(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 215: Tailoring suits to fit their needs

Brent rushed Kellen into getting changed after, even insisting that he help get him ready. Rhys and Sergei seemed to want to protest, but both men sat down when they got a blue-eyed glare from the blonde man.

Rhys pouted, grumbling something under his breath that even Kellen couldn’t hear, but Sergei gave him a warning look. It was clearly something unkind to Brent then.

Kellen himself was a little flustered. He still hadn’t finished his cup of tea and now Brent was making him brush his teeth, get dressed and was even styling his hair. Brent, knowing where the ring was stashed, forced Kellen to tuck it away somewhere safe.

He wasn’t an idiot, he knew his friend, so he made Kellen tuck it next to his gun.

They also spent some time admiring the new gun that Kellen got, and Kellen gushed about the specs and how it fired. Brent was cut from the same cloth as Kellen so he asked important, detailed questions that only made Kellen gush more.

Rhys cleared his throat, knocking on the door loudly.

"If you boys are done in there, can you please come out? Sergei looks like he’s ready to come through the door and I know that Kellen hasn’t eaten anything yet." Rhys said and both Kellen and Brent paused.

Brent seemed...uncomfortable with the reality that someone was concerned about him, but he didn’t seem upset. He looked like he was flushed, awkward. Kellen could easily relate. When he was still being obtuse and hiding his feelings from himself he’d felt the same way. Brent was just on the other side of it now.

It made Kellen smile as Brent shook himself and put the finishing touches on Kellen.

"We’re almost done!" Brent called as he rushed around Kellen, tucking his gun away and the ring. He’d made the suit so that it had a little extra padding in the back of the jacket to hide the box, and the gun. If Rhys asked, Kellen could tell him that much but Brent also said it loud enough that Rhys and Sergei could hear it through the wall.

It was only because Brent was making eye contact with Kellen as he tucked the ring box behind him that he knew the true reason behind it. Brent had put a lot of thought into this and Kellen couldn’t be more grateful. He didn’t think that his relationship with Brent would take this kind of turn, but he wasn’t upset about it. He was thrilled.

Although many awful things had happened in the last few months, several wonderful things had happened as well. Brent had practically become family to him, and then there was also Charlie. He’d gained two brothers, he’d saved his sister, he was going to propose to Rhys today, and his dreams that he’d given up on were slowly coming true one at a time.

He was gaining a family forever, he was going to clean the world of those who had bigotry and hatred in their hearts, and he was traveling abroad. What more could a man ask for?

~

Kellen was glad to find that Rhys was also greatly affected by the outfit that Brent had selected for him. He was also wearing a few layers with a jacket, dress pants that he was pretty uncomfortable with, shiny shoes and Brent had even borrowed some of Rhys’ hair products to spruce up his hair as well. Kellen didn’t quite feel like himself, but the stunned, flushed look on Rhys’ face was worth it.

Kellen knew that Rhys liked Kellen as he was, but seeing him react like that to him was nice too. Sergei, sensing the change in the air, subtly reached for Brent and placed his hand on the small of his back. It was a possessive touch, but one that Brent could easily step out of if he didn’t want it.

Brent didn’t, and Sergei seemed to beam quietly at that simple acceptance.

"Why don’t we go down to the lobby and grab a quick bite, Brent? That way we can leave the two to their date while also having a little one of our own?" Sergei suggested softly. Brent grunted, nodding, before smiling at Rhys and Kellen.

"Enjoy yourselves, you two. We’ll see you tomorrow. I expect to live vicariously through you tomorrow." Brent warned with a grin. "It’ll be good to be able to leave this tower without fear, once we begin to deal with my brother and his underlings." Brent told them. Kellen and Rhys nodded in unison. They saw the other two out the front door of their apartment, waving before they stood in the entrance themselves.

They’d made their own plans for the day and Kellen could slowly feel his own worries trying to take over. He’d never been this nervous before in his life. He hadn’t even been nervous when he found out that he had a near perfect compatibility score with Rhys.

He’d been mad, actually, because Rhys had been an idiot and was trying to keep them apart.

Now, Kellen used that moment to compose himself. Not the anger, but the fact that he’d been able to focus on what he wanted even in such a serious moment. He didn’t want Rhys to think, for even a second, that he was distracted from their time together today. Even if he had very big plans at the end of the day, this was a date that they hadn’t been able to go on for a long time.

He wanted to enjoy it now, because Brent was right. They wouldn’t be able to get time like this outside of their apartment for a while. Kellen reached for Rhys’ hand with his gloved one, giving it a squeeze.

