(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 200

Chapter 200: Compatibility isn’t the end all and be all Chapter 200: Compatibility isn’t the end all and be all Leaving the Guiding Center felt like leaving a prison.

Everyone was staring at them as they exited the elevators down.

Esper Blake was all smiles, even waving at a few Espers that she knew.

Kellen even recognised a few people, and some did approach him briefly to say hello, but that was it.  Kellen was a little bit surprised that the car was where he had left it, but then again, who was going to touch a car that was that expensive.

Kellen was still pissed that the Captain had unintentionally lied.  The car wasn’t black at all.

The car, when under the sunlight, was a multihued car, where the colours shifted.

The undertone was a vibrant, bright yellow.

He felt like he was driving around in a declaration that he was with the Captain, and the Captain said he had planned to give it to Kellen as a birthday gift?

Had the man planned to start harassing him last year?  Well, the man had been planning to kidnap him.

The car should have been the least of Kellen’s problems.

Shaking his head, Kellen unlocked the car, unlocked both doors, and then stepped into the driver’s seat Esper Blake slid into the passengers seat and glanced around.  “Nice car.” She said, and Kellen nodded.

“Do I have to worry about whatever you two have done in it?” Kellen’s jaw dropped as Esper Blake gave him a wicked, teasing grin.  “Esper Blake!” Kellen chastised, and she raised her hands, giggling.  “Sorry, sorry.

The mood was too serious back there, and in fairness, it is something I believe the Captain would do.” Kellen’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Even he couldn’t disagree that it was something that the Captain would do.

Fuck.  “I only got the car today, and it’s still his car.” Kellen protested as he began to pull out of their parking spot.

He thankfully didn’t need to turn around and instead could go straight.

The Peach Guild was in the area, and he knew his way.

It also helped that Sakura made it into a giant, pink monstrosity the moment she got her hands on it.  “Oh, I believe you.” Esper Blake’s voice dripped sarcasm, and Kellen’s hand shifted.  “How much have you been hanging out with Brent?” He asked wearily and she laughed.  “I am actually on your roster for guiding, Guide Woods.

Brent and I are just becoming friends.” Kellen slid his gaze towards her as they came to a stop sign.  “Friends.

Right.” She gently tapped his shoulder with her hand.  “Hey, I mean it!

Brent’s not my type.” She said proudly, and Kellen chuckled.  “Oh?

I didn’t know you were allowed preferences.” Kellen responded and she snorted.  “I don’t think I want to hear that from you.

I heard that you have preferences.” Kellen blinked.

He hadn’t exactly hid that fact, but he didn’t expect that someone else would know about it.

In particular, someone who he only knew in passing.

“A little birdy told me you’ve had preferences for the Captain for years.” Oh.

That?

That he could handle.  “Why is that something to brag about?

Objectively, the Captain is a rather handsome man.

Same with you.

You are also a very attractive woman.” Esper Blake’s cheeks were red when he glanced over at him.

“But that’s the case with most Espers.

So what if I acknowledged that he was always attractive?

That tells you nothing about if I have preferences, and just so you know, I was prepared to have a woman be my pair.” Esper Blake recovered quickly from having Kellen call her attractive.  She giggled into her hand, smiling at Kellen as he paid attention to the road.  “Guide Woods, if you didn’t have preferences, you wouldn’t need to ‘prepare’ yourself to have a pair of the opposite sex.” She said, smiling.

“It’s alright.

I too, am ‘prepared’ to have a pair of the opposite sex.

I’ve been grateful that most of my Guides have been understanding.

I don’t normally get guiding above a kiss if I don’t need it.” She said with a smile, and Kellen glanced at her.

She seemed happy, content.  “I’m glad that your wishes are respected, Esper Blake, and I wish for you that your partner is a woman as well.

That would make both of you happy.” Esper Blake’s smile was a little strange.  “Hopefully.

I know of pairings that didn’t go well because one of them forced themselves to be in it, but since the Guild has you and the Captain, I am sure things will change for the better.” Kellen frowned at her words.

He hadn’t heard of something as awful as that recently.  “Who are you talking about?

Is it something new?

I thought I would have heard about something so terrible since I keep up with the Guide news.” Esper Blake blinked.  “Guides have news?” Kellen dismissed her question.  “It’s a safety thing.

What were you talking about, Esper Blake?” Kellen repeated as the pink Peach Guild building came into view.  It was a slightly shorter building than the Saturn Guild, but it suited Sakura just fine.

Unlike the Saturn Guild, there were several patios dotting the building all the way to the top where it was wrapped around like a border.

Kellen didn’t want to criticize her design choices, but it was definitely…a look.  “Well, it’s an old story, but most of the Guild knows it.

You’ve…heard of the Hills before, haven’t you?” Kellen shot her a confused look as they stopped at a red light.  “The Hills?

Like Karen Hill?” Kellen asked, and she nodded.

He shrugged.

“Not really.” She chuckled.  “I kind of expected that answer.

The Hills are famous for the exact opposite reason your parents are.

They had a high compatibility rating, and that was about it.

They were basically forced to get imprinted, and they fucking hate each other.

Lieutenant Hill is their biological daughter, but the two of them are not…good for each other.

It brought into question what a high compatibility meant.” Ah.

