How to Make a Sinner Sleep

28 | mission; deals made in the night

To Noah, Kaden was a person he'd only just begun to unravel the layers of tightly buried mysteries.

Yet he would say he had a reasonable understanding of the man plagued with dirty rumours, the man who was a miserable cook and had insomnia that haunted him at night.

However, under the dim lights of the bar and the quiet whispering that surrounded, Noah felt unspeakably unfamiliar with the man beside him.

Kaden's expression was hidden, disguised by the skeleton mask, as his lips curled sardonically. He leaned in casually, as if he belonged in such a filthy scene of schemes and sins.

"You aren't the only one aware of these places." said Noah slowly, voice deep and musing. He had an urge to leave in that instant, drag the man away before his expression would warp anymore into something cynical.

Kaden tilted his head. "I didn't dare think so. But I am much more familiar with it than you think."

He was standing neck deep in an ocean of blood, created by his own doing. And on the land far away, with perhaps splatters on his clothes, was the prideful and just hero.

Noah felt the distance separate the two of them, even as they sat side by side. And for a reason he couldn't understand, he despised it.

Niklas clapped his hands together, throwing the sweet drink back before waving for another drink of his own strange concoction. "Now, now. We can't disband after only being together for less than a day!"

As he spoke, a figure staggered over, a sultry smile on their hollowed face. Kaden recognized the boy from his previous visit, sprouting more bruises than before. His bones protruded more vividly, wearing the terrible mark of purple and healed scars.

Coupled with his soft and fragile expression that wasn't destroyed even with his malnourished, the youth likely attracted a certain group of nobles.

The ones that wanted to vent their darkest thoughts and desires.

"May I help you gentlemen? I'm rather experienced in many subjects." smiled the youth with tired curved eyes. "It must be fate that we met—I originally had no plans of visiting this location today."

Kaden stretched out a hand to block Noah or Niklas from speaking, ignoring their confused glances. He chuckled, leaning towards the youth. "How can I trust you when you look as if you can hardly stand?"

The youth stilled, seeming to be familiar with his voice. However, with the many customers he serviced and approached, the sounds blurred together.

"Appearances are deceiving. I'm capable of quite a lot."

The youth's voice didn't tremble as he spoke with an charming confidence, despite his appearance.

Kaden chuckled wryly. "I don't doubt it."

In a world less cruel, or born a little more lucky, perhaps he would've done worked his way to the top, becoming an influential figure.

But it was hard to claw your way to the top when given nothing.

Kaden's gaze wandered to the clenched fist that the boy hid at his side, betraying his calmness. For him, selling himself was a means of survival. Even if he had to remind himself daily to prevent him from spiraling into an inescapable vortex of despair.

Kaden rolled the coin in his pocket, uncomfortable. Even if he'd grown up witnessing such things, it was impossible to be completely indifferent.

Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

The youth flinched, terrified of having offended the noble before him. He shrank his body slightly, as if prepared to be hit.

"Heads or tails?" said Kaden finally, parting his eyes into narrow slits as he smiled lazily. The boy flushed in surprise, confusion scattering across his face.