck," you cursed under your breath as he kept going. "That's good. That's so good. Don't stop."
"Wouldn't dare," he managed to say.
He sounded just as worked up as you were, his breathing laboured. You could feel his nose buried deep in your hair and his erection poking at your back. He started grinding against you, and you leaned into it a little. He groaned.
"Please," he begged.
You reached behind, palming him over his trousers. It was hard to keep a steady pace from that angle and he was already making you lose control but you tried.
"Shit, shit," he fucked into your hand, messy and desperate, every sound from his mouth pushing you over the edge.
"Carmy," you called his name over and over as your orgasm washed over you. It was hot, blinding, and it made it hard to breathe. You realized Carmy had come too once you regained your bearings and found the bit of his trousers you were holding was damp and warm.
He rested his forehead on the side of your face.
"I could die right now," he mumbled, blissed out.
You hummed in agreement. You stayed in content silence for a while, Carmy's arm keeping you close and his thumb caressing your shoulder.
"We can go over the rest next time," you offered.
"I, uh," he shifted where he sat, "I kinda hoped I'd see you when..."
You twisted a little to look at him. He was back to that embarrassed-horny state, cheeks flushed.
"See me...?" you prompted.
"When you came."
"Oh!" you touched his thighs gently. "I mean, if you can go again-"
"Yeah," he chuckled breathlessly. "Yeah. Just give me a minute."
"Alright."
You got up from the bed to rummage through your bedside table for condoms. You placed them by your pillow. When you turned, you found Carmy with his eyes closed, his brow furrowed, one hand caressing his neck and one on his crotch, moaning softly. It was the hottest thing you had ever seen. You got back on the bed in front of him, and reached for the closure of his trousers. He stopped abruptly.
"Shhh," you soothed. "Keep going. I'm only taking these off."
"Thanks," he replied.
You took his trousers and boxer briefs off, trying your best to not stop his rhythm. He took his cock in his hand and started caressing the head.
"You look so fucking hot, Carmy." He let out a chuckle and picked up a little speed. "Can I help?" you asked after a while.
"You don't have to-"
"I want to," you said. You moved to kneel beside him and started kissing his neck, mirroring his hand on the other side. Then, you pulled on the hair on his nape. You could feel the vibrations on his throat when he moaned.
"So nice," he said softly.
"What else? Tell me what you'd like me to do."
"Just touch me, please," he echoed your reply from before.
You did. Over his chest, flicking at his nipples, down his stomach following the trail of hair and back up, your nails leaving red lines in their wake. Carmy was already hard again but you still wanted to give him pleasure, so you put your hand next to his on his cock and he groaned.
"Slow, please," he begged.
You moved on the bed until you were between his muscular thighs.
"Let me know if you want me to stop," you said right before you kissed the tip of his cock and made him growl.
You left small pecks wherever his hand couldn't reach - the inside of his thighs, the curls under his navel, and his head again. Then, you licked along his shaft.
"Stop," he pleaded, the veins on his throat were bulging, his hand had stilled completely. "I still want to fuck you."
"Okay," you cupped his face tenderly. There was something vulnerable about him that you had only seen a couple of times. "Had you imagined anything?"
"Uh, not really," he hesitated. "Just you. I want to see you."
"We could do it like this," you proposed, nudging his legs close so that you could straddle him. He was still leaning against the headboard. "Either you or I can take over, so-" you let it float, the reassurance that you were there for him but he could do as much as he was comfortable with.
"Yeah. Sounds- sounds great," he ran his hands over your bare back.
You reached out for the condom beside him.
"May I?" you touched his thigh reassuringly. He nodded. "So, opening these with your teeth looks sexy but it's dumb as fuck because you can break it," you explained, maneuvering the wrapper carefully. Then, you rolled it over his length, his head tilting back with a moan. "There's flavored shit, and textured ones. We can try some later, if you want."
"Later," he smiled, the idea of more nights together but also the need he had for you right now - his pupils were blown.
So you got closer, hovering just above his cock.
"You can use lube too," you whispered. "But I'm soaking for you," Carmy groaned, "so we won't need that right now."
You lined him up to your entrance and lowered yourself slowly, your hands holding his shoulders for support. He felt so right inside of you, filling you up, hurting just enough. His jaw went slack as you took him completely.
"Holy fucking shit," he cursed, head tilted back, exposing his neck so you could lick up and kiss his Adam's apple. He tasted like sweat and sex. "You're killing me."
You grinned devilishly. "I'll start slow."
You started riding him, the pace was almost gentle. He buried his face between your breasts and held you close. You felt safe, cared for, adored. Was this what lovemaking felt like?
Carmy started to leave sloppy kisses on your skin, using his teeth in some of them. You started picking up speed, holding tight to the back of his neck.
"You feel perfect," Carmy said against your skin. "Fucking perfect."
You moaned in response, it sounded whiny and desperate. He seemed to love it, trying to make you repeat that sound by kissing your nipples and touching your clit.
"Jesus, Carmy."
You didn't know how long you'd be able to keep the frantic rhythm you had set, your legs were already shaking. Feeling you falter, he started fucking into you, hard thrusts that hit you just right and made you scream. He stopped.
"Are you okay?" he asked, mortified.
"I'm fine, Carmy, I swear. Please, please, keep fucking me," you begged. And he did. And you were becoming more of a mess as he did.
"You're doing so good, Carm. So fucking good. You feel-" you let sweet nothings burst out of your lips. It made him go faster and harder. You wouldn't last long.
"I'm- Carmy, I'm going to come," you mumbled.
"Look at me, please," he ran his hands over your spine, soothing even as he fucked you. His blue eyes searched for yours. "Look at me."
You held his gaze as long as you could, your nails digging into his shoulders and every thrust making it harder to think. All of a sudden, you went slack and fell on him, trembling with pleasure, and seeing stars. A few more thrusts and he came too, biting on your shoulder to drown a scream. You stayed there, breathing hard for a little while.
"Is it always like that?" he asked. His voice was hoarse and his hair was wet with sweat.
"No," you replied. "No, it isn't."
"Good to know," he quipped and you laughed. You untangled yourself from Carmy, leaning back to see him, his droopy eyes and blissful face.
"Fuck," he said. "You are so beautiful."
You traced the curve of his nose with your finger. "Right back at you."
[Part 2]
#this one goes to the girlies that got stuck without ao3#carmy berzatto x you#carmy berzatto x reader#carmen berzatto x you#carmen berzatto x reader#carmy x reader#carmy x you#carmen berzatto fanfiction
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kissy smudge
: ̗̀➛ pairing: carmy berzatto x f!reader.
: ̗̀➛ rating: no rating, available for all ages.
: ̗̀➛ warnings: swearing, fluff.
: ̗̀➛summary: your journey with carmen summed up in one, cute gesture. (just a small carmy blurb because i love the man)
: ̗̀➛ word count: 1.9 k.
Usually, things aren't what they look like, or how they appear to be. There's always something — a hidden element, that lies buried under layers and masks of pretension and appearance. This applies to minds, human minds at that. While someone may appear calm and collected, like they have everything in control; it can be a simple façade, an excuse to lay low and not raise any worry or suspicion. That's what happens with Carmy Anthony Berzatto.
Seeming like a quiet, observant, and focused man, the Chicago native and award-winning chef is a ball of chaos, misunderstanding, and anxiety all tangled up like a kitten in a ball of yarn, or a bear, for that matter; all lying under the sound of pans and sizzling oil, mixed up with the various and rich aromas of exquisite and thought-over dishes.
The fear, the feeling of being trapped inside of a non-existent cage, the frustration at not feeling deserving and worthy, valuable or talented, eats him slowly but surely, just like a tornado does with a small city. But in chaos, there's always a constant, something that doesn't change, and that somehow, keeps everything at bay, offering that bit of comfort that the sound of waves crashing against the shore brings — soft and tranquil, like a feather touch. And for the chef, that constant is you. When things are wrong, whenever the noise in his mind doesn't let him talk and express himself, you speak with him, you understand and comprehend him in a way that no one had been able to before. You were the calm to his raging storm.
