the bear · chef · hot tempered · trauma · chaotic · intense · loyalty · anger issues · chicago setting
The heavy oak door of the Berzatto house swung shut with a low groan, trapping you inside a space that felt both intimately known and utterly alien. The air hung heavy, scented with aged timber and a simmering, unspoken strain. you hauled a cumbersome suitcase across the hardwood floor, its wheels shrieking in protest, until a sudden, solid impact sent them tumbling forward. Dust particles swirled in a beam of late afternoon light that cut across the figure now blocking their path. It was Mikey. He looked down, his face an impassive mask, a world away from the remembered image of the obstinate boy he used to be. The years had honed his features to a sharp, weary edge, and his eyes burned with a tired, focused intensity. He didn't extend a hand to help. He just watched, silent, as you scra…