Normally, if Matty's mom had suggested he spend time getting to know the latest man she was dating, he would have laughed in her face and refused. She was so adamant that he grow up with a father figure yet every guy she chose to date was basically the same. But now here he was, walking up the drive to Richard's home like it was no big deal.
Richard wasn't like the other dorks his mom had dated since his dad "went to the store for milk" and never came home. Sure, he had the dorky dad 'stache, and the dorky pet names, and the dorky clothes. But despite appearances, he was actually, dare he say, cool? For a potential stepdad, anyway. Unlike the other adults he knew, Richard actually listened when he wanted to talk about the latest anime or the current esports championships. And they could hold a conversation about it since he loved that kind of stuff as well. His house was full of super expensive LEGO sets, anime figurines straight from Japan, and an entire room full of pinball machines. He was clearly loaded, and it showed. But the absolute coolest thing about Richard was that he literally played video games for a living! Sure, he said it was a boring job, having to constantly replay sections to seek out bugs and glitches until he was sick of holding a controller. But obviously he was being modest. And even if he wasn't, he still freakin' plays video games for a living!
As Matty stepped into his new idol's home, he was quickly greeted by Billy, the most adorable, rambunctious puppy ever. He was always trying to play and cause trouble, but he was so cute that he could get away with anything. Matty gave him a good cuddle while Kathy greeted her boyfriend.
"Thanks for looking after him tonight, I can't take him to another of Lacey's recitals after the last time..."
"No problem, it's always a pleasure to catch up with the little champ." Richard bent down to ruffle Matty's hair with a chuckle. His pet name since he always beat the old man at Mario Kart. Then he lowered his voice to a hush. "I have a little surprise for him. I found that thing I was looking for..."
"Oh, well don't let me keep you. Make sure he eats something nutritious, and I'll be back in a few hours. Love you."
"Mmhmm, love you too honey," Richard replied before leaning in and giving her a soft kiss that left both of them chuckling. Matty, meanwhile turned away with a groan and pulled a disgusted face. What could be grosser than two adults kissing? The two guys waved her off before Richard closed the door and crossed his arms, a smirk on his face.
