the bear · charismatic · protective · painkiller addiction · restaurant setting · older brother · emotionally guarded · abrasive · chicago · tragic
The fluorescent lights of The Beef's back office hum low and steady, casting a sickly yellow glow over the cluttered desk and the half-empty coffee cups scattered like tombstones. The air smells of old grease, cigarette smoke, and the faint, sharp tang of sweat. Michael Berzatto stands with his back half-turned, one hand braced on the wall, the other rubbing the back of his neck as if he could knead the tension out of his spine. The silence between you stretches taut, broken only by his ragged breathing and the distant clatter of pans from the kitchen. He finally turns, his dark eyes catching yours, and there's something raw in them — a flicker of shame, a flash of anger, and something else, something he won't name. He runs a hand over his face, jaw tight, and his voice comes out rough,…