"Cass, my lovely boy, stop turning him into a tomato. There are better things to eat." His Aunt teased, her smile in her eyes as she turned her attention towards the trio. Edgar let out a nervous, confused laugh. Even though he had been told that they would be doing this, it was clear he hadn’t expected it to start so soon.
Cass thought this was the perfect time to do it. Who was going to touch him? Who had the ability to? This was the perfect time to let the nobles know the plan, what was about to go down, and why Cass was not aligned with his shitty grandfather.
It was horrible to know that he actually did share blood with the fucker now, but he didn’t let Cassian’s fear at even the old man’s name and title bother him. He wasn’t afraid of an old man who couldn’t even use magic. He’d gladly punch his damn lights out if given the chance.
Cass didn’t have parents, and both Cassian and Cass had never been taught to respect their elders. Fear and respect were not the same thing.
So, Cass was fine making a scene in front of the tavern he had specifically selected as a meeting spot for this exact reason. He also wanted to make it clear to the others around them that Cass was not like the rest. He was a good man, with a good heart, and he cared about his people.
Those who remained loyal to him would receive protection, kindness and good money. Those who didn’t follow the rules? They became fertilizer for trees.
So Cass pressed another kiss against Edgar’s shoulder, smiling warmly as he did so. Edgar shuddered and stepped away slightly. The look he gave Cass as he did so had Cass pausing, before a pure, delighted smile crossed his lips.
Edgar was embarrassed. The man who went about calling him Bunny, who had tugged him into back alleys to make out with him, who had become a flustered mess when they had gone on a shopping trip before, was glaring at Cass with very little heat.
"Stop." He whispered quietly and Cass let out a small, disbelieving laugh. God, he was going to hell for how much joy that brought him.
"Caspian." Gideon warned. "He’s not going to make it if you keep teasing him like that. Do you want to show off to the whole city what Edgar looks like in bed?" Gideon’s whispered, tense words really struck a chord with Cass. Cass glanced at the silent man, still holding Cass’ hand without a blush on him.
Cass felt his lips curl up in Gideon’s direction.
"You’re telling me you don’t want to show others, aren’t you?" Cass asked, not even trying to whisper. Gideon’s eyes widened slightly before he glanced around, nervous.
"I have no right-"
"You have every right, Giddy." Cass interrupted him, his smile warm. "You are allowed to tell me your lines. Your boundaries. The same way that Eddie is telling me now." Cass said with a boyish grin. The party had stopped breathing.
Cass smiling so carefree, so full of life and light was unexpected, and rarely happened. The fact that he was doing so when he was teasing both men in public? That was something that could not be forgotten. Should be made into a national holiday.
No one wanted to speak about it either, in case that would take away the precious moment or make Cass never do it again.
"I uh," Gideon seemed temporarily stunned at the display, a little tongue-tied while Cass seemed to be oblivious to the damage he’d done to everyone around him.
His Aunt cleared her throat, clapping.
"Let’s get this show on the road, hmm? Cass can think about how he wants to torment his ’friends’ later." She said with a tight grin. "If we don’t hurry, Sam is going to try and dart away. Or divert attention. No one wants that, do they?" She asked and Cass laughed.
"No, not at all." He agreed, shocking everyone watching them into complete silence.
Lord Blackburn laughing? That was so far-fetched that they couldn’t even fathom it happening. But here it was, before their very eyes. He was laughing and smiling like a, like a normal human!
Forget him doing questionable things with the men of the hero party, that would spread more than that. To see a man who was normally so severe and rude and quiet show an emotion openly, and one that made him so...attractive was so foreign that the gay stuff would get shoved to the wayside.
That was something that Cass had never considered. He didn’t think that Cassian was attractive, after all, so he didn’t consider that it would be a big deal. He would certainly be surprised by the newspaper the next day that spoke highly of what had been witnessed at the tavern. A recreation drawn hastily but self-admitted by the artist that it held nothing to the flame that was Lord Blackburn’s real expression.
Cass just continued on with his day, hand still in Gideon’s grasp, Edgar close by, but a few steps to the side so that he could compose himself. Gideon had been right to warn Cass about his mental state because he had not been above begging Cass to continue.
Edgar was coming to realise that he was learning some very bad habits from Cass’ heats. Edgar coughed and cleared his throat. If he didn’t get a true taste of him soon, Edgar was worried about what he would turn into. He was also worried about what would happen to him once he did have a taste because he knew that it would be good and he would want more.
