Chapter 21: You want me to cheat on you?

Kellen was right about his prediction of how Rhys would react. He’d almost exactly pictured how Rhys would react, minus the tears. The tears were rather surprising, but Kellen had ambushed him as soon as he’d come into their home and sat down on the couch to cuddle Kellen close. Rhys had been looking for the soft comfort of his boyfriend and instead Kellen had dropped a bomb on the man.

“You want me to…what?” Rhys asked, sounding horrified and betrayed all in one. Kellen swallowed.

“I want you to receive basic guiding from Charlie for a little bit. Just so that you can get into top shape.” Kellen told him and Rhys recoiled from Kellen’s touch like it burned him. The tears started immediately after that. His yellow gaze watering as the tears fell easily. Too easily.

Clearly, Rhys was pent up in many, many ways. Kellen felt his heart nearly shatter.

“Don’t cry.” Kellen said softly, shifting closer to Rhys but he shifted away from him. That hurt and Rhys let out a shaky breath.

“You want another man to touch me.” Rhys said, sounding devastated. Kellen sniffed, trying not to get upset. Rhys was reacting to his words, he needed to keep his own emotions under control. Only a few weeks ago Kellen wouldn’t be responding to Rhys moving away from him with tears of his own. He would have looked at it logically. Calmly.

“It’s not just any other man. It’s a man, a boy really, who you have…what? Two decades on? Almost? You’re in your mid thirties and Charlie is almost twenty. I’m not asking you to hold the hand of someone close to your age. I’m asking you to help us with part of two issues. Charlie feeling useless, and my inability to break the equilibrium inside of my body and give you relief.” Rhys looked gutted and Kellen sniffed. “I know that being near me, for you, is enough. I know that, and I am grateful that I have such a wonderful partner.” Kellen started and Rhys seemed to relax a little. “I am not happy with this either. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear, but I’ve been thinking about this since I got off the phone with one of my Uncles.”

“Who did you speak to?” Rhys asked, his voice raspy. Even hurt, he was checking who Kellen was speaking to. Kellen smirked slightly.

“My Uncle Clancy. He apparently lives in the same city that Brent’s family owns a Guild in.” Rhys didn’t look at all surprised which made Kellen a little angry. Did he already know where Brent was and had kept it from him? They would argue about that later. “Anyway, I’m not happy about this either, but when I went through the list of people that I considered would be best for this, Charlie was at the top of my list. Due to his Class, his ability to help, and how he wouldn’t be taking from anyone else in the Guild.” Rhys flinched.

“Kellen, I don’t want to have anyone but you guide me.” Rhys said and Kellen sighed.

“I know that you’ll be uncomfortable, but I can be with you the whole time. I’ll be by your side. I’m sure Charlie would understand.” Kellen told him and Rhys shook his head slowly. The initial shock of what Kellen had asked of him was fading and now something else was coming over his features.

“It’s not…that. It’s…” Rhys let out a sharp exhale. “It’s the reason why we ever found out we were partners in the first place.” Rhys admitted and Kellen blinked, before understanding dawned on him. Right. Rhys could reverse guide. He could take the powers away from the Guide who was guiding him. Kellen had been so caught up in everything else that he’d kind of forgotten about that.

“Oh. Right.” Kellen said softly, staring at Rhys who looked incredibly uncomfortable now.

“There is also the fact that other people guiding me hurts.” Rhys said and Kellen nodded. How could he forget that Rhys had such a hard time with others guiding him? He had avoided it like the plague before. Casper had to force him into guiding sessions, and yet still the man used his powers left right and center.

Kellen sighed, dropping his head and putting his head in his hand. He was a fool. How had he forgotten something so important? It was like knowing Rhys’ food preferences, and he’d forgotten something so important!

“I’m sorry, Rhys. I guess I just got caught up in everything that I forgot about it.” Kellen muttered and Rhys reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Kellen. I…I’m shocked that you would bring this up, but…even if I’m reluctant that’s probably…the right call. I know that Green and Hill have been avoiding bringing it up. Hell, even Casper was staring at me like he had a thousand things to say to me but wouldn’t mention them even when I cornered him in his office.” Rhys sounded like he was struggling, and when Kellen raised his head again he could see the troubled expression on his face.

“I should have at least given you a few minutes to settle in before I brought this up. You don’t have to do anything that causes you pain. Or if you think you could hurt Charlie.” Kellen said and Rhys groaned.

“I’m not so far gone that I could hurt him. I made a promise to myself that after I hurt you I would never let myself get that low again. I just…” Rhys grimaced. “I just know that guiding me is also painful for the Guide involved. I’ve received guiding from other S Classes before. You are the only one who has felt good. Better than good. I haven’t even had a half decent guiding session before.” Rhys said and Kellen stared at him.

Now he felt like a damn asshole.

