(BL) Hunting The Field Guide-Chapter 403: A little bit of good natured teasing

Kellen was rushing to make it on time for his meeting. As someone who had arrived early every other time, he felt terrible. The worst part? He was still making sure his clothing was correct in the elevator as he was coming down from their apartment.

His face was flushed, he was sure it was obvious what he had been up to, and this felt like the first time he had truly slipped up. The times before this? They didn’t count since half of them had been from Rhys trying to bother Kellen just to get him to notice him.

The other half? Kellen just didn’t count them.

The elevator opened and Kellen moved quickly out of the metal box, turning towards the cafeteria and found that most of the Guides were there already, as well as a surprise repeat guest.

Casper was also with the group, chatting to them quietly as Kellen stuttered in his steps, before he moved quickly towards the group. The Guides noticed him, and Kellen watched as several emotions ran across their faces before delight finally settled on most of their faces, along with humour.

When Casper turned to look at him, he watched as his grey eyes narrowed and he pushed up his glasses. Kellen felt his face heat. He was in for a teasing, he knew it.

"Ah. You’re quite late, Kellen. It’s very much unlike you." Casper started. Kellen couldn’t even protest. He knew that to be true.

"I’m sorry, I-"

"But," Casper interrupted, a smile touching his lips, "it isn’t unlike a certain Captain I know." Kellen’s face went beet red as the rest of the table erupted in laughter. He couldn’t even deny it, and damn it, if his thighs didn’t burn with knowing. He was sure it was also obvious. His figure, the figure he had been maintaining for moments like this, was significantly reduced.

He was skinner, thinner, his muscles practically gone. Rhys had really taken a chunk out of him. A rather large bite. Kellen came to a halt near the edge of the table, staring at the wide smiles, the sparkling eyes, and found that he couldn’t even complain.

They were all Guides. They all knew what this job entailed and they were all earnestly excited for him. For their Captain. Kellen was the one not used to this kind of behaviour, and even as his face burned, he just dropped his head for a moment, hiding his face as the others laughed at him before he raised it and sighed.

"I can’t deny it." He muttered, and Casper’s smile touched his eyes.

"As you shouldn’t. I believe Captain Thatcher would sob if you did so. He seems to have taken a huge chunk out of you. Are the higher levels still taking a toll on you?" It was a rather polite question asking what he had been up to, but as the head Guide, it was a fair question. Even if they had several sets of big ears around them.

But, Kellen didn’t mind speaking on this. It wasn’t like people didn’t know that they had a huge gap between them before Kellen jumped Classes. He’d rather be honest about this part in public, then keep it to himself and have another person in his situation going through it alone.

"Well, yes. It’s still quite the high cost. We don’t guide at certain levels." Kellen said honestly, and Casper raised his eyebrows.

"Still?" He asked, surprised, and Kellen felt more warmth flood his face. Gosh, he had to be redder than a tomato at this point. Kellen nodded.

"Yeah, still. The main cost has gone quite a bit down, but everything else..." Kellen sighed. "Taylor’s predictions are still quite high. They are dropping, so now I won’t die if we do the highest level of guiding, but yeah." That seemed to shock everyone, including Casper.

"You could have died if you were guiding at higher levels?" One of the Guides asked and Kellen nodded.

"Well, yes, depending on the length of the session. Since most are calculated to the 15 minute model, there was a chance. I would have passed out first, long before things got dangerous and Rhys isn’t the kind of Esper who would have continued." Kellen said confidently and Casper sighed.

"I’m saying this now, but I fucking hope none of the Espers in the Saturn Guild are the kind of Espers that would have continued." Casper’s gaze flickered around the rest of the cafeteria, at the other big ears listening in and watched as a few of the Espers in the room looked grim. Kellen chuckled.

"Of course they would be, if they joined Rhys’ Guild. Do you think that man would have allowed anyone who didn’t have similar beliefs as him?" Kellen joked, and Casper’s expression softened slightly.

