Chapter 281: These memories are going to haunt me
They had been right.
Cass was exceedingly embarrassed by the actions he had taken.
It was only made worse by the fact that the men had dressed him, cleaned him and the chair up. They had then brought him over to the couch where all three of them could sit, and had pulled him into their laps so that they could pet and gentle him down from whatever the fuck had happened to him.
Cass was in shock. What in the world had overcome him? What had he just done?
Edgar was gently petting his head, stroking his hair while Lucian was rubbing him back. Cass hated how easily this was soothing him. How calm he felt wrapped in the arms of two other men.
He felt his face warm at that thought. Was it the fact that he was in the arms of two men that was making him question everything, or was it the fact that it was these men in particular? Or, was it the fact that he’d never been held like this before, period, and having anyone close to him like this was strange and uncomfortable?
Cass didn’t know, and he wasn’t ready to look at it, especially since now he remembered that Sir Forsythe was outside the door.
Cass wanted to sink into the ground. He wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Instead, he had to deal with the fact that his actions had consequences, and being lovingly petted down from whatever the fuck he’d just gone through was one of them.
"Can I get some tea?" Cass asked quietly, and Edgar handed Cass off like he weighed nothing before getting up and leaving the room.
Cass, embarrassed he was truly being manhandled, and that a part of him wasn’t upset in the slightest, let out a deep, deep sigh.
"What’s got you sighing like that, hmm? What has our sweet little Cass upset?" Cass’ face flamed at the slightly condescending way Lucian was speaking to him. Cass wanted to get upset. He wanted to yell.
All anger died at seeing the way that Lucian was looking at him as he held him. His orange gaze soft in a way that Cass had never, ever seen someone look at him like before.
"I’m horribly embarrassed by my actions." Cass admitted softly. "I don’t know how I’m going to recover living with the memory." Cass was honest. He didn’t feel like lying.
It would only hurt them both.
Lucian let out a soft chuckle, his smile reaching his eyes.
"Sweetheart, you’ve been avoiding physical contact with others, haven’t you?" Cass’ eyes widened in horror as Lucian gave him an accurate read on himself. It was shocking. Lucian, who Cass constantly had to remind to behave like a human, was able to get that from Cass?
How bad was Cass behaving for Lucian to notice?
Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if able to sense what Cass was thinking. In a way, he was able to. Just not completely.
"You’re too shocked for my liking, Lord Blackburn." Lucian rumbled, and Cass squeaked. It was too soon for him to be making those kinds of noises for Cass’ sanity, and at least the man flushed when Cass did. He cleared his throat. "Either way, I think you’re going to have to get used to it." Cass felt his chest swell, ready to yell at him for being presumptuous, but Lucian continued before he could. "Even if you have no plans to go further with Eddie and I, you should prepare yourself mentally. Ser Hune is a hugger, and my bet is so is your aide, Sam. If you continue this partnership with Fiona, she’s also fairly hands on. They are going to want to get physical with you in ways I know you’re uncomfortable with."
It was so surreal to be having this kind of conversation with Lucian of all people. If Edgar had brought it up, Cass probably wouldn’t be feeling so out of sorts.
Edgar chose that time to come back, and he didn’t come alone. Sir Forsythe clearly didn’t like not having eyes on Cass for as long as he had, and when he saw that he was enfolded in Lucian’s arms, he didn’t look particularly pleased.
Edgar was rolling a little cart in, with several cups, a large teapot and a few snacks on the lower level. It was a nice spread, but Cass also hadn’t expected something like this either.
"Forsythe, at least pretend for Cass’ sake that you tolerate us." Lucian teased, and Cass watched as Sir Forsythe slid his gaze to Edgar, who wasn’t paying attention and was instead focusing on brewing the tea, then back to Lucian.
"What do you mean by ’we’?" He said coldly, and Cass felt Lucian gasp. He wanted to as well.
That was stone cold, Sir Forsythe. The perfect response from a man who worked for the secret villain.
Edgar’s lips were turned up as he placed the saucers on the small table before the couch. For the food, he grabbed the plates and offered them to Cass directly.
"Is this okay?" He would ask, and when Cass nodded, they would go on the table. If he said no, they went back onto the cart.
