(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 423

Chapter 423: You better fix this, now
Kellen found himself benched. Not just by Rhys, or his parents (who didn’t have a say in the Guild, but whatever), but also by Casper and Taylor. Whatever he was going through was strange enough that Kellen was forced to stay in the Medical Bay even when he felt fine.

Rhys started crying when Kellen pushed the issue, and not used to Rhys crying, especially over him, Kellen folded quickly.

Casper told him not to worry about his classes when he’d woken up for the day and learned of what had happened. He knew that Kellen had relatively relaxed lessons on the days that his team came back, and if that was the case, an Esper could step in to monitor the class as they practiced their shooting.

A few Espers were already volunteering. Esper Blake was at the top of the list, eager to help Kellen out.

Kellen had conflicted feelings about the whole thing.

He had managed to convince his parents in the early morning that he was okay and they had decided that they were going to ask around to some of their contacts abroad to see if they had any information about Esper and Guide pairings like his and Rhys’. Rhys was grateful for this, and they also made sure to let Rhys know that they didn’t blame him for this. How the hell was he to know that something like this could happen?

Well, they had joked about the fact that he was a Time Esper and yet he hadn’t seen this. Rhys had then confided in them that Kellen had always been a blind spot to him. Pretty hard to see what his future would be because when Rhys cared about people he had a hard time ‘seeing’ them. Rhys could barely see anything that pertained to himself.

His parents, who had been surprised to hear that at first, had slowly melted. His Mom pulled Rhys in for a hug and while it had surprised Rhys, it was something that he had needed. Kellen’s Mom said nothing as the hug had dragged on, and Kellen’s Dad had moved to take her place after Rhys had let her go.

Kellen wouldn’t lie and say that it didn’t feel good to see his parents accept Rhys with open arms after they had been so hesitant about him. He wasn’t sure what changed their opinions of him, but he was glad that they were so willing to accept him. Rhys needed it, and today made it clear.

After his parents had left, Rhys had remained by his side, working away without sleep. He had left Kellen’s side for only about 20 minutes. He told Kellen that he wasn’t going to let him be alone, in case something else happened. He looked very serious about this, and Kellen didn’t know what to say to dissuade him.

Kellen didn’t know if it was going to happen again. He had no idea what was even going on.

When Rhys came back, he set up a little office space for himself at the small table in the room, pulling everyone over so that he was closer to Kellen, but not in the way of everyone else who wanted to come and see him.

And boy, did Kellen have people who wanted to see him.

Kellen felt like the whole Guiding Division came to check on him once Casper let everyone know that Kellen was in the Medical Bay and wasn’t able to teach their classes for the day. Kellen hadn’t taken a day off from teaching. Not the whole time he’d been doing it.

A few of his students had taken a day off here or there. Life happens. Kellen just wasn’t that kind of guy. He didn’t do that, so this really shook up a few of his people. Not just his people, the whole Guild.

Rhys told Kellen, with a small smile on his lips, that after Casper had announced that an Esper would be taking over for his classes, the whole Guild had known that he was in the Medical Bay within minutes. Rhys’ personal line was blowing up, Espers asking if he was okay and if he needed anything. Guides were reaching out to Casper too.

Kellen was a little floored by it. He was fine, relatively. While he wasn’t going to dismiss the fact that what he’d gone through had been rather intense, he wasn’t going to behave as if he wasn’t okay now. Taylor had looked at him when she should have been sleeping. Kellen was fine now, but everyone who came to see him behaved as if he was severely ill.

They didn’t know the reason behind why he was there, but it was clear that everyone was speculating. From the looks and behaviours of the others, from the quick glances between him and Rhys, Kellen was able to pick up that everyone was suspicious.

Kellen only really clued in on what that was when Gwen visited after lunch, before Rhys was supposed to go greet the Espers that were arriving. And Brent.

Gwen came in, a little anxious, very worried, but she wasn’t alone. She was coming in with a few other Espers of her new recruit group that she had gotten close to. Kellen had, obviously, gotten to know them as well. Gwen went out with them often enough, and the Guild was like a big family.

