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It had been around a month since Toren returned to Johto, Fula City was as lively as ever. He had settled back in just fine. The lab and it's pokemon missing him quite a bit, asking all sorts of questions. It was tiring to say the least.
While his adventures in Alola were nothing short of grand he couldn't help but feel a little bitter. Something was missing and he knew what it was, it couldn't be helped though. That was it, and that's all it ever was.
Night had came by rather quickly as he hung up his coat. All he did at the lab was organize some medicines for Jason, and make sure nothing could break...again.
Slumping down on his bed Toren yawned and stretched, he'd need a shower soon but for now he was too tired to get up. Feeling his eyes shutter close he was nudged by his Chansey.
The large pink pokemon seemed to be carrying something, it was a black jacket with white zigzags and a skull on the back. Toren smiled fondly, the pokemon always seemed to know how he was feeling and way to cheer him up. He took the jacket in his hands and felt the worn fabric.
This was one of Guzmas favorite jackets, it was easy to tell by the holes and how much it smelled of him; it was like he was right here.
Toren looked around his room a bit before hugging the jacket close. His face had a huge grin on it as he remembered all the times he'd borrow it, now it was his. The only down part is the person wasn't attached to it.
A few minutes passed and Torens rotom phone rang, odd. He normally didn't get calls, not this late anyways. Reluctantly he let go of the jacket, propping it under his head like a makeshift pillow.
He grabbed his phone to see the caller I.D. Torens face lit up in shock. It was Guzma, it was really him calling.
I mean it's not like it was something groundbreaking as they had texted before but still. This was their first call since they last saw eachother.
Just breathe he told himself, it was nothing special just two friends catching up. Toren picked up the phone as if it were made if glass before letting out a big sigh, pressing the green answer button.
"Hello?" Toren let out a small unsure greeting only to be met with a loud yawn. It sounded like a big ursaring waking up from hibernation. Concealing a chuckle the other party spoke up.
"What ya doin," Guzma said groggily from the other line. It was a simple question really, but still one he didn't want to answer.
Toren looked nervously at the jacket under him as he let out "um's" and "ah's". He could easily lie about it but that didn't seem right. Clearing his throat Toren finally answered.
"Not much really, I just got home and layed down. I was about to take a shower though," that was the truth after all, Guzma didn't need to know exactly what he's doing. Shortly after the other man spoke again.
"You havin fun without me over there in Johto huh," That bit surprised Toren. It was clear Guzma was joking, you could practically hear the grin on his face. Still though it just didn't seem right. Of course he had fun in Johto, Fula City was very lively after all.
Nothing short of boring happens in the lab, especially with Risa and Callahan visiting. Even then his time in Alola was just different. He had made a lot of friends and many unforgettable moments. Admittedly most of which were because of Guzma.
"I am but," He trailed off for a moment.
"But?" Guzma responded to break the few seconds of silence.
"It's nothing don't worry about it. Work at the lab has just been draining," Toren made the quick excuse.
While it was true he was getting back in routine it was just the same workload as in Alola, maybe even less. The difference though was after a long day he'd do something with Guzma to ease his mind. That wasn't possible now due to their distance.
"Oh," Guzma said quietly before clearing his throat. "Did you get my little suprise?" Toren perked up, the jacket, that was his suprise.
Of course he got it, it was the first thing he saw when he opened his luggage to unpack. He would wear it all the time around his apartment, now he does so less, but this call just made him want to melt into its fabric.
"Oh yeah your jacket! I thought this one was your favorite though?" That was another question Toren had, why this one, why not something from a gift shop like all the other tourists would get.
"And? You better appreciate it," Guzma felt smug saying all this when in reality his face was flushed.
He was curled under mountains of blankets on his bed, digging his face into his stiff pillow.
Honestly he missed Toren so much, he would never admit it though. So the only logical thing to do was to wait a month and then call.
Not like he was desperate to hear the mans voice again. How he'd whine over the smallest thing, huff when something didn't go as planned and-
"Guzma? Hello are you there?" Shit, Toren was talking while he was daydreaming.
"Yeah, I'm uh just tired ok." That was a lame ass excuse, still a good one nevertheless. Focusing on his words just seemed to get harder by the minute. Not because he was sleepy, no, it seems like they've been through this a thousand times.
Toren would go on and on about something pokemon or lab related and Guzma woukd drift off. Originally he'd just ignore Toren, maybe look at the ceiling or something.
But as time went on he found himself looking at Toren, listening to him. Guzma found out a lot of different things when he started paying attention, it excited him in a way.
Yet it didn't last forever as he would drift off again, this time to the more sweet sound of Torens voice. He never noticed how gentle and smooth he could sound when comfortable.
It was different from his usual voice cracks and nervous tone. Guzmas eyes would then wander, from the ceiling to Torens face whenever he wasn't looking, back at the ceiling when he was though.
Guzma had also noticed that Toren would occasionally move his hair out of the way of his eye, only for it to fall back in the same spot.
It was a futile motion really, yet he did it like clockwork. It was more so noticeable whenever he was nervous or just babbling.
Toren cleared his throat over the phone, "Ah, it is late after all. Sorry for keeping you up." It was a genuine, yet uneeded, apology. And truly just another noticed aspect about him.
No matter what Toren meant everything he said, the meaning of his words could be trusted. Guzma knew that for sure, he's proved it time and time again after all. But even if he didn't know Toren, if he was meeting him for the first time, he couldn't help but to trust that sweet voice.
"Why're you sorry, I called you, not the other way around," Guzma huffed, you could practically hear his eyes roll from the other side of the line.
But Toren knew him too well to be offended, he simply replied with a small chuckle.
"I guess you're right," clothing being shifted could be heard on Torens side of the call. Truly they could just leave it like this, the silence oddly comforting. Though it had to be cut short.
"Mm sorry, I gotta go ahead and take my shower. I have work tomorrow," disappointment coated Torens voice like sticky honey from a combee. Guzma's voice was also laced with it.
"Trynna get rid of me or somethin?" He was joking of course, well not really. He didn't want Toren to go, not yet. They were only on call for about 15 minutes, they could easily go for a few hours.
"Of course not, I really, really, like talking to you." The emphasize on the last really struck Guzma somewhere close. Again with his stupid words and stupid meaningful voice. Toren cared so much it hurt sometimes.
He cared when he had to go and cared when he didn't. Every moment with him was truly something to be treasured, he never knew if he'd get another time like this to just hear Toren.
"Fine, but call me tomorrow ok," The words came out his mouth faster than he could process them.
Was he seriously being desperate over this? It was like the researcher had a grip on him. Imagine how pathetic it would be if he refused- "I will!"
The voice was louder than expected, followed immediately by the sound of a hand slapping over a mouth. "Sorry, I will call you after work tomorrow," this time the statement was softer and more nervous.
"Good then......night," Guzma tried his best to sound all confident like her normally was, but the last word came out broken as his voice cracked in the midst of the singular syllable word. It sounded more like Toren said it rather than Guzma.
Nevertheless Toren still responded as usual. "Goodnight Guzma," confidence and warmth radiated from the statement as Guzmas phone beeped, no one else was on the other line anymore.
How long had it been since Toren said Guzmas name, and like that?
He basically hummed it as if he's said it a thousand times before, and planned to continue a thousand more times.
Guzma gripped his phone, rolling over. A nearby pillow was his victim as he grabbed it harshly. Not even his death grip on the soft object could math the one Toren had on him.
It was pathetic and stupid he said to himself in his head. How could such a seemingly insignificant man cause such a mess of Guzma's thoughts.
Oh well, all he could do was sleep it off. And wait for tomorrow's call.