Work Text:
Barba's office was undergoing a paint job, he couldn't stand the fumes permeating from it, he could smell it throughout the entire building.
He needed to meet with Detective Carisi to go over some case notes, he rolled his eyes when Olivia had said she would be sending Carisi.
Barba text Carisi.
Where should we meet to go over the case notes? My office is out of bounds. Wet paint, Fumes for Africa. I can come to the precinct?
Barba was outside grabbing a coffee from the near by coffee cart. His phone beeped.
Are you hungry? It's almost lunch. I'm craving pie...Meet me at the Pie Hole? - Carisi
What in God's name is the Pie Hole, Barba thought to himself. Of course Carisi would frequent such a ridiculously named establishment... The Pie Hole, good Lord.
He Googled the address, it was pretty close by. He began walking there.
~~~~~
When he arrived at the corner across the street, he looked up to see a circular shaped diner, green with round windows, the roof was shaped like giant pastry pie lid, a huge red neon side read The Pie Hole.
“This is it I guess” Barba mumbled to himself, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets before he crossed the street.
He entered the diner and spotted Carisi right away, he was sitting at one of the booths, his slick hair shone from the sunlight beaming through the round windows.
Carisi was staring into the kitchen, he was watching the piemaker.
He was watching him so closely that he hadn't notice Barba slide into the booth across from him.
Barba cleared his throat to announce his presence, and Carisi jumped.
“Oh Counselor, hey, Hi! I didn't see you come in” Carisi blushed.
“Yeah, kind of hard when your eyes were glued to that pie making fella...” Barba motioned towards the kitchen.
“Sorry... It's just, this is embarrassing, but we're friends right?” Carisi said as he leaned in.
Barba's eyes widened a little, and he tried not to choke on his inward gasp.
Friends? They were hardly friends...
“...I kind of have the hots for that guy... I mean look at him! And just watch him when he brings our order to us, tell me he doesn't want me too, just watch!” Carisi beamed with excitement.
Barba was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, as Carisi became more and more ecstatic over the piemaker.
A short blonde woman came over to the table, she introduced herself as Olive and said she would be their waitress for the afternoon.
Carisi looked like he was about to cry knowing that the piemaker wouldn't be their server...
Barba placed his order first, “Uh. I'll have the...Blueberry, thank you. Just a slice, and bottomless coffee”
He sat waiting for Carisi to order. Carisi was busy staring longingly at the pie guy again.
Barba cleared his throat, “Carisi, your order?” he began clenching his jaw. What the hell was happening?
“Oh, sorry... Um. Triple Berry thanks. And bottomless coffee too. Thank you” he finally responded.
Carisi went back to staring into the kitchen. Barba rolled his eyes, then looked around the diner.
“This place looks like something out of a Tim Burton film... Except the door frames and windows aren't skewed... It's so bright and saturated...” Barba said, trying not to screw his face up in disapproval.
“Why do you come h-... Oh right... The pie guy” Barba rolled his eyes again.
As he watched Carisi pine over the piemaker his heart dropped. The feeling had him stunned. Was he jealous?
“Carisi!” Barba snapped his fingers at him “Work, c'mon! I'm not here to watch you fawn over some guy, okay?”
“Sorry Counselor... Yes, let's get to work” Carisi smiled at Barba, and Barba's heart pounded a little harder when he saw Carisi's dimples and smiling pink lips.
~~~~~
After a few moments of getting some solid work discussion going they were interrupted by the tall, stunningly handsome, brunette piemaker.
“Hi, I'm Ned” he smiled at Carisi shyly as placed the plates of pie into the table then stood with his hands behind his back, fidgeting with them nervously.
“Sorry your waitress had to go deliver an order” Ned continued to smile.
Carisi's eyes moved to the apron that was tied low around the piemakers slender hips.
Carisi's leg began to bounce nervously beneath the table. Barba could feel the vibration through the floor.
“This is a nice place you have here Ned” Barba said, straining his neck as he looked up at the piemaker, he was so tall.
“Why Thank you” Ned smiled shyly at Barba, flashing his pearly white teeth, his big eyebrows shifted about his forehead displaying an array of emotions.
Barba looked at Carisi who's face had gone all pink as he watched Ned talk to Barba.
“You make good pie Ned!” Carisi said nervously, his voice a bit higher than usual.
“You're both too kind, thank you... Enjoy!” Ned said as he bit his bottom lip, he then spun on his heels to return to the kitchen, hands still awkwardly fidgeting behind his back.
Carisi sighed hard and threw himself back against the cushioned booth, one hand on his chest.
“Did you see that? Look how nervous he was! I think he likes me!” Carisi beamed.
“Carisi look, before you get your hopes up I think he might just be a really shy guy... He talked to me the same way. I think he just interacts with everyone like that...” Barba smiled sympathetically at Carisi.
“Nah, you're wrong. He wants me. So bad!” Carisi grinned as he dug into his slice of pie, “Oh God he makes such good pie” he said, almost orgasmically.
Barba's face become hot with jealousy, his heart pounded fast again.
“Why is he kissing that girl then?” Barba said, a little too excited to burst Carisi's little love bubble.
Carisi's head spun so fast Barba was surprised he hadn't given himself whiplash.
As Carisi looked on, Ned was indeed kissing the young who – now that Carisi thought about it – was often hanging around the kitchen and helping Ned.
“Are they kissing through a sheet of plastic wrap? What the fu...” Barba gaped.
Carisi stared, his face wearing a look of heart break.
Barba reached across the table and placed his hand over Carisi's, which made Carisi snap out of it and turn his attention towards Barba.
“I'm sorry Carisi, I know you were nursing a pretty big crush there... But I don't think it's meant to be” Barba frowned, and then gave Carisi a sideways smile as he patted his hand.
Barba removed his hand, but the warmth of his touch stayed with Carisi.
“Can-we-have-dinner-together?” Carisi said so fast it came out like gibberish.
“Sorry, what?” Barba raised his eyebrows, displaying a look of surprise.
“Dinner. You. Me. Together.” Carisi said, slower this time.
Carisi fell for others so quickly, as one crush crashed and burned the next blossomed immediately from the priors ashes.
Carisi now had his sites set on the ADA sitting across the table from him.
But Barba didn't mind, he was flattered. After all he'd developed his own little crush the minute he saw Carisi fawning over the pie guy.
“Dinner would be great. But I'm picking the place this time, no pie” Barba grinned.