(BL) Hunting The Field Guide-Chapter 459: Whispered comfort in the dark hours (suggestive)

Kellen felt loved. He felt cherished. He felt taken care of.

Rhys had attacked him after that, tickling him until Kellen was howling with laughter and then kissing him deep enough that Kellen could tell he was trying to swallow the laughter into him, absorbing it for when Kellen was in the gate. It was a bittersweet taste, the reminder that they potentially only had hours, not days remaining together.

Kellen refused to look at this negatively, and now it seemed that Rhys, even if he was faking it, was doing the same.

Rhys had changed their positions, moving them to the couch so that they could sit comfortably beside each other instead of the awkward toddler-esque situation that they had been in before. All the plates were spread out on the coffee table and on parts of the couch that they weren’t sitting on. Kellen was wrapped around Rhys, his legs across his lap and his back cradled by Rhys’ hand. It was intimate, but felt perfect for what Kellen and Rhys needed.

They spoke to each other quietly in the moments between plates, Kellen also turning the tables and making sure that he fed Rhys as well. Rhys was like a blushing bride as Kellen fed him, like he hadn’t expected that Kellen would reciprocate.

Kellen made sure that Rhys would never have to worry about that.

After they finished dinner, Rhys carried Kellen upstairs and they slowly stripped each other, taking the time to look at each other, touch each other, examine every last detail of each other before stepping into the shower.

There was a sexual tension, but neither of the men did anything but kiss each other. On the lips, on shoulders, hands, wrists. It was soft affection, something that Kellen felt like they didn’t have time for, but he was going out of his way to make sure they had.

It would have been too easy to be desperate for each other. Too easy to be harsh, rough, hands gripping flesh with an aggression that Kellen could feel. He knew that was his future, especially tomorrow, so he made sure that today? Today was soft.

He could tell that when he took the initiative to be soft that Rhys was slightly surprised by it, but also was so willing to do whatever Kellen suggested. He went along with the soft touches, enjoying receiving them as much as giving them. Kellen was enjoying their shower so much he didn’t want it to end, and Rhys was the same.

They moved to the tub after, holding each other in the warm water, just happy to be with each other. Kellen was honestly a bit surprised that people weren’t blowing up Rhys’ phone, but then again...Everyone probably knew. They were probably giving them time together.

Kellen pushed that thought aside, just sinking into the warmth that was Rhys’ arms and slowly, carefully kissed the man. Learning him. Kellen normally liked the deeper kisses, the ones that made his toes curl and his breath catch, but he was determined to learn more about the man.

What he liked. What he wanted.

Rhys had already helped Kellen learn what he liked, it was time Kellen learned what Rhys liked.

~

Once out of the bath, both shriveled up like prunes, They got ready for bed and curled around each other. Kellen held on the arm wrapped around his chest like a lifeline, wanting to absorb the man into his body and take parts of him with him.

He knew there was a way to do that, but he...didn’t want to, and he was actually glad that Rhys hadn’t brought it up.

Imprinting.

Kellen wasn’t sure how bad he would have spiraled if he had brought it up. He also wasn’t sure how their relationship would have survived if Rhys had. Kellen would have had to tell him no, and even if Rhys was who he was, that would have hurt.

Kellen wasn’t free technically, but he hoped that Rhys got the quiet message. They would have to have this talk more seriously, but now was not the time. It was so not the time. Kellen had made it pretty clear that he wanted Rhys alive outside of the gate. He already would have so many lives on his shoulders, he didn’t need his boyfriend’s life also on his shoulders. Not intrinsically.

Rhys’ lips on Kellen’s shoulder had him turning, looking over his shoulder at Rhys who was giving him a soft look. His hand slid down his body, going from resting on a pec down to his abs and Kellen felt his body tense at the light touch.

"What are you thinking about? I can almost see the gears turning in your head." Rhys told him and Kellen sighed.

"I don’t want to burden you, and I don’t want to have an argument." Kellen told him quietly and Rhys groaned.

