(BL) Hunting The Field Guide-Chapter 421: I’m not going back there

Kellen practically heard his parents fumbling through the Medical Bay. It was a bit surreal of an experience, and he didn’t tell Rhys about it. Mainly because he wasn’t sure if that was just him expecting that to happen, not that it was something that he ’saw’ through whatever the hell was going on.

The door flung open, no knocking, and it was his Dad at the front. He looked panicked, frazzled, with large, exhausted eyes. He was still in pajamas, his hair was all over the place as if he hadn’t even run his hands through it after getting the phone call.

His Mom, who he had kind of expected would be in that condition, was a bit calmer. Kellen hoped it was because his Dad was in such a state. Kellen wouldn’t know until they spoke.

Both of their eyes were glowing, the purple and blue haze casting the room in their glow slightly. Mixed with Rhys’ yellow gaze, it felt like they were in a weird underwater scene. Taylor’s eyes were back to their normal, tired blue hue.

Kellen offered a weak wave from where he’d been propped up in the bed. In the moments that they hadn’t arrived, Kellen was able to convince Rhys, with Taylor’s help, that he could sit up. Rhys was glued to his side, holding his hand nervously as Kellen’s parents came in. Rhys had gone to the further side for two reasons that Kellen could understand.

The first was to let his parents have direct access to Kellen without having to run around the bed. The second? It would be harder to pull him away. Kellen hoped that he was wrong with his prediction, but he could feel how stiff Rhys was as soon as his parents entered the room. The man had turned into a slab of marble, and Kellen was pretty sure this was the same way he had been when he’d guided him for his test.

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad." Kellen’s voice sounded much better. Rhys had run to get him something better than water, like a juice or something and had then come back super quickly. The man didn’t want to be away from Kellen and he looked damn near shell shocked. Kellen couldn’t blame him. It hadn’t really hit Kellen what had happened to him. He just knew that he needed to make sure Rhys’ worst fears didn’t come to pass.

"Oh my god. Are you okay? You said it was only a minor situation, but this doesn’t-Taylor? Is my boy okay?" Kellen was surprised, but not overly by his Dad’s reaction. His Dad and his Mom had both gone through something traumatic. Hell, the whole family had, but it had hit his Dad the hardest. The fact that Kellen was a Guide was going to make anything that happened to him right now extra traumatic. There was nothing Kellen could do about it. Just brace for his reactions.

"He’s physically okay." Taylor told him and his Dad looked ill.

"Is this related to your powers again? Did something happen?" Kellen watched as his Dad slid his gaze to Rhys and Rhys practically stopped breathing. He looked so fucking guilty that Kellen needed to stop this in its tracks.

"We weren’t even touching initially when it happened, so everyone, stop accusing Rhys. That includes you, Rhys." Kellen’s tone was sharp. No nonsense. He wasn’t letting this continue if he didn’t have to, and fuck it, it was his body. He was the one who knew it best, and he was so angry at Rhys that he was trying to take the burden again. He was doing his best to contain it, but from the way he spoke, it was clear it was right below the surface.

"Kellen, I-"

"Shut up, Rhys." Kellen barked and Kellen looked over to find that Rhys had closed his lips, but his gaze was downcast. Damn it. That wasn’t what he wanted, but he’d try to smooth it over with him.

Kellen’s Mom took over, sensing that there was some tension in the room.

"How about someone just explains what happened so that we have an understanding? As far as you know, Taylor, Kellen is okay? He’s not injured?" Kellen’s Mom’s voice was softer, warmer, and helped bring some of the tension in the room down. They had moved as a couple towards Kellen’s bedside and it was his Dad who was holding his other hand. Taylor nodded.

"From my perspective, Kellen is fine. What happened could have an impact in a mental way, and I’m not trained that way so..." Taylor shrugged. "I’m sorry. I’m barely awake right now. I need to go crash. I believe Kellen and Captain can explain everything." Kellen’s Dad nodded as Taylor’s words were accented by a yawn. He reached out, squeezing her arm where he grabbed.

"Get some sleep, sweetie. You look dead on your feet. We’re sure Kellen can answer our questions, and if not, we can wait until you’re awake. You’ve already checked him and said he’s fine and I trust you. We both do." His Dad’s words were tired, but meaningful. Taylor nodded, moving his hand to hers and she gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you. Kellen’s strong and honestly, I can’t say Rhys is overreacting but...he’s okay." Taylor confirmed before she left.

Then, it was just the four of them.

Kellen’s Mom swallowed and his Dad let out a shuddering breath.