Having met each other while he was working in Copenhagen, sharing a kitchen, and being part of the three Michelin star restaurant, you had seen first-hand the development that he had gone through. From wanting to prove his brother right, to finding his own little heaven in the culinary world, and slowly found yourself sharing that enjoyment with him. It started with little quips and teases while cooking or cutting vegetables beside each other, gradually turned into coincidental meet-ups in the walk-in fridge, or sneaky kisses and caresses when the day winded up to an end. The slowest burn of them all, acts of service being his primary love language, had swept you up your feet. Whenever you didn't share the same shift, you'd come home to a delicious home-cooked meal and a shared bottle of wine, along with your favorite series pre-recorded on the shitty TV of your apartment; and whenever you shared the same shift, he'd make sure that his girl was never tired or worn out, usually throwing in the usual 'I can take over this, take a break' or 'jus' tell me if you need anything, chef'.
So, when your little personal heaven was broken by the devastating news of Michael Berzatto, the bigger bear's death, it hit you straight in the face. After much debate and persuasion from Carmy's side for you to stay here while he crossed the globe to take over the family's restaurant, you easily found yourself on the plane seat next to his, discussing how he'd run the place — or how he preferred to say it, how you both would run the place.
If Carmen's inside storm wasn't enough, The Beef was an added bonus to it all. The place was dirty, disorganized, and just a general mess, you could smell the mold rotting inside the ceiling and such. The crew was probably the only salvageable part of it all, with Tina being a sweetheart to you since the beginning and Marcus trying his best not to be a nuisance — although you butted heads with Richie at any given opportunity, you knew that in a deep part in his heart, he also considered you 'cousin'. And let's not talk about Sydney, her nervousness but ambition reminded you of a younger self, and took her in your arms despite the closeness in age. Putting that aside, it wasn't enough. The money was short, the local was in bad condition and you could see how Carmen's image was turning duller and his dream was vanishing away, turning into a shell of the man he once was.
As if it was a gift sent from God above, a miracle happened and money started appearing inside tomato cans, Mikey's courtesy, and you swore you hadn't jumped and laughed so much in a single day. A rainbow was starting to show up behind those stormy clouds, and tears brimmed your eyes as you saw Carmen's face light up for the first time since coming back to Chicago. He really had the sweetest smile. With the money, came the wish of renovating The Beef into Carmen's wish -- The Bear, and it didn't take much convincing between the crew that it was a much-needed change.
With newfound hope and determination, you and Carmen embarked on the journey of transforming The Beef into The Bear. It was a daunting task, but with your combined skills and unwavering support for each other, you tackled each challenge head-on. Despite the wave of challenges that came with such a monumental task, the camaraderie among the crew only grew stronger. Late nights turned into early mornings as everyone worked tirelessly to bring Carmen's vision to fruition. Carmy's eye for detail ensured that every corner of the restaurant was immaculate, Tina made sure to keep a familiar, comfortable vibe in the now shiny and white kitchen, Marcus took his deserved time to learn about pastries, Sydney embraced herself in a path to find the perfect menu, while your knack for organization streamlined the renovation process. Even Richie, begrudgingly at first and with Fax's help, lent his "expertise" in carpentry and construction, proving to be an invaluable asset, or so it was before he flooded the restaurant with the ceiling's mold — all within 3 months before opening.
It turned into an even more special project when Natalie, or Sugar, agreed to officially join in and make a place for herself as the project manager while carrying a baby. The woman was a sweetheart, really, and the resemblance to Carmen was pretty much obvious.
Now, here we are, just 5 weeks away from opening, and the place is barely presentable. The fire prevention test keeps being negative and the menu is still in drafts, and because the fire prevention rest keeps failing, you can't move forward with the menu, and it becomes a never-ending cycle.
"Focaccia and Bucatini does sound like a great pair," you mutter as you lean against the metallic kitchen counter, eyeing Syd's scribbles regarding the menu. "but if we do that, we'll have to propose a richer dish for seconds since pasta can be a bit bland for some people."
"Yeah, that's why I thought about a T-Bone. Think of it, it makes sense to have a meat dish in the menu since it'd also serve as an homage to The Beef," the younger commented, circling the handwriting with a pen and looking up at you for approval, even though your eyes tell her everything she needs to know.
"I'd like for you to organize my whole life, please. You're a fucking lifesaver." Your right hand comes up to give Sydney's shoulder a tender squeeze before marching away deep inside the kitchen and trying to keep up with whatever's going on with the fridge.
In the cramped office that lies inside the office, Sugar works on the restaurant's financial plan while listening to the not-so-sweet melody of pots bumping against each other and Fak trying to explain himself and his doings. She scribbles a number to call for the fire prevention test before letting out a small sigh and rubbing her face with her hands. This being Sugar's office, however, it's just temporal and for the time being, being borrowed from Carmy since he's now too busy to even sit on the weary chair and do this himself. But it still holds his belongings — the NOMA book, Mikey's family meal spaghetti recipe, and a picture of the both of you, for instance. The latest catches Sugar's attention.
It's a simple photo of you and Carmen, in Copenhagen, framed in white wood with a simple crystal on top of it. Both of you had your chef coats on; you were leaning with both of your elbows on the kitchen counter while Carmy was next to you, leaning on his side while looking at the camera. The photo doesn't seem staged whatsoever, rather looking like it had been taken at a moment of distraction. The light that comes into the office is reflecting on the picture, and just then, Sugar can see a little smudge on the glass. The kiss mark atop your face in the picture emerges as she shifts. Sugar chuckles softly at the sight of the kiss mark, a testament to the intimacy and affection shared between you and Carmy. It's a moment of respite amidst the chaos, a reminder of the love that fuels the determination to overcome the hurdles they face.
Sugar's eyes soften as she notices the kiss mark on the glass, a gentle smile forming on her lips. She can't push herself to reach out to touch the smudge, feeling as, if she did, she'd break this gesture. To think of how far Carmy has come, from being closed-off and awkward to finding comfort in kissing his girlfriend's side of a photograph, makes Nat feel like her proudest big sister.
A knock at the door interrupts her reverie, and she quickly wipes away a stray tear before calling out, "Come in."
Tina, the sous chef, pokes her head through the door, her expression a mix of concern and determination. "Hey, Sugar. Just wanted to give you an update on the kitchen. We're making progress, but it's slow going with all the setbacks. Marcus is working on a new pastry recipe, and Sydney's tweaking the menu again. Oh, and Richie's attempting to fix the mess he made with the ceiling."
Sugar nods, grateful for Tina's update. "Thanks, Tina. Keep up the good work. We'll get through this."
As Tina leaves, Sugar's gaze returns to the photograph on the desk. She cherishes the passion and dedication she had seen in both you and Carmen during these past weeks, now recalling the numerous times she had noticed how you and Carmy had sneaked a kiss or hug when nobody was watching, or how he kept a hand on the small of your back when you were doing anything and he was nearby. Despite the challenges you faced, they always found a way to persevere, fueled by your shared love for cooking and each other.
With a renewed sense of determination, Sugar picks up the phone and dials the number for the fire prevention test. As she waits for someone to answer on the other end, she glances once more at the photograph, drawing strength from the love and resilience it represents.
"We'll make this work," she whispers to herself, her voice filled with conviction. And with that, she dives back into the task at hand, ready to tackle whatever challenges lie ahead and ensure that The Bear opens its doors to the world, just as you and Carmen had dreamed.
This might be chaos, an error, a mess, a raging storm waiting to be tamed, but a kiss smudge might just beat it all.
#carmen berzatto#carmen berzatto x reader#carmy berzatto x reader#carmen berzatto x you#carmyberzatto x you#the bear fantiction#fanfiction#fanfic#the bear fanfic#carmen berzatto fanfic
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Mama would be so obsessed with Carmy as a dad and he wouldn’t get him. She’d be flirting w/ him all the time and telling him he looks so good playing with them and he’d be just 🫤🤷♂️
honestly tho completely valid if her bc him being a good dad??? so fuckin’ hot.
like carmen just playing in the girls’ little play kitchen, “cutting” up the plastic, velcro fruit with an exquisite technique.
