(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88: A big dog?

"Mr. Woods, if there was someone who I thought could convince someone to join them, it would be you." The Captain smiled at Kellen, who seemed shocked by his response.

"Captain, I’ve only managed to convince Brent to work for me, twice. I don’t think that counts. You have too much faith in me." The Captain winked at Kellen.

"Mm, maybe. Or I just can’t imagine someone saying no to such a handsome man." Kellen’s face heated, and he had to look away from the teasing man. The Captain took it as a win, and smiled easily. He was a very different man from the stoic, no nonsense Captain Thatcher that everyone else in the room had witnessed before Kellen’s arrival.

"Do you need me for anything else?" Kellen asked, wanting to escape the embarrassment. The Captain took his time, humming and hawing, before finally grinning, reaching out and ruffling Kellen’s hair, much to his annoyance.

"No, there’s nothing else beyond your company that I need. But I understand that we are both busy individuals. It looks like Casper in particular wants to speak with you." Kellen turned his head in the direction of the Captain’s gaze and found that he was right. Casper stood there with his little tablet, and a small smile on his face.

"Yes. Kellen and I were supposed to have a discussion about his Field Guide program. I think once word spreads about the new gate amongst the common employees, more people will join, but I wanted to talk to him about who we’ve already selected. And who voluntarily signed up." Casper’s smile was genuine, and made Kellen’s heart squeeze. People wanted to be Field Guides?

"Right. I also came to you earlier to chat with you about things regarding the...program." The Captain chuckled at Kellen’s hesitant tone, before gently pushing the younger man towards Casper.

"Take good care of him, Casper, or I’ll figure out a way to punish you." Casper took the Captain’s teasing in stride.

"The good news, Captain, is that I have better ways to tease you." The Captain, who had only been joking, stared at his Lieutenant and Casper chuckled. "Did you forget? I’ve been a part of the team that has guided you until Kellen arrived. I have many, many things I could disclose to Kellen about you." A look of horror crossed the Captain’s face, while Kellen felt himself smile in delight. He was pleased to see that not only could Casper give as good as he got, but that he was also genuinely friends with the Captain.

"Casper, I wasn’t aware blackmailing was a Guide thing." Kellen felt himself chuckle, and smiled up at the perplexed Captain.

"How else were we going to get Esper’s to listen to us if not for blackmail?" The room fell silent, and Kellen could hear Hill and Brent snorting with laughter. Hill was back to her spot surrounded by wrappers and papers, while Brent was further away, speaking to an Esper about any information he had on the front lines. The Captain cleared his throat.

"I will tell you about that when we don’t have such a captive audience, Mr. Woods. You hate when I embarrass you so openly." Kellen blinked, before he gasped. He slammed his fist down onto his open palm, making a soft noise.

"Oh! You’re saying with our bodies. That’s a given though, so I didn’t consider it." Kellen said, surprising people once more. Kellen glanced at the two next to him, taking in their shocked expressions. "What? It’s well documented that if a Guide and an Esper have a connection, that is bound to happen. It is not without reason that someone would make that jump, and there are many documented cases where that has happened. A Guide once prevented a surge by stripping before their Esper." Casper chuckled, and the Captain nodded.

"We know that, Kellen. We are just surprised that you made that jump." Kellen didn’t like what they weren’t saying. They had underestimated him. Again.

"That’s unfair. I’ve been a Guide for over a decade. I’m inexperienced, not an idiot." Hill chuckled. She looked up from where she had been nose deep in papers and unwrapped a lollipop.

"With that attitude? Not for long." She laughed, shoving the lollipop in her mouth and it only made Kellen more confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked, and Hill laughed harder. She used the lollipop in her hand as a pointer, and gestured to the Captain behind him.

"Kellen, my sweet, sweet boy. The Captain is more than happy to teach you anything you have questions about. Look at him. He’s like an overeager puppy. Just tell him to go fetch and he will." She was busy laughing to herself while Kellen turned his attention to the Captain.

Hill was right.

The Captain looked as if his yellow eyes were sparkling. It felt inappropriate, given the situation they found themselves in, with the new gate being such a dangerous thing, but with the Captain looking at him like that, Kellen wasn’t sure what to do.

Flushing, he glanced at Casper, who stood by waiting, and then the rest of the room, who seemed to be holding their breaths. Kellen fought with himself for a few, tense milliseconds, before finally giving in.

He reached towards the Captain, and yanked the man towards him by the collar, before turning and leading him out the door. Stunned, and not about to complain, he followed Kellen out of the room. He couldn’t hide the stupid grin he had on his face either.

The rest of the room was silent, especially Kellen’s friends. Brent had a stupid grin on his face, mimicking the look the Captain had. His parents, however, were completely immersed in what they were talking about, almost to the point that others thought they had missed it. It was only the small, subtle smiles on their faces that gave away the fact that they had witnessed the whole thing.

Kellen led the two of them into a secluded area, his heart racing in his chest. He wasn’t one to do these kinds of things, but the way that the Captain had looked at him....