(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 251

Chapter 251: Just the right thing to do Chapter 251: Just the right thing to do Having both eaten, Kellen and Rhys took a few moments to just…be with each other on the couch before they both began their hectic days.

Kellen had the virtual tour with Guiding Center D, and Rhys had whatever the hell was put onto his plate.

Be it the attack, the gate, what have you.  The man was busy, even more so since Uncle Tom and Captain Sergei were on the front lines.

Thankfully, Sakura was still in the city, and as he told Kellen, he’d called back the other two S Classes that he knew were loyal to the city.  Kellen thought he knew everyone who was an S Class, but Rhys wouldn’t tell him who they were.

It was clear he was having fun messing with Kellen, and as much as it annoyed him, he liked trying to guess too.  At least he was answering any questions he had about them.

He knew that there were two, and that they were a part of the Guild.

Unless they had fought Pamela, they probably had done a photoshoot for the calendar, so Kellen must have their photos somewhere.

He’d have to do some research in his free time.  He hadn’t only bought the issues that had the Captain in them.

He liked charity calendars.

He’d just bought many of the ones that had the Captain in them.

Kellen hadn’t been aware of his feelings at the time, he just told himself he was supporting a charity.  Either way, it was nice to just have a moment where he laid back against the Captain’s chest as the man held him.

They hadn’t had a moment to do this, and Kellen felt something that had been still anxious settle inside of him.  At first, he liked laying against him with his back against his chest, but after a few moments, Kellen sat up, wincing at the pain in his thigh, but turned over until they were chest to chest.  “Kellen?” Rhys murmured, confused, but more worried about his body.  “I want to be chest to chest.” Kellen told him and Rhys melted.  “Alright Sweetheart.

Come here.” Rhys did use Kellen’s ass to pull him up his body, much to Kellen’s harsh exhale, but that was it.

Kellen wrapped his arms around Rhys, tucking his hands under his body and buried his nose into Rhys’ throat.

He could hear his heartbeat after they settled, just laying there with each other.  It was…Kellen couldn’t put it into words.

He didn’t think he ever could.  Rhys let out a soft, contented sigh and Kellen did the same.

It was enough.  ~ Kellen was sitting in his office, phone at the ready while he worked away on the last finishing touches of the recruitment documents he planned to send to both Guiding Center A, B and D.  Rhys had dropped him off, cane and all, before heading up to the conference center.

He hadn’t kissed him, but had instead held Kellen’s face in his hand for a moment.

It had felt more intimate then it should have, and then he was gone.  Kellen honestly expected others to be in the office already, but there were only a few of the researchers who stayed in their respective rooms at work right now.

The other scientists weren’t in yet.

Opening a snack that he’d grabbed from the snack bowl on the way in, he plopped it into his mouth as he read over the document one last time.  His door opened at the same time he got his phone call.

Brent had a slightly disheveled appearance in his Guild uniform while Kellen sat in his Field Guide uniform.

The agreement was not forgotten even in the chaos.

It was clear from Brent’s open mouth that he was about to go off when Kellen loudly greeted the Manager on the phone.  “Good morning!

I hope you’ve had a good morning, Manager.” The camera wasn’t up yet, but that was only a click of a button away.

Brent froze.

He wasn’t wearing his arm today, his sleeve rolled up and Kellen smiled at him.  “Good Morning Guide Woods!

I had a great morning, thank you.

Are you ready for the tour?

Some of the Guides were rather excited to greet you.” She sounded excited, and Kellen felt his body relax.

Brent, curious, settled down on the couch.  “Of course.

I’m excited to meet them too.” Kellen told her, before the phone warbled, but a clear image of the office on the other side showed up.

Kellen allowed them to see his side as well, and did his best to not look at his own image reflected back to him.  The woman who popped up on the screen gave a big wave.

She was wearing a version of the D.E.C.

uniform for Guides, but in a softer, cream tone.

The buttons were also cream, but a slightly off shade.

It didn’t look…complimentary, but Kellen wasn’t going to be rude and point it out.

There was a small pocket over her heart and pinned to the pocket was a small blue circle rimmed in gold.  That would have to be the sign that showed she was an A Class Guide.  Her hair was cut short into a blond bob, and her brown eyes were wide, warm and welcoming.

Her cheeks were flushed, but it appeared it might have been just in excitement.

She appeared…tiny too.

In comparison to the doorway behind her, she looked small.  “Hello Guide Woods!

It’s so good to actually see your face!

I was worried that even at the end this would all be an elaborate hoax.” She laughed breathlessly and Kellen chuckled.  “That would be a rather cruel joke, I think.

It’s very nice to finally see your face as well.

Shall we?” She nodded, her hair bouncing around her with the movement.  It became clear to Kellen that she had someone helping her with the camera as she remained in front and showed Kellen around the center.  It was much smaller than the others, but that was intentional.