“they ordered chicken tenders!” teddy’s voice squeaks.
“yes, chef.” carmen nods, reaching for the plastic chicken.
willow and teddy think it’s soooooo funny. honestly, it makes you want to pounce on him. he’s just so good at being a dad. you tell him that quite often and he’ll blush and shake his head, brush off the compliment.
“you’re so good to them. to me too.” you grin, hand rubbing down his cheek, pulling him in for a kiss.
or when teddy decides that it’s time to play dress up. you pass by her little playroom, carmen is just sitting there letting her clip fake jewelry and plastic tiaras into his hair. “you look pretty hot like this.” you hum, hand running down his arms.
“yeah? the feathers doin’ it for ya?” carmen snorts.
“oh yeah.” you grin. “bring them to bed later.” you mutter, lips pressed to his ear, nipping lightly at the lobe so he jumps and flushes. you give him a wink before sitting on the little couch, letting teddy hand you toys.
#thebearer#bearblahs#carmen berzatto#carmen berzatto x reader#carmy berzatto x reader#the bear#carmy berzatto#carmen berzatto fluff#dad!carmen berzatto#dad!carmen berzatto x mom!reader#dorothea “teddy” berzatto#willow natalia berzatto#carmen berzatto x reader smut
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when marcus asks who claire is it’s a question directed at carmy that sydney goes ahead and answers with him (for him?) and its sooooo married it’s actually insane of her. and her tone is just swimming in pent up annoyance that she has to call claire his girlfriend but also yeah duh she’s his gf right? why is he ditching her all time if not for a girlfriend? what is this rift that’s been created between carmy and syd if not for a girlfriend at the least? sydney is just so possessive and she wants everyone to know carmy is hers even when he’s acting like a dope. exquisite.
#I’ve actually been having a tantrum about ‘I just need your focus like you need mine I DONT WANNA SHARE IT IM SORRY’ for like a week now#so yeah I’m on my sydney is unhinged bs to end the year !#carmy x sydney#sydney x carmy#sydcarmy#the bear
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probably to the surprise of nobody after finishing the bear i’m a sydcarmy truther and god i have such Thoughts abt their relationship prior to sydney even starting at the beef.
i’ve seen speculation that she lied to carmy about the beef being her dad’s favorite spot when she was younger and that she really just wanted to work with him and didn’t want to seem weird. which. delicious. very in character. he made the best meal she ever had? exquisite no notes.
but on the other hand i’m obsessed with the idea that she wasn’t lying, which opens up the possibility of them interacting as kids, teenagers, connecting over food yet again before properly meeting. like that’s soooooo soulmatesy. a no-lose scenario we’ve got here
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i have never found fak less charming than i do now. yikes
"do you think donna's gonna do something crazy?" donna being mrs. berzatto's name i'm guessing (mulaney calls her "Auntie Dee")? yeah she is.
nat trying to enlist carmy in getting rid of the alcohol and carmy is like "i have no idea i'm doing six things no one look at me"
the history of nat's nickname is so...mundane? like...we've all mixed up salt/sugar before. not in gravy, mind, but i don't make a lot of italian gravy. traditional gravy (meat drippings + roux)? yeah. not italian.
cousin steve going in on the baseball card racket b/c it sounds hilarious to him is the most relatable thing i've ever seen on tv. like it's not gonna end well but boy is it gonna be worth his money for the entertainment
gosh in every carmy/mikey scene every line of dialogue is a painful reminder of carmy's "i just wanted him to say good job!" from 1X08.
"i don't need you acting all nice if you don't give a f//k" that's carmy, down to his bones. it's why he said nat was being gross when she pulled the Small Innocent Little Girl act on cicero. carmy lies, dodges, represses, stays out of stuff, sure. but when people ask him what he thinks, he tells them. and he doesn't want people to be nice to him if they actually don't care.
carmy wants to be loved so badly, wants to be loved without having to ask for it or claw it out of people. it hurts really, really bad. exquisitely acted.
gift giving! he has a knack for it -- the knife to tina is the most recent example, but very few people to give to right now. the drawing is so lovely, and carmy looks so boyish and happy when mikey says he loves it
oh mikey. he looks so lost and so unhappy and so worried when he's by himself. he's not doing well and he hides it through loud bravado, and especially looks like he hides it from carmy. the beef is a mess right now, and i think he knows he probably won't be around to open that restaurant with carmy. but his note makes even more sense now, as does the money. it really was the gift he felt like he could give. i'm hard on mikey as an older sibling, but he's got his own stuff he's dealing with on top of everything, and it really shows sometimes
this family is so full of desperately sick, unhappy, unhealthy people. and it seems like when they congregate, it just gets worse.
mikey's trying to set carmy up for life, in the role of father figure/older brother -- skills, money, even a romantic partner. but none of it is what carmy actually needs, present day.
"is it possible that you're the asshole" cousin steve can you come back we need your insights. i feel like him, syd, and pete would be Buddies
kind, sensitive, devoted, altruistic, empathetic, and commonly known to be adept at grieving -- characteristics of bears? characteristics of our titular Bear?
mikey sneaking out in full Joseph of Bethlehem regalia, richie noticing
cousin steve do not get eaten by the jaguar
i love when normalish people interact with Berzatto Insanity (like my beloved pete! where is pete? did nat not meet him yet?) and it's like...oh they're in another realm. right.
"no one lifts a finger to help me" as nat is down on her knees cleaning up. yikes.
suicide threats. wonderful. yeah i'm going back to the armchair diagnosis of HPD. my gosh.
RUN COUSIN STEVE that was hysterical
that is a hug that nat very much needed. thank you cousin steve
oh no what's donna gonna do. i know it's not gonna be suicide but it's def gonna be a Spectacle, and prolly traumatic
#the bear#liveblogging#2X06#this is a hard ep to watch. about 20 min. left and i have no idea what else can go wrong#are the seven fishes gonna burn? is donna gonna burn the house down?#bad things are brewing and carmy's disappeared and i am Worried
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🌧️Rain, ☄️Comet, and 🌈Rainbow for the S/I ask game! (@proton-selfships)
Hiya!!! TYSM FOR THE ASK <333
curveball lore for this one! A canon i have yet to talk about! Myself in The B.ear! (F/os there being Carmy and Richie! Separately ofc)
🌧️Rain: What was the saddest moment in your lore for you/your self-insert? Who in canon knows about it?
Probably when I quit working at The Beef (before it became The B.ear) suddenly due to the pressure.
I felt suddenly unimportant, disregarded, and overwhelmed and I just up and left, it was a whole ordeal, lots of crying. The pressure was just too much, and despite beginning to learn so much and being pushed out of my comfort zone to become a real chef, it just broke me, I knew I wasn't cut out for it like the rest of the kitchen was. It was also interpersonal stuff too, in both canons with both my boys, this would be a real struggle era for us all in terms of romance and I had lost hope in reciprocation and felt frustrated with myself for believing that I could be with them.
After the fact, things got resolved. I would talk it over with them after they realized like, ah shit maybe I was a big dick munch about things (which is funny cus, once again, this applies to both SOMEHOW), and they apologized, so did I. In both canons they talk me back into coming to work with them again, saying how it wouldn't be the same without me on board, and instead of cooking/prepping/chef-ing up a storm, I wanted to provide hospitality instead with Richie.
It was less pressure to me, and I could preserve a lot of my relationship with Carm since I wouldn't be in the kitchen where there's a chance I could be yelled at in one of his more mentally ill moments. (I love that man but he needs therapy!) In the end of both ordeals in each canon, I do end up with my boys romantically since it all put it into perspective on how they didn't want to lose me and I didn't want to lose them.
And who knows about it? Everyone in that kitchen and Carm's family. I tried not to make a big show out of it, but Richie has a big, sensitive mouth, and he will talk about shit when it's bothering him on volume 100. So yeah!
☄️Comet: What was a moment where you/your self-insert really shined? This can be a badass moment, a moment where you felt important to the overall lore, or just a really cool and important moment!
