Gilbert sat in the car looking out yet again looking at Canada. It was very different than the islands he had visited. The islands had trees with huge leaves and fruit. Canada had trees with many tiny leaves and no fruit. The birds not as colourful but still beautiful. He sat there in awe for a while until Matthew tapped his shoulder.
"Gilbert, would y-you like to have some dinner?" He asked.
The young merman hadn't even thought about his stomach until now. It gave a loud rumble and Matthew laughed.
" I'll take that as a yes." He said and drove to a small building. Matthew unbuckled and got out. Gilbert looked down at the small black box that kept the odd cloth thing called a seat belt from going back to it's original position. He noticed a red thing and pushed it and the seat belt came out. He awed for a second then stopped thinking it was so unawesome to be amazed by it. He put it back where it was and got out too. The two walked up the restaurant and Matthew opened the door for Gilbert. He walked in and opened the next door for Matthew and Matthew walked in saying a small 'thank you' while doing so. The duo stood there for a second before a young woman came over.
" How many?" She asked.
" Two." Matthew said quietly.
The woman looked at Gilbert, " Going on a date I see. Shouldn't you have picked her up first though?"
Gilbert stood there for a second. " Nein, the awesome me doesn't have time for girlfriends right now. I'm here with my new friend." He pointed to Matthew while saying so.
The woman then noticed Matthew and blushed. " Sorry sir, I didn't see you there."
Matthew just smiled and said, " It's fine, I'm used to it."
The woman then led them to a table and they sat down.
Gilbert looked around at where they were sitting noticing different decorations in places and many other people at different tables.
" So where are we?" He finally asked.
Matthew looked at Gilbert after being distracted by something that had been outside, " Welcome to Village Inn."
They eventually ordered their pancakes and the waiter brought their orders to them a while after that. Gilbert cut off a piece and took a bite.
"This is good." He said.
Matthew grabbed a small bottle and poured an odd substance onto his pancakes. " Try them with this." He said.
Gilbert cut off another piece and took a bite.
" This is even better!" Gilbert said excitedly.
Matthew giggled a bit at seeing Gilbert excited over pancakes.
"when we get to my house I'll have to make you my pancakes, most people say they are better than this." Matthew said and Gilbert smiled really excited about this new food.
The two finished their pancakes and headed back to the car. This time Gilbert managed to buckle the seat belt by himself and smiled really wide. " Kesesesese, I'm so awesome, I got it on my second try."
Matthew laughed a little and buckled up and began the rest of the long drive home.
Sometime in the afternoon the next day Matthew pulled up to a small apartment building and unbuckled. Gilbert did too and walked out to see many doors and a large building.
"This whole building is your house?" He asked in awe.
" No just one of the small buildings in there." Matthew said while pulling out two bags from his trunk.
Gilbert looked over to see Matthew holding the two bags and ran over.
"I can carry one for you." He offered and Matthew smiled nodded and handed Gilbert one of the bags. The two headed towards the large building and went down a few stairs leading to a door. Matthew took out a collection of odd looking little metal things and put on in and opened the door. The two walked in and walked up some stairs to three more doors. Matthew opened one of them and placed the bag on the floor. Gilbert placed the bag he was carrying next to the other bag.
" Let me take you to where you will be staying." Matthew said and led him to one if the other doors and opened it to reveal a small room with an old bed.
"It's not much but it should do. There's a dresser for clothes, wait, you don't have any extra clothes do you?"
" No, didn't have a way to carry clothes with me." Gilbert replied.
Matthew stood there for a second thinking. " You're just slightly shorter than me so you can borrow clothes for tonight and tomorrow, and we can go get you your own tomorrow."
" Do all clothes look like yours?" Gilbert asked looking at Matthew's white hoodie with an odd shape he didn't know the name of.
" No. There are many different styles of clothes, that's why I want to get you your own." Matthew said.
" I can't wait to see them." Gilbert said with a large smile obviously very excited.
Matthew smiled and giggled a little at the boy's excitement. Matthew walked out of the room leaving Gilbert alone. He walked around the room finding a small square shaped hole area in the wall with a bar, a large wooden box thing, a window which he could see the front yard of the house from and a table thing. He sat on the chair next to the table thing.
The next day Gilbert opened his eyes and looked out the window to see a yard below. He smiled and got up. He stretched before heading downstairs to find Matthew making pancakes. Gilbert walked over and watched Matthew flip the pancakes catching everyone after flipping them into air. When he finished he poured maple syrup over two stacks and handed one to Gilbert.
"Good morning." Matthew said.
"Guten Morgen." Gilbert said back and sat down at the dining room table. Gilbert took a bite of his pancakes and put down his fork.
"This is amazing."
Matthew smiled, "Thank you."
The two ate the rest of the time in silence and then started to get ready for the day.