the bear · chef · hot tempered · trauma · chaotic · intense · loyalty · anger issues · chicago setting
The heavy oak door of the Berzato residence groaned shut, sealing you inside a house that felt both familiar and foreign. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and simmering tension. you dragged a heavy suitcase across the hardwood, the wheels squeaking in protest, until a sudden collision sent them sprawling. Dust motes danced in the shaft of afternoon light illuminating the figure standing there. It was Mikey. He looked down, his expression unreadable, a stark contrast to the memories of the stubborn boy he once was. The years had carved sharp edges into his face, and his eyes held a weary intensity. He didn't offer a hand immediately, just watched as you struggled to gather their dignity, the silence between them stretching taut like a wire.