Pretty Boy— The Neighbourhood

sᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴏɴᴇ, ❝ ʙʀɪɢᴀᴅᴇ ❞

𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐂𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐖𝐀-𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃

𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐑 needed a job. He didn't but, he was tired of asking his mother for money. He saw the way she had struggled to provide them with things when she thought no one was looking. It made him feel guilty, guilt that he didn't cause.

When he was a child, his mom used to take him and his sister to visit his dad at work. His uncle Mikey would offer them ice cream— even his mom, and tell big heavily exaggerated stories. Mikey always said, "If you ever wanna job, call your uncle Mikey."

Bear's dad didn't want him working there and said he was meant for bigger and better things. Right now, he didn't want bigger and better he wants now and stability. So, as he cruised down the street on his skateboard, Bear slowed down til he was in front of 'THE ORIGINAL BEEF OF CHICAGOLAND"

The teen walked into the restaurant hearing the familiar chime above his head. Bear walks in, skateboard in hand with a nervous look on his face. He looks around the unusually quiet area with a confused expression.

The first person to greet him was an awkward Sydney who gave a quick smile and then looked confused. "um– we're closed right now..." she glanced at the open sign that was behind the boy.

He glances back then to her, fumbling with his skateboard wheels he walks to meet her halfway. "I– I was wondering if I could apply here?" he stumbles scratching his head while Sydney's eyes grow wide.

"Could you give me a second? Thanks— RICHIE!" she walks back into the kitchen.

CARMEN BERZATTO

Running a restaurant takes a lot of strength and criticism. But Carmen, was never one for that, he struggled at taking others' opinions but who doesn't? Criticism is what makes a restaurant a restaurant. Every now in then, Carmen would scroll through the Yelp reviews with a scowl on his face.

"unorganized"

"loud"

"messy"

They went on and on— Carmen was tired of the constant bickering. All he wanted was a minute to himself to think. Think of a plan to keep the business running smoothly but, there were some issues.

Carmen had a short temper just like his brother, he wouldn't admit it but Richie would. He was so hellbent on making sure everything was straight that he hadn't been getting much sleep or any at all.

If only Mikey was here, he'd say something like "Slow down, Carmy, you can't bake a cake on high heat, just because you want a quick snack" To this day he doesn't understand, maybe one day he would.

"RICHIE! Rich—" Sydney spotted Carmen checking paperwork or just staring at it. "Uh, have you seen Richie?" she continued to look around the fairly empty kitchen.

"No, he's won't be here 'till later, why?" Carmen asked still not looking at the sous chef. Not getting an answer back he tried again, "Why?" Sydney only sighed before opening the kitchen door slightly. Carmen caught sight of the freckled boy — Maria's son.

He stood oddly placed in the corner of the shop as if he had been planning an escape. From what Tina and Richie had said, he had been skittish since his dad's departure. Though he sounded like a dick, Carmen felt bad for the boy and his siblings.

"Can I help you?" simple question yet the teenager stammered with no response only fumbling with his skateboard wheels. If the man hadn't known better he'd thought he was about to have a panic attack.

Bear's quick breathing slowed down an impressive pace, his face a beat red but that wasn't important.
"I- I-, um, are you hiring?" his word fell out as if he read the book The Tortoise and The Hare.

slow and steady wins the race

Back to his question, they weren't hiring. Yet Carmen saw through the sweaty palms and rushed out speech, he saw himself. An ambitious kid with a lot to say and no way of saying it.

So, Carmen said, "Do you know how to chop vegetables?" to which Bear sighed in relief.

Once getting him to speak, Bear was very interesting, to say the least. He had much to say about himself, his family, mostly his mom. From what Carmen got Maria was a teacher at a poorly funded school which happened to be the school Sydney's sister works at—half as she says.

She's an art teacher who had originally planned to be a kindergarten teacher. And she also couldn't cook, "Yes— I'm for real! She burnt eggs!" Bear laughs as Carmen shakes his head trying to conceal his smile.

"I love my mom but, she shouldn't be near a stove for too long," Bear whispered to Carmen as if his mom would pop up any moment. The man laughed, a real laugh not an uncomfortable one, Bear reminded him of Mikey, the good parts.

Bear was a good kid, shy but filled with unreleased anger. Throughout the interview, Carmen noticed he slowly stopped fumbling with his hands and began to loosen up. That made the chef feel relieved in a way.

To be uncomfortable in a workplace is like swimming in formal wear. It makes absolutely no sense but, shouldn't happen.

"Now for the serious question, why do you want to work here?"

Nobody wants to work here, but everyone has to eat.

Bear took a breath, "My dad used to work here, with Uncle Mikey..." the Berzatto paused his movement. "in a way I feel like I'm being close to him while learning new things." It wasn't an answer that you'd give any other employer but Carmen took it.

The picture behind Bear drew his gaze, two ghosts haunted the office with a strong presence. Kota and Mikey smiling shoulder to shoulder near a lake. The lake that Carmen visited before going to work. Maybe it was a sign.

Carmen and Bear weren't Mikey and Kota but, something fresher. Right now, they were just a teen looking for a job and a tired restaurant owner. Just two people in a big city.

"You're hired"

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

sorry this took me so long, i don't have hulu anymore so i haven't been watching The Bear. i'm up to date with Abbott Elementary though.

what's frustrating is i forgot the font name for "Love" so it looks off to me, ignore it pls!

So Bear has a job, yay! this is a short chapter, i'll be trying to restart The Bear... again.

There's a lot of unnecessary metaphors in this chapter, can you tell I'm sleep-deprived?

next chapter will hopefully be longer.

Don't forget to Vote and Comment( if possible)!

Go read (Parental Advisory)!

a euphoria/son of anarchy au, "twenty-seven-year old Zoey O'Neil escapes the law with her adoptive brother Fezco along with her sons—Ashton and Kevin. After killing a man who tried to the set them up. Escaping death and/or a life sentence , Zoey decided it's time to meet her biological family in Charming, California."