“Keep talking, asshole and we’ll see who ends up hungry.” Mateo answered, actually having to fake a glare for once as he watch Third wrinkle up his noise at the kiss, barely fighting down a giggle as he wrapped an arm around Lino’s neck. The little boy didn’t even flinch at the curse word coming from his father’s mouth, even as Mateo winced. He had been trying to curb the habit around his son but that wasn’t going too well. Third was even starting to pick up a word or three and he was lucky that so far his son had only been saying the Spanish ones at daycare. Speaking of words, Third had immediately launched into a full account of his day.
“Bobby Green made fun of me again ‘cause my mamá’s not around like his but I said I don’t want an ugly mamá like his anyway!” Third continued on with something about juiceboxes and a caterpillar, gesturing emphatically and speaking very seriously to his ‘uncle’ and Mateo left them to it. He moved back to the kitchen, expecting the two to follow, and padded back over to the stove and his rapidly boiling pot. Mateo wouldn’t exactly call himself a pessimist, more a realist, but hearing the words ‘big news’ usually sent his brain into pretty dark places. ‘Big News’ could mean anything from someone in their family falling ill to someone getting hit by a train. The smile on Lino’s face and the brightness in his eyes made him doubt it was anything too terrible though, Lino was the type to be devastated by someone else’s hurt not delighted. It must be good news then and god knew Lino needed something to be excited over.
“I will start eating alone in the next ten seconds!” He called over his shoulder, spooning large helpings of the stew into two bowls for him and Lino and another into a smaller bowl for Third. Depending on how serious whatever it was that Lino wanted to tell him, it might be better to just send his son to eat in front of the television though he would no doubt throw a fit. Mateo didn’t tolerate tantrums so the kid would just have to get over it or miss out on his nightly dessert. That usually kept him in line.