The Viper's Son (Man x Man)

Chapter 18 ♡

A/N: Hello♥️ I know I promised two new chaps but I'm still working on the other one and it's taking me longer only because I'm in the hospital taking care of my friend. I'm using my phone so it takes longer to write and correct the mistakes. I'm working hard on finishing the other one so please enjoy this one in the meantime ♥️ Thank you for reading!

Nate's P.O.V

Cooper stood awkwardly not knowing how he should interact with me after the whole kissing and getting fired incident that I went crying to Kai about so he could hire him again as my trainer.

It didn't add any comfort that we were back in the pool area where the incident took place but I still needed help bettering my swimming techniques in case I ever have to rescue Zekey from drowning in a pond.

"This is probably the first time I've seen you be this quiet. Let's get past what happened. You already apologized and I forgave you. I also made it clear that I don't have any romantic feelings for you and that I'm currently in a relationship with Kai, which is why he acted the way he did about the situation. I still consider you a friend and if you want we can continue that friendship but if you think it'll only make you uncomf-...." I began to try and ease the tense atmosphere around us by being the one to speak up first but Cooper immediately stopped me from continuing my statement.

"No, no...it's not that. I get it. I still feel bad for doing what I did and the fact that you're so nice about it just makes me feel worse. You even got Kai to hire me again and I'm sure that wasn't easy by the way he made every hair in my body stand up when he threatened me the day I was dismissed," Cooper clarified with a disappointed expression all over his face that looked like he hasn't slept well and was still letting his conscience eat him alive for what he did.

"...Kai can get pretty aggressive and say some mean things when he's upset but let us move past this whole thing. You're back and that is all that matters!" I beamed at him and was ready to continue my training even though I once greatly hated doing all this, "wait...if you're Kai's boyfriend then why are you still training to be Zekey's bodyguard? Shouldn't he hire someone else?" Cooper removed his jacket to get ready to get inside the pool while I began to take off my own clothes until I got down to my swimming shorts.

I thought about it for a while and wasn't sure what to say because he wasn't completely wrong, "I don't mind being Zekey's bodyguard. I like taking care of him and Logan. Plus, no one has tried to hurt them ever since Kai returned. It also doesn't change the fact that I owe Kai for saving me. He's letting me stay here away from all those cruel loan sharks who are outside these walls hunting me down ...I get to eat every day and have a warm bed to sleep in so I shouldn't bother him over something like that," I truthfully answered as I flinched when my foot felt the cold water in the pool that was far from pleasing to swim in but I had no choice.

"I guess you're right if that's what makes you feel better about it but I still think Kai should give you a safer position in this house. I'm sure he doesn't inform you about the real threats that try to invade this place and the ones who've succeeded in the past. Zekey's previous bodyguard was attacked by three men who were able to strike him with sharp hatchets until they beheaded him completely before Kai was able to stop all three of them from getting to Zekey. I heard the bodyguard's head was tossed around like a ball until X and Z cleaned up the mess. According to the maids that witnessed it, the poor guy's body was cut to pieces," Cooper's story had me blankly staring at the glistening water for longer than normal while I could only imagine the pain and terror this bodyguard felt in those moments which made an unsettling feeling course through my freezing body.

No one ever wanted to inform me about what happened to the previous bodyguard but now I knew why.

"I'm only telling you this because we're friends and I don't want to one day hear that something like this happened to you. Always be vigilant of your surroundings wherever you go. No one is truly safe in this massive home...regardless of how secure it may seem," Cooper admitted with a warning tone before he jumped into the pool first, which let me reflect on his blunt forewarning for a minute before I joined him.