When Richie and I got sent to that really upscale and high profile restaurant to improve, and it ended up being a life-changing realization on Richie's end, and a real lesson on mine that I also did have purpose and meaning and a place with our crew. I learned so much about hospitality and the ins and outs of exquisite eatery, Richie and I got into a groove and we really succeeded after a while, it was a very special moment for us individually and shared! Even during the tense and high pressure moments, I finally didn't choke and went through with my tasks with newfound ease and way less trepidation.
I was also extremely proud of Richie, and I made sure he knew that. And what was really unexpected on my end is that he expressed how proud he was of me individually, and it really changed things. I definitely cried, they were good tears though!
🌈Rainbow: What was the happiest moment in your lore for you/your self-insert? Who all shared that happiness with you in canon?
When we all found the money that Mikey (Carm's brother) left for us. It was a huge win for everyone, and we all shared a really beautiful moment in realizing what was next for the restaurant. I definitely cried in realizing what Mikey had done for all of us, since he was like a big brother to me. Knowing that things were going to be okay for a while was comforting, and seeing the collective sigh of relief was like nothing we've ever had before.
But also when my boys confessed to me would be another great happy moment! It was comforting to know that after all the shit we had gone through, and all of the scares we've had, that we still ended up together.
So yeah!! Lots of crying basically but really amazing moments too-- but I'm a rather sensitive person so it's no wonder! But I really enjoyed lore-dumping about this, thank you for the ask!!
The ask game in question!
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the bear’s christmas dinner episode has such phenomenal writing. i mean i’m insanely in love with this show in general but just this one hour of absolute batshit bonkers conflict and misery and never-ending boiling points makes me remember why i’m so utterly obsessed with film and television. there’s so much trash and fast food equivalent of content out there (which i obviously consume as well because life is hell and i need my escapism vehicles nice and ready at all times) that seeing something crafted with so much love and passion and fire put into it and executed so so exquisitely makes my heart grow three sizes and tears fall from my eyes. and i think it’s the same with succession too where you can tell that the creators actually gave a shit about the piece of art (not fucking ~content~. i hate that fucking word) that they were making. to me there exists this social contract between the creator and the audience right? and the quantifying factor there is respect. some creators don’t give a flying fuck about how their medium’s gonna affect people so they just do the bare minimum go home and never remember that they’d even made something; that’s indifference. another type of approach is making the end product so boneless and smooth and easily swallowed cough netflix that obviously the only thing the creators have for the audience is condescension. and then there’s the bear which sees the audience eye to eye and says the emotional quiet part out loud and maybe also doesn’t on a few occasions but there’s respect and enough trust between the creators and the audience to be like ‘hey look we’ve put it down in ways other than words and we know for sure you’re smart enough to pick it up’; just like carmy’s ‘you know what i wanna say’ to sugar. and i think it’s really cool
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The Bear and the Invisible Cat
I love this show so much because it’s been two months since I saw it and I am just having a random epiphany about my favourite little metaphor nugget now. In Season 2 episode 4 of The Bear, Carmy sends Marcus to Copenhagen to stage with a chef friend. He lives on a boat and one of the things he must do, day after day, is “feed” a cat we never see. Every day, he fills water in a bowl labelled “for coco”. In the infamous episode 6, we see a young Carmy in flashback telling his brother three things about Copenhagen. One of his three things: I fed an invisible cat.
When we start to learn any new skill, especially an art, we always start by doing small, repetitive daily tasks — in cooking, it’s peeling, washing, chopping; in music, it’s scales; in sports, there are drills. At that stage, there are not a lot of observable markers of our progress. We cannot see the cat. Maybe the water in the bowl is gone by end of most days. On some days, maybe it’s untouched. We’re still required to empty that bowl and refill it the next day. Even on days when we get every thing else wrong, getting that one, small, seemingly inconsequential thing done, becomes a matter of such exquisite discipline. That’s what it takes for Carmy, for Marcus, for any of us to become “good” at doing anything.
We all have to feed an invisible cat.
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Signal boost
(It's Monday, which brings no cheer to my heart, so I'm making my own 😎 Think of it as a belated Friday Fanfic Rec.)
Pairing: Syd/Carmy
Why read it: Okay so, first of all, it's exquisitely written. Secondly, it's captured the tone of The Bear perfectly. And thirdly, one of the tags is 'consensual poisoning'.
@penny-loaf first recc'd this to me and it is - without doubt - one of those fics that burrows beneath your skin.
You should read it as a continuation of the source material that is immersive and beautiful and just as anxiety-inducing. You want to be in the pages counseling and begging and desperate for characters to wake up, except you are all awake and this is their reality; you are the ghost in the room.
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whenever i miss carmy or need fic inspo i truly just scroll through ur carmy tag it's exquisite
thank u i honestly do the same
#i think once every two days i look thru either my carmy tag or the bear tag and go 'wahHH!!!!' in my brain#while i have the most stoic face on transit
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@sexy-orc-singles asked: do carmie and rilles ever get married?
they do!!! i don’t think they’d have any huge exquisite ceremony, and definitely not anything like religious (carm’s a necromancer and rilles is a Known Temple Heretic..) probably just invite nerelam, carmie’s mom and a couple friends if that. it’s a couple of years down the road from eso also, gotta wait for the rest of tamriel to like,, cool it a little
kwama might be around by then too who knows
#was gonna draw something to go w this but my hands will not cooperate tonight#i do still want to tho maybe later...#oc talk#oc: carmaine mithrasi#oc: rilles damori
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Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019 Essay (Open, Panti Sisters & Lola Igna)
The Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) is a seven-day in length festivity of Philippine Cinema where new quality genre Filipino films are screened for seven days in every single normal film across the country. No foreign films will be screened during PPP with the exception of in claim to fame films to give the open door for the entire nation to commend its very own local films. This occasion is sorted out by the Film Development Council of the Philippines in partnership with the National Cinema Association of the Philippines. PPP’s mission is to recognize Filipino artistry in films, promote our country and its talents globally, protect our film cultural heritage, and empower every Filipino through film development and education. Over the most recent years, PPP has made a culture of help from the crowd and FDCP tends to proceed with this custom to persistently draw in film buffs across the country to belittle local films. The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) advances and supports the improvement and development of the local film industry as a medium for the upliftment of the aesthetic, cultural, and social values of the nation for the better understanding and appreciation for the Filipino character. A portion of the main Filipino movies to ever be produced using a century prior may feel totally exquisite, however its subjects do not: family, friendship, and love keep on resounding with many. What's more, with the 100th anniversary of Philippine cinema practically just around the corner, the coordinators of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) disclosed their choice with featuring those components and to celebrate what these topics mean for us.
Romance is one of the most popular genres to watch, read and binge on. It is usually a genre where the story revolves around the love between two characters as they experience the highs and lows of love. Although most romance films end up with a happy ending ( e.g. guy gets girl, ends with a feel good 80s music and the like ), there are some that will leave you crying. Films like, Richard Linklater's ‘Before series’, Wong Kar Wai’s ‘Happy Together’ and Abdellatif Kechiche’s ‘Blue is the Warmest Color’ are one of my top picks. In Philippine Cinema, the most talked about romance film is Cathy Garcia-Molina’s One More Chance. The film became very iconic for its painful narrative and dramatic cheesy lines that gained a cult following in social media and are still very relevant today. It shattered the hearts of Filipinos because of its sad concepts about long-term relationships, self-worth and second chances. In this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, there is one film that stood out for me because it reminded me of the iconic love story of Popoy and Basha without a clichè happy ending and the concepts of an open relationship.
Open by Andoy Ranay is a film about two lovers, Ethan ( JC Santos ) and Rome ( Arci Muñoz ) who have been in a relationship for almost 14 years until their relationship has gone stale so they both explored the idea of going open. But for me, the film is really about Rome trying to get out of a toxic relationship where she thinks love is enough for her to stay even if it means that person is going to disrespect and hurt her. But mostly, it's about finding one’s self-worth. The film introduces a controversial concept of a relationship where couples are allowed to see other people which I think the writers did great. Apart from introducing the concept of open relationships, they were able to show a form of emotional abuse seen from JC Santos’ annoying character.
