(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 332

Chapter 332: An explosive meeting part 2 Chapter 332: An explosive meeting part 2 It had seemed that everything that had transpired between Gunther and Rhys had calmed down.

Gunther hadn’t done anything insane, and after Kellen had told him he had guided him, and not some stranger, Gunther had calmed down further.

They should have known better than to trust an A Class Esper.  Gunther wasn’t a basic A Class Esper.

He was Rhys’ right hand man, and he knew Rhys’ behaviours, along with Hill’s, and Kellen’s.

It appeared that the water tiger inside of him had been a warning of sorts, but Kellen hadn’t taken it seriously.

Or, he had not wanted to take it seriously.  The water tiger inside of Gunther had been…far less tame, a glowing eyed beast that watched Kellen as he worked.

It had truly made Kellen feel like he was a beast tamer at a zoo, and once his taming was done, Kellen was again thankful that Taylor was the one who had invented those Guide supplements or else they would be swimming in debt.  But like the tiger inside of him, Gunther lay in wait.

Where before, he had been happy, pleased, waiting and wanting to see Casper, it became clear to him at least, that something wasn’t right.

Gunther, not a stupid man, knew that if he bided his time long enough, he could get to the source of it all.  Everything came to head when Casper and Gunther had finally run into each other while Casper had his guard down.

Everyone had let their guard down.

Gunther had had his nose pressed to the grindstone, working, training, behaving as if everything was normal.  Casper didn’t think that Gunther would ever come to the coffee shop, as he didn’t drink caffeine and thought paying for something sweet like this in a building that he helped create was ridiculous.  Casper, however, liked caffeine, and it was apparent that Gunther knew this.  It wasn’t as if the man was blind, and he too, had an interest in the man.

Everyone should have anticipated this, but prior to the fight, Gunther hadn’t been actively searching for the other man.

Gunther had been giving him space, without asking or bothering the others about where Casper was.

He had been patient, showing off what he thought was a mark of love, similar to how Kellen and Rhys had been doing so.

Honestly, if it hadn’t been so deranged, and twisted, it might have been cute.  Things had clearly changed, and apparently, the meeting did not go well.  Kellen had only gotten there after he’d been notified by a message from a Guide witnessing the whole thing, arriving around the same time as Hill to find Rhys standing in between Casper and Gunther.  Gunther was furious, his dark gaze even darker, unfathomable, while Casper was crying, hiding behind Rhys.

Rhys’ own yellow gaze was sharp, piercing.

Kellen and Hill had no idea what words had been exchanged while they had been absent, but it was clear from the tense atmosphere that things were not going well.  Gunther, in a sudden show of power, waved his hands, and the only warning Kellen and Hill got was the sharp, quick change of his eye colour to blue.

Both Kellen and Hill had to rush towards the group as Gunther surrounded them in a water bubble, dulling what everyone would be able to hear from the outside.  “What are you doing?

I just want to talk!” Gunther shouted, pissed, at his wits end.

Casper was shaking, and Kellen went to him first.  “Gunther, you are overreacting.

Can’t you see that you’re scaring Casper?” Kellen told him as he wrapped his arm around Casper’s shoulder, holding him tightly in his arms.

Gunther watched this, his jaw tight, his hands fists, and Hill came to stand next to Rhys.

The two Espers were in front of the two Guides, shielding them from Gunther.

That action alone seemed to make the situation more tense.  This was exactly what they didn’t want to do.

Air out the dirty laundry.

At least Gunther had put up a barrier that blocked some sound, but it wouldn’t be enough for the Espers who were A Class.  “Is that it?

That I scare him?

Why the fuck would he be scared of me?” Gunther slammed his hand against his chest.

“And why are you behaving as if I’m the bad guy here?

What the hell did I do that was so wrong?

I haven’t done anything!” Gunther shouted, and Kellen’s heart ached for the man.  “That’s…part of the problem, isn’t it?” Kellen started, and everyone turned to look at him.

Kellen, gaining his voice, sighed.

“You haven’t done shit, Gunther, and Casper’s done.

He’s been strung along by you for so long that he’s reached his end.

If you aren’t going to date him, you need to let him go.” Everyone was shocked by Kellen’s words, and that it was Kellen saying it.  Kellen had, famously between the five of them, been in love with the Captain for a long time and had strung him along.