It wasn’t even a double-edged sword at that point. It was just a sword. He would be changed no matter what happened, and damnit, did he want to be pierced by it.
~
Cass, for his part, was just happy that he got to see the shock, confusion and everything that came with it on other’s faces as he walked around town. He had no idea it had to do with his wide, toothy grin. Handsome men smiling tended to have that effect on others, and thanks to the healthy feedings that Cass was receiving, his powers as a demon were unfurling like petals on a flower.
Pretty, charming and drawing the attention of anyone who glanced at him.
With all of the feedings and the fact that he could keep food down as well, Cass had put on a healthy weight. Which revealed that Cass had a sweet set of dimples that came out when he smiled. It was sweet, cute, and made the whole city quietly shake.
There was a reason that his Mother had taken the whole capital by shock when she had arrived. The fact that Cass took after his Mom in almost every aspect was a sin for the Blackburn family but worked in Cass’ favour, especially now.
Cass had no idea he was quietly charming everyone that he met. He thought he was being a villain. That everyone was scared of Lord Blackburn coming into their store and asking to see things for a male on male wedding. That part was completely glossed over in favour of the fact that a handsome man was asking about items for a wedding.
They hoped that if someone that handsome had a wedding that it would bring good things to their business. This was because Cass was purposefully avoiding all of the big businesses out of spite and to send a message. He had enough money to buy out anything and everything, but he was already heavily invested in most of those businesses. He was looking for ways to expand and support smaller guys so that they could grow as well.
Plus, some of them had secret pockets of fairies or demons that were like Sam, Mr. Collins and the few other fairies that were either half-fairies or something similar. Cass was just being generous, completely forgetting for a moment that he was a Lord, while not forgetting in other aspects.
Edgar and Gideon did not help with the issue, either. They were also recognisable, handsome men that had their own rumours.
Edgar was Edgar, of course. The handsome, princely man who wore a hat everywhere. No one thought it was a problem since he always wore something that suited him but he was blushing like a bride and going in and out of stores that normally carried wedding garments and accessories. That alone would spread more rumours, especially since Lady Fiona was absent.
Then there was Gideon. He had a bunch of secret admirers that he would never know about because he was a rather serious man. He was stoic, severe, and just as handsome as the others. It would cause a giant stir amongst his fans when it was communicated that he was holding hands with someone out in public. Gender didn’t matter, it was the simple fact that he was holding anyone’s hand that was a big deal.
Granted, no one really cared if it was Cass that he was holding hands with. The man was smiling and laughing, teasing the boys openly and rubbing shoulders and hugging other devastatingly handsome people.
Gender barely mattered when you were as hot as fairies were.
The public was just opening their eyes to the secret gem that had been amongst them the whole time now that he was blooming under affection, love and care. It was amazing what a few months being fed properly could do to someone.
There was even a moment while they were on a corner of the street that Cass waved a hand and summoned some pretty flowers for one of the fairies. The simple action, the magic without chanting, was something that the public didn’t get to see. It was shocking, core-shaking, made even more so when Cass casually handed the flowers over to a small child who was nearby and staring at Cass and his family in only a way that children could get away with.
Cass had smiled kindly at the small humanoid, showing off a gentle side that no one would have expected of the son of a Duke. Especially one that had such terrible, horrible rumours circulating about him.
It was such a shocking sight that whispers began about what was actually the truth? Someone even suggested that they heard that Lord Blackburn supported a few orphanages back in the town that the hero party had settled in. That he provided aid for those who needed it.
That he had helped rebuild parts of the kingdom without asking for recognition.
Plus, no one who was nice to a child, who used their magical abilities like that so casually, could be evil. Especially when that wasn’t the only act of kindness that Cass showed unintentionally. He was just...happy and being himself. Noticing small things with his own perception and the added bonus of Cassian’s heightened senses.
Cass stopped a child from running out in front of a carriage. He helped an old lady cross the road. Gideon rushed off to stop a thief. Small, little things that didn’t mean much but were things that no other noble would do.
Aunt Alysora watched on, her own grin on her face as she watched her nephew finally be his true self. It was a hopeful thing, and she just needed to make sure that nothing too shocking happened. She’d been warned by her own daughter to make sure. Cass was unaware, but she had navigated them several times from running into anyone that would shake him.
She would let nothing happen to her finally blossoming family member.