Chapter 143: Two friends making time for each other

It was a quiet meal, and shortly after they finished eating Kellen dismissed himself, letting the boys have more private time. Rhys protested, but Kellen had a feeling Gunther needed some more alone time with his friend.

Rhys made sure to let Kellen know that he didn’t want to leave, and Kellen appreciated it. However, Kellen had learned that he needed to know when to leave. This was one such time.

Kellen spent his time in his apartment reading. He wasn’t really in the mood to watch t.v., so instead he pulled open his laptop and did some light reading on S Classes.

Specifically, S Class Guides.

The stuff he had given Charlie had been easy, approachable. For a man who had never been in the Guide system like Kellen had, he needed something easier to digest. Kellen was after the harder hitting things, the stuff that made what Charlie was reading look like child’s play.

Kellen was reading a document on the imprisonment of a rather famous S Class when he heard a knock at his door. Kellen, curious who it could be at this time, headed over to the door.

When he peeked through the peephole, he found Taylor. She was frowning, but it seemed less in frustration or anger, and more in concern. Kellen opened the door easily.

“What’s up, Taylor?” Kellen asked and she sighed.

“Have you seen Gunther?” She asked, and Kellen sighed.

“Yeah. He’s next door with Rhys. They just wanted some alone time. Why? Did he not tell you?” Kellen asked. She nodded grimly and Kellen gave her a sympathetic look. He examined her and noticed she didn’t look much better compared to when he last saw her. “Come on in. I’ll tell you a little more about it. It’s probably best not to interrupt them right now.” Kellen said. Taylor stepped in after Kellen stepped back, taking off her shoes before readjusting her ponytail.

The bags under her eyes appeared to have gotten worse in the time he hadn’t seen her. She looked a little more pale compared to before and Kellen moved towards the kitchen without hesitation.

He began rifling through the fridge, grabbing a few things to make her something to eat. Taylor sat herself at the island, too exhausted to protest as Kellen slid her own protein shake across the counter towards her. He gave her a kindness and gave her the chocolate one.

“Give me a bit and I’ll whip something up for you. It’s a little harder with one hand, but I’ll manage.” Kellen said and Taylor nodded. She cracked the lid on the shake, taking a long, deep pull before putting it down with a sigh. She looked exhausted. She was exhausted.

Taylor put her head down on the counter and groaned.

“It is so ridiculous that I have to keep track of everyone practically on my own.” Taylor muttered. Kellen glanced up at her, and the words slipped from his mouth unconsciously.

“You haven’t chipped everyone yet?” He asked. Taylor jerked her head up, her jaw falling open.

“Not even a fucking day into knowing you’re an S Class and you’re suggesting chipping everyone? What the hell, Kellen?!” Taylor was almost shouting, clearly surprised by Kellen’s words. In Kellen’s defense, what he had been reading had mentioned how a few S Classes were chipped for ’their own safety’. That, and he knew what thoughts the more unstable Rhys had thought.

It was a valid question.

“I’m not saying I want to chip everyone, I’m just thinking about who you’re dealing with everyday. Rhys would want to chip everyone. I’m just asking if you let him.” Kellen said with a shrug, prepping some chicken with a simple olive oil, salt and pepper base. He was also attempting to butterfly it with one hand and doing a pretty good job of it.

Thankfully the potatoes were already cooked, so he could just bake them again, or warm them and mash them up with butter and spices.

Taylor frowned, rubbing a hand over her face before uncapping the shake again and taking another healthy pull.

“Sorry. I know it’s not like you. I just hate the idea of that. The closest we have to that is a tracker we install on the Guild member’s phones. They agree to it in the fine print.” Taylor admitted with a slightly guilty expression. “It doesn’t always work, especially if they don’t have their phone on them,” a pointed look towards Kellen, “but it doesn’t always work outside of that too.” Taylor sighed. “It’s also I just…I want to throttle Casper right now.” Taylor admitted guiltily. “He’s making my job a living hell.”

“Then just tell him to back off.” Kellen said simply and Taylor let out a bitter laugh.

“Easier said than done. He’s…not himself right now. He’s avoiding Pamela now too.” Taylor admitted. Kellen made a deep noise in the back of his throat.

“Time to catch him then.” Kellen said ominously as he put the chicken in a hot frying pan and put a lid over it. Taylor watched Kellen move in the kitchen. Even with one hand he still knew what to do. Taylor sighed.

“That’s…only going to make him hate us.” She said and Kellen shrugged.

