The Long Way Home

Five

Matthew decided that, if he were to have two people in his house for such an unknown amount of time, he would have to let Kumajiro get used to Peter.
"Hey, let me show you something." The Canadian said the morning before Gilbert was supposed to arrive. Peter looked up from the giant plate of waffles Lars had brought over the day before. The editor had gotten them from his sister and Matthew reheated them in the oven before coating them in maple syrup and bestowing them upon the child.
"What is it?"
"I want you to meet my pet."
"Is it a dragon?"
"No. But it's still cool."
"A lizard?"
"Try again."
"A frog?"
"It's a mammal."
"A moose?"
"Okay, that's racist!"
"Then what is it?"
"He's a polar bear."
"Do you ride it to school?"
"No!"
"Does it live in your igloo?"
"Why are you like this?"
"Does it drink bagged milk too?"
"Stawp!"
"What's his name?"
"Kumawasabi? Probably..."
"You don't know his name?"
"Not really...no..."
"Why do you have a polar bear?"
"Honestly??? I have no idea...a certain somebody is too lazy to come up with an explanation this time." Matthew shrugged. "You wanna see him?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay. But be careful. He bites."
"Got it!" Peter finished his breakfast and hopped out of the chair.
Matthew led him to his bedroom door and opened it slowly, seeing Kumajiro poking his head up from the bed where he was chewing on one of Matthew's hockey pucks.
"You little weasel!" Matthew snapped his fingers and Kuma spit the puck out, hopping onto the floor.
"Okay, Peter. Approach him slowly."
Peter held out his hand and walked toward the creature, letting it sniff his hand. He licked it, showing that he was pleased.
Or maybe he was tasting him....
"He's so small."
"He's got dwarfism."
"Can I give him a treat."
Kuma's ears perked up at that nasty little word. He may be a dickhead and a sook but he knew what "treat" meant.
"I guess you have to now that you said that."
"What does he eat?"
"Sardines."
"Ew!"
"I'll go get some." Matthew left the room, nervous about doing so since Kumajiro could probably eat the boy alive.
He came back with a can of sardines which he opened and handed to the child.
"Can I just give him the can?"
"No! He could cut his mouth."
"But I don't want to touch them!"
"Don't be such a baby!" Matthew giggled. He plucked a fish out of the tin and held it out for the bear who gobbled it up. "It's easy."
Peter nervously took a sardine out of the tin, cringing as he threw it into Kuma's mouth.
"There. See."
Peter smiled. "Yeah..."
"That wasn't so bad."
"Can I give him another."
"G'head."
The tiny Brit beamed as he started to feed the bear fish after fish until the can was empty. Kuma licked his face and looked generally happy.
"I think you won him over." Matthew petted his brother's hair.
"Can we have ice cream for dinner?"
"No. We cannot have ice cream for dinner."
"Why not?"
"Because it's ice cream."
"Can we have chips?"
"No."
"But chips are dinner..."
"Are we talking aboot the same kinds of chips?"
"Probably not."
"French fries it is."