Chapter 57: A friendly face at a shitty party

Brent had never had to turn down so many people in his life. What was wrong with them? They were like wild animals.

They were worse than the people on the front lines!

Every person Brent talked to, woman, man, wedding ring, engagement ring, plain finger. All of them wanted to whisk Brent away to a shadowed corner and make out with him, and maybe a little more.

Brent would have been flattered if he couldn’t see the desire for power in their gaze. Instead, it made his stomach roll and all of the champagne he drank in the car on the way here swished inside of him and made him want to hurl.

He was polite in turning them down, but it was a bit disappointing that he wasn’t able to find one damn person who he was able to converse with.

That was, until he felt the pull of power that came from an Esper in a bad way. It wasn’t Colby, since the man barely behaved as if he had Esper powers. A fun little perk from having such fucked up genetics. Brent picked up the trail, turning to follow it. He wanted to see if the Esper was worth anything.

At the very least, he wanted to avoid them surging in the middle of such a large group.

What he ended up finding was a man surrounded by several people. He was clearly at his wits end, his anger making his already volatile emotions even worse as the people around him pestered him.

He was older, closer to middle-aged than Brent was, with greying brown hair, wrinkles around his eyes that showed he smiled a lot normally, and a hawkish nose. He wore a uniform of a Guild that Brent knew he should recognise, but didn’t, and when his gaze locked on Brent, it was the eyes of an Esper that looked at him.

“Hey, big guy. Why did you come to a party if you were feeling so shitty?” Brent asked, moving two pretty, nice smelling men out of the way as he approached the Esper.

The man swallowed, his monstrous, glowing gaze scanning Brent before he met Brent’s gaze. No doubt Brent’s eyes were glowing blue, a sign that he was reacting to the other man’s power fluctuation.

“I had no other choice. I came from clearing a gate. I didn’t exactly have time to get dressed.” He gestured to his uniform and Brent glanced around. He was right. He was the only one in anything vaguely like it. Granted, Brent didn’t think many of them worked in Guilds. The parties his brother normally went to tended to avoid Espers and Guides.

Showed that his brother had a little bit of fear in him about the monsters he’d helped create. It was a good thing that he did.

“Do you need some help? I’m available, and can just do basic guiding if you want.” Brent said, offering his hand. The Esper stared at the outstretched hand like it was going to burn him.

“No, thank you. I would rather not endanger my life.” The man sounded like he was eating metal fiber. Brent tossed his head back and laughed.

“I’m unattached, and I’m not affiliated to any Guild’s in the area. I’m back in town for a family tragedy, and even then, I’m a freelance Field Guide.” Brent said. He was sure that none of the fancy people around them knew what the words Brent just spoke meant, but the Esper before him did.

His eyes grew wide, before something crossed his gaze.

“A…freelance Field Guide? That’s…unique. Do you mind if I ask you about your Class?” He asked and Brent shook his head with a tsk.

“That is crossing the line. We don’t even know each other’s names, and you haven’t agreed. Granted, I might just guide you even if you don’t agree given how messed up your power levels are.” Brent said with a Guide smile and the man’s face twisted up into a smile.

“And there it is. I have little to no doubt you’re a Guide now.” The man said, finally taking the hand that Brent had offered. “Jeff Parker. Lieutenant for the Phoenix Guild. Are you sure you can manage me?” He should have sounded cocky, and to the others listening, he did.

To Brent, he sounded like a man who was actually rather concerned for Brent. Brent gave his hand a squeeze, glanced around, and then winked at Mr. Jeff Parker.

“You wouldn’t be the first Lieutenant I’ve helped, and you won’t be the last. Would it surprise you if I told you that I’ve guided Captains before?” Brent said and Esper Parker did seem a little shocked.

“Yes, actually.” He admitted as Brent truly checked his status. He was in a bad way, probably working at about a third of his normal reserves. Brent normally would have offered a deeper, quicker, and faster method of guiding, but he really didn’t feel like it. He could also see the ring on Esper Parker’s finger, and Brent did not want to mess with that.

Brent glanced around, looking for somewhere quiet. That tended to help the whole guiding procedure. If it was going to be a low and slow process, quiet was seen and proven to help the process. Brent spotted a few more secluded spaces just a few steps away.

“Shall we go over there? Just to get a bit of privacy?” Brent asked and watched as the older man flushed.

“Sorry, Mr. Guide, but I am happily-” Brent raised his other hand immediately.

