(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Kissed, Missed, and Cried?

Chapter 145: Kissed, Missed, and Cried?

The coffee shop had several nice, plush chairs set up around the glass windows, overlooking the city.

They were comfy, large seats that you sunk into when you sat in them.

There were a few tables that had better views than the rest, and luckily, Taylor and Kellen scored one of them as the staff was clearing and cleaning it.  It was quiet around this time of the day, since it was between people getting off work, and others going to dinner.

As the two of them settled into the chairs, Kellen with a tea latte, and Taylor with a regular latte, Kellen took a moment to try and center himself.  Everything had happened so quickly.

From beginning to end, it had been a rollercoaster.

Kellen wasn’t exactly sure what had happened, but he wasn’t upset that the Captain had snapped.

He understood.

He just knew that he needed to apologise to Hill for his outburst.  Kellen turned his gaze to Taylor, and took her in.

Like the Captain, they had been brushing against each other basically only for guiding, but unlike him and the Captain, Taylor also had a pulse on his parents.

They had gone for tea at least once in the two weeks.  But Taylor, in her white lab coat, her hair pulled back in her usual sharp ponytail, and her latte in hand, looked tired.

She had large dark circles under her blue eyes, and she yawned.

Kellen sighed, and Taylor sighed at the same time.

Both gave small, weary smiles.  “Even in this situation we’ve found ourselves in, that’s fucking hilarious.” She took a sip of her latte, before placing it down on the table in front of her.

“Alright.

Tell me, Kellen, what the hell is up with the Captain?

What happened at the shoot today?” Kellen put his tea down on the end table, before slouching back in the chair.

He hung his head on the back of the chair for a minute, letting the texture and softness comfort him before he spoke.  “A lot of things, actually.

Uh, Pamela lied to us about what we were there for.

She also threatened Brent and I that they were going to hunt us down if we tried to run away.

The Espers took a lot of photos, but it felt like Brent and I took twice as many.

Uh, things went off the rails rather quickly, and for everyone, not just for the Captain and I.

They had us doing a lot of suggestive poses, but it got worse after I…” He trailed off, sighed, and rubbed his hands all over his face.  That wasn’t exactly the beginning of all of their problems, so he should really start there.

He took a few seconds to himself, knowing that Taylor was waiting.

“The Captain and I haven’t seen each other for two weeks outside of your 15 minute guiding sessions.” Kellen confessed, and Taylor’s eyes grew as wide as saucers.

She leaned forward in her chair, her expression shocked.  “What?

No, that can’t be true.

You guys live next door to each other!

How the hell has Captain Thatcher been managing?” Kellen tilted back, before sitting up again.

He threaded his hands together, and rested them on his knees, frowning.  “I imagine the same way I have been.

Denial.

I didn’t realise how miserable I was not seeing him until I saw him at the photoshoot with Hill.” Kellen closed his eyes, sighing.

“Our first shoot was so awkward.

We hadn’t touched each other besides holding hands for so long, but the Captain was perfectly fine.” Kellen couldn’t help the note of frustration that seeped into his words.

Taylor gripped on the edge of her seat, staring at him as he looked out the window, pouting.  “Well, he clearly isn’t fine now, so what happened?” Kellen felt his cheeks heat and he dropped his head, staring at his threaded fingers for a minute before he untangled them and met Taylor’s gaze.  “We were holding this position and I just couldn’t stop myself anymore.

I kissed him, and then told him that I missed him.” Taylor covered her mouth with her hands.  “The Kellen Woods told another human that he missed them?

After kissing them?

What the fuck did you do after that?

Cry?

That’s the only way I can understand why the Captain was so angry at Hill when she came in.” She was shocked, and Kellen could understand why.  She wasn’t wrong for reacting the way she had.

Kellen was an exemplary Guide.

He kept everyone at a perfect distance, and that had probably included his friends and family after a certain point.

Kellen was big enough to admit that.

He had also never dated, since he hadn’t had time for relationships while trying to get over himself.  The first two things listed were enough to freak anyone who knew him out, since they were so out of character for him.

The last one?