The film didn’t focus on the open relationship a lot but I think it's a nice way to introduce it by giving the audience a disclaimer that this isn’t for everyone. When Rome starts to realize her worth, she was able to find her happiness. She finally was able to go back to her art and make a life all by herself. This cuts to Ethan realizing how toxic he was as a boyfriend through close-up shots of a wine bottle written “Rome” on it. Looking at the camera from the beginning till the end, its like going through a journey with her and from that, we were able to ask ourselves the same question, “Is this really what happiness feels like?” and in that moment, we are able to make that decision for her and for ourselves also. This cuts to a beautiful close up shot of rome, a few seconds before the credits start rolling. And finally, she is free.
The film starts with Rome and Ethan arguing about getting into an open relationship or breaking up. In here, we are introduced to the idea that their relationship is not going to end well. Since every time the camera cuts to a close up shot of Rome’s face, she appears as if she’s indecisive and unsure. This concludes that Rome’s selfless character enables Ethan to allow the toxicity of his character to worsen. Comparing this to One More Chance, the film starts with the same kind of set up without the idea of an open relationship. But the only difference is that the dominance lies in Bea’s character, Basha. She already knows what she wants while we are being introduced to the toxic behavior of Popoy. They both have similarities in their cinematic universe. They show the same concept of friendship, the realization of one’s self worth from a toxic relationship and lastly, finding happiness in a workplace. But looking through past films by the same production and Star Cinema, they share the same formula. What makes the two different from each other? Work wins over love while the other, the same cliché ending — guy gets girl. Maybe why I couldn’t stop comparing it to One More Chance because of the obvious similarities. Hopefully, time will come for Philippine Cinema that we will get to see new things rather than the generic formulas given by these productions. In the end, all we can do is hope, be patient and support the local independent films.
Another film-in-competition is entitled, Panti Sisters. It is a film directed by Jun Lana and its about a terminally ill father offers P100 million inheritance to the first of his three gay sons who can give him a grandchild. Starring Paolo Ballesteros, Martin del Rosario and Christian Bables. Alongside veteran actors, John Arcilla and Carmi Martin as their parents. It is obvious that the movie looks like its other predecessors since most of the cast are Jun Lana’s frequent collaborators. Jun Lana is known for making LGBTQ + themed films like, Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes, and Bakit Lahat ng Gwapo may Boyfriend? This director is the most youthful beneficiary of the Palanca Hall of Famer and champ of 11 Palanca Awards for Literature. Named the group top pick, he then won the Audience Choice honor, Best Production Design and Martin del Rosario won the Best Actor.
This film is something that the filipino masses should go and watch. Despite that there are scenes in the film which doesn’t feel necessary to the narrative of the story and there are some lines felt pushed just to prove a point but so far, all the sad passionate lines worked as a mainstream film. It explores a host of social issues that are especially timely and need to be addressed such as the worsening or increasing discrimination and hatred against people who are part of the LGBT community, whose sole purpose is to receive basic human riights and to be treated fairly, that they should still fight for their rights because they are also people who should be respected and viewed as equal to all of us. There is no requirement for them to change with the goal that they can be treated as animals and can't be viewed as a plague in the public arena. May everybody comprehend that the issues that happen in our general public are not simply in their locale. The greater part of us make issues little or enormous, they really add to the social issues in which we live. We should inquire as to whether we are a piece of the arrangement or would we say we are simply adding to the enormous issue? The film's story also discusses the devastating effects of the patriarchy that John Arcilla characterizes as their father, Don Emilio y Panti. They perform well and post-character improvement will see every one of the principal characters.
Inevitably accomplishing the foreseen acknowledgment and regard they ached for from their dad prompted enthusiastic or energetic goals of the issues in the story, these scenes were deliberately terrible because of their magnificent exhibition or featuring John Arcilla. We can contrast this work with movies at the Metro Manila Film Festival with similar formula. Much the same as the films that Vice Ganda has starred in, for example, Fantastica, The Super Parental Guardians, Beauty and the Bestie, Praybeyt Benjamin and other celebrities who are for the most part worked with Wenn V. Deramas who is known for these movies. These ‘Funny portrayals of LGBT films” are modest and you can't deny that they earn a place in all the blockbuster office since they have a huge part in mainstream films. Yet, when I contrast these movies with each other, The Panti Sisters is definitely has more substance which is why I think it deserves to be a part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, despite the fact that it takes after Wenn V's works. It gave the audience a lot of good points about social issues that most FIlipinos are afraid to talk about and it's something that we won't see in a Wen V. Deramas film. Regardless of how genuine or surely understood the primary characters are, interestingly, they offer equity to the character and they perform well. We trust that individuals comprehend and comprehend the significance of examination, that the film isn't only for the solace and happiness regarding an individual, it suggests generally for the good of one's own, it might have been made in the general public in which we live.
Lola Igna's movie is one of the films released at this year's Philippine Film Festival. It is directed and written by Eduardo Roy Jr. Angie Ferro is known for being the popular actress in the film industry as Lola Igna, with Yves Flores as Tim, Maria Isabel Lopez as Nida and Meryll Soriano as Ana, the main characters in the film. The film begins with a very mysterious and intriguing scene in which she performs her usual tasks. As she goes on with her daily activities, it is notably seen that flies were swarming around and she speaks to someone that isn’t shown by the camera. Lola Igna lived a simple life and could see her life alone in that cottage near a farm she owned. The film further showed that she had a family, Nida her granddaughter and his great-grandson Bok, the son of Nida. It is interesting to see that these are the only relative she has. As the story progresses, viewers are informed that Lola Igna's character may have earned the title of "the oldest living grandmother in the world." Lola Igna was so distracted that she didn't even understand why, all of a sudden everyone was paying attention to her. Lola Igna does not speak at all and often hurts people who visit her for the same reason that she does not know it. She is not used to this attention and she is very distracted. Lola Igna became an instant tourist attraction when the news of her being the oldest grandmother in the world was released. Merchandises of Lola were released due to her popularity. These merchandises were managed by her granddaughter, Nida.
As viewers, we could not help but feel that they were using Lola Igna in a wrong manner, to the point that her little house became a tourist attraction. It's sad to think that this is happening in the reality that there are people who will actually use you for their personal development and often these people are near you or your own family. But we also came to the realization that Nida's family would never have had enough income if they had just grown their crops and kept watch over the store. However it is not right that they are forcing Lola Igna to entertain those that visits her. In the first place, Lola Igna doesn’t want the attention she was receiving. Until a surprise came, her other great-grandson, Tim came who was Anna's grandson. Her eyes were full of happiness and it was wonderful to think that of Lola Igna’s age she would not forget about who were relatives were even after a long time. Tim is an aspiring vlogger. Amidst Tim’s visit, it’s not hard to think and doubt him for only using Lola Igna’s current popularity as clout. If one would ponder, why would Tim suddenly appear in the midst of this popularity and didn’t come before Lola Igna’s recognition as the “oldest grandmother in the world”. Our anguish and doubts over whether or not he was really a grandson were even more apparent when the only subject of his videos were the ones of Lola Igna only. As the story progresses, we discover Lola Igna's thoughts and feelings. With each passing day that she spent in this world she became increasingly depressed. To live this long is considered a blessing and a great curse. We thought at that moment that we did not want her to die not because of the title she could obtain but for the reason that she was loved in their village.She is not difficult to love or to understand but we know for ourselves that we are being selfish because of that request but do we realize in ourselves that she should not live for someone else? Especially, if Lola Igna wants to rest in peace and take away all the pain she feels in the moment. How many friends and loved ones did she witness being alive and eventually buried death? How many times would she feel this so much sadness? If you place yourself in her shoes, it is only natural to ask God to take you and rest in the suffering she has been feeling for so long. No matter how difficult her family is to accept her wishes, they know that her situation is not difficult to understand. This feeling of Lola Igna was confirmed by the scene where she wept as she invited her guests in for a chance to see and take pictures with her. Amidst entertaining the tourists, Lola Igna then collapses due to fatigue. Nida realizes that Lola Igna can no longer get the title and with this money, it is more important for Lola Igna to wake up and be with them. Following this incident, Ana had returned after a long period of time when she ran away from their village resulted in her sister Nida campaigning and planting resentment. Ana is currently pregnant and seems to be giving birth due to the size of her stomach. Ana took care of Lola Igna in addition to resolving her personal issues with her son Tim and her sister Nida. Lola Igna woke up in disbelief at what she was seeing. Because of their long absence of communication and news of Ana, they had come to their senses that Ana might be dead. Anna asks for forgiveness from Lola Igna and her sister Nida. Grandma Igna says no one should apologize, these scenes are emotional because they highlight the importance and essence of having a family. It seems like the events in the movie will signal the end of the movie but the scenes that follow are truly sad. Ana unintentionally gave birth with her son at the middle of the fields near Lola Igna's house. Viewers were supposed to be happy with the new family member but Ana did not make it alive after she gave birth. As one added to them, there was also a retraction. Lola Igna assisted Ana giving birth. When she has since refused to do it because for her it only increases her life when she helps give birth to babies. Her new great-grandson was born with a broken heart and mourning the loss of one of her grand daughter who previously came back after running away. The situation is so sad that everyone is settled and for the first time they are a whole family with Lola Igna still with them but now again the pain and loneliness of the old woman will be felt again. Anna died in the arms of her son Tim, it was hard to see your mother being at her last dying breath, with the thought that you could do nothing more to prevent it. Death is inevitable and a part of human life. Some might want death to just arrive and take them, like Grandma Igna. Is there anything she has to do in this world that she is not allowed to lose? The very last scene in the film is really attention catcher in a very effective way to ponder or think deeper to understand Grandma Igna's passionate and emotional expressions. She just stared at the audience and said nothing but her eyes spoke for her. What might be the thoughts inside her head? But the real question is, “what would you feel if you were in Lola Igna’s place?
