(BL) Hunting The Field Guide
Chapter 470: This isn’t goodbye

Chapter 470: This isn’t goodbye

Kellen was a little hesitant to get out of the car, and go back into the Guild. But, he forced himself to do so.

With his haul from the Peach Guild, as well as a few other things that were for safety and food related issues, Kellen was back at the Guild. Sakura had looked sad to see him off, but she didn’t say goodbye. She knew better, and she forced herself to smile at him warmly as he left and climbed back into his car.

Kellen was thinking about her expression as he headed for the elevators, all of the things in his hands. His phone went off, and Kellen fumbled for a second to grab it before pulling it out to see who had messaged him.

It was Rhys. He was telling him to come to the cafeteria instead of their apartment. Kellen swallowed, before he sent him back a simple reply and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He wondered what the change was?

~

It became obvious once Kellen got there. The cafe was still open, the cafeteria was still open and Rhys stood waiting in front of the elevator, a bunch of flowers in his hands. Kellen stared at him, his throat growing tight as he met Rhys’ gaze. It was soft, sad, but there was this underlying force there that told him that the man wasn’t going to let Kellen go. Ever.

It only made Kellen hesitate too long in the elevator that the doors began to close.

Kellen, now flustered, stopped the doors and stepped out, his arms full from the things that Sakura and Carlos had given him.

"What’s this?" Kellen asked Rhys, but he wasn’t the one who spoke up. It was Casper, who stepped out of the cafe with two cups in his hand, a bittersweet smile on his face, in his eyes as he looked at Kellen.

"I told Rhys he had to share you for a little bit." Casper said softly. "I couldn’t exactly send you off without the proper Saturn Guild well wishes, now could I?" Casper asked and Kellen turned his gaze to Rhys who also stared at Casper. He didn’t look upset, in fact, he seemed happy, proud that Casper had forced him.

"I don’t know what to say." Kellen said and Casper chuckled.

"Then don’t say anything. Come on. There are a few people who want to see you off, the right way." Casper suggested and gestured towards the cafeteria. When he looked in he saw that his students, along with several other Espers that he always spoke to sitting at a long table. They had clearly made it, and the cafeteria was fully staffed with the normal ladies and gentlemen that Kellen always saw.

Kellen felt himself getting emotional when he also saw his parents and Charlie there as well. He hadn’t thought that his parents would have come out for something like this, but he had underestimated them slightly.

Charlie was smiling at him, waving as his eyes spilled over. A few of Gwen’s friends were there as well, the ones who lived in town. Kellen had thought that they would be angry at him, but they didn’t seem to look that way at all.

"This is..." Kellen didn’t even know what to say, especially as Rhys approached and quietly took the items out of his hands, the flowers tucked under his arm, facing Kellen.

"You don’t need to say anything. This isn’t a goodbye. We’re celebrating you early." Rhys told him and Kellen’s throat closed up. The man said it so quietly, with such determination that any other protest Kellen had was gone. Now, Rhys’ arms were full and Casper handed over the drink in his hand.

"This is for you. I got you a matcha latte because you got it before with me. I hope that’s okay. The staff also made sure they had a lot of your favourites for dinner, so eat your fill. We want you brimming with energy." Casper said firmly. "You’ll need it for all of the people you’ll be saving."

Kellen felt choked up. He couldn’t say anything, just nodded as Rhys stared at him, his eyes warm. Kellen had wanted to spend more time with Rhys before he headed out, but this...this wasn’t bad either.

Casper told Kellen that they had packed his bag, his students, and made sure that he had everything that they needed. Rhys had also helped, which made Kellen glance back at him. He wondered if he had done it after he had left the apartment, but Rhys was silent. He had probably heard Casper speaking about it, but he was over making sure that the new goodies Kellen had went into his pack.

As soon as it was clear that Kellen was in the cafeteria and briefed, he was swarmed. His students all looked ill, like they had been crying for a long time, but they were putting on brave faces. Everyone had a drink from the coffee shop, including his parents, and Kellen felt another wave of emotions wash over him.

They were so eager to speak to him, to ask him about what he was going to do once he was inside, what method he was going to use that he’d taught them to get through this situation. What he thought the others were trying to do while inside besides just surviving. Kellen didn’t want to burst their bubbles and tell them that he was going to try and follow their tracks, maybe find their bodies as he went along.

