(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 241

Chapter 241: I’m a big, brave boy

Kellen followed Taylor’s suggestion. Especially since most of the work he needed to do involved the laptop in his possession.

So, he hobbled his way up to his apartment, much to the horror of any Esper he saw him, and behaved as if everything was fine. He even stopped by the coffee shop to pick up a tea latte. Really proved to them that he wasn’t incompetent, just injured.

Whistling to himself, he headed for the second set of elevators, and watched the Espers who were working out inside of the gym as he passed. They all seemed...stressed. Kellen hated it. He really needed to sign a deal with the Guiding Centers. Fuck.

He should message his old Guiding Center as soon as he got up to his apartment and get the background checks started for them. He knew them. He knew his former coworkers, but it wasn’t about him anymore.

Someone had tried to kill his Dad.

And injure the Guild that the Captain had put so much work into.

He had to make sure that the people he cared about were safe. He just hoped that no one got offended by it. Or, at least, not the people he cared about. Guiding Center A could shove a whole hand up their ass if they got offended. He would not care. Not after offering another Guide to the Captain in front of him.

He wasn’t going to forgive that, ever.

Maybe that didn’t make him a good person, but she did it first. Everyone knew that they were together. She was just being petty. So, Kellen was going to be petty back.

She should have known better than to mess with Henry Wood’s son.

Smiling at that thought, Kellen entered into his apartment, taking a second to put his latte down on the counter before taking off his shoes. It was a longer process due to his injury, but only by a few more minutes.

He was not, however, looking forward to the stairs. But he needed to since he needed to change out of his work clothes. He was in his house, it was time for his slippers and house clothes. Fuck.

Taking a moment to brace himself for the pain he was about to be in, Kellen set up his laptop at the counter so that he could stand instead of sit after the ordeal he was about to put his body through.

He even sent off the email to his old manager that he said he would do. He even ate an apple from the fruit bowl. Kellen knew he was stalling. He hadn’t had to walk down the stairs since the Captain had carried him down them previously, but now he was on his own.

He hadn’t thought this through. He should have waited for Rhys. Even if it would have extended their working hours. Now he was going to do something that everyone was going to be upset at him with. And the worst part?

All of the pain medication, outside of the cream that Taylor had just given him, was upstairs. He was going to have to make a small stash of it somewhere down here. Maybe in a basket on one of the shelves.

Groaning, Kellen gripped the edge of the stool at the counter, his other hand on his cane as he stared at the white screen of the laptop. He could do this. It wasn’t going to be as bad as he feared. He’d done worse things.

He’d confronted the Captain of the Saturn Guild and called him a coward. He could get up a measly flight of stairs. He’d worked as a Field Guide for seven years! A flight of stairs was nothing! And! He wouldn’t have to go back up alone after.

Rhys would never allow it.

So, gulping down his fear, Kellen let go of the stool and shuffled towards the stairs.

He did it wrong on the first step. He used the leg he normally would, his injured one, to take the first step.

After slipping his slippers on he headed for the bathroom. He checked his medicine cabinet and found that he had a double of most of his pain medications. Surprised at his own brain and habits, he checked the bottles to see if any of them had expired. _{freeweɓnøvel.com}

Clenching his hand around the cane, he lowered it first, his hand holding onto the railing as he lowered his good leg down first, sweat pooling on his forehead as the pain of the extension filled him. This was only the first step down. He couldn’t quit so quickly.

There was also not really a good way to get down the stairs either. Scooting on his ass wasn’t an option, because getting up and down also hurt. But...would it hurt as much as this did? He didn’t know, and he currently couldn’t think past the haze of pain in his mind.

So, he kept moving. If he didn’t stop, that meant it would be over soon. Sweat poured off of him, making the grip on his cane tremble. He had to stop to wipe his hands, and his face with his t-shirt underneath the jacket so that he didn’t slip.

He didn’t know how long he moved, but it felt like he’d wasted 20 minutes going up and down the stairs.

He’d admit it to himself right now. Asking Rhys for help was less embarrassing than this was. He wasn’t going to be a bigger man next time. He’d just ask Rhys for help, and he wouldn’t go ahead to his apartment without him. Not while he was in this situation.

Desperately, he made his way towards the laptop once he made it to the bottom of the stairs, sweat pouring off of him. He practically collapsed on top of the cool, marble countertop. He was panting, his body shaking, and with desperate fingers, he pulled the laptop towards him and pleaded with Pamela, asking how he could draft a contract with the Guides that would include a background check.

He needed it. Immediately.

He never wanted to do that again.

Surprisingly, Pamela got back to him right away with a ready-made draft. Kellen had never wanted to kiss a woman before, but he could have kissed her on the mouth he was so thankful.

Taking a moment to just press his face against the cool surface, Kellen sighed. He didn’t realise how much he had begun to rely on Rhys, even in the last 24 hours. Or on everyone around him.

Maybe he should ask Rhys for an apartment that was all on one floor? Save himself from the embarrassment of this next time he got injured.