"I don't know what you're talking about." Xander replied.
Zeta shook his head with a chuckle. "Still in denial? Huh?"
"It's not that I'm in denial. Even if I did like him, for one, he might not actually like me. Two, as you've so kindly pointed out, 'I don't deserve him.' So he might not want someone like me." Xander explained.
"That's up to him, not you. Don't make decisions on his behalf. Try it first and see if it works out before shooting down the idea."
"I'll consider it later."
"I don't think you'll get to have that later. It's best to do it now." Zeta warned. "Also, if you need any more reality checks, ask Anton for my number."
"No thanks. I'll just collect it from you now." Xander replied immediately.
"So scared." Zeta replied with a chuckle.
Xander didn't bother answering him. He only pulled out his phone and handed it to Zeta.
Zeta typed for a while, before a ringtone rang out. Zeta fished his phone out from his pocket and waved his phone at Xander as though to say "That's my phone I just called."
Xander collected his phone, checking what Zeta saved his number as, before stuffing his phone back in his pocket.
"You, don't think just because I didn't say much, means I have nothing to say about you and Caleb. If you do anything to hurt him, I'll break your limbs one after the other, then chop them off and feed them to you bit by bit." Xander warned and then flashed him an extremely fake smile.
"I didn't expect any less." Zeta replied with a smirk and pushed off his wall, walking past Xander and entering into the ward.
Xander stood outside in silence, simply staring at the wall.
He recalled what Zeta said. "Guilt for dragging him into something he probably wouldn't have gotten involved in if he hadn't met you."
'But I never wanted him to get involved either. I wanted to get out so he won't get dragged in. So that no matter whatever happens with us, then at least it won't be because of that... But now..." Xander said to himself, shaking his head.
*
Zeta had his arms wrapped around Caleb's belly from behind and Caleb's arms rested on top of his.
Anton was speaking to them while watching their unconscious and conscious interactions.
This was what Xander walked in on. He glared pointedly at Zeta, only for Zeta to flash him a smirk. He decided to ignore Zeta and meet Anton instead.
"The nurse would be here soon to take out the catheter." Xander told Anton.
"Mn." Anton nodded.
"They're discharging him already?" Caleb asked.
"He's been here a whole 26 hours. That's more than enough time to flush the poison out." Xander replied.
"Oh..." Caleb nodded in understanding.
The nurse walked in some time after.
*
The four stood outside the hospital, Xander carrying Anton's things despite Anton's protest and Caleb and Zeta caught up in their own world.
"We'll come see you soon, Anton. Rest well. Xander, take good care of him for me." Caleb reminded Xander.
"Caleb... Aren't you the one that's actually my friend? You're the one meant to take care of me, not him. Running away from responsibility, I see?" Anton asked with a small smile.
"No, I've just seen my superior and I'm handing you over to him."
A phone rang and everyone looked to Xander as he pulled it out of his pocket, shifting Anton's duffel bag higher on his shoulder.
"Hello?" He called, listening for a while before he frowned slightly, then glanced briefly at Anton.
"I'll be there soon." He replied the person on the other end.
"Work?" Anton asked with a small smile.
"Mn. Something like that." Xander replied with a slight nod. "Why don't Caleb and Zeta take you home. I'll be home as soon as I can.
"It's ok. I can take care of myself." Anton protested.
"Anton." Xander called. His tone was firm with no room for arguments and his eyes were fixed solely on Anton's with a 'don't start with me' look.
Anton sighed and looked away, not saying anything else.
Xander finally cracked a small smile at Anton's stubbornness, before the smile disappeared again. He whispered the PIN to Anton then turned his attention to Zeta.
"Call me if anything happens. I'm pretty sure you know what I mean by anything." He told Zeta, his tone strict. "Some of my men are going with you. Even if you don't tell, they will, but I'm trusting you this once. Don't f*ck it up."
Zeta rolled his eyes.
"Charles." Xander called out of the blue and the man who was answering Anton's questions earlier seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"Yes, boss."
"Take some of our men with them. I'm going with the rest. Something came up."
"Yes, boss."
Xander crooked a finger towards himself gesturing for Charles to move closer. He whispered in his ears, "Protect him. I don't want what happened last time repeating itself. Let me know if anything happens."
"Alright, boss."
Anton who was a bit farther and didn't hear a word of their whispered conversation sighed suddenly and shook his head. Xander turned to him suddenly.
"Go to sleep. You haven't slept much since you came to the hospital. You should sleep when you get home."
Xander handed the duffel bag to Zeta, giving him a meaningful look.
"I'm hoping Zeta can cook. Caleb can't cook for shit. Zeta, make sure he eats something and takes his meds before going to bed." Zeta rolled his eyes again.
"Anymore and your eyes will either roll to the back of your head or roll out their sockets." Xander scolded.
"You can go now. We'll take good care of him. Just stop nagging already." Zeta drawled.
Xander gave him a look, then turned around and left without looking back.
"Alright you both, let's head back before he comes back to nag us to death." Caleb called at the two.
They all left heading for Zeta's car, Charles following quietly behind them.