(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 208

Chapter 208: Friends are meant to comfort each other Chapter 208: Friends are meant to comfort each other Rhys did his miracle work, and as soon as the man was done kissing Kellen, and had removed his fingers from him, the two of them were cleaned up.

Fresh and smelled good too.

Kellen should have been angry, but he wasn’t.  The one thing Rhys didn’t allow was Kellen moving out of his arms.

Now that Kellen was pressed against him, Rhys wasn’t letting him go.  “Uh, people are-” “It’s just Green, and you got shot today.” Rhys said it without any room for negotiation.

Kellen swallowed any complaint he had, since he had a feeling that if the situation was reversed, Kellen would not be as calm as Rhys was right now.  Nodding, but embarrassed, Kellen watched as Rhys unlocked the door.

He tucked his head into the crook of the Captain’s neck, the Captain’s hands firmly on his ass under the thin hospital sheet.  “You can come in.” Rhys called, and Green pushed the door open.

Kellen wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but a part of him had expected the red ring around her eyes, and the anger in her expression.  “You’re a fucking idiot.” She started, angrily whipping out the clipboard she was using to monitor him.

“How the fuck does someone not realise they’ve been shot?” She growled, her words catching in her throat before she shook her head.

Kellen sighed.  “I…I wasn’t focused on myself.” Kellen muttered, and she glared at him.  “You couldn’t tell that you’d been shot?

What?

You can’t feel pain when you’re in that kind of situation?” She demanded, and Kellen winced in the face of her anger.  “Um, no?” He responded, and that didn’t seem to be the right answer.  “No?

No?!

Kellen Woods, do you even understand how close I came to losing both of-” She cut off, shaking her head as her eyes watered.

She finished looking over what she needed to and shoved the clipboard back into the end of the bed.

Standing there, she put her hands on her hips and stared at Kellen, ignoring the Captain entirely.

“You are so, so fucking lucky I was around the Captain at the time.” She whispered, her throat moving and Kellen knew what she wasn’t saying.  Kellen couldn’t keep his composure either.

His eyes began to water and he took a shaky breath.

His grip tightened on the Captain, his fingers trembling, his lips shaking, and when he bit them, the Captain didn’t chastise him.  “H-He’s going to be okay, right?” Kellen whispered and Taylor nodded.

Her head jerked up and down, before she looked away from him, wiping her eyes.  “Fuck.

I lost 30 years off of my life when I got that call from Esper Blake.

I almost didn’t pick up the call.” Kellen couldn’t offer her words of comfort.

There was nothing he could say to alleviate her sense of guilt.

It probably wouldn’t go away until his Dad spoke to her about it, but who knew when Taylor would bring it up to him.  “He’s fine now, Taylor.

You…You saved him.” Kellen said on a shaky breath, and her shoulders shook.  “I didn’t want to say it, but it was so fucking close Kellen.

So.

Fucking.

Close.

If the Captain hadn’t been there, I-” She covered her mouth, unable to continue as tears streamed down her face.

Kellen wasn’t any better.

His reprieve from crying having ended, Kellen worried how long he was going to cry.  How long everyone was going to cry.  “You got there.

I knew you would get there.” Kellen told her, trying to sound confident through the tears.

The Captain’s hands gave Kellen’s ass a squeeze, before moving up his back to slowly pat his back and shoulders comfortingly.  “You both did your best, and he’s still with us.

I know this is hard for both of you, since you are so close to him, but he’s made it.

We all did our best, and he’s still with us.” The Captain’s voice washed over them, the authority in it providing both of them with some comfort.

Kellen nodded, and so did Taylor.  “You’re right.

He’s still here, but I just…I think I’m going to need to talk to the therapists that we hire.

I feel like I’m going to have PTSD from it.” She muttered, trying to joke, but there was too much truth in her gaze.

Kellen nodded, before weakly reaching out his hand.

Taylor was there in a second, holding his hand like a lifeline.  “Thank you for answering the phone.” Kellen’s voice shook, tears streaming down his face, and Taylor folded.

She gripped onto his hand tightly, her face full of sorrow and distress.  “Thank you for knowing what to do.

I can’t-I can’t imagine a world without either of them in it.” Kellen couldn’t speak past the lump in his throat, so he just nodded.  They remained like that, the two of them crying silently, but holding onto each other for an unknown amount of time.

Eventually, something vibrated on Taylor and she sighed.  “Fuck.

Miro’s session is right now.

I have to…I have to go.

Stay here until you feel better, and no guiding until I say so.” Taylor’s voice, weak from crying, still held a threatening note, especially when her eyes glowed green, punctuating her words.

Her emotions were high, and Kellen wasn’t going to argue with her.  He wanted to be here, because he knew that his Dad was closer.  “Is it…can we visit him?” He asked softly, and Taylor shook her head.  “No, not yet.

I did my best, but we needed to get surgeons in to fix him.

It’s the first time in a long time I’ve kicked myself for not finishing my degree.

He’s stable, but needs to heal, which means he’s unconscious.

Probably will be for a few days.

Your Mom is the only one allowed into his room.” Kellen nodded.

It was fair.

He wasn’t going to get mad at that.  “She’s nearby?” Kellen asked, and Taylor nodded.

Her phone vibrated again but it was clear she was hesitating about something.  “She’s…she’s a little broken, Kellen.” Taylor told him softly, and Kellen’s heart broke.

