Chapter 320: Sometimes trauma finds us in the calmest moments

When Rhys had finished his work and Kellen had finished showering, the couple went to join the others in the only place they could think of.

The large rooms where S Classes wouldn’t trigger each other and cause a fight.

It turned out that was the best place to go, and Kellen and Rhys caused quite a stir. Kellen didn’t understand initially, until he realised that Rhys’ eyes hadn’t gone yellow again. They had remained the pretty brown colour that Kellen rarely got to see. The man, it appeared, was showing off in his own way.

Kellen blushed.

It was there that they found Sergei, his parents, Aunt Dina and Uncle Xavier. The others were scattered around the Guild, minus Uncle Parker. The man hadn’t emerged from the rooms assigned to him by Aunt Dina, but Salem had let her know that he was fine, just suffering the consequences of his actions.

Everyone asked how their night had been, but Kellen could see that they were tired. Either something had happened, or they’d been 1 about what to do next.

Thankfully, it was the latter.

Colby hadn’t spoken, much to Aunt Dina and Kellen’s Mom’s annoyance, but that was fine. They already had Brent’s testimony of what the man had done to him over the years, they just now had to navigate everything else that came with it.

They couldn’t trust the police since they were fairly certain they had taken a shot at Uncle Parker when he’d been distracted, and the courts and government were corrupt.

Everyone was humming and hawing about what to do when Kellen spoke up.

"Do we have to try them here?" He asked. He thought they would have already considered it, given that his Mom was a lawyer in a different city, but it was clear that they had been so focused on some of the other aspects that it hadn’t been considered. It could still be a no, but Kellen’s Mom hugged him for helping them think outside of the box they had put themselves in.

Kellen was just glad to help.

There was something that did surprise Kellen, and that was the fact that so many Espers were still around. Kellen had assumed that once Brent’s press conference was over that the S Classes who had stayed behind to help would leave the next day.

It actually appeared as if none of them had left, and Kellen was surprised. Especially because one of those S Classes who hadn’t left was Elder Ellis.

Kellen felt how tense Rhys was at the sight of the older man, and Elder Ellis was aware of it. He met Kellen and Rhys’ eyes, giving them a small head nod while also maintaining his distance. Kellen wanted to doubt his intentions, wanted to worry or chase him out, but he couldn’t.

His gut told him not to, and while he wasn’t fully certain if that was the newfound powers he had or a desire for others to change, he wasn’t sure. He did hold Rhys back from chasing him off for his sake, of course. It would only make Rhys feel terrible later.

What Kellen did to make sure Rhys didn’t pay attention to the Elder was turn his attention to the why everyone hung around. Kellen was curious, so he felt it only made sense that Rhys was.

Sure, they had been separate for most of the day yesterday, but they had gone back to the apartment together and had missed out on what everyone had talked about when they were gone. He was sure exciting things had been discussed, and that had probably led to the others staying behind.

However, when Kellen asked one of the Espers why they were still here, they gave Kellen a rather confused look.

"Why wouldn’t I be? The battle isn’t over just because we won one fight." Kellen blinked. Oh.

It wasn’t that Kellen hadn’t considered this a war. There was no way that Kellen, a man known for being able to plot out the perfect paths after observing people and monsters alike, was unaware of the situation he found himself and the people he cared about in. The reason why Kellen was so shocked that people had stayed was as simple as how it also spoke to the deeper wounds Kellen still carried.

He just didn’t think that people would stay around.

His parents would, of course, until Gwen woke up and then they would rush back, and Sergei was going to stay for Brent’s sake, not his. His aunt couldn’t go anywhere else, and Rhys...he’d accepted his ring. He wasn’t allowed to leave. Kellen had thought thinking like this was practical, reasonable, and it would protect him when the S Classes he’d thought he’d asked to stay for one protection detail left to go back to their own Guilds and lives.

Fight their fight from their home turf, if they even stayed around to watch it all happen and help out.

That was what Kellen thought would happen. He was clearly wrong, and from the strange look that a few of the Esper’s gave him, they were confused as well.

Kellen felt exposed while he sat in his confusion at their response. Was there something wrong with him for thinking it was strange that they stayed around? Was he the problem? But, what did they get out of it?

Yes, they could be helping them deal with the E.A.G. But Rhys, Sergei and Kellen had asked them for help. They were not obligated to stay. Kellen certainly didn’t expect it. Plus, he thought S Classes were territorial.

