(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 209: Sergei just wants to make the right decision

Sergei had rarely been scared before in his life. There had been a few times when he was younger that he knew had impacted him, but lately, when he was scared it was tied to one person.

Brent Jameson.

Today was no different.

Sergei had been looking forward to today. He had several reasons why, and Brent was involved with all of them. Now, however, after he’d had a small argument with Brent in front of others, he felt his heart squeeze in his chest and his hands felt a little clammy. His breathing was controlled, because that was who he was, but if he didn’t have his body in perfect alignment he would have been panting like a dog.

He did not like it when things didn’t go as planned. Brent was always around when things went awry, so he was a little surprised with himself that he hadn’t anticipated or planned for this to happen. If he had planned that there might be a time when things didn’t go his way, he probably would handle this better.

Instead, he was leaving with two damn Espers while the two Guides stayed behind. One with his back turned to him which made his heart drop into his gut, and the other was giving Sergei a strange look as he held out his thumb.

Sergei had no idea what to make of the situation. Was Kellen trying to be encouraging? Or rude? He had no idea. He’d found that the more serious Guide had become more silly as he climbed the Class structure like it was a jungle gym. Not that Sergei would ever say that out loud.

It would hurt Kellen’s feelings, and Sergei would never intentionally do that. Kellen was, even if Sergei didn’t say anything, one of his friends. Distant friends, but still one. He was someone that Sergei looked out for from a distance.

He had never taken advantage of his Guild, helped his people without prejudice, and cared for the city as much as Sergei did. There was no way that Sergei would go out of his way to upset him.

His partner, Rhys on the other hand?

Different story, different ball game.

Case and point, Rhys was smirking like he knew something Sergei didn’t as he was escorted out of Rhys and Kellen’s room. Their guide, Esper Parker, made it clear that he did not like him. That was fine in Sergei’s mind.

He’d be more upset if he did, given that they were supposed to be looking after Brent. The man was being chased by bad Espers. They shouldn’t trust just some guy who showed up that Brent had a history with.

As they left the two Guides behind and wandered back towards the elevator, Sergei cleared his throat.

"If you wouldn’t mind, could you also show me the room where I was supposed to stay? Would it also be possible for me to use that room as well? I know you said you’ll be hosting several S Classes and I would hate to impose on your generosity more than I already have." Sergei spoke carefully, calmly. He just wanted to make sure that he had every possible avenue for not just him, but also for Brent.

What if Brent found it awkward to live with him? They hadn’t seen each other in months, and while Sergei was happy that Brent even looked his way and was saying things that got his hopes up, he didn’t want to impose. He wanted to slowly court Brent, make everything clear, and then whisk Brent away and off of his feet and make sure that he didn’t have time to look at anyone but him going forward.

Was that silly of Sergei? Well, he did think he was drinking the same juice as Kellen, but he wasn’t upset about it. Not if it meant that someone as bright and lovely as Brent turned his gaze towards Sergei and looked at him like he was worth something.

Esper Parker paused his gait, turning to stare at Sergei for a moment.

"Can I give you some advice, Captain Sergei?" Esper Parker said thoughtfully. Sergei glanced at the man, taking in his salt and pepper hair, his dark eyes, his clean uniform. Sergei swept his gaze over him completely, taking in every little thing about the other man. His hands, his clean shoes, and the shiny wedding band on his left ring finger. Sergei paused.

"Of course." Sergei said and Rhys snorted. Sergei didn’t even glance at him. Why would he? He knew that if he looked at him he would just make him upset.

Esper Parker cleared his throat, sighing.

"Don’t check out the other room." He told him to Sergei’s surprise. "If you do and then you disappear from Brent’s view at some point, it is going to start an argument that you are not going to recover from." Esper Parker warned. Sergei blinked.

"Is that...true?" He asked, confused and Esper Parker chuckled.

"You two appear to have very different understandings of what your current relationship is. While it is my job to make sure that Brent is safe and protected until he gets rid of his brother, you appear to be something that brings him joy. I’m not in the habit of hurting other people or taking them away from the people who they care about. Even if you are an S Class, it’s not like I can judge. Many people thought I would turn out as a monster just because of my powers." The older man said with a shrug.

Sergei was surprised to hear his words, while Rhys made a soft, interested noise in the back of his throat.

"Your powers?" He asked and Esper Parker gave him a light, laughing look.