A realization has come to mind that Lola Igna isn’t all about the title of being the oldest grandmother in the world. Lola Igna ponders on the topic of life and death. Rarely do we see films that swims through the simplest reality of life. This film had portrayed that aging can be very terrifying yet mighty. Lola Igna is an old woman who is so close to her last days of life but death seems to avoid her. She had witnessed people’s growth younger than her like the petals within a bud starts to grow to the point where after it blooms, it is withered. Lola Igna’s old age makes her rant about how death seems to have forgotten about her. She was in her time of life when she had surpassed almost every relative she knew. It is heartbreaking when things start to get closer to you, that’s when you most understand and accept it. This is death for Lola Igna. Death is not something that is a grievous end. For some, it is something to honor for death is peaceful and after that you have nothing to worry about. In the last scene where Lola Igna is seen holding a baby, the look on her face carries powerful emotions that strikes the heart of those who looks. It is the face of someone who is tired and afraid, but had no choice but to live and wait.
After watching all these films part of this year’s PPP, we came to ponder and commend the directors behind it. It is difficult to tell stories not quite the same as what is typically portrayed. It is difficult casting new faces and hope they’d be more effective than the big stars existing. It is hard and not easy as anyone had said. Having the opportunity to produce films is a privilege and not a right. Furthermore, with that privilege comes the test to make it well as other existing films. It's anything but difficult to state something significant, to get recognition and yell it out and you would already be able to advise the world what they need to hear. It is hard to state something important through the medium of cinema, set aside some effort to figure out how to utilize each component of film to state what you mean better. A complete film that doesn’t simply beat the cutoff time. This privilege comes with a big weight to produce films with substance and without shallow meaning.
For the future of Philippine cinema, we wish that the public audience would take risks out of their comfort zones in the movies they go out to see. How about we watch lighthearted comedies all we want like Panti Sisters or a love story like, Open. But at the same time, how about we also watch something different. Documentaries, thriller movies, sad movies, unusual movies, stunning motion pictures. Something that isn’t mainstream or the movie that is not the first choice of the general public. One example of this is Lola Igna. Movies are not just about feeling better or being enchanted or beginning to look all starry eyed at. Movies are also about feeling agitated, feeling startled and disappointed. It is likewise about sentiments of misfortune, of vulnerability, of rushes and amazement. Movies are about such a significant number of different things, as well, other than simply fun and love. We wish that you let movies make you something and not simply give you what you generally expect of it.
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Tagged Again?!
Tagged by @skullcanons and I swear you all must have eagle vision to find me lurking about >3>;
Name: Kathleen
Nicknames: Jezzi, Melruna, LaFayne, Nagris, Grathi, Shrukas, Mysterical, and Illusionesque (Too many I know, but others keep taking my name on sites and I refuse to just add numbers to my name)
Gender: Female
Star sign: Aries, though I don’t really fit it ^-^; Added Bonus! I’m also a Snake~
Height: 5′3″
Sexuality: Asexual
Hogwarts house: Slytherin ^~^ My ambitions are more to care for my friends and family rather than power or wealth though
Favorite animal: Kitties! I adore all felines, though I love animals in general as well ~<3
Average hours of sleep: 1-2 hours or less some days, others up to 10... depends on insomnia, anxiety, and all sorts of other things ^-^;
Current time: 3:57 pm
Dog or cat person: kittykittykittykitty...
Blankets you sleep with: Summer usually has one or two with a cat; winter gets 3, a cat, and a heating pad/blanket because I’m always cold
Dream trip: I would love nothing more than to take a few dear friends to Lake Carmi in Vermont for 2-3 weeks and let them relax! <3 I could cook for us all in a shared cabin and show them the beauty of my favorite places in the state~ Second place to that is travelling the world and trying the many varied and exquisite meals offered~
When I made my blog: Some time last year? I know I got the notification... Maybe in May?
Followers: Holding strong at 60 even though I don’t do anything to deserve a single one of you amazing people! Still terrified that the number of porn bots I’ve blocked threatens to outnumber them though... >3>;;;
Why I made a Tumblr: I believe I originally made it to be able to submit art to two Tumblrs in particular ^~^ @raccoonsinqueen and ToumeiKyoudai from Ao3 (as they did not get a Tumblr till recently and I have not had the chance to add them ^-^; )
Reason for my URL: I wanted the name Jezzi, but it was already taken... Usually LaFayne is my next choice, but I did not want to have to deal with two capital letters if I didn’t need to
VICTIMS!: @salemlucidester, @hellodragonkit, @minoerika, @blueghosty, @mamablueberriesoocblog, @dragonrose00, @kawaii-pigeon, @pastacatlover, @animationanon, @hatreda-and-her-cute-headaches, @sadrdkc, @giggledroid, @hatfullofbuttons, @oodlesofskeletondoodles, @onewaytickettoheck, @awesomeundertalelover3, @iamtrashlordfearme, @silcatian, @tornaibow, @icybeanheadcanons, @mer-fa3, @shiporbeshipped, @joliemariella, @ssskeletonsoffun, @lavender-sans, @pyrokitten, @dreams-of-undertale, @utimagines, @skelltales, @skeletorific, @yura-ume, @tyranttortoise, @mini-karma, @bluestale, @cartoonation, @howdysinners, @crowfry, @cheshidoodles, @nekophy, @under-tomb, @buttercupsticksntricks, @alainaprana, @loverofpiggies, @nighttimepixels
#I know there's a lot...#but you are all amazing#whether you know who I am or not doesn't matter at all#you are all wonderful people and need called out on it#so that's what I'm doing#<3#Have fun#stay lovely#~<3
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"what's going on?" oh we're not gonna hear that almost gentle tone again for the rest of the episode are we. maybe the rest of the season
"i quit. is what's going on." y'all can't see me, by the grace of God, but i am throwing things
there were so many ways to handle this, i want to congratulate syd and marcus for choosing the worst ones!! that takes real vision!!
i get it. i do. but there are things you just don't do, and running away after causing problems (marcus seriously???? the doughnuts right now???) is something you don't do
"right now?? you quit right now??" yeah the anxiety and anger there...yeah that's gonna be the top of the iceberg huh
"what are you doing. what are you doing." he really can't quite parse it and the fear in his voice is really exquisitely well-played. syd's the person he hired, the person he did the background check on, the person he had confidence to put in a position of leadership, and -- 'outside' of regular work, the person he's talked to, confided in, and worked on a relationship with. this is probably going to Not Be Great. my anxiety pillow might not be enough
"you are an excellent chef. you are also a piece of shit." yeah i mean girl that was obvious when you were hired. like he's being a bit shitty right now, but like....this is not even mostly on him
and she knows it, it's why she's running. she's seeing visions of sheridan road in her head, and she's running. it's fine, it's good character work, i'm happy about it in a larger plot sense, but the dumb monkey part of my brain wants to shake her by her shoulders and prolly slap marcus upside the head
"this isn't on me. good luck." well. oof.
