(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 186: Not built for this kind of leadership

Kellen ate, slept and breathed at the Guiding Division. So much so that it was Rhys who had to come down and tear him away from the others, scooping him up and tossing him over his shoulder at one point, much to the humour of everyone else.

Kellen didn’t protest. He had protested up until the point Rhys had picked him up. He had even tried to plead his case, but Rhys had smiled in the way that he did before he reached for him, scooped him up, and Kellen found that he was staring at the other man’s ass in his Captain’s pants.

Kellen wasn’t really one to complain.

The other Guides, the new replacements who had been selected to temporarily replace Casper while he was away on medical leave and those that were also helping them build a program from the ground up in a rush, waved to Kellen as Rhys carried him away.

Even his Dad didn’t protest, a look in his eyes as he met Kellen’s gaze saying that he knew that his time wasn’t far behind his son. As if manifesting it, Kellen’s Mom stepped out of the elevator just as Kellen and Rhys came to a halt.

Kellen expected that his Mom would make a snide comment, or tease them, but instead she said nothing. Kellen missed the look that she shared with Rhys, a connection made between two people who loved Woods’ men.

Rhys didn’t even put Kellen down when they stepped into the elevator. The first or the second one. He marched the man all the way to the bathroom and then proceeded to help him undress and they both slipped into the tub. It was the only surefire way that Kellen wouldn’t attempt to escape.

Rhys was getting to know Kellen too well, and while it made Kellen want to pout, it was also something that stirred happiness deep in his chest. The kind that didn’t have an end. That just kept growing and growing, making Kellen feel full and cared for.

That was when Rhys told him the date had been set in stone. The funeral was tomorrow. A quick decision, but necessary.

There was still a hit out on Kellen’s life, his parent’s life, and almost any Guide who attended. Rhys and the others took that seriously, but the lives that had been lost also deserved to be honoured.

The families knew and had been notified that it would be a short notice call for safety reasons. Everyone was ready and prepared. The reason why it was tomorrow? Taylor had given those who had woken up the all clear to attend the funeral.

Two more had woken up since the original members had. That meant that at this point there was Gwen who was still asleep and one more member of the Guild. They were expected to wake up at any moment, but the funeral could not be delayed any longer.

What remained of the bodies had already been cremated, and it was time to spread the ashes of the brave members of the Saturn Guild.

Kellen was thankful for the warm bath suddenly.

Everyone was going to attend, making security an even stricter priority. Rhys held Kellen tightly against his chest, his hand pressed against Kellen’s pec, feeling the beat of his heart under his palm.

It was a quiet moment, a tender one, and Kellen just let them sit like this. Kellen knew that Rhys was worried that Kellen’s vision would still come to pass. Kellen couldn’t say that he wasn’t still worried as well. While they had caught someone, that didn’t mean that they had caught everyone that would put those that they cared about in jeopardy. It also didn’t help that because of Kellen’s crazy schedule that they hadn’t been able to do the followup guiding session with Taylor.

Not that she wasn’t up to her eyes in things that she needed to manage. That would change once the Guiding Division was stable since they would take over half of the burden of caring for the rescued Guides.

Some of them had been found to not have been raised by a separate entity that was basically raising children like cattle, but had been stolen. Kidnapped. Pamela was working with...Rene to find their families, if they were still looking for them.

Kellen had wanted to ask how that had been working out, but Rhys had given Kellen a look telling him not to ask Pamela about it. Rhys was aware of what was going on between the two women, more than Kellen was aware. Kellen had a feeling that the ever-nosy and thoughtful Hill had a hand in that.

Kellen’s Mom was also playing a role in that, it appeared. She was also sitting in, taking care of some of the legal issues that Pamela normally dealt with. In fact, Rhys told Kellen, she was the one who had drafted up the contracts that Kellen had used to promote the Guides. That was news to Kellen, and from the knowing little smirk on Rhys’ lips, they had kept it from him intentionally.

Either way, everything was coming together at once and now that it was happening, Kellen was feeling the stress of it all. HIs body trembled with energy. Not from stress, but from excitement. He finally felt like he was an active member in the Guild again. Even if he couldn’t work out like he normally did, even if his routine was messed up, it finally felt like everything was coming together after the hell that had been the poison gate.

Not that that was over yet either.

Kellen asked about if Taylor had made her request of going into the gate to get a sample of the poison on the core for Gwen’s healing and Rhys had tightened his grip on Kellen. While the gate had been significantly destroyed, it still wasn’t a safe place to be. The expedition to the center of the gate was still dangerous, so getting the sample was still taking its time.

