Chapter 661: Cass will not take no for an answer
"C-Cass, it’s the middle of the day and you should-"
"Shut up, Eddie. I’m not planning to do anything strange, and while we do have a lot we still need to do, I’m not about to let you continue down this strange path of thinking. Both of you. If either of you protest, I’ll get very angry." Cass didn’t want to actually threaten them to remain by his side, but he couldn’t deny that there was a pull to do so. What could he say?
He was angry, annoyed, and he felt that they both needed to learn a lesson. Cass was not about to let this stand. His people, the people he’d selected, thinking this way? Had they forgotten how Cass had reacted with Sam? Did no one learn from the past?
Cass dragged his two unwilling lovers through the other chambers of his rooms and towards the bedroom. He knew that they were probably thinking that Cass was going to do something sexual, that he was going to pin them down and have his wicked way with them. In a way, that would be easier, but that wasn’t what Cass had planned.
Magically, he swung the doors open to his bedroom, stomping inside with both of the men in tow. He only let go of their hands when they were both inside, and once there, he released their hands and slammed the door closed behind them. He turned, marching over and locking the door. When he turned back around to face them, he placed his hands on his hips and stared at them.
Both Edgar and Gideon looked nervous.
"Cass, we didn’t tell anyone that we were taking a break." Gideon said carefully and Cass snorted.
"The people I hire aren’t stupid. They can take a hint. If something urgent comes up outside of Byron having to be rushed off, Sir Forsythe will come looking for us. He’s served masters before me. He knows what searching for a bit of privacy means." Cass told them and watched as both men blushed. Why the hell were they doing that? It wasn’t as if they hadn’t touched each other before.
Their blushing only made Cass want to blush.
"Get on the bed. Both of you." Cass ordered, turning his face away to hide his own reaction. They both hesitated before following his orders. While Cass was still fairly weak compared to the both of them, he was a far stronger mage than both of them. Even if Gideon hit Cass with his holy powers and ran, it was likely that Cass would recover in time to harm them. Not that Gideon would ever do that.
That would harm Cass, and the man had literally signed a contract that said that he wouldn’t do that. Cass needed to break that contract, damnit. He had been putting it off, but as soon as Lucian came back after helping Byron, he was going to sit them all down and burn the damn thing in front of them. He trusted Gideon enough that the man didn’t need to be bound to him like some kind of dog.
He was sure Gideon was going to protest it. The man liked his bonds, after all. Cass would just have to get to work on a different kind of bond, one that Fiona had hinted at in her damn runaway letter.
The men got on the bed but it was clear they had no idea what Cass had planned.
"On your backs." Cass ordered, hands still on his hips, his stance unchanged as he watched them. They were so obedient. If they had animal ears he was sure that they would be wilted, sad and quiet but he was sure that they would warm up once Cass joined them. Watching to make sure that they followed his orders, they laid down next to each other like they were corpses, not lovers, and Cass nearly laughed. He made sure he didn’t, turning to make sure that the door was locked, before he moved.
He didn’t go to either side of the bed, instead climbing over the end of the bed and crawling up the bed. Edgar and Gideon watched, Gideon’s eyes as wide as saucers while Edgar looked only marginally less surprised. What did surprise them was how Cass magically yoinked them so that they were closer together. Then Cass climbed up and settled on top of both of them, sighing as he laid down and wrapped his arms around both of their shoulders.
"C-Cass?" Edgar asked, his heart racing in his chest. Gideon wasn’t much better. In fact, it seemed like they were competing to see who could have their heart race more. Cass didn’t respond, instead nuzzling the shoulders under his face, sighing at the bed he’d made for himself.
He hooked both of his legs around theirs, wrapping around them and holding onto them like a damn vine. He was making himself at home, and he could tell that it was making them very confused.
"W-What are you-"
"You’re both exhausted." Cass cut Edgar off. "You’ve been running around, doing all kinds of shit in the name of ’it’s for Cass’ sake’. Who the hell asked you to push yourselves so hard? I’m very certain I didn’t." Cass told them, unable to dull the sharpness in his tone. Both men winced. "Why do people tend to think that I want you to push yourself to your absolute limit? That’s not what I asked. Even damn Byron thought that was what I would have wanted, and he will be getting a punishment after he gets back, don’t think that he won’t. However, you two need to be punished first." Cass told them.
Using their bodies, he pushed himself up, the heels of his hands digging into each of their shoulders. Neither protested, the damn fools, both staring up at him like he’d grown two heads.
"Do you think I’m an idiot? I know what the worst kind of punishment is for people like you." Cass told them and watched as they both swallowed. They shared a look, confusion on their faces as Cass snorted. He rolled his eyes, shifting his weight so that he hovered over Gideon first. "For you, it’s forced bedrest." Cass told him, watching as Gideon paled. The man couldn’t afford it. If he went any paler, he might just fade away. Being a ginger, he gave the vampire a run for his money.
