The Long Way Home

Ten

I've got a crap ton of assignments to finish up and no time to write so I'm taking another week off. I'll be back on Easter Monday.

"These all look exactly like I pictured." Matthew complemented softly.
"Awesome!" Gilbert gave Matthew a thumbs up.
"Can we go out and do something?" Peter asked.
The Canadian looked at the smaller boy, trying to decide. "Where do you want to go?"
"It's summer! We should go to the beach."
"There aren't any beaches around here. But we can go to the pool."
"Yay!"
"Do you guys have swimsuits at all?"
"I do!"
"I do not." Gilbert admitted.
"I'll let you borrow one of mine." Matthew promised. He got up from his chair and went to his room to track one down.
He found a pair that was black and had a little dragon in the corner. He wasn't sure where they came from but he figured they were a gift from one of his uncles. He came out of the bedroom and tossed the clothes at his guest. Peter already had his swimsuit and a stack of towels in his arms. He was wearing goggles over his baby blue eyes.
"Yay! Let's go!" He cheered.
"I don't drive so you'll have to walk." Matthew warned.
"Awwww. Really?!" Peter whined.
"I'll give jou a piggy back ride!" Gilbert offered enthusiastically.
"YESYESYESYESYESYES!"
"Calm down, child." Matthew rolled his eyes as Peter launched himself onto Gilbert's back. The two strolled out the door like they had been friends for years.
The pool wasn't that far away. They only had to walk a few blocks. To get to the pool. It was funny how it was so close but Matthew hasn't gone in years. Going swimming alone just wasn't fun.
He had forgotten that dry feeling of chlorine in the air. Maybe he should have invited Lars? Did Lars swim or did he just walk on water like some sort of vengeful God? Did he even take that scarf off?
It dawned on Matthew that he had never seen his editor naked but Lars had walked in on him many times. This wasn't fair!
"Vhat are jou zhinking about?" Gilbert asked.
"Oh....um...just the usual stuff...what I'm gonna eat for dinner...the dire consequences of capitalism....flowers..."
"Flowers?"
"Yeah! Like the ones the Netherlands bred specifically for Canada's one hundred and fiftieth birthday."
"Zhey made flowers for zhat?"
"Yes. They're tulips that look like the Canadian flag. They even have a little maple leaf on them, right above the flames we love so much."
"Flames?"
"For is good for everything." Matthew explained as Gilbert set Peter down and let him run off to change. "It can keep you warm, cook up a fresh Digby scallop, make drinking with your friends twice as fun, and burn down your neighbouring country's political buildings."
"Haha vhat?"
"Haha nothing."
"Let's just get changed."
"Good idea."
The three of them met back up around the edge of the pool, fully clad in swimwear. Gilbert looked pretty hot in those swim trunks.
There weren't many people around that day, just a bored teenaged life guard and a family playing in the kiddie pool. That meant they had the whole deep pool to themselves.
"Peter, jou vant me to zhrow jou in?" Gil offered.
"Yeah!"
"Awesome! Mattie, help me out here."
Matthew nodded and the two took a pair of the boy's limbs each. Matthew had his arms and Gilbert has his legs. They swung him a few times, counting to three before they let him go. He landed in the water pretty hard and Matthew was afraid he would get hurt, but the boy popped up, a smile on his face.
"Again!" He requested gleefully.
Matthew smirked. Having Peter around was surprisingly a blast.