So, he took the time to explain what he hoped they had done, after they had panicked, and walked them through theories, basic practises, everything. It was helping him remain calm as he spoke about it, but he didn’t tell them what he was going to do.

Mainly because it was simple.

He was also just going to try to survive. His main mission, actually, was to touch the core.

That wasn’t something he’d disclosed to anyone. Yes, he wanted to find his people, his sister, Gwen, but what would be better?

The ability to go and leave the gate as they wanted.

So, he hoped, he prayed, that some of them had tried to find the core as well. It also wasn’t called a core for nothing. It was at the center of the gate.

So far that had never been wrong. It was always at the center. Now, sometimes that center was close by if it was a smaller gate, and sometimes it was quite the distance. Kellen was really hoping it wasn’t too far away, because the longer he was in the gate, the longer anyone was in the gate the higher the chances of death were.

But this conversation was a nice distraction from the true meaning of everything. Everyone also helped grabbing Kellen a lot of food as well. He got trays, probably four, of food that was just for him as well as a few drinks.

When he came back to the table, the spot next to Rhys was free and marked for Kellen by the flowers. Kellen felt his heart warm. He wasn’t really a flower guy, but that didn’t mean he didn’t like the flowers that Rhys had gotten him.

The others helped him lay out his food and despite the reason, the atmosphere was pretty good. Everyone was chatting, speaking, and Kellen set to work eating. He had a feeling that the only reason everyone was in good spirits was to make sure that Kellen didn’t go into the gate with a heavy heart.

He didn’t think that was possible, but he appreciated the effort on their part.

Overall, it was nice to see everyone together, to feel this moment of affection before he headed to the front lines and was iced out by Hill and yelled at by Taylor in person.

Kellen liked how Rhys had his hand on Kellen’s back the whole time, a silent support that was unwavering. Kellen really liked that, and continued to eat until all of the food was gone. Every last plate.

When he checked his phone, it was almost time.

There was a shift in the air after Kellen had checked the time and Kellen’s Mom got to her feet. She sighed, before she gestured for Kellen to follow her. Kellen, hesitantly, did follow her a little ways away. She looked tired, even more so, but she gave Kellen a soft smile.

"I believe in you." She said and Kellen jerked. He hadn’t exactly gotten that from what they had said before, but he didn’t tell her that. Her expression told him that she understood that. She reached for his face, cupping it in her hand. "You are, first and foremost, my son. You will always be my son. This is not a goodbye, it will never be a goodbye. In every lifetime we will know each other." She told him before she pulled him in for a hug. "Kick ass, sweetheart." She whispered and Kellen felt his eyes water.

Slowly, just like his Mom had, everyone else came up to say a not goodbye to Kellen and Kellen was barely holding it together when it came to his Dad. His Dad just shook his head, pulling him in tightly for a hug. He was afraid to speak, and Kellen didn’t mind that. He just held him, before he rushed away to be with his wife.

The room cleared out, and it was just Casper and Rhys.

Rhys came first, since he couldn’t see Kellen off the way that either of them wanted him to. That was too much. Kellen wouldn’t ask that of him. When Rhys got to him, his eyes watering, his expression tight and the veins in his neck in stark contrast, Kellen reached up and held the man’s face in his own.

"Take care of my heart, will you?" Kellen said softly and watched how Rhys’ face crumbled.

"Always. You never have to doubt that." Rhys told him and Kellen nodded, smiling for him and for himself. He kissed Rhys, the two of them in a quiet moment, before Rhys sniffed and pulled back.

"You should go with Casper." Rhys’ voice cracked. "He’ll escort you." Rhys told him, clearing his throat and Kellen nodded. He grabbed his back, laden with everything he would need, and turned to Casper.

He could feel how Rhys was watching him, his expression void of emotion as Casper gave Kellen a smile. The two of them left Rhys there, alone, and Kellen felt his heart ache.

"I’ll make sure he’s okay." Casper told him once the elevator doors closed. "At least till you make it back to us." Casper confirmed and Kellen let out a shaky breath.

"I will do that." Kellen told him and Casper gave him a look. Kellen expected there to be some doubt there, but instead it was firm. Sure.

"I know you will. So don’t delay, alright?"