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It was a feeling that passed through him, an alarm in the back of his head. Russ stopped talking mid-sentence looking for the source. It turned out to be a man in a nice suit and slicked hair walking down the entrance hall of the station, ducking inside the brand new FBI field office across the way.
Font, who had been speaking with Russ about the case, followed his gaze. “So the new guy’s a Sentinel, huh?” He had no doubt felt the man’s presence the same time as Russ had, hence why he hadn’t asked when Russ had simply stopped speaking.
“Looks that way,” Russ answered distractedly. There seemed to be something more to it than that. Even so, Russ shook it off. It was yet another Sentinel they would be forced to play nice with and he didn’t look forward to it.
For the longest time Font had been the Sentinel to answer to within the force. There were few of them in Battle Creek and being a Senior Detective, plus a strong Sentinel, no one crossed him. Well, them . This new Sentinel was an unknown though and possibly a threat.
“Lets get back to it,” Font suggested. “We’ll worry about feeling him out later.”
“Yeah.”
His mind really never did focus back on their work though. One would think Russ was the Sentinel in this match-up with the way he was zoning out on the stranger across the hall, feeling out his energy. Font naturally picked up on his unease and stuck closer to him than usual.
It was the way they worked. They weren’t bonded, rather paired. A bond was only formed between a true Sentinel and Guide. In their case they may not have been each others so-called fated match but they had grown up together and thus were very close.
There had been no point for Font to have another Guide assigned to him, especially when they had shown to be well-matched. Their pairing had continued past high school, through their years on patrol for BCPD, and then as they advanced to the ranks of Detectives. There were those who talked behind Russ’ back how he had gotten there on the tailcoats of his Sentinel but anyone who knew the Guide knew he got in on his own merits- whether the Chief liked it or not.
It wasn’t until later that day that the new FBI agent came over to introduce himself. As soon as he crossed the threshold of their office, the earlier sensation Russ had picked up hit him like a ton of bricks. Stunned momentarily, when the Sentinel looked at him he skirted back partially behind Font.
Naturally that triggered Font’s protective instincts. He wasn’t quite sure what had caused Russ’ reaction but he would keep him safe as was his job as both friend and Sentinel. “Agent Chamberlain,” Guz greeted, coming out of her office. “Welcome to Battle Creek.”
The Sentinel was pleasant enough however Russ remained tense. Font didn’t miss how Milt kept looking at his Guide, ultimately looking away to engage someone else. Honestly, Font thought the other Sentinel seemed nice. He had respected the boundaries and not tried to touch either of their Guides- although unlike he and Russ, Jacocks and Holly were a bonded pair, as well as lovers.
Holly, who was a pretty empathetic Guide, obviously noted Russ’ discomfort and came over. She linked their arms together, laying her head on his shoulder. Russ took a deep, calming breath, as warm energy pressed into him. Like Font, Holly had also grown up with him and thus knew him very well- which was both a blessing and a curse.
“What was that all about?” Holly asked as soon as Milt was gone.
Russ frowned as he admitted to his best friends, “He’s my Sentinel.”
“What?” Holly asked in surprise, eyes wide.
“Russ…” Font shook his head. “Why-?”
“You know why,” Russ bit back. He had talked to Font on multiple occasions about his opinions on bonding.
Font only sighed, his emotions warring inside of him. As much as he wanted to protect his friend, he knew standing between a Sentinel and their Guide could be disastrous. The fact Milt hadn’t pressed the issue was curious, and so Font was just going to keep his eye on the situation.
* * *
Over the next couple of weeks Russ did his best to avoid Milt. Honestly he was surprised when Milt seemingly allowed it. He never pushed to be in Russ’ space, never insisted that they talk, or even try to make a claim on him. Russ half wondered if the Sentinel missed the fact they were a match but he didn’t think the man could be that thick.