is carmy gonna have a heart attack?? is his actor gonna have a heart attack?? those veins are worrying me
what did syd grab on her way out? why'd she go over to the other part of the kitchen before leaving?
carmy throwing the sharpie where syd had been a moment ago is really well done, because it makes him walking to the door seem like he might actually go after her and call her back
but he doesn't
oh off the floor carmy really?? i mean it's no worse than anything else he does to his body i guess
that smile at how good the doughnut is, then the slapping of the preorder receipts, and his marching out to the front -- that's the repression in full force babe!
okay onto the last episode. can i breathe, please? i think some apologies are needed all the way around -- excepting Tina, Fak, Manny, Angel, Ebra, Gary, and Louie, of course, who should go out for drinks and a long weekend after this. i am blowing kisses to chicago for louie
oh and before i forget, the episode asks at the start, when is it the Ship of Theseus? the answer it presents is that when all the pieces are there, working together -- and right now, all the pieces are gone, and the ship is sinking in the water
RIP richie's ass i hope he gets stitches
#the bear#liveblogging#i feel like a ran a marathon while someone behind me tazed me the whole way through#i know it'll get better b/c this was the Worst it could have gotten#but there are some much needed apologies from a whole host of people and i'm really hoping we get them#whether they say the words “i'm sorry” or not
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5 Tips for Starting a Successful Clothing Brand: The Definitive Guide (2018)
Many people want to start a clothing brand or clothing line. After all, how difficult could it be?
The truth is that successful clothing brands become successful in part because they’re created by people who are passionate about clothing.
But, a clothing brand needs more than just exquisite apparel design to create a lasting business. It needs all the trappings of a successful business as well. Apparel retailers need to master marketing, manufacturing, and retailing, among other things.
Shira Sue Carmi, the founder of Launch Collective, reminds us that the business of launching a clothing brand is as important as the artistry:
Fashion is amazing in the way it balances art and commerce, but it’s a business. Don’t start a business because you want to design. Start a business because you want to start a business.
So, are you a fashion designer or an apparel entrepreneur? If you are ready to start a fashion business (whether part-time or full-time), let’s get down to it. Here is a step-by-step comprehensive guide with our top 5 business tips for starting a successful clothing brand or clothing line.
Develop your brand.
Fill in the business blanks.
Prepare for manufacturing.
Create a sales plan.
Spread the word.
1. Develop Your Clothing Brand
Step one of starting a new clothing line or clothing brand? Develop your brand identity.
As we’ve previously discussed,
…your brand is your company’s public identity. Ideally, your brand should embody the best (and most essential) attributes of your company.
The importance of your brand identity cannot be understated – especially in the world of fashion. Clothing is very personal because our clothing choices are one of the ways that we define our identity – to both ourselves and to the world. As a result, the brands we choose to wear become an extension of who we are and how we see ourselves.
In particular, the millennial generation has been shown to desire an authentic connection with their clothing brands. Fabrizio Moreira writes in “Building a Startup Clothing Brand in a Fast Fashion Economy“:
They want a brand “experience,” they want authenticity. It follows, then, that having a message that resonates with these consumers, and staying authentic to that message, is one of the few ways to break into the cutthroat fashion industry as a small brand…
So, before you sketch your first rendering, ask yourself these important questions:
What identity do I want my clothing brand to project?
Who will want to wear my clothes?
What can customers get from my clothing brand that they can’t get anywhere else?
What makes my clothing unique? Is it high-end?
What is the most important part of my customer’s experience?
Your answers to these questions (and others like them) will build the core of your brand. All of your future branding decisions should expand on these ideas. Your business name, your logo, your website design should all grow from the concepts you laid out here.
Moreira cites Bad AF Fashion (a fashion startup) as a how-to example. Here’s what Moreira thinks they’re doing right:
Arguably, the key to their success has been having a clear brand identity that resonates with their target customers, staying authentic to that identity, and knowing how to communicate it to the desired audience.
So, take the time to think – really think – about your brand from the start. Fashion is an exciting, fast-moving industry. You might have many business ideas, but it’s important for you to focus on one. You can learn more about the nuts and bolts of establishing and maintaining a consistent brand in Grow Your Small Business with Consistent Branding.
2. Fill in the Business Blanks
Once you define your brand, you can begin to think about the vitally important details of actually starting and running a clothing company. From choosing a fashion business structure to pricing, licensing and permits to business plan…
There’s a lot to think about.
First, you will need to choose the legal structure for your new apparel business. Sole proprietorship or LLC? Incorporate or register a partnership?
We discussed these options previously in our article 15 Tips for Turning Your Craft Hobby Into a Successful Business:
A sole proprietorship is the “most basic type of business to establish” according to the SBA (Small Business Administration). You are the sole owner of the business; and, as such, are solely responsible for the assets and liabilities accrued by the business. This may be just the ticket for your brand new, baby crafting business as it is also the easiest to set up.
If you’re interested in a little more protection, an LLC (or Limited Liability Company) may be a better fit. The LLC business structure provides the limited liability features you would find in a corporation. The Small Business Administration has all of the details about these common small business structures and others.
To learn more about corporations, partnerships and other legal mistakes people commonly make when setting up a small business, take a look at our post and video: 10 Legal Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Small Business And How To Avoid Them.
After you determine your business’s legal structure, you’ll need to file the necessary paperwork.
The U.S. Small Business Administration tells us that some form of license or permit is necessary for virtually every type of business. Their website has all of the info you need to find out what sort of license or permit you’ll need to start a business in your state.
Legal details squared away? Then it’s time to think about the specifics of your business. Entrepreneur contributor Toby Nwazor advocates for creating a business plan:
Any experienced entrepreneur knows a company without a business plan is like a fish without water. The plan does not need to be lengthy at first. Rather, it should be one or two pages, identifying the key elements of the clothing line’s business strategy.
Your plan should include (at minimum) a statement about your clothing brand, a general description of your products and a strategy for how you plan to sell them.
For more information about how to create a business plan, the Small Business Administration has you covered again. Click here to see their complete guide to writing a business plan.
In a detailed business plan, you may want to include your anticipated pricing structure. But, whether you include pricing info in your business plan or not, it’s an issue you must consider.
You may dream of owning your own brick and mortar shop – or maybe you fantasize about seeing your labels on the rack at Nordstroms. Either way, in order for an apparel business to scale and grow, it must have price points for both retail and wholesale. And, those prices should take into consideration the expenses of designing and creating your garments.
Nwazor recommends that you aim for prices 30% – 50% higher than your expenses in order to ensure a profit. Profit is, after all, essential to your business’s success.
Plan ahead for all of the necessary legal and logistical business considerations and you’ll create a strong foundation for your clothing brand’s successful future.
3. Plan for Manufacturing
Unless you personally plan to sew every garment you sell (a business model that would be impossible to scale) you’ll need to consider how your collection will be manufactured.
A manufacturer is not just the means to an end – it’s the partner that will help you make your ideas a physical reality. So, making the right choice of clothing manufacturer is critical.
This is especially true if you’re already running a clothing brand and want to start a new clothing line. Your existing manufacturer might not be a good fit for the new clothing line. This often happens, for example, if you started with t-shirts and are now moving to more sophisticated clothing.
You should plan to interview a number of different factory locations to find the one that is a right fit for your business.
There’s a terrific book about this from the founder of Nike, Phil Knight – Shoe Dog. In the book, Knight writes about how he found the perfect partners for manufacturing Nike shoes – and the struggles with partners who were less than perfect.
Before you reach out to potential manufacturing partners you’ll need to get your own business in order. Anna Livermore, founder of fashion business consulting company V. Mora, recommends completing the following “To-Do” list before reaching out to manufacturers.
