Meko didnt even react when he was hit in the face. He didnt look at Xander until he started talking. "I wouldn't if it wasnt for the fact every time you talk to me your snapping at me like I am stupid. Or ripping my head off for every little thing or because I dared to look your way.. Or talking to me in that demeaning tone you have whenever you say anything to me. You talk to me like I am so far beneath you it disgusts you. You treat me like my age makes up my worth. Every  time you speak to me you talk to me like I am some stupid kid who doesnt know a damn thing. You talk to your brother ten times better than you do me. You talk down to me and nothing I do or say seems to be good enough to you."<br/><br/>He looked him in the eyes. "I only sicked Rune on you one time. When you were trying to smash my skull to pisses because I fought back when you first came to where we were...I could have sent Rune to attack you. He wanted to but I didnt...did I? If you recall I ordered him to stay with the cubs."<br/><br/>He looked down. "I dont want to hurt people. I only had Rune attack you one time Xander and it was because nothing you said towards me was positive. You doubted anything or everything I said. I have had numerous times I could have set Rune to attack you but I didnt. Yeah I been giving you shit but its been in reaction to you giving me shit and you treating talking to me like shit first. I am a teenager and all your hostility towards me if I so much as dare look at you...is hurtful. I know I been out of line at times but mostly because that seems to be the only time you actually listen to me." he looked down a bit. "I wanted to save your life. Even if you had not put your life on the line for us...I wanted to save your life as I wish death on no one."<br/><br/>He looked up in surprise before it faded away. "Then that is the fate I would have faced. They decided to kill me and do all their crap. The only flaw in their theory...they cant stop Rune because old man Scino never researched Rune. If Rune could not have summoned hed have taken possession of my body. I do not fear death." he looked away.<br/><br/>"You dont act like it. Everything I do or say pisses you off even when it isnt bad. Or you ignore what I say. Any time you talk to me all I see is anger and hate. I have seen you look at me like I am just an issue that you wish would just be gone. I react so badly to how you treat me because despite the way you talk to me and that demeaning tone you always have in your voice when you talk to me...I want to like you. I want to show you that even though you are an ass I am trying to reach out to you. Because despite you doing all that for whatever reason I started to let you in. Which makes everytime you talk to me how you do hurt because...I want to show you that..you can trust me and let me in even if it is just as a distant kinda sorta maybe friend."<br/><br/>He gasped for air when let go. "Glad you assume and think so little of me to think I would sink so low as to kill you. I dont want yo kill you...I want to be able to be your friend. I dont want to attack you with Rune. I just want you...to give me a chance for me to show you that I am worth letting in even just a sliver." he looked down.<br/><br/>Before Xander was all the way out the door he added one more thing. "Xander...I like you enough and appreciated you saving our asses even though you were the reason we were there...that I gave you a new chance at life. I wiped the slates clean." he then passed back out. Maybe Xander figure it out maybe he wouldnt. What he meant by that is...he cleaned their records out. Destroyed those files and everything that was against them...entirely. That thing they promised Xander but lied about...done. All of the bad and all of the illegals...anything like that gone. Perfectly sparkling squeaky clean records. He did that for them...to show them thanks and appreciation. He wanted to show that in different levels and ways he admired and respected them. That to different levels...he loojed to them and had let them into being part of his life. His Captain way more than Xander yet still...he had let Xander in a sliver.