Cass shifted and hovered over Edgar, staring into that pretty, pretty face of his. "For you, Eddie," Cass began and watched as Edgar swallowed thickly. "Your punishment is along the same lines, but different. I’ve noticed something and I don’t think you’ll like this." Cass told him seriously. Edgar paused, his eyes going wide.
"W-What are you-?" Edgar began but Cass was already on it. He hadn’t forgotten how Edgar had reacted when they’d gone on their shopping outing. The man had been unaccustomed to people seeing him for him and still pursuing him, yet he had no problem when things got sexual. That could only mean a few things, and while Cass was dumb when it came to himself, he wasn’t when it came to others.
Cass turned, pressing a kiss against Edgar’s collarbone.
"You have such pretty skin, Eddie. Soft and smooth. You must take care of it when no one is watching, right?" Cass’ face burned as he began his punishment, but he wasn’t about to stop. Not when Edgar let out a choked sound. Cass lowered his hand, using the grip that he had on Gideon to be able to move his hand down Edgar’s arm. It was a slow, sweet gesture that made Edgar’s face warm.
It wasn’t the touch that he was used to getting from Cass. One that was usually charged with sexual interest, sexual intent. Cass was not doing that. Instead, Cass gently touched Edgar’s wrist, pulling it up until it was in Edgar’s line of sight and Cass gently pressed a kiss against the thudding pulse there. Edgar’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, his face warm.
"So soft and sweet. You’re so handsome, Eddie." Cass said. Edgar let out a choked sound, somewhere between a groan and a whimper.
"W-W-W-What are you doing?" He stuttered and Cass grinned, pressing another soft kiss against Edgar’s wrist, then shifting the hold he had on him until Cass was kissing each of his knuckles, then his fingertips. Edgar looked shaken to his core.
"I’m giving you your punishment. You seem well-adapted to showing others affection and granting sexual favours, but having affections showered on yourself? Eddie, you’re very bad at that." Cass tsked, as if he wasn’t greatly enjoying this. Edgar let out another choked sound while Cass felt Gideon shift under him.
"Cass, why are our punishments different?" Gideon asked. "Objectively, Eddie and I are the same." Gideon said and Cass turned, his lips still touching the twitching digits of Edgar’s hand as he looked at Gideon.
"While that normally would be true, and I would love to treat both of you in the same fashion, you can’t exactly have the same kind of treatment as Eddie if you can’t stay awake for it, Gideon." Cass told him. Gideon’s face flushed. Cass opened his mouth to nibble on Edgar’s ring finger before he caught himself. That was too far, and too sexual for what he had planned. "You need your rest." Cass told him. "Which is why I’m on top of you both. I can keep a better eye on you both if I’m acting as your prison." Cass said confidently. That was where he messed up.
Gideon’s eyes curled at the corners, trembling as he raised his free hand to cover his mouth. Cass narrowed his gaze as he felt the bodies under him began to shake.
"Y-You’re going to act as our warden?" Gideon asked and Cass growled.
"I can’t?" Cass asked and Edgar let out a soft, tinkling sound that had Cass turning his glare towards him.
"No, I believe you’re capable." Gideon began, "but you’re so...light, Cass. You aren’t heavy enough to be a true punishment. Why, I can fit you in the palm of my hand." Gideon’s hand came up and cupped Cass’ ass. Cass let out a yelp.
"Hey!" Cass protested while Edgar’s shoulders shook.
"I don’t think it’s fair that you’re punishing us when we’re just modeling ourselves after you, Cass. You do this kind of thing so easily, we’re just wanting to make sure we don’t lose to you." Edgar said. Cass scoffed.
"I’m not like either of you." Cass said, maybe a little cruelly. It wasn’t intentional, but he could see how it quickly affected both of them. The humour died and Cass scrambled. "I just-I’ve always been like this! As Cassian before, and also as Caspian. I’ve always been a hard worker, and with Cassian’s capable hands, it just made things easier." Cass coughed. "But unlike Cassian, and you two, apparently, I am capable of taking time off. I was already planning to do so when everything went to hell in a handbasket and Byron decided that he was a big boy when he is, in fact, not." Cass rambled.
Both men stared at him.
"You? You were planning to take a break?" Edgar asked and Cass was offended by that.
"I was! The nursery tree is in its pot, we’ve hired more staff, I was going to make you your office and surprise you with it, I’m confined to my rooms because of these damn changes, what else is there for me to do but take a break? I love breaks, I just don’t get to take them because the damn world wants me to suffer." Cass complained, scowling. "You two, however, seem incapable of taking them on your own. So, here I am." Cass said proudly, unaware of how his red eyes shined and his cheeks flushed proudly.
Gideon snorted, turning his face away as his body shook. Edgar pulled his hand free from Cass’ only to slide it up into Cass’ hair and yank him down, resting Cass against his chest.
"You’re not good for my heart, Bunny. I think I’m going to die from cuteness." Edgar mumbled. Cass wriggled. They were not getting away with calling him cute.