(BL) Hunting The Field Guide
Chapter 440: The fifth day after everyone arrived on the front lines

Chapter 440: The fifth day after everyone arrived on the front lines

This was the day where Kellen switched up the groups that the Field Guides were training in. They had gotten comfortable. Used to what they were doing. Now, he had them move around. It was like watching them get their sea legs back after being on land for a while.

Kellen had chuckled as they made mistakes that they hadn’t made when they first started doing this exercise. It was funny to him, since today Charlie had asked for a break so that he could go have tea with Kellen’s Dad. Kellen didn’t even care if it was an excuse, Charlie was allowed to have breaks.

In fact, he hoped that it was true he was going to have an early tea with his Dad. His Dad needed to leave the apartment too.

Kellen spent the little bit of free time he’d gained by examining what the Field Guides were doing, making little notes of improvement he could recommend, and eating the food that Rhys had sent to him again.

Again, heart shaped, again, a full platter. This time though, the person who had delivered it was able to escape since Kellen had a track record now of eating the food mostly by himself. This time it was steak bites with several dipping sauces. Kellen didn’t want to share.

So, Kellen ate his snack, going over files and making notes and realised he’d finished the platter before his time was up. He could feel the happy gazes of Espers on him. It was clear that they were over the moon at these displays that Rhys was showing, and from an outsiders perspective, Kellen got it.

It was good that the Captain of your Guild had a stable, happy relationship. Especially since he’d been alone for so long. Kellen got it. That didn’t mean he wasn’t heavily embarrassed by the fact that more Espers were coming up here to see what Rhys would deliver for him today.

He knew that the Espers had increased because it was obvious. Kellen knew most of the crew that worked out in the morning.

Kellen wasn’t going to be able to hide how red his cheeks were, not for a while. Nor was he going to be able to express how much he liked this method of Rhys’. It wasn’t...aggressive, but it made Kellen think about him all day. He liked it. He was already thinking about Rhys all day, in combination with all of the worries he had, but Rhys’ actions had a way of shifting how he thought about things.

Kellen was more relaxed while his students were at their wits end. They were arguing with each other, frustrated with the sudden change in a dynamic that they had gotten used to. Kellen had to talk to them after class, and explain that they were all doing quite well. He could tell that they didn’t believe him, so he just smiled and confirmed that they would be working in the same groups again tomorrow. They seemed pretty pissed about that.

It was around lunch time when Rhys came down to the cafeteria, a little winded until he met Kellen’s gaze. He was eating alone, the first time in a long time so that he could work on some papers for his second class. Kellen had no idea why Rhys was panting, but he didn’t have to wait long.

One second Rhys was on the other side of the room, the next second Rhys was at the edge of his table. He could see that a few of the others had jerked at the sudden change, but Kellen was adjusting to this sudden ’burst’ from Rhys as he liked to call it. Rhys bent, his lips near Kellen’s ear but Kellen knew it wasn’t for any seductive reason. Not from the way that Rhys’ eyes were glowing.

"Hill got us some new information." He said quietly. Kellen froze, fork halfway to his mouth. It had been quite some time that Hill had been working on these guys. Their resilience alone told Kellen that they probably weren’t some lower level guppies. One of them was a big deal.

Kellen put his fork down, looking up at Rhys.

"What did she get?" He asked even quieter, since he knew Rhys had enhanced hearing. Rhys was staring at Kellen, and Kellen felt his stomach drop.

"What they did wasn’t the biggest part. It was just the lead up. A distraction. Something worse is going to happen on the front lines." Kellen felt conflicted. A wave of satisfaction, that his feelings weren’t wrong, filled him. On the other hand, he felt pure terror fill him. His grip on the fork warped the fork, turning it in his hand.

Rhys reached out, taking the fork from Kellen’s hand and replacing it with his own.

"They won’t say what it is, only that it’s going to be devastating. I’ve already informed Sergei, Sakura and Lieutenant Fisher. Sakura has her people working double time to eliminate the poison as an issue so that everyone can be anywhere on the front lines." Rhys said quietly. "Sergei is ramping up security. He’s called in more of the Guild to look out for the others. We’re doing everything we can as well. Unfortunately, our normal guide is in a gate so unless we want to recall everyone right now, we have to wait at least a day to extract the Field Guides and new recruits." Rhys told him. Kellen swallowed.

He squeezed Rhys’ hand tightly and Rhys didn’t flinch at his tight grip.

"He’s in a gate?" Kellen confirmed and Rhys nodded.

"Yes, sugar. He is. We’ll keep them in safe locations. I promise. Brent also knows, he was there with Sergei when I called in." Kellen normally would have had an ah ha moment if he had heard that in any other time, but right now? This wasn’t the time to point it out.

