Cass almost felt bad for how he was being treated. He was naked in the bath around two other men, but that was the least of his concerns.
Lucian was rubbing his head with firm, strong strokes, his nails scratching his scalp in just the right spots as he shampooed Cass’ hair. Edgar had poured Cass a glass of wine, both types, and he was rubbing Cass’ feet on the other side.
Cass had never felt so pampered in his life.
"Just relax, sweetness. Let all the stress leave your body." Lucian whispered and Cass could barely even open his eyes to look up at him. He was like a damn limp noodle from their attention.
"Are you hungry? Do you want a snack?" Edgar asked and Cass sighed.
"No. I’m okay." Cass told him softly, before a light groan left his lips as Lucian slid his hand down and began rubbing the back of Cass’ neck. Fuck, that felt good. He hadn’t realised how tense he was until Lucian got his hands on him.
"My Cassy Baby is so tense. Let’s rinse your hair first and then I can rub your shoulders." Lucian murmured and Cass didn’t have it in him to protest. He let himself be manhandled, even let Lucian kiss him gently on the lips in passing without a word of complaint. Lucian’s eyes had softened more. Not in victory, but in a way that if Cass wasn’t so relaxed, he would tense up in panic.
Cass didn’t have it in him to worry about how possessive the others were getting of him.
Lucian shifted Cass carefully until he was under the dragon taps. When he turned them on, Lucian made sure to protect Cass’ eyes so that the suds didn’t splash back up into his eyes. Edgar’s hands were just as soft and Cass hoped that the others didn’t notice how his eyes were still pouring tears.
They were silent. He hoped that they thought that they were just water droplets.
Cass’ hair was rinsed, he was now sitting down on the bench in the water and Lucian had made his way into the bath as well. His arm was around his shoulders on one side and Edgar was cuddled up to him on the other side. Cass’ head was leaned against Lucian’s shoulder, his body so relaxed and calm that it felt like all of his issues were just...gone.
The sigh that left Cass’ body felt like it took a weight off of his shoulders. Lucian gave him a squeeze.
"That’s it, sweetness. Let it all out." Lucian murmured and Edgar shifted closer.
"Whatever it is, it can wait." Edgar told him and Cass felt his eyes water again. He’d never been coddled like this before. Not even by his sister.
Cass didn’t let that thought linger for long. He wouldn’t.
"Can I have my glass of wine?" Cass asked weakly and Lucian reached across him as Edgar shifted and grabbed Cass’ glass. He took the offered cup and held it up to Cass’ lips, waiting for him to take a sip. He was being so careful and considerate with Cass that Cass wasn’t even sure what to feel.
Even Cassian inside of him was flustered. Both men were unsure. Cassian was used to being waited on hand and foot by people who hated him. Things had been slightly off, not quite perfect in his daily life. Sam had changed that treatment, but it felt like he was taking a giant leap in a direction he’d never expected.
They were being so damn nice to him. Was it because he’d basically slept with them? Cass couldn’t wrap his head around it. What was so good about him? He was an asshole, he swore a lot, and he kept pushing everyone away.
Sure, the body he was in was...handsome. Not to his tastes, but handsome. He didn’t think he was handsome enough for them to treat him like this.
He had two attractive men pressed against him on either side and taking care of him. Cass felt guilty for taking up their time. They could be spending their time with other people. He wasn’t-
"Stop, Cass." Lucian rumbled. Cass flinched. "I can feel your mood shifting. Stop. No doubts, Sweetness." Lucian rumbled, a hint of a deeper reverberation in his tone. The human aspect of Lucian was not talking right now.
The dragon stared back at him as Cass glanced in his direction. Cass swallowed thickly. The orange gaze was hypnotizing and he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Lucian rumbled, and Cass realised with a start that he was purring again.
"Cass, don’t look at me like that. I am on my best behaviour right now, and you are in no state to be willing to do anything I want to right now. I am being good, so don’t look at me like that." Lucian warned, his voice soft. Cass floundered, his face going red.
"W-Wha-How am I looking at you?" Cass stumbled over his words and Lucian didn’t even smile as he responded.
"You are looking at me like you want to swallow me whole, sweetness. Both of my dicks and all. I am not going to do that when you are in distress. That would make me a very bad dragon, and I only want to be a naughty dragon, not a bad one." Cass was speechless.
He was looking at Lucian like what?
A hand came out and gently took Cass’ chin in their hand, turning Cass’ head towards Edgar. Edgar’s gaze scanned Cass’ flushed face, taking in his expression before Edgar let out a soft sigh. He took a sip of his wine and then shook his head.
