(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 404

Chapter 404: This is the first time we’ve been apart
Rhys didn’t lie when he said he was only going to be on the front lines for a minute. He also took almost exactly what he needed from Kellen to do so.

Rhys drove down to the front lines on his own in the middle of the night, saying goodbye to Kellen, rousing him just enough to get a kiss from him before he left. When Kellen woke up alone the next morning, he was a little upset, but he tried to go about his day as normal.

Even though it felt like there was a part missing when he’d woken up to an empty bed, Kellen pushed through. He’d even gone to the gym, chatted with the other Espers that he saw there, and put on his guide smile, his guide face. He could tell that Taylor was a bit concerned about him when she saw him in passing at lunch time, but she didn’t push it. Kellen was grateful for it.

He felt like his body, his mind was made of glass. He’d never felt like this before.

Kellen’s mind kept rushing back to where Rhys was, and how he was doing, but he had to keep his focus on his classes, on his work. It was hard. This was the first time as far as Kellen knew since their compatibility score came out that they weren’t in the same city.

That they weren’t within a few minutes from each other. That they couldn’t track the other down in about 15 minutes. It was strange. After going for so long avoiding each other, the two of them had been close to each other. Not quite attached at the hip, but fairly close.

The fluttery feeling in Kellen’s chest made him question his stance on imprinting all over again. In fact, he found himself reading the damn little books that Casper had given him after he’d jumped classes, reading the sections on imprinting just to see what they said about the benefits.

Kellen was sure that once Rhys was back within his tower, Kellen would be fine again, but he didn’t like this. He didn’t like the nagging feeling in his chest. The worry that filled him. The way that if he thought too long about Rhys, his whole body tensed up and he couldn’t focus on anything else.

He might have pushed his first class a bit too hard because of his own emotions, but he wouldn’t apologise. He needed it, probably just as much as they did. He’d been going easy on them with the rotations happening, so a hard day every once in a while wasn’t a bad thing.

He could tell that a few of them did want to check in with him, to make sure he was okay. It wasn’t until Gwen’s group passed by the Guides working in the obstacle course after lunch that Kellen thought he might be going a little too hard.

She was with a few of her friends from her group, and when she saw Kellen, she perked up. Then demanded that she joined in on the class just to see what Field Guides had to do.

Kellen let them join since arguing with her would only eat up their class time, and it was only 15 minutes later that Gwen was calling Kellen a monster, worse than Lieutenant Gunther, Lieutenant Hill, and her other teachers. She then made a big show of asking the Guides if they were okay, all big, grey eyes and soft, pouty lips. It made quite a few of the Guides break, smiling shyly at the attention she gave the group, and Kellen had to admit, even he cracked a smile.

That was just the kind of person his sister was. She was good at breaking tension, good at smoothing things out. Good at noticing things, and unlike Kellen, she wasn’t awkward. She just…was far more sociable than Kellen.

Kellen couldn’t even get mad at her for her behaviour, since she was just bringing the humour back to the class, making it feel not like a sentence for the Guides to be here, but an actual fun time where they wanted to be here.

Kellen hadn’t realised how bad his emotions were affecting him until Gwen showed up. She didn’t even need to say anything, he could just tell.

She gave him a hug once the class was over, not saying anything else as she left with her friends again and Kellen was once again left alone.

It was around late afternoon when an exhausted Rhys showed up at Kellen’s office door.

Kellen had been expecting a Field Guide, or even Casper, so he was quite shocked to see Rhys. He pushed his office chair back quickly, stumbling to his feet to get to Rhys. Rhys moved quicker, grabbing for Kellen and wrapping him up in his arms, burying his face into his shoulder.

His grip was tight, but Kellen made sure he was able to wrap his own arms around him, squeezing him just as tightly. Kellen could feel his heartbeat in his ears, his breathing jagged, rough. He thought it was just himself, unable to hear anything but himself for a long, long moment. It was only after he’d calmed his racing heart that he realised that Rhys was in a similar condition.

A small part of him relaxed, his grip shifting and tightening on the other man as he pressed his face against his shoulder as well. Damn it. He hated how little time had passed, and how deeply he had missed him. He needed to tell him.

“I missed you.” Kellen whispered and Rhys trembled.

“Fuck.” Rhys whispered. He sounded almost like he was in pain, and Kellen shifted. He went to break their hold, wanting to check on the other man, but Rhys just held him tighter. “No. Stay.” Rhys murmured and Kellen did. He stayed, holding the other man. “I missed you too.” Rhys told him eventually, a sharpness to his tone.

“Everything was okay?” Kellen asked, neither of them letting the other go.

“Relatively. The generator issue is exactly as I thought. I’ll tell you more about it once I brief everyone on it.” Rhys told him and Kellen swallowed.

“Okay.” Kellen told him.

“You should check up on Brent. He looked like a corpse when I checked on him. Your kids are doing great though. Everyone is grateful for them, and says that they are well behaved and take no bullshit from the Espers. It’s led to better behaviour out there. Who knew that more Field Guides like my darling Kellen was the answer?” Kellen’s face flushed at the affection in his tone.

