(BL) Hunting The Field Guide

"As much as I am happy to see that you are up, as your friend and doctor, please hold off for a little bit longer. While Carlos is fairly certain you aren't going to harm anyone, I have a feeling you two won't stop at a 'little bit' once you start." Taylor said dryly, stepping into the room and letting the tent flap fall behind her.

Kellen stared at his friend, watching her as she began to check the machines around him. She looked exhausted. Obviously she was. There was no way that she wasn't. Kellen had given her a bunch of people in a perilous condition, and that included himself.

Her hair wasn't up in a ponytail, but up in a messy bun. She also had a headband on, keeping any and all hair out of her face. She also had dry lips, his skin was pale, and she looked like she could fall over.

Kellen knew it wasn't really his place, considering the condition he was in, but he couldn't hold his tongue.

"When was the last time you got guiding?" He asked, every bit the Field Guide leader in his tone, while his eyes held the concern of a friend for another. Taylor raised her head, ready to snap at him, when Kellen gave her a hard look. "You aren't allowed to rip into me about that aspect. I will take any and all criticism over my condition, except that. I still have my abs, don't I?" Kellen warned, and Taylor flushed.

She had the decency to look embarrassed as she tore her gaze away from him, staring down at her clipboard. Her grip was tight, so tight that Kellen worried she might snap it.

"It's been a while, and there isn't anyone to guide me." Kellen glowered at her, and Rhys let out a shaky breath.

"Kellen, you need your strength. This moment of clarity could only be a short moment. You can't-" Kellen turned his gaze to Rhys, and Rhys shut up as well.

"Don't think that I can't sense what condition you are in either, Captain." Kellen warned, and both Espers shifted uncomfortably. "Are all of the Guides in full use? Are they drained? If they are, you better fucking come to me for guiding, Taylor, because what you are doing is far more important than my body being in perfect condition. While I can't argue with Rhys' point, that doesn't mean I fully agree." Kellen told her and Taylor looked…put in her place.

She let out a soft, shaky sigh, dropping her head and raising the clip board until it hit her forehead, hiding her face from the two who were looking at her. Kellen remained silent, taking in the messy state of her clothes, how she probably hadn't showered for a while, and let out a soft sigh.

"I appreciate everything you are doing. I really, really do, but I also need you to take care of yourself. You would want me to do the same if our roles were reversed." Kellen's voice was softer, more delicate. He didn't want to hurt her with his words, just make her think about how she was treating herself. That made her flinch. The reminder that this went both ways, and it wasn't just Kellen ganging up on her.

Taylor let out a bone weary sigh, and Kellen remained silent for a moment.

"You're right. I'll…do a check in. Guide the Captain first, please. After I've confirmed with me, my tests, and Carlos." Taylor said, raising her gaze to give the two of them a piercing look. Kellen nodded, taking her words seriously, but Rhys was the problem.

He didn't want Kellen guiding him.

"I'm fine." Rhys began but no one bought that. Not even Rhys. His eyes were so bright Kellen didn't even need a lamp in here. It was practically for decoration.

"Rhys Thatcher." Kellen warned. "I'm not saying I'm okay, what makes you think you can get away with saying that you are?" Kellen demanded. He wanted to shake the man, but his hands were still bound to the bed. He wasn't above using others. "Taylor, smack Rhys for me, would you? I currently can't do so." Kellen asked of his friend and Taylor's eyes went wide, as did Rhys'. Rhys turned his gaze towards Kellen, furrowing his brows.

"Why are you asking her to hit me? She isn't going to do it, Kellen. She's my healer." Rhys sounded confused, but confident at the same time. Taylor cleared her throat.

"Well, while I am your healer, I am still his friend, and with good reason, I could hit you. My job is secure. You wouldn't, no, couldn't fire me." Taylor didn't need to sound smug. She was right. Who else was going to put up with their shit?

"I'm asking her to hit you because you're being a damn idiot. You're not doing well. You look like a damn flashlight right now, Rhys!" Rhys looked appalled at Kellen's words, while Taylor just couldn't take it anymore. She burst out into laughter, bending at the waist, covering her face with the clipboard to avoid the way that Rhys shot a glare in her direction.

"A flashlight? Are you being serious right now?" Rhys asked, so clearly offended but Kellen just glared up at him from where he was lying down on the bed.

"Yes, I am. I feel like the light in here is for decoration. Don't you dare lie to me about how close you are to surging right now Rhys. I can tell, and I'm not one of the Guides who can feel power fluctuations." Kellen's voice held an edge to it. Rhys was staring at him, his jaw tight. Like he didn't like Kellen bringing it up. Like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

Kellen could practically feel how tense the man was. They had been moments from kissing before, and now they were bickering. Kellen hadn't wanted the moment he'd awoken to turn in this direction, but here they were.

