Chapter 288: It has a dragon head and everything
"You use magic a lot more than I do." Cass said softly, and watched as surprise crossed Edgar’s face. Then, it softened and the man stared at him, his lips soft.
"Well, I imagine that it has something to do with the fact that I was forced to do so from a young age. Because of the blood that runs in my veins, I had no choice but be good at magic. Part of it was what sealed my fate, the other part was something I inherited from my Mother." Edgar said, and Cass felt like he might have stepped onto a landmine.
Edgar didn’t look upset to be speaking about it, but he didn’t look happy.
"Uh, that might be the case. I also had to relearn how to use magic when I came back." The words poured out of Cass, and Cass froze.
He was not supposed to tell the other man that. He really shouldn’t have. Edgar paused, staring at Cass as Cass stared at him.
"What? What do you mean? You were able to use magic easily in the dungeon." Edgar said, his tone accusing and Cass flinched. Cass tried to recall what they had spoken about before, but it was Edgar who recalled the information first. "Wait. You had lessons with Lucy at the manor. I thought that was just some fallout from the mark and your magical management. Did you lose control of your magic because you-" Edgar looked horrified, his blue eyes widening. Cass felt uncomfortable as he came to this realisation.
"I’m fine now." Cass joked, uncomfortable and shifting on his feet. Cass was partially undressed before this man. This was not the kind of time that he wanted the man to be feeling bad for him.
"How can you be fine? Gods above, what the hell was I doing keeping my eyes closed when it came to you before? I’m a damn fool." Edgar muttered, shaking his head and his blonde hair shifted, catching the candlelight.
Cass gulped. The man was too damn handsome for his own good, and Cass was feeling even more uncomfortable.
"I think it’s fairly reasonable for you to have kept your eyes closed before. We didn’t really have anything to do with each other before." Cass said cautiously, hoping that the man would just agree with him. "Edgar, I need to-"
"It’s no excuse." Edgar started, cutting Cass off. His voice was emotional, desperate. He ran a hand up his face, his fingers tangling in his hair in a critically handsome way. "I feel so damn bad. I was so full of my own issues that I didn’t realise you were in so much pain until I literally was slapped in the face with it. Fuck. I forced you to tell me you were a hero too." Edgar gave a bitter smile. "Maybe this is my own punishment? Getting kicked out of my own family, being the only one alive of the Vespertine line...fuck. The gods are done with us." Edgar grumbled and Cass felt like his head was spinning.
"Edgar, I know that you are grappling with some big thoughts and feelings right now, but I really just want to run a bath and read a book right now. I’m exhausted." Cass only felt a little bad that he was interrupting Edgar’s moment.
Edgar, for his part, flushed the colour of a tomato and halted all movement. His face twisted as embarrassment washed over him and then he started laughing.
"I look like a fucking idiot." He told Cass, and Cass couldn’t exactly say that he didn’t. A handsome idiot, or a handsome fool. Most fools were handsome, after all, but Cass wasn’t going to tell him that. "I’ve made it all about myself again. By the gods, old habits die hard. Alright. You would like to take a bath and read a book? I am a bit suspicious about leaving you alone in the tub of water on your own." Edgar said carefully and Cass felt his cheeks warm.
"Well you can’t come in with me. The tub isn’t big enough." Cass declared and Edgar stared at him, before his brows furrowed.
"The...tub isn’t big enough? Cass, are you getting the house you built and this one confused?" Edgar asked softly and Cass shook his head. No, he wasn’t. This one had a small tub.
Edgar, noticing Cass’ expression, bit his lip and carefully took Cass’ hand in his own and led him to the bathroom. Cass was so convinced that he was going to see a tub like the one he had at the manor that he was cocky.
He should have known better.
When the door opened and Edgar took him inside, Cass halted.
No.
No!
There was no way that was true! He had a bath earlier in the day! He had just been in the bathroom! How the fuck had it-
All at once he came to two possibilities. One, the mansion had changed to suit his needs-whatever the fuck that meant-or someone who was a lot bigger than him had dome some funny business.
Cass turned on his heel, grumbling already as Edgar followed after him, a smile on his lips as he watched Cass move.
Cass flung open the door to his rooms, turning his head to glare at the large, black-haired man who looked down at Cass softly with his orange gaze.
"Cassian, you’re half dressed. What can I do for you, sweetness?" Lucian asked, his voice silky. Cass was almost sure that the man had heard their conversation, but he couldn’t be sure. Not without another dragon around. Cass pointed a finger at the man, his pointer finger sinking into the plush skin of his pec.