Soon, the tea was steeped, a feast was laid before him, and Cass was still trying to grapple with what had just happened.
"Are you alright, my Lord?" Sir Forsythe asked, standing at the back of the couch near Lucian while Edgar pushed the cart out of the way. Lucian snarled at him.
"You punk." He complained, without any true bite. Cass exhaled slowly.
"I...think I will be." Cass said softly. Sir Forsythe looked him over, scanning him from head to toe. Not caring if his look offended Lucian or Edgar.
"Are you sure?" He asked. Cass’ heart ached hearing the concern in his voice. He was truly concerned for Cass, for Lord Blackburn.
"I am." Cass said with a little more force. "Now stop offending the two men." Cass said, teasing, and Sir Forsythe let out a harsh breath.
"Never, my Lord. I’ll leave the room and wait outside the office again. Give a shout if you need anything." He said, meeting Cass’ gaze before he slid to the tea. "I should also warn you, Lady Fiona was going on about how she wanted to have dinner with everyone once she got back from shopping." He gave him a look, and Cass felt a sigh leave his body.
"I’ll keep that in mind. No doubt she’ll want to hear about Lord Ridgewood, and the rest of the idiots." Cass muttered and Sir Forsythe’s lips turned up slightly.
"No doubt indeed." He said, before nodding and leaving the room. Cass knew his gaze was following the man as he left, since now he would be left alone with the two men who he had...who he had...
Edgar joined them on the couch, and Cass jerked at the casual way that Edgar pulled part of Cass onto his lap before he waved his hands and a saucer gently floated to him. Then, with a smile, he passed it to the wide eyed Cass.
"Did you forget, Darling, that I am also a magic user?" Edgar teased, and Cass swallowed. He had forgotten, but he had no idea how he had.
"I am also a magic user." Lucian complained and Edgar laughed.
"A brash magic user. You don’t have a delicate touch like Cass and I have." Edgar said and Lucian rolled his eyes with a huff.
"Cass likes that I don’t have a gentle touch. He likes that I’m a little rough with him. Don’t you, Cass?" Lucian prompted and Cass wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
"Could we stop talking about what I like and don’t like?" Cass asked meekly, and the two men blinked a few times as Cass ducked his head, his face burning. He was embarrassed, flustered, and just wanted to drop this topic. "Honestly, we should be speaking about what you and Lord Ridgewood spoke about, Edgar." Cass said, and felt how Lucian shifted under him.
"Gideon was here?" He asked, mildly concerned. "He didn’t attempt to hurt you, did he? After all, it was Sir Forsythe and I who broke-"
"-He wasn’t here to hurt Cass. He was...apologising." Edgar cut in, his jaw tight, his soft gaze hardening. He looked pissed, and confused. Cass wondered if that was the reason why Edgar had let him kiss him, and had even agreed to what they had done.
Cass felt his gut twist. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and uncomfortable. It felt like he was going to be sick.
"Was he? Did he grovel, Cass? Because he needed to do that, base level, while you stepped on his arm and snapped it like a twig." Lucian said casually. It took Cass a second to realise what he had said, while Edgar’s jaw clenched more.
"I’m not strong enough to do that." Cass reminded Lucian and Lucian let out a heavy sigh.
"Right. You don’t have that kind of leg strength. You should have summoned me. I would have done it for you." Edgar didn’t say anything about Lucian and Cass’ banter, but it was clear he wasn’t exactly comfortable with it.
Cass, who found himself mostly nestled against Lucian, who also had his arm around him, was watching Edgar. Edgar had pulled Cass’ legs into his lap, had handed him some tea like he had asked, but he looked...
"Did you lie about not having feelings for him still?" Cass asked, curious. Lucian tensed, while Edgar spun wild, wide eyes towards him.
"I don’t like him!" He shouted, before he slapped a hand over his mouth, realising he’d just yelled at Cass. Cass, however, wasn’t mad. He knew full well he was poking the hornets nest.
"Are you sure? Because you aren’t reacting as if you have no feelings for him, Edgar." Cass told him gently. Edgar looked ill. He reached for Cass, gripping onto his wrists, shaking him just enough that the tea sloshed over the edge of the cup and onto the saucer underneath. That felt like a strange analogy for what was about to happen.
Everything was about to spill over.