(BL) The Villain wants a Divorce!

Before anything could go any further, there was a knock on the door.

”Come in!” Cass called, watching as Edgar’s face dropped into an expression of disappointment as Cass prevented whatever he had planned from going further. Edgar stepped back and by the time that the door opened and Lord Ridgewood stuck his face in, Edgar was sitting down, pouting again.

”Ah, hello. I heard that Fiona and Ava had already left. When I asked a maid, they said that they had seen you coming in this direction. I uh, apologise if I am interrupting your meal.” Lord Ridgewood said. He sounded like a nervous dog. Cass almost felt pity for him.

”Did you want to find out your fate?” Cass asked and watched as he paled of all colour. He stepped into the room, his body tense as he closed the door behind him.

”I was, actually, curious about what you had planned for me. Anything you decide is probably...reasonable.” Lord Ridgewood said and Cass, having gotten an idea from Edgar’s teasing, felt his lips curl up slightly.

”Even if it was telling you that you had to work for Edgar? In the pleasure districts?” Lord Ridgewood looked faint. That was probably the last thing he would ever consider and even the soft gasp from Edgar told him that he was surprised by it too. Cass laughed. ”Don’t worry. I’m just joking. You probably wouldn’t even be that great at it.” Cass said dismissively, waving a hand.

Apparently, the dismissive way that Cass said it had Lord Ridgewood on edge. His body seemed to stiffen up and Cass watched as he clenched his hands.

”I...I would accept my fate if that is what you decided. I have no right to my life after attempting to take yours.” Lord Ridgewood said. Cass hated that. As much as he was taking advantage of Lord Ridgewood’s honour-bound tendencies, that was not something he could get behind.

That felt more like he was a leach then someone useful. Cass didn’t need leaches around him. Truly. He’d already dealt with enough of them in his past life and was working hard to get rid of the ones attached to the hero party already. Lord Ridgewood didn’t need to transform into one either.

”Do you have no spine? It’s clear to me that it’s not something that you would like to do, so why don’t you say it? I’m not planning to take your life. I have no desire to do so, and it would only hurt my plans.” Cass told him sharply. Maybe too harshly.

After all, Cass was coming off of having to give his personal aide two tough choices. He really didn’t need Lord Ridgewood being a pansy added to the list.

Lord Ridgewood seemed shocked by Cass’ words. His mouth was open and he glanced between Cass and Edgar. Cass didn’t look towards Edgar so he had no idea what kind of expression he was giving the other man.

”Uh, well, I assumed that because of how everyone was behaving at the ball, and your declaration there that...I should expect that kind of treatment.” Lord Ridgewood said slowly and Cass exhaled loudly. He waved another dismissive hand as he sat down.

”That was simple pageantry, Lord Ridgewood. You know, the stuff that all of the other nobles do. I just did it on a more...intimate level. I’m sure they say shit like that too.” Lord Ridgewood nodded slowly, swallowing.

”Oh. Alright.” There was a long, awkward pause before he spoke again. ”So...I’m not going to be sent to the brothels?” He asked and Cass tsked loudly.

”I already said I think you would be bad at it. You’d be crying at the way that they would treat you. A noble, a Duke’s son who’d been sent there to be punished. You wouldn’t last a day, and frankly, I don’t care to find out how long you could last. You’re human, Lord Ridgewood.” Lord Ridgewood jerked as the word ’human’ left his mouth. ”While I don’t think you are weak by any means, at least physically, I do think you’ve been severely compromised mentally. That’s the kind of strength you need to survive that kind of place.” Cass told him and watched as Lord Ridgewood truly took Cass’ words to heart.

”Why...do you sound so versed in that kind of life?” Lord Ridgewood asked softly. Cass snorted.

”Don’t get it twisted. Neither in this life or my other have I worked the streets, as we called it. I’ve just known a few people who did.” Cass said.

”You do?” Edgar asked, surprised. ”Your grandfather considered that life disgusting. I didn’t think-” Edgar cut off as he caught the way that Cass looked at him. He grew quiet as he realised that it wasn’t this time that Cass was speaking of.

Lucian arrived with lunch at that point.

”Alright boys! I have food for the both of you!” Lucian said happily as the door slammed against the wall. ”I also brought food for you, Gideon.” He said with a little less enthusiasm and Cass blinked.

So he’d heard that he had arrived, but didn’t come out to greet him. Interesting.

As if able to read Cass’ mind, Lucian answered his question for him as he placed down a heaping, steaming plate of meat and potatoes in front of him.