Sure enough Milt knew exactly who they were to each other, as the Guide overheard him confronting Font one day. They were back behind the grand staircase of the station, cast in shadow. Russ was hidden around the near corner, having been coming back from meeting with Meredith about a vic in their morgue.
“He’s my Guide,” Milt declared possessively, a growl barely held back in his voice. “You have no right to keep him from me.”
“I’m not doing anything,” Font defended. “He told me who you were the day you showed up here and I told him to talk it through with you but he won’t listen.”
Milt crowded into his space, backing him towards the wall and making the other Sentinel bristle. However he didn’t try to challenge Milt either. In the pecking order of things Font was the top dog Sentinel there, but Milt threw all of that off balance when they’d found him out to be a four-sense Sentinel- an increased power all of them sensitive to it had felt.
Unlike Jacocks who only had two enhanced senses- touch and hearing- and Font who had three- sight, smell, and touch- Milt had four- everything but taste. There was only one known Sentinel to ever have all five senses enhanced and that was Alpha Sentinel Ellison. Yet having four was still extremely rare unto itself and thus Milt was the natural dominate in the equation.
“I don’t see you trying so hard when you move between us like you do,” Milt growled.
At that Font did challenge him, puffing up a bit. “He’s still my partner and my assigned Guide. I’m not just going to abandon him. Especially when he feels vulnerable.”
Milt took a moment to digest that bit of information. Finally he nodded. “Fine. But if something doesn’t happen soon, I will go see the Regional Center about this.”
Font watched him walk away and it wasn’t until Milt had slipped back into his office that Russ headed for his best friend. He acted as though he hadn’t heard a thing- it was just as well hearing wasn’t one of Font’s strong suits- and the Sentinel offered him a tight smile. “Have anything?”
“Yeah, think I have a lead,” he offered, handing Font the autopsy report.
This was something Russ could do. This was something that could steady his mind and nerves. Working helped to take the edge away, helped him to ignore the clawing in the back of his mind every time Milt was near. If he were being honest with himself however, he would know he couldn’t keep it up forever.
* * *
They had all separated to chase down multiple suspects. “I said stop!” Russ yelled, getting really tired of chasing this punk kid. Just another day in Battle Creek, just another boosted car. Except the kid he’d chosen to follow ran straight into a garage, screaming his head off about cops. Apparently it must have been a chop shop the thief was associated with because next thing he knew, a shovel had popped out of nowhere and connected with his face.
Russ hit the concrete hard, groaning in pain. His vision blurred and he felt blood on his face. “Fuck,” he hissed, feeling his pulse pounding in his head. Attempting to think straight, he blinked a few times and looked around at the hazy figures surrounding him as his sight faded and came back. It appeared as though he’d really gotten into it this time.
A roar sounded somewhere through the fog and a figure charged into the garage. The man stood above him, energy like a powerful storm coming off of him in waves. Russ didn’t need his eyes to tell him it was Milt. And the Sentinel was pissed .
Milt unleashed raw fury on the group, putting them down with unrelenting force. As Russ was able to finally focus again, he watched as the Sentinel took them apart with incredible precision. Even after each one of the thugs was down, laid out on the ground, Milt was still seething. He stalked around the garage, teeth bared as his eyes searched for more danger.
“Milt,” Russ called to him. When that didn’t get his attention, he cleared his throat and tried louder. “Milt!” He managed to get to one knee but standing didn’t work so well and he landed back on his ass with a grunt of pain.
That did it, drawing Milt to him. The Sentinel knelt beside him, looking him over frantically, hands reaching out but not touching, rather hovering ever so closely that it actually hurt . As a Guide he knew the only way to break him from his Sentinel Rage. Bracing himself, Russ grabbed hold of Milt's forearm, more than aware of the consequences it would bring with it.
The feral part of Milt’s mind melted away as Russ shared soothing energy. As the man blinked a few times the look in his eyes showed a completely different state of mind bleeding through- lust, want, desire. Now that they’d finally connected, traded energies, the urge to bond was almost overwhelming.
