Chapter 603: Bring me the damn newspaper man
Cass stared, once more, at an impossible piece of paper. It shook in his hands and Edgar and Gideon didn’t even bother to try and hide their amusement. Gideon’s eyes curled at the corners as he smiled broadly, while Edgar’s shoulders shook as he laughed out loud. Even Sam was grinning, and the fairies? Taniora who had joined them for breakfast?
They were laughing too.
Trends for matching outfits with your lovers grow. Thanks Lord Blackburn. Flipping a coin to find out who tops trending as well, in unrelated news
Cass slammed the paper down, his face flaming. They did NOT flip a coin to decide. Hell, no one had topped or bottomed for fucking anyone yet!
Cass wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. This was worse than confessing truths near the damn stairs at this point!
"Who is in charge of this damn newspaper?!" Cass knew his voice was shrill, but what else could he do? He was feeling pretty hysterical. Sam coughed.
"I think, my Lord, you might want to sit down for this." Sam suggested gently and Cass growled.
"I am sitting, Sam." He warned and Sam’s lips twitched.
"It’s...Mr. Collins’ lover, my Lord." Cass felt his body stiffen. Christopher. Was this bullying? Did he hate Cass? What the fuck was he planning? As far as Cass knew, their meeting had gone well. Lucian might have been more handsy than normal, but it hadn’t ended in bloodshed. Or being poisoned.
"Does he fucking hate me?" Cass mumbled and Edgar laughed more.
"No. I think he hates nobles, not you specifically, Bunny. I also wouldn’t take it to heart. I think he’s just using the stir that you caused to needle the upper class because, well, your presence alone can do that." Edgar said with a chuckle. "At least, that’s what I hope. Otherwise we’ll need to have a ’chat’ with him before we leave." Edgar was still laughing, but there was clearly a shift in the air.
Gideon huffed.
"I’ll handle it if that’s the case. You’ll be too nice." Gideon accused. Edgar turned to his friend, offended.
"I am not too nice when it comes to matters dealing with Cass, and beyond that, I’ve only grown nice recently. It’s offensive that you think I’m too nice always." Edgar told him. Cass agreed. The man grew up in Lord Vespertine’s house. There was no way he had grown up being ’nice’. Gideon, if anything, was the nicest of them all.
"I’ll handle it. I’m the one who has actually met the man, it would be easier for me to confront him. Especially since the articles are about me, and don’t argue," Cass said, noticing how both of their mouths opened. "You are implied, I am fully mentioned. The next article might hint at you, but I am thanked in the damn title." Cass muttered. His face burned. "Call Mr. Collins here." Cass ordered and Sam nodded.
"It will be done, my Lord."
~
Mr. Collins clearly wasn’t expecting to be called after he had come to a dedicated plan through letters with Cass prior. But, from the grim look on Cass’ face, he knew that something was serious. He wore his usual nice suit, big glasses, and looked sharp, if not nervous.
He glanced at Sam, who had summoned him, and then at Edgar who was sitting at his desk, working away. Gideon was outside, working out, and Byron had decided to join him so he had some company. That meant it was just the four of them in the room.
With plenty of big ears listening in nearby. Cass was under no illusion that the fairies nearby would keep to themselves. They were a nosy bunch. Cass was simultaneously excited that he had family around, and exhausted at the same time.
Neither Cassian nor Cass knew how to deal with families that were so close, so nosy, and so...helpful and joyful. It also appeared that Edgar was more capable of handling this kind of meddling and Cass could only think it was because of Ava.
She had been...surprisingly similar, if he was honest.
"You called for me, my Lord?" Mr. Collins asked nervously. He looked like he could cry at the drop of a hat, but Cass knew that was false. He wasn’t much of a crier, just easily nervous. Cass sighed, putting down his writing utensil and staring at him quietly.
"Mr. Collins, I’ve learned that Christopher, your partner, is in charge of a newspaper?" Cass asked. Mr. Collins, a very intelligent man, lost all colour in his face.
"H-He’s not the editor at large, but he does own it." Mr. Collins began. "Are you upset, my Lord? I’ll apologise on his behalf. I can go scold him now, if you’d like." The fact that he was offering to scold him told him that Mr. Collins had warned him not to go forward with this plan. Cass almost smiled.
"So he knew that he shouldn’t have done what he did, is that right?" Cass mused and Mr. Collins looked even more pale and ill.
"I-I told him that he really shouldn’t make stories up about people that he knew, but he wouldn’t hear otherwise! I’m so sorry, my Lord! I will gladly take any punishment in his place!" That didn’t feel fair, especially since it was clear to Cass that Mr. Collins had remained loyal to him even with his partner. That wasn’t something that Cass asked of him, but he had.
Cass might have unfairly thought ill of Mr. Collins, and he felt sorry for that now that he was faced with the loyalty that Cass and Cassian had built in the man. Cassian had thought that he was only loyal because he was an ally, who had protected him because he had protected him from persecution. It was as Cass stared at the man since merging souls that he understood it better.
