(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 420

Chapter 420: A shaken Captain

"He’s going to be okay. He’s just pushed his body past its natural limits." The voice was soft, but sounded familiar. "He should be waking up any minute. Look, his eyes are twitching. He can probably hear us." Kellen felt his muscles twitch, his body coming to life with screaming clarity.

He wasn’t in the best shape, that he could tell.

He had a throbbing pain in the base of his neck, filtering through to the rest of his head like fingers sinking into mud. His muscles hurt, his body feeling like he’d given it a good workout and then hadn’t stretched properly after.

"Are you sure? It was so sudden. I’m sorry I called you back but I just-"

"It’s okay, Captain. Totally fine. We won’t know more details of what happened until Kellen wakes up." Kellen was able to piece together who was speaking. It was Taylor and Rhys. More sounds began to filter in and he could hear the soft hum of machines. He had to be in the Medical Bay, and a tinge of guilt filled him.

Taylor was supposed to be off, and yet here she was, taking care of him all because something weird happened. Damn it.

Kellen’s eyes twitched, and finally, he was able to open them. When he was able to see, he was greeted with a room he was getting familiar with. He was pretty sure this was the same room he had woken up in when he’d first ’arrived’ at the Guild, the second time when he’d been shot, and now a third time, when he had no idea what had happened.

Rhys looked ill, like the first time Kellen had seen him. He hadn’t realised it when he’d seen it the first time since he hadn’t known Rhys that well back then, but now he did. His face was a little bit pale, his eyes darting around, and he looked as if he was sweating.

He was tapping his foot, his arms crossed, and he was clearly jittery. Anxious.

Taylor looked better, but also exhausted. She wasn’t as nervous, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t shaken. The dark circles under her eyes were still there, looking even heavier compared to what Kellen could only assume was a few minutes, maybe half an hour.

Both of them jerked towards him, Rhys reaching for his hand, giving it an almost painful squeeze as Taylor’s eyes flared green and she began to scan him. She was frowning, her mouth speaking quickly as she examined him.

"Oh thank goodness you’re awake. How are you feeling? Do you know who I am? Where you are?" Taylor’s words washed over him and Kellen swallowed. He nodded.

"I’m okay. Had worse." Kellen croaked. "How much time has passed?" Kellen asked and Taylor and Rhys glanced at each other. Kellen felt his blood chill until Rhys spoke.

"Only about an hour. Just enough to have both of us panicking." Rhys told him and Kellen let out a relieved sigh. Thank goodness. An hour was a long time, but not terribly long. It was, as Rhys said, just enough to get both of them worked up.

Honestly, Kellen was sure any time he was unconscious was too much time for Rhys, especially after being in a lot of pain and demanding things from him.

Kellen tapped his throat with his free hand, the scratchiness not making him want to talk much and Rhys rushed away after letting go of his hand, getting him some water as Taylor raised her gaze to his throat.

It felt soothed as soon as Taylor’s gaze landed on it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t take the water offered to him. Rhys helped him raise his head up and take a few sips before he practically forced the other man to lie back down. Kellen wanted to sit up, but Rhys wouldn’t have it.

"Stay down for my peace of mind. Please." Rhys said, his jaw tight. Kellen stared at him as he placed the glass of water he’d grabbed him on the side table, Taylor having moved to the other side to give Rhys more space.

"I’m going to be okay. Just sore and tired." Kellen told him but Rhys didn’t look convinced. Taylor didn’t either, which only surprised him. "I am going to be fine, right?" He asked, turning towards his friend. Taylor’s eyes were still green, still scanning even as she looked over the machines, understanding things that Kellen didn’t.

"Well, physically it seems you’re fine. Captain Thatcher told me about what happened, but I don’t think that’s my area of expertise. In fact, the person who should know is Captain Thatcher." Everyone turned to look at him and Rhys just looked ill.

"I’ve never seen this before in my life." He whispered. He swallowed, his hand going for Kellen’s, holding onto it tightly. "Not once. Not ever. I never imagined that you would be able to see anything. How the hell would I ever think that? Or see that? Of course they would hide that from me. I would have never let you get near me if I knew that was a possibility." Kellen’s heart twisted.

"What?" Kellen asked, confused, hurt. Rhys’ eyes widened.

"No! Not like that! I just-" His gaze darted around and he looked really nervous. "I never...I don’t want others to see what I do. I can handle it, but I don’t want others to share the burden. I’m the only one who’s mostly sane, Kellen. You can’t reset yourself. Your body shut down seeing one future. To me, what you described, that’s the only thing it could be." Rhys licked his lips.

Kellen’s heart still hurt. Hurt because of what Rhys said, but Kellen was trying to think about this a little more logically. It was clear with anyone who had eyes that Rhys was shaken. He wasn’t himself. He wasn’t confident, wasn’t self-assured.