"O-Oh. Hello everyone." Kellen said as he leaned against his cane. Casper, Rhys and the other Esper were looking over him and Kellen felt himself grow uncomfortable. Esper Blake hung back, giving them so privacy. She had no intention to enter the room from the get go, and from her expression, her position was solidified.
"Care to close the door, Esper Blake?" Rhys called with a smile, and Kellen shivered as Esper Blake did just that. He knew she wasn’t abandoning him, she was just outside of the door, but it did feel like he’d been thrown into a frying pan.
"Uh, why are you two here when I’m supposed to be working?" Kellen asked and Rhys grinned.
"I think Casper is ready to get back to his duties, wouldn’t you agree, Kellen?" Kellen swallowed. Rhys was...being a bit more forceful than usual. Or, at least more forceful than he had gotten used to.
"Uh, well, does he have a clean bill of health from Taylor?" Kellen asked, and Casper held up a piece of paper. Kellen was surprised he hadn’t noticed it, but maybe he’d just been shocked by the two of them showing up in this tiny guiding room. Even the Esper he was supposed to be guiding seed uncomfortable.
Kellen shuffled into the room, taking the piece of paper from Casper’s hand. It was a genuine written note from Taylor, signed at the bottom with her signature. On it were all of Casper’s most recent labs with green check marks next to them. Kellen frowned. It felt like this could be easily faked, but he didn’t want to accuse either Casper or Rhys of faking sothing like this just because Kellen had been reinjured.
"Um, Taylor gave this to you?" Kellen questioned carefully and Casper nodded. He pushed up his glasses, and Kellen took his ti to look him over. Really look him over.
His cheeks weren’t sunken in, his hair had a slight gloss to it again. His glasses were clean, his uniform and the jacket he wore were ironed, fresh, and spotless. His eyes had so life to them, and even his lips were nice and pink.
The man looked like he had so life to him.
His eyes were a little red, but Kellen couldn’t hold that against a man who had found out a truth about a man he was in love with. So in love with he was ready to throw away his Guild just to break it off.
"She said you’d believe it was from her if you saw her signature." Casper said. Kellen wouldn’t deny that the signature was what really made him believe that this was from her. Sighing, Kellen handed back the piece of paper, a frown marring his features.
"So? Why are you showing this? What are you two after?" Kellen asked and Rhys and Casper shared a look. Rhys crossed his arms, staring at his pair and Casper swallowed thickly.
"Well, we think you need to take so ti to yourself now. You need to shelve yourself, Kellen, and recover." Kellen blinked at Rhys. He wasn’t surprised that they were attempting this, hell, he knew better, but he was surprised at the how and where.
"Um, if I may?" Kellen said, and both nodded. "I’m nowhere near as bad as where Casper, Pala, or Taylor are or were right now. I’m fine. Just so...relatively superficial wounds." Casper frowned.
"Kellen, I saw the broadcast live. They didn’t look...superficial. And Esper Green told that you reopened your thigh wound as well." Kellen tightened his grip on his cane.
"I’m not going to argue with you about the state of my body. Unlike others, I am aware of when I need to take breaks. Why did you think I told you that I would revisit your benching after the press conference, Casper? It was because I was sure sothing was going to happen, and I also know guys like us do better with deadlines." Casper blinked, surprised and Rhys had to turn his head to hide his smirk.
When he turned his head back, he wasn’t smiling.
"So you knew you were going to get hurt?" He demanded gruffly and Kellen shrugged.
"Well, I had a feeling I was probably going to reopen my wound. Can’t really look weak when soone is aiming for your life. That’s a little silly, don’t you think?" Rhys’ jaw tightened, and Casper’s face darkened. "But, that being said, I was considering giving back your guiding duties. On the condition that as soon as the other Guides I’ve selected are finally cleared, you have to divvy up your duties. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you do." Kellen warned, his gaze narrowing and Casper flinched.
"Kellen, your eyes are glowing." Casper told him and Kellen flinched. Rhys moved towards him, wrapping a hand around his neck.
"Don’t worry, we’ll all keep an eye on Casper, and report to you if things get out of control. I appreciate you stepping back willingly, Kellen. I was worried you were going to take this poorly." Kellen chuckled.
"Is that why you staged this like an intervention with our poor Esper friend, an unwitting participant?" Kellen asked Rhys and said Esper chuckled.
"Hell no. They asked ahead of ti if they could be in here. I just like the gossip." Everyone chuckled at his words. Casper folded up the piece of paper before shoving it into his pocket.
"So, I take it, I’m back in charge?" Casper asked carefully, sniffing, and Kellen sighed.
"When were you ever not in charge? I was just a temporary replacent. I’m sure everyone is going to be happy that you’re back. You just need to take better care of yourself. I’m now back to being this Esper’s exclusive Guide again." Kellen pointed towards Rhys, who still had his hand on the back of Kellen’s neck, and Rhys grinned.
"I am unbearably thrilled to have him all to myself. On that, do you need us to be here anymore, Casper, Esper Fields?" Both n shook their heads and Rhys grinned down at Kellen. "Then you can take a minute and actually rest, can’t you, Kellen?" Kellen felt his face heat. He was worried about what this man had planned for resting.
"You may whisk him away, Captain Thatcher." Casper told him, grinning at the pair and Kellen felt his heart begin to race.
"Uh, I should-"
"Hush. Just let take care of you." Rhys told him, his expression soft as he looked at the other man. "I have no plans besides rest." Kellen swallowed, unsure why he was a little disappointed to hear that. He wasn’t going to tell the man that, especially after what they had done in the car. He was the one who drew the line. He could wait until the end of the day.
He wasn’t so dog in heat.
~
Rhys took them back to Kellen’s office, where Brent and the other scientists were waiting, and surprised everyone as he sat down as if he owned the place, and carefully held Kellen in his lap as he did so. Rhys was acting as Kellen’s personal pillow, feeding him snacks constantly as Kellen worked away, or attempted to, while he felt Brent stare at him in shock.
Maeve wasn’t much better, but he had a feeling she was more in shock at the sight of the Captain behaving in such a way, or she was taking notes on how to care for a Guide. Kellen wasn’t sure if he should be encouraging the way that the Captain was taking care of him.
It would be an epidemic if everyone started treating their Guides the way that Rhys treated him. He was sure it wouldn’t be good, but then again...so Guides would like it. Kellen did. For the most part.
"Is this...how he normally is like when you’re at ho?" Brent asked, and Kellen wasn’t sure if he was asking Kellen, or Rhys. Rhys answered.
"He’s actually even more lovable at ho. He lets touch his thighs." Kellen’s face heated at his comnt, and Brent snorted.
"No rebuttal, Kellen?" Brent asked and Kellen cleared his throat. Rhys chuckled, unwrapping a marshmallow treat and pressing it against Kellen’s lips.
"Open wide, Mr. Woods." Rhys called softly and Kellen flushed further. He was pulling out the old way he used to call him quite a bit recently. Granted, it hadn’t been that long ago that they had started calling each other by their first nas, but it still felt strange to hear him say it.
Especially knowing the intentions of the man.
"Uh, Brent, when is our next class?" Kellen asked, Rhys wrapped around him like a pretzel. Brent, who had been working away on his own laptop, glanced at Kellen, smirking.
"Are you sure you can even go to our next class? You seem to have...a type of new monster barnacle attached to you. It even speaks." Brent chuckled. "Maybe you should stay back and give it so extra studying and attention?" He suggested and Rhys chuckled.
"I’ll rember you said that, Guide Jason." Brent snapped his finger, pointing it at them and Kellen flushed.
"Make sure to show that you care with the good numbers, Captain Thatcher." Rhys snorted, shaking his head at Brent’s actions while Kellen flushed more.
"I have to be at that class, since you had a hard ti with the morning class, rember?" Kellen reminded him, and Brent pouted. "Plus, aren’t you busy, Rhys?" Kellen muttered, embarrassed. He glanced at Rhys to find him staring at him with a loving expression. Kellen jerked his gaze away.
"Hill, Pala, and Gunther are not incompetent, Kellen. They can handle a few business etings without . Plus the rest of the team. Right now, my priority is you. So what if I sit in on a few of your lessons. Think of it as the Captain of your Guild taking a personal interest in your work." Rhys pressed a kiss against Kellen’s neck, behind his ear and Kellen shivered.
"This feels very self-serving." Kellen muttered and Rhys chuckled.
"Humour , won’t you? I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight." Rhys whispered and Brent slamd his laptop closed.
"On that note, it’s adorable to see, but I’m hella single right now, so I’m going to dip early. I have a guiding session soon, so I’ll see you downstairs, alright? See you two soon!" Brent waved at them, heading out and whistling, stopping by the snack bowl and chatting to so of the research team outside. Kellen sighed, leaning his head back against Rhys’ shoulder.
"You’re going to be the death of ." He muttered and Rhys chuckled.
"No I’m not." Rhys protested, pressing another kiss against Kellen’s skin.
"Even Brent said you were too much." Kellen protested and Rhys chuckled.
"He said it himself, he’s jealous since he’s single. He didn’t an he hated seeing it. Now, co here and let kiss you before you have to go to your lesson. If I’m quick, I might even be able to get to second base before you protest." Kellen glared at him, as Rhys pressed his laughing lips against Kellen’s. Damn Esper.
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