Sweater Paws ☻ Malum AU

five - ignorance

Michael thought about walking to Paws 'n' Claws and waiting for Calum to stop by, but that wasn't exactly the best idea that he could think of. So, he called Calum on the way to work instead.

"Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up," Michael mumbled to himself.

His heart was racing. He did not know if Calum would answer or if he would even see him again.

"Please answer me. Please," Michael whispered as the phone kept ringing.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello?"

"Calum. I didn't think that you would even reply to me," Michael said softly.

"What made you think that?" Calum asked.

"You just stopped coming to visit. You didn't even bother coming just to say hello," Michael answered with a tear in his eye.

By this point, Michael was parking his car and walking towards the shelter where he worked.

"Turn around," Calum said.

Michael saw Calum standing outside Paws 'n' Claws wearing a grey sweatshirt and a beanie instead of his Starbucks uniform. Michael had never seen Calum outside of work, and he was happy to actually see him again after so long.

Calum saw Michael walking towards him and opened his arms for a hug, which Michael gladly gave him.

Calum stepped away from Michael for a moment and Michael opened the door, letting Calum into the shelter first before walking in himself.

"So, my offer still stands," Calum said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked.

"I know I haven't really been talking to you lately. Don't think I've been ignoring you, because I don't mean to. I haven't talked to you because sometimes I just don't know what to say. I wanted to be able to see you outside of work, but I just don't have the courage to ask you in person. I'm just not good with words, I guess," Calum explained.

"Oh," Michael mumbled, looking down at the ground.

"If you don't want to see me again, it's fine. I completely understand," Calum said, faking a smile.

"Of course I'd want to see you again. I've been thinking about what you said - or wrote - for weeks and weeks and had no idea what to do about it, but now I think I finally found out," Michael told Calum.

"Thank goodness, because I thought you were ignoring-" Calum said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Yes," Michael said.

"What?" Calum asked, confused as to why Michael said what he had just said, although it was just a simple word.

"Yes, I'll go out with you."