"Kellen. You aren’t a burden, and who says we’ll have an argument?" Rhys asked and Kellen placed his hand on top of the hand on his stomach. He gave it a squeeze.

"Just...trust me on this. I know we’ll argue about it. Can we just drop it? I really, really just want to spend time with you right now." Kellen knew he sounded like he was begging. He was. He really just wanted to have this time with Rhys. Tomorrow would come, along with the answers to the questions posed yesterday, and then Kellen and Rhys would probably be separated by the gate that was taking more and more of their life then either of them wanted.

"Okay." Rhys whispered. "Okay, sugar. I get it. I won’t push it again. You’ll tell me at some point, won’t you?" Rhys asked and Kellen nodded.

"Yeah. We can have the argument once I get out of the gate, if I go into the gate." Kellen said, and Rhys chuckled.

"Yes. If." It wasn’t a bitter sound this time, and that was leaps and bounds over how they had been reacting to the news just a few hours ago. Spending time with each other was helping each other, and Kellen was never going to underestimate the power of having him around. Kellen, feeling a little naughty, gently pushed Rhys’ hand down his body, lower and lower. Rhys grumbled.

"Kellen." His voice held a warning to it, and Kellen chuckled.

"What? I’m not doing anything." Kellen said, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Rhys over his shoulder. The man’s gaze was golden, and Kellen felt like he was staring down a beast.

"I’m barely holding myself together. If you ask me to touch you, this sweetness you’ve cultivated will be gone." Rhys warned and Kellen felt all of the hair on his body stand on end. He had put a lot of work into cultivating this feeling, this warmth.

At the same time...he was feeling a little naughty.

"What if I went down on you?" Kellen asked and Rhys froze.

"Kellen." He warned again and Kellen shifted, turning over until they were face to face. Rhys was glaring at him without any real heat to the look and Kellen swallowed. He reached down, gently touching Rhys’ semi hard cock through his underwear and Rhys let out a sharp exhale. "Kellen. I’m serious." He warned for the third time and Kellen stared at him.

"And I want to feel you. I want to learn everything about you. Everything that makes you come undone, your favourite touches, favourite spots, everything. I’m feeling a little rushed, and I know I should feel bad that the moment I tried hard to make for us will be ruined by this, but I’m not." Kellen told him and Rhys flinched as Kellen grew more firm in his touch.

Rhys slid his hand to Kellen’s, and Kellen thought he was going to stop him but instead he pressed his hand harder against his crotch.

"If you want to learn, you need to be firmer in your touch. The gentle touches don’t do it for me, and instead rile me up in a bad way." Rhys told him softly and Kellen nodded, listening to him and squeezing him more firmly. Rhys’ eyes fluttered closed for a second before he snapped them open again. "What timing you have for wanting to learn about me." Rhys whispered and Kellen chuckled.

"I’ll be more attentive when I come out of the gate." Kellen told him and Rhys chuckled.

"I’m glad you are so confident." Rhys told him. "I should think it’s you being cocky, but it really, really soothes a part of me." Kellen’s hand twitched, before he sighed and raised it up, working his hand under the band of Rhys’ underwear to touch his cock skin to skin. Rhys groaned as Kellen got a good grip of his cock and slowly rolled his thumb against the head of his cock. Kellen watched Rhys’ expression, taking in every soft sound, every little jerk of his body as Kellen touched him.

"I’m glad that brings you comfort. I have no desire to end my life in a gate like that fucker. I won’t let that be my resting place." Kellen told him. Some of the confidence was faked, but there was that knowing that was a pulse under his skin. He knew. He knew that he’d be fine.

Rhys slid open his gaze, his expression growing flushed as Kellen continued to touch him.

"Did you see it?" Rhys asked quietly and Kellen felt his lips open, before he closed them. He slowly shook his head.

"No. It’s like...the knowing, the gut feeling that I had before." Kellen told him and Rhys’ expression shifted slightly.

"You know? What else do you know?" Rhys asked, and Kellen could see his heart in his eyes. Kellen swallowed.

"That this will be the last time my safety is guaranteed in a gate."

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