Chapter 319: Don’t show off in front of your friends

Kellen felt full, cared for, and invigorated. He’d had a wonderful night with Rhys, full of Rhys doing exactly what he wanted, and Kellen enjoying every minute of it.

Now that the morning had come, and Kellen felt like he’d been satisfied, he had a cup of tea, rested, and messaged Brent to see if he wanted to work out with him in the morning.

Rhys was also up, glowing, his skin fresh and clear and his eyes the warm brown that Kellen rarely got to see. Kellen, absolutely smitten with his fiancé, made sure to cover him in kisses before he left. Rhys laughed, grabbing Kellen’s ass possessively before he let the man leave, smiling as he sat down to get some work done that the others had left him overnight.

Kellen was humming to himself, delighted that Aunt Dina had given them some space to work out, that Brent was for it, and that things were feeling...good. A weight had been lifted off of his shoulders now that things were in motion.

It only made sense to Kellen that they would now make sure that Brent wasn’t slacking in his training, which he probably had been, and the day after an attempt had been made on his life was the perfect time to start.

He was sure the others were busy saying goodbye to the S Classes that had stayed around. That wasn’t Kellen’s responsibility. That was up to Sergei, Elder Ellis, Aunt Dina, and probably his parents. Was it a bit irresponsible that Kellen was wiping his hand of the issue? Yeah, it was, but he had other things he needed to do.

Like keeping Brent safe, and living up to the threat that Rhys told the world.

Maybe it was just a workout to everyone else, but to Kellen? It was the first step to crushing his enemies.

~

The space and work out gear that was provided for Kellen and Brent was great. They essentially got to take over what was the equivalent to an A Class gym at his Aunt’s Guild, but with far less prying eyes.

That might be due to the fact that his Aunt had chased everyone off, but that was fine. It was either that, or everyone else was dealing with the fallout of the attempt on Brent’s life. It was early in the morning, but evil never rests.

Kellen didn’t mind, either way. He was busy setting up the space, making sure that Brent would be able to use all of the equipment with his one arm, when Brent walked in.

"Hey." Brent said softly, smiling when Kellen looked over at him. Kellen was wearing his eyepatch once more, with his protective glove on again.

His hand was actually healing up quite well but with what he was planning to do, it was better to be safer than sorry.

Brent was wearing a newer looking t-shirt and sweatpants. Easy to move in, his hair mused, and his eyes were bright. Kellen grinned.

"Hey. Ready to get to work, Brent? I’m not going to go easy on you. I know you’ve gotten soft while waiting." Kellen warned and Brent chuckled.

"Wouldn’t have it any other way. Warm up first?" He asked and Kellen nodded. Brent grinned and joined Kellen over in a cleared space. Kellen had no doubt the man had an Esper guard or teo on him, as was the way right now, and that was fine. Kellen didn’t mind.

As long as he got to do what he wanted.

~

It was only half an hour into the workout after warming up that Brent caught sight of what had happened to Kellen’s body the night prior. Whether intentionally or not, Kellen had been keeping his shirt on for most of the workout.

It was only at that point that Kellen took off his shirt and showed off how Rhys had...painted him the night prior. Kellen was unaware that it had already started to show, but Brent nearly choked at the sight of Kellen’s back and sides.

"Kellen, can you turn to look at me head on?" Brent asked and Kellen, who had taken off his shirt to toss it to the side, turned. Brent choked again. "What did that man do to you?" He asked and Kellen frowned.

"What man?" Kellen asked, not understanding why Brent was scanning him, almost impressed.

"What other man would I be talking about? Rhys, Kellen. You’re fucking black and blue. Worse than what this workout is going to do to me once we’re done." Brent argued and Kellen stared at Brent for a long moment.

"Oh. That." He said, before turning back to adjusting the weight they were working with.

"Is that all you’re going to say? You would have ripped a strip off of me if the roles were reversed." Brent argued. "You would have then ripped a strip off of the Esper or Guide who did it to me." Brent pointed out and Kellen winced. There was a point in time when Kellen would have reacted like that. He was reflecting on it now.

"Yeah, you’re right, but that was only because it was you, Brent." Kellen said. "I was worried about you."

"What about the other Guides you checked in on after you saw bruising on them?" Brent asked, knowing his friend. Kellen winced.

"They were weaker than us." Kellen said and Brent scoffed.