"You don’t know? I’m a Darkness Esper. Most people tend to avoid us because they equate us with evil. Dina was one of the few people who thought that it was bullshit early on and began to change the perception of Darkness Espers over time. It is how your Lieutenant, er, Captain now of the D.E.C. could even be hired." Esper Parker glanced between the two powerful men in front of him before he sighed. "Which is to say, while I am cautious of whatever you two can do to our sweet Guides behind us, I’m not so merciless that I would let you foolishly walk into a trap that no one needed to set." Sergei stared at him quietly.

He was a good man, Sergei thought. A good man who cared for those who were important to him. It was a good thing that Brent was one of those people since it meant that there were more people that could look out for him. Brent deserved that kind of care. Sergei nodded carefully.

"Understood. Thank you for the advice." Sergei told him sincerely. That set the mood for the rest of their travels. Esper Parker hadn’t warmed up to the men entirely, but it was clear that he had seen enough of their actions that he considered them less of a threat compared to when they first arrived.

He didn’t show Sergei the other room and actually had the suitcases that Sergei asked to have brought with Kellen’s parents, the famous Woods couple, to the room that Sergei would share with Brent. The room, like Brent and Kellen said, was larger than the room that had been provided for Rhys and Kellen.

He knew that that meant nothing. This room wasn’t insulated to the same level that regular S Class rooms were. That meant it could be bigger because while Kellen and Rhys’ room looked smaller, the walls were thicker, the windows were a different grade and the floors were done with a different material. So was the rest of the beams in the room, the handles on the cabinets, everything. It was something that people who hadn’t lived as a S Class as long as Sergei had, wouldn’t consider.

Sergei could tell that Rhys was also looking around the room with concern and fascination. He was checking everything out, making sure that the room was up to the security standards for a man who was being hunted by his own family.

Remembering that part did hurt Sergei. He’d spoken to Brent over the last few weeks about what was actually going on and it hurt to hear that Brent had such a terrible relationship with his own family. It made sense why Brent had such a close relationship with Kellen and his family given those facts, but it stunned Sergei that someone so loveable could be hated. Especially by their own family.

Sergei was upset for Brent that his family didn’t like him as much as they should. He feared it was because they just hadn’t gotten to know him. That didn’t excuse their behaviour. How dare they attempt to kill him, not once, but several times? Brent hadn’t said it over their conversations, but after hearing his explanation of how his grandfather had been treating him over the years, Sergei had a feeling that the family had something to do with why Brent was missing an arm. Why else would they have sent him prosthetics over the years? Guilt, that was what.

His grandfather had felt guilt over what he had either let happen, encouraged to happen, or otherwise. Sergei was certain of it, because he had seen that behaviour echoed before in others and how they treated those they felt guilt towards. Sergei himself had treated an Esper who had gotten severely injured inside of a gate in a similar way. He had paid for their way of life, helping them find their new normal because of what they had sacrificed for the Nemesis Guild.

The difference between their situations?

Sergei was taking care of someone because they were a part of his family and they had done something admirable for the family. He was doing it out of love and care for someone else, and that Esper knew that. They had a family to support them as they worked on discovering themselves.

Brent hadn’t had that experience. He’d been alone, in pain, and all that the man who was the head of the family at the time could do was advance research in regards to what had happened to Brent and give him the prototypes. It made Sergei’s blood boil that Brent had probably been alone when dealing with all of this. He hoped that it had been years ago, so that it was only a distant memory for the Guide.

Sergei could only think negative things about the man who had died and left a mess at Brent’s feet. If the roles had been reversed, while Sergei wouldn’t want his piece of shit grandson to inherit the family name, he would have never, ever put it on the shoulders of the grandson who had been bullied and belittled by the family he was supposed to be protected and supported by.

It didn’t matter how Brent came to be. He was family. Blood. Sergei would have never done that to him. He would have instead punished the shitty grandson who was ruining my legacy, but that was what Sergei would have done.

He did his best to keep his thoughts to himself so that Rhys and Esper Parker didn’t think he was upset with them or the room they were providing for him and Brent. This was an anger he had been slowly developing over time. One that wouldn’t be calmed until he met Brent’s brother face to face and watched as his life was snuffed out. Either by his hand, or Brent’s.

That was the least Sergei could do as the man who wanted to be added to Brent’s immediate family.