They had only recently started dating.

However, Kellen hadn’t been aware of the Captain’s feelings, and it had been a one-sided crush for years prior to them actually meeting.  That was not the case for Gunther and Casper.  “What the hell are you talking about?

We just started dating.” Gunther protested and Casper flinched.  “What do you mean we started dating, Gunther?

When?

And who?

Who the hell are you dating?” Casper’s voice shook as he spoke and Gunther flinched.

His anger was slightly tempered by the way that Casper was looking at him.  His grey eyes were big, swollen, as tears poured from his face.

He sniffed, pushing up his glasses to wipe his eyes.

Casper still shook, and Kellen held onto him to offer support.  “I-I’m dating you, of course.” Gunther didn’t sound so sure, especially when faced with Casper’s tears.

“Who else would I be dating?” Casper let out a dry laugh.  “How could we be dating when I didn’t know we were?” Casper asked and Gunther turned pale.  “But you…” He trailed off and Casper sniffed.

Gunther gestured vaguely to his face, while Casper gave a bitter smile.

His eyes were pouring tears, and Kellen, heartbroken for the man, wiped at his eyes.  “I hit you?” Casper offered dryly, laughing.

“Gunther, what do you think Kellen and Rhys did to decide that they were dating?” Gunther’s brow furrowed at Casper’s proposed question.

He seemed so confused, it actually hurt to witness.

It was clear he was fighting something internally, and when he opened his mouth to respond, he had to close it again.  “W-Well, they must have…I don’t know.

I didn’t ask.” Gunther muttered, but it was clear that he knew that something was wrong.

“B-But that’s them.

That’s not us.” Gunther stuttered, shaken and Hill’s expression softened.  “They asked each other and confessed that they liked each other, Gunther.

They didn’t hit or slap or yell at each other.” Hill told him softly, and Gunther sensed that something was up.

He glanced between everyone, his gaze ending on Casper who was still mostly tucked behind the other Espers and Kellen.  “What are you saying?

I’ve confessed.” Gunther said and Casper snorted.  “When, Gunther?

When have you ever told me that you liked me?

You behaved as if you hated me most of the time we’ve known each other while I have always made it clear what I wanted from you.

Kellen’s right.

I’m tired.

I don’t know what you thought, but I was sick to my stomach when I hit you, and it wasn’t with pleasure.

I was disgusted with myself.

I couldn’t believe that I hit you, and I couldn’t eat for days because of it.

I care about you, but as someone who cares about you, I should never have hit you.” Gunther’s expression went slack, and Kellen watched as the wheels turned, halted, and then got stuck.  He began to shake his head, his lips going white.  “N-No, that’s not…that’s not right.

That’s how…t-that’s how…” Kellen couldn’t feel anything but a deep, deep sense of sadness for Gunther at this moment.

He was sure that Rhys and the others weren’t any different.  “That’s not love, Gunther.” Casper whispered.

“Violence isn’t love.” His voice broke, and he dropped his gaze, covering his mouth.

Kellen pulled him close, tucking his face against his shoulder as he met Gunther’s shocked expression.

Rhys, sensing that Gunther was shattering, stepped forward.  “Release the bubble, Gunther, and the three of us will go chat.” Rhys murmured, glancing back to Hill.

Not the original part of the trio, she nodded, her expression resolute.  “Come on Gunther.

Let’s…talk about this, alright?” Hill offered softly, and Gunther stared at Casper, who he had thought he was dating, and his best friend, who had kept his partner from him.  “No.

I don’t want to talk to any of you.” Gunther muttered, his eyes lost.

“I don’t…I don’t want to see any of you right now.” Gunther released the bubble, before he rushed off.

Hill sighed, and Rhys, his jaw tight, glanced back at Kellen.  “I got this.

You two go.

I’ll step in.” Kellen told him and the two raced off after the unstable Esper.

Kellen hugged Casper tighter, sighing, before he glanced around the space.  So many damn witnesses.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Gunther didn’t really…do anything wrong.

He hadn’t raised a hand against Casper, nothing of the sort, but he did avoid him and make him feel terrible for liking Gunther.

Casper has every right to say what he did, as does Gunther.

Everyone is treating him like a villain before he even did anything.