Ash led Coby back to the house, helping him up the stairs when he stumbled on the second step.

“Oh, shit, I forgot to mention to watch your step,” Ash said, holding Coby’s arm to steady him. “The stairs are a bit old, especially that one.”

“I really need to fix that,” Abel sighed, pulling open the screen door. “Lynn almost snapped her ankle on it the other day.”

Once inside, it took Coby’s eyes a second to adjust to the lighting after the brightness of the world outside. When he’d blinked a few times to clear his vision, his eyes widened.

“Wow,” he mumbled, taking a few cautious steps inside. “Your house is beautiful.”

Ash shrugged, walking past him and heading to the right. “It’s alright, I guess.”

Coby followed him, taking in all he could as they made their way to the dining room. The house was open and airy, the walls covered in photographs, art, and needlework. The furniture wasn’t new, but it looked comfortable. The place wasn’t spotless, but neither was it a mess.

This house was a home, lived in and well-loved. 

They passed the staircase that led to the second floor and Coby couldn’t help but notice notches carved into the wood of the bannister. He made a mental note to ask Ash about that later. They walked through a smaller room, similar to the one in the front of the house, but filled with more electronics, a desk, two chairs, and a sofa. There was also a large amount of toys scattered around the room; dolls, children’s books, a large dollhouse in the corner, and other random playthings. Not to mention shoes, jackets, sweaters, and clothing that a little girl might wear.

“I’m gone three days and Sophie can’t pick up after herself, seriously?” Ash grumbled, passing through a curved entryway that led into the kitchen and adjoining dining room. 

Once again Coby was struck by how informal and comfortable everything was. The mahogany table was old and scarred, the chairs sitting at odd angles around it, as though whoever had been in them last had jumped up without pushing them back in. His expression brightened when he saw three plates sitting in front of three chairs, filled with food, most of which he’d never seen before.

Ash pulled out one of the chairs, gesturing for him to sit, while he took the place right next to him. Abel sat across from Ash with a grunt, handing each of them a bottle of water.

“No lemonade?” Ash teased.

Abel rolled his eyes, picking up his sandwich. “I haven’t had time to go to the store.”

Ash shrugged. “It’s fine, I can go later. I wanted to pick up some stuff for dinner, anyway.”

Coby stared at his plate while the two men talked amiably about basic home life, unsure of the etiquette he was meant to follow. The food wasn’t set up in any particular order, and there was only one tool provided with which to consume it all. 

Ash glanced over at him, sandwich in one hand, forkful of potato salad in the other. “What’s wrong?” he asked, worried Coby didn’t like the meal.

Coby glanced between the two men, back at his plate, to the fork, and then back at Ash. “Um…I don’t know what I’m supposed to eat first,” he said, shifting nervously in his chair. “Which is the main course?”

Abel and Ash shared a look before both of them grinned. Abel chuckled, setting down his sandwich. “Whichever one you want it to be, son,” he said. “I’m sorry, I forgot things are done differently where you’re from.”

Coby relaxed, smiling. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m sure I have a lot to learn up here.”

“That you do,” Abel said with a smile. 

“So, uh,” Coby said, pointing to each item on his plate. “Can you tell me what all of this is?”

Abel patiently explained each item to Coby, from the tuna fish sandwich, to the potato salad, and the peach slices, a fruit he hadn’t had at the hospital. Ash watched with a small smile, taking in Coby’s eager expressions and the glint of delight in his eyes when he tried each food in turn. He chuckled when a little of the peach juice ran down Coby’s chin and he hurriedly stopped it with his hand before it hit the table.

He handed Coby a napkin and the merman smiled gratefully at him. 

“I guess you really like that peach,” Ash chuckled.

Coby nodded. “It’s delicious,” he said, popping another slice into his mouth.

“Glad you think so,” Abel said with a smile. He pointed his fork toward the window that overlooked the front of the house. “It came from that tree out there.”

Coby’s eyes went wide. “You grow your own fruit?” he exclaimed.

“Just peaches,” the older man laughed. “My wife planted that tree years ago, back when Ash’s brother was still in diapers. It took a long time, but once it started bearing fruit, it never really stopped.”

“You have a brother?” Coby said, turning his eyes on Ash.

Ash glowered into his plate, pushing the remains of his potato salad around his plate. “Mhm,” he responded. 

“How come you didn’t talk about him?”

“Because he’s an asshole—”

“Ashley,” Abel warned, shutting Ash up before he could continue his venomous attack against his older brother.

Ash’s jaw clenched but he took the hint and said nothing.

Abel sat back in his chair, arms folded over his chest. “Speaking of Rhett.”

Ash groaned, already knowing what was coming and hating it.

“He wants you to go see him tomorrow.”

“Why?” Ash moaned, sounding every bit like a petulant child. “What could he possibly want now?””

“Dunno,” Abel said, shrugging one shoulder. “That’s for you to find out.”

“If he wants my help this weekend, he’s shit out of luck.”

“Is that because you’ll be working on your school work, or hanging out with Coby?”

Ash hesitated, staring blankly at his father. “Both.”

“Ash, go see your brother.”

“Dad!” Ash whined, dropping his head back, his arms dangling at his sides. Coby couldn’t help but grin, hiding it behind one hand. Ash might be twenty-one, but he was acting more like a sullen teenager being forced to participate in a family event he had zero interest in. “I just got home, can’t he wait another five or six months? Or decades?”

“For god’s sake, don’t be so dramatic, boy. It’s not like I’m sending you to death row.”

“May as well be,” Ash grumbled.

“I’ll go with you,” Coby offered quickly. Ash sat up so quickly, his head swam. “If you want.”

Ash stared at him, dumbstruck. “Seriously?”

Coby shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

“Beee-cause he’s a dick?”

“Ashley, I swear on everything I hold sacred, I will slap you over the head so hard, you’ll be seeing stars for months,” Abel said, eyes hooded.

“What? He is!”

“Ash!”

“I’d really like to go,” Coby said, his soft voice shutting both of the men up instantly. “I’m going to be here for a while, anyway, so I might as well make myself known to your whole family, right?”

Ash sighed, his gaze dancing over Coby’s calm expression, his beautiful blue eyes piercing into him like glaciers. As much as he hated to admit it, Coby was right. Eventually he would end up meeting Rhett anyway, so it was better just to rip the band-aid off and get it over with sooner rather than later.

“Fine,” he said with resignation. “But I’m warning you, the guy really is a jerk.”

Coby’s eyebrow rose, eyes dark. “I’ve handled worse.”

Ash’s mouth twitched, his neck turning red. His brother might be a grade-A prick, but Coby had to defend himself against people who were trying to kidnap and kill him just within the last two weeks alone.

Abel, sensing his son’s defeat, grinned, going back to his own meal feeling victorious.

**