The House by the River

Chapter 14

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Third Person POV

"There is someone at the door," Title said when he heard the knock just right after he handed Gun a blanket to cover Mark's bare torso.

Gun was about to get up from his kneeling position beside the couch where Mark was lying but Title said, "I'll take care of it. Just stay here beside Mark."

Title went to open the door just as Neo was about to knock again.

"Hi," Neo said, "is Cooheart here?"

"Who are you?" Title asked.

"I am his friend," Neo replied. Title wondered how many more boyfriends Cooheart had tucked up under his belt. "My name is Neo."

"Come inside," Title said. "I will go get him."

"It's okay," Neo said. "I will wait for him out here in the porch."

"Suit yourself," Title said and went looking for Cooheart.

Title found Cooheart in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"There's someone outside in the porch asking to see you," Title said to Cooheart, watching Cooheart closely for a reaction. "He says his name is Neo."

"Oh shit, did you tell him I was here?" Cooheart asked.

"Do you want me to tell him to leave?" Title asked.

"Umm... " Title watched Cooheart's face. It was full of indecision. Title waited.

Cooheart set his glass down on the kitchen counter.

"I will go talk to him," Cooheart said, walking out of the kitchen.

Title sighed.

"What is so urgent that you had to come over instead of texting me or calling me?" was how Cooheart greeted Neo as he stood by the door.

"Kao sent me," Neo replied. "He is beside himself with worry."

Cooheart opened his mouth to speak but Neo raised his hand to motion to Cooheart that he had more to say.

"He had called you many times after you left our house but you kept ignoring his calls," Neo continued. "There was no way to know if you got safely back here or not. He would have driven here himself but it is too risky for him to drive in his emotional state."

"Why are you doing this for him?" Cooheart was puzzled. "I thought you had a fist fight with him just before I left."

"I got worried that he would lose his mind, seeing as he was frantically pacing inside his room, not knowing what to do, because our father has forbidden both him and myself from ever seeing you again. I just sneaked out of the house for my brother's sake and here I am. I know I will be in so much trouble with my father when I get back," Neo halted his little speech to take in some much needed air.

"  ...  because our father has forbidden both him and myself from ever seeing you again ... "  the words circled around Cooheart's brain.  "  ...  I will be in so much trouble with my father when I get back  ... "

Cooheart took a deep breath.

"I think it's best that you go back home," Cooheart said. "Tell Kao that you saw me and that I'm alright. Tell him that it's best that you obey your father's wishes."

Neo grabbed both of Cooheart's wrists and pleaded, "Please, Cooheart, can't you give my brother another chance?"

"He should have come here himself," Cooheart said, his voice firm and cold. "I don't deal with ambassadors, even if they are ambassadors of good will. Please go."

Neo's chest heaved out a deep sigh before he turned around and went back the way he came.

Cooheart opened the front door to go back inside the living room and heard a heavy thud on the floor. He looked behind the door to see Title on the floor giving him a sheepish smile.

"Have you been eavesdropping on my conversation with Neo?" Cooheart asked, one eyebrow raised so high that it almost touched his hairline.