Kellen managed to squeeze in a phone call to his Aunt Dina while he was waiting for his students to arrive at the cafeteria. He had given them the sa ssage that he had for his first class, only this ti it was more of a dinner invite because of his afternoon classes and other obligations.
He had grabbed a tea, sothing soothing with herbal notes as he took a deep breath, typed in her phone number from mory, and held the phone up to his ear as he waited.
His Aunt Dina was a very powerful Fire Esper. An A Class, but as Kellen had said before, just barely. His Mom, more than once, had lanted that if she would just go in and get ’fucking retested’ she would be classified as an S Class.
His Aunt Dina had laughed, stuck her tongue out and told his Mom to go kick rocks. She wasn’t going near a Center ever again, and even more so after she learned about Kellen’s treatnt in them. Kellen felt his heart ache as he rembered her solidarity with him. How she had also offered to co over, do a big publicity stunt, and then burn it to the fucking ground before leaving.
She certainly had the personality to match her powers, if anyone had any questions about what her powers were.
She also had fiery red hair to match her temperant. His Dad had told him that her hair colour had changed from black to red after she awakened, and no matter what kind of dye, earth based or otherwise, would change it back. She had grown to accept it, and she was pretty famous in her own right.
Most of her partners, her Guides, had been won. It was sothing that Kellen hadn’t told her that they had in common, the sa sex attraction, but it was one of the reasons he made sure to ssage her on holidays and birthdays or when he heard about sothing big happening with her Guild. The ti difference really made things worse, or harder to reach out, but he had a feeling she wasn’t getting much sleep right now.
His fears were proven correct when the phone clicked after 2 rings.
"Hello?" It was pretty early in the morning for her, but her voice didn’t have the tinge of sleep that he hoped it had.
"Hey Auntie. It’s , Kellen." There was a pause on the other line as Kellen sat at his table, watching other Espers and Guides go through the dinner line. Then, a sigh sounded, along with so rustling.
"They made it ho safe, huh?" She said in response, her tone a little bitter.
"Did you think I wouldn’t find out? That I wouldn’t call? Do you think of as heartless? I didn’t think you were one of my students." Kellen protested, trying to add so humour to the situation. When she laughed, it only made his chest ache.
"No, Kellen. You’ve never been heartless. I just...I guess I just didn’t want you to find out." She muttered. The defeat in her voice broke him.
"Do you want to co there?" He asked. He was willing to do so. He knew that it would throw everything into turmoil. It wasn’t just him travelling anymore. It would be him, Rhys, and maybe a few other Espers. He didn’t know, but he didn’t care. He wanted to be there for her. He wanted to help her.
He wanted to put an end to this damn E.A.G. bullshit and pray that when they crushed them, the group that rose from the ashes was weaker, had less of a bite.
"No Baby. I don’t want you to co here. I know you’re in danger, and I wouldn’t-"
"That’s just an excuse. Do you, Auntie, want to co there?" Kellen cut her off. He knew all about putting others’ feelings before his own. He’d done it for years. Would continue to do so. But this was different. This was his Auntie, who had dated and dated and had finally found soone she had wanted to marry.
Now her partner was dead. Killed. By the sa group that had targeted his parents. Soone like Kellen hadn’t been there to save her.
The shaky intake on the other side made Kellen’s eyes water. He remained silent as she took a few monts to compose herself. He wasn’t going to rush her. That wasn’t the point of this conversation.
"I can’t put you in more danger. As much as I want you here, I know you’ve painted a target on your back to keep your family safe. I’m not stupid. I saw what you were doing. I know who taught you that." She gave a wet laugh. "So I don’t need you here. Not yet. Deal with your E.A.G. and I will...I will deal with mine." She said, her voice hardening. Kellen swallowed.
"Do you want any help? Do you need any help? If I can’t go personally, I can always send soone to stand in for ." Kellen told her, not willing to back down. He wanted to give her everything he could, and from the wet laugh on the other side, she understood.
"Kellie, my sweet boy. I love you so much. It’s okay. You don’t have to." Kellen growled.
"If I ask you a damn question, just answer it. I am sure Rhys would have no issue with that." Kellen said tartly and she laughed again.
"Is that your Esper? Is he treating you right? We haven’t had a chance to speak since you found a partner and jumped classes. I had hoped that I would have a chance to co down and surprise you. Maybe have the wedding there while I was at it. Now..." She trailed off and Kellen placed the cup in his hand on the table before he bent, his heart breaking.
"He treats well. Really well. He really...he didn’t have a family like I did, so he really wants to make sure that my family likes him. You’re included in that, Auntie. He’s an S Class, practically flaunts himself off to the whole world. He’s a good man, much better than I thought I would get." Kellen told her softly, quietly, before exhaling. "Did you still want to co down? We could throw a huge party for her, or sothing quiet. Whatever you want. I just don’t want you to be alone right now." Kellen told her. "I’ve tried to put myself in your shoes and I just..." Kellen cut off. His eyes stinging. He cleared his throat.
"Kellie." Aunt Dina’s voice was full of love. "Sweetie. You don’t need to put yourself in my shoes. I wouldn’t want this for anyone. Maybe the E.A.G. bastard who did this, planned this, but no one else. You’re my sweet little Guide boy. Don’t hurt yourself like this. You just went through almost losing your parents. Just-"
"Don’t diminish what you an to . Please." Kellen whispered, cutting her off. Aunt Dina let out a heart wrenching sound, a sob, before she took several deep breaths. "Please don’t do that. I know you are just trying to make this easier for . Don’t. I don’t want that." Kellen realised, far too late, he should not be having this conversation in public.
As if to prove his point, the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching him made Kellen look up, tears in his eyes as Rhys towered over him, concern etched into every inch of his expression.
"Sugar? Are you crying in the cafeteria? What’s wrong?" Rhys sounded frantic, and Aunt Dina let out a sob/laugh.
"Sugar? Is that what he calls you?" She asked. "That boy seems to know you well. Our Kellie is sweet as sugar, that’s for sure." Aunt Dina said, and Rhys’ expression shifted. It was clear that he was able to hear her, and absently, Kellen reached for him.
"He’s the sweet one." Kellen told his Aunt, and watched as Rhys’ expression shifted. He seed a little embarrassed, and a little proud. He sank down in the spot next to Kellen, placing his hand on his thigh, giving him comfort as easily as breathing. Kellen had to duck his head as he felt more tears form in his eyes.
"Awe. Is he there now?" Kellen nodded.
"Yeah. Soone must have ratted out for crying in public." Kellen muttered and Aunt Dina was silent for a mont, before she let out another laugh.
"In public? You didn’t tuck yourself away in a guiding room or sothing? Kellie." She scolded, and it was the first ti she sounded like her old self. Kellen felt his lips twitch.
"He’s notorious for forgetting those little details." Rhys added, just loud enough that Aunt Dina could pick up on it. She chuckled.
"So you did have soone watching him. Naughty naughty." She teased, but Kellen could hear the tension in her voice.
"Auntie, just co here. We’ll take care of you." Kellen told her, pleading. He knew he was, and Rhys’ hand on his thigh tightened.
"Kellie, it’s not that easy, sweetie. You know how dangerous air travel is on a good day, and I can’t risk it. I have my own Guild to run, my own people to protect. I can’t just run away. Plus, they will see it as giving in. I need to raze this place to the ground. For her." Her voice broke on the last few words, and Kellen had to fight through the tears to speak.
"I understand that. I do. When it’s done. When you’ve...honoured her. Co here, okay? I can’t comfort you across several oceans." Kellen knew he sounded like he was begging. He was. She shouldn’t be alone, not for too long.
"Do you think I have no friends over here or sothing? I’ve got quite a few years on you, Kellie. Don’t get too big just because we’re the sa Class now." She chastised, trying to sound angry, but Kellen knew she wasn’t.
"Hey, I can finally live up to your expectations of now, can’t I?" He shot back, sniffing. Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.
"Kellie, you already have. You don’t-ah." She went silent. "I’ll...keep in touch, okay? I won’t go dark. I’m not...I won’t follow her, okay? I know that’s what you’re really checking on." Kellen’s heart ached. He let out a shaky breath.
"You promise?" He asked, his heart on his sleeve and she was silent on the other side. It only took Kellen a few minutes to realise that she was trying to speak through her tears.
"I won’t do it Kellen. For you. I promise I won’t. If sothing happens, it’s not because I did it, okay?" Kellen nodded, taking her at her word.
"Okay. I understand. So don’t let those fuckers win, okay? Promise you’ll let , or Mom or Dad know if you need help. We’d all go to you in a heartbeat if you needed it." Kellen told her, aning every word and she sniffed. She let out another wet laugh.
"Yeah. I know. I love you, Kellen. Now, go clean yourself up and stop making your partner worry." She told him. Kellen glanced at Rhys, who was watching him carefully, his gaze open, affectionate.
"He’s always going to worry." Kellen told her, to her laugh, before he continued. "I love you too, Auntie. Try to get so rest. Take a few sleeping pills if you need to. You can’t get revenge while tired." Kellen told her and she laughed at his tone.
"Speaking from experience, eh? That’s my Kellie boy. I’ll talk to you next week over the phone, okay? I know now that you’ll check in on ." She said and Kellen nodded.
"Damn straight." He confird and there was silence for a long mont. "Auntie?" He asked and she sighed.
"No, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about how much she liked hearing stories about you. Goodnight, Kellie." She hung up after that and Kellen stared at the phone as he lowered it from his face. Rhys reached out, pulling him closer.
"She sounded a lot better than I thought she would." Rhys murmured, trying to comfort him. Kellen nodded numbly.
"I wish I could just...be there with her. It’s tis like this that I hate that I can’t do shit as a Guide." Kellen murmured and Rhys squeezed him.
"How about we think about ways we can send her support without getting self-deprecating, hmm?" Rhys suggested, pressing a kiss against his temple. "I’m sure she’d like that more. I’ll ask Pala to look into it. Or maybe, an Esper from the sa area, okay? We’ll be able to help her. All sneaky-like." Rhys told him and Kellen let out a laugh.
"Okay. That sounds...that sounds great. Thank you." Kellen told him, letting the other man hold him.
"Not a problem, sugar. Not at all." Rhys murmured against his forehead, holding him as Kellen took a mont to compose himself. Kellen just hoped that if this awful situation happened to them, Rhys would have a similar support system around him. It was a selfish thought, but he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t imagine a world without Rhys in it anymore.
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