Everyone was in everyone else’s business.

Hence, all of the speculation and why people were stopping by.

“Kellen! You look…surprisingly okay. From what everyone else was saying, I thought you’d be in worse condition. You just look tired as far as I can tell.” Gwen’s voice held a hint of disappointment and Kellen didn’t know what to say to that. He felt that his face had scrunched up slightly in confusion and Gwen chuckled.

She had brought in some food for him. Not that Kellen hadn’t eaten, Rhys made sure that both of them had, but she knew him. Kellen wasn’t one to turn down food, so he graciously accepted the sandwiches she’d grabbed from the cafeteria. They were always delicious, and always loaded with meats, cheese, and lots of veggies. She’d gotten him two different kinds and he was excited for them.

“I do think that Rhys is overreacting a bit, but I’m humouring him.” Kellen told her, and she shared a look with her friends. Before she leaned in, and as quietly as she could she asked what she really wanted to.

“Does why you are in the Medical Bay have anything to do with the stuff you didn’t want me poking into in the closet?” Gwen asked. Kellen felt his face heat.

She wasn’t for real, was she? Was this what everyone else was speculating about?

Kellen turned to look at Rhys, knowing damn well that he could hear what she had said. She wasn’t quiet enough for an S Class Esper to be unable to hear her. Rhys was trying to behave as if he couldn’t hear anything, focusing on his work.

Kellen was probably one of the few people around who could tell his lips were turned up slightly, and his yellow eyes were a little brighter with humour. Kellen’s face turned a brighter shade of red and he grabbed a soft pillow nearby and threw it at Rhys.

Rhys caught it before it hit him, his facade cracking as he grinned, his eyes crinkling up at the corners as he caught the pillow.

“You jerk! I bet you knew the whole time, and didn’t even care to correct their assumptions!” Kellen accused and Gwen realised that she had just stepped onto a landmine. Rhys couldn’t help it. Now that he had been called out, ‘caught’, he was all smiles.

“Oh, come on Kellen. It’s not that big of a deal.” Kellen felt his face heat further at Rhys’ words.

“Not that big of a deal? Are you kidding me? I can’t even begin to imagine what the others are thinking. You know what? I know what Brent is going to say as soon as he gets in. He’s going to make some comment about how good your game is, and I could almost put money on it.” Kellen huffed. “This looks great for you, doesn’t it? Everyone is practically parading around your conquest of me. I’m pissed, Rhys.” Kellen declared from his hospital bed and Rhys was doing his best to keep it together.

“I believe you when you tell me that, but no one would call it a conquest, Kellen. That’s very old fashioned.” Rhys teased and Kellen narrowed his gaze. Old fashioned? Maybe he just didn’t want to say out loud what the others were thinking with his sister around, hmm? He didn’t think that was exactly polite.

Rhys understood that teasing Kellen further might not be the smart idea. He let out a slightly nervous laugh.

“Well, it isn’t as if we can disclose why you’re here, can we?” Rhys offered and Kellen grunted.

“You could, maybe, help another rumour circle around the Guild. I know you could, or otherwise, why are you the Captain?” Kellen deadpanned and Rhys realised he was truly in hot water. He got up, picking up his phone from the table.

“I’ll…go call Pamela about it now.” Rhys murmured and Kellen glared at him from where he was sitting.

“You go do that.” He said coldly and Rhys practically fled before Kellen turned his attention back to his Sister and her friends. All of them were a little shocked, and a little in awe at Kellen’s ability to control another person. Gwen snorted after a few more seconds of silence.

“Damn. Am I going to have a Guide who is able to control me like that?” Kellen was worried that she was upset, before Gwen turned to Kellen, all smiles. “I’m fucking pumped. That would be great!” Kellen felt his face go slack as he stared into the sparkling eyes of his little sister and what he had just learned.

He was pretty sure he’d made the right decision in not saying the true meaning behind the rumours out loud, and for sending Rhys to fix it. Damn Espers.