(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 200

Chapter 200: Compatibility isn’t the end all and be all

Leaving the Guiding Center felt like leaving a prison. Everyone was staring at them as they exited the elevators down. Esper Blake was all smiles, even waving at a few Espers that she knew. Kellen even recognised a few people, and some did approach him briefly to say hello, but that was it.

Kellen was a little bit surprised that the car was where he had left it, but then again, who was going to touch a car that was that expensive. Kellen was still pissed that the Captain had unintentionally lied.

The car wasn’t black at all. The car, when under the sunlight, was a multihued car, where the colours shifted. The undertone was a vibrant, bright yellow. He felt like he was driving around in a declaration that he was with the Captain, and the Captain said he had planned to give it to Kellen as a birthday gift?

Had the man planned to start harassing him last year?

Well, the man had been planning to kidnap him. The car should have been the least of Kellen’s problems. Shaking his head, Kellen unlocked the car, unlocked both doors, and then stepped into the driver’s seat Esper Blake slid into the passengers seat and glanced around.

"Nice car." She said, and Kellen nodded. "Do I have to worry about whatever you two have done in it?" Kellen’s jaw dropped as Esper Blake gave him a wicked, teasing grin.

"Esper Blake!" Kellen chastised, and she raised her hands, giggling.

"Sorry, sorry. The mood was too serious back there, and in fairness, it is something I believe the Captain would do." Kellen’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. Even he couldn’t disagree that it was something that the Captain would do. Fuck.

"I only got the car today, and it’s still his car." Kellen protested as he began to pull out of their parking spot. He thankfully didn’t need to turn around and instead could go straight. The Peach Guild was in the area, and he knew his way. It also helped that Sakura made it into a giant, pink monstrosity the moment she got her hands on it.

"Oh, I believe you." Esper Blake’s voice dripped sarcasm, and Kellen’s hand shifted.

"How much have you been hanging out with Brent?" He asked wearily and she laughed.

"I am actually on your roster for guiding, Guide Woods. Brent and I are just becoming friends." Kellen slid his gaze towards her as they came to a stop sign.

"Friends. Right." She gently tapped his shoulder with her hand.

"Hey, I mean it! Brent’s not my type." She said proudly, and Kellen chuckled.

"Oh? I didn’t know you were allowed preferences." Kellen responded and she snorted.

"I don’t think I want to hear that from you. I heard that you have preferences." Kellen blinked. He hadn’t exactly hid that fact, but he didn’t expect that someone else would know about it. In particular, someone who he only knew in passing. "A little birdy told me you’ve had preferences for the Captain for years." Oh. That? That he could handle.

"Why is that something to brag about? Objectively, the Captain is a rather handsome man. Same with you. You are also a very attractive woman." Esper Blake’s cheeks were red when he glanced over at him. "But that’s the case with most Espers. So what if I acknowledged that he was always attractive? That tells you nothing about if I have preferences, and just so you know, I was prepared to have a woman be my pair." Esper Blake recovered quickly from having Kellen call her attractive.

She giggled into her hand, smiling at Kellen as he paid attention to the road.

"Guide Woods, if you didn’t have preferences, you wouldn’t need to ’prepare’ yourself to have a pair of the opposite sex." She said, smiling. "It’s alright. I too, am ’prepared’ to have a pair of the opposite sex. I’ve been grateful that most of my Guides have been understanding. I don’t normally get guiding above a kiss if I don’t need it." She said with a smile, and Kellen glanced at her. She seemed happy, content.

"I’m glad that your wishes are respected, Esper Blake, and I wish for you that your partner is a woman as well. That would make both of you happy." Esper Blake’s smile was a little strange.

"Hopefully. I know of pairings that didn’t go well because one of them forced themselves to be in it, but since the Guild has you and the Captain, I am sure things will change for the better." Kellen frowned at her words. He hadn’t heard of something as awful as that recently.

"Who are you talking about? Is it something new? I thought I would have heard about something so terrible since I keep up with the Guide news." Esper Blake blinked.

"Guides have news?" Kellen dismissed her question.

"It’s a safety thing. What were you talking about, Esper Blake?" Kellen repeated as the pink Peach Guild building came into view.

It was a slightly shorter building than the Saturn Guild, but it suited Sakura just fine. Unlike the Saturn Guild, there were several patios dotting the building all the way to the top where it was wrapped around like a border. Kellen didn’t want to criticize her design choices, but it was definitely...a look.

"Well, it’s an old story, but most of the Guild knows it. You’ve...heard of the Hills before, haven’t you?" Kellen shot her a confused look as they stopped at a red light.

"The Hills? Like Karen Hill?" Kellen asked, and she nodded. He shrugged. "Not really." She chuckled.