It didn’t take too long after Edgar had made dinner for the other two to wake up. Cass wanted to believe it was the smell of the food that stirred them, but from the blank, dumb look on Gideon’s face and the way he stumbled to his feet, muttering ’bathroom’, he didn’t think so.
Lucian was only slightly better when he awoke. Gideon was busy stumbling out of the tent, Edgar reaching out to help him and help him to the area that Cass had made. That left Lucian and Cass alone, Lucian groaning, his chest still bare and only a blanket covering his legs.
Cass hadn’t really realised it when he had been checking on him, mainly because that wasn’t what he was watching. Why the hell would he be checking out someone’s legs when he was checking on their breathing? Plus, he had been covered in a blanket, like Gideon. Cass didn’t think anything of it until he sat up, the soft blanket falling to his waist, and then his thighs, barely covering anything important.
Lucian gave Cass a small smile, his nostrils flaring as he looked around slowly, clearly scanning the area protectively before his gaze settled on Cass. Cass felt his body stiffen as the man scanned him. Him, while Lucian had been the one hurt and bruised and broken. Cass wasn’t sure why that upset him, just that it did, and he swallowed thickly.
"You look...good." Lucian said and Cass felt his chest grow tight. He felt a bit breathless, annoyed, and he wanted to go over and shake Lucian for even considering saying that. Instead, he sighed and shook his head, raising a hand to rub it over his face.
"You don’t." Cass snapped. He then wanted to kick himself as the smile dropped from Lucian’s face and Cass felt like he’d just kicked a puppy. Cass needed to get up, do something, but he was fighting himself. However, when he saw the look on Lucian’s face, he couldn’t do it anymore.
Cass got to his feet briskly, clearly startling Lucian as he did so. It was clear from Lucian’s expression that he thought that Cass was going to storm off or something, a sadness creeping into his gaze. He did not expect Cass to turn, still frowning and upset, and turn to Lucian, get on his knees and wrap his arms around Lucian’s neck. Cass pressed his face into his shoulder, hugging him tightly around the neck as he did so.
"You are a damn idiot." Cass whispered. "Why didn’t you boil it faster?" Cass muttered. He could feel how tense Lucian was, could tell that the man was shocked and uncertain as to what he should do. The man slowly wrapped his arms around Cass, holding him tightly against his chest.
"I was worried about you." Lucian muttered and Cass shook his head.
"We were fine. We absolutely would have been fine. If you had just warmed it up quicker, I could have told them to duck under the waterline." Cass muttered. God, his eyes felt hot. It was annoying, frustrating, and Lucian let out a soft, rumbling purr.
"Oh Cassy Baby. I’m sorry I worried you." Hearing him say it only made it more real. Cass tightened his grip on Lucian, knowing that it was bruising for Cass, but not for Lucian. No, he had to get beaten up by a damn giant beast that had been a final Boss in a different dungeon.
Cass let out a shaky breath, his body shaking as he tried to keep it together. Eventually, he failed, and hot, wet tears spilled from his eyes and started to soak into Lucian’s skin.
"Oh Cass." Lucian let out a soft exhale, full of Cass’ name, and that only made it worse.
"I hate that you got hurt." Cass mumbled, quiet but his lips moving. It felt like he was vomiting. He couldn’t keep the words in. "I hated seeing it, and I hated not knowing what to do. I felt so fucking useless watching Edgar and Gideon work. You’re not supposed to be the one who gets hurt. That’s fucking my job." Cass had to stop, a thick, hard knot in his throat that he couldn’t speak past.
He should have been the one comforting Lucian, and instead he could feel how the other man was melting, petting Cass on his back and rubbing his chin against the top of Cass’ head.
"Sometimes...I do get hurt. I actually used to get hurt a lot more because I could take it. It was only because Fiona was around that I didn’t just charge into battle like I used to. What’s the point or worry of losing a limb because they grow back quickly for me?" Cass jerked his head back upon hearing that, anger written all over his expression.
Lucian saw how angry Cass was and smiled. His expression was soft as he stared down at the other man, his eyes warm.
"You will not be doing that. Here, or in the future." Cass growled, his body vibrating in anger. Lucian chuckled.
"I will hear you, and listen to you, but I will not stop myself from putting my body on the line if it means you stay safe. Cass, I’m a dragon. I’m built hardy. Your body hasn’t even stabilized yet. You’re magically strong but your body can’t keep up with that. I will not let someone else hurt you if I can come back to stay by your side after a little self sacrifice. It’s what dragons do." Cass did not like hearing that, and Lucian knew it too.
He bent, rubbing and petting and stroking Cass as he vibrated in the other man’s arm like a stray cat who didn’t want to get a bath. Lucian’s lips were pressed against the side of Cass’ face, touching his cheek, forehead, temple and chin while Cass grumbled and complained.
He knew. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to convince the damn dragon otherwise. He knew that Lucian had been stuck in his ways for so long that while there were some things that he was willing to change for Cass, this was not one. How did he know?
