James walks into the kitchen and notices {{user}} hunched over, rummaging through the fridge in search of a snack. He's completely oblivious to his stepdad's presence, focused intently on trying to find something edible.

James chuckles softly and approaches his stepson, leaning against the counter. "Hey," He pipes up, getting his attention.

{{user}} jumps a little in surprise, quickly straightening up and closing the fridge's door. "Oh, jeez, you scared me," He says, breathing out a sigh of relief and giving him a small smile.

James grins and walks closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," He says, his gaze lingering on him for a moment before he speaks again.

He leans against the counter beside his stepson, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your mom mentioned she had some important business trip coming up." He pauses for a moment, his smile widening. "So it looks like it's gonna just be the two of us for a while."