(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 365

Chapter 365: Gifts are meant to be from the heart
“What sweet children we created. Alright, we’ll open Kellen’s first, and then yours. Alright Gwen?” Gwen nodded willingly, listening to her Mom as they both turned their focus to the brown paper bag.

It wasn’t big. It was quite small, actually, and Kellen shifted nervously. It was something he already had, so he didn’t need to leave the Guild, but he was worried what they would think that he had given them it.

The shock was their faces as they stared into the bag, before Kellen’s Mom reached in and pulled out a gun. A specific gun. The same gun Kellen had been carrying around, and had shot the shooter with. Kellen swallowed when she turned her purple gaze towards her son.

“Why-”

“It’s enchanted, made with monster parts, so it should work with your powers even if you don’t put it in the briefcase. Has a scope, an invisible one. If you point it somewhere, it has a 95% chance of hitting. It’s the first gun I bought with my own money. It can’t take any bullet, but anything smaller than a shotgun shell should fit. I’ve even used pebbles once in desperation, but wouldn’t recommend it. I got a lecture for that one.” Kellen’s lips turned up slightly, before his face fell again. “Just, you know, in case.” Kellen muttered.

Kellen’s Mom swallowed, before she slid her gaze to Rhys, Sakura, and then Gwen. She finished by looking at her husband, who nodded. Kellen found himself enfolded in his Mom’s arms, her thin, but powerful arms squeezing him tightly.

“My sweet boy.” She whispered, her grip tight, knowing that Kellen could take it. “You didn’t need to give us such a precious gift. Isn’t this important to you?” She asked and Kellen nodded.

“So come back with it.” Kellen replied, his voice tight. The room grew tense as Kellen held his Mom, the parent he was a mirror of, and heard her inhale. She held it, held him, for a long, quiet moment before she exhaled and squeezed him tighter.

“Okay. Alright. I’ll-We’ll bring it back.” Kellen nodded, his throat closing shut so he wasn’t able to speak. His breathing was a little shaky. He hadn’t been like this before, but then again, their deaths hadn’t been so real before. He hadn’t worried that they would go away and then never come back before.

Until he’d seen his Dad go down.

His Mom went to put the gun back into the bag when Kellen cleared his throat. Or, tried to.

“T-There’s another thing.” Kellen’s voice squeaked, but no one made fun of him. His Dad gave him a confused look, before he reached into the bag and pulled out a button. It looked like nothing special Just a regular black button. Kellen swallowed. He couldn’t speak, his throat wouldn’t let him. Thankfully, Rhys was able to step in for him.

Rhys’ hand came down on Kellen’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze and Kellen was grateful as Rhys’ strong, clear voice filled the air.

“What Kellen wants to say is that that is an emergency measure. If shit goes sideways for some reason, that has a direct line to both Kellen and I. We’ll know it’s you, and we’ll come get you. No matter what.” Rhys’ smile was in his gaze when he scanned over Kellen’s parents. “It’s a gift from both of us.” He said. Kellen watched as his Dad went white.

“Kellen Woods. Do you know how much this costs?” He demanded. Kellen’s lips twitched.

“About as much as that bag in your hand.” Kellen mused, and his Dad’s eye twitched. Kellen’s Mom was frowning.

“This is too much, you two. This is…why are you behaving as if the world is ending when we’re leaving?” Kellen’s Mom wasn’t stupid, never had been. A little crazy? The Esper curse, but never stupid.

“We are just being prepared in case your plans were leaked. We don’t believe that it’s anyone from our side, but there is no point in not being safe. If you don’t have to use it, great. We can trade it off, hopefully so that it never has to be used.” Rhys said with a smile. “We can even get Gwen in on this.” He teased, but Gwen’s expression upon finding out that they had given her parents this button was serious.

“Did…this exist when my Uncle’s were in danger?” She asked and Kellen felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Henry and Eleanor both looked the same, and Eleanor in particular looked ill.

“No, Gwen. This didn’t…they were invented after.” Her Mom’s voice was quiet, and Gwen nodded.

“Oh. Okay.” She said. Silence filled the air, and Kellen glanced at Sakura. To see what she was thinking.

Sakura looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Her expression relaxed Kellen. Seeing that she wasn’t overcome with pity for them, the Woods, made the tension in his body reduce. He felt like he could breathe.

“Gwen, you should give them your gift.” Kellen’s voice still felt tight, but at least now he was able to speak. Gwen glanced at him, glanced at the brown paper bag that he’d brought, and frowned.

“Mine is nothing compared to yours.” She muttered glumly and Kellen smirked.

“It’s not a competition, and even if it was, you’d always lose. I’ve been working for years longer than you have.” Gwen stuck her tongue out at him, before she swallowed and reached into her pockets. What she pulled out were small, shiny, and intricate.

One was a deep, almost black shade. But turned in the light, it became a vibrant purple. It was a crystal of some kind, hand carved into a shape. Kellen had to look at it for a moment before he realised that it was a bird. A sparrow.