Sure, it was Kellen who had found that some worked together better, but...

Kellen swallowed thickly as Rhys tugged Kellen closer to him from behind. His chest warm against Kellen’s back.

"It’s okay." Rhys told him, squeezing him gently. "They want to be here." Kellen could not wrap his head around it. He just couldn’t. It was like he could see what everyone else was seeing but there was a film over it.

"But...." Kellen started, ready to argue, but the words died on his tongue as he watched how easily the group moved about the room, brainstorming plans and ploys. Little ways to disturb the public peace without harming the public while also getting their point across. Ways to toy with the E.A.G. while also pulling their old members to them and vetting them.

It was going smoothly, and the S Classes, thanks to the tips and tricks that Kellen had given them on a whim, were taking breaks at reasonable times so that they didn’t get overwhelmed and lash out.

Kellen was shocked. Confused, shocked and a little lost. The part of him that had had to fight for every inch of respect he’d gotten since he was a child felt like he had no feet to stand on. It was then that Kellen realised he hadn’t dealt with as much of his own trauma as he’d thought.

"Oh." Kellen murmured, frowning as he placed his hand on top of Rhys’ on his midsection, linking their fingers. "I think I need a minute." Rhys kissed his nape, sighing softly.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked and Kellen nodded, tugging him along. They excused themselves, Rhys making sure that they tucked themselves into one of the many guiding rooms available. Kellen barely gave Rhys enough time to close and lock the door before he was on him, holding him tightly as his chest squeezed. He felt like he should be crying, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

His eyes ached, his chest was tight and he was having a hard time breathing. This was a lot for him. He didn’t, for a second, think that they were there for him. That wasn’t possible. He was overwhelmed that they were staying at all.

"Hey. What’s wrong, sugar?" Rhys asked sweetly and Kellen shook his head. His mouth couldn’t shape the words. He couldn’t figure it out.

"I don’t understand." Kellen whispered. "Why is everyone still here? It can’t be duty. They’ve already done that. They helped with Brent’s press conference." Kellen said and Rhys gently ran his hand down Kellen’s back in gentle strokes.

"They did." He agreed. "But maybe they didn’t feel like that was enough?" Rhys suggested. "This is going to be a long drawn-out war, Kellen. We’re fighting against a beast we personally let get too big." He paused, then chuckled. "Well, the S Classes before you joined let it get too big." He corrected. "So, I’m sure they feel partially responsible for this mess we find ourselves in. You also seem to be forgetting that you were very convincing at the meeting." Rhys reminded him and Kellen shrugged.

That was to be expected. He had to be like that to get them into the Phoenix Guild in the first place.

"I didn’t think it would keep them here. They have their own Guilds. Their own lives. Why would they stay even a day after when most of them live miles away?" Kellen asked.

"Why are we staying?" Rhys asked. Kellen held onto Rhys tighter, his breathing irregular.

"Because Brent is ours." Kellen rasped. "He always will be, and I won’t let anyone else have him." Kellen knew it was too possessive of a statement for a man who was dating another, but it wasn’t romantic.

"Did you ever think that they might feel the same way?" Rhus suggested. Kellen’s whole body tensed.

"About Brent?" He rasped, his body trembling.

"No, about the people." Rhys corrected. "I’m sure you’re aware of how possessive S Classes are." Rhys said, a smile in his voice. "I think your speech might have stirred their hearts, opening them a bit more to care about not just the people who work for their Guild, but the people outside of it." Rhys told him. Kellen couldn’t buy it.

"No. I’m not that convincing." Kellen argued. Rhys chuckled.

"Hmm, well, whatever you say, sugar, but I think you’d be surprised. Either way, I can tell you that there has been a shift in their beliefs. Lots of the Espers have been tired. They’ve been exhausted from the infighting and the blaming of each other over letting the E.A.G. get as bad as they did. They let me know yesterday that seeing how Sergei and I interact put a lot of their own troubles into perspective. They’re going to change, and, while you might have played a role in that, I did too." Rhys told him, squeezing him. "So don’t panic, sugar. It’ll break my heart if you cry right now." Rhys whispered.

Kellen didn’t say anything, taking both a minute and Rhys’ body heat to calm himself down. When he finally felt a little less unstable, he huffed.

"I’m not going to cry." Kellen said. "You made me do enough of that last night." He complained and Rhys pulled his head back and kissed him, smiling widely.

"Exactly. Those are the only tears I like."