Somehow, dinner was wrangled back into order after the direction that it had gone in, and everyone finished up eating at a reasonable time. Sam and Byron tried to escape, but Cass didn’t let them as Taniora, with sparkles in her light eyes, asked if she could have permission to wander the mansion again.
There was no way that Cass would be able to say no to her, especially after the day that she had. So, Taniora was given full permission to roam the mansion at that point. Cass had also wanted to flee, but the fairies roped all of them into going to the sitting room that they had rearranged while Cass was gone to share a drink. Cass didn’t know what that meant, but when he looked back at Byron to see what it meant, and Ailia, both of them were of no help.
Ailia was grinning from ear to ear, Sir Sanders’ expression was flat, and Byron was stone-faced. Cass knew that was intentional on his part. Cass could practically feel the playfulness coming off of him in waves.
Cass was a little uncomfortable with the change of environment, having not done this kind of thing with the others before. Cass wasn’t someone who shared a drink with others, in this life of the other. That was him speaking for both him, and Cassian. They weren’t exactly...party people.
Cass had made sure that no one had really gotten close to him outside of his sister and her husband in his other life, and honestly? He’d had no interest in others outside of them either. Which meant, he hadn’t really shared drinks with others.
He was an awkward guy when it came to things he wasn’t used to, so it was a bit of a relief that he wasn’t the only one that was awkward. Even Edgar seemed a little uncomfortable as he was shoved into a loveseat with Cass, pressed against Cass’ side like he was arm candy, not just another person in a room amongst friends.
He wasn’t displeased, however. His blue eyes sparkled as he glanced around the room, handed a drink that Cass wasn’t even sure he was allowed to drink, but Edgar waved off Cass’ concern. Edgar whispered that he could have a bit of regular food and drink, it didn’t make him terribly sick. He just got a slightly upset stomach, and Edgar was not about to turn away an offered glass of a random drink from Cass’ extended family. That was made explicitly clear to Cass.
Gideon was making Cass’ awkwardness look like he was comfortable with everything that was going on. He wouldn’t sit, and instead stood near the walls next to Byron and Sir Sanders. It was clear that they were acting as guards, which was a little ridiculous. What could harm them when so many fairies were in one room, with a few shifters, a couple of demons, a saint, a hero, and a dragon?
With an incredibly protective tree guarding the whole area so that said fairies could enjoy themselves, especially after the day that they all had? Yeah, there was no way. It was cute of the three of them, and Cass could tell he wasn’t the only one who thought that. Sam and Ailia were glancing at their men the same way that Cass kept stealing glances at Gideon.
Edgar kept his hand on Cass’ thigh while the sounds of laughter and chatter could be heard around them as the fairies roped everyone else into drinking something called ’fairy fall’. Well, everyone besides Ailia.
It came in pretty glass bottles and the liquid when poured into cups swirled and glittered like sunshine in a cup. Cass knew it was magical, and he didn’t need to feel the pull from the glass to know that. It looked magical.
Cass soon found out why it was called by the name that Aunt Alysora called it, with a glitter in her eyes.
If fairies drank it, they fell over.
The giggles that Cass found himself doing, the way he wasn’t quite able to hold himself up. Someone had been smart in tucking him between Edgar and Sam so that he didn’t topple over, because Cass felt like he was a damn bobblehead otherwise. Edgar and Sam were also having a good time, enjoying the drink, but even if Cass drank half of what they had, he was far more affected. It was becoming clear to those around them that weren’t fairies that there was something in the drink that hit fairies harder. It was also clear that pregnant fairies also did not drink it.
Cass found himself laughing at nothing, smiling to himself and clinging to those around him. Which had a rather eager Edgar ready to catch the smiling Cass while Sam flushed as he had no idea what to do with a tipsy Cass holding onto him. Edgar was all for it, his hand squeezing Cass’ thigh tightly as he watched him sway, giggling as he sipped on the sweet, glittery liquid. Cass had never experienced something like this before and he felt good.
Byron watched on, a sparkle in his eye as Cass laughed with his family. The family that had found him and that he was glad had found Cass too. It was also clear to Byron that the family that had asked him to spy on Cass had only done so to make sure that he was safe. Happy. Now that they had met Cass, they were not about to let him go. The same way that Byron could feel that he would never be able to leave this large extended family.
The sadness inside of Cass was slowly fading with the care and tenderness that the others were showing him, and the ease in which everyone relaxed around him. There was joy in the air around them, around him. Something that while the others had given Cass, hadn’t been given so freely.
There was always a bit of guilt that lingered around them. Cass could not blame them for it either. They had fucked up a few times, but it was different with the fairies. There was no guilt, nothing tied to the joy and jubilation that they shared with Cass easily and freely. Instead, it was just warm and welcoming. Cass realised that no one was watching him like he was going to hurt them, or like he was an inherently bad man. Or like he was the scum of the earth because he came from nothing.