"I agree with you, but sometimes we need to check in." Casper said, sighing before he got to his feet. "Well, now that you are here, and finished your guiding session," it felt like he’d been caught by his parents doing something naughty with Rhys in his bedroom. That’s what the knowing look Casper gave him made him think of. "Let’s get food into everyone, hmm? I’ll grab you a few shakes, Kellen." Casper told him and Kellen nodded.

It was truly quite nice to have Casper back on his side.

The rest of the group got to their feet, chattering to each other and to Kellen and Casper. Casper’s hand on Kellen’s back was a surprise. When Kellen looked over at the other Guide, he had a rather soft expression on his face.

"I was told what is going on." Casper said quietly and Kellen nodded. Kellen, hesitant, grabbed Casper’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

"It’ll be fine. Rhys will go there and figure out what is going on." He told Casper, thinking about the fact that Rhys was so sure it was Gunther who did it. Casper’s eyes widened slightly, before he nodded, turning his gaze away but turning his hand to squeeze Kellen’s in return.

"Yeah. We will." He confirmed quietly, firmly. Kellen was glad to see that he was holding his own quite well. He didn’t seem nervous, he didn’t seem ill. Instead, he seemed determined. "They wouldn’t do something like this without reason. I know them." Casper said firmly and Kellen was a bit surprised by the strength of his words.

He watched Casper for a second, noting how he looked before he sighed.

"I can’t argue with that. You know them better than I do." Kellen told Casper with a grin. "Let’s have some faith in Rhys and Hill, hmm? We’ll get to the truth of the matter soon. Rhys doesn’t want to be away from the city for long." Kellen told him and Casper snorted.

"You mean, he doesn’t want to be away from you for long." Casper shot back and Kellen flushed. He wouldn’t deny it, and it wasn’t like he was particularly comfortable with Rhys being away from his side for too long either. Before, he would have let Casper say what he said, leaving all of the weight of the words on Rhys. Now, he didn’t want to do so.

"No, we don’t want to be away from each other for too long." Kellen said, clearing his throat as he made his statement. Casper’s eyes widened, before he started laughing.

"Ah. Right. You two are sweet for each other now. I’ve forgotten how much you two are like two peas in a pod now." He teased. Casper grabbed a tray, passing it behind him to Kellen before he grabbed another and then his own. Kellen was embarrassed, but he wasn’t upset.

This was nice. He wasn’t used to being teased and not hating it. Was this because he wanted other people to notice that he was with Rhys, and that Rhys was his? That they both belonged to each other?

"Kellen, stop making disgusting faces about Rhys and come grab some food." Casper, apparently even though he was the one who had been doing the most teasing, was done with Kellen’s antics. Kellen smiled, moving forward in the line as the other Guides cast them smiles.

Kellen understood. Casper was still in a weird situation where he was mourning what his relationship with Gunther could have been, while also hopeful that things could be different. The whole reason Casper had been distant with Kellen until now was because of Gunther related issues, so yeah.

He wanted to tease Kellen, but it had to be hard for him too. Kellen understood, and after a little smile to himself, he set to work checking in with the others. Getting a read on how they were doing.

There were a few whispered conversations while they were in line for food, and a few more once they were back at the table. Unlike last time, Casper and Kellen sat away from each other, getting a feeling from the Guides, allowing them to gravitate towards whoever they wanted to speak with the most.

Kellen was grateful that Casper had joined them again. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t capable of doing this on his own. He had done so before, but it was just...nice to have someone who could also help. Someone who he could trust, and the Guides could trust as well.

Kellen learned a lot about what they had done on the front lines, who had done a really good job, and those who were struggling. Kellen and Casper did their best to comfort everyone, and Kellen even took a few moments to chat with some of the Guides in a more private setting, going to the side and whispering to them.

It was quite the good catch up, and he was glad to see that even though a few might not want to continue onto the front lines, they were going to stick through the classes. It made him feel grateful for their presence, and he told them that. He wanted them to feel proud of what they had accomplished so far and he could tell by the way that they looked as they were leaving that they understood that.

After, Casper hung around for a few more minutes for them to compare notes, before they both went their separate ways. Now all Kellen had to do was wait for Rhys to leave and come back, and then for Brent to come back with the last of the students. Then, the first round of training sessions on the front lines would be over.