(BL) Taming the Field Guide-Chapter 92: Two lovers on different paths

Taylor’s assessment of Kellen was on the more positive side in the morning. Kellen was making great improvements, and she was quite happy to hear that his vision had grown, even if it was still ’unusable’ in Kellen’s words. It was better than the dark grey he’d had before. Seeing colours, even if they were blurry, with large black spots was better than what he’d had before.

Rhys was also pleased to hear it, and when he brought up the idea of flushing Kellen’s blood again, she didn’t immediately say no. She said that they should wait, especially since tomorrow they were beginning the flush of the other members. That was the first time Kellen had heard it, and apparently, the first time that Rhys had heard it.

Taylor grinned and informed him that he’d been too busy for Taylor to get her hands on him for a moment so now was when she was telling him. The grin was devious, and Kellen was impressed by how Taylor had taken this moment to do so. Was it risky? Absolutely. Rhys could have been pissed with her for doing something without his consent, but she had also been working with him professionally far longer than Kellen had.

So she probably knew that Rhys was going to react with a large sigh and a demand to look over the files in the five minutes he had to spare before moving onto the next plan. Taylor had it ready for him, and grimly, Rhys looked over the plan before sighing again.

"You get one, Green." He warned and Taylor nodded.

"Yes. One a year." She clarified and Rhys’ jaw tightened. That wasn’t something that Kellen knew, and Rhys turned to look at him.

"That doesn’t apply to you. You have to run things past me." Rhys warned, and Kellen just smiled.

"I know, Rhys." Kellen told him and that seemed to relax the Esper who thought, even for a moment, that Kellen was going to cling onto something that he’d discussed with Taylor in the past. Their relationship was different.

Taylor was basically a lieutenant for Rhys, someone who had great power in the Guild and would need to override him sometimes when he was either busy, insane, or not as knowledgeable as she was in a certain situation. Kellen was Rhys’ partner. He knew that he would be able to convince Rhys of things on his own without needing to rely on a freebie.

On a ’you get one chance’ deal. Kellen was better than that.

~

Hill joined them shortly after that and Taylor disappeared a little too quickly for Kellen’s liking. Hill didn’t react, nor did Rhys so Kellen thought he might have just imagined it. He hadn’t had a chance to speak to Taylor since her outburst a few days ago, but once they got Gunther back, he had a feeling that he needed to speak with her, Charlie, and...maybe a few other Guides who he thought of as friends.

Maybe just tea, maybe something simple, but...maybe that was something he should do.

The conversation with Hill and Rhys was brief, Rhys handing over Kellen’s things for Hill to carry and she took them without a second thought. It was a bit embarrassing to have to rely on others, but Kellen had no other choice. He also often asked others to rely on him, so he couldn’t get too uncomfortable with this.

Hill then took over and Rhys and Kellen said goodbye. Rhys’ eyes watered, looking like he was going to cry as he gave Kellen a bruising hug.

"Make sure you have your guns with you." Rhys whispered and Kellen laughed. He was the one who helped him tuck them into the band of his pants. He knew exactly what kind of guns he had with him.

"I won’t take them off of me." Kellen told him and squeezed him just as tight. "Come back in one piece, but you can bring Gunther back in several. We can stitch him back together as long as he’s alive." Kellen joked and Rhys squeezed him tightly.

"I love you, Kellen." Rhys told him and Kellen felt his pulse quicken. They didn’t speak about that out loud, not in front of others. Kellen’s heart raced in his chest as he tilted his head back to look up at the man. Rhys’ eyes were yellow, bright, but there was a softness to them that had Kellen’s breath leave him shakily.

"I-I love you too." Kellen whispered, far less strong in his words compared to Rhys. Rhys’ smile could have powered a factory; it was so bright. With one more tight squeeze, he was gone. Leaving Kellen with Hill and the other Espers who were slowly starting to trickle in.

From that point on, things began to move in quick succession.

Unlike when Kellen was getting ready to go into the gate, he wasn’t as hyper aware of everything else around him. Partially because his vision was limited due to his eye injury, but also because where he was going this time was relatively safe. While he didn’t have his gut feeling anymore, there was just something that made him think that was true.

Whether that was a false belief or not, Kellen was going to find out. Also, he was viewing this time that he was going to spend at the Nemesis Guild as a fun interaction. A scouting mission of sorts. How well was the group going to treat someone with long-standing injuries?