”I was busy making sure I didn’t burn the meat I caught you, so it took some time. Edgar, you goblet.” Lucian was doing a great job at playing house, carrying the two plates in his hand and the goblet and the extra plate with his magic. He placed the goblet in front of Edgar and the extra plate in front of where Gideon was standing.

There was a seat nearby, and Gideon glanced around nervously.

”Am I allowed to eat with you?” He asked and Cass opened his mouth to respond when Lucian spoke up first.

”Get the fuck over yourself. Cass said you could come in, so shut the fuck up with all of the woe is me shit and sit down and eat. I was kind enough to prepare you a portion, so be grateful.” Lucian told him and Gideon gave a quick nod as he pulled the chair out and sat down. Lucian pulled out the chair next to Cass on the other side of him and sat down.

While Cass thought his plate was ridiculous, Lucian and Gideon’s were truly sights to behold. It was like Lucian was trying to feed an army.

Lucian looked around expectantly, his eyes wide and bright.

”Well? Dig in!” He encouraged and Gideon didn’t need to be told twice. While he was every inch the dedicated Ducal son, he was also a knight. He burned through calories during his training and he began to slice and dice the meat before him.

Cass was a little more reserved.

He could tell that the food was safe for him, which it appeared that Lucian was looking for confirmation on. When Cass gave him a little nod of approval his smile grew wide. Then the plate was pulled over from Cass’ spot in front of him and towards Lucian. Cass was about to ask what he was doing before Lucian began cutting up the food in front of him into Cass bite-sized pieces.

Cass was at a loss for words for the second, maybe third time that day.

”I can do that myself.” Cass told him. He wasn’t rude, just telling him a statement. Lucian smirked.

”You are correct. You are a very capable and smart man. Far smarter than I am, and I’ve lived for years.” Cass’ face warmed. ”However, you are also small, thin, and just came out of a rather intense experience for your already tired body. Let me tend to you, alright? I promise, I just want to help. Not take away any of the manliness you have.” Lucian’s eyes sparkled as he looked between Cass and Edgar. ”I doubt that I could, though.” Cass stood corrected.

Four times today he had found himself speechless. One after the other. Was this just a bad day for him?

”Think of it as just a kindness, Cass. He isn’t trying to take anything away from you.” Edgar told him and Lucian nodded sagely.

”I would never even dream of it. In fact, my plan is to add quite a few things to you.” Cass’ jaw dropped. What the fuck was he saying with a clear witness? Lucian didn’t notice what Cass’ reaction to his words were right away until he glanced up from his task.

He did a double take at the glare Cass was giving him and the shade of his cheeks, before a naughty grin touched his lips.

”Don’t look at me like that. I was talking about weight, Cass. You’re lighter than a damn feather. I could run with you in my arms and never tire.”

”What about me?” Edgar asked and Lucian laughed.

”I could run with the whole hero party and never tire, but I would barely notice that Cass was there. I would worry that I’d dropped him. I need to get you to at least Edgar’s weight before I feel better.” Lucian said, in a good mood. Cass didn’t know what he could say. He couldn’t exactly argue.

It wasn’t as if he was this skinny because he wanted to be. Magic took a lot out of a person, plus there was Cass’ restrictive diet. In a way, it was a bit of a relief that someone else, not just Sam, was looking after his food intake. It was...nice.

”Thank you.” Cass said softly. The room grew quiet as Cass glanced away from Lucian, embarrassed all over again. When Cass glanced back at Lucian, the man was staring at him in shock.

”Sweetness, you never have to thank me for taking care of you. Never. Actually, please don’t. I thought my hearts were going to drop out of my chest.” Cass furrowed his brow.

”But I should thank you for doing something nice for me.” Cass said and Lucian growled, closed his eyes, and then glared off into the distance at no one in particular for a moment.

”I should have been treating you this way from the beginning. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get used to this kind of treatment. This is the norm for my people.” Lucian said, his eyes glowing for a split second before they dimmed. Then he slid the plate over to Cass. ”I’ve cut up quite a bit of the food. If you want more, just let me know.” Lucian told him and Cass stared at the perfectly cut up pieces.

The words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

”Did you have siblings? When you grew up?” Cass asked, before he glanced at Lucian quickly. Lucian was also frozen, but it was too late to take the words back. A slow, happy smile touched his lips.

”My broodmother had several eggs at the same time, so yes. I had a whole ass litter with me. As I was the oldest, I did a lot of the little bits of caring that she couldn’t get to. Like cutting up the meat for them.” He teased, reaching over with his hand to pat the top of Cass’ head. ”Now eat, Sweetness. I want to be able to squeeze you and not feel your bones right away.”