"Okay. Tell me what happened." His Dad said, as if he was bracing himself. Kellen couldn’t say that he didn’t need to. This was insane. This was crazy, but Kellen was kind of used to crazy? This was strange, but he’d lived for 7 years on the front lines. That was a lot of time to see crazier shit.

Maybe not to him personally, but anyone could get what he was trying to say. He had hardened himself on experiences like this. It was probably why he wasn’t freaking out like Rhys. Kellen was giving him a pass because he cared a lot about Kellen and thought that anything that happened to him was Rhys’ fault. It wasn’t, most times, and Kellen wasn’t exactly sure that this time could be equated either.

"I saw the future." Kellen said it outright. "It resulted in a massive headache that felt like it was going to split my head open, but I saw it. The new report that just went out to the front lines is from me, not from Rhys." Kellen told them and his parents stood there, their expressions shocked.

Kellen’s Dad didn’t look like he was comprehending what his son had just said. While his Mom went white. Her mouth was still open, but her hands were clenched and Kellen could see a thousand thoughts racing behind her eyes. Her gaze slid from Rhys, to Kellen, and then she finally snapped her mouth closed. She swallowed.

"I am about to ask a rather rude question, so you can refuse to answer if you want." Kellen nodded. "Have you two slept together? Have you had sex?" Kellen hadn’t been anticipating that kind of question, but he didn’t see it as too rude.

"Not fully, no." Kellen told her candidly and his Mom turned away from them for a second. Kellen could tell she was running her hand over her face, grappling with the news. Rhys was shaking next to Kellen.

Kellen’s Dad was still processing everything.

"You...saw the future?" He repeated and Kellen nodded.

"Yeah. I can’t tell you the details, but I did. Rhys didn’t even...obviously, he’s more experienced in this area so that’s why he’s like this. He thinks he did this to me, and I can’t say that he didn’t. But, at the time when it happened, Rhys and I were next to each other having a chat with another Esper and it was kind of like the words we were talking about triggered it." Kellen recalled the incident, remembering more as he spoke about it.

Rhys jerked next to him.

His Mom let out a deep sigh and turned back, her hand still in the process of sliding down her face. She looked as if she was hardening herself, her head nodding as she was gathering herself.

"Okay. Okay. So, you were able to predict something. The reason why it was assumed that you were predicting something was because Rhys, who is a Time Esper, noticed it. Okay. So, my son who jumped Classes might also be part Esper? Kellen, I can understand why Rhys is freaking out." His Mom said and Kellen blinked.

"Why?" Kellen asked and his Mom gave him an almost hopeless look.

"Kellen. I know you’ve never really cared what others thought of you outside of personal relationships. I used to envy that, but sweetheart, you are already different. If this is true...we need to get you retested." She said and Kellen felt his world tilt slightly.

Retested? No. They didn’t need to do that. That wasn’t necessary. He was fine. He was okay.

Kellen could feel his hands getting sweaty just from the mention of a retest and his Dad frowned. He gave Kellen’s hand a squeeze.

"Kellen, you need to. If this is the case-"

"No. I’m fine. I don’t need to do a retest." Kellen said, cutting off his Dad. His mouth felt like cotton all of a sudden. He didn’t even want to think of it.

"For once, I agree with Kellen." Rhys said quietly and both of his parents looked at him. Rhys tried to not shake. "I can’t trust the Center right now, nor the D.E.C. What Kellen saw...if it comes to pass or if we are able to prevent it calls into question my trust." Both of Kellen’s parents seemed shocked again, before Kellen’s Mom’s face turned into a storm cloud.

She looked pissed, furious actually, as well as full of fear and another emotion Kellen couldn’t place a finger on.

"I’m going to kill him." She uttered and it was his Dad that reached out, squeezing her hand.

"They’ll practically know it was you, honey. You can’t." His Dad tried to say and Rhys let out a shaky exhale. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"I’m in contention for that as well. She could get away with it. Plus, Lieutenant Fisher might turn a blind eye if we get him the position." Kellen did not like how casually they were discussing someone else’s death.

"All of you, we aren’t killing a man." Kellen said, trying to lay down the law before Kellen’s Mom gave a very Esper smile.

"Why not? It could be bonding time as a family. Very formative. Don’t think Gwen will keep out of this either. She’s never liked Tom either. One of the reasons she said she was never going to join the D.E.C. when she awakened." Kellen felt a little ill. They were serious about this, and in a twisted way, Kellen was a little bit glad that his Mom had included Rhys in the family comment.

Damn it. He was going to have a hard time convincing them not to paint a target on Uncle Tom’s back.