How to Make a Sinner Sleep

30 | oath; against fate's decree

There wasn't anything else worth noting in the whispers and hushed dealings occurring in the bar. Signs of corruption and filthy deeds, perhaps, but nothing more.

The three were well aware of what they could presently investigate and knew when it became too much. Three students could hardly make a change in the twisted underground of the kingdom.

At least, not right away. Not as long as they remained powerless bystanders in the vast lands.

Niklas had concluded their meeting first, yawning with a hint of sleepiness in his voice. It was already late into the night, or early morning, to be exact.

The guard at the door nodded to them, violet eyes lingering after Kaden's passing figure. The latter, in response, glanced over briefly before leaving. 

They waved farewell to Niklas within the dormitories, avoiding the front desk where Noya observed miscreant students who tried to slip in late. Kaden wondered if she ever