(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 304

Chapter 304: I’ve always been fine

"That many people are causing your problems?" Kellen’s Mom sounded like she was going to cry. Kellen wasn’t even sure what to do, since it felt like their reactions were flipped. His Dad was usually the more emotional one, at least in situations like this.

In this case, it looked like his Dad was ready to murder someone, and his Mom had tears running down her face. Kellen, who he himself had only stopped crying recently, didn’t know how to react.

"Uh, I’m fine, really! I’m doing great." His Mom shook her head, covering her face.

"Are you telling me that I never noticed that these fuckers were bullying my child? Kellen, why didn’t you tell us beforehand?" Kellen wasn’t sure what to say, but Rhys spoke up beside him.

"He was probably worried that you’d react like this. Right, Kellen?" Rhys turned to him, smiling, while Kellen wanted to smack him.

Rhys hadn’t held back, which was why his parents were reacting this way. He had told them everything. Every little interaction Kellen had had while with him around, every little comment, everything. He even told them what Gwen had noticed, and about his ’friends’ and what they had done, and how several sets of them had done this to Kellen.

He even ratted out that he had gone to therapy for it. Kellen was conflicted, because on one hand, it showed that Rhys cared about him, and wanted him to do well. On the other hand, it felt like Rhys was exposing parts of himself that Kellen had never wanted to expose. He never wanted his parents to know what had happened to him, especially when he knew it would cost them relationships.

"Fucking Tom. I should have known. That fucker didn’t listen when we warned him once. I’m going to make him regret being born. I know his wife, and I know what that fucker does." Kellen’s Dad was fierce, growling, and Kellen felt himself pale.

"No, you don’t need to-" Kellen started, but Rhys slid his hand over Kellen’s shoulder and onto his mouth, effectively silencing him.

"Don’t worry, Mr. Woods. The rest of the Captain’s and I have that sorted. Once this gate is dealt with, maybe only half-way, Tom will be retiring." Rhys told them with a smile. Kellen glared at him over his shoulder while Kellen’s Mom sobbed.

"My baby had to go to therapy? Kellen, you need to tell us these things!" She sobbed and Kellen felt uncomfortable. He felt like he’d done something bad, but he didn’t understand what. He knew that they were upset with what he had done, but...he’d made that choice. He had decided that not telling them everything was better than the alternative.

They had ’retired’ and were enjoying their lives without having to put themselves in danger over and over. Yes, Kellen was a Guide, and because of that he did want to protect the people he cared about quite a bit. He didn’t want to hurt them, and he was strong. He’d always been strong. He was a big brother, he wasn’t like the other Guides, he was as competent as a C Class Esper.

He was...Kellen.

Kellen grabbed Rhys’ hand covering his mouth and moved it away. He didn’t fully let go of it, instead holding onto it as he spoke. "Everyone goes to therapy, Mom." He sighed. "Well, everyone should go to therapy." Kellen told them and that only made his Mom cry more.

"I get that, but the way that Rhys said that made it sound like you weren’t going to therapy to deal with what you saw and what happened in the gates, Kellen. He made it sound like your life before you even got to the front lines was fucking hell."

"It wasn’t! I never thought of it that way." Kellen protested and his Dad’s eyes started watering.

"Kellen, if you had to flee from your city to the damn front lines to get some peace, I know that your life was hell. I personally never was there in the same capacity as you were, but I was there to aid Espers when they needed it. I saw what people looked like when they came back from gates." Kellen felt a hard tension in his chest. He wasn’t sure what that feeling was, but he couldn’t just sit back and let him speak like this.

"That’s not everyone, and I never considered my life hell. Yes, there were hard moments, but that’s the norm. You have to earn your stripes on the front lines. I just had to do that." His Dad’s gaze was hard, even as he reached for his wife. Kellen’s Mom moved towards him and let him wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close and offering her comfort as Kellen felt his heart race in his chest.

He hadn’t ever expected to have this kind of conversation with his parents. It was completely out of left field for him. He actually had never wanted to have this kind of conversation with them. It would make them think that they had been bad parents, when he’d been the bad son.

"You have to earn your stripes? Kellen, you were a damn child when you went to the front lines. You shouldn’t have had to earn anything, they should have been helping you." His Dad protested and Kellen shook his head.