(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 190: When others care for you

Jax ended up apologising several times, and truly meaning it. It wasn’t even that Jules was threatening him, he just did it because he realised that Kellen was serious.

It wasn’t being held up and threatened that got through to him, it was the fact that Rhys made it clear that Kellen was happy to be with him. That he accepted that Kellen was where he wanted to be, and Kellen wasn’t sure what to do with that information.

He had thought that the man needed the violence to get it through his thick skull, but maybe Kellen was wrong. Kellen let that sit for a minute, then went back to making food for everyone.

The night continued, the mood far more relaxed after Jax and Kellen had their altercation, and Kellen watched as the others drank more, got more tipsy, and Kellen looked at Rhys. Rhys looked at Kellen, and nodded.

Rhys wouldn’t let them go home alone. If anything, Kellen was pretty sure that he was going to escort them all to their assigned rooms in the tower. Kellen appreciated that Rhys got it, and the first one who had to be escorted, surprisingly, was the most quiet of everyone.

It was Miro.

He had been busy up until now, running around the city, trying to create plants from scratch, studying and creating things that were so beyond Kellen’s comprehension that Kellen was sure the man wasn’t sleeping properly or eating properly. The only thing he was doing was keeping on his health because Taylor made sure of it.

So, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Miro, after two drinks, was wasted. His eyes were hazy, his face was flushed, and Rhys took one look at him and stopped what he was doing to pick him up.

Kellen paused, worried, but Rhys smiled.

"If Taylor isn’t freaking out, we’re okay. I’m just going to bring him back to his room." Rhys said, leaning in to kiss Kellen quickly before he slipped on his shoes. "I’ll be back soon. No one get into any trouble while I’m gone." Rhys warned with a smile.

He was joking, but he meant it and the rest of the room could feel it.

Rhys was back shortly, the party continued, until it was Casper’s time to leave. Kellen had thought that he would be the first one to go, but having him second wasn’t that unexpected either. The man had also been neglecting himself, so mixing that with alcohol was going to make it hard for him to stand. Gunther offered to leave at the same time.

Casper was embarrassed, flustered, and didn’t want to be carried out like Miro had, but Rhys only gave him two options.

Either Rhys carried him out, or Gunther did.

Casper was a flustered, drunk mess, and Kellen was about to take pity on him and offer that Kellen would do it when Casper made a decision. He chose...Rhys.

Gunther was shocked, as was everyone else. It was then that Casper gave a bitter smile, and while his words were slurred, they were honest when they left his lips.

"Theodore, you avoided me as I was trying to take care of you in the Medical Bay. You didn’t even try to have a conversation with me and instead avoided me. Upon reflecting, I don’t want to make you more uncomfortable." Casper said bitterly.

Kellen realised that the two hadn’t talked. The biggest reason why Gunther had run away was because, at least in Kellen’s mind, Gunther couldn’t take watching the person he cared about so deeply hurt himself to help him. He had wanted Casper to prioritize himself. Casper wasn’t doing that at Gunther’s side.

Gunther looked like he had taken a blow, while Casper turned to Rhys, hesitated, and then held out his arms to him. Rhys was ready to follow his wishes. He was looking out for both Casper and Gunther.

Gunther, however, snapped. Something inside of him just snapped.

"Rhys, step the fuck back. Casper, there is no fucking way you make me uncomfortable." Gunther growled. "I was upset and running away because you were hurting your fucking self in the name of looking after me and I couldn’t watch that. Who could? No one would want to see the man that they love, that they have been trying not to love for years, disappear before their very eyes while trying to take care of you." Casper blinked, and Kellen was sure that the man was drunk enough that he wasn’t able to fully comprehend what Gunther was saying.

Gunther, also realising that his anger towards the man and his sincere, full of emotion words weren’t going to get through to him, sighed.

"Rhys isn’t taking you back to your room. I am." Gunther told him and that seemed to get through to the drunk man. Casper shook his head.

"No, I don’t want to burden you." Casper protested and Gunther’s jaw was tight. He looked pissed, his eyes slowly turning the shade of his powers. He took a heavy, weighted step towards Casper, and Kellen could feel how the tension in the room shifted.

Everyone was ready to step in if things got tense, but Kellen stayed where he was. He knew that Gunther wouldn’t do anything to Casper, not at the moment. He wasn’t trying to hurt him, he was trying to help him.

Casper didn’t look scared either, he looked confused. Gunther placed his hand on Casper’s shoulder, not grabbing him or yanking him towards him, Instead staring into Casper’s eyes for a long, serious moment. Kellen was sure that he didn’t want to talk about this in front of everyone, but Casper was drunk and a little stupid right now. He would probably need to say this over and over while Casper was sober after this too. Kellen could tell that Gunther was at the end of his rope.

