"Um, Cass? Can we have a word with you after dinner in your room?" It was Edgar, all worried and nervous, who spoke up after he came back from his task. Cass could feel the tension in the room diminish as he did.
Sam had worried that the men wouldn’t bring it up with Cass, and thus, had been laying in wait to pounce and accuse them of keeping things from Cass. Cass had a little bit more faith in them.
It might not have come from a good place, but he’d had faith. They’d had no difficulty calling him out when he had been a bad guy to them, why should it be different when he was a good guy? People didn’t change that much.
Cass put down his pen, staring at Edgar where he was standing in the door. He’d just come back from his task and Gideon was at his side. Gideon’s chest was heaving, but his breath was silent. He looked covered in sweat, like he’d run at full speed. His hair was all over the place, plastered to him, his face was flushed, and his green eyes were bright.
If they wanted to convince Cass of anything, they should have him like this more often when they were asking for something. A knight who had overexerted himself and his chest was heaving from it?
Cass was learning that with Cassian’s help, he was a simple man. He saw someone attractive struggle and he’d watch. Fuck, Cass might even drool if he didn’t watch himself.
"Of course. Is it something serious?" Cass asked, feigning knowledge. Edgar and Gideon glanced at each other before Gideon sighed softly.
"It could be." He said gravely and Cass nodded. Okay, good. They really weren’t keeping anything from him. It was just...Sam and Cass both jumping the gun here. Both nervous, both a little burnt. Cass felt his hand relax where he’d pressed a fist against his thigh under the desk. He intentionally laid his palm flat, forcing himself to relax.
"Okay. I’m glad that you told me that ahead of time. Otherwise, I would be worrying about it for the rest of the day." Cass told them honestly and watched as surprise crossed their features before Edgar quickly moved across the room and placed his hand on top of Cass’. The one that he had been using to write.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t even consider that. We were just stuck in our own anxiety that I forgot to consider your own." Edgar admitted. Was it something that hurt him a little to not be considered always? Cass wasn’t such a sensitive person, and they were all still adjusting to...whatever the hell this relationship was. Cass didn’t take it personally because they were apologising.
Even Gideon looked a little shocked, embarrassed, and flustered. Cass smiled.
"It’s okay. This is better than the last time, so it’s okay." Cass told them. Edgar squeezed his hand tightly.
"I’m sorry for that too. We shouldn’t decide things without you. We’ll make sure to remind Lucy when he comes back." Edgar promised, his gaze growing fierce. Cass let out a soft laugh. He smiled at them, a gentle thing that had Edgar and Gideon flushing slightly. Even Sam had to look away at the charming way that Cass was looking at them.
"It’s okay, and thank you. I’ll also make sure to remind him." Cass said. Edgar coughed, blinking slowly and Cass realised his gaze was growing brighter, more monstrous. Cass furrowed his brows. "Is everything alright?" Cass asked and watched as Edgar raised his other hand to cover his face as he let out a groan. Cass had no idea what was going on as Edgar turned to look at Gideon who gave a quick nod.
"We’ve changed our minds. This is far too urgent." Edgar mumbled, squeezing Cass’ hand on the table again. "Can you come with us to your room? I think this is something you’ll want to discuss with a lower chance of others hearing us." Edgar told him seriously. Cass had no idea what that meant but he nodded.
"Alright. I don’t think I have anything I need to complete. Right Sam?" Cass turned to his lead henchmen and Sam nodded.
"You’ve completed everything I would consider urgent." Sam agreed and Cass found Edgar coming around the desk and tugging him to his feet carefully. Cass was then whisked out of the room, Gideon closing the door behind him with a nod to Sam before the two men ushered him up the stairs.
Cass found himself sitting down on his couch upstairs, Edgar holding his hand from one side, his thigh pressed against Cass’ and Gideon on the other side. His thigh was also pressed against Cass’ and his hand was far more tentative in reaching for Cass’. Either way, Cass was boxed in by the two men and Cass could recall the sound of the lock sliding home after they had entered the room.
Cass blinked, a little surprised that he had been so efficiently escorted, but then again, he had a feeling he would always be easily escorted when it came to any of the men in his life. Even Sam, but for completely different reasons.
"Is this really necessary?" Cass asked, no heat to his words. He was even smiling. Edgar gulped, staring at Cass’ face before his eyes slid to Gideon. Cass would have found it offensive if the two men weren’t using him as the filling to their sandwich.
’Well, if you want us to pull back, we can. I wouldn’t like it, but I would do it." Gideon spoke up and had Cass turning his head to him. Gideon’s body had calmed down in the time that they had to get up the stairs. It was tragic, but he was still fit and broad, so that was nice. Cass wanted to laugh at the honesty in his green gaze.
"Wow. Thank you, Gideon." Cass teased and watched the redhead flush.
"Don’t tease me like that. Your opinion matters to us, we just...also have our own preferences. That’s not the exact reason why we are doing it, but it’s probably 80% of the reason we’re pressed against you like this." Gideon countered, his bottom lip shifting ever so slightly to stick out. It was an amazing sight and Cass was glad that Edgar spoke up so that his mind didn’t wander.
"The other 20% is that we’re worried you’ll bolt." Edgar said. That wasn’t a very kind assessment of Cass, if he was honest. It was actually quite rude.
"I would never do something like that." Cass muttered, annoyed and Edgar let out a tense breath.
"Even if what we were about to tell you was about how your body has changed?" Edgar asked and Cass froze. His body? Something had-
"What are you talking about?" Cass asked quickly, feeling how he tensed, his body breaking out into a cold sweat. This wasn’t about the freckles, was it? "This isn’t about the freckles, is it?" Cass asked, just to make sure. Edgar shook his head slowly, his eyes sympathetic.
"No. It’s not about the freckles." He agreed quietly. He slid his gaze to Gideon one more time before he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and steeled himself.
When he opened his gaze again, his blue eyes were warm, but there was something to them that had Cass wanting to squirm away. Both men tightened their grip on Cass’ hands.
"Cass, um, I think your demonic blood has increased in power." Edgar started carefully. "Which we should have expected, right? You’ve been starved for a long time, right? When you start feeding it you’ll grow stronger. That’s a pretty basic connection, right?" Cass nodded.
"Yes." Cass agreed, wondering where he was going with this. Edgar hesitated.
"Well, things have gotten far more serious than just the smell that I was able to pick up during your last heat." Edgar told him. "There’s another change that’s happened and I...Gideon and I looked over the book but there was no mention of it. Our guess is either the author didn’t have an interaction with someone like you or his memory had been tampered with." Cass blinked slowly.
"Someone like me?" He repeated and Edgar nodded.
"A sex demon, Cass. That’s what we’re talking about." Gideon added and Cass turned his gaze to him. Gideon’s expression was rather serious and Cass wasn’t sure what to make of it.
"What happened to have both of you so serious?" Cass asked, trying to be joking, playful. This felt far too serious. Too real. Edgar sighed.
"Your pupils changed." Edgar told him. Cass blinked. What?
"Is it like...how Lucian’s change when he shifts?" Cass asked and Edgar shook his head at first but then he seemed thoughtful for a second.
"They didn’t elongate like his pupils do, but I guess it’s similar." He flushed. "They...turned into hearts, Cass." Cass felt his jaw drop. No fucking way.
No. Fucking. Way.
"Hearts?" Cass squeaked and Edgar nodded.
"Hearts." He confirmed grimly and Cass was silent for a moment before a laugh of disbelief left his lips.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Cass asked and Edgar winced.
"No, Bunny, I’m dead serious. We thought it was just a trick of our imagination or from your scent until..." Edgar trailed off and Cass went through his memories, trying to understand why he was looking like that.
Then, he recalled the mealtime, when Gideon and Sam had looked at him and Gideon had then offered-
"My eyes did it again." Cass murmured and Edgar let out a tense breath.
"Yeah. They did." He agreed, sounding relieved that Cass believed him. The problem was that Cass had otherworldly knowledge that Edgar didn’t. Cass had media and other books that spoke of these kinds of powers, these kinds of situations. Were they normally during when the bottom really liked when something was happening? Yeah. Cass knew that.
His whole body lit up like a damn light.
"Can I...have my hands back now?" Cass asked and both men let go quickly. Cass hunched over his knees, covering his face with his hands. He wanted the world to be fair. To be kind.
He didn’t even have the knowledge of if this was because of demons like him had that pupil change or if it was exclusive to him because...well, he was him. Cass’ face burned with how hot it was.
"Cass? Are you okay?" Edgar asked, worried. A large hand, not Edgar’s, covered Cass’ back. It patted him soothingly and Cass wanted to shrug it off but knew that was just because he was embarrassed.
"I want the world to swallow me whole, but I’ll be okay. I just...need some time." Cass mumbled into his hands. Thankfully, Edgar and Gideon could both hear and understand him.
"Okay." Edgar said, relief coming off of him in waves. He clearly thought that he was going to have more of a fight with Cass about this, but why would Cass do that? They wouldn’t fucking lie about something so absurd. They had worried he would bolt and damnit, they were right to worry. Cass wanted to find a closet to hide in.
Hearts? Seriously? What was this, a lewd comic or something?