Lucian watched him, amused, as Cass grew flustered at his own action.
"Lucian, did you mess around with my ro-den?" Cass corrected at the last minute, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to wiggle out of it if he referred to it as that. Lucian, for his part, was all smiles as he heard Cass ask that question.
"Do you like it? I wanted to make it so that you could sink into it further and enjoy yourself. Did you notice the steps and the shape of the faucet? I made it into a dragon head." He said proudly, and Cass felt a slight twinge of guilt.
The man, so far, didn’t appear to have a...bad intention behind what he had done. Cass knew it had to be there, that sneaky, dirty intention, given who it was, but still. Being faced with such pure giddiness that Cass had found what he’d worked on during the day made Cass falter.
"He was just shocked. He was expecting a smaller tub, and we were even arguing about it." Edgar spoke up behind Cass, and Cass turned so that he was able to look at the other man. Sir Forsythe, who was also at the door keeping guard, remained staring straight ahead.
Clearly, he didn’t want to get involved in his Lord’s personal relationships. Not like this. Cass was almost grateful he was turning a blind eye. God, when Sam got here, Cass was going to be in so much trouble.
"Lucian, while I appreciate that you changed the tub, I don’t like surprises like this." Cass said carefully, and Lucian blinked.
"Oh. I’m sorry. Should I have told you I left you a surprise in the bathroom? I just wanted to make sure when your time comes you are able to bathe. I know you like to be clean, and I doubt you would appreciate it if I did it with my tongue." Cass felt his eyes shoot open as Lucian nodded. "Even though my tongue is very clean, and I’m very fast." He was bragging.
Edgar was trying not to lose his mind behind him while Cass felt like his face was going to explode.
"Lucian, keep your damn voice down!" Cass hissed. "The walls have ears!" Cass warned and Lucian sniffed, glanced around, and sighed.
"No one is around, Cassian. I wouldn’t embarrass you like that. I know that humans are sensitive when dragons talk about those kinds of things. You’re all so strange about nudity. It’s why I have these tight clothes on me right now." Tight clothes?
Lucian called those tight clothes? They barely covered his damn chest! He was practically wearing a tablecloth! Cass didn’t want to know what he considered loose clothing. Cass would bet it was just a fucking sheet.
Cass removed his finger from his chest to rub it over his face.
"Okay. Is there a reason you made it so big?" Cass asked, knowing that he probably wasn’t going to like the answer.
"Well, you aren’t going to be alone this time, and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. It works better if I’m in the tub with you too." Lucian said. He was calm, he was composed. He was speaking as if it was a given.
"Did I say you were helping me?" Cass asked, his voice a little sharp. Lucian grew quiet.
"I...might have made some assumptions." He muttered and Cass sighed. Then he groaned.
"Lucian..." He grumbled and Lucian sighed.
"I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just-I can’t see you suffer like that again, Cassian! You were so beaten up, and I just-" He cut off, choking on the words he wanted to say. Cass looked up at him, and found that Lucian’s gaze swam.
The man was about to cry.
"The fallout after everything was the worst. The absolute worst. If I can avoid you having that kind of reaction, I’ll do anything. Agree to anything. I just can’t watch you almost die again." Lucian’s voice was quiet.
Cass wasn’t sure what to say in the face of such obvious concern. Cass slid his gaze towards Edgar, who also looked upset, and then towards Sir Forsythe. His jaw was tight, his gaze hard, and when he looked at Cass, Cass could tell that the man was in some kind of agreement.
"I didn’t like seeing you like that either, my Lord." Sir Forsythe whispered. "It’s not my place to say anything about your choices, I am sure you’ve found a solution on your own that wouldn’t include Draken, but..." Sir Forsythe let out a long exhale. "Just please make sure we don’t have to worry your heart won’t start again." Sir Forsythe said softly. Cass was speechless.
Had his heart stopped? He couldn’t recall. He remembered having difficulty breathing, and that it sounded absolutely terrible, but beyond that...
"Can we discuss this tomorrow?" Cass asked, tired, and Lucian nodded.
"Of course we can. Have a good rest, and take good care of him, Edgar." Lucian told him softly. Edgar let out a sigh.
"I want to." Edgar told him, meaning his words. "Come on, Cass. Let’s get you into that new bath, hmm? I’ll even wear a blindfold." Edgar joked, but as soon as he said it Cass was really considering it. Watching Edgar, blindfolded, while he sat and read novels in the new tub?
It was tempting.
Maybe he could convince him to take his shirt off too.