Queer 'n Crazy (Sanders Sides Human! Au)

Chapter 52

Hello, fellow fanders!

Sorry for the wait, COVID problems have finally reached my family.

CW: Food/eating, I think that's it.

....................

Virgil watched Patton swing a faux bull reed overtop the cat's heads. A small tortoiseshell with green eyes batted at the toy with a small paw, his head following it around curiously. A hairless siamese watched them from a bookshelf, his ears twitching, as if he wanted to join in but couldn't be bothered moving from his bed.

Well, perhaps calling it a bed would be a stretch. It was more like a cushion shoved in a gap between the books. There were multiple across the shelf-lined walls of the study area, and a small decorative sign made of fakely worn wood saying "Feel free to read, but these stay here!" was hung in the corner, as if these moth-bitten volumes would be of interest to any highschool student.

They hadn't been aware of this little study loft when they first visited the cat cafe, but once they'd learned of it it became Virgil and Patton's little hiding spot. They would often come here after Patton's shift at Anita's ended, buying a cheesecake and opening textbooks without getting any work done.

Because Queren wasn't the only highschool in the area they would sometimes see students without a wristband tucked into a corner while nibbling on cheesecake, and on those occasions they stayed quiet, but for the most part no one would be caught dead studying on a Sunday.

Patton and Virgil struggled in exactly opposite areas for the most part, Patton enjoying things more literature based while Virgil enjoyed logic, although his was flawed. Virgil wished he could say that their study sessions had originally been of good intention, but Patton came for the cats and Virgil came for the cheesecake.

"Y'know, Lo says that you're a cat, but I don't really see it." Patton swung the bullrush once more and giggled as the siamese finally leapt down from his hiding. "I mean, look at these guys!"

"I can be energetic when I want to," he replied, cocking an eyebrow. "Besides, cats are lazy for the most part."
"No they aren't! They love playing, it's just that not many people put in the effort." Patton said primly, readjusting his hoodie. "They can be real go-getters!"

"Well that applies to anything. Dogs are lazy at times and so are cats. I still think I'm kinda cat-like though."

"Maybe like that one." chuckled Patton, pointing over Virgil's shoulder to reveal what was probably the fattest ginger cat Virgil had ever seen, lying in a basket and watching them with slitted eyes. Virgil squinted back at it, watching its tail flick lazily above the two of them, as if to say 'you're not even worthy of a reaction.'

"He seems pretty chill,"
"You're right," nodded Patton gravely. "Something more anxious would suit you more."

Virgil glared as he giggled, and opted to take his anger out on his blueberry cheesecake. Of course, cheesecake is on par with God in Virgil's humble opinion, so all of his resentment melted away with the first bite.

"That good, huh?"

Virgil nodded, leaning back in his chair and holding the fork out to Patton. He closed his eyes and let himself be grounded for a second, as Picani had suggested. He was sceptical at first but the whole bi-hourly check in thing was kind of reassuring to him, like a little task he could do or skip with no consequence.

The loft was warm, as was downstairs in an effort to offset the steadily worsening weather. If Virgil was being honest with himself this really wasn't the kind of weather to be going out in, but saying no to Patton was a lot harder than most people gave it credit for.