Kellen’s gaze slid to Gwen as she placed one in her Mom’s hand, and then opened her other hand and placed the second little figure in her Dad’s slowly opening hand.

The second was much more vibrant. A bright blue, it wasn’t obvious what it was right away. Kellen at first thought it was a dog, but after a bit more of staring, he realised it was…a bear.

A sparrow and a bear.

Gwen swallowed, poking them before she glanced back at Rhys apologetically.

“I couldn’t finish yours in time. I’m sorry.” She sounded sincere, and Rhys reached out, ruffling the hair on the top of her head.

“It’s okay, Gwen. I appreciate the thought. You can just give it to them when they get back.” Her eyes lit up at the suggestion while Kellen watched his parents struggle not to cry. Kellen’s Mom ran her free hand over her face, hiding it from her kids.

“Fuck.” She exhaled. His Dad let out a wet laugh.

“Why did you choose these animals, Gwen?” He asked softly, his voice sounding as strained as Kellen’s had only a moment before. Gwen nodded, swallowing as she pointed at them as she spoke.

“This one was hard to get a purple that I liked. And I chose a sparrow because I’m always going around from place to place, chirping like a bird, but uh…” She trailed off, looking a little embarrassed. Her Dad watched her, waiting for her to finish and she flushed. “But I always come home. To my nest.” She finished, and Kellen watched as his Mom’s shoulders began to shake. His Dad’s eyes grew wet.

Gwen swallowed.

“And I chose a bear for Kellen because he’s big, aggressive, and fiercely loyal. He’s got sharp claws, isn’t afraid to use them, but gives great hugs. This stone wasn’t that hard to find since we apparently got it from one of the gates on the front lines. A by product they called it. I thought that suited Kellen as well. Came from the front lines.” She nodded slowly, and Kellen was having a hard time keeping himself together.

“You’re making one for me?” Rhys asked softly and Gwen nodded. She turned to him, her eyes wide before she narrowed them and a small, playful smile touched her lips.

“I’m thinking…a snake, but I the crystal I found is pretty hard to work with.” Rhys snorted, and even Kellen couldn’t keep it together.

“I think a fox would suit him better, don’t you?” Kellen told her and she sighed.

“I considered it, but the ears? Just don’t suit him.” She said and Kellen felt his shoulders begin to shake as he laughed.

“Oh, trust me, he likes the rumour mill as much as the next person.” Kellen said and Rhys sighed.

“Would you let me save face in front of another Captain?” He bemoaned and Kellen shook his head.

“Not a chance. Especially not in front of Sakura.” Kellen told his pair and Rhys glanced at his fellow Captain, before he shook his head. In the time that Rhys had engaged Gwen in conversation, and then Kellen, their parents had gathered themselves a bit.

Kellen’s Mom was still shaking, but she wasn’t crying, and neither was his Dad. The little crystal statues were safely tucked away, as were Kellen’s gifts.

“Thank you for the gifts, you two. They are precious.” Kellen’s Dad said, his wife nodding in agreement.

“Captain Sakura, if you wouldn’t mind handing over the other precious cargo?” Kellen’s Mom asked and Sakura stepped forward, passing the briefcase over.

“As I am sure you know, you can use your powers while holding this and it will make it disappear. It’s stable, and unless a bomb goes off right next to it, everything should be fine. Honestly, even if a bomb went off near but like, not pressed against it, it’ll be fine. I designed it, and tested it myself.” She said, and that seemed to surprise Kellen’s parents. Kellen wasn’t surprised.

Sakura was a thrill seeker. He’d seen her come out of gates before. He knew.

“Well, I’m glad to know that I should be okay, even in that regard. Anything we should know to look out for during transportation?” Kellen’s Mom asked and Sakura shook her head.

“No. Truly, it shouldn’t hurt anyone, I’m more worried about if it works. So is our head researcher.” Everyone shared a look of knowing, except Rhys and Gwen. Rhys, for obvious reasons, and Gwen because she wasn’t classified to know anything. It was a blessing she was allowed to be here.

“Well, that’s good. If everything goes well, we’ll let everyone know when we touch down safely, and Kellen, Rhys, we’ll let you know at each stop, same with the D.E.C. Sorry Gwen, check in with Kellen.” Gwen nodded. Kellen could tell she was frustrated at her Mom’s words, her hands clenched at her sides, but it was a good sign that she didn’t get upset, but instead got motivated.

That was a good thing. Kellen was proud of her.

Awkwardly, the Woods family then said goodbye with hugs, whispered words of safe travels, and then, Sakura, Kellen and Rhys watched as three of the group turned invisible, and then Kellen opened the door, the three of them behaving as if they were just finishing up a private conversation. Sakura had arranged for her to pick up an Esper who wasn’t able to fly from the airport today, so she had a reason to remain here, while Kellen and Rhys pretended that they were coming back from a date.

No one needed to know the truth, especially as with each step away from the departing gates, Kellen felt a nagging, worrying feeling fill him. They were going to be safe. He knew it.