The further away you got from the center of town, the smaller the centers were.

Because Kellen planned to live in the city proper was the only reason he’d gone after one of the bigger centers.

Guiding Center D was ‘technically’ the center that was supposed to round out the top three, but for some reason the population in this direction had diminished over the last few decades.  Therefore, they had a smaller center, a smaller population that they needed to tend to and that apparently meant that they had a couple of extra Guides around that they could lend them.  Everyone in the center wore the same outfit with the small pins in their pockets showing their rank.

They followed the same system of Guiding Center A, but it wasn’t as obnoxious.

If Kellen was going to be kind to Guiding Center A, it was the international standard.

They just put too much emphasis on it, which was why Kellen disliked it so much.  His C Class skin itched, remembering the looks people gave him when he wore a pin matching his Class.

It didn’t help that besides Rhys, he did not like the colour yellow.

Rhys was the exception.

He liked everything about him.  He especially liked that Rhys would listen to him if he told him no.  Going back to the tour, the Guides seemed healthy, well taken care of, and the Espers that came through also seemed to be in a good mood.

Kellen would have liked to have a private conversation with them but as this tour wasn’t in person, it didn’t matter.  Maybe…he could send some of the younger, not as recognizable Espers out to scout some of the Centers?

Why hadn’t he thought of that before?  Either way, the tour only took about half an hour and gave him a good feeling in his gut.

Watching the way that she interacted with her people, checking in with them and even laughing with them made Kellen happy that he was about to make the right choice.  It was clear that a few of the Guides were aiming for something more.

Whenever they came into sight, they were playing it up.

Kellen could tell that even the manager could tell they were doing it, and that she seemed a little nervous about it.

Kellen didn’t hate that kind of behaviour, as long as their files matched their desires, Kellen was happy to provide a place to grow.  The Saturn Guild would provide them with that as long as they fulfilled their contracts well and didn’t pull any of the shit that the previous Guides had.

Kellen was clearly not going to put up with it, and it was a happy accident that he happened to be wearing the outfit that he’d beaten the other Guides up in.  A few of them had hesitated in their act, before they went for it.

It was a mark of confidence for them.  The tour ended and Kellen spoke with the Manager for a few more minutes, hammering out any details or questions that she had.

After that, Kellen jumped right in.

He trusted his gut, especially after what he’d trusted it on this week alone.  He knew he was making the right choice helping them, and the Manager was practically crying as she listened to Kellen tell her that she had made a wonderful Center for Guides and Espers alike.

He was quite disappointed that he couldn’t be there in person, but she understood.  She’d make up a personal list, have all of them get their background checks done, and he could take any of them.

Kellen was eternally thankful, and let her know that.  That was when she let him know the truth.

Kellen had saved her once, about six years ago.

She’d been part of a shitty Guild who had taken advantage of Guides.

Had them sign predatory contracts and then threatened them with violence into silence.

Kellen had been assigned to them to guide them in a gate.  She had been nervous, a wreck, in her own words, but Kellen had been calm, collected.

He’d been so much younger than her, but he had his shit together.

The Espers didn’t listen to him in the gate, preferring their own tactics instead of his.

Kellen had said his peace, and then held back with her.

Letting the men walk into a monster’s trap and then saved them from it.  Over and over and over.  He didn’t raise his voice, he didn’t get violent, he let their own foolishness destroy them.

When they’d gotten so angry they had intended to take it out on her, that was when he got violent.  He told them that their contact was null and void, since violence against Guides was written into the contract.

Specifically, if they tried to inflict violence against other Guides while Kellen was around.  She had been horrified at the time, worried that Kellen was going to be overpowered by the Espers and killed.

He’d only been one man, one C Class Guide, but she hadn’t realised how much power he had over these people.  The idiots had wandered into the most dangerous den of monsters in the gate and only Kellen could get them out without them losing a member of the party they had assembled.

So they shut up, sat down, and listened to him.  After, Kellen had reported them to the D.E.C.

without blinking an eye and she had been saved.

So had many other Guides.  Kellen was surprised to hear her story, while Brent, who sat on the couch still, laughed.

“He’s still doing that.” He spoke up, loud enough for her to hear him.

“In fact, another lost lamb is waiting in the lobby for him.” Kellen flushed.

He wasn’t some hero like they were making him out to be.

He’d just seen a bad situation and reported it to the authorities.  Honestly, he couldn’t remember her case.

It wasn’t because she wasn’t memorable, but it was because lots of Guilds like that came through.  She was just grateful that she got to meet him again, and she told him so.

She hung up shortly after that, and Kellen turned to Brent, who was grinning.  “Well, shall we go pick up what you’ve found for us before we have to get to our class?” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Kellen thinks that anyone would do that.

He’s so silly and so morally straight it’s almost funny.