Cass was a little shy. Normally, he had his demonic blood pumping, his mind racing, and he wasn’t exactly at the forefront when it came to reason and control. Now, though?
He was going to remember everything, and that terrified him and excited him at the same time. Cass felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest as they finalised the last details. Cass didn’t think that sleeping with someone required so many checks and balances, but maybe it did when so many people were involved.
For example, Gideon and Lucian established that neither of them wanted to bottom. Edgar and Cass had to say out loud that they did want to bottom, and Cass had to say out loud that he wanted to do both.
It was embarrassing to Cass, but there was also something about saying it out loud that took some weight off of his shoulders. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was probably what kept him still as Edgar helped Cass undress as Lucian and Gideon quickly stripped off their own clothes.
The tension in the air was thick and Cass found himself turning towards the door, triple checking that the door was locked. Cass nearly jumped out of his skin when Edgar chuckled.
"Why do you keep checking the door, Cass? Nervous? That’s cute." Cass felt his face flame at Edgar’s soft, teasing voice in his ear.
"W-Well, I just-I’m allowed to be nervous, alright? Can you blame me? I’ve been in either comically large rooms where the door is all the way across the room or outside in a tent or something equivalent. I just-" Lucian’s fingers, tender but distracting plucked Cass’ chin, pulling it upwards and Lucian kissed his mouth. He cut off Cass’ words, swallowing them with his own laughing kiss.
"You’re sweet, Cass. It’s okay to be nervous, and I appreciate you checking to make sure we’re safe." Lucian’s orange gaze was warm, capable of melting him from the inside out. Cass shivered, Edgar’s hands sliding against his skin, carefully pulling his clothes off. He felt like an animal caught in a trap as he continued to stare into Lucian’s warm gaze.
"I-I wasn’t-" Cass didn’t want him to think he had been doing something that he hadn’t, but Lucian wouldn’t let him get a word in edgewise. He just chuckled, his thumb gently rubbing Cass’ chin in soft, coaxing circles. Fuck.
"Shh. It’s okay. Let us take care of you, alright?" Lucian’s voice was a purr as he lowered his head again, his eyes warm, his lips soft, and Cass couldn’t stop the small little sound he made before their lips made contact again. Edgar’s hands pulled Cass’ clothes off, Lucian nibbled and sucked at his lips. He was coaxing him, pulling him into kisses that were teasing as much as they were bringing his body alive. His tongue was so warm, his lips so soft, and the teasing hairs of his beard and mustache made Cass jerk every time they brushed against Cass’ more delicate skin.
Cass felt like he was intoxicated.
He was aware of Edgar chuckling, his bare chest pressing against Cass’ back as he hugged him and pressed a kiss against his shoulder blade.
"He’s all done, Lucy." Edgar whispered. A rumble sounded in Lucian’s throat, vibrating the air as Lucian’s hand dropped from Cass’ chin. Cass was going to protest until he felt Lucian’s hands touch his skin. Cass jerked, prepared for the man to grab him, pull him, possess him. Lucian was bigger than he remembered, and Cass was too afraid to look down and see how bigger he was in the places that would matter to him.
However, Lucian surprised Cass and, it sounded like, he surprised Edgar and Gideon as well. It seemed they were all of the same mind. They thought Lucian was going to pick Cass up too, but Lucian didn’t.
Instead, his big, large, slightly rough hands began to trace Cass’ body. It was still possessive. Cass realised that after he got over the shock of feeling his hands slide over his skin and his body began to prick with goosebumps.
Lucian continued to kiss Cass, continued to tease him, pull him in deeper, seduce him. All the while he ran his hands over his body. He didn’t stop to linger in any particular location, like Cass’ chest, or lower stomach, and instead he touched him like a man who had never felt him before. He touched him like he was trying to imprint everything that Cass was, his very essence, into his mind.
That was more seductive to Cass than him tugging on his nipples and it alarmed Cass that the dragon had seen that deeply inside of Cass as well as melted him on the spot. He even took his arms, one at a time, and ran his hands up and down them. Feeling each fingertip, pressing them with his bigger hands and it wasn’t until he couldn’t reach any other upper body part and had to go to his lower body that Cass pulled away from the kiss.
His chest was heaving, his face felt warm, he was sure he was sweating, but when he met Lucian’s heated gaze, and slid his eyes to the watching and waiting Edgar and Gideon, did he realise that what Lucian had been doing to him hadn’t just turned him on. It had turned everyone on. Cass blushed more.
"Enough." Cass tried to sound serious, firm, but his voice came out a little too breathy, a little too weak. Lucian’s lips didn’t curl up in a smile. He instead watched Cass like a beast, unblinking.
"Are you upset?" He asked and Cass hesitated before he shook his head.
"No, not upset. You’d just have to bend at an odd angle if we continued whatever you’re doing standing up." Cass mumbled, any strength gone from his voice. Lucian finally blinked, his expression relaxing as he heard Cass’ words.
"Oh Cassy Baby. So you didn’t hate it?" Lucian asked and Cass swallowed. He dropped his gaze for a second, his heart thumping in his chest. After a few seconds he sighed and decided to hell with his pride, it wasn’t needed right now.
"Why wouldn’t I like any of you touching me?" Cass asked, sliding his eyes back up to Lucian’s slightly surprised ones. "You just always tended to find the worst times to do it, or we were too public for my comfort before." Cass added. Edgar let out a soft breath.
"What about when you were being bold?" He asked, clearly feeling wronged and Cass slid his gaze towards him. His eyes were big, red hearts as he stared down the man he wanted to fuck.
"Did anyone even consider something was going on between us?" Cass asked and watched Edgar’s mouth flounder for a response. Cass nodded sharply. "That’s your answer. You huffing and puffing could mean that we were arguing. For the most part, only those in the know would consider it was for a different reason you were huffing and puffing." Cass said, his lips curling up slightly.
Lucian’s hand slid to Cass’ hip, pulling him a little closer. He was letting out a steady, rumbling sound that had Cass’ bones rattling. It should have scared him, or unnerved him. Instead, it seemed to be having a calming sensation on him. "Dangerous little fairy." Lucian murmured, pure delight and pleasure on his face. Cass blushed. He had a way of complimenting him that seemed to make both Cass and Cassian happy, and that continued to be true.
"I’m going to make you regret telling me that." Edgar muttered and Cass blinked.
"Oh, it’s not going to work again." Cass told him plainly and Edgar blinked.
"Why not?" He demanded and Cass rolled his eyes. He could feel the pull of Lucian’s body heat calling to him, Lucian’s gaze burning Cass’ skin where it was looking.
"Well, the papers, Eddie. We let Christopher and his people do what they wanted, and now everyone is going to think that I’m a homosexual. You won’t be able to get away with it the same way I had been able to do it, not unless we’re traveling outside of the country." Cass told him plainly and watched in real time as Edgar’s hopes were crushed. Gideon reached for the handsome man, pulling him against his side to offer him comfort.
"It’s alright, Eddie. Maybe you can find another way to tease Cass in public?" Gideon suggested and Cass watched as Edgar crossed his arms and pouted.
"No, it’s not going to work. I wanted to get back at him in the same way. You have no idea how awful it was to be so turned on and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it." Edgar muttered, annoyed. Gideon blinked slowly.
"Would your anger be quelled if you did it to me?" Gideon asked and Cass watched as Edgar froze. Cass was waiting for his response when Lucian growled.
"Pay attention to me." He complained, squeezing Cass’ skin under his hand. Cass sucked in, turning towards the dragon as his lips came down on Cass’ again. The kiss was heavier, pushier and Cass had to reach up his hands to hold onto his shoulders for purchase. Lucian’s kiss was so consuming that Cass didn’t realise the man picked him up and gently climbed onto the bed. Cass didn’t even register that Lucian was holding him or that they were sideways. Cass was just enjoying sucking on the man’s tongue.
God, he’d fucking missed him. The shape of him, the feel of him. Gideon and Edgar were great, truly, but it didn’t feel complete without Lucian here. For Cass’ sake, and Cassian’s.
Cass pulled back and Lucian seemed ready for Cass to pause or put a halt to it, but it was Cass he leaned in and pressed an openmouthed kiss against Lucian’s throat. He did it below his beard, his dark black hair slightly under his lips. Cass didn’t care. He continued to pepper Lucian’s skin before Lucian groaned.
"Love, what are you doing?" Lucian asked, his control tight. Cass pulled back, staring up at Lucian as a curtain of dark dark shrouded them.
"I’m also getting to know your body." Cass licked his lips. "Just with my mouth instead of my hands. Is that okay?" Lucian’s eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth at Cass. Cass wasn’t sure what that meant until he felt Lucian carefully placed Cass down on the bed. Cass hadn’t even realised that he hadn’t put him down yet. He’d crawled up onto the bed, had even changed the angle that they were lying at, and had just held Cass there until he was ready to put him down.
Cass let out a soft sigh. What a caring dragon.
"If I ever say you can’t get to know me with your mouth, stab me. I am an impostor." Lucian growled. Cass let out a slightly nervous laugh, Lucian’s serious words surprising him.
"Oh, okay." Cass said. A beat of silence hung between them before Cass closed his eyes, blushing. "I’m sorry I’m so awkward." Cass whispered and Lucian’s hand was there, cupping his cheeks softly, with great care.
"Cass, it’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. Remember it wasn’t long ago before you weren’t even able to recall what happened in your heats. From what I’ve heard, you’re able to recall them now, yes?" Cass nodded, a little miserable and Lucian sighed. "Good. I didn’t like holding you when you weren’t yourself. It made me feel like I was doing things against your will. Admittedly, there was a time when I thought those kinds of things were fine, but having spent moments with you when you are aware and able to enjoy the moment, I know I don’t like it. I can tell what that strange feeling in my chest was now that I look back on it." Lucian told him softly before he pressed a kiss to Cass’ forehead.
Cass was surprised to hear his words, but relieved at the same time. He was glad that Lucian felt that way, even if recalling Cass’ heats were incredibly embarrassing to him.
"I am a little bit of a different person during them, aren’t I?" Cass agreed, a little shy and Lucian chuckled.
"Well, I think you’re not as different as you think, but that’s okay. We’ll take this as slow as you need, Cass. I want you to be open, willing, and I don’t want to hurt you as I fill you up today." Lucian purred and it took Cass a second to register what he meant. He sucked in, ready to grow embarrassed or shout his name when Lucian kissed him, chuckling. "Quell your anger, love. I’ll make it feel really good. You like my tongue, yes? You’ll like my dick more."