Unconditional

You Are So Complex

Ant: "Promise me you will tell me... Promise me you won't shut me out again..."

Dec: "I promise you..."

But the tension was still there between them. And for Dec his past and present had collided in a painful way. Anymore and he knows he will lose the most important person in his life... Anymore and he will lose Ant... And he dreaded that the most.

They reach their team room to find it empty and realise that everybody is at the venue. Ant unlocks the door with his key and gestures Dec in

Ant: "Change fast and come back. I will wait for you"

Dec nods and goes in. Dec couldn't get this head around Ant's behaviour. He knows Ant felt helpless and he behaved so because Dec lied to him. It took Ant all these years to trust someone and Dec felt guilty for putting him down.

Ant was patiently waiting for him, guilt building up inside him. He has lost his control and has hurt Dec. He didn't mean to. But Dec had lied to him and he was already worried about the play and the fight that is to happen once the results are announced. He always tries his best to stop these fights or prevent them from happening but his team mates aren't that reasonable. And they end up having split lips and broken knuckles. And Dec being there and getting wounded because of him, Ant was trying his best to not let that happen. So when he saw Dec hurt, Dec lying and hiding from him and when he saw the blood smeared shorts of him, he just snapped. He wanted to know the truth and Dec denying justthat has pushed him over the edge. He knew he has to apologise. And he don't ever want to be a controlling person in Dec's life. Ant rubs his eyes in frustration as everything feels too much for him .

Dec exits the room to sees Ant rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. He felt a pang of sadness for the dark haired man. Then Ant sees Dec and struggles to say something.

Dec: "What is it, Anth?"

Ant: "I...I am sorry, Dec. I shouldn't have behaved like that. I know it frightened you and as you said , I am no different from whoever did this to you , when I hurt you like that"

Dec: "It's okay.. but I want you to know that I can't always be truthful to you. You don't know everything about me, Anth... So, sometimes... sometimes I am worried. Worried that if you know everything about me, you will hate me. That's what people do, Anth and I-"

Ant: "I wouldn't do that"

Dec: "You might. I couldn't take the risk... Not with you..."

Ant sighs at that "I want to see him"

Dec: "Anth that's not a good -"

Ant: "Not a good idea? Of course it's not. If I didn't want my friends to know about this, I would have smashed him to the wall"

Dec: "Now you are more like the Anth I know"

Ant shakes his head "Come on...and stay with me... If results are out, it will cause a fight. I don't want you out of my sight"

Dec raises his eyebrows at that

Ant: "You,Mac and Andrew are important for us. I can't let any of you get hurt. I have already told Danny to keep an eye on them"

Dec: "And you are keeping an eye on me. I will go with Dann-"

Ant: "No! Now stop talking and come with me"

Dec: "So much for a tough guy" he says under his breath.

They reach the venue and Dec stands with Ant and Rob. He looks around and sees David with another guy, whom he recognises as Jimmy. Dec catches David's eyes and waves at him. Jimmy smiles at him and Dec was about to go to him when he felt someone holding his back.