It seemed that anything organic that touched the core disintegrated within seconds of touching it. Kellen’s heart had panicked for a second before he remembered that they never used living subjects to touch the core in these circumstances if they could avoid it. Kellen’s training was what calmed him, and he felt a little embarrassed that he’d even forgotten it for a second.

Rhys said nothing about his reaction, instead explaining that those on the front lines wanted to be extra cautious with something this dangerous. They were actually going to wait until Carlos could go himself. For extra safety.

Kellen was a bit surprised to hear that, and also relieved. It would be best if the poison expert went himself. Kellen had seen for himself how resistant Carlos was to every poison, had seen the man sip at Kellen’s blood like it juice, so he knew that the man had done the same to Gwen’s blood as well.

Kellen and Rhys spoke for so long in the tub that Rhys had to reverse time on the water about three times, but it was needed. When they got out, Rhys dried and cared for Kellen, wiping down his body with careful, tender hands. Taking special care with Kellen’s slowly healing hand. Kissing over Kellen’s damaged eye and the scar that would probably remain for the rest of his life.

Kellen was almost a little excited for Brent to see his scar. He wouldn’t look exactly like Brent, but there was something to be said about how they would match just a little bit more. A camaraderie that couldn’t be easily broken, even if they hadn’t gotten the wounds together.

Rhys also made sure that food was delivered while they were in the bath, heating it up the old fashioned way to give Kellen some time to get tea ready. Then they sat, ate, wrapped around each other in an intimate moment that Kellen could have only dreamed of previously.

He felt that it was strange that he was this happy. This content with a life that might not have ever happened if not for one surged Esper. Kellen knew it was strange to feel grateful for one man, but he did.

Without him, he wouldn’t even be here.

"How is the Esper that surged at Guiding Center B doing?" Kellen asked, surprising Rhys. Rhys turned to Kellen, staring at him for a moment before his eyes crinkled at the corners. The man was already handsome, and the way his face opened up as he smiled made him even more so.

"He’s doing well. He’s on the front lines right now with his brother. The one who was pestering Casper ages ago. They are in charge of the detail guarding the researchers. They work well together and it seems that ever since his incident, he’s had a better grasp of his levels. We’ve also been closely monitoring him so that doesn’t happen again, but he’s been good. He also made sure that his brother stopped treating Casper poorly, in combination with your warnings, of course." Rhys chuckled. "In fact, when he heard that the man who had saved him was becoming my partner, he personally came to congratulate me and apologise for causing you any issues." Rhys told him.

Kellen frowned.

"Why didn’t he tell me that personally?" Kellen asked and Rhys grinned.

"Kellen, he’d just surged, caused a huge issue for the image of the Saturn Guild at a Guiding Center, and I had just found you. He was still a little unstable as well. He knew better than anyone else, probably even some S Classes, how unstable I was at the moment. He was making sure to keep everyone safe." Rhys said, leaning in to press a kiss against Kellen’s cheek. "I’m sure if you wanted to check on him personally, he would be delighted. I’m not the kind of boyfriend who would prevent my lovely Field Guide from checking on the men he’d saved." Kellen wasn’t an idiot. That felt like a loaded statement.

"I shouldn’t worry for his safety because I’m asking about him, should I?" Kellen asked and Rhys laughed.

"Is that you asking me as a Guide or are your S Class powers tingling?" Rhys teased.

"That’s both of them working in tandem." Kellen remarked and Rhys laughed.

"I’m being a kind, understanding Esper right now. My lover likes to save people more than I do, and I won’t lie and say that it doesn’t help that you didn’t guide others through any...deeper guidance. It’s greedy of me, but I won’t lie and say it doesn’t soothe the more possessive parts of me that you didn’t." Something sharp and tingling stabbed at Kellen’s heart.

"It wouldn’t matter if that was the case, would it?" Kellen asked and Rhys froze. Then he pressed another kiss against Kellen’s cheek.

"Of course not. I was just being honest." Rhys told him and Kellen nodded.

"Oh, okay." Kellen hesitated. "I don’t care that it’s different for you, Rhys." Kellen told him seriously. "I don’t think about it, because I know that they won’t be able to touch you anymore like that. I also don’t have to touch others like that either. I have my aura guidance now, remember?" Rhys’ expression softened.

"Thank you for considering my foolishness. Now, let’s finish up so that we can rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."