"Casper, you aren’t burdening me. We are staying in apartments next to each other. Rhys wouldn’t have allowed that if he thought either of us was a danger to the other." Gunther told him seriously. Casper was a little too drunk to hear him properly, but, after several back and forths that felt painful to everyone else but Kellen, Casper relented. He let Gunther pick him up, the colour of a ripe strawberry, and Rhys held the door for them as they left.

It was only after they left that Jules made a comment.

"They...still aren’t together?" Jules asked and Hill groaned.

"Don’t even get us started, alright? I think Kellen was a catalyst to getting everything going again, but one of them, or both, fucked it up. That, and...well, as Kellen said, everyone needs to go to therapy." Kellen nodded when Hill looked towards him for approval. He even gave a thumbs up.

Jules stared at Kellen, a little surprised.

"Therapy? You did therapy?" They asked and Kellen nodded.

"Yeah. Of course I did. I had a chip on my shoulder and I suggest that everyone should have a professional that they should talk to. It helps keep you out of your mind and work through things that you bottle up. It makes you a better Guide or Esper if you deal with your own issues." Kellen told them. Kellen slid his gaze to Jax, who caught what Kellen was trying to hint.

Jax’s grin was more on the feral side as he laughed.

"Ah, I see. That’s your polite way of telling me that I need to go to therapy huh? What happens if I scare the therapist?" He asked and honestly, it was a serious question. Kellen took a moment to think.

"Well, we just hire someone who specialises with S Classes and how their minds work. If you do manage to scare them, we compensate them appropriately." Kellen told him seriously. Jax laughed.

"Yeah. You’re too good for any of us, Kellen. Rhys better appreciate you if you’re staying." Jax said, wiggling his eyebrows. Kellen didn’t know what he meant. He knew that Rhys appreciated him, but Kellen also had to appreciate Rhys as well.

Rhys understood exactly what Jax was implying, and flipped Jax off.

"Mind your own business, Jax, or else I won’t go easy on you." Rhys warned, and that seemed to be enough.

The next to go down was Taylor, who held her own for a while, but she eventually was at her limits. Instead of putting Rhys or Kellen in an awkward situation, Taylor was the one who turned to Hill and grabbed her by the collar, her gaze unfocused and her cheeks flushed.

"You’ll take me back to my apartment, yeah?" Taylor asked, her words slurred. Hill, who was not one to argue with Taylor, nodded. She slid her hands to Taylor’s waist, respectable, if not a little suggestive. Possessive.

"Of course I can do that, Taylor. I’ll make sure you get to bed safely." Hill promised, her eyes creasing at the corners as she smiled at the other woman. Taylor stared at Hill, her eyes serious even as her gaze was unfocused and Kellen had to do a double take when he heard her next words.

"Is that all? Safely?" Taylor asked. Hill froze. Jules froze. Rhys turned his head to the side and tried not to laugh.

"Um, well, you’re...drunk, Taylor." Kellen watched as Taylor’s lips pursed and she stared at Hill, looking annoyed.

"When has that ever stopped you before, Karen?" Hill looked surprised at being called out, and also that Taylor was being so insistent right now. Hill looked towards Kellen, who held his hand against the side of his head, tilting his head into it and closing his eye. He mimed that Taylor would fall asleep quickly, hoping that Hill would get it.

When he opened his eyes, it was clear that Hill got it, and her expression smoothed out.

"Well, it does, but I don’t brag about being a good person, Taylor. However, how about we get you home and into your pajamas and we can discuss from there, alright?" Hill was good at negotiating with Taylor and Taylor?

She was showing sides that she would be glad that she showed to so few in the morning. Especially the way she was shaping Hill’s arms and shoulders under her hands as Hill carried her away. The focus in her dazed expression was serious, and Hill was blushing but pleased.

Then it was only Jax, Jules, Kellen and Rhys. Jules helped Kellen clean up the kitchen while Rhys and Jax helped clean up the living room. Kellen had only had one drink that night. He’d been nursing it the whole night, wanting to keep an eye on everyone. Rhys didn’t have to mind his drinking as much, but he hadn’t drank a lot either.

Jax and Jules didn’t linger, leaving after the mess had been cleaned up and promising to see them tomorrow. Kellen reluctantly agreed, and Jax grinned, winking as he left.

"I think we’ll get along eventually, Kellen. I feel it here." Jax said, pressing a hand against his heart. Kellen...wasn’t so sure, but he didn’t laugh in his face either.

"We’ll see." Kellen replied cryptically. Jax and Jules waved as they left and Rhys shut the door and locked it.

"Finally, the day is done." Rhys said. Kellen couldn’t help but agree. It was over.