━━━━ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 !
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓
Upon entering the Byers' residence, the crew was welcomed with the familiar aroma of cooked rice and a handful of seasonings. Some sort of bizarre opera music was blaring on the radio, which was extremely unusual. Will knew for a fact that his mother would never listen to that genre of music.
"Mom?" The youngest of the Byers boys called out with a hint of anxiousness. He briefly scanned the downstairs of the house in hopes to locate his mother.
After stepping into the living room, the teenagers identified a figure maneuvering throughout the kitchen. However, it most definitely wasn't the petite, bubbly woman they were expecting to find. Instead, they were met with the one and only Murray Bauman, who had seemingly made himself at home by preparing a feast.
What the hell was he doing in California? More importantly, what was he doing in their house?
"Well, well! Aren't you lot a sight for sore eyes, huh?" He hollered, pivoting around to face the group of five.
Murray wore a patterned apron with a pastel color scheme. It looked as if it belonged to an eighty-year-old grandmother, not a man in his mid-forties. He fumbled with the wooden spoon in his hand while he concocted the mysterious meal.
"Hi, Murray," Jonathan smiled and waved, the marijuana causing him to be completely unfazed by the partially-bald man's unexpected presence.
"You kids like risotto?" Murray asked in an eager tone before pointing a finger at Will. "I know the birthday boy does!"
Murray was unequivocally right about that. Risotto was one of Will's favorite dishes of all time. The brunette boy tried not to crack a smile at the thought of a special dinner being assembled in honor of his fifteenth birthday.
"How did you know?" He queried.
"I know everything, William. Never underestimate my abilities," Murray replied with a wink.
With someone as crazy as Murray Bauman in the house, this particular dinner was going to be one to remember.
˗ˏˋ꒰ 🎱 ꒱
"So there I was, headed down the I-5, going to see a client out in Ventura," Murray explained as everyone dug into their meals. "I'm looking for a motel to stay for the night, and suddenly, bam! It hits me! Didn't the Byers move here?"
"Small world, isn't it?" Joyce chuckled.
The kids, however, didn't find his commentary humorous in the slightest. They just gulped the risotto down in silence, still shaken up from the events at the roller rink.
"So I thought, hey, you know what? Why don't I drop in and say hello to my old friends?" The partially-bald man laughed.
"It's so sweet of you," Joyce grinned.
"Sweeter of you to let me stay," Murray chuckled.
Will cringed to himself. Were they . . . flirting? He almost choked on his dinner at the thought of that being a possibility. The last thing he needed in his life was Murray Bauman as his step-father.
YOU ARE READING
✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)
Fanfiction｡･: ▍𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 Will Byers and Mike Wheeler were practically inseparable. They had been best friends for nearly a decade and planned to remain that way for eternity. Nobody was capable of destroying the unique bond they shared except for Will's step-s...
