(BL) The Villain wants a Divorce!

The morning after Byron and Sam left in a hurry felt...strange. Quiet. Sir Forsythe was true to his word and made sure that food was brought up to Cass’ rooms. Cass decided that the empty space that he’d barely ever used might be a nice place to have a little table. It overlooked the gardens below, and provided enough shade for Edgar. It could be a cute spot to have as a little breakfast nook.

If they needed more space, they could just expand the rooms. He had magic. Damn, he’d been a fool for forgetting about it. He’d been able to roam freely before now, but since he was trapped here, why not spruce things up? He couldn’t exactly have workers coming in and out of his room, and with Sam gone, he was down a very capable henchman, but he could make due.

Maybe he could...magic up a helping friend? Was that against the rules? What were the magic rules about conjuring life? Would he be trampling on a few laws?

He was already doing that by existing as he was, why not break a few more? What if he made a cute little guy who could help make tea? He was sure Sam would love it.

Cass felt the humour and fun of the situation fade as he realised, with dawning horror, that that was essentially what Sam was. A cute little guy who helped make him tea.

Sam was the little guy. He was the imp. Fuck, Cass couldn’t do that. That plan had to be boycotted as soon as he had thought of it.

Either way, Cass pushed his own feelings aside and while the three of them were eating in Cass’ office, Sir Forsythe lingering nearby, Cass workshopped the idea of putting a small table in the bedroom so that they could have meals there. Obviously, the colour scheme would have to change, but he didn’t think getting new paint on the walls would take too much work.

Gideon and Edgar had stared at him like he had two heads before Edgar’s eyes started watering. Cass had no idea what was going on even after Edgar reached for him and pulled him close. Edgar didn’t explain himself, which only left Cass more confused as the man wept into his shoulder.

When Cass looked over at Gideon, he looked ready to cry as well. Cass didn’t understand from his memories why they were reacting this way. Until Cassian’s memories hit him.

Eating alone in his room. Uncomfortable, undesired. His grandfather throwing lavish parties while Cassian was stuck up in his rooms. Cassian being able to see the glow from his secluded rooms windows. Thinking of their family relationships, it didn’t seem like they’d had a different childhood. Not by much, at least. That still didn’t explain why Edgar was weeping into Cass’ arms, though.

"Are you hungry, Eddie? Do you need a drink?" Cass asked, worried that he was hangry like Cass sometimes got. Edgar shook his head, his hands clutching at Cass’ clothes.

"N-No, I just." Edgar cut himself off, a hiccupping sob leaving his lips. He buried his face into Cass’ shoulder. Cass, unwilling to let the man crumble alone, reached up and held him in his arms. He was worried. Edgar hadn’t seemed this fragile before, but now that he was holding him, the man was trembling. Why was he crying like this?

"It’s just a small table. Do you dislike it that much? Is it against some kind of rules? I’m sorry, but I don’t understand, nor does Cassian." Cass tried to speak as softly as he could and Edgar squeezed him tightly.

"...couples aren’t supposed to be this close." Edgar managed to get out from between his sobs. Cass furrowed his brows. What?

"Who the hell said that?" Cass asked, turning his gaze towards Gideon who simply nodded as if what Edgar said made perfect sense, while Sir Forsythe remained silent from where he stood near the door. He was pretending to be furniture as Edgar cried helplessly.

"E-Everyone." Edgar mumbled and Cass was at a loss. Everyone thought that couples shouldn’t be this close? Who the hell was this everyone? He understood why he hadn’t been close to Fiona, they were both batting for the opposite teams, which also explained why the others weren’t that close with her as well.

But others? Cass knew that as a whole, they didn’t have a lot of relationship experience. Well, everyone but Edgar, but he’d only done all of that stuff for meals. Gideon and Cassian had avoided relationships because...well Cassian thought everyone was going to betray him and Gideon didn’t want to go against his family.

Look how well that turned out for both of them.

Either way, it upset Cass that Edgar was comparing them to other people.

"If it’s going to upset you this much, stop comparing us to others." Cass told him, trying to be kind as he said it, but anger may or may not have fueled his words. Not at Edgar, of course, but he didn’t like that the opinion of others was making him cry like this. Gideon reached out, placing a hand on Edgar’s shoulder over Cass’ and Edgar winced. Gideon didn’t pull his hand away, instead tightening his grip.

"Eddie, it’s okay. We don’t have to be like the others, and Cass can’t go downstairs right now." Gideon’s voice was soft. Edgar pulled his face up and out of Cass’ shoulders, sniffling and damn it, the man looked gorgeous even as he cried. It didn’t even matter that he had snot coming out of his nose, he looked stunning.

Cass would have been more annoyed if he didn’t have the man clinging to him like a lifeline.

"I-I know, I’m just-" He cut off, looking guilty and torn. Cass felt that there was more to this then he was letting on.

"Eddie." Cass said softly. "What in the world have you been thinking, my prince? What awful things have been going through your mind that you would cry over a table?" Cass watched as his eyes watered more. Cass felt Gideon shuffle closer, his arms shifting so that he was holding Cass and Edgar from behind as Gideon wrapped his arms around them both.

"Eddie." Gideon’s voice was just as soft, pleading with Edgar to tell them the truth. Edgar broke down.

"I don’t feel like I deserve anything that I’ve been getting." Edgar exploded, his voice loud and shaky. "I don’t feel like I have a place here. I can’t do as much as Lucian and Gideon can, and I’m nowhere near as competent as Cass. I’m just a discount demon, a discount mage. All I have going for me right now is the fact that Cass can’t leave his rooms so I’m helping out that way." This had nothing to do with a table, turns out.

Cass felt his heart break hearing Edgar’s words. He couldn’t stop the soft, pained noise that left him. Gideon beat him to the punch as he yanked Edgar forward, towards Cass and Gideon as the knight needed to hold Edgar closer.

"Gideon, let go. Give me a sec." Cass said softly and Gideon let go of them immediately.

"I’m sorry, I wasn’t-"

"Don’t you start too." Cass muttered darkly, knowing that Gideon was just responding to what Edgar was saying. Edgar, for his part, was still crying. Tears poured out of his eyes and he was shivering like a cold chihuahua. Cass picked him up, turning and then he was sandwiched between Gideon and Cass. It was a role reversal from how they had slept the night before.

Cass had a suspicious feeling that before Lucian got back, Gideon would end up sandwiched between Edgar and Cass so that they could complete the circle. Once Lucian got back he’d be held between all of them and forced to talk because, fuck, clearly something was going on below the surface while Cass had been busy keeping everyone safe.

Gideon hesitated only a second before he reached for Edgar and hugged him, Cass doing the same from the other side.

"You foolish, foolish man." Cass muttered and felt how Edgar flinched.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t-"

"Shut up." Cass ordered, then softened his tone. "I’m not mad, or disappointed. Not in you, at least. I’m upset that you didn’t feel comfortable coming to us and telling us this. Eddie, you are not worthless. You’re just not. I wouldn’t be thinking of rewarding you with an office of your own if I thought that. You know I don’t reward poor behaviour." Cass tried to be calm and soft but he was so angry that Edgar had been thinking these things right in front of him.

He was also mad at himself that he hadn’t just opened his mouth this whole time and told the man how much he appreciated him either. If he had, they might not be in this mess. Edgar hiccupped.

"B-But I’m the only other one who bottoms, and you like fangs. Maybe you were just-" Cass growled and Edgar cut off with a squeak.

"I don’t sleep with people out of pity, Edgar. I would never do that. I might sleep with someone to get revenge, but I would not invite them to my bed consistently and let them know my secrets. I’m not that calculating, and if you think I am, that hurts." Edgar shook his head and when Cass raised his blazing, red gaze to Gideon, the man looked devastated.

"Oh Eddie." Gideon breathed. "I wouldn’t do that either. You’ve...You’ve been instrumental in helping Cass out. I thought you knew that, so I didn’t say anything. I’m sorry I didn’t. I should have said something before now. Oh, my love, you’ve always been worthy of this treatment. You didn’t need to work yourself to the bone to get it." Gideon’s words were sweet and got to the core of what Cass wanted to say.

Cass was a little pissed that he couldn’t see past his own rage at himself and his feelings of inadequacy to say it, but he was glad that Gideon had.

"Gideon’s right." Cass said gruffly. "Fuck, I’m sorry I didn’t notice, Eddie. I should have told you how much I appreciated what you were doing for me before this. I wouldn’t be able to do half of the things that I needed to get done before this without you. You helped me when Sam was gone before, you’ve been quietly helping all this time. You’ve always been good at handling others, and you’ve been dealing with half of the hero duties that used to fall onto Fiona’s plate so that I can deal with the others. You’re incredibly important, and I will not have you say that you’re discount anything. I’m the discount demon. At least in your case your vampirism was handed down in the family. Mine was a mistake or a challenge, I guess. And you’re a spectacular mage. I’ve always respected you." Cass told him, meaning his words.

Edgar raised his head slowly, looking between Gideon and Cass and Cass just wanted to kiss his tears away. From the look in Gideon’s eyes, he felt the same.

"Really?" Edgar asked and Cass felt his chest tighten. He felt so angry and guilty towards this man. He was a damn fool. Anything that blew up in his face from this, he deserved.

"Yes, Eddie." Cass confirmed, Gideon swallowing thickly.

"You are not a burden, our love." Gideon muttered softly, leaning in and pressing a kiss against his forehead. Edgar made a soft noise in his throat and Cass felt himself frown.

"You aren’t." Cass confirmed and watched as those pretty, watery blue eyes spilled more tears. The only problem that came from this moment was...he still didn’t know how they felt about the table and chairs being brought in.