Convoke

Chapter 20

Tom paced back and forth on the large blue rug in Cal's bedroom. The long fur crushed between his bare toes with each step. "I think I just had a moment of madness last night," he said, wringing his hands before throwing them into the air. "I still barely know him. How can I possibly have feelings for someone I barely know?"

Cal sat on the side of his bed, in tartan pyjama bottoms and a plain black top with blond hair unbrushed and knotty behind his head. The only part of him that moved were his blue eyes that followed his best friend up and down the room.

"It can't work between us. I need to snap out of whatever this is," Tom ranted. "Maybe I'm just mistaking my feelings for something else, or maybe I'm just being desperate." He scoffed. "I'm definitely being pathetic-"

"Stop!" Cal ordered.

Tom stopped.

"Ask yourself this question," Cal continued. "If Ezra found what he was looking for in the library, and he left, with no plan on returning anytime soon, how would you feel?"

Tom knew exactly how he would feel, but he still waited to answer as though he had to think hard. "Probably sad."

"Correction, you'd be very sad. Because I know you very well, Tom O'Connell. Once you catch feelings, you don't let go. You like Ez, the soul stripper demon. You admitted it to me last night, so deep down, you must've admitted it to yourself." Cal patted the bed, and Tom collapsed onto his duvet, curling up and shoving his face into the mattress.

"You're right," he groaned. "But what on earth am I supposed to do? I can't do anything with these feelings."

"Why not?"

"He's a demon, Cal."

"And?

Tom sat up. "He's a demon," he repeated louder.

"So what? That didn't stop you catching feelings. Yeah, your parents might be like what the fuck, if you got together. The village locals might never speak to you again, and Ez would probably still be looking all fresh when you're all old and wrinkly, but love is love. So isn't it best to get on with it while you're both fresh and young. Also, he is a soul stripper and you'll one day find out what he did to deserve that role, and that might freak you out. What if he was a serial kil-"

"Shut up." Tom pressed a hand to his forehead, "Just shut up."

"Well, these are things you must think about if you like him. What about his anger issues? Has he ever snapped?"

Tom shook his head to say no. "He got angry once but left and returned later when he was calm. He's saved my life on multiple occasions. He's attentive when I'm speaking, gentle and quiet which is actually really cute because he looks like he would punch you into hell just for looking in his direction. He's fair and doesn't hold a grudge on the locals who try to antagonise him. He cares about me, he cares about other demons, especially the ones who are treated so badly." Tom fiddled with the duvet. "He watches everything like it's something worth studying. I feel safe around him, and I know we've already established this, but he's so good looking." Tom shook his head. Cal knew not to laugh at him when he was pouring his heart out. "I've got it bad. But I'm really conflicted. I'm only gonna end up falling hard for him, but I'm sure that if he gets even a hint of how I really feel, he'll leave."

Cal hummed lowly. "I'm not sure he will."

"Why?"

"Because he also looks at you like you're something worth studying. I'm not dumb, I can see how curious he is when you talk to him. Maybe he listens so attentively because he likes you too."