(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 210: Sergei, a man who knows a lot but calculates too far in advance

Rhys and Esper Parker decided to leave Sergei in the room after they had shown him around. Rhys did linger a little bit longer to chat with Sergei, but Esper Parker had to get back to his Captain.

It was clear that he had a deep connection with her, but it was completely platonic. Closer to siblings, if Sergei could be so bold in his assumption, and that made Sergei feel like he wasn’t actually that far from home. It was fascinating to witness how far and deep the connection that the Woods family had internationally. The reason why Sergei thought this?

Well, it felt like he was back home in this Guild because of the energy inside of the Guild. While the rest of the city didn’t feel like his city, the Guild felt familiar.

The only connection that he could think of that connected them were the Woods, and as Sergei had stayed behind while Rhys took care of Kellen after his vision episode, he got to witness how close the Woods and Captain Dina actually were. He was surprised to know that it was Henry Woods that was closer to Captain Dina and not Eleanor Woods who was the connection.

Maybe it was a bit of his bias, but he thought that Captain Dina would be friends with Eleanor more than Henry. He thought that Eleanor would have wanted Henry to be careful about the connections he had with other Espers, gender excluded from the equation. Even after they had been imprinted for years, Sergei thought that they might still be cautious.

This wasn’t because Sergei thought for a second that the Guide would do anything that would hurt his wife, it was more about his lack of trust in other Espers when it came to pretty Guides. He had more faith in Brent and Kellen because they had shown that they could defend themselves against pretty much all Espers, including S Classes in Kellen’s case, but someone like Henry Woods?

He raised Kellen, that was for sure, but he was...a city Guide.

Sergei was mulling over that reality and his own perceptions when a knock sounded on the door. Sergei was expecting it to be the helper that Esper Parker said would be dropping off his things. He was not expecting the Guide on the other side of the door.

Brent stared up at him, his green gaze quiet as he held onto both handles of his suitcases with one hand. Sergei was moving before he could stop himself. He knew that Brent was capable, had seen it plenty of times as he worked closely with him on the front lines. That didn’t mean that he couldn’t ease his burdens even slightly.

"Where is the person who was supposed to do this? Why are you doing that, Brent?" Sergei felt the questions leave his lips, knew how sharp they sounded, and winced inside. That was not the way he wanted to speak to Brent, ever. They had already gotten into an argument in Kellen and Rhys’ room already today.

This was setting a terrible precedent for Brent to trust him and allow him fully into his life. Sergei waited, ready for Brent to get mad at him and call him out for his barbaric behaviour. Instead of that, the soft, low sound of Brent’s laughter hit Sergei’s ears.

Sergei paused, both hands reaching for the handles of his suitcases, and turned his gaze towards the Guide.

Brent was grinning from ear to ear. When he did that it made the scars on his face shift slightly. He went from dangerous, to dangerously bad for your heart. His green eyes curled at the corners and the beginnings of the crow’s feet there told Sergei how much he laughed and smiled. It was a small thing, but something that wrapped around Sergei’s heart and squeezed.

He liked seeing that. The age, the proof that whatever the hell had happened in Brent’s past meant that he was still able to laugh and enjoy himself. It gave Sergei a nice, warm toasty feeling inside to see the man that he liked smile like that.

Even if he wasn’t the one who caused it, but this time, he thought that he might have done something to be a part of it. He just...didn’t know what yet.

"I accosted them to give me the suitcases since I ran into them in the elevator and I was already coming here. You seriously didn’t hear me knocking them together while I was coming down the hallway?" Brent asked, his green gaze curious. Sergei would have blushed if he wasn’t holding onto his composure tightly with both hands.

"I was lost in thought, so no." Sergei told him and he was grateful that Brent stepped back so that he could grab both suitcases and pull them into the apartment. He rolled them towards the hallway but halted before he got to the bedroom.

He didn’t want to be presumptuous and put them there. He was planning to sleep on the couch tonight. While he was delighted that Brent thought it was ridiculous that he slept in a different apartment, Sergei didn’t want to force his feelings onto Brent.

Sure, he’d made a bold claim, but that was more so that Brent could prepare himself. If he didn’t want what Sergei was planning...he’d had time to make it known. He’d instead gotten mad at him for even considering going somewhere else.

That was a good sign for Sergei.

The door closed behind him and Sergei didn’t need to hear Brent to know that the man was following him. He could feel his presence behind him, something that he’d been able to do with people he was close to since he had awoken. It was an extension of his powers. It also meant that when he was using them he would unconsciously avoid hitting or hurting them as well. A handy trick that did not work when he didn’t like someone.

"You aren’t going to bring them into the bedroom?" Brent asked and Sergei paused. He’d been lining up the suitcases perfectly against the wall as Brent came to stop behind him. He looked over his shoulder at the slightly shorter man. Brent was smirking, his hand on his hip. Sergei just knew that if he had a working prosthetic right now he would have been crossing both of his arms. Sergei gulped. The smirk meant nothing in this context.

