(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 211

Chapter 211: A new kind of low Chapter 211: A new kind of low “Alright, since you two have decided I should go bring some food in, I shall do so.

Did we want takeout, or are you two okay with something from the cafeteria?” Rhys asked once the two had finished laughing.

Kellen shrugged his shoulders.  “I’m truly fine with anything.

I just don’t want to cook right now.” Kellen said, and Rhys nodded.

He glanced at Kellen’s Mom, narrowed his eyes, and nodded again.  “I’ll think of something for you both, then.

Do you want me to fill up and turn on the kettle before I leave?

Or light some incense?” He asked, and Kellen smiled at him softly.  “We will somehow manage without the big Captain of the Saturn Guild at our every beck and call.

We’ll see you shortly, Rhys.” He hesitated, before coming over to Kellen and pressing a kiss against his forehead.  “I’ll be back soon.

Don’t get into any trouble without me, alright?

I’ve had enough heart attacks for the day.” He joked, but Kellen could feel the kernel of truth in his words.

He nodded in response.  “I have no plans to leave this room for the time being.” Kellen told him truthfully, and Rhys smiled at him.

His yellow eyes were bright, harsh, but he was okay.

They were all…okay.  Rhys headed for the door after that, and ran into both Gwen and Brent as he opened the door.

The three of them stared at each other, before Brent gasped and pushed Rhys aside.  “Kellen!” He cried, rushing towards Kellen who was still in his Mom’s arms.

She released him as Brent wrapped his own arms around him, wearing his prosthetic for the day.

“Oh my god!

My heart nearly stopped when I heard about an assassination attempt!

Fuck, are you alright?” He asked, patting Kellen down.

Kellen winced when he patted his thigh a little too hard and Brent jumped back like he’d burned himself.

“Oh god, your thigh?

Why the hell are you still standing?

Come, sit down.

You can leave, Captain Thatcher.

I’ll keep an eye on him.” Brent’s energy filled the room, swallowing up the depressing energy that Kellen and his Mom had been projecting.  Rhys’ eyes creased as he smiled, looking over the two Field Guides.

His gaze slid to the younger Esper before him who hadn’t moved into the room yet.

Gwen looked uncomfortable, conflicted, and anxious.

He reached out and ruffled her hair.  “I will leave them in your Guide hands, Brent.

I should be back soon with food for them.” Brent nodded, and if it was any other time, Kellen would have protested, rolled his eyes and thrown a fit.  But, Kellen had been shot, his Dad had been shot, and Kellen had given his Dad enough blood to save him, and also cause Kellen to pass out from blood loss.  He was going to keep his mouth shut for a moment, since even he knew that he’d gotten himself into a bad situation.

And that everyone was on edge.

Kellen had uh, already gotten his edge off, so he should be kind with the others who hadn’t yet.  Brent forced Kellen down into a chair, lit the incense after picking a scent, and sent Gwen to get water before she even entered the room.

He had even forced Kellen’s Mom to sit, but had been kind and pulled the chair up to the window so she could still watch Kellen’s Dad.  Kellen hadn’t seen Brent this flustered in a long time, and a small sense of guilt filled him.

Brent didn’t let that stay for long though.  “I cannot believe what you’ve gotten yourself into.

I heard from Jenny what happened at Guiding Center C.

Bunch of fucking cockwipes.” Shocked, Kellen stared at Brent as he continued to fuss over him.  “A bunch of what now?” Kellen repeated as Brent grumbled angrily.  “How could they treat you that way?

That was so rude of them, and you’re a busy person.

They are getting what’s coming to them.” The door to the room opened again and Gwen entered.  “Who was treating Kellen poorly?” She asked softly, but anger in her tone.

Their Mother chuckled.  “Apparently it was Guiding Center C.

Brent dear, could you recount it for everyone?

I believe Kellen is going to brush it off.” His Mom said with a smile, her eyes not moving from his Dad in the room next to them.

Gwen placed the full kettle down and searched for a plugin and turned it on.

The plug in wasn’t behind the table, so the kettle had to sit on the ground as it boiled.  “Guiding Center C?

I haven’t heard anything bad about them before.” Gwen said, confused, and Brent clenched his teeth.  “They apparently treated Kellen poorly.

They had him locked in a room for an hour, wasting his time, and then when Kellen saved one of their Guides they gave him shit for it.” Brent stated angrily.

Kellen sighed.  “That’s not exactly how it happened, and who is Jenny?” Kellen interrupted.

Brent glared at him.  “Jenny?

You’ve met her several times.

She’s helped us out a lot.” Kellen blinked, before the dots connected.  “Ah.

You mean Esper Blake?” He confirmed, and Brent nodded.

“She wasn’t even there until the last half.

To be clear, I knew that Guiding Center C had said no to helping us, but I just wanted to visit in person to find out why.

