Chapter 261: Just a sleepy little guy
Ser Hune looked grateful, relieved as she was able to move. Lucian reluctantly pulled back as Edgar came to sit down next to Cass on his other side. Edgar came in closer, allowing Sir Forsythe and Ser Hune the space in front of them. Cass swallowed, bracketed on either side by Lucian and Edgar.
He was now feeling heavily embarrassed for his reaction, and actually wanted this whole situation behind him. He’d overreacted. He’d been in such a weird mental space that it had taken over him, and now he felt like a fool for his reaction.
"I’m sorry for overreacting. Now that we’re all here I just..." Cass trailed off, his whole face going red and Ser Hune protested.
"No, my lord! You didn’t overreact. This was on us please! You don’t need to feel embarrassed." She said and Cass couldn’t agree with her.
"No. I’m so embarrassed I want the ground to swallow me up." Cass muttered, ducking his head into his knees. "I don’t like looking like this in front of anyone." He muttered and Lucian wrapped an arm around his side, pulling him close. His hand rested on Cass’ waist, making Cass realise how big his hand was in comparison to the rest of Cass. It was a strange thing to realise while in the emotional state he was in.
"Please don’t joke about that." He said sweetly. "The tree said that they would. I can feel it. They would protect you in a damn fucking heartbeat." Lucian complained. Cass jerked. He hadn’t heard that, and when he looked up at Ser Hune, the other person who he knew could hear the nursery tree, he could tell that they hadn’t said it recently.
"Was that...earlier?" Cass asked and Edgar sighed. He leaned in, pressing the side of his head against Cass’ free shoulder. Cass wasn’t exactly sure what to do with both men showing interest in supporting him right now.
"It was. Ser Hune was basically our interpreter so that Lucy didn’t hurt the tree. I’m glad he didn’t, but it was quite scary to see the ground break and that root system come up and wrap around you. I also thought we were going to have to burn a tree, but I felt more apologetic about it." Edgar said softly. Sir Forsythe sighed.
"I also reacted poorly. That’s another thing to punish me for." He muttered, looking like a damn beaten puppy. Ser Hune didn’t look much better.
"We thought because the last location was next door that we would be able to notice if something went wrong, but clearly that wasn’t the case, even with Lord Draken at our side." Lucian flinched at the way he was called, his arm tightening around Cass.
"So...you were relying on Lucian’s connection to me?" Cass asked carefully, and everyone looked guilty. "Who told you it was reliable?" Cass turned to the obvious suspect, but he shook his head.
"I didn’t say I was reliable." He muttered. "I even explained that there is a delay and it gets further and further apart the more space between us. You...noticed that, right? I didn’t mean to keep that part from you." Lucian began panicking for a different reason and Cass felt his lips twitch. The man was worried he was digging himself a hole so deep that even a dragon wouldn’t be able to crawl out of. Cass just chuckled.
"I did notice that." Cass said. Lucian relaxed slightly before Cass spoke up again. "But you should have said something sooner if you knew that." Cass told him and heard Lucian make a soft noise of complaint before he leaned over, pressing his forehead against Cass’s shoulder.
"I’m sorry! It’s my first time being like this with anyone else! I’m trying to keep your words in mind!" He was loud, but not quite yelling. Cass chuckled, while Edgar let out a soft exhale.
Cass jerked as soft, gentle fingers began to touch his hair carefully, soothingly.
"We’re sorry. Cass. We really only planned to be gone for a short time. You were sleeping so soundly, and the tree told Ser Hune that they would look after you so we just..." That was the first time he’d heard that from the nursery tree. Cass turned to look at the tree who hadn’t mentioned that part at all.
He could tell that it was intentionally remaining quiet and Ser Hune grumbled.
"They must have been wanting to not tell you that so that you would come down and spend time with them." Ser Hune grumbled. "All nurseries are like that. They love their babies too much, and try to separate them from others. Even other fairies, or their mothers." It was a pointed comment, and Cass felt a little bit more of the weight lift off of his shoulders.
"Oh. So they’re possessive?" Cass asked and Ser Hune chuckled.
"Of course they are. After the humans attacked us, everyone got possessive of our babies." Ser Hune looked at Cass with such love and adoration in her eyes that Cass felt his eyes go wide and he dropped his gaze, embarrassed all over again.
Then, Cass felt a yawn coming on and wasn’t able to resist it. He covered his mouth, his eyes pulsing from all the tears he had cried and Edgar gave a soft sigh.
"Now that you’ve heard a bit more about what happened, do you want to go back to bed? It is the middle of the night, and your plans can wait till tomorrow morning anyway. You can plot all you want after some more sleep and some food." Edgar said carefully, his fingers still in Cass’ hair.