“If you are okay with the idea, we can give Charlie a choice on it. Tell him all the risks involved. I’m already planning to tell Charlie about what it really means to be an S Class soon. We’ve babied him a bit too much, and now he needs to know enough to protect himself. Soon, so that when we’re away, he’s safe.” Rhys swallowed. He clearly was upset still, but it wasn’t the shock and horror of before. He seemed…more upset that he hadn’t considered it himself, if Kellen was honest. Kellen also felt that he wouldn’t have brought it up if he had considered it himself. Out of fear of how Kellen would have taken it.

It was surprising that the S Class would have considered Kellen’s feelings in this. Old Kellen wouldn’t have batted an eyelash at something like this. He really hoped it was just because he was pumped full of poisons and the after effects of what he had experienced in the gate.

“That sounds…shit. I can’t really argue with this idea on principle. It kills me to even consider this, but if we give Charlie the choice, let Green know along with everyone else, I’ll consider it. I want it monitored though. Like we used to do. I want to make sure that he is safe, everyone is safe during the process.” Rhys said firmly and Kellen could easily get behind that.

“I agree. That’s…very reasonable and I would feel more comfortable with that too.” Kellen agreed and Rhys grunted. He pouted.

“Can I get my welcome home hug now?” He asked and Kellen felt a smile touch his lips. He moved forward and Rhys wrapped both arms around Kellen, tucking his head against his shoulder, his grip tight. Rhys inhaled Kellen’s scent and Kellen could feel him physically relax. “I love this part.” Rhys admitted.

“What part?” Kellen asked, teasing the other man but Rhys just sighed, squeezing him slightly.

“The part where I get to come home after a long day and hold you. Squeeze you. Smell you. It’s so hard to be away from you for so long. The others tease me that I look at photos of you in the ’few hours’ I’m away from you, but it’s hard. I just keep thinking that when I open the door, you aren’t-” He cut off, his breathing growing ragged. Kellen just held him, comforting him.

Then he realised something peculiar.

“Photos? Of me? I don’t think that there are that many of me publicly. Did my parents give you some?” Kellen asked and felt Rhys grow rigid in his arms. One second, he was holding Kellen, the next he was on his feet and adjusting his jacket.

“Wow. I should go get a shower and clean up. I must smell.” He was not making a good case for him. Suspicious, Kellen got to his feet and followed after the man who was practically fleeing up the stairs.

“Rhys? Where did you get the photos?” Kellen asked but the man pretended that he hadn’t heard him. “Rhys? You better answer me, or I am going to do something you won’t like.” Kellen warned. That caught his attention. As soon as Kellen’s feet touched the landing and he was somewhere safe, Rhys was growling, angry.

“You are not allowed to hurt yourself.” Rhys warned, his gaze flashing. Kellen narrowed his gaze.

“Who said what I was going to do was going to hurt myself? I have plenty of other ways to torture you right now.” Kellen said, his tone icy. Rhys stared at him, angry, and Kellen was watching him try to figure out what kind of threat Kellen was saying. It was honestly pretty cute of him to be so stubborn but so clueless.

There was one thing that was pretty obvious to Kellen, but for some reason wasn’t popping up in Rhys’ brain. Kellen almost felt a little embarrassed that his brain had gone directly to where it had. Would it have been as effective as he thought against the man when it took this long for him to figure it out?

Rhys gave up, growling as he looked over Kellen. His cheeks warmed and he broke eye contact.

“…The photos came in from the photo shoot.” Rhys mumbled. It took Kellen a second to process what he said, and when he did, his eyes widened and he gasped.

“They did? Are they any good?” Kellen asked. He might have conflicting feelings about the photo shoot, but it was for a good cause. It would do no one any good if they were terrible.

Rhys let out another growl and Kellen watched as he turned another shade darker.

“Too good. You’re too fucking sexy in all of them, even the ones with Brent. I’m pissed. I tried to hoard all of them but Pamela was smart. She even went above my head to select what photos went into the calendar.” His throat worked for a second. “Including a few of the new recruits that didn’t make it.” Kellen felt the mood of the moment shift.

“That’s a really good thing to do.” Kellen said quietly. Rhys nodded.

“Gwen looks good too. It’s clear she’s related to you. She’s good in front of the camera. She’s going to be fighting off men and women alike when she wakes up.” Rhys said with a little smile and Kellen chuckled.

“Don’t tell Dad. He’ll have a heart attack. That’s his little girl you’re talking about.” Kellen joked and Rhys reached out, grabbing Kellen by the back of the neck and forcing his head against his shoulder.

“I’m just going to be glad when all of this is over, everyone is awake, and things feel like they are back to normal.” Rhys admitted and Kellen nodded. He wrapped his arm around Rhys, holding him tight.

They were in agreement about that.

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