(BL) Hunting The Field Guide Chapter 214: A deal with the devil

The Captain stood up with a flourish, Kellen still in his arms. Kellen was surprised by the sudden movent, and threw his arms around the Captain’s neck in a panic. The Captain smiled, but didn’t comnt on his surprised actions.

"If everything is in the clear, I want to get Kellen back up to his apartnt." Rhys said, and the others nodded. Kellen’s Mom’s gaze was..plicated. It was clear she wanted both of them near, but was going to concede to Rhys. Brent remained seated, his gaze watching Kellen with a glint, and a small smile on his face.

"Don’t worry, I’ll stay here until I’l kicked out. You two go relax. Kellen has a big day tomorrow. Also, everything went fine today when we were visiting Miro. He’s ecstatic with the new Field Guides. Sent a fruit basket and everything." Brent told Kellen, who relaxed. He’d forgotten he’d even been worried about that.

"Ah. I’m glad to hear it. Thank you Brent." Brent waved his gloved hand, his scar pulling his expression into devious territory as he smiled.

"Ah, no worries. I’ll bum so shakes and more food from the cafeteria and Esper Green, so don’t worry. Get so rest. You should also chug so shakes. Your muscle definition isn’t as picture perfect as it usually is." Brent teased and Kellen rolled his eyes.

"Thanks. Have a good night everyone." Kellen waved at his family, who waved back.

"I’ll walk out with you two." Taylor said, holding the door open for them as they stepped into the hallway. Kellen half expected soone to co racing after them, not no one did.

Well, maybe he was expecting one person to co racing after him. But, given how stubborn she was, that was unlikely. He was going to have to corner her at so point. That was just too awkward of a situation for him to handle. Kellen was going to have to face it head on.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" Taylor’s voice cut through Kellen’s thoughts, and he turned to face her from where he was in the Captain’s arms.

"Hmm? Why would I lie to you?" Kellen asked, confused, and Taylor stared at him before she laughed. She pressed her hand against her stomach, laughing heartily. She smiled at him, shaking her head.

"Right. You were never that kind of guy when it ca to your body." That only confused Kellen more. "You didn’t even notice you got shot, right? I want to confirm that." Kellen nodded slowly.

"I might have felt sothing, but I was too focused on Dad." Kellen told her sincerely, and she nodded.

"Of course. Well, that’s one thing I’m glad I don’t have to worry about." Kellen was confused by her words, but Taylor quickly cleared up his confusion. "I never have to worry about you lying about your physical condition, just your ntal one." She gave a cheeky grin as Kellen gasped in shock.

"Taylor!" He protested and she laughed, dancing away. They had gotten to the intersection where the dical Bay branched off. Obviously the Captain and Kellen were going to head towards the elevators, but he wasn’t sure which way Taylor was going to go. Taylor turned on her heel, walking backwards as she moved down the other hallway.

"Have a good rest! Take good care of him, and I an it! He needs sleep to heal! No bending him like a pretzel!" She shouted her warning loudly, and Kellen felt his face heat. The Captain laughed.

"Alright. What about other shapes?" He called after her, clearly teasing Kellen. Taylor snorted.

"Nothing that hurts his wound, Captain. I an it. I do not have the juice to fix him right now if you break him." That statent worried Kellen, but the Captain didn’t respond negatively. Instead, he nodded, accepting her words.

"Alright Green. You have permission to raid my office for the good stuff." Taylor covered her mouth, her eyes watering.

"You’re the best, Captain Thatcher!" He closed his eyes, shaking his head as he turned and continued down the hallway towards the elevators, Taylor turned down her own hallway.

"Yeah yeah." He muttered, and Kellen wondered what the hell had just happened. He felt like an exchange had been made, but for what...he wasn’t sure.

They got to the elevators quickly, the Captain’s long legs covering the distance easily. Kellen pressed the button since he was able to, and the two waited in silence until the elevator arrived. Even in the elevator, the two remained silent, and this continued until they got to Kellen’s apartnt.

That was when Kellen realised he had nothing on him. Not his phone, his keycard, nothing.

"Uh, I don’t-" Kellen started, but Rhys shook his head with a chuckle. He pulled his keycard out and swiped it. The door beeped before unlocking, and Kellen wasn’t sure how he felt about that. "Have you...always been able to do that?" Kellen asked, and Rhys froze just as he was stepping into the apartnt.

He turned his gaze towards the Guide in his arms who was now eyeing him suspiciously. Rhys blinked, before his cheeks flushed slightly.

"Well, yes, but I haven’t used my privileges until right now. I promise you. I’m an Esper, but not a creep." He stated a little too firmly for Kellen’s liking. Kellen narrowed his eyes.

"How can I trust you?" Kellen asked, and Rhys seed hurt that Kellen would ask that. "Rhys, I know you aren’t telling the whole truth about so things. That isn’t a criticism, I am new to the Guild, but you just...how do I put this nicely?" Kellen wondered out loud. Rhys let the door close behind him and Kellen didn’t even notice as they stood still in the entryway. "You strike as the kind of Esper who would watch their Guide sleep. Does that make sense?" Kellen glanced at Rhys, and was surprised by the look of shock on his face.

"But I never broke into your apartnt to do that." Kellen was stunned that he admitted it so easily. And readily.

"So you admit, you have watched sleep." Kellen confird, and now Rhys had the balls to look embarrassed.

"Only once or twice. Right after we were first paired was the worst." Rhys mumbled, and Kellen stared up at the man. The longer he stared without saying anything, the more red Rhys turned.

It had to say sothing negative about him that Kellen liked the contrast between his red cheeks and his bright, yellow eyes.

Eventually, Kellen sighed, turning his gaze away from Rhys.

"It doesn’t say anything good about that I’ve decided to tolerate your strange ways. I won’t condone breaking into the house and watching sleep, and I will also freak out if I catch you watching sleep." Kellen told him, and Rhys exhaled slowly.

"Oh thank god. I thought you were going to kick out of the apartnt for my actions." Kellen blinked, surprised.

"Why would I kick you out of the apartnt? You have your own you can return to?" Kellen said, and Rhys’ grip on him tightened.

"Uh, Kellen, you do rember offering my apartnt up to your Mother, right?" Kellen nodded. He had heard him. He wasn’t an idiot.

"Of course, but she clearly isn’t leaving my Dad’s side tonight." Rhys groaned.

"Oh no. I forgot." Rhys muttered and Kellen turned his gaze towards the Captain, concerned.

"What did you forget? Is sothing wrong?" Kellen asked, his tone laced with concern for the Captain. Rhys kicked off his shoes and headed for the couch without a second hesitation. He placed Kellen delicately down on the cushions there before caging him in on either side, his arms on either side of his shoulders. Kellen stared blankly at the man who seed to be fighting so kind of demon.

"There is sothing very wrong here." Rhys stated. "And I am not going to have to put in overti to fix that confusion." Kellen felt disappointnt fill him. He had wanted to spend so more ti alone with Rhys, but if he needed to leave, he understood. Especially if it was sothing urgent.

Glancing away from the Captain, Kellen folded his hands in his lap.

"Oh. Alright." Kellen muttered, and Rhys groaned.

"How can you be so smart and so dense?" He muttered, and Kellen flushed.

"You just said that there was sothing wrong, you forgot, and that you needed to put in so overti to fix it. What else was I supposed to get from your words?" Kellen demanded, and Rhys’ expression softened slightly. Instead of looking pained, he looked mildly amused.

"You’ve made a compelling argunt, except you’ve forgotten one thing." Rhys bent forward, his lips brushing against Kellen’s ear. "Kellen, how did I react when Hill interrupted us last ti?" It didn’t take a genius to figure out where his brain had gone. Kellen gulped.

"Y-You didn’t take it well." Kellen muttered, and Rhys sunk his teeth into Kellen’s earlobe before he licked the hurt better. Kellen shivered.

"How kind of you to say it that way. I’d say that I lost my shit. So, why on earth would I bring up sothing unrelated to you when you’ve given permission to put you to bed?" Kellen’s breath ca in shorter and shorter intervals the longer the Captain’s lips remained so close to his ear.

"Uh, I don’t know? You’re very hard working." Kellen said softly, and Rhys chuckled.

"Hmm, that’s true. You want to know what else is hard?" Kellen’s cheeks flushed, and he wasn’t able to avoid glancing at his crotch. Rhys laughed. "That too, but sothing else." Rhys moved back slightly so that he could et Kellen’s gaze. "Kellen, did it never cross your mind to let stay with you while your parents stayed in my apartnt?" Rhys asked, and he sounded hurt.

Kellen’s jaw dropped.

Was that what he was implying? Should Kellen have assud that?

Rhys took in Kellen’s shocked expression and chuckled. "Where have I been sleeping recently, Kellen?" He asked softly, and Kellen could tell where this conversation was going. His face was already getting red with embarrassnt.

"M-My place." Rhys nodded at Kellen’s stuttered response.

"And do you feel strange about it?" He asked, and Kellen felt his whole body warm. He did not.

"I-I don’t." Kellen muttered softly. Rhys stared down at him before a smile crossed his lips.

"So is it safe to say that you don’t mind if I move in with you temporarily while your parents stay next door?" Kellen swallowed thickly, his face flushed as he was caged in on either side by the Captain. Rhys’ lips quirked up slightly, his gaze shifting into a deeper, golden shade and Kellen’s breathing ca out even faster, harsher.

"Uh, d-do I have a choice?" Kellen asked, his voice slightly higher pitch. Rhys shifted, and Kellen jerked as one of his hands cupped his cheek.

"You always have a choice, Kellen. But I will be very, very sad if you said no. I might even mope around sad and alone that my boyfriend said I couldn’t stay with him for a few days." At the word ’boyfriend’ Kellen felt himself lt. He was done for. The Captain had got him, and Kellen closed his eyes, leaning into the Captain’s touch.

"O-Only for a little bit, alright?" Kellen muttered, opening his eyes to stare up at the Esper above him. The Captain smiled, leaning in to kiss Kellen’s lips.

"Agreed. Only for a little bit."