Honestly, it was a silly thing to even consider. Kellen and Brent had worked with the Nemesis Guild almost as long as Kellen had been working with the Saturn Guild. He just...needed something else to focus on while he was away from Rhys. While Rhys was doing something dangerous.

While Kellen was...tucked away somewhere safe like a good Guide was supposed to do.

Now, was Kellen fully ’tucked’ away? Of course not. He was doing a speech in front of a large group, with potential terrorists in attendance and his life could be at risk again, but this was as close as Kellen had come to being a ’classic’ Guide since he became Rhys’ partner. He’d done several unhinged things up until this point, one after the other, and now? Now he was feeling antsy.

He knew Rhys was strong. He knew Rhys was powerful. He had faith in the Saturn Guild, the Nemesis Guild and...well, the D.E.C. was there, and he had faith that the Peach Guild would definitely help clear everything up. Kellen was just...he was able to understand a little too well how Rhys had felt watching Kellen do what he had done when he’d gone into the gate.

The helplessness was eating him alive, which was why he had petitioned to go do the speech with Sergei. It would make him feel like he was helping, because as far as he knew, Guides couldn’t do the same procedure that the Espers could. Kellen couldn’t just go to sleep when things got hard. He had to stay awake the whole damn time.

Hill was a great distraction from Kellen’s less than hopeful feelings. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t poke nor prod too hard and instead helped Kellen into the Esper uniform, put a hat on his head that looked too similar to the one that Rhys wore on more formal occasions, and ushered Kellen out of the door.

They were taking a car to the Nemesis Guild. Several, in fact. It felt a bit more like a show of military power than the Saturn Guild showing their support for what Sergei was going to say, but Rhys had decided on this, and Sergei had said nothing to protest it.

Honestly, with what they were planning to do while the press conference was happening, yeah, this made perfect sense. The Guilds were showing up, flexing their power and saying that the city belonged to them. All those who wished to harm the city and their people needed to get the fuck out.

A show of power was necessary. A show of united power was necessary. The city knew their Guilds, knew the S Classes that protected them, and now it was time for the city to know where those in power had failed and what that meant for them.

It was going to be a powerful, and sobering press conference.

Hill’s arm around Kellen’s shoulder shook him from his thoughts.

"Stop looking so damn grim, Kellen. People are going to start thinking that you aren’t the Esper we dressed you as and instead a Guide going to their death." She was joking, of course, but there was a bit of truth to her words.

Kellen was moving freely outside of the Guild tower for the first time in what felt like months. He wasn’t wearing his sling because, well, he was hiding himself. It was tucked into the bag that Hill was carrying in the hand that wasn’t wrapped around Kellen’s shoulder.

"What am I supposed to do? This is a grim press conference. Doesn’t make sense to hide that from the people." Kellen replied tartly and one of the Espers around them snorted. He turned his head, looking back at Hill and Kellen with a smirk.

"He’s got you there, Lieutenant." He was in character, and playing the role effortlessly. Hill scowled, flipping him off with the hand wrapped around Kellen’s shoulder.

"Shut the fuck up, Esper, and keep your eyes forward. The trucks are being pulled out front from the bay, and you’ll be driving one thanks to your words." Hill told him. The Esper groaned.

"No. I hate driving them. They turn like shit." The Esper complained. Kellen was a little surprised at how casually they were able to speak. How calm they were being, like they also hadn’t been confined to the tower because of how Rhys had shut down the Guild since the terrorist attack and attempt on Kellen and his Dad’s life.

They were behaving as if this was just any old day. Like the civilians weren’t staring at them in shock as they left the Saturn Guild tower. Kellen was reminded that that was part of the strength of the Saturn Guild. Rhys made Espers that were able to roll with the punches, and from Hill’s scowl and jesting, she had a pretty big role in that as well.

"I could drive?" Kellen suggested and the group sighed as a unit.

"No one trusts you to drive." A second Esper spoke up, a woman, as she glanced back at Kellen. "You’ve always been reckless." Kellen felt his face warm at the dig. She might not know him personally, but that was a well placed jab. Hill snorted.

"Exactly. I’d rather have someone who hates doing it, but can get the job done, then someone I’m worried is going to get us there safely, if at all." Hill said and Kellen grumbled. He wanted to protest more, but he only had one hand right now. They were right.

"Fine." He muttered and Hill squeezed his shoulder before releasing him.

"Glad you’re so understanding, now get in the damn vehicle, you lot. We have to get there early. Captain’s orders." Hill’s voice was authoritative, serious. Kellen kind of liked seeing this side of her. It made him remember that she was, in fact, a lieutenant of the Guild.