((Sorry for the long wait! I actually had this done a long time ago, but my internet cut out so I couldn't post it! I'm almost done with the next chapter, I just have a bit of editing to do first...))

Alfred woke up with his arms splayed out over the bed like he did every morning. He didn't open his eyes yet, but he groaned and covered his face in his quilt as the bright light from outside tickled at his eyelids- begging to be let in. Eventually he rolled over, knocking his hands onto something squishy.

Alfred's memories groggily returned to him as he opened his eyes to stare at the merman who was lying on his side. Arthur was fast asleep, his cheek pressed into the pillow and a portion of the blankets wrapped in his arms.

Alfred removed his hand from Arthur's tail, but placed it on his body again, this time at the point where his tail connected to the rest of his body. Alfred rubbed his thumb in a zigzag pattern, comparing the two textures of skin.

Arthur's tail was definitely more dolphin-like than fish-like, and now that he had time to examine it more closely, he could see how even the fins closely resembled that of a dolphin. He'd have to look up dolphin physiology later... see how exactly they would...

Alfred snapped the perverted thought from his mind. Although, he was curious. He instead decided to look up how to mend broken bones. After scrolling past several articles saying to immediately take the person to the hospital, he found that he had more or less done the right thing. He'd have to adjust the splint he had made a bit, but other than that it was perfect.

Alfred was a little bit more excited than he'd care to admit to get to touch Arthur again. In a moment of selfishness and lack of self-will Alfred looked up dolphin physiology. Although he didn't get to anything good before Arthur started to stir and the laptop was shut quickly in Alfred's panic.

"Morning, Arthur!" Alfred said quickly.

"Good morning..." Arthur said slowly while rubbing his eyes. He didn't seem to notice Alfred's previous panic.

"So are you hungry?" Alfred asked, recovering from his panicked state.

"I suppose."

"Um, what do you eat?" Alfred asked.

"Anything is fine," Arthur said either misunderstanding or completely ignoring the question.

"So if I gave you orange juice cake while I went grocery shopping, that'd be okay?"

"Like I said, 'anything is fine',"

"Do you want me to pick up anything specific for you at the store?" Alfred asked after retrieving the cake.

"Hmmm... Maybe some sardines... and tea," Arthur said after giving it some thought

"Sardines and tea?" Alfred said skeptically.

"Yes! Bloody sardines and tea!" Arthur flicked his tail in annoyance. Alfred would have to remember to fix the splint when he got back.

After picking up the tea and sardines, Alfred pondered what he should get for himself. This shopping trip was most of his vacation food, so he had to pick carefully. He picked out four different kinds of cereal and got a jumbo box of each, and a gallon of milk to go with them. He bought some pre-made sandwiches, two or three canned soups, three boxes of cup ramen, hotdogs, and burger buns. Then he picked up enough box dinner meals to last him his entire vacation. Lastly he bought five containers of multi-flavored ice cream, four bags of chips, and 5 boxes of soda.

((As an American, I can confirm that apart from the 5 things of ice cream and nothing but cereal for breakfast, this is pretty much how we shop. Although I think soda is gross... But my mom drinks 2-4 cans a day. Also, I usually skip breakfast because I wake up at like 2 in the afternoon, so I usually just start with ramen for lunch... Also, my family usually buys 4-5 gallons of milk per week as opposed to just one. We like milk.))

As he was checking out, Alfred saw a nifty light saber pen (that he would never use and would break within a week) and bought it on impulse. He also bought four candy bars that wouldn't survive the car ride home.

((Ah, Americans and impulse buying... Wait, I did that just yesterday... But the candy was so worth it XD And besides, stores in America are specifically designed to make you want to buy stuff you don't need or will ever use...))

Alfred finally made it back to the house and carried the grocery bags in. He threw away the candy wrappers before getting the next load of bags. He put everything away before making Arthur a cup of tea and pulling a few sardines out of their container.

"Arthur?" he asked as he opened the door.

"What took you so long?" Arthur asked looking bored and annoyed.

"I told you, the nearest town is a ways away. Anyway, I need to fix your splint, so drink you tea or whatever while I work on it." Alfred set the tea and sardines on a bedside table as he went to fix the splint.

Alfred had just started undoing the splint when Arthur suddenly jerked and spit out his tea.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"No. It's the tea!"

"What about it?"

"It's sweet!"

"It's sweet tea."

"No, this is sugar water."

"Ugh, fine, I'll make you a new cup once I'm done." Alfred said. Arthur gave him a look. Alfred sighed. "Fine, I'll make it now." He got up, took the glass from Arthur, and went to make him a new one.

"How's that?" Alfred said, handing the fresh cup to Arthur.

"Better."

Alfred continued working on the splint, before closing it up again tighter. It was skin tight, but not so tight that it would cut off circulation. He patted it lightly.

"There, how's that feel?"

"Fine," Arthur said, finishing the last of his tea.

"Good. So, uh, you'll probably have to stay here for 6 weeks until that's healed."

"That long?"

"That's what the website said anyway. I'm on vacation for two and a half months, so it's not a problem."

"Vacation?"

"Yeah, I actually live up in New York. I'm just on vacation from my work for a while."

"Oh..." Arthur mumbled. 'So you can't stay here then...' "So what do you do? For work, I mean."

"I run an advertisement company. A friend of mine used to run it, but he passed away and he made me the new head. What about you? Do mermen have jobs?"

"Oh, yeah. I work at a shellfish trading business."

"Really?"

"No, of course not. What do you think I am, a sea otter?" Alfred didn't respond to that. Arthur sighed. "It's not like it is here. People don't usually have 'jobs'. It's just if you owe someone a favor then you do it. There's this one boy near where I live who keeps trying to do things for me because he wants a favor. But he keeps getting into trouble and he owes me more favors than anyone else!"

"What favor does he want?" Alfred asked. Arthur sighed.

"He wants me to take him to England, on land."

"Wait, is that where you live?"

"Off the coast of, yes."

Alfred smiled, "So you are English!"

"I am not! I am not from England, I'm from near England. Those are two entirely different things!"

"Alright, alright fine. So what are you doing all the way over here anyway?"

"That's none of your bloody business."

Alfred laughed and stuck his tongue out at Arthur like a child. Arthur considered doing the same before deciding that he was too much of a gentleman to partake in such childish spite games.

"So back to this whole favors business," Alfred said after a while, "does that mean you owe me a favor?" he said gesturing to Arthur's tail.

"Wha-? I..." Arthur grumbled, "I suppose so..."

"I'll have to think about what I want then." Alfred smiled. Except Alfred already knew exactly what he wanted...

((For anyone who was wondering, the boy that Arthur mentioned would be none other than Peter Kirkland, AKA Sealand! Who very much does live off the coast of England.))