Instead, every time that anyone in the room looked at Cass, it was with open affection.
All these people in a room with Cass, even someone who was centuries older than Cass, and not a single person was looking at Cass like he was a bad guy, a bad man, or anything similar to that. Cass was just...Cass, and everyone was enjoying laughing with him. They enjoyed being with him, beside him, and sharing this moment with him.
It was a strange experience, a bit surreal, and made Cass drink a little more than he should.
At some point, instruments got brought out and fairies began to show off their hidden talents. Cass had no idea how to do any of the things that they were doing, and he wasn’t capable of holding even himself up to be able to learn. Instead, he laughed and enjoyed the show, someone keeping his glass topped up.
There was a point where it seemed like Sam or Gideon was going to step in to stop Cass, to put a halt to how he was drinking, but it was Edgar who quietly waved them off. He was Cass’ bodyguard in a completely different way, watching the man’s red eyes glitter in the warm light of the room.
"He’s earned it." Edgar whispered to them, and there was no way that Sam or Gideon could argue with that. They had both seen how much effort Cass had put into everything, including the more recent dungeon raid, and neither one of them could say he didn’t deserve to drink himself a little silly. Especially after they had seen the anger and sadness on his face from the discovery at Lake Taniora that day.
Everyone deserved a bit of happiness and peace.
However, there was a point where even Edgar had to cut him off. It was mainly because the main ingredient in the fairy fall really did make fairies fall over. It also wasn’t just Cass. All of the fairies were stumbling about, laughing, dancing, having a good time. Cass was a giggly, toppling over mess, all smiles, his cheeks rosy in a way that Edgar, Gideon, nor Sam had ever seen. He was also...giving out free kisses to anyone who got too close.
Byron was the one who had to put his hand in between Cass and Sam, protecting the poor imp from his Master’s affections. Sam looked shell shocked from the first kiss, and Byron didn’t want Cass to get any fresh ideas. Not that he thought that Cass would.
Instead, he forced the tipsy, drunk fairy into the arms of Edgar and Gideon. Gideon, who looked a little flustered and uncertain, and Edgar, who easily hoisted Cass up and into his arms. It was easy to forget that despite his frame and build, Edgar was about as strong as the dragons that surrounded them. He just...had an image to upkeep.
That meant that Cass was on his hip, Edgar’s hand holding Cass up with a firm hand on his thigh and ass, while Cass giggled into his neck, rubbing his face against it, kissing it warmly and giggling all over again. Cass’ hands roamed all over Edgar’s shoulders and throat, his hands particularly enjoying playing with Edgar’s blond hair, his cheeks creased with a smile that would have won over anyone if Cass was aware of the power it held.
Edgar’s gaze, when others looked into it, was on the dangerous side of blue. Edgar knew better than to act on anything that Cass was implying.
Cass was not in his right mind, he was not going to do a damn thing with the man. That did not mean that Edgar was a saint and that he couldn’t enjoy him being so loose and free. Edgar didn’t even fight it when Cass pressed his lips against Edgar’s over and over, even nipping at Edgar’s bottom lip and whining in front of everyone when Edgar didn’t open up for him. Gideon was blushing for the both of them, while Edgar gave a smug, proud smile as he held Cass in his arms.
Edgar said goodnight for the three of them, the fairies giggling and smiling at the sight before them. A few blew Cass kisses, and it was Edgar’s firm grip on Cass that kept Cass in one place so that he didn’t chase those thrown kisses.
Since Edgar held him back, Cass decided he would do what he could. He blew kisses to everyone, getting smiles from everyone as he did something so out of character for him. Edgar carried him out, Gideon at his side as they climbed the stairs back to Cass and Edgar’s room.
Gideon was awkward the whole way back to the room, clearly fighting with himself as he followed Edgar up the stairs. Cass kept giggling and laughing, playing with Edgar’s hair and even reaching for Gideon to squeeze and touch him as well. Gideon turned the shade of a tomato when Cass squeezed his bicep and gave an appreciative head nod, his eyes big, round and pretty.
When they got up to the third floor, Gideon had a choice. He ended up deciding that he was going to join Edgar in their room, but he stood guard as Edgar helped Cass get ready for bed and even accepted the child-like kiss Cass gave him before Cass let Edgar tuck him in for bed.
Cass fell asleep with a smile on his face, blissfully unaware of what was going on around him, and happy about it.
Edgar was shaking his head, a smile on his face before he turned and gave Gideon a kiss on the lips too, surprising the other man before he kicked him out for the night so that he could get some sleep on his own.
He did offer for him to join them, but Gideon chickened out and ran back to the rooms that Cass had given him when he moved in, like Edgar knew he would. For now.