"Uh, well, I didn’t want to just-"

"Sergei." Brent interrupted, his voice soft, sweet, and making every hair on Sergei’s body stand on end. "Go sit on the edge of the bed." Brent ordered. Sergei gulped louder. That wasn’t a good sign.

Sergei followed Brent’s orders, moving efficiently towards the bedroom and sitting on the edge of the bed in the dark. The blinds were drawn for protection and Brent went to one side of the bed and flicked on a small bedside lamp. Or, he thought he was going to. Instead, a run of lights lit up the underside of the bedframe and gave the room a rather ethereal glow. Sergei was surprised by the design, but didn’t hate it.

Maybe if Brent liked this, he could do it in their own bedroom once he convinced him to come back with him and move in with him. He’d even vacated a huge area of the living space in the Nemesis Guild so that Brent could design his own living compartment. It would be a nice bonding moment.

All thoughts of the future left as Brent climbed onto Sergei’s lap, straddling his thighs as he slid his arm around Sergei’s shoulder. Sergei felt his body respond instantly to the familiar and deeply desired weight on his body.

"Sergei." Brent breathed. "Did you honestly think I was so angry at you that you wouldn’t be allowed to sleep in the bed?" Brent’s breath brushed against Sergei’s ear and Sergei felt like his lungs stopped working. The man had that effect on him.

"I-I didn’t think you were so angry that you wouldn’t allow that. I just didn’t want to be presumptuous." Sergei breathed. He flinched as Brent’s warm, soft, wet lips brushed against his throat. They slid over his skin slowly, dangerous as they made their way to Sergei’s ear. Brent’s teeth sunk into his skin, his breath hot against his ear as he bit down.

It was a tense moment, Brent’s fingers digging into Sergei’s shoulder and back and Sergei kept his hands to himself.

"Presumptuous, huh?" Brent breathed. "Are you an idiot?" Sergei jerked at the suddenly harsh words spoken from Brent’s lips. Brent pulled back to stare into Sergei’s eyes, his own pretty green ones narrowed.

Sergei felt like the Guide had an invisible hand around his throat. He had no idea how to respond that would make him happy. Brent’s gaze narrowed further.

"Sergei, we’ve been talking this whole time once I was cleared to have a phone. I’ve really only been talking to you and Kellen, with his parents thrown in every once in a while to make sure I’m doing okay. That means that I’ve been only talking to a man who is nearly engaged, and you. I’ve stopped sleeping around. I stopped that months ago. Do you know how damn serious that is for me?" Brent asked, leaning in. Sergei nodded. He did.

"I do." Sergei admitted and Brent’s expression didn’t shift with the admittance.

"So you know that it’s a serious thing for me. You know that I enjoy my freedom, that I’ve enjoyed my freedom for years at Kellen’s side." It was a reminder that had Sergei’s heart bracing itself for impact. "However, I didn’t take you for a fool." Brent’s words hit Sergei in the chest. A fool? Him?

Brent’s expression did shift then, something softening his eyes, smoothing out his harsh expression. Even the grip he had on Sergei felt softer.

"Baby, did what we share before I was kidnapped mean nothing to you?" Sergei froze.

His heart paused, his breath paused, and he felt like his soul drifted out of his body for a moment. Baby? Him? Had Brent just called him baby?

"No. No." Sergei said and was horrified to watch Brent’s expression shift into such a state of loss that Sergei scrambled. He grabbed onto Brent’s waist, pulling the man tighter against him. "No, Brent. It meant everything to me. I just also know time has passed between now and then. I don’t want to be a burden to you. I don’t want to make you feel forced into this. I know that you enjoy your freedom and I have loved watching you enjoy it. I just don’t want you to come to me and then think I’ve clipped your wings." Sergei’s words were desperate, and he didn’t care that he sounded that way.

This was Brent, after all. If he wanted anything, Sergei would give it to him.

Brent stared down at him, sliding his hand up to cup Sergei’s cheek with his hand.

"You S Classes from the front lines get it, don’t you?" Brent muttered, seeming a little annoyed. Sergei braced himself for a negative reaction of any kind. He wasn’t expecting Brent to sigh and lean in. He pressed his lips against Sergei’s jaw, his touch warm, branding. "Be fucking presumptuous, Sergei. For the love of everything holy, I’ve made it very clear here that I’m taken. That’s why no one likes you without having met you, dumbass." Brent’s lips were as warm as the words leaving his lips. "Why else would they be treating a guest like he’s shit on the bottom of their shoe? Especially another S Class? Dummy." Brent murmured.

Sergei was a little stunned to finally get the whole picture. He just thought it was because he was from a different Guild then Kellen and Rhys, but that...that answer also made sense.

Sergei was even more surprised as he found himself on his back suddenly, a grinning, mischievous Brent above him.

"I better not have been the only one looking forward to us spending our first night together in a while, Sergei, or I might just strangle you with my thighs." Brent warned. Sergei let out a low groan.

"Yes please." He breathed, and the laughter that filled the room felt like a warm blanket around his shoulders. It finally felt real. Brent was back in his arms.