“I am not suggesting something like that. I saw your ring, I would never. Because we’re going the basic guiding way, we need a little more quiet to do so.” Brent told him. “I have no desire to do that with you either. I’m already being watched like a hawk.” Brent gave him a smile and watched how he looked around, glancing at a few people, before he sighed.

He closed his eyes, letting go of Brent’s hand to run his hand over his face, pull his phone out, and message someone. When he was done, he looked up at Brent with determination in his gaze.

“If you wouldn’t mind.” He said, gesturing for Brent to go first. Brent grinned.

“My, what a gentleman.”

~

Now behind a cloth enclosure, Brent and Esper Parker sat next to each other and Brent stared at where he’d put his phone away.

“Um, would I be able to use your phone to track our time guiding?” Brent asked. “I currently don’t have my own on me.” Brent said with a smile. Esper Parker clearly didn’t like hearing that for some reason, but easily let Brent borrow his phone to set a timer. Brent was humming to himself as he did so, planning to ask him to use his phone after they were done.

“You never told me your name.” Esper Parker said and Brent froze as soon as the guiding started. He let out an awkward laugh.

“Ah yeah. About that…my family calls me by one name, but I prefer another.” Esper Parker stiffened, but his eyes were softer as he looked at Brent.

“Is that so? Well, what is the name that you like to be called by?” He asked, his voice gentler and Brent was sure whoever was on the other side of that ring was a rather happy person.

“Brent. My friends call me that.” Brent told him and he nodded.

“Alright, Guide Brent. Thank you for doing this. Truly. I thought I was going to be fine, but I forgot how tiring these events are.” The man said, looking exhausted, and Brent chuckled.

“I don’t blame you. Was the gate nearby that you came from?” Brent asked and the man hesitated slightly. Brent realised he was probably trying not to say anything about location and Brent laughed. “Ah, a Guild gate then. You don’t have to say anymore.” Brent told him and Esper Parker looked relieved.

“Thank you for your understanding.” He said, grateful. Brent realised, if he was this nice, maybe he could get some other answers from him.

“Um, this might sound a little strange, but I’ve been banned from watching t.v. and listening to the news so I’m a bit out of the loop. Do you know anything that’s happened with the poison gate that showed up recently?” Brent asked and Esper Parker blinked, surprised, before he looked upset rather quickly.

“Unfortunately, Guide Brent, I’ve been in the gate for several days. I’m not sure I’ll be a good source of news for you. I can look on my phone, however.” He suggested and Brent lit up.

“Oh would you? I’ve been so worried.” Brent said and it seemed that Esper Parker glanced at him, his curiousity growing.

“Why would you be so curious?” He asked carefully, guarded, and Brent had no idea why he would be speaking that way.

“Uh, well, lots of my friends are from the same area. I normally work at those front lines, so-” Esper Parker dropped his phone on the couch, his face shocked.

“What? You work on that front lines?! Then you-you must know the Woods then.” Brent blinked, before a big, goofy smile crossed his face.

“Know the Woods? Kellen’s my best friend. He’s who trained me to be a Field Guide.”

“I KNEW IT!” Esper Parker shouted, and then both Brent and Esper Parker looked embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. I was just so excited to hear that you knew of them.” He said, flustered. “I work at a Guild, am a Lieutenant of a Guild that is run by Kellen’s Aunt. Aunt Dina.” Brent remembered the name, but it took him a moment to realise why.

“Oh. Oh I’m so sorry. I recognise her name but-” Esper Parker’s gaze softened as soon as Brent started apologising. He squeezed the hand that Brent was holding to guide him.

“It’s okay. Thank you for your words.” He said, before his expression grew even more pained. “So…you know then.” He said softly, speaking quietly. Brent exhaled slowly.

“I…I’m afraid I don’t know as much as I would like.” Brent admitted. “My grandfather passed around the same time that everything happened. If not for an annoying, frustrating…clause, I would have been right there, with them as this all happened.” Brent’s smile hid none of the bitterness he felt.

Esper Parker looked at Brent. A man prettily dressed, clearly meant to be arm candy in some regard, but he held himself like a soldier. Like an Esper. He frowned.

“Guide Brent, Kellen went into the gate. Alone. He’s been in there for days now with no signs so far of rejection, or success.” Esper Parker said. “Trust me, I would have heard if something had changed.” Esper Parker said and Brent felt the air being sucked out of his lungs.

He knew. He had known, but to hear it? Confirmed?

It shook Brent.

“Days?” Brent asked, his voice a whisper. Esper Parker squeezed his hand, his gaze soft again.

“Days.” He confirmed and Brent let in a shaky breath. Fuck.

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