“Russ.” Milt’s voice was rougher due to coming out of a Rage, but also because of the bond attempting to form. “It’s okay,” he comforted. “You’re fine now.”
“I know,” Russ breathed, rather than the scathing, biting retort on the tip of his tongue. It was just a clonk to the head, nothing that hadn’t happened before, and the blood from his nose was already drying. A trip to the ER would be forced on him but it was a common enough occurrence that he knew he’d be sent home with a concussion and pain meds.
“Russ,” Milt practically whined. “Please.”
The Guide didn’t even have to ask what Milt wanted. He felt it too. The pulsing of power between them, tangling them together even then. It was something Russ feared but he knew there was no going back now. “Need to get to your den first.” There was no way he was bonding in public and it would be better for the Sentinel as well to be on his home turf.
Milt only nodded, too lost in their shared energy to speak. He pulled Russ to his feet, bringing him close to lean on him.
As they staggered out of the garage, Font, Jacocks, and the others were running up. However as Font tried to help support Russ, Milt bared his teeth and growled. “‘M goin’ with Milt,” was all Russ offered, jerking his thumb back to the bodies inside. “Can you take care of that?”
Font wasn’t ignorant to the energies circling the pair and nodded. “Yeah. Don’t worry about it.” His expression was a mix of acceptance and concern. “Just be careful man.”
Russ held up his hand in farewell, letting Milt take most of his weight as he directed Russ towards the SUV. Their bonding was long overdue.
* * *
They were halfway to Milt’s apartment when the Sentinel managed to ask, “Why put this off?”
He hadn’t stopped holding Russ’ wrist and that was where the Guide was gazing as he answered honestly, “Because I didn’t wanna be treated as something lesser.” He was already plagued by ignorant comments and outright hate that claimed the only reason he got where he was was because of Font pulling him along through the ranks. Guides were notoriously treated as secondary to their bonded Sentinels.
It was only the fact he and Font hadn’t been bonded that the dynamics between them- and thus how the world looked at them- was different. Not that it stopped some of the snide remarks anyway but it was nothing like the cases he had seen over the years of hate towards bonded Guides. They essentially became property, an extension of the Sentinel they served .
It was nothing Russ had wanted and outside of Font few people had ever known that- until now.
Milt’s voice was unusually rough as he declared firmly, “That would never happen.” His eyes were sharp as they met Russ’. “Do you understand me?” In shock, Russ could only nod and Milt took a deep breath as his features softened. “No one will ever mistreat you.”
Russ couldn’t help but smile a little, believing every word of his Sentinel’s promise.
* * *
Bonding was a lot like trading a piece of soul, or so the literature claimed. Russ found it to be far more intense than that. It was like being ripped apart and put back together, stitched with the soul of his Sentinel.
He laid on the bed- on Milt’s bed- after it was over, breathing heavily. He was sweating, the hair on his arms standing on end as it felt like his body was electrically charged. There was a puff of warm air on his neck as Milt rolled over to reestablish touch. His arm slung over Russ’ torso and Milt shivered at the energy passing between them.
“This is incredible,” Milt whispered.
Russ couldn’t help but nod in agreement. It was nothing like he’d ever felt before. “Never thought I’d do this.”
Milt gave him a crooked grin. “You’ve got nothing to worry about with me Russ,” he assured. And just like that Milt kissed him. It was slow, exploratory in nature, with a sweet almost innocence about it.
There was nothing awkward about what they were doing, no surprise to it. More often than not bonded pairs found themselves as partners in more than one way. Russ could see why given the sensations passing through him. They were truly one now, their souls tied together in the most intimate of ways.
“Still regretting getting bonded?” Milt mused, that borderline aggravating grin on his face.
Russ couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll let you know in the morning,” was the cheeky reply.
Milt’s laugh was cut off by Russ’ lips on his. All that he could do was sink into it, pulling his new Guide closer. Although Russ already knew his answer- he was never so glad to be wrong.
/End