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Toren was always excited when Callahan came to visit. However, it was the kind of excitement that came with clammy hands and a race in his chest. Something about Callahan always made Toren nervous. No, nervous wasn’t the right word.
In fact, Callahan always made him feel more calm than anything. He felt so relaxed and at ease in the other's presence. A lot of his anxieties seemed to fall to the wayside. No, nervous wasn’t the right word. But there were definitely some sort of butterflies that found residence in his stomach when the man was with him.
Toren hadn’t really felt something like this before. At least not specifically like this. His anxiety felt somewhat similar but his anxieties often left him uncomfortably hot. The feeling he had in regards to Callahan, however, felt warm and comforting. It was so odd.
So, of course, he was definitely feeling these feelings as he waited for the other to arrive. Thankfully, it didn’t take too long for the other to show up. The knock on Toren’s door alerted him to the man, while also startling him a bit.
He answered the door with a smile, excited to see Callahan as always. However, his excitement faded a bit when he saw the sight of the other man.
Callahan stood before the doorway; face red like fire. His nose looked running and eyes red and tired. Even the little Sudowoodo next to him was looking up at his trainer with concern.
“Are you feeling alright?” was the first thing to come out of Toren’s mouth.
“Of course I am!” Callahan boosted. He puffed out his chest and smacked his hands to his hips. Clearly trying to present himself as a beacon of health. Unfortunately for him, Toren wasn’t blind or necessarily stupid. “I feel perfectly fine and ready for our date- day! Our day out!”
Sudowoodo let out an unhappy call at the man’s words. Causing Callahan to snap his head and look at the pokemon, giving him a glare. The creature only gave another call at the look with a huff.
Toren raised a brow at the two. “Callahan,” he spoke up to gain the other’s attention again. “If you’re not feeling well we could have rescheduled. You shouldn’t be out sick like this.”
“I feel fine! Honest!” Callahan tried again. “It’s just the sniffles!”
Toren crossed his arms. “You look like you have a fever and you sound congested.” He gave a sigh but still smiled at the other. It was sweet, albeit, stupid, that he still came out all this way for Toren even while sick. “Why don’t you come inside,” he offered, moving to the side to allow entrance. “I’ll make you some tea and you can rest on the couch.”
Toren didn’t leave Callahan room to decline, instead walking in as soon as the shorter man took a step forward.
Callahan walked to the couch to hop onto it with a sigh. When Toren came back with a pair of cups, he handed one to the other who gave a small frown.
“What about our plans? You seemed excited to go to the observatory.”
Toren gave a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about that. We can always go another day.”
He paused talking to turn to Chansey as she walked into the room. She carried a small bowl and rag, as well as a box of tissues.
“Thank you,” Toren said to her as he took the items. He placed the bowl and tissue box on the table but kept the rag in his hand. He turned. Back to Callahan and gave him a sheepish smile. “Do you mind?”
“Huh?” The man looked down at Toren’s hand then back to his face. “Oh! Uh, guess not,” he mumbled into his tea. Was it his fever making his face warm? Yeah. Definitely. Just the fever.
Toren placed the cool rag first on his neck, already getting a content sigh out of him. Raising it up from his neck to his cheeks before finally fully leaving it on his forehead.
Callahan leaned back on the couch. His shoulders pressing against Toren’s. “Maybe I, uh, wasn’t feelin’ as golden as I thought.”
Toren only chuckled at that. “I didn’t think so.” He reached back up and pushed some of Callahan’s hair out of his face. “I don’t mind. I like helping,” he admitted. “And even if we didn’t get to go out, I still like spending time with you.” He pulled the man’s hat off and placed it on the table as well.
Callahan couldn’t help his smile at that. “I’m glad you're not upset with me. I just really didn’t wanna miss today all ‘cause of some cold.”
“Of course not. No one can really help a cold.”
The brunette nodded. “It doesn't help that I was out in the rain all night the other night ‘cause the trolley was down near my place!” He gave a nod and sighed. “I had to run the whole way home in a practical hurricane.”
“Really?” Toren asked with a tilt to his head.
Sudowoodo gave a little sound that came off like a ‘tut tut tut’.
“Ah- well. I might be exaggeratin’ a bit. It really was rainin’! Just not that bad I guess,” Callahan admitted.
“Walking in the rain will definitely get you sick no matter how hard it’s pouring,” Toren nodded to himself as he took a sip from his tea. “Hopefully the trolley will be running again when you get home. Ours was down a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah you told me ‘bout that!” Callahan said with a start as he remembered that conversation. He let himself relax back into his seat. Only as he did more of his form pressed against Toren’s. He contemplated shifting off but didn’t when he felt the other lean into the touch. “People need to be more careful where they have their battles.”
Leaning more into the other as he spoke, the scientist gave a sound of agreement. “It was an accident but it was still pretty inconvenient.”
“I bet.”
There was a comfortable pause of silence between them. Both of them somehow had gotten to the point where they were leaning on each other in their seats. After a bit Toren broke the silence. “How’s your tea?”
“Good!” Callahan smiled back to him. “I don’t feel as stuffed up as I did before.”
“I’m glad.”
Another beat of silence. Neither of them minded. It seemed that drinking tea in silence was just as nice as going out together. However, once again, the silence was disrupted. This time by Callahan.
“So, uh, the observatory wasn’t the only reason I tried to come even though I wasn’t feelin’ well.”
“What do you mean?” Toren asked down at him.
Callahan scratched at the side of his face. “Ya see, ah. Well I wanted to be honest with you.” He moved from scratching his cheek to holding his mug with both hands. Looking down in the left-over liquid as much as he could without disturbing the rag on his head. “I, well, I really like you. When I asked you to today, I wanted to take you somewhere you wanted to go so I could, well, ask you to go out with me. Like, uh, date.”
Callahan finally looked up at the scientist. If he didn’t know any better he’d think Toren had caught his fever with the way his face looked like a ledyba just without the spots.
“You… wanted to ask me out?” Toren asked, his voice sheepish and so quiet it almost couldn't be heard. He almost couldn't hear his own voice past the loud thrumming in his chest that flooded his ears.
Callahan suddenly leaned forward with a large nod. “Yeah!” He declared. The sudden and loud action caused Toren to jump and meet his gaze. The rag flinging off and landing in the scientist’s lap. “I definitely like you! I just wanted me askin’ to be all cool and special,” he mumbled. “Gettin’ sick wasn’t really part of that plan.”
Toren looked at his pout and couldn’t help but smile. “That’s okay,” he said. “I think this is just as special.” He took the rag and re-wet it. However, he took the moment to place a chaste kiss to Callahan’s lips before returning the rag to his head.
The green-haired man had originally thought that Callahan’s face couldn't get any redder because of the fever he sported. It seems that hypothesis was proven inaccurate. The sight only making him smile.
“Ah jeez,” Callahan sighed. “You’re gonna make my face melt, professor!”
Toren laughed at that. He moved so that the other could lean back on him again. This time fully against his chest with Toren’s head resting on his. “I’m sure some more tea will help you feel better.”