How to Make a Sinner Sleep

07 | study; to discover his face

When Kaden woke up, Noah was already gone.

It was already the end of the week, the last day of class before they had two days off. The week system worked the same way it did in that strange world he entered—five days of class, and two days of rest.

He stretched his arms into the air, glancing over at the neatly made bed. The dragon was an early riser, already out of the room no matter what time Kaden woke.

Almost as if he had some special skill to be out of the room before he even opened his eyes. Which, Kaden knew, was a difficult thing to do when insomnia often kept him up at night, waking the sinner up early in the morning.

All for the better, though. Being around Noah was awkward considering the past they shared, even if Kaden was the only one who remembered.

A knock sounded on his door as he finished buttoning up his shirt.

He walked over to see a blue-eyed man smiling at him in greeting, their uniform messily tossed on as always and a bed of hair that had been messed from sleep.

"Morning, Kaden."

Niklas waved, yawning loudly as he did. "Sleep well?"

Kaden pulled over his jacket and nodded, already used to the other's presence in the morning. For the entirety of the week, Niklas had followed him around like some sort of lost puppy, clinging for his dear life.

At some point, Kaden gave up putting a distance between the two, since the other's stubbornness wasn't one to fight against.

"Did you already submit your classes?"

"Yes."

"And? This is where you tell me which ones you chose, so we can make a mess together if we're in the same ones."

Kaden tilted his head. "Shouldn't you tell me yours first? So I know whether I should change mine or not."

Niklas shook a finger in the air in mocking disappointment, clutching a hand over his heart. "How could you even suggest such a thing?"

"Hmm."

"You know Kaden," said the other suddenly, peering up with slight curiosity painted over his clear vision. "You're nothing like the rumours say or what you suggest."

"...And what am I like, then?"

A look of consideration crossed over Niklas's face. "Sorta sarcastic, a little awkward, especially around Noah. Wait—you aren't in love with him are you?"

"...excuse me?" Kaden blanched, horrified at the idea. "Is something wrong with your head?"

"Hey, hey. I really don't judge, trust me. Love comes in all shapes and forms."

"That's not the issue." said Kaden slowly, raising his sharp eyes.

How could he say that the way he sometimes tip-toed around Noah was because, well, the other had isolated him in his previous life? Or maybe how he drugged and tricked the man into a prison of torture?

He also hadn't expected anybody to notice.

Kaden kept up-to-date with his 'annoy Noah while still acting like friends' agenda, to both irritate the dragon and satisfy Reed.

Seeing Kaden's conflicted expression and knitted eyebrows, Niklas nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, friend. I get it."

"...what exactly is it that you get?"

However, they'd arrived in front of the classroom and it wasn't a place to talk about such things, when listening ears surrounded. As they approached the back row where Noah sat waiting, Niklas flashed a thumbs up—