(BL) Taming the Field Guide-Chapter 70: Put your nose in it

Hill was a great help during the whole photocopying process. Kellen thought he would have at the very least been able to manage it on his own, but he was sorely mistaken. Having two hands was a vital part of the process, and he was thankful that Hill continued to help him.

While they were working together, Kellen did ask where Casper and Pamela were, and if they were okay. Hill let out a soft sigh, looking conflicted for a moment before she had answered him.

"They’re fine. Pamela is faring quite well, even if a little shocked. Casper is refusing to go get checked out by Taylor. He won’t let anyone get a word in about it. He ran away to the Guiding Division. Pamela’s worried, but Taylor is also too busy to go check on him too. I just know if it’s someone else, he won’t go." Hill muttered and Kellen was a little surprised to hear that.

He didn’t think that Casper was a difficult Guide to deal with. He’d always been rather...easy-going in Kellen’s mind. However, it wasn’t like people didn’t have other sides to them. Casper just hadn’t had to show that side to Kellen.

He hadn’t been injured before, not really.

"That’s upsetting to hear. Maybe he’s just upset about Gunther? He was there when I explained it." Kellen suggested and Hill let out a heavy sigh.

"Fuck. I hope that’s the case. I hate when he’s like this. He gets so...mopey and no one can convince him to get better. He probably is blaming himself for you having to go to the Medical Bay." Hill told him. They moved from one book to another as Kellen frowned deeply at that.

"He’s not at fault, and even if he was, I wouldn’t blame him for it. He has no idea what’s going on with my body, nor does anyone else." Kellen said clearly. Hill frowned, shaking her head slightly as she sighed.

"I know that, but even if I do, it’s hard for me not to react, Kellen. That’s me, a well trained Esper who is used to working with you. While you’ve been here for a while, Casper knows you but doesn’t know you as well as I do. Plus, it’s not like you can say Casper’s been normal this whole time either." Hill sounded upset, but Kellen only felt confused.

Casper hadn’t been normal? What was she saying?

"Has Casper been strange?" Kellen asked. "I mean, outside of the Gunther issue?" Kellen asked and Hill slowly turned towards him, giving Kellen a rather strange, confused look.

"Have you...not noticed?" She asked and Kellen stared at her. Noticed what? What had he been missing?

"Hill, I haven’t been around Casper all that much since I’ve gotten back, so no, I don’t think I’ve noticed?" Kellen said, referring to his coming back from the front lines. Hill’s expression soured as she dropped her head, moving to another book to photocopy.

"Ah shit. If you haven’t noticed, maybe I’m reading into things too much again." Hill muttered and Kellen immediately felt that she was wrong.

"If you think you’re seeing something, I don’t doubt that you are. You are rather observant, Hill, and when it comes to emotions, I...self admitted, am a little blind to those kinds of things." Kellen told her, his face a little warm. He coughed, covering up how frustrated he felt having to admit that.

Not at anyone, more at himself. He didn’t like having a flaw, but he was an honest sort. He could acknowledge that at the very least.

Hill raised her head from the book she was focusing on, her expression tight. Her eyes weren’t quite orange, but it was clear she was getting worked up. Teetering on the edge.

"I just...I have a tendency to put my nose where it doesn’t belong." Hill admitted, clearly embarrassed and Kellen frowned.

"You’re a Lieutenant. You’re supposed to put your nose where it doesn’t belong. Why are they having things where you don’t belong? That’s suspicious." Kellen said. Hill jerked, her gaze going to Kellen’s and scanning his face.

"You aren’t...joking, right?" She asked, a little hesitant. Kellen snorted.

"Why the hell would I joke about something like that? My Guides tell me everything, because I made it clear from the beginning that I was someone that they could trust and someone that they didn’t have a choice but to trust. They can be honest with me and I will take it very seriously. You have a lot more Espers to deal with, and Guides. I know that Rhys treats everyone like they are family, so why are they hiding things from you? If you’re putting your nose in their business, and they react negatively, what are they hiding? If they can’t even give you an answer and just react negatively, that’s on them." Kellen gave a shrug. "It’s not like they have to tell you exactly what they are doing. Even just saying that they are planning a date with a lover, or in their feelings, any answer to clarify a situation is good. Especially with a group of people who if feelings get too high, it can be dangerous for everyone around them." Kellen told her. "Next book." Kellen prodded, and Hill’s hands moved.

Then the machine complained that it didn’t have enough paper, the beeping rather annoying.

