Chapter Text
There was a word completely banned from the chocolate factory and everyone knew better than to even think about mentioning this word. Because if said, everyone knew Carlos would start moping around and wouldn’t smile for the next few hours if not for the next few days.
It could have been the word ‘dentist’ or even the name of Carlos’ father but it was the name ‘Jannik’. Everyone knew it was a banned word. The factory workers knew better than to even utter the name when Carlos was in the same room as them.
Else, the other would look like a kicked puppy and Ben was tired of being a therapist for his boss. So everyone just often said you-know-who instead of Jannik Sinner. And if Carlos had realized that, he was never telling them about it. Never asking them to stop, never asking them to mention Jannik or whatever. Himself was never saying the name.
Everyone knew the tragic story of the chocolatier and his ballerina. Well, if people could call a tragedy a ‘normal’ break-up. For Carlos, it was a tragedy. His boyfriend, the man who he had planned to marry, had left him.
When people asked Carlos when Jannik left him, he was always lying and saying that he didn’t remember the exact day. It was a lie, Carlos could tell the exact hour and the exact minute when Jannik had told him he was breaking things between them. Carlos had been holding a full bouquet of cream roses when Jannik told him he was leaving.
Carlos didn’t understand, the chocolate factory was working well and everything was going well. Carlos had even created a load of low calories and low fat candies just for his ballerina to eat candies without taking a single gram.
Of course Carlos knew that with the rise of his chocolate factory, he had less time for Jannik because he had to check on profit, on productivity on what people wanted for new collections but it hadn’t been enough to actually make him want to break up, right ?
Still for now 4 years, 2 months, 9 days and three hours -might he add the minutes or would that be too much?-Carlos was alone. The only way he was seeing Jannik was through the ballet videos that were put online. That was about it.
And of course, Carlos missed his ex-boyfriend very much. It was the only person who had ever matched him. When Carlos was too much, Jannik was just enough. When Carlos was overwhelmed, Jannik was here to balance him and to keep him grounded. And when Jannik was looking for hugs, Carlos was always, always ready to give them to him.
And most people would try to get away from this love that was holding him back to fully create. Without Jannik, Carlos’ imagination was left behind. Good, but not the blessing that it usually was. But Carlos wasn’t ‘most’ people. Carlos was letting this sorrow submerge him, his chocolates were about comfort and some of them were still a gift for Jannik even if the other wasn’t reaching for Carlos anymore.
It was then that his Masterplan had started. Carlos had been laying in bed, staring at the ceiling and petting his dog when an idea slapped him right across the face. If only he could just get Jannik to come back to the factory … then Carlos would have the possibility of winning him back. Or at least try to win him back.
Ben told him that his plan was bad when Carlos exposed it. Some workers told him it was crazy to throw that just for a man that had broken his heart. Holger told him it was borderline obsessive. But Rafa told him it was an amazing idea for business and Carlos decided he would follow Rafa’s advice which made Ben roll his eyes and grumble.
Carlos’ plan was simple. He had it written on his notes apps, spending hours to make sure that everything would go as accorded to plan. It went like this :
First, announce an event where five golden tickets would hide in chocolate bars all across the world
Second, Send only four bars with the golden tickets across the world and keep the last one in the chocolate factory
Third, beg Jannik’s big brother to not be the adult that would come with the kid and to ask Jannik to go instead
Fourth, give the last chocolate bar to Jannik’s niece and make sure that it will be Jannik that’ll come with the kid
Finally, wait for the big day and do EVERYTHING to win Jannik back
A simple plan indeed. Ben almost cried when he had realized that he would have to organize for people to come to the factory for a day, a special day. He would have to check if the people weren’t spies trying to steal the recipes and on and on.
But Carlos didn’t care, he would just pay Ben more if the other wanted. His plan was to offer the magic to Jannik again. And he was driven, Carlos would actually succeed, he was sure of it. More than sure actually.
Except that Carlos had realized just how many people were ready to give for just a chance to get one golden ticket. The world rioted for just a chance to have chocolate. In Italy, in the US, in Japan, everywhere, the shops were emptied for a chance of catching the golden ticket.
Some business men even offered millions for Carlos to give them one ticket and he for sure hadn’t planned that at all. But hey, profit was profit and Ben was less complaining when he realized just how much money this ‘marketing’ move had provided already.
And well, when finally the four tickets were found, Carlos charged Ben to go to Italy and give the chocolate bar with the golden ticket to Kiara, Jannik’s niece. And when finally, the golden ticket was proven true, Carlos was ready.
The weeks that passed for the organizations went by oh so quickly. The new room made of candies was finished, same for the sculptures and the little spectacle that he had planned to begin with. Everything was ready. And Carlos, himself, was more than ready to get his ex back in his life.
When the day came, Carlos vaguely listened to Ben who was trying to explain to him the little show that was starting the tour. And Carlos was nodding to absolutely everything even if he wasn’t really … Okay well he had to confess, he didn’t remember a single thing of what Ben had said. Not a single order. But hey, it would be fun.
And it was fun, Carlos had sneaked with the crowd of parents and children who were watching the show. It was a really fun show and Carlos clapped in his hands with the little crowd, unnoticed by them.
It was when the throne lifted that Carlos realized his mistake. So it was that … The thing that Ben may have mentioned about making a grand entrance. Perhaps Carlos should have listened, actually. But actually it was funnier to see the face of the children who weren’t understanding what was really happening right now.
“¡Fantástico!” Carlos said, everyone turning to watch him in disbelief. “Ah, I always loved shows like this.” He clapped his hands, spreading his arms. “Ladies, gentlemen and whatever you identify yourself as, let me present myself, Carlos Alcaraz Garfià !”
Carlos leaned on his cane and gestured toward the entrance. “Now if you may follow me. We need to enter this world of … well pure imagination.” He chuckled and finally his eyes crossed Jannik’s eyes. His smile widened in a way that could have been scary but that was just filled with warmth and love toward his ballerina.
“Chop chop!” Carlos said. “Vamos! We have so many things to do. So many things!” He gestured with his gloved hand, already walking fast and confidently, he knew they would follow. How could they not follow him to this world that was his world? Impossible.
And as everyone stepped inside, Carlos turned again to watch Jannik and held up his hand with a smile. “May I take your coat ?”