There was a tense silence that filled the room after Taylor finished laughing. Taylor looked a little guilty that she laughed, while Rhys stared at Kellen in silence, before he turned his gaze to Taylor.

"Am I that bad?" He muttered, asking not just Kellen, but Taylor. Taylor, feeling strange being in between the couple's argument, cleared her throat.

"W-Well, Captain, I am going to have to agree with Kellen. Despite his current condition…he is an expert in this field and your eyes are rather…uh, alarming is the nice way to put it. Kellen calling them flashlights is also a nice way to put it as well." Taylor said and Rhys covered his eyes with his hand, dropping his head as he sighed.

"You weren't going to mention it until he woke up, were you?" Rhys muttered and Taylor gave an apologetic smile.

"Well, can you blame me? You might be the more reasonable S Class I've worked with, but you are still prone to…certain behaviours, especially right now. Do you remember how you almost hit Hill earlier?" That was new to Kellen, and he watched Rhys flinch.

"Right. I need to apologise to her again." He muttered before he sighed. "Alright. Understood, but I won't do anything until after Kellen has been cleared. It's not right. I don't want to put more of a burden on his body, and no one can convince me otherwise. Just being near him is already making my head feel clearer." Rhys told them, and Taylor's eyes warmed.

"Oh good. I was hoping for that. That's common amongst couples even if they aren't imprinted." Taylor said, and a small sense of relief filled Kellen's chest. He knew of it, of course, he just didn't think it would apply to them, or so soon. Nor did he ever think he would enter into this kind of a relationship with an Esper, so that was a side effect of dating an Esper as a Guide that he hadn't even considered.

Kellen really needed to do more research once he got out of this mess. He felt like he was neglecting his duties on the research side of things.

Taylor let out a soft sigh. "Now, let's go through some tests, hmm? After that, I can call Hill in, and you can give her your report. I can already tell that you're vibrating to do one of two things, and I can't allow the first right now." Taylor said, her green eyes sparkling.

Kellen swallowed, nodded, and turned to Rhys. He was still covering his eyes, but uncovered them when he felt Kellen's gaze on his face. He looked upset, distraught, and Kellen gave him a small smile.

"It's going to be alright." Kellen told him. "I made it out, Gwen made it out, the core is touched. Everything else can wait." Kellen told him softly and Rhys' face crumpled. Taylor had the decency to look away as Rhys moved to bury his face in Kellen's neck, his shoulders shaking as he tried to keep himself together.

Rhys only let him experience this level of emotional turmoil for a few seconds, gathering himself so quickly it almost felt like his breakdown hadn't happened.

Then, Taylor went to work like a professional. That was the reason they paid her the big bucks.

~

Kellen's reunion with Hill wasn't monumental. After all, she was an Esper of the front lines, she knew the rules, knew the code. So when she came into the back room that Kellen was being kept in, her clothes in complete disarray, her hair a mess, she didn't offer her normal Hill greeting. No big smiles, no tight hugs that felt like they would break bones.

Instead, she scanned Kellen, where he was lying in the bed, how he was strapped in, and the eyepatch.

"What, went in a full human, and then you and your sister came out as damn pirates? Should we get her a peg leg so that you could match? Pretty fucking funny for a family with the surname Woods." Taylor let out a shocked gasp, and Rhys stiffened into a damn board.

Kellen, however, saw it for what it was. She was trying to be tough, like Brent would be, like Gunther would have been. Kellen felt his lips twitch.

"If you dare to get my sister a fucking peg leg, Hill, I'm going to have Rhys run you ragged." Kellen warned, and Hill's lips twitched before she came over, leaning over Rhys to press her fist against his shoulder. She was careful, her hand not even pushing that hard.

"It's good to see you as yourself, Kellen." She said quietly. "You pulled off a damn miracle, I hope you know that. Everyone is singing your praises. We've been able to send in the drones and machines now, and it's a damn forest. It's amazing that you got in, and got out as many as you did." Her eyes filled with sorrow. "We also…found the body bag." She said quietly and Kellen nodded. That was the closest body. It made sense that they found them.

"There could be more. There is someone who is buried as well." Kellen told her and Hill nodded before she gave him a steely look.

"Don't think I didn't notice how you didn't take credit for how amazing what you did is. The whole world is having a field day. Lieutenant Fisher is busy being a damn canary out in the city. He's making sure everyone knows what you did, how you saved not only a group of trapped Esper and Guides, but also the whole city. If the people loved your family before, it's been turned up a notch. People are going to name their kids after you." Hill told him, pride radiating off of her.

Kellen was almost glad that Rhys hadn't told him this. He didn't really care, and he was glad that Rhys had 'forgotten' to tell him about it. It just showed that this part? The name recognition? Didn't matter to the other man.

"You don't think there was a spike in the name Kellen when my parents announced my name?" Kellen asked dryly, and Hill laughed, her tired eyes warming slightly.

"Alright soldier, enough idle chat. Tell me what happened in there."