“I didn’t know that. I don’t think that’s true, either.” Kellen protested, filing away the comment about Brent for later. Rhys sighed, shifting slightly, but not letting Kellen go.

Kellen jerked as Rhys moved, turning until they landed on the couch. Kellen began to protest until Rhys pulled him into his lap, holding him tightly.

“I just didn’t want others to be able to see you easily. Come here. I need to get my Kellen fix. It feels like days have gone by since you haven’t been near.” Rhys’ words struck Kellen to the core. Kellen clung to the other man, holding him desperately in his arms.

“I didn’t like waking up to an empty bed.” Kellen admitted and Rhys squeezed him.

“That’s why I woke you up before I left. And with kisses.” Rhys told him and Kellen let out a shaky breath.

“It didn’t change the fact that you weren’t there when I got up for the day.” Kellen said. He knew he sounded like he was complaining. Like he was whining. He’d never been like this before with another person and he hoped that he didn’t upset Rhys with it.

“Oh sugar. I’m sorry.” Rhys apologised, and Kellen shook his head.

“Don’t apologise for doing your job. That’s not what I want. I don’t want you to feel guilty for doing your job. I would hate that.” Kellen knew he sounded appalled, and Rhys’ soft chuckle and gentle hands talked him down.

“Okay Kellen. So what do you want?” Rhys asked and Kellen held onto him tighter. What did he want? What was the outcome that he wanted? He knew that he hated the feeling that he had, he knew that he also didn’t want to stop doing his job. He also knew that he didn’t like their separation in the slightest.

“Just…hold me like this the next time this happens.” Kellen murmured and Rhys let out another sigh.

“Damn it. You’re too good for me.” Rhys told him and Kellen blinked. He was about to get upset when Rhys continued. “You’re too damn sweet. That’s adorable, Kellen. Just hold you? Is that all you want? You don’t want anything else? No gift, not kisses, nothing?” Rhys asked, and Kellen flushed.

“I…wouldn’t turn down kisses…” Kellen admitted softly and Rhys laughed.

“Damn it. You’re ruining me for anyone else.” Rhys complained and Kellen’s fingers dug into his shoulders.

“You don’t need anyone else.” Kellen warned and Rhys laughed. Truly laughed instead of the little smattering of chuckles.

“No, I really don’t. You’ve got me wrapped around your fingers, Kellen.” Rhys confirmed and Kellen relaxed his grip. Rhys pulled him tighter against his body. “I shouldn’t have come to see you first. I have to go talk to others. I should have come to see you last, so then I could just whisk you away and up to our apartment. Instead, I have to go to fucking work.” Rhys complained and Kellen felt like his emotions had gone on a rollercoaster. Rhys certainly knew how to keep him on his toes.

Kellen had thought his heart was going to freeze when Rhys had first spoken, and then his emotions smoothed out as he didn’t stop explaining everything.

“I could come with you.” Kellen suggested and Rhys sighed.

“You have your own work to complete, and I would be very distracted knowing that you were within my grasp, but I couldn’t touch you the way that I wanted to.” Rhys said and Kellen swallowed. He was about to suggest that they take a quick trip to a guiding room to take the edge off, but Rhys’ lips against his ear had him freezing. “Don’t you dare. I want to take my time with you later. I’ll be a good boy and go get my work done. Can you do the same?” Kellen’s mouth dried up as his heart began to race in his chest.

Any and all calming measures that Rhys had had on him faded quickly.

“W-What if I want to be a bad boy?” The words tumbled out of Kellen’s mouth and Rhys chuckled.

“Well then, now you’ve just made my workload harder, Kellen.” Kellen was pretty sure the man wasn’t talking about his work at all. Kellen swallowed. When he pulled away slightly to meet Rhys’ gaze, he was met with the eyes of an Esper who wanted to eat him whole. No manners.

Kellen let out a shuddering breath.

“Go to work. I’ll be waiting in the apartment.” Kellen murmured, the words feeling a little embarrassing coming out of his mouth. Damn it. He just wanted to do it now, not wait for him to finish work. He wanted to feel Rhys’ body against his own. He had no patience when it came to this man and the pleasure he knew that the other man could give him.

“Naked?” Rhys bargained, and Kellen let out a laugh.

“I’ll leave that up to your imagination.” Kellen teased, and watched as Rhys’ gaze glanced to his lips, before he scowled.

“I can’t kiss you right now because I know I won’t be able to stop.” He complained, and Kellen let Rhys be the bigger person, pulling Kellen off of him as he clearly looked like he didn’t want to. The bitterness in his expression soothed Kellen. So much so that he was able to wave at the other man as he left. Rhys was still scowling, and that part made Kellen’s heart squeeze.

Now, he needed to get his work done so that he could meet Rhys upstairs.

Not naked. Maybe he’d try out one of those aprons Rhys got him?