Xander and Zeta stood outside the ward, standing opposite each other, each leaning their backs against the walls. Xander had spoken to the nurse earlier and they were only waiting for Anton to get discharged.
"When did you start stalking him?" Xander asked, his eyes remained trained on Zeta as the other man put his hands in his pocket and watched as he shuffled his own feet against the floor.
"My first year in uni." Zeta answered curtly.
"Your first year? Meaning you're younger than him. You went to the same school?" Xander tilted his head.
"Mn."
"What year was he when you first saw him?"
"His third year."
"Two years above yours at least. How did you see him?"
"I was walking really fast cause I was late for my first day of class and I had just finished some of my registration. I needed to get back quickly and someone else bumped into me."
"Maybe they weren't watching where they were going or they did and they just didn't care. But they left right after. Xael happened to be walking past at that moment, and he helped me pick up my stuff. Everyone around saw but no one else helped. He smiled at me and left like nothing happened. He probably doesn't know, but he made me happy, because I'd been having a rather frustrating day."
"I wanted to know more about who helped me, so I started watching him first. He says it's an obsession. I don't know if it is or not. But he's mine now so I could care less if it is or not."
"Well, I care. Who knows what you'll do to him next? Lock him up in your basement so no one sees him, talks to him or touches him?" Xander snorted.
Zeta seemed to really be thinking about it for a moment before replying. "I've actually thought of doing that before, but he'd hate me. Although, since you're the one giving the suggestion, I could just as well tell him it was your idea." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"You little shit-" Xander fumed, but Zeta cut him off.
"At least I'm honest with my feelings." He started placing emphasis on the 'my'. "Yes I'm obsessed but at least I admit it that I'm obsessed. You're so much in denial, you don't even deserve to look at Anton." Zeta spoke, his voice dripping with venom as he glared directly at Xander.
"Talking as though you know him or me personally. What? Planning on cheating on Caleb with Anton. Like hell I'll let you." Xander pushed off the wall, ready to beat Zeta to a pulp.
"Tsk, tsk tsk. You're just proving my point, mister... Land a hit on me, I dare you. I won't even move. However I'm going to explain to Anton that you were the one that hit me and the conversation that led up to your temper. Try and see if I won't." Zeta spoke but this time in a much cooler voice. As though the same words he was saying with such indifference were "Would you like me to give you some cookies?"
Xander stopped and leaned back against the wall he pushed off of, glaring at Zeta who didn't seem bothered at all.
"I can tell your relationship is not simple at all, probably cause of some attribute he has of even personality, but for some reason he's grown on you. Maybe you've stayed with him for quite a while and that's why. And now, you care about him whether you want to or not. However if you talk about whether you deserve to like him, that's a whole other story, because to me you don't. I'm guessing the reason he's in the hospital has something to do with you. That's why you're even more irritated."
"You've only brought him your shitty moods and danger at every corner, which has probably only just begun, because from what I've seen I'm highly convinced you can take him and lock him up in your house, so no one sees him or even remembers he exists except you. Why? Because it means he'll be safer."
"My point is, that if anyone wants to talk about whether I deserve to be with Xael or not, you shouldn't have a say. The only one here I would listen to if they told me I didn't deserve it, other than Xael himself, is Anton. If he does I'll back off immediately. But even he supports us. You..." Zeta sighed, then shook his head as though feeling it was pointless to continue his sentence.
"It doesn't matter. Just decide what you want. You're only hurting Anton the longer you don't. And you're hurting yourself too."
"I'm hurting Anton? How? I already started making preparations to leave that life, so he won't have to get involved."
Zeta laughed. "Started making preparations... Isn't that how you got to this point. Besides you're just friends. Do you really have to do this much for just a friend?"
"He's not the only reason I'm leaving." Xander spat through gritted teeth.
"Maybe, but he's the deciding factor." Zeta replied with a raised brow.
Xander remained silent.
"You know I'm right. Admit it to yourself first. That's the first step."
"He's not built for this kind of life. He doesn't need to be dragged into it."
"You underestimate him. He's even more equipped for that kind of life than you can ever be. He just lets you have your way. Which brings us back to the main point..." Zeta placed his forefingers on his temple and massaged to reduce the headache that came out of nowhere.
"Anton, I'm sorry. I didn't want to resort to this but he seems really dense." He mumbled beneath his breath, but Xander heard him and frowned, wondering if he heard wrong. "Should have let him tell you this himself. I know he has his plans, but it's irritating seeing so oblivious in such an obvious situation. He likes you. Anton likes you. And you like him too. Whether you want to or not. That's why you're able to tolerate those things you really couldn't tolerate before, and why you take good care of him, asides guilt." He whispered the last part as an after thought.
"Guilt?" Xander raised an accusing brow at him.
"Yes. Guilt for dragging him into something he probably wouldn't have gotten involved in if he hadn't met you."
Xander remained silent.
"Like I said, you need to decide what you want. I've helped you realise your feelings, so you need to decide to either act on them or not."