The silence between them hung for a moment, the beeping keeping Kellen from noticing it too much.

"You see things very differently sometimes, Kellen." Hill said finally. Kellen flinched.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked and Hill let out a little laugh.

"No. I wouldn’t say so, but I don’t think the way you see it would be okay with all of the Espers and Guides in the Guild. I do think it would work with a few, but some people like their privacy more than that." Hill told him gently. Kellen shrugged.

"That’s fine. They can also tell you that. My point is that they shouldn’t be reacting negatively to you being curious about them. That’s a form of care." Kellen said. "People who hide things make me think that they are up to no good." Kellen’s expression darkened and Hill looked at him. She took in his injured form, the eyepatch, the wrap his arm was in, and the determined glint in his blue eyes.

Hill smiled, shaking her head again.

"I’m glad you’ll have my back if things get messy. If I start this process and it goes poorly, will you help?" She asked. Kellen gave her a thumbs up, nodding seriously.

"Of course. Hopefully at that time I’ll be healed, and if not, I’ll bully them with my presence alone." Kellen told her. Hill laughed, shaking her head before they turned back to the work ahead of them.

~

It only took them another 20 minutes to finish the task and Kellen was so damn relieved that he was able to accomplish one of his damn goals. It felt like it had taken ten years off of his life just trying to get materials to Charlie. Had he handed them off yet? No, but he was going to savor his victory at the moment.

Hill said that she would go and put the physical books back into his office. Kellen offered to go with her, but Hill said she was going to take the time to pester Casper at the same time and that she’d like to do that alone. Kellen backed down at that, and said that he would go bother Rhys before he left for the apartment.

Hill had grinned, poking Kellen’s nose with her finger before she left and startling Kellen.

"Be good. I know it’s already a code blue because you’re here, but don’t take up too much of his time. He has a lot to work on." She teased and Kellen felt his cheeks warm.

"I can’t do much right now to even distract him." Kellen protested and Hill laughed.

"Just being around is distracting enough for the man. I should tell you some stories from the front lines while you two were circling each other." She said with a wink before disappearing. She had taken what Kellen and Hill had photocopied as well since she was going to the Guiding Division.

She was going to pass it on to Kellen’s Dad to give to Charlie, or Charlie himself if he saw her. She had this ability to see others, so Kellen let her take them.

It felt a little strange to go empty-handed to Rhys’ office. Especially after Hill and Kellen had been working and chatting for what felt like hours at that copier.

Leaving the tiny room, Kellen glanced around to see if he could catch a trace of Hill, but she had disappeared rather quickly. He felt like everyone was watching him as he moved through the halls and towards the office that Kellen was familiar with.

The office on the...lower levels that Rhys had hid from him the first time because he had wanted to get him alone. It was such a distant thought, but the reminder still made Kellen’s cheeks warm.

Now he couldn’t even lure the man into a kiss. It was a frustrating reality.

Kellen hesitated for a moment outside of Rhys’ door before he knocked. As soon as his knuckle touched the wood of the door, the door was ripped away from him. Rhys stood on the other side, his breathing a little ragged, but a bright smile on his face.

"How did it go?" He asked, his eyes scanning Kellen’s body. It was a rather rapid glance over, his eyes a shade of yellow that had Kellen narrowing his gaze.

"Are you alright?" Kellen asked abruptly, before answering Rhys’ question. "It went well. Hill has taken it to give it to Dad or Charlie, whoever she sees first. She’s also dropping off the books to my office as well." Kellen told him, explaining why she wasn’t with him. Rhys nodded, his eyes still on Kellen.

"Are you going to come in?" He asked, ignoring Kellen’s question. Kellen’s lips twitched.

"Are you okay?" Kellen asked again and Rhys’ expression softened. He let out a little chuckle, his hand reaching for Kellen and wrapping around his wrist.

"I’ll be better once you come in here." He told him. Kellen was suspicious of his behaviour, but he would believe him. He let Rhys pull him into the office. Rhys closed the door behind him and then pulled Kellen into his arms, wrapping himself around Kellen and letting out a deep, relieved sigh. "It was so hard without you." Rhys told him. Kellen raised his arm, wrapping it around him.

"I wasn’t even gone that long." Kellen told him and Rhys laughed.

"It felt like eons. I just feel better having you at my side." Rhys was serious as he said the words. Kellen felt his heart swell and he pressed his face into Rhys’ throat.

"...Me too." Kellen murmured, squeezing Rhys. See? This was the kind of honesty that everyone needed.