It was an unfamiliar sensation for Cass, but he didn’t hate it. He actually found that his shoulders were relaxing more, his eyes having trouble staying open now that the anger had been sucked out of him.
"Plot? I’m not plotting." Cass complained, protesting the characterization of him. Edgar chuckled.
"Why? I like a man who can plot. I like plotters. Now, do you want someone to carry you? Any one of us would be happy to." Edgar told him, kindness radiating from his words. Cass exhaled, knowing that he should tell them that he could walk on his own, but he was so tired suddenly.
So damn tired.
He gave another yawn before he nodded and leaned into Edgar’s touch.
"Mmm." He said, blinking, trying to keep his eyes open. Lucian let out a huff, before he pulled back.
"You take him, Eddie. He’s leaning more towards you today." Lucian didn’t sound bitter, and Edgar let out a soft breath.
"Thank you." He said, before Cass found himself jostled gently. Cass half expected that he was going to get another damn princess carry, but of course, this was Edgar they were talking about. It wasn’t going to be that innocent.
"Cass, put your arms around my shoulders." Edgar asked softly and Cass did so. He found someone tugging his knees free from his shirt, before a pair of hands slid under him, gripped his ass and pulled him up. Cass complained as Edgar chuckled. "Wrap your legs around me, even loosely, Cass. I need to carry you." Cass did as was asked of him, even as he muttered a soft complaint. Edgar’s breath against his throat was slightly ticklish. "This is the best way to carry you up the narrow stone steps, Cass. I can carry you like a princess after, alright?" Cass felt himself jerk as he realised he’d said that part out loud.
"I-I-" He tried to protest but Edgar laughed, and Cass felt his stomach flip when the man pressed his lips against Cass’ throat for a quick, brief kiss.
"It’s alright. I’m just teasing." Edgar told him softly. "I also like carrying you like this." Cass jerked when the man squeezed his ass. "Now, let’s get you back up to bed, hmm? You can sleep on me, Cass. I have you." Edgar’s voice was soft, comforting, and Cass just really wanted to go back to sleep after all of the turmoil he’d gone through.
Sighing, Cass nuzzled into his shoulder, his arms tightening around Edgar’s neck as the man began moving. Cass could hear that the others were moving behind him, chatting to each other, but he was already fading in and out of consciousness.
At one point, he felt someone lean in, pushing his hair back and a pair of lips touched his forehead.
"Sweet dreams, Cassian. You deserve them." It was Lucian’s soft whisper, and Cass crumpled slightly at that. The dragon had no idea that Cass had dreamed for the first time in over 7 weeks yesterday, but he appreciated the well wishes.
Cass sighed, and Lucian chuckled.
"He’s out like a light. Must have been a long day today." Cass could hear him talking, and felt Edgar’s chest rumble as he responded.
"Of course it was a long day today. It was only this morning when he was struggling to even be in the temple. He has every right to be absolutely exhausted and emotionally all over the place. I just hate that we caused him even more distress." Edgar muttered.
"We’ll get better at this. Though honestly, you should be better at this. It makes sense I’m having problems, but you were born around the same time he was." Lucian told him softly and Edgar gave a short, cruel laugh.
"What do you make of me? I’ve barely dated anyone, Lucy. I’ve been stuck in the temple for most of my life, and then people avoided me even if I was pretty because they only heard bad things about me until I joined the hero party. The influx is new. Before that, anyone who approached me did it on the down low. No one wanted to be associated with me." Edgar told him quietly, and Cass was only able to hear part of what he was saying.
"I’ve been asleep and that’s why I keep fumbling. Besides, I’ve rarely dated outside of my own species. I practically swore off dating after the war. Didn’t think I’d ever find someone who stirred my curiousity like this again." Cass felt his gut churn hearing that. Stirring his curiousity? That was what he was afraid of.
"What’s the deal with that? I’ve heard it a few times. What is curiousity to dragons?" Edgar asked and Lucian let out a chuckle.
"It’s basically like a strong pull or desire. Lots of dragons hoard what they have curiosities about. Which gives you no insight, because that can include living things. I knew a dragon who hoarded plants and other small creatures." Lucian’s voice was warm, soft. "Mine? Well, let’s just say a certain someone has been keeping me on my toes for a while now." Lucian chuckled and fingers with slightly sharp nails brushed through his hair.
"So it’s not necessarily sexual?" Edgar asked and Lucian let out a laugh.
"Rarely, but not never." Cass wanted to will himself to sleep so that he couldn’t hear this. Lucian’s knowing chuckle told him that he could sense that Cass had heard what he said. "Especially when they are as sweet and feisty as our dear Cassian Blackburn."