Xander went back to watch the match as he said. He sat the way he had before, legs spread and an arm at the back of the sofa alone in the living room watching intently till the end.
The moment the match concluded, he turned off the TV, then stood up, stretched a bit and left the living room.
***
Xander was in his room and he had paced around the bed four times before finally sitting down on the bed.
He let out a sigh then rubbed his hands over his face rather harshly in a frustrated manner.
He laid back on the bed, hands behind his head and sighed for the millionth time. He got up, undressed, and changed into another pair of pyjamas he'd found in the wardrobe. A black t-shirt and black pants this time.
He wore a pair of black slippers he pulled out from the duffel bag he had apparently dropped by the side of the bed. It was the one he was holding earlier in the day.
Xander returned the duffel bag back and left the room, looking very restless.
***
Anton lay peacefully on the bed, beneath the duvet. The duvet only covered from his waist to his feet.
He wore a light grey pajama shirt. A button up one. The shirt exposed a sliver of the snow white skin of his chest.
The door of Anton's room opened rather slowly and quietly. Xander walked in. His footsteps couldn't be heard. He bent down beside Anton's bed, and put a finger under his nose checking his breathing. Once assured, he put his hand on Anton's forehead to feel his temperature.
Satisfied with everything he stood up, raised the duvet to a little above his waist and then left just as quietly as he came.
***
Xander went back to bed, finally relaxed. He lay under the duvet for a while staring at the ceiling before he finally drifted off to sleep.
***
When Xander woke up, it was really early. He pulled the curtains back and the sky was still pretty dark. He took out a new set of clothes from his duffel bag, went to have a shower and came out wearing the fresh set of clothes, the ones he wore to sleep held in his hands. He wore a pair of black dress shoes and black slacks. He wore a dark button up red shirt but it was neither tucked into his pants nor was it buttoned to the top. The arms were loose not held by cufflinks. A black tie hung loosely around his neck, not even knotted at all.
He pushed his still wet hair off his forehead, brushing it back with his left hand. He put them on the desk in the room and ensured all the things he brought were arranged in the duffel bag.
He took out a watch from the duffel bag and slipped it over his left hand and fastened it. He zipped up the bag and slid it over his shoulder, looked around the room once and turned around, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.
***
Xander entered the dining room to see Anton setting the table for two, the way he did whenever Xander was around. Anton was still dressed in his pyjamas. He apparently wore the matching bottoms to sleep. On his feet he wore his white slippers. His hair was tied into a ponytail and retied so it didn't touch his skin at all.
He turned around and saw Xander simply standing there and watching him soundlessly, resting on a wall, his bag slung over his shoulder.
"Have breakfast before you leave. I had a feeling you'll leave pretty early, so I made breakfast before you had a chance to ditch me. I know the noise of the plates attracted you." Anton spoke with a smile. He looked and acted pretty normal as though he hadn't just been sick yesterday.
Xander still stood there, still watching Anton soundlessly, before moving towards the table and sitting down at his place, putting the bag on the chair beside his.
"Thank you, I guess." Xander said, looking rather nonchalant, but Anton could see the amount of effort it took to convince himself to stay and even say thank you for the meal. The battle that he fought internally showing with every expression that crossed his face while he stood rested on the wall. The decisiveness that settled on his face when he decided to sit down. The way his jaw clenched and unclenched a few times before he said the words 'thank you'.
He really must have meant it, for him to say it. Anton only smiled not commenting on it, but showing his appreciation for the effort Xander made to show his gratitude with a simple smile.
Anton had just finished arranging the last of his own cutlery and sat down, then gestured for Xander to help himself.
They ate in silence without the slightest discomfort. Once Xander finished, he picked up his plate and took it to the kitchen. He returned and picked up his bag. "I would have helped you with the dishes, but I have to get going already."
"It's fine, I can handle them myself." Anton smiled. "Xander."
"Yes?"
"Your tie, your buttons and your sleeves."
Xander looked down at himself, realizing what Anton was referring to. He smiled a bit and dropped the duffel bag, buttoning up his shirt and his sleeves. Anton only stood at the side watching him in amusement.
Xander knotted his tie and nodded at Anton before turning around and leaving.
Anton sighed with a smile, shaking his head. No one knew when Xander would visit next.
***
The next time Xander came, he came in the afternoon. The sun was still high up in the sky. It could be seen behind Xander who was entering the front door of the house.
Anton wasn't the one to open the door however. It was the girl that had come to ask Anton if Xander was staying for dinner.
"Sir." She greeted with a bow.
Xander frowned but barely looked at her and fixed his gaze down the corridor. He was in a black t-shirt with the words "As for punishing me, that's if you can catch me." written on it in dark grey letters. A pair of skinny black jeans hugged his thighs and he wore ankle length combat boots, laced up.
He wasn't wearing a watch this time, leaving his forearms bare.
His dark hair was packed half in a ponytail and the rest left down to his neck. He didn't have a single strand on or around his face. He hung his navy blue coat on the coat rack at the entrance. The duffel bag he brought the last time was hung over his shoulder. He took out his black slippers from the bag, took of his shoes and wore the slippers instead carrying the shoes in his hands.
"Where's Anton?" He asked.
"He's in a meeting at the moment, sir. Please hold on. He'll soon be-" The girl tried to explain.
Xander barely heard her words. He walked past her and into his own room.
Xander entered his room and dropped his bag on the floor beside the bed. He placed his shoes close to the wall and turned around to see the girl from before standing at the doorway watching him in bewilderment.
"Where did you say he was having his meeting?" Xander gave her a blank look. One that looked relatively scary.
"Th-the lounge." She stammered.
Xander raised a brow but said nothing. He brushed past her, leaving his room and closing his door behind him. Leaving her astonished at what was going on.
***
Anton was seated in his usual seat in the lounge explaining a design to a man who looked to be in his mid forties.
The man who was seated in 'Xander's seat' nodded and made sounds of confirmation, looking like he understood what Anton was saying, but his left hand was slowly inching towards Anton's right hand. Anton however either didn't notice or didn't care. Anton's right hand held the catalogue of designs, while his left held a pen he used to point out each design.
The door of the lounge opened and Anton looked up in time to see Xander barge in uninvited.
Xander took one look around the room and his jaw clenched and unclenched in annoyance while his face remained blank. His eyes remained fixed on the man seated comfortably in his; Xander's chair, watching the entire thing play out, while 'subtly' eyeing Anton up. Anton didn't notice however.
"Sir you can't go in there! He-" The girl from earlier finally caught up, only to see the scene. She shut her mouth and looked at Anton helplessly.
Anton smiled at her and nodded for her to leave, he'll take care of it.