Kellen felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He could barely get a breath in. What could it be? What was it? What was going to make this so dangerous? The poison gate was being checked constantly, was heavily monitored. They couldn’t do anything involving that. There was no way.

They had also already tried to burn down the shop. Was it...were they going to try to start a stampede from the monsters that were in the forest? That seemed like something that they could do, and given how Kellen had found Carlos, that was a strong possibility.

"Where are the S Classes that you called in?" Kellen asked and Rhys didn’t question why Kellen’s mind had gone that direction.

"They are usually camping out in forests. Doing elimination missions." Rhys told him and Kellen swallowed.

"My guess is a stampede. Of high Class monsters." Kellen told him, licking his now dry lips and meeting Rhys’ yellow gaze. Rhys’ expression hardened slightly.

"That’s a good guess. I haven’t discussed it with anyone else yet, but I’m sure Sergei is thinking the same thing, otherwise he wouldn’t have pulled everyone from his Guild to the front lines." Kellen nodded. He was in total agreement. Most of the members of Sergei’s Guild were like him, able to use telekinesis. They would be a good thing to have if a group of angry monsters were going to storm the front lines.

After all, no one had truly experienced the strength of telekinesis until they had seen a monster run head first into a shield created by a telekinetic.

"Okay. Maybe you should let them know I think the same." Kellen whispered. The aching pulse in his chest was a lot, and Rhys could tell he was overwhelmed. Rhys pushed him over on his bench, before wrapping his arms around Kellen, just holding him.

"They’re going to be okay. Gwen is a smart and strong girl, so are the Field Guides you raised. I’m including Brent in that group." Rhys said, comforting the panicking Guide. Kellen shivered, the warmth from Rhys’ arms seeping into his suddenly cold bones.

"I just...the feeling hasn’t gone away." Kellen mumbled and Rhys let out a soft sigh.

"I’m sorry to hear that." Rhys told him. "I wish I could take that doubt, that fear from you. I can’t even promise that it gets easier. It doesn’t." Rhys told him, cradling Kellen in his arms. Kellen wrapped his arms around his man, holding him tightly in his grasp. Kellen just wanted to continue to find comfort from him, hold onto him until he thought all of this was going to be okay.

Kellen sat, breathing in his scent for a long time. When he finally pulled back, Rhys had a soft, tender look on his face. He cupped Kellen’s cheek, staring down at the man with warm, yellow eyes.

"Does my Guide feel better?" Rhys asked and Kellen blinked a few times before he leaned into Rhys’ touch.

"I wish we could just go upstairs and cuddle in bed." Kellen confided in him quietly and Rhys’ eyes widened, before he softened further. He leaned in, pressing his lips against Kellen’s forehead.

"Don’t tempt me. You have your classes, and I have to make sure our people are safe." Rhys told him and Kellen swallowed. He knew that was important, which was why he was just talking about it instead of doing it.

Rhys pulled back, a slight smile to his lips as he stared at Kellen.

"You’re so handsome." Rhys told him and Kellen felt his face warm.

"I don’t want to hear that from the poster child for sexy Espers." Kellen mumbled and watched as Rhys’ eyes widened before he laughed.

"Yeah. The ’look but don’t touch’ man. That’s my secret nickname. But, you were never afraid to touch, were you?" Rhys joked and Kellen felt his lips twist.

"I was afraid. Not of your powers though. I was more afraid of the fact that I liked you probably too much and it wouldn’t work out between us since we were such different Classes." Kellen said and Rhys froze. He pulled Kellen in for a bruising hug before he pushed him away, covering his mouth as he sighed. Kellen sat there, stunned at the sudden loss of his body heat.

"If I hold you any longer, I am going to forget my responsibilities, and I know you’re going to be mad at me for that. So, I’m going to go. I just wanted you to know. We’ve got it handled, and I’ll come, or I’ll send Casper to you in case something else comes up. For now, focus on teaching your students to become teachers." Rhys ordered, pointing a finger at Kellen.

Kellen must have looked lost because Rhys let out a groan and uncovered his mouth, grabbing the back of Kellen’s neck and pulling him in for a quick, deep kiss that had Kellen’s head reeling and his toes curling in his shoes before Rhys pulled away, his eyes more amber then yellow or gold.

"You’re the devil. I have to go before I make you more embarrassed." Rhys growled, pressing his lips against Kellen’s forehead before he released him, spun, and marched for the elevators. Kellen sat in stunned silence before he turned back to his food.

He needed to finish eating so that he could guide the man later.

It was an excuse, but one he was sure Rhys wouldn’t turn down.