"Are you ready?" Kellen asked and Rhys frowned.

"You haven’t eaten yet." Rhys murmured and Kellen gave him a smile.

"Why don’t we find a cute little cafe nearby and grab a bite?" Rhys frowned.

"We selected each location that we have because it’s less likely for you to be noticed, Kellen." Rhys reminded him. Rhys had really worried about Kellen since he was a Guide first and foremost. They weren’t planning on telling the public about his double awakening since he already had two, if not four Class jumps under his belt.

Kellen smiled. Rhys was always concerned about him and always thinking about his best interest. Kellen, feeling loving and slightly mischievous, leaned into Rhys slightly.

"Who in the world is going to bother me when I have a yellow-eyes handsome man at my side? They’re going to worry you’re going to harm me more than anything else, and while I dislike the idea that the police might be called on you a lot today, that is also a shield for me." Kellen told him quietly. He watched as Rhys’ eyes widened just slightly as he stared down into Kellen’s warm blue eye before his shoulders relaxed slightly.

"So you are aware that we are going to be harassed today." Rhys said softly, and Kellen scoffed. He wasn’t an idiot, they were just lucky in their hometown. Everyone knew who Rhys was, or at the very least that the Saturn Guild was run by an Esper who had yellow eyes. It didn’t lessen the fear of seeing a yellow-eyed Esper that most people felt, but it did usually mean that people would do a double take.

It also helped that Rhys normally wore his uniform which helped lessen the fear that could come along with seeing a yellow-eyed Esper. Kellen knew that was probably intentional, but that same logic couldn’t be implied here. This was a different city that might have heard who Rhys was, but he was out of his uniform on a secret date with Kellen.

They were going to be harassed by civilians who were concerned and had every right to be. Kellen squeezed his hand tightly.

"I’m just thinking that this is going to be a fun day with my boyfriend while also scouting to see how corrupted the police force here is. Brent already let me know that they function differently than the D.E.C. in our city, and that’s why they aren’t called the D.E.C. here. You can’t say that you aren’t also excited to give them a hard time." Kellen warned and watched as Rhys’ face smoothed out into a shy smile.

"I was a little worried you’d make fun of me, but I should have known better. There has to be some amusement to this kind of situation, otherwise I would have lost my mind because of how others treated me." Rhys said and Kellen felt his chest tighten.

"I would never judge you for that. Now, let’s go find a cute cafe. I’m assuming you’ve already looked up good tea places nearby?" Kellen asked, glancing at him as he turned to open the door. He caught the way that Rhys looked caught and Kellen gave a knowing smile. "Did you think I wouldn’t know that about you? You like to research more than I do, especially when it comes to me, darling." Rhys bloomed at the pet name, and Kellen didn’t know how he was going to make it to the end of the day.

If too many people saw how lovely and kind his boyfriend was, they might even try to ask him out. Kellen wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to handle seeing that. How did Rhys handle it? Kellen was feeling a lot more sympathy for S Classes now that he’d been thrust into it himself.

"There are two nearby." Rhys muttered and Kellen grinned. He made sure they had their keys, their fingers interlocked, and he also made sure he had his phone and so did Rhys. Kellen had made sure that his family knew what the plan was today. They were only to call them if something truly terrible, or truly wonderful was happening. Kellen even gave examples.

Another gate exploded, or Gwen woke up. Anything outside of that? They could handle it themselves. Kellen’s parents had sent his cheeky smiles, joking and teasing but Kellen was serious. They also knew that about their son, which was why they were teasing him so much.

Now they were moving, starting their date in earnest, and Kellen shook himself. He was excited to spend time with Rhys, and while this was a date that he ’planned’, he knew Rhys. Letting him have a say in their date was also a way to show that he cared for the man.

"Did you already look at the menu too?" Kellen asked and Rhys ducked his head in embarrassment.

"A bit."

"Was there anything that you wanted to eat there?" Kellen asked, also worried that he wouldn’t have something he could eat. Rhys relaxed at Kellen’s question.

"Yes. They had a few things that were safe. They even had an interesting orange curd thing that sounded interesting." Rhys told him and Kellen nodded.

"Good. I don’t want you to cater to just me." Kellen told him seriously and Rhys beamed. Kellen wanted to pull out his little ring box right then. They were still in the damn hallway. Maybe it was a good thing he hadn’t gotten the ring before now. He would have ruined it in his own excitement.

He was kicking himself for not making it a lunch reservation.