He nodded, his grip bruising where he held onto the Captain.  “It’s okay Taylor.

She’ll be fine once he wakes up.” Taylor looked doubtful, but nodded.

She let go of Kellen’s hand with great reluctance, before she left the room.

Kellen turned back to the Captain burying his head against his chest.

He sighed deeply, feeling like he was releasing years of stress and tears.  “I didn’t want to say anything about it, because I didn’t want to worry you, but your Mom…” Kellen nodded.

He could only imagine what she was going through.

Kellen remembered the talk that he had with Rhys, but Rhys hadn’t been there when his Mom had to break the news to him about his Uncles.  There had been shock, fear, devastation, and something else in her expression.

Kellen had a feeling that her reacting the way she currently was, had to do with that something else.  “I…I want to say something before I ask you to help me go see her.” Rhys nodded.  “Okay.” He agreed, and Kellen swallowed.  “I know my Mom loves me and Gwen.

That has never been a doubt in my mind, but…my Dad has always been her priority.

Dad joked that if we weren’t her children, she would have treated us a different way.

I don’t think he realised that I know that wasn’t a joke.

It’s fine.

Mom has never treated us like she didn’t love us, or treasure us.

She always has, and I’ve never felt neglected.

I just always knew that he was her priority.

Does that make sense?” Kellen asked, and Rhys nodded again.  “It does, but I’m seeing it from the Esper side of things.” He told him, and Kellen nodded.  “Yeah, and I think that’s okay right now.

Mom doesn’t really need a Guide to support her right now.

She needs family, and people who understand where the depth of her pain is coming from.” Kellen exhaled slowly, shakily.

“I feel that even if Gwen, who looks like Dad is with her right now, she isn’t going to be able to sympathize.

So far, Gwen hasn’t had a deep relationship with others, and she wasn’t as close to our distant family members as I was.

She wasn’t as devastated as the rest of us were when people kept…dying.” Kellen’s voice became whisper quiet near the end, and Rhys pressed his lips against the side of Kellen’s forehead.  “She’s the baby of the family for a reason, Kellen.

I have a feeling the three of you protected her.” Rhys whispered, and Kellen swallowed.  “That’s…true, I guess.

You saw Mom.

Is she…?” Kellen asked, unsure what he was even asking.

Rhys sighed, pressing his lips against Kellen’s skin for a long, hard moment.

When he finally answered, he didn’t remove his lips, and spoke against Kellen’s skin.  “She’s on the edge.

No one can talk her down, but if she doesn’t calm down soon, they’re going to have to put her under for her own protection until your Dad wakes up and can guide her.” Kellen swallowed, nodded, and stayed in Rhys’ arms for a moment longer.  Then, he closed his eyes, sighed, and pushed away from his touch.

They stared at each other, looking over each other’s expressions for a long moment before Rhys sighed.  “I’m not letting you walk there.” He told Kellen firmly, and Kellen chuckled.  “Are you going to carry me?” Kellen teased.

“But I’m so heavy.” Rhys’ jaw hardened and he leaned in.  “You could be 500 pounds and I’d still carry you everywhere, Mr.

Woods.” A shiver ran down Kellen’s spine at Rhys’ words.

“Now, wrap your arms around my neck.

I don’t think you’d be happy if you flashed everyone your goods, would you?” Rhys suggested, and Kellen swallowed.  He did as was asked of him, wrapping his arms around his neck, secretly happy to be pressed against Rhys like this, even if he felt ridiculous.  “Do you think people think it’s funny when we walk around like this?” Kellen asked, and Rhys gave him a confused look.  “What do you mean?” He asked in return.  “Well, I’m so fit, and we aren’t that different in build.

Isn’t it…a little strange?” Rhys stopped, staring down at the Guide.  “Get rid of those silly thoughts right now.

It was never weird, it will never be weird, and anyone who says that has bad taste.

You’re mine, and I like you the way you are.

There is nothing odd about a man carrying around another.” Kellen wanted to laugh at the way Rhys was clearly panicking, but couldn’t bring himself to do so.  Instead, he leaned into his neck and pressed a kiss there, affection for the man filling him.  “Okay Mr.

Bossy pants.

I was just curious.” Kellen teased gently, and Rhys relaxed.  “Don’t scare me like that.

I like carrying you around in my arms.

It’s one of my greatest pleasures.” Rhys muttered as he shifted both of them to the edge of the bed.

“I was worried some idiot was about to ruin that for me.” Kellen pressed another kiss against his throat before he sighed.  “It’s just my idiot brain overthinking.

But if you say so, I’ll believe you.” Rhys paused.  “Those are dangerous words, Kellen.

You shouldn’t have such blind faith in me.” He warned and Kellen nodded.  “I know.” Kellen neither confirmed nor denied Rhys’ words.

Rhys sighed, shaking his head as he got to his feet, carrying the other man in his arms as if he weighed nothing.

Kellen knew that he liked when Rhys did it, but he finally understood why.  He liked knowing that Rhys was strong enough for him to depend on, especially when it came to Kellen himself.

Rhys would always be able to carry him, and he liked doing it too.

It was a nice thing, having someone he could rely on.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Taylor almost died herself when Kellen collapsed.

Between her best friend’s Dad on the edge, and her best friend collapsing…She’s had a rough day.