“Then he can hate me. I’m not about to let him hurt himself, those who care about him and who he cares about, and Rhys’ Guild. The first is unacceptable already, and we’ve let him go on long enough. All three? Absolutely not.” Kellen’s jaw was firm. “He has until after my second transfusion to get it together on his own, which I don’t think he will, and then I’m sending in the big dogs.” Kellen said. Taylor furrowed her brow.

“Who are the big guns?” She asked and Kellen gave her a tight smile.

“The trainee Field Guides. Hell, I might even reach out to my old teacher. We’ve been coddling him. He needs time to heal, therapy, and to have the shit beaten out of him. Not physically, and not by others hands. His mind is always going. Always racing. My bet is the idiot worked himself into a hole he can’t get himself out of. So, Field Guides. Plus, if the Field Guides already know him, they will know a bit about him ahead of time. If I manage to get one of my old teachers in, they can also see the new and improved way of the Field Guide teachings. I might even be able to get the program approved.”

Taylor stared at Kellen as he worked away in the kitchen. He was trying to help Casper, that was true, but the way he was multitasking?

The coldness?

That was all Kellen.

Taylor started laughing quietly, relieved that Kellen was showing up through the cracks of the anxious, aware Guide who he had become in the last few weeks. He was going to be okay, if this was any sign.

“Two birds, one stone?” Taylor suggested and Kellen nodded.

“Yeah. I think so.” He hmmed. “Do you want anything else? I was going to put some salsa on the chicken, then some cheese. I have some spinach I was going to fry in butter and salt and pepper, and creamy mashed potatoes. That sound good?” He asked and she nodded.

“Anything you make me is good, Kellen.” Taylor admitted. “I’m grateful you’re feeding me at all.” She said. Kellen just nodded and continued to plunk away until she had a steaming plate of food in front of her.

Kellen didn’t worry about the dishes. That’s what he had a boyfriend who was in trouble for. He immediately backtracked that thought. No, that was what he had a boyfriend who cared about him and had time powers for.

Taylor was a few bites into her food before Kellen told her the information he had found out.

“Gunther is frustrated with how Casper is hovering around him, and Casper hadn’t told him anything about what he had and hadn’t been up to. Like his job.” Kellen said. Taylor’s fork froze halfway to her mouth, her jaw dropping. “He’s upset with him. Probably going to confront him about it. He’s probably going to suggest therapy first. It’s not going to go over well.” Kellen said with a shrug. “I’ll have to subtly ask my Dad to take over the Guiding Division, or someone of equal standing until Casper can get on his feet. I’ll be busy with the Field Guides and getting to Brent. It wouldn’t be fair to them.” Kellen knew himself.

Taylor was still reeling from what he’d said.

“Gunther said he was fed up with Casper? Gunther?” Taylor repeated and Kellen made a face.

“Not fed up. He actually asked if he was the problem first. He didn’t blame Casper, but Rhys had me make things clear to him. That was one of the reasons I was over there in the beginning. I just came back here and was doing some light reading on S Classes.” Kellen told her.

Taylor sat back in the stool, her face full of several emotions. One of the more prominent emotions was concern.

“Oh dear. Everything is going to blow up spectacularly.” She muttered, then shrugged. “Well, it’s only half my circus, and only half my monkeys. I’ll deal with it as it comes. I really was only coming here as an excuse to escape my workload for a bit.” She admitted. “And look for Gunther, of course, but I know he’s a big boy. A big, damaged boy, but Rhys is protective of him. He knows how fragile he is right now. He’ll protect him.” Kellen couldn’t help but agree with Taylor as she said that.

Rhys would protect Gunther. Even from himself.

“So? Any ideas on who you think could replace Casper or your Dad? What about Casper’s assistant?” She suggested, and after that, Kellen and Taylor went through the register of Guides in the Guild, going over who they thought would be a good replacement, even temporary, for Casper.

Taylor, of course, made it clear that she thought Kellen was perfect for the job. She also made it clear that she thought Casper was intimidated by him, but that she didn’t think that had always been the case. Kellen wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, but he didn’t add to her thoughts. He kept looking over the list.

They ended up coming up with a short list of about 7 people that Kellen wanted to meet in person and vet that way. A few were Field Guides who had been with the Guild for a long time, as well as a few normal Guides who had been with the Guild for a long time.

Hell, at this point, why were they stopping at having just one person in charge? Casper had always been working himself to the bone, maybe they should have two people doing the job?

Kellen wasn’t sure if that was the right decision, but he’d consult Rhys later about it. After they made their short list, Taylor and Kellen sat down on the couch and went over some of the papers and stories that Kellen was reading. Taylor was horrified by the stories, while Kellen thought of them as informative.

It was a difference of opinion, and Taylor learned that she was Esper crazy, but not S Class Esper crazy.

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