(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Kellen was glad that the mood going into the second round of meetings was better. He found that speaking to his family and friends loudly tended to relax others, especially when they had some pre-conceived notions about how his family were.

Speaking to Aunt Dina, speaking of Gwen, teasing the others, it always came in handy. He never knew how the interactions would go, but it always seemed to work. This was how Kellen and Brent got others to open up to them all the time. It worked on Guides, Espers and civilians alike.

Brent just tended to be the one who started it and Kellen snuck in. This time hadn’t really been any different, but Kellen could tell that shoulders were more relaxed and if he could read the mana or energy in the room like some of the Guides here could, he would probably be able to tell that everyone was more relaxed in general.

That made the meetings a little harder to sit through, but not for any bad reason. Kellen could just tell that the others wanted to ask them questions, pick their minds, get to know them better and not through boring conversations about where people would be positioned, what would happen if blank happened, etc.

Kellen could feel the rush inside of his body, the adrenaline building. He was just happy that this was happening. Things were moving forward. It’d felt like since he’d been injured everyone had just been holding their breath. Now that he was mostly healed and here, the cogs were turning. They were finally going to be able to deal with the issues at hand, get Brent out of here, deal with the mess that he’d been given, and then hopefully wipe out the E.A.G.’s base.

That was the dream he had and it wasn’t foolish to say that this press conference was the first step in that plan. Kellen was just glad that they were getting a step closer, only a few days away, and tomorrow Aunt Dina would contact the press. She would only give them a day’s warning, not enough time for them to truly plan anything good, but long enough to let the bad actors in the city know that they were doing something.

Kellen could feel their reaction like a thrumming under his skin. It was a magic ability, a power that he was slowly getting used to. They would react as he predicted, he could feel it, and he was so fucking excited to shoot the punk that had been bothering his friend for years. He knew violence wasn’t the answer, having been raised on that since he was a child.

By his Dad, and several other Espers but notably, not his Mom, and who was Kellen but his Mom and his Dad’s son?

~

Kellen’s meeting ended a little sooner compared to the others. After all, for the most part, he knew what he needed to do. It was just catching the Espers who were joining him up on everything that needed to happen. They had already sourced everything that they needed, so it was just answering questions about timing and positions for Kellen and his group. They were supposed to stay hidden until they were needed and for the most part, everyone understood that.

That did mean that when Kellen left his meeting, he had some free time before the others were out of theirs where he was ambushed by the Guides who weren’t in meetings with their partners. It was exactly what Kellen had anticipated would happen and what he was looking forward to.

Kellen was quietly but forcefully pulled into a small conference room off of the other rooms with glass walls. Coffee and tea offerings were inside of the room, along with some pastries and Kellen was hounded into grabbing something before he was then forced to sit down. It wasn’t anything hard for him to do. Kellen found that his fondness for Guides had grown in a strange way.

He’d always been protective and caring for his fellow Guides, always looked out for them, stood up for them and offered them help when they needed it, but something had shifted. It wasn’t an attraction by any stretch of the word, but it was a protectiveness that didn’t feel Guide in nature. He was beginning to pick up on it, and he realised that the longer he spoke with the Guides, they were picking up on it too.

They were subtle about it, poking him in ways that were Guide-like, but he could feel how their manners around him were shifting. They were confused by some of his actions, some of his phrasing. He could see their eyebrows furrow, confusion on their faces. More than once a Guide touched him and Kellen wondered what they felt when they did. He wanted to ask, but couldn’t.

They seemed just as confused before they touched him as they did after, but none of them spoke it out loud. They too, were aware that not everyone here was safe for them, but if Kellen was different? Especially him.

No matter what, they did view Kellen as a Guide first, and one that was going to protect them and stir the hornets nest. Guides might not always see eye to eye, but on a fundamental level? They all had each other’s backs.

The conversation was wrapping up naturally when Rhys and Sergei came out of their meetings, which meant that Kellen’s parents were also out of theirs. The only people who weren’t out of their meeting was Brent, Aunt Dina, and the Espers who were going to be openly out with Brent as well.

Sergei was going to be with Brent, but he had a different role. These people were going to act as his security team and yes, it was overkill, but this whole thing was overkill. They were taunting his brother to attack him when he had several S Classes protecting him, and knowing how Brent spoke of his brother yesterday?

He would want to do it. He liked to put on a show. He’d tried to have Brent killed at a gala that he then paid to have covered up. That was the kind of man that they were working with when he could have killed Brent in the comfort of his own home. He didn’t do things easily.

Kellen felt when Rhys got out of his meeting, his body twitching before he even caught sight of Rhys through the glass planes dividing this smaller room from the others. Rhys was also scanning the hallway and a bright, happy smile touched his lips when he caught sight of Kellen. Kellen waved at him and one of the Guides sighed.

"You two are so cute." She muttered, her eyes warm as she glanced between Kellen and Rhys. Kellen felt his face warm.

"Are we?" Kellen asked, not quite sure if that was the word he’d use to describe himself, especially right now. Rhys? Always. Kellen would use any word to describe his handsome, hunky future husband.

"You are." Another Guide piped up. "Gosh, I always love the honeymoon phase. It’s so sweet to watch, but to see how you two interact? The respect? God, it makes me want to tease my Esper." She added, her own cheeks warming at the admission. Kellen felt a small smile touch his lips and Rhys knocked on the door, getting permission, and then entering the space. He didn’t need to, the walls were glass of all things, but it was the small consideration that some Espers didn’t do that clearly won the others over to Rhys’ charms.

It was a good thing Kellen had marked the man. He was never going to regret that.

"Hello everyone. Enjoying the snacks?" Rhys asked, unaware how his consideration was making the other Guides fall in love with his manners. Kellen smiled.

"Yes, Captain Thatcher. The Guild has been very kind to us. How did your meeting go?" One of the Guides asked and Rhys chuckled. His eyes scanned the room, his yellow eyes bright and warm as he smiled.

"Good. I think things will progress smoothly, if everything goes to plan. It’s wonderful that I’m not in charge of this operation and Captain Dina is so competent. Everything has a contingency and I don’t hate that." Rhys said, his eyes landing on Kellen. "How did your meeting go?" He asked and Kellen shrugged.

"I have to cover myself in black paint and pretend to be a curtain, there’s not much else to a meeting like that." Kellen said and a few of the Guides chuckled. "It did give me some time to chat with everyone. It’s nice to learn more about how other Guides live." Kellen said and meant his words. The Guides softened, all sharing looks and smiling. Rhys chuckled.

"You’ve always liked to learn new information. Recruited anyone into becoming a Field Guide yet?" Rhys asked, half-joking. Kellen chuckled.

"No. They’re all rather content with how they’re Guides, just not with the conditions that the E.A.G. have forced them to live in. I can’t change their mind on one aspect, but I can attempt to help them with the other." Kellen said. Rhys stayed near the door, leaning against the wall and leaving the door open. It was a subtle thing, not closing himself in with everyone’s Guide.

It was another considerate thing that made Kellen’s stomach tighten. This man was too sweet for his own good. It also didn’t help Kellen’s wandering mind that the man then crossed his arms, perking up his already toned, muscled body. The shirt wasn’t helping either. He was in easy, breathable clothes like Kellen was. It highlighted the body that Rhys had been honing for years.

Was this how Rhys felt when he looked at Kellen sometimes? If it was, Kellen should apologise. He didn’t like how he felt right now, nor how possessive he was of the man. Even after the Guides in the room had told him how they were envious of Kellen but only because he was in his honeymoon phase, not because they wanted his man.

"You look sexy leaning against the wall like that." Kellen told him bluntly, surprising a few of the Guides in the room who weren’t used to Kellen’s behaviour. Rhys, however, blushed and gave a boyish grin in response.

"Really? Thank you, sugar." Rhys was tickled by Kellen’s words and Kellen felt his body smolder. Where was the nearest guiding room? Rhys laughed, as if able to sense where Kellen’s mind was going. "They’re going to be out soon, I can hear them shuffling in the room. We don’t have time." He told his Guide, his eyes dripping into a deeper, richer shade. Close to gold, but not quite. "Save it for later, Kellen." Rhys told him. Kellen tsked.

"I hate these damn mood swings." Kellen muttered. "No one told me I was going to be ravenous all the time." Kellen did not sound pleased and Rhys threw his head back and laughed. Even the Guides in the room with him couldn’t help but laugh.

"Ravenous? You do a good job hiding it." Rhys told him and Kellen frowned bitterly.

"I had to. I could literally kill you at certain points in my healing journey." Kellen muttered. The Guides were surprised to hear that.

"Really? Is that related to your eyepatch and glove?" One of them asked and Kellen nodded. He’d thought he’d already explained it to them so he gave them a quick rundown of what had happened, how he’d been poisoned and how he had to work with experts to heal himself. He didn’t go through the full details, just enough for them to understand, and explain that was the reason his sister was still unconscious. They had been affected by powerful poison, just a slight variant.

The Guides listened, curious and clearly upset for Kellen’s sake. That little bit of time explaining everything and answering a few questions allowed the Espers trickling in to find their Guides time to do so, and for the last meeting to let out.

That was when the Espers politely excused themselves for the day, whisking away their Guides with promises to see everyone tomorrow.

Kellen and Rhys shared a look across the room and Kellen gave a small nod. Now it was time to explain what he’d learned, what he’d done, and how his body was still changing even now. He just hoped that his parents didn’t panic, but that was a big ask.