The surety with which he spoke.
It was clear to Cass that the man had done what he said to save other people, and it had worked. Why knock a tried and tested system if it continues to work? Cass was grappling with that idea, the true horror of the fact that he was going to have to keep seeing Lucian injured as long as they had to deal with this shitty situation of the Demon King and dungeons. It was during this time, Cass still wrapped up in Lucian’s arms, that Edgar and Gideon returned.
Lucian shifted, making it so that Cass didn’t jolt out of his arms because he had a view of the two men approaching instead of having his back to them. That didn’t mean that Cass didn’t try to escape out of embarrassment, but Lucian kept firm. He also didn’t play fair.
"Please don’t escape." Lucian whispered, putting on his best wounded puppy act. Cass felt like a damn moron for falling for it. His body twitched, his chest aching. Cass wouldn’t have been able to refuse him, and he would have thought of himself as a complete asshole if he had somehow managed to push him away.
Gideon was walking on his own now, but that didn’t mean Edgar wasn’t hovering at his side, monitoring each step he had taken. He looked...drained, and that was when Cass remembered that holy power and magic power occupied the same space inside of a person. Gideon had basically used up all of his magic power in one go. No wonder the man was exhausted.
He’d probably never had to worry about that before, yet here he was. Suffering the consequences of his actions. Cass’ actions too.
"How are you feeling, Gideon?" Cass asked, drawing attention to himself. Edgar didn’t even flinch at seeing where Cass was, tucked against Lucian’s body, his head protected by the other man and Lucian’s hands on him possessively. Cass wasn’t in Lucian’s lap, but he was as good as. He was one firm yank away from finding himself across Lucian’s lap, and everyone knew it.
"Like I got run through with a sword, but I’ll be alright. Edgar’s soothed me by confirming that this doesn’t last forever." Gideon gave a sideways smile as he headed for one of the benches that Cass made. "You two have done fine work while we’ve been unconscious. Thank you for tending to us." Gideon said. Lucian rumbled.
"Yes. Thank you for doing so, you two. I’m ashamed to admit that we were both heavily indisposed. You’ve both done well." Lucian praised them both and Cass watched as Edgar flushed under the attention. Cass felt his back stiffen, he opened his mouth, and then shut it.
He was only going to get defensive, he needed to reign it in.
"It was nothing." Edgar said. "You two would have done the same if the roles had been reversed. In fact, you have. We don’t need any thanks." Edgar said elegantly, and Cass swallowed. He let out a low breath, turning his face back towards Lucian’s shoulder.
"I don’t, but Edgar does. He was the only one who kept a cool head when everything went sideways. He needs lots of thanks." Cass said, throwing Edgar under the bus. He didn’t even look at the man, knowing he would be upset with what Cass had said.
"Cass." Edgar admonished, but Gideon spoke before Cass could.
"Is that true? Are you feeling underappreciated? I’m sorry, Edgar. Cass is right to chastise us if that’s the case. You’ve been instrumental in everything thus far in this dungeon. I doubt I’d even be able to be in the same room as Cass without your guidance on controlling my holy power. I also know that it hurts you when I use it too. At a much lower level compared to how Cass aches, but that doesn’t mean you are unaffected." Gideon sounded so sincere and worried and Cass felt how Lucian’s arms tightened around him.
"Exactly. Without your cool head, we would all be a mess. Myself included, Eddie." Lucian said and Cass turned his head, peeking at Edgar.
The man was the colour of a tomato. He had raised a hand to cover his face, looking flushed and flustered and completely unsure what to do with himself. Even in this shitty, earthen cave that Cass had made, the firelight flickering against his skin, he looked enchanting.
Edgar’s glare directed towards Cass had his lips curling up slightly. The man was pissed at Cass, and while Cass felt his gut drop knowing that the man was going to get back at him, he was glad that he had done it. Edgar had felt useless before, so it was only right that the others stepped in to make him feel better. Even if they hadn’t heard the words from Edgar’s own lips.
"Cass deserves praise too. After all, he’s still casting magic as we speak, he will be doing so the whole time we’re in this dungeon and he made this home while casting two powerful elemental spells at the same time." Cass waved a hand dismissively.
"What is impressive to you guys isn’t that impressive to me. I don’t have a true understanding of what ’normal’ magic is here." Cass said dismissively and Edgar’s jaw tightened in annoyance while Gideon stared at Cass in shock. Lucian’s arms tightened around him, giving him a squeeze.
"Cass. That doesn’t mean that just because you don’t understand what kind of feat you’ve performed that we shouldn’t show our appreciation. You dealt with me shifting my form, more than once today, and still protecting me. Thank you." Now it was Cass’ turn to get thanks, and he cast a glare towards Edgar.
Both magic users were glaring at each other, but without any real malice. Both men were just trying to show that they cared for the other, but they were both competitive.
This could only go well in the long run.