Mr. Collins was loyal to him not just because he had protected him from persecution. He was loyal to Cassian Blackburn because he was a man who had proven himself, over and over, as someone who was deserving of that loyalty.
"I don’t want to punish you in his place, I want an explanation. I want to understand why he keeps doing this, not just needlessly punish him. I’m not such a cruel man, Mr. Collins. You know this." Cass pointed out and Mr. Collins didn’t relax. Not outwardly. He was still tense and pale, but the way his breath relaxed and his eyelashes fluttered told him that he remembered.
"I-Yes, my Lord. Of course. I will...try to get a hold of him. He’s been busy since the paper has gained more attention, both positive and negative." Mr. Collins sounded worried, and Cass knew he had every right to be concerned.
The negative attention was probably directly linked to the Dukes who hated Cass’ guts, and the fact that he was out galivanting around with their sons. Cass smirked.
"Mm. Maybe I should send some guards with you, just to show who wants who. And also to show the others that they don’t have a candle to hold when it comes to my anger." Cass chuckled. Mr. Collins blinked.
"A-Are you truly that angry?" He asked, worry seeping into his tone. Cass coughed.
"I’m embarrassed, Mr. Collins. Not angry. I did intentionally go out to cause a ruckus, but this feels...more than that." Cass admitted. Mr. Collins’ eyes widened slightly.
"You, my Lord? Embarrassed? Why?" Mr. Collins had clearly forgotten his fear for one whole minute to ask Cass that kind of question. Edgar scoffed, snorted, and then burst into laughter.
"Because he doesn’t like how the fact that he was out with two men got buried and instead everyone was focusing on his looks." Edgar told Mr. Collins, who turned as soon as Edgar started marking noise. Edgar’s expression was light, his hat tilted back to expose more of his face as he worked.
He wore the hat inside because of the windows nearby, even as Cass had the curtains drawn.
Mr. Collins seemed a little shocked by Edgar’s admission, while Cass felt his face warm. Mr. Collins slid his gaze back to Cass, blinked a few times as that seemed to be the truth, before he felt his body relax.
"Oh. I see. I...I think I will take you up on those guards then, my Lord. Once he sees that it is you that is backing me, he’ll probably allow me near. For my safety, and his own." Cass was glad that he had agreed, he was just also annoyed that it took hearing words from Edgar for him to do so. No matter, as long as Cass got what he wanted, which was to speak with Christopher in person.
~
Christopher walked with a kind of gait that told everyone around him that he knew he was worth something, but that he also wasn’t worth enough to be saved. His eyes were bright, but the skin around them was dark. Tired. His hair was brushed, but it looked more like he had tried to salvage it with his fingers instead of a proper clean. His clothes were clean, but wrinkled, and Cass was even more sure that it was the right thing to send guards to pick him up if this was how he came to him.
Mr. Collins came with him, even if he had his own business he had to attend to. He didn’t hold his hand, even in the mansion, but it was clear that he was hovering near him in support. When Christopher was brought into Cass’ office, the man didn’t relax. He stood straighter, his back tall as he glanced around the room. At Edgar, Sam, and then ending at Cass.
"My Lord." He said, giving a respectful bow. Cass accepted it, even getting to his feet and coming around the desk. He gestured for Christopher to sit so that they could have a civil chat. He even made sure that Mr. Collins joined them.
Edgar and Sam joined them slowly, giving Cass and Christopher some time to chat.
Christopher apologised immediately for any repercussions this was having on him. He knew that this could reflect poorly on him but Christopher saw this as his chance to act. Should he have sent a message to Cass to ask for permission? Probably, but printing newspapers took time, magic and dedication. He barely had time to sleep in the last two weeks.
He would be the first to admit that his newspaper was doing okay, but he had a bigger goal. He wanted to disrupt the power that the nobles had, give more back to the common folk, and end this horrid cleansing of homosexuals and anyone who didn’t fit in with the mold that the upper class promoted.
He was tired, Cass could tell, because he wasn’t holding back. That, or he just thought this was his last chance. His last shot. Cass couldn’t even blame him. Cass probably would have felt the same in his shoes.
When he was done speaking Cass could only scold him for one thing.
"Christopher, if you had just sent a letter the day it came out, the first newspaper, I wouldn’t even be mad." Cass told him. The anger, the rage, and fear that had been inside of Christopher left him completely. He hung his head in shame and Mr. Collins, careful, thoughtful Mr. Collins, placed his hand on Christopher’s shoulder. There were no ’I told yous’ or rubbing it in his face. Just quiet acceptance that he had been wrong.
That was all Cass needed. He wasn’t doing it to belittle him, he was just using the situation to push forward a cause Cass could support. Now, it was time to work together. While he was still in the capital and could be of direct use for him.
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