"Admit it. You’re just too damn nosy, and then you get upset when the tables turn." Brent accused, sitting up from the bench and staring at him. Kellen knew that if he had his other arm he would have both arms crossed and scowling at him. Kellen wasn’t saved from the scowling.

"Fine. If I admit it, will you drop it?" Kellen asked and Brent snorted.

"Absolutely not. Jesus Christ. Is the man obsessed with your tits or what? I can see fully developing handprints, Kellen." Kellen’s face warmed.

"I told him he could do it." Kellen muttered. He didn’t know what the tingling, strange feeling in his chest was, but it was hot. Almost like when he was angry, but not quite right. "Can we focus on the work out now?" He asked, desperate to move away from this strange feeling and the way that Brent was scanning him.

"No, we can’t, but I’ll work out. Just expect me to poke at you more. Fuck, is that a damn bite mark on the back of your neck?" Brent asked and Kellen’s cheeks felt molten hot.

"It’s not like you’ll be any better the more time you spend with Sergei." Kellen muttered grumpily. "You’ll end up marked up like I am. Sergei’s strong too." Kellen said. Brent’s eyes widened, then a slow, easy smile crossed his lips.

"Oh, it’s just because he’s a little too strong, huh? I mean, of course, when someone’s in the heat of the moment they might let their strength get the better of them. That’s possible. However," Brent got up from the bench, marching over to Kellen and getting into his face, much to Kellen’s chagrin. "Kellen, be honest, do you think the man whose eyes glow all day every day wouldn’t have rock hard control of his strength? Just be honest. You like it when Rhys is rough with you." Brent said, smirking.

Kellen was flustered, a little confused, and he turned his head away from the bright, glittering green eyes of his friend. Brent’s smirk only grew as Kellen moved to hide his mouth, but didn’t put a shirt back on.

Kellen had admitted it last night, but that was different. That was to Rhys, who wanted to hear it from his lips. That wasn’t to Brent, who could and would use this information against him. Kellen had tried to reverse the accusation and the man had let it roll off of his back like a duck with water.

He couldn’t win against Brent of all people in a freak off.

"Is it really that important for me to admit something like that?" Kellen asked, serious. Brent grinned, shuffling so that he was in Kellen’s line of sight again. He was clearly enjoying bothering Kellen, and Kellen couldn’t even argue with him. He had no leg to stand on.

"Oh yes. I want to hear it myself. Kellen Woods, as he lives and breathes, loves it when his fiancé gets rough with him. I bet Rhys is even worse, the freak, but I just want to hear about you right now." Brent’s tone was as affectionate as it was amused.

"Brent." Kellen groaned, and Brent laughed.

"There’s nothing wrong with being a freak, Kellen. Hell, at this point, lean into it. All S Classes are like it. It’s not a crime as long as everything is consensual." Brent said with a shrug.

Kellen sighed, rubbing his non-gloved hand over his face. He’d made the mistake to take off his shirt, and these were the consequences. Brent ribbing him for being a hypocrite or for caring too much about others when he would only turn out like them months or years later.

"Fine." Kellen ground out. "I like it when Rhys is rough with me. There. Happy?" Brent was grinning from ear to ear at Kellen’s words.

"Oh very. I’m going to tease him relentless about the state he left you in. I’m surprised you aren’t sore, Kellen." Brent commented and Kellen stared at him.

"Why would I be? I stretched already." Kellen told him. Brent paused, blinked a couple of times, before he burst out laughing. He held onto Kellen’s shoulder as he bent, laughing so hard Kellen didn’t know why. He frowned, not finding this as amusing, but Brent would ’t be silenced.

He stopped laughing when he was good and ready, lighter than before they started working out.

"Woo. Okay. Thank you for that. Let’s finish this workout, hmm? And maybe put your shirt back on. If your parents saw you? Oo, Rhys would be hung up." Brent said, before laughter bubbled out of him again and he attempted to control himself.

Kellen, heeding his advice, fished his shirt off of the floor and pulled it on again. He wasn’t in a better mood, but he was glad that Brent was. He better get the workout finished so that he could put an end to how much Brent was teasing him.

Or push him so hard that he didn’t have room to complain. Kellen smiled. He liked that answer.

By the time that Kellen was done with Brent, he was sweating and swearing profusely, saying he was vindictive. Kellen called it ’helping him advance at an accelerated pace’. Brent glared, Kellen smiled, and they agreed to disagree. All Kellen knew was that he felt better now that they were done, and Brent hadn’t been able to tease him.

It was a short lived victory, but one all the same. Kellen was grateful for it.