It was a reasonable thing to be concerned about.

Maybe Kellen had a different view on it because his Father had had a high compatibility with someone before his Mom.  “Well, it also comes down to if the couple wants it.” Kellen said, and Esper Blake seemed surprised by Kellen’s response.  “Really?” He nodded.  “Of course.

Compatibility means nothing if there isn’t a level of trust and understanding there in the first place.

Romance?

That isn’t always necessary, but trust and respect?

Those are.

If you are paired with someone who can’t even give you that, you’re in trouble from the get go.” Kellen said, and Esper Blake laughed.  “I wasn’t expecting that kind of response from you.

I don’t know why, but I expected you to wax poetically about love and imprints because of who your parents are.” She said as Kellen found a spot for the car and slid into place.

Not as quickly as the Captain would have done so, but with enough pizazz that Esper Blake clapped.  “I’m not my parents, and as much as I want a pairing like theirs, I know it wasn’t a walk in the park.

I doubt many remember it, but my Father had a partner before my Mom, and they almost had a 70% match rate.

It was 67%.” Esper Blake’s jaw dropped.

“But when he saw my Mom, as my Dad says, it was all over from there.

He was head over heels, and he had also been looking for an excuse to leave his previous partner.” Kellen turned off the car and opened the door.

“We shouldn’t be here long.

I just need to visit someone to threaten them.” Kellen said as he closed the door.

Esper Blake nodded.  “Were you hired to do so?” She asked and Kellen shook his head with a smile.  “No, but maybe?

I told her what to do, and she didn’t listen, so I have to come in person.” Kellen stared up at the building and sighed.

He checked his phone for the time.

“I’m a little early, but I did promise two groups I’d be near them at noon.” He muttered before moving towards the building, Esper Blake his shadow.  Entering into the giant pink monstrosity, Kellen headed for the receptionist who smiled at him.

He paid no attention to the gasps and looks he received, nor to how pretty and feminine the space was.

Esper Blake, however, was in her glee.

Kellen wanted to laugh considering the conversation they had just had.  “O-Oh!

To what do we owe the pleasure?” The receptionist greeted warmly, and Kellen’s expression softened from the tense way he had held himself before.  “Sakura knows I’m coming today.

I’m a little early.

I’m supposed to be meeting with a specific researcher?” He implied and watched as she glanced down and picked up a phone.  “Give me one moment to confirm.” She told him warmly, and Kellen nodded.  Esper Blake was already lost, chatting to a few of the Guides who wore their Guild uniforms with pride.

Kellen left her to it, since she probably wasn’t going to have clearance to go where he needed to.

The receptionist hung up the phone and met his gaze with a smile.  “Captain Sakura is on her way down to escort you.” Kellen had a feeling that was how it was going to play out, and he nodded in confirmation.

He turned and watched the people watch him, but he didn’t have to wait long.  Shortly after arriving, Captain Sakura came out of an elevator with her arms open wide and her expression welcoming.  “Kellen!

This is the first time you’ve come to my Guild since the building was finished!” There was a reason for it, but he wasn’t going to tell her he didn’t like her paint job.

With her loud words, she had declared to everyone that Kellen was important to her, he’d known her for years, and he had been around for a lot longer than everyone else thought.  Reluctantly, since he didn’t want to harm her image, Kellen let her hug him and winced when she squeezed him tightly.

Too tightly.  “Well, you know I’ve been busy.” He told her, and she scoffed.  “Busy getting a pair!

Now come on.

The sooner we get this over, the better my nerves will feel.

Is your escort okay waiting here?” She asked, and Kellen glanced at Esper Blake and snorted.

She looked to be in her glee surrounded by so many prettily put together women.  “She’ll be fine here.” Kellen told Sakura, who chuckled.

She glanced at the Esper who had a light blush on her cheeks, her eyes bright.

One of Sakura’s Guides put her hand on Esper Blake’s bicep and both of them watched as she practically glowed.  “Ah.

I see.

Well, I promise I didn’t poach her from your Guild.” She teased as they headed for a different set of elevators.

These weren’t the ones she had just used to come down the tower, and Kellen had a feeling they led to the basement.

Kellen laughed as he followed her.  “I promise the same thing.” The two laughed as Sakura pulled out her keycard and swiped it, summoning the elevator.  “I’m excited to show you what I’ve been working on, since you practically know everything.” Sakura was clearly pouting, and Kellen laughed at her response.  “I don’t know everything, I just had a good guess considering what I knew.” She pouted as the elevator arrived and they stepped inside.  “I wanted to at least be able to brag about it years later.

Now that Captain of yours knows.” She muttered, and Kellen gave her a look.  “Do you think he didn’t know?

You have an idea of what his powers are, right?” Kellen asked, and Sakura pouted more.  “Yeah, but unlike you, he kept it to himself!

Ugh, I hate having to be forced like this.

I’m just going to have to view this in a positive light.” She muttered as she pressed the third floor.

There were a few more floors below it, but Kellen tuned it out.

He was only here for one reason, and he didn’t even care that much what Sakura had up her sleeve.  He knew, no matter what, Sakura had no intention of hurting him that way.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Kellen is still out here saying a pair doesn’t need romance or love.

The Captain will hear about this 🙂