Where he’d actually cried?  Fuck, someone should have bought a lottery ticket.  Kellen took a moment, looking out the window.

He picked up his tea, took a sip, all while he felt Taylor’s eyes on him.

He couldn’t stop his face from heating, practically confirming her words.

Taylor, who hadn’t known Kellen as an emotional man, was stunned that in one day, he had done all three.

So was Kellen, if he was honest.

He clearly hadn’t been taking care of himself.  “I guess I didn’t look okay most of the shoot after the kiss.

No.

I guess I hadn’t looked okay the whole shoot, but it all came to a head after I did that.

I was feeling really miserable over the fact that the Captain seemed so…unaffected while being around me after not touching me for so long.

While I was…clearly affected.  In my confusion, I…I said something I shouldn’t have.

Maybe that led to me kissing him, since I think I felt guilty, but then Gwen also said something that set me off.

She said I was a bad partner and that I should be looking out for my pair.” Kellen put the tea down, pushing his hair back again as Taylor watched him.  “I also didn’t mean to cry, but then the Captain got really freaked out after I did.

I know the Captain is busy, that’s the whole reason I didn’t say anything.

I didn’t want to be a burden to him.

I…I don’t even understand why I have all of these feelings, or what they even are.” Kellen’s eyes were full of pain when he met Taylor’s gaze.

He was clearly conflicted with something.

Unsure, uneasy.  “I have this really painful feeling in my chest whenever I think of it.

I know I’m usually more confident then this, but these feelings keep getting in the way.

I don’t want to drop in on him unannounced because I don’t want him to see me and send me away as soon as he does.

The thought of that paralyzes me.” He shivered, shaking away the chill that filled his body.  “When he didn’t want to be guided today, it felt like a gut punch.

Like he had rejected me.

It hurt much more than the actual rejection.

Taylor, do you know what’s wrong with me?” Kellen’s voice was shaking, and he felt like he could cry again.  Taylor had both of her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and colour on her cheeks.

She held her silence for a full minute as she stared at Kellen.

He watched in confusion as she slowly gathered herself.

She took several deep breaths, and a few sips of her coffee, before she looked at him.

She had a very serious look in her eyes.  “Kellen, I want to ask you a series of questions.

They are all hypothetical, alright?” Kellen nodded, clenching his hands on his knees.

Nervous.

“If you saw the Captain being guided by another Guide, what would you do?” A wave of emotion surged through him.

The grip he had on his knees became bruising, painful, as his chest throbbed.  “I would be very, very angry.

Why?

Have you seen that recently?

Is that why he rejected me?” She chuckled, shaking her head at Kellen’s tone.  “No, not at all.

I’m just offering a couple of scenarios to get a better, fuller picture.

Like…a case study.

I need to know everything.” Nodding, since it was a concept he could wrap his head around, he understood where she was coming from.

Then, he felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him.

He had reacted so strongly so easily.

That was silly of him.  “Okay.

What’s the next one?” He asked, and she smirked.  “How would you feel if the Captain stormed in right now and picked you up, pinned you against the wall and kissed you senseless?” Kellen felt his jaw drop and his face heat.

That was scandalous!

He looked away from her to clear his mind of her words, but the reflection of the glass gave his mind something to play with.

He imagined his hands gripping his ass tightly like he had done earlier today.

Harsh, brutal, claiming.

His tongue would be hot and demanding.

Kellen would have his fingers in his hair as they devoured each other.  He cleared his throat.  “I wouldn’t be upset about it.” Taylor raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?

You threw a fit about him doing anything in public only two weeks ago, Kellen.

And this isn’t a hallway people don’t normally go by.

This is the coffee shop.

Not only is this place normally bustling, this is also a place that cleared civilians have access to.

Many people could see you, and take photos.” Kellen flushed.  Shit.

She was right.

Why had his opinion changed so quickly?

What was wrong with him?  Taylor shifted in her seat, leaning forward to take a sip of her latte, before smirking at him.

It was clear she already knew his diagnosis, but was dragging it out.

What the hell was it?

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB And we get closer and closer….