After his **insane battle with Zayn**, Ape-X was ready to head home and crash. His body still tingled from absorbing **hellfire and lightning**, his muscles felt **denser, stronger**, and he could tell he had **evolved once again.**
But before he could leave, **Chellestar grabbed his wrist.**
"Come to my place," she said. "I'll cook for you."
X blinked. "…Huh?"
Chell crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed. "You just fought one of the strongest students and destroyed the entire arena. You need to recover."
X glanced at the ruins of the battlefield. **Yeah… they might charge him for that.**
He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, alright. But if your food's bad, I'm leaving."
Chell smirked. "You'll be begging for more."
---
### **Chell's Home**
Chell's house was **surprisingly traditional**. A **cozy wooden home** surrounded by a small garden, with **paper lanterns** glowing softly along the entrance. It felt **warm and peaceful**, a stark contrast to the chaos of the tournament.
"You live here alone?" X asked as he stepped inside.
Chell nodded. "My parents are usually away on business, so yeah. It's just me."
X raised an eyebrow. "So… I'm alone with you?"
Chell didn't respond, but he swore he saw the **tips of her ears turn red.**
She quickly changed the subject. "Go wash up. You stink of battle."
X rolled his eyes but headed to the bathroom. As the **warm water** ran over his skin, he took a deep breath. The fight with Zayn had pushed him, but he felt **unstoppable now.** Every time he **absorbed a new power, he evolved.**
"Maybe I really am different from the others…"
After changing into a **black T-shirt and sweatpants** (which Chell had lent him, surprisingly a perfect fit), he walked into the kitchen.
The **smell of sizzling meat** hit him instantly.
Chell, wearing an apron over her casual clothes, was standing at the stove, flipping some kind of **spicy grilled meat**. There was also **a pot of rice cooking, vegetables stir-frying, and a bowl of soup simmering.**
X's stomach **growled loudly.**
Chell turned to him, amused. "Hungry?"
"Starving."
---
### **Dinner for Two**
They sat across from each other, the table **filled with food.**
X grabbed his chopsticks, took a bite of the grilled meat—**and his eyes widened.**
"…This is insane."
Chell smirked. "Told you."
The meat was **perfectly cooked**, the flavors **exploding in his mouth**. The rice was soft, the soup was **rich**, and everything **blended together like magic.**
"You're telling me you're strong, smart, and you can cook?" X asked between bites. "That's kinda unfair."
Chell shrugged. "What, you jealous?"
"Nah." X smirked. "I'm just glad I get to eat this."
Chell paused for a second, staring at him. Then she smiled softly.
"Then… eat as much as you want."
They **ate in silence** for a while, the only sound being **X devouring everything like a beast.**
---
### **A Different Kind of Battle**
After dinner, **Chell sat across from X**, sipping tea.
"You're not gonna ask me why I invited you?" she finally said.
X leaned back. "You already said it. I fought hard, you wanted me to recover."
Chell exhaled. "That's only part of it."
X raised an eyebrow.
Chell looked down at her teacup. "That fight today… it reminded me of when you saved me from that **S-rank monster**."
X's fingers twitched.
"I never forgot that day," she continued. "When I saw you fighting, I realized… you've always been like this. **Jumping in to protect people, taking all the damage, carrying everything alone.**"
X didn't know what to say.
Chell put her cup down. "You don't have to act tough all the time, you know."
X scoffed, trying to play it off. "What, you want me to start crying or something?"
Chell smirked. "No. Just… let people in sometimes."
X stared at her for a moment.
Then he sighed, leaning forward.
"…Fine. But only because you cook this good."
Chell chuckled. "I'll take it."
As the night went on, **they sat together, talking, teasing, and laughing.** For the first time in a while, X felt… **at peace.**
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't fighting alone anymore.