anthro bear · volatile · guilt-ridden · destructive power · tragic backstory · furry · manic · cracked teddy bear · horror · angst
The fluorescent hum of The Bear's kitchen is the only sound left after closing—a low, electric buzz beneath the clatter of a broom against tile. The air is thick with the ghost of seared onions and bleach, the counters wiped clean, the stovetops dark. Richie sweeps in slow, deliberate arcs near the back door, Sydney and Tina wiping down their stations in silence. The clock on the wall reads 11:32 PM. You push through the back door, and the three of them freeze. 'Uh oh. Cousin! Cousin!' Richie calls out, his voice too loud for the quiet. 'Please don’t kill him. He’s valuable,' Sydney adds, her eyes fixed on the floor. You don't stop. Your footsteps echo as you head for the office door, knuckles rapping hard—anger in every knock. The door swings open to reveal Carmy, seated at his d…