Chapter 49: Light-hearted

Drew PoV

I read a book after returning to the dorm after training. Much to my surprise, Sylvester had yet to return. He was probably hanging out with Wilt or someone else. Not that I cared; he could do what he wanted. 

The door creaked open, and Sylvester walked in, his face a mix of exhaustion and something else—was it joy? He dropped his backpack onto the floor with a hefty thud, leaning against the door frame for a moment as he caught his breath.

He settled down against the cushions, running a hand through his seafoam green hair. "You won't believe where I just was."

"Try me," I said, closing my book and giving him my full attention.

"Cat café," he said, the grin on his face widening.

I raised an eyebrow at him. Was he one of those otaku I heard about?

His face reddened. "H-hey, don't look at me like that!"

"Didn't know you had a thing for cute cat girls," I muttered, trying not to laugh.

Sylvester whimpered. "That's a cat maid cafe! It's not the same! Uh, granted there were maids and servers dressed like cat girls and cat boys."

"That so?"

He smiled. "Natasha invited me to it, so it wasn't even my idea."

I blinked. "The manager? Why are you dating or something?"

"N-no! She also invited Wilt and..."

"Wilt and who else?"

"Uh, forget I said that. It's not important."

Now I was actually curious who else went with them. My lips curled into a smirk as it hit me who it was. "Loxus, right?"

Sylvester gulped before sighing. "Okay, fine, it was Loxus," he admitted. "But please don't tease him about it. I don't want him coming after me."

I snickered. "Your fault for being loose-lipped."

He fell to his knees and buried his head in the sofa cushions.

"Hey, are you crying?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

"Loxus is gonna beat me up," he moaned into the fabric, muffled but still dramatic.

I ran a hand through my short silver hair and sighed. "Fine, I won't tease him. Just compose yourself, dude. You look like a little kid who just got scolded by his parents."

Slowly, Sylvester lifted his head, his expression a mix of embarrassment and stubborn determination. "I'm not a little kid," he protested, but the pout on his lips said otherwise.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night," I replied, crossing my arms. "But seriously, you need to stop worrying about Loxus. He's not going to hunt you down just because you mentioned him hanging out with you guys."

"He has a reputation to uphold!" Sylvester exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Honestly, if Loxus cares that much about what others think, he's not as tough as he pretends to be," I said, my tone matter-of-fact. "And if he does come after you, just fight back."

His eyes widened. "Fight back? Are you insane? I might be taller, but I'm a twig compared to him. Maybe you can take him on, but not me."

Ugh, Sylvester was such a wimp. He really had a grow a backbone.

"Fine, fine. I will try to keep quiet. Emphasis on the 'try'."

He beamed and hugged me. "Thanks, Drew."

"H-hey! Let go!" I protested, pushing Sylvester away, his unexpected enthusiasm catching me off guard. He released me, looking sheepish but still grinning like an idiot.

"Sorry! I just—I appreciate it, you know?" He scratched the back of his head. "It's nice to have someone in my corner."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Just don't drag me into any more of your friendship drama."

"I won't! I promise. In fact, I'm going to make dinner to thank you. How does that sound?"

"Dinner? Sure, why not? Just make it good." I leaned back against the counter.

"Trust me, I've got this." He headed to the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets with surprising confidence.

"What's on the menu?" I asked, curious.

"Pasta! I'll make a nice marinara sauce to go with it," he said, filling a pot with water.

"Good choice. You've done pasta before, and it was pretty good."

"Thanks! This time, I'll make sure it's even better." He began chopping garlic and onions, the familiar scents filling the kitchen.

"Don't overdo it with the seasoning!"

"Relax, I won't," he said, stirring the pan. "You'll see."

When the timer went off, he drained the pasta and mixed it with the sauce, adding herbs for flavor. As he plated the food, I could see the pride in his expression.

"Time to taste the masterpiece." He set a plate in front of me before taking a seat across from me.

I took a bite, pleasantly surprised. "Okay, this is solid. Not overly seasoned."

"See? I told you I could do it!" He beamed.

"Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head." Granted, he really could use the self-confidence boost.

After finishing dinner, I leaned back in my chair, feeling more satisfied than I'd expected. Sylvester had really outdone himself, and it was nice to have a decent meal that didn't come from a takeout box.

"Thanks for dinner. Seriously," I said, pushing my plate aside.

"Anytime! I'm glad you liked it," Sylvester replied, his smile still bright. He began to clear the table, humming to himself as he washed the dishes.

I watched him for a moment, shaking my head slightly. He had a knack for making the mundane feel lighter. "You know, you could have left the dishes for later. It's not like we're having guests or anything."

"I know, but I like to keep things tidy. Plus, it's part of the thank-you," he said, glancing over his shoulder at me. "And you're not getting out of this. You'll help me dry after I finish washing."

"Fine, fine. I'll dry," I relented, grabbing a towel from the counter. 

Once the dishes were put away, I stretched my toned arms overhead. "I'm heading to my room. I still have some reading to catch up on."

"Okay! I'll see you in the morning, then," Sylvester said, a hint of enthusiasm in his voice.

"Yeah." I gave him a nod and made my way to my room, closing the door behind me. 

The quiet of my space was comforting. I picked up my book from the nightstand and flopped onto my bed, flipping through the pages until I found my place. The words flowed easily, but my mind kept drifting back to Sylvester. 

He really could be a bit much at times, but I couldn't deny that he had his moments. The dinner had been a welcome change, and seeing him so confident made me wonder if he'd actually start standing up for himself. 

After finishing a chapter, I set the book down, feeling the fatigue of the day settle in. I turned off the light and lay back against the pillows, letting my eyes close.

---

Sylvester PoV

After Drew left for his room, I felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me. Dinner had gone better than I'd hoped. I finished washing the dishes and wiped down the counters, enjoying the sense of accomplishment. 

With everything clean, I wandered into my room, my mind still buzzing from the evening. I plopped down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, replaying the day's events in my head. 

The cat café had been fun—Natasha's laughter, the playful atmosphere—but it was the time spent with Drew that lingered most in my mind. He had a way of grounding me, even when I felt overwhelmed. 

I grabbed my phone and scrolled through messages, chuckling at a meme Wilt had sent earlier. I quickly shot a reply back, teasing him about something he'd said during training. After that, I tossed the phone aside and turned off the light, sinking into the comfort of my blanket.

Sleepiness began to creep in, and I felt my eyelids growing heavy. Just before I drifted off, I thought about how I'd handle Loxus if Drew brought up the café. Maybe I could approach it with a light-hearted attitude. After all, it was just a day out. 

With that thought in mind, I let sleep take me, feeling more at ease than I had in days.