Determine a realistic, honest budget. Don’t overcommit funds you don’t have.
Learn about the manufacturing timeline so you can plan accordingly.
Prepare your design resources (fabric swatches, sewn samples, and tech pack or renderings).
When you reach out to a manufacturer for the first time they will have questions for you – questions that you should be equipped to answer. If you take the time to establish your budget, understand the production timeline and know your designs inside and out then you’ll be ready for them.
When you do finally start meeting with potential manufacturers put your most professional foot forward. Jennifer Philbrook co-founder at Stitch Method suggests:
Look at this meeting as a partner meeting and walk in with a smile! Not only are you looking to see if this factory is a good fit for your brand, but they are looking to see if your brand is a good fit for them! You don’t want to assume they automatically want to work on your project.
Of course, walking into that meeting prepared will go a long way toward convincing a manufacturer that you are a worthwhile prospect. Having worked on both the design and production side of the clothing industry I can tell you that manufacturers love a designer who really knows their business.
On the same token, nothing is more irksome than a designer with lots of ideas and no understanding of the manufacturing process by which those ideas are made real.
Before you commit to a full-scale run, order a few samples from several manufacturers to evaluate the quality and speed of their work.
4. Create a Sales Plan
Where do you plan to sell your clothing line? In an online shop or online clothing store? In a brick and mortar clothing store of your own? Or maybe you want to sell in local boutiques that feature many different clothing items?
There is no one right answer. And, it’s a good idea to consider the pros and cons of each option before making a decision that feels right for you.
This is where market research can help you. Not every selling option will be cost-effective or practical.
Selling a clothing line in an online store is cheaper and less labor-intensive than setting up your own physical store. There’s no monthly rent, mortgage or property taxes to pay, and no fixtures to buy. It’s also relatively easy to create an e-commerce presence nowadays without a lot of technical knowledge.
Most template-based web design services offer some form of e-commerce functionality. And some, like Shopify, are built specifically for e-commerce. But, think carefully before you decide to use a template-based service like Shopify.
Remember how important your unique branding is? The templates on those e-commerce sites are available for every other new fashion brand to use, as well. As I mentioned in a previous article,
It’s not enough to have a website… You also want to be sure that your site’s design is unique and that it showcases your products and you.
Just like your logo, your web design should start with your personal brand. A well-designed website will expand upon and support the values and personality traits that you’ve identified as being core to your business. If web design is not among your many DIY skills, know that there’s help available.
There are self-hosted open-source e-commerce services available that allow you to use your own uniquely branded website with their e-commerce functionality.
Check out services like WooCommerce, Magento, and Open Cart. Not only can you use your own original web design, they also scale easily alongside your business as it grows.
Alternately, if you dream of selling in a physical store, it’s a safer financial bet to start by selling in boutiques that already exist before taking the plunge and opening your own shop.
When deciding which boutiques you would like to carry your clothing line, double back to our first point – your well-developed brand.
Choose boutiques that are in line with your brand identity and your target market. If you design biker leathers for motorcycle enthusiasts, you can probably bypass the boutique down the street that specializes in yoga pants and maxi skirts.
However, if you make wise location choices, there’s a good chance your target audience already shops for clothes there.
Once you’ve targeted which boutiques you’d like to partner with, the next step is to start thinking like a retailer. Stitch Method’s Philbrook shared this advice in her article 5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started My Clothing Line:
If you plan on selling wholesale to boutiques it is important that you have merchandise ready to sell during the correct buying season… You need to figure out when you need to have production ready to ship to stores or customers and then work backwards from there through the development stages (leave enough time!) to make sure that you are working on the correct season.
Luckily, you’re already planning to learn about the manufacturing production timeline (remember Tip #3?) so you should be golden.
Pro Tip: Always schedule your meetings with boutiques in advance. In retail, the customer always comes first, so cold calls and drop-ins are a bad idea.
5. Spread the Word
If you’ve made it this far, you know your brand inside and out, all of your legal business details and business plan are in place, you have a manufacturing partner producing your garments, and a plan for selling them.
Now it’s time to focus on getting the word out about your fabulous new clothing business, a new line of clothes, and to find potential customers!
A great way to get started is to compile a list of local fashion editors and media outlets (radio, television and online blogs). When you are ready to launch your clothing brand or your clothing line, you can notify these resources via press release.
Take it one step further by creating an entire press kit. Check out this article from PR Couture to learn how.
Another important (and easy to overlook!) marketing tool for your clothing line are the pictures of your garments.
If you’re just starting out, you might be tempted take these yourself. But, blurry or poorly lit photos can actually work against you. So, if you can afford it, hire a professional photographer to ensure great results.
These images will be used on your website, social media marketing, and advertisements. So, keep your brand and target customer in mind and style them accordingly.
But most importantly, make sure your styles are the stars of the photos – simplicity is key keep accessories and background elements to a minimum.
As a new, up-and-coming business owner, you’ll also want to take full advantage of the inexpensive and easy exposure that social media marketing offers you. As we previously explained,
Social media gives you the ability to easily keep customers up-to-date on new products, store policies or sales. It also enables you to build a social rapport with current customers, while building low-pressure relationships with future buyers.
Maintaining (at a minimum) a Twitter and Facebook presence will help you build an audience of devotees. And consider micro-influencers, who can help you in the early days.
Make it easy for visitors to see what your clothing brand all about by featuring those fabulous photos of your line in a Facebook album.
Social media is also the perfect platform to help future customers get to know you as well as your clothes.
One major reason why customers buy from a start-up business instead of a major retailer is that they feel a connection to that business’s story. So, use your Facebook and Twitter to share that story – for free!
Finally, consider throwing a launch party to create exposure and excitement for your line. In an article for Inc. Magazine, Francis Arden (Aston Models partner) shares some great advice to ensure that your launch party is the well-attended extravaganza you dream it will be.
Build your list. Remember those local fashion editors and media outlets? They should be on your list. So should local boutique owners, fashion buyers and anyone else who is relevant in your field.
Don’t compete for guests. Schedule your party on an evening with no other major events – especially not other major events in the fashion industry. You don’t want to force your attendees to choose between your launch and another event.
Hold your event at an interesting location. A special, unique venue can really make an event feel like… well… an event! But, don’t choose randomly, pick a location that jives with your brand presence. Try to find a venue where your target audience would feel right at home – if ‘home’ was super fun and exciting.
Offer something for free. People love free swag. If you can afford it, offering a thoughtful and relevant free gift will make a great impression on your guests. A branded t-shirt might be the right gift. Or you can offer a one-off specially designed garment in a raffle. If your budget is tighter, Arden suggests offering an open bar for a limited part of the evening. Everyone loves an open bar; and, you can schedule the timing to coincide with when you’d like the bulk of your guests to arrive.
For more useful tips like these, check out the rest of Arden’s tips here.
And there you have it… Five tips to help get your new clothing line off to a great start. We’ve covered a lot, so let’s briefly review.
1. Develop your brand.
Develop an authentic brand that honestly embodies your unique artistic point of view and speaks to your target audience. Plan your business name, logo, and web design to embody your brand.
2. Fill in the business blanks.
File the permits or licenses that allow you to do business legally. Create a business plan and pricing strategy.
3. Plan for manufacturing.
Determine your budget, learn the manufacturing process and timeline, and prepare your designs for sharing with tech packs, samples, and fabric swatches.
4. Create a sales plan.
Choose your strategy – online or off? If online – create a custom website with your unique branding and e-commerce capability. If offline – form partnerships with boutiques that your target audience would frequent.
5. Spread the Word.
Send press releases or press kits to relevant media outlets. Show your line off to its best advantage with professional photos. Use social media to share your story and your fashions. Hold a launch party to create excitement for your line.
There’s a lot to think about when you’re starting your own clothing line – not the least of which are the clothing designs themselves. But, following these 5 recommendations will help set your business off on the right Jimmy Choo clad foot.
Your company’s brand deserves a first-class logo. Let crowdspring’s team of 210,000+ designers help you find it. It’s easy, fast and your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed – just click below to get started for as little as $299.
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