"You are looking a little desperate, babe. Your eyes are screaming that you want a distraction." Edgar said and Cass was stunned into silence. A distraction? Is that what he wanted?
"I just want to forget." Cass whispered softly and watched as Edgar’s expression softened.
"Neither of us are going to force you into a situation like that right now, babe. You can’t handle it. I know that normally you would be able to, but this..." Edgar’s eyes scanned Cass’ face again before he sighed. "You are strong, you have always been strong, but your...roots have been shaken. Rest, take some time to find some comfort. Do you want to cuddle with us after this and maybe read a book?" Edgar asked carefully and Cass brightened.
He had his books still.
"He seems pretty happy about that option." Lucian told Edgar from the other side of him and Edgar smiled, nice and slow. Damn it, with his hair slicked back, Edgar looked so damn pretty it was distracting. Lucian let out another purr. Cass found himself being turned towards Lucian and Lucian just stared at him.
Cass had no idea what he was looking for until he noticed that Lucian was slightly posturing. Shifting so that his pecs were out, his chin was out. It was like he was trying his best to show Cass all of his good sides. Cass felt his lips curl up slightly before a small chuckle left his lips.
"Are you...showing off right now?" Cass asked and Lucian grinned.
"You’re damn right I am. So? How do I look?" Lucian asked and Cass opened his mouth to give a joke answer, but the words got caught in his throat. How did Lucian look to Cass? Annoying was the first word that came to mind, but that didn’t physically describe him.
He had thick black eyebrows and long black hair. He’d pushed it back and out of his face as it was damp, showing off the windows peak that he had. It wasn’t anything severe, but it certainly made it feel like they had switched roles. Lucian would have suited the image of a vampire more than Edgar did.
His facial hair hadn’t changed since Cass had met him. Then again, Cass had only woken up with him beside him a few times. He could be maintaining it, or he could have made it part of his human skin...suit? That was a strange thought to think of.
Byron didn’t have any, so maybe it was just a Lucian thing?
"Is that your facial hair?" Cass asked, too curious to keep it inside of him. Lucian’s eyes blinked slowly, the slitted iris catching Cass’ attention. He had a feeling it would never get old.
"It’s mine. I just don’t have to maintain it like humans or others do. I can just...will it to be longer or shorter if I want. I like to have a little stubble. Makes things interesting. You can tell where I’ve been." Lucian said and Edgar coughed. Cass, for some reason, took a moment to realise what he had said.
"Lucian." Cass said, appalled and Lucian laughed, tossing his head back as he did so. When he came back, he was smiling widely.
"What? You like it too, and you know it." Lucian said with a wink and Cass felt his face warm. He couldn’t say that he didn’t. He remembered how it felt to have him licking his ass and...
Cass shifted uncomfortably on the bench, praying that the bubbles lingering in the tub were enough to hide something that was going on below. Lucian came in, rubbing his cheek against Cass’ again.
"So? How do I look?" Lucian prompted again and Cass flushed. How did Lucian look? What did the man look like to him?
"You look...sturdy." Cass said softly. Cass was surprised by how much he was relying on the man. He had just assumed that Lucian would be at the house, ready to care for him when he got home. He’d let the man undress him. Even if he had been a little hesitant, he had trusted him.
That was a big change from his feelings that he felt for him when he had first arrived. He was sure that Lucian’s feelings had also changed.
Lucian didn’t seem completely satisfied with Cass’ words at first, but slowly, a tender smile crossed his face.
"Sturdy, huh?" He said softly and Cass gasped as he realised that his feelings had been delayed and he’d gotten a full serving of the feelings Cass had for Lucian.
"You are cheating." Cass accused and Lucian rubbed his cheek against Cass’ again.
"It’s not cheating when you’re so sneaky, Cass. Both of you are. I have to use any and all advantages afforded to me. Lucian said and Cass huffed.
"Next time, you should bite Edgar so that he knows what this feels like." Cass mumbled and Lucian protested.
"Absolutely not." He said and Edgar huffed.
"Why? Because you wouldn’t want to bond with me?" Edgar asked hotly and Lucian gave a laugh.
"No. While it would be good to feel your thoughts and feelings, Edgar, I know that Cass would be so damn lonely and that he would get ridiculous thoughts into that pretty little head of his. I’m not risking that." Lucian said confidently and Cass flushed.
The dragon was right, damn it, and that only made him more embarrassed that he’d brought it up in the first place.