Chapter 26: Teasing

Wilt PoV

Wilt listened to the fading laughter of Loxus's goons, his heart pounding in his chest. The memory of their last encounter was still fresh in his mind. He had managed to hold his own against them, refusing to hand over his watch, until Loxus intervened and broke his leg with a bat.

The young man sighed as he threw himself back onto his bed. Why did he have to room with that punk? It was already bad enough to be forced to play for his own ambition. Now he had to share a room with him. It was like there was no escaping that jerk.

His face warmed up as he recalled Loxus looking him up and down earlier. He really should've put on some clothes. Now Loxus would keep teasing him about being some kind of perverted exhilarationist.

Wilt's stomach grumbled.

He hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, and the stress of moving and dealing with Loxus had him feeling ravenous. He glanced at the clock on his wall, noting that it was already past dinner time. 

He considered ordering takeout, but then remembered the small kitchen. But he hadn't bought any groceries yet.

His stomach growled again, louder this time, and Wilt decided that a trip to the closest grocery store was in order. Maybe it would even help take his mind off Loxus and his goons.

He got up from his room and made his way to the living room.

As he exited his room, he ran into Loxus again. The other man was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, looking as smug as ever.

"Where are you off to?" Loxus asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Wilt stuck out his tongue, a childish gesture that he immediately regretted. "None of your business," he retorted, feeling his cheeks redden.

Loxus looked taken aback for a moment before his smirk returned. "Oh, really?"

Wilt sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get rid of Loxus that easily. "I'm going to buy some food," he admitted.

Loxus raised an eyebrow. "Mind if I tag along? It's only fair since the food will be for both of us."

Wilt was taken aback. He hadn't expected Loxus to offer to accompany him. He considered rejecting the offer, but then realized that having Loxus along might not be such a bad idea. After all, it would give him a chance to learn more about his new roommate.

"Sure," he said, giving Loxus a nod. "Let's go." He blinked as he noticed Loxus had a hoodie on. "Say, do you wear a hoodie all the time?"

"Of course, I hate people staring at my face."

Wilt chuckled. "Why? Not like you're ugly. You're kinda handsome."

Loxus looked taken aback, his usual smug expression replaced with a furrowed brow and a scrunched-up nose. 

"Handsome, huh?" Loxus muttered, looking oddly uncomfortable. Wilt couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. It was rare to see the punk at a loss for words.

"Yeah, handsome," Wilt reiterated, grinning at Loxus's disconcerted expression. "You can't deny it, can you?"

Loxus huffed out a laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Guess there's no arguing with you," he said, finally breaking into a small smile.

The tension in the room seemed to dissipate, replaced by an odd sense of friendship that Wilt hadn't expected to feel with Loxus. It was a refreshing change from being threatened and teased.

"Come on, let's go," Wilt said.

Loxus nodded.

As the two headed for the door, Wilt paused, cocking his head to one side. He was sure he'd heard a strange sound. It sounded suspiciously like... meowing? 

He glanced at Loxus, noticing the slight bulge in his hoodie pocket. The meowing sound came again, louder this time, and Wilt couldn't help but chuckle.

"Loxus, are you hiding a cat in your hoodie?" he asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Loxus looked at him, his eyes wide with surprise, before he quickly composed himself. "Don't be ridiculous," he replied, but his voice lacked its usual confident edge.

Wilt laughed, shaking his head. "You know, for a tough guy, you sure do have a soft spot for kittens."

Loxus didn't respond, but Wilt didn't miss the way his cheeks flushed a slight pink. The sight made Wilt chuckle again.

"Shut up, bubble butt."

Wilt felt his cheeks heat up at Loxus's retort. "Bubble butt?" He repeated, incredulous.

Loxus shrugged, a smug grin playing on his lips. "It's true, isn't it? You've got a pretty shapely rear end for a guy."

"Is that so?" Wilt shot back, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow. "And you've been checking out my rear end, have you?"

Loxus's smug grin faltered, and he quickly looked away. "I- Of course not!" He sputtered, going red in the face. "Why would I do that?"

Wilt couldn't help but laugh at Loxus's flustered reaction. "Sure, Loxus. Whatever you say. Guess the sight of me being only in my briefs was an enjoyable, huh? Didn't think you went that way."

Loxus grumbled. "Stop thinking highly of yourself. I don't like you, in fact, it's the opposite."

Wilt's laughter echoed in the hallway, a light-hearted sound that seemed to catch Loxus off guard. "You're so easy to rile up," Wilt teased, enjoying the rare opportunity to see the usually unflappable Loxus lose his cool.

Loxus's eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of amusement in them now. "Just keep telling yourself that," he retorted, but the tension had eased between them.

As they walked down the hallway, Wilt couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie building. It was an odd feeling, considering their rocky start, but he couldn't deny the mutual respect that was forming. They were both athletes, both driven, and perhaps, just maybe, they could be friends.

The meowing from Loxus's hoodie grew louder, and Wilt couldn't resist the urge to peek. He reached over, gently pulling back the edge of the hoodie to reveal a tiny kitten, its eyes wide and curious.

"Aw, who's this little guy?" Wilt cooed, his heart melting at the sight of the furry bundle.

Loxus quickly covered the kitten back up, but not before Wilt saw the softness in his eyes. "It's... just a stray I found. I couldn't leave it out there," Loxus admitted, his voice softer than Wilt had ever heard it.

Wilt smiled, his respect for Loxus growing. "That's really kind of you," he said sincerely. "What are you going to do with it?"

Loxus shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know yet. For now, I guess I'm its caretaker. Uh, please keep this a secret."

Wilt was surprised to hear Loxus ask so nicely.

He nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Your secret's safe with me," he assured Loxus.

The bad boy sighed and smiled weakly. "Thanks."