I never did find out the reason they said no to us.

Shortly after the timer I had set for myself had gone off, I heard a Guide begging for help.

So, I escaped my room and went to help them.” Kellen sighed, shaking his head in disgust.

Gwen and his Mom glanced at him.  Gwen was looking at him like a beaten puppy would.

Slow, careful, her gaze low, while Kellen’s Mom only glanced at him for a second.

Gwen also had her shoulders hunched, and she looked awful.

Maybe that was the reason she had been avoiding Kellen?

Was she getting bullied in the Guild?

“Was there something wrong with the Guide?” His Mom asked, and Kellen pondered her words for a moment.  “Hmm.

Hard to say.

The Guide looked like he was on death’s door and he had been put in charge of an Esper who was close to surging.

The Esper also claimed that they were some big shot from the front lines, but I didn’t recognise them.

No one new has come up since I’ve been gone, have they?” Brent snorted.  “Absolutely not.

Especially with the new gate taking over most coverage of the front lines.

No one would be getting acknowledged if they weren’t already famous for clearing gates right now.” Kellen thought so, and that only made him more concerned.  “I…Brent, are you familiar with feeling…gross after guiding someone?” Brent stared at the wall for a moment before he whipped his gaze towards Kellen.  “You guided someone who wasn’t the Captain?” He demanded.

“Or one of your Guildmates?” Kellen winced.  “It was either that, or deal with a surging, unknown Esper.” Brent frowned at Kellen, taking his hand in his.  “Well, sometimes I’ve dealt with feeling unclean after guiding, but I doubt you did that kind of guiding with anyone.

Can you describe it?” He asked seriously, taking Kellen’s concerns at face value.

Brent was good for that.

He might joke around and be dramatic, but he took every concern Kellen brought up with great concern.  “Hmm, like itchy sludge?

Puss?

Mold?

It felt fucking disgusting.

I had to throw up after.” All three of the others in the room made a face at Kellen’s words used to describe it.  “Ugh.

Gross.” Gwen commented, shivering.

Kellen’s Mom seemed…confused.  “I’ve never heard of a Guide complaining about that kind of feeling while guiding another.

You said that the other Guide had guided this Esper as well?” Kellen nodded.  “He was a C Class or B Class Guide.

I’m leaning towards C Class from how he was treated.

He was young too.

Looked…younger.” Kellen said and his Mom’s hand clenched into a fist.  “Those fucking monsters.” Her eyes started to glow, and Kellen cleared his throat.

She swallowed, reigning in her emotions.

“Sorry.

I just…that has always disgusted me.” Kellen nodded.

He agreed with his Mother.

That shit was disgusting.  “How thin was this Guide?” Brent asked.

Kellen’s mouth drew into a firm line.  “He’d been neglected for a while.

It wasn’t something one could get from one session unless they were guiding someone with a huge gap in Class, and they were not well.” That told everyone in the room what they needed to know.  Brent got up, running his hand through his hair as he began to pace.

“That’s what Guiding Center C is like?

I thought they were better than this!” He was furious.

Kellen couldn’t blame him.

He had gotten quite a bit of his anger out at the scene of the crime.  “I gave the Guide my number.

Hopefully he calls.

I did warn the Guiding Center that I was contacting the D.E.C.

over this matter.” Brent chuckled darkly.  “Good.

Serves them right.” Brent said, and Kellen shook his head with a smile.

“So you said you felt physically ill after guiding them?” Brent asked, and Kellen nodded.  “Yeah.

I held it together to make sure the Guide was okay before I had to go throw up in the bathroom.

It was…not good.

It felt like I was throwing up what I had just taken from the Esper.” Kellen said, and Brent made a soft noise in the back of his throat.  “I wonder…there have been a few cases where A Class Guides and higher have had run ins with others while in kidnapping attempts where they’ve fallen violently ill.

Did the other Guide throw up?” Brent asked, his gaze still looking away from Kellen and the others.

Kellen shrugged.  “It didn’t appear that way.

They didn’t throw up while I was with them, and they had plenty of time to.” Brent was lost in thought for a moment, while Kellen’s Mom vibrated.  “Kidnapping attempts?” She repeated quietly, and Kellen’s eyes went wide.  “The guy didn’t even know me, Mom.

He clearly wasn’t after me if that was the case.” Kellen’s Mom needed a little more than words to comfort her.

Her expression was dark, her eyes glowing, and Kellen felt worry well up inside of him.

He really, really didn’t want to have to put her under until his Father woke up.

That would be traumatic for everyone involved.

Taylor, his Dad, his Mom obviously, Gwen and even himself.  Which is why Kellen was sitting in his Mom’s lap when the Captain came in wheeling in a trolly full of food.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Gwen and Kellen are going to have a serious conversation soon.

This has gone on a little too long.