(BL) Taming the Field Guide

"This might have nothing to do with you, Brent. Aunt Dina might have made a few enemies in her time and they might have just taken this chance to eliminate someone close to her." Kellen said carefully, but even he wasn’t sure. "Or, they could have attempted to harm him for any number of reasons. I don’t know, but I don’t like it either." Kellen ended, yanking at the zipper on his outfit.

Brent huffed, anger replacing the shock he’d been showing while Aunt Dina looked ready to flee. Uncle Parker looked pissed, his eyes dark and menacing before he ran a hand over his face. He took several deep breaths, calming himself as Kellen moved towards the kitchen.

Kellen pulled off his eye patch, tossing it onto the counter beside him. He yanked off his gloves, not wanting to get them wet as he turned on the tap and stuck his face under the water. It was cold as he scrubbed at it, trying to remove the makeup. It had been fine before, but now that he’d been moving in it, his skin hated the texture. It felt gross, oily and thick. He wanted it off.

"A...giant flaming bomb?" Aunt Dina finally said, her voice tense, but still strong. "Not a gun?" She asked and Kellen spat the water off of his lips to respond.

"Yup. Giant flaming bomb. It sounded like it was trying to end the world when it landed, but yeah. I’ve not been around a lot of Fire Espers in action, but I’d assume that’s a move you can do?" Kellen asked, unable to see anyone’s face as he scrubbed his own.

"Fuck." She said lowly and Brent gave a demented laugh.

"Whose swearing now?" He asked and Aunt Dina growled.

"Jeff, you don’t think-" She started and Uncle Parker cut her off.

"Please, Dina, don’t suggest what I think you’re about to suggest. That would be...such a classic, old school suggestion. I thought we were all above that kind of behaviour." Uncle Parker said and Kellen felt his ears perk up.

Old school suggestion? Did that mean they had an idea who did this? Who attacked him? And they were speaking in code so that Brent and Kellen couldn’t understand? That was terribly rude.

"What kind of old school are we talking about? Like, classic classic? Like a scorned lover classic?" Brent suggested and from the deafening silence, and then Brent’s laughter, Kellen guessed that Brent had hit the nail on the coffin. "Are you serious? You, Parker? That was your ex lover trying to take you out because everything was chaotic? What Guild do they belong to? Who are they?" Brent’s glee was undercut but Aunt Dina’s growled response.

"That, Brent, would be the chief of police of the city." She replied tartly. "The same one that has been breathing down my neck ever since she got hired as the chief of police and has been covering up everything anyone who gives her money tells her to. Like your attack, while also highlighting anything we do or don’t do." She added.

Kellen kept scrubbing his face, processing the information, while Brent started belly laughing.

"I-I’m sorry, I’m not laughing because it’s funny that you almost died. I mean, me too, am I right? But, fuck, the older brother who wants the younger brother dead and scorned lover also wants her lover dead combo is killing me right now." Kellen raised his face out of the water, blinking.

"How is the makeup looking? Almost gone?" Kellen asked and that seemed to send Brent into another fit of giggles.

"You’ve got to give me a break, Kellen! My guts are going to burst at this rate!" Brent wheezed and Kellen watched a shadow, not Aunt Dina so had to be Uncle Parker, approach.

"Let me get you the makeup remover, Kellen." He murmured, his voice quiet. Kellen nodded, and slowly the room calmed down.

~

By the time that the others started showing their faces, Kellen had mostly cleaned up his face with some makeup lingering in his ears and down his neck, but he looked like himself again. Brent had stopped laughing, growing more reserved as time trickled on, so when Rhys, Sergei, and Kellen’s parents came into the apartment followed by the other Lieutenants, things were a little more normal.

Sergei made a beeline for Brent who was still sitting on the couch and only hesitated for a second before he picked him up, spun around, and sat down. He buried his face in Brent’s throat, holding the man tightly in his arms as he just held him. Brent had appeared shocked at first before he too buried his face in Sergei’s shoulder. Kellen smiled at the sight, glad that everyone was safe, as Kellen’s parents and Rhys approached him.

He was still in the kitchen, cleaning off the little bits that he could. He hadn’t put his gloves or eye patch on yet. Uncle Parker was on the other side of the island, the makeup remover he’d been given by his partner sitting between them on the counter as Kellen finished up his clean up job.

"You look better." Kellen’s Dad said, his eyes fierce as he smiled. His Mom wasn’t much different. Both were exhilarated, and Kellen understood. Everyone had made it out alive and his Mom had done an amazing job. She appeared as if she had teleported there as well, hiding nearby to deliver the finishing blow.

"Thanks. Did you guys lock him up downstairs already?" Kellen asked, assuming downstairs was where they had cells and the like. Kellen’s Mom let out a low, menacing chuckle.

"Oh, don’t worry about that. He hurt Brent, he’ll be managed just fine." She said. Sergei stirred from where he was holding Brent.

"He gets the first blow." Sergei said. The room paused. Kellen’s Mom’s eyes glowed, as Sergei turned, Brent in his lap, and met the other, older Esper’s gaze. "He gets the first blow." He repeated and she let out a soft growl.

They felt less like humans and more like beasts in this moment.

"Fine. What if I’ve already bruised him a bit?" She asked and Sergei gave a soft chuckle.

"What happens during transportation is none of my business." He muttered and Brent let out a soft sigh.

"No one gets to take his arm but me." Brent told the room and Kellen could have heard a pin drop.

"What?" Aunt Dina asked softly and Brent raised his eyes, his own glowing a bright, dangerous blue.

"No one. Gets his arm. But me. Understood?" Brent repeated and the room of beasts backed down. Whatever they had gotten upset about was forgotten in the face of such pure rage. Kellen chuckled.

"That’s my boy." Kellen muttered quietly, smiling, before it dimmed. He picked up his eye patch and slipped it over his eye. He still couldn’t see out of it, but it was getting better day by day. Just now after he’d washed the water and makeup out of his eye, he’d been able to make out the silhouette of Uncle Parker against the background. That was something to celebrate.

"How are you doing, Kellen?" His Mom asked, turning the attention back to him. Kellen looked up from the counter to meet her concerned, purple gaze. "Are you alright? No side effects?" She asked and Kellen gave her a soft smile.

"I don’t appear to have side effects when my reactions are based on...what I’m familiar with? It’s hard to explain. It feels like things have shifted in a way I can manage a little bit." Kellen said. Rhys watched him, staying a few steps away at the edge of the counter so Kellen’s parents could be closer to him.

"That’s good." Rhys said. "And I’m glad that there weren’t any side effects. I don’t know how I would have handled you collapsing downstairs after saving Lieutenant Parker." Rhys spoke softly. Kellen turned to meet his yellow gaze and nearly swallowed his tongue.

Rhys was upset. Obviously he was upset. Kellen had put himself in danger more than either of them had anticipated, but between one blink and the next, Rhys’ anger was gone. Replaced with an understanding that made Kellen’s chest ache.

"I would have given you warning if I could." Kellen told him and Rhys nodded.

"I know. As I said, I’m just glad there were no side effects. Is it shifting to behave like your old powers? Your gut instincts?" Rhys asked and Kellen felt his body relax. The man understood him.

Kellen’s parents looked between the couple, watching them interact, and relaxed as well.

"How did you know? It’s not quite the same, but it’s similar enough that I’ll probably just call it that going forward." Kellen told him and Rhys nodded. His yellow eyes were soft, lovely, and Kellen was reminded of what he had said before. What a sweet, sweet man he was.

"Well, I’m glad that something good came out of this. Jeff, are you alright? Do you have any idea who could have attacked you?" Kellen’s Mom asked and when Kellen glanced towards him, he was able to tell that Uncle Parker was blushing.

Brent let out a cackle from Sergei’s lap.

"Well...I have a few possibilities." Uncle Parker said carefully. Kellen ripped the bandaid off.

"He thinks it’s his ex who is now the chief of police." Kellen said. His Dad let out a loud, sudden laugh before covering his mouth and turning towards his wife to muffle himself. Kellen’s Mom looked shocked, and Rhys looked apologetic.

"Oh, I’m so sorry, Lieutenant Parker. Does your wife know?" Rhys asked and Kellen stiffened.

"His partner, Rhys, not wife." Kellen sniffed and Rhys stared at Kellen for a moment.

"Do they know you were attacked?" Rhys asked and Uncle Parker looked ill suddenly.

"I have to go." He mumbled before rushing out of the apartment. Brent cackled loudly.

"He’s going to be beaten within an inch of his life." Brent joked and Aunt Dina tsked.

"That’s why I told him he should just move into the apartment one level below this one. Stubborn fool. It’s truly going to get him killed." She muttered, shaking her head. "They’ll be back and we’ll be pestered with questions. Unless you don’t want to answer, you can leave and I’ll deal with it." She said and Kellen shrugged.

"I’m fine staying, and if Uncle Parker married them, I’m sure they’re trustworthy. Plus, they’re a civilian. I’d rather have them here then anywhere else, especially now." Kellen said. "Especially with Uncle Parker being targeted too."