Chapter 11: An itch that can’t be scratched

“As I’ve told the Captain, your body is full of poison, Kellen. I’m sorry, but the answer is that you can’t do anything above basic skin contact with the Captain. I don’t want to be responsible for killing my boss.” Taylor told Kellen.

Kellen felt his mood plummet.

He couldn’t believe he was here either, but yet, here he was. Doing the thing that he had told Rhys was something he shouldn’t bother the medical team with. Asking Taylor what he could do. Why?

Because fooling around with Rhys in the conference room had not been enough. Kellen needed more.

Kellen was sitting in Taylor’s office. He’d interrupted her when she was taking a break from what had to be a grueling schedule. The only reason he’d done so was because shortly after he’d had his moment with Rhys, he’d been called away for something for the Guild. Kellen let him, saying he would go visit his sister in the Medical Bay while Rhys was away.

He’d only tested to see if Taylor was in her office, and here he was. Bothering his friend when she was taking a well-deserved break with questions he already knew the answers to. What the hell was wrong with him?

Kellen rubbed his face with his hand, his eye patch flicking up as he did so. Taylor winced, but looked even more worried when Kellen swore.

“Fuck.” He said. Not loudly, but loud enough. Taylor rolled her chair out from behind her desk, reaching over and placing her hand on his knee, concern in her gaze.

“Hey. That’s not like you. What’s going on? You knew what I would say, so why did you ask again?” She was right. It wasn’t normal for Kellen to ask the question again when he knew that nothing had changed. Yet here he was, hoping for a different answer.

Kellen felt like crying again. This was ridiculous. He wasn’t a crier.

“I-I don’t know.” Kellen admitted, and then was horrified as it sounded as if he was about to cry. Taylor’s expression grew dark as she heard that.

“Hey. It’s okay. We’re doing everything we can, Kellen, but it’s okay to be upset.” Taylor told him and Kellen shook his head.

“I know you’re doing your best. I know it. I’m just-” Kellen cut off. He dropped his head, emotional. That’s what he was. Emotional. “I’m feeling a lot of feelings right now.” Kellen whispered and Taylor squeezed his knee.

“Yeah. You said that you were feeling restless before. Is this related?” Kellen shrugged at her gentle question.

“I don’t know. I just-I’m so frustrated! I want to be able to do things with Rhys, but this is just-” Kellen bit his lip, shutting himself up before he could swear again. Taylor didn’t need those kinds of words directed towards her. “This is bullshit.” Kellen said softly and Taylor let out a slow exhale.

“Well, I can’t say I disagree.” Taylor started. “As your self appointed best friend, this shit blows.” Taylor said with a level of understanding that Kellen wasn’t expecting from her. He looked up at her quickly and found the woman smiling. She had looked exhausted before, but she looked a little better the longer she stared at Kellen in his distressed state. “You’ve both just found out that you made it out alive. Battered, but alive. If I was in your shoes? I’d be all over my partner.” Taylor said with a sigh and a shrug.

“You…would?” Kellen asked and Taylor grinned. She squeezed Kellen’s knee again.

“Of course I would! That’s why I let you two get a few smooches in, but I really can’t risk you two getting sick. It would be pointless if you both survived the gate and then died of the poison, right?” Taylor asked with a grin. Kellen nodded slowly to her words.

“Yeah. You’re right.” Kellen said. The words felt slow leaving his mouth, but he did agree with her. Taylor stared at him, her smile light as she scanned him.

“You’re feeling…a lot of emotions right now, right?” Taylor asked and Kellen nodded.

“They feel uncontrollable.” Kellen admitted. “They feel…they just come and go so drastically. I don’t feel like myself. I don’t cry at the drop of a hat.” Kellen told her and Taylor’s smile grew. It was the look in her eyes that made Kellen really look at her. She looked…torn.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Kellen. That truly sucks.” She said softly, but it was the way that she said it that had Kellen’s hair standing on end. He knew that she probably had an idea of what was going on, but that look…he didn’t like it.

Too bad Rhys came back before he could question her more.

The knock sounded on the door and whoever was on the other side didn’t wait for anyone to answer. That could only mean one of two things. It was Rhys or one of the lieutenants.

“There you are. I went to check and see if you were with Gwen and Bree, but didn’t find you there.” Rhys’ voice held a hint of accusation as Kellen turned to look at him.

“Ah, that’s my fault. I saw his head go past the door and yanked him in for a chat while I was taking a break.” Taylor lied easily, smiling up at Rhys. Her hand left Kellen’s knee as she pushed back behind her desk. Rhys gave her a suspicious look before turning to Kellen.

“Is that true, Kellen?” He asked and Kellen realised he had a choice to make. He could either tell Rhys that he’d harassed Taylor while she was taking a break to ask if he could do more with him, or he could take the olive branch that Taylor was offering.

While Kellen was feeling a lot of emotions and out of sorts, that didn’t mean he was stupid.

Kellen gave a sheepish smile, sighing softly.

“Sorry I wasn’t where I said I would be.” Kellen apologised and Rhys’ shoulders relaxed immediately.

“Hey. Don’t worry about it. I was able to find you easily.” Rhys told him softly. Kellen knew it was more concerning to Rhys right now when he couldn’t find Kellen. It was like something had broken in him when Kellen had gone into the gate. Kellen hadn’t noticed it right away, but it was slowly revealing itself over the last two days.

Rhys nearly went into a full blown panic when he didn’t know where Kellen was. Should Kellen speak to someone who had more experience with Espers about this? Yes, but he hadn’t had a chance to speak to his Dad alone yet, and Taylor was an Esper. He trusted her, but he had a feeling he’d need a Guide perspective on this issue.

Plus, Taylor hadn’t been in a long term relationship with a Guide, at least not one that he knew of. His Dad was the poster child of said long term relationship. He’d get better answers from him hopefully, and then he could pick Taylor’s mind about it at a different time.

When she wasn’t shouldering such a big burden. Kellen’s guilt was at an all time high now that his emotions had been placated. He felt like such an asshole that he’d bothered his friend when she was on her break.

When Kellen caught Taylor’s gaze, she winked at him before letting out a loud huff.

“Captain Thatcher, I’m going to warn you again, don’t try anything with Kellen, alright? He’s healing.” She warned and Kellen watched as Rhys’ cheeks turned pink. Kellen did not expect that to happen, and so his cheeks went pink.

The dots connected for Taylor and she let out a soft gasp before grabbing something soft off of her desk, a sleeping mask, and threw it at Rhys.

“Are you serious? You sleezeball! He’s injured!” Taylor shouted and Rhys flinched, his whole face red like a tomato. Kellen had really not expected him to react like that. Not after the man had done so many crazy things to Kellen without a care of who was watching.

He was blushing over something like this?

It was very, very cute.

“I-I can’t even defend myself.” Rhys mumbled, ducking his head as Taylor let out a harsh laugh.

“Yeah, you better not! Are you serious, Captain? What if that hurt him further?” Taylor shouted and Kellen felt his face warm more. She thought that Rhys had done something to him. She didn’t even consider that Kellen had done something to Rhys.

Rhys let out a tense laugh.

“I assure you, while I did cross the line, I would never do anything that would harm Kellen’s healing process.” Rhys’ words sounded like a vow. They were so serious and soft spoken that Taylor paused, before her eyes widened further and she grabbed a nearby tissue box and threw it at the Rhys’ back.

“You made him do something to you? That’s worse!” Taylor yelled and Kellen had to step in.

“I pushed him!” Kellen said, and it was like the room held its breath. Taylor stared at Kellen whose face was the same shade as Rhys’ before she blinked and then collapsed back into her chair. She put her head in her hands, groaning loudly.

“It’s blood tests for the both of you. Now.” Taylor ordered, not raising her face from her hands.

“Of course, Green.” Rhys agreed readily.

“Go bother one of my minions. I can’t bear the sight of either of you.” Taylor groaned and Kellen winced. At least now she knew why he’d asked what he did. Rhys tugged Kellen to his feet while Kellen hesitated. He wanted to apologise to Taylor, and wanted to make her feel better. It was as he was leaving the room that he caught her eye.

She wasn’t upset in the slightest. In fact, she was winking at Kellen from behind her hands. Kellen’s face warmed more. That was the best friend Taylor speaking, not the Doctor side of Taylor speaking. Clearly she was fighting a battle to be professional and Kellen gasped, turned and joined Rhys in the hallway.

“Everything okay?” Rhys asked, his brows furrowed as he closed the door behind Kellen to Taylor’s office. Kellen nodded, his face warm.

“Everything’s fine. Just…embarrassed we got caught so soon.” Kellen admitted quietly and Rhys let out a nervous chuckle as he took Kellen’s good hand in his.

“I’m usually better with my poker face. I guess I just felt too guilty.” Rhys told him, glancing at Kellen with a smile. Kellen smiled back.

“Well, it’s not like I’m not used to blood tests by now.” Kellen joked and Rhys groaned.

“Don’t even start. Your arms look like they were used as a damn pin cushion. I get upset just looking at them.” Rhys grumbled and Kellen smiled as he continued to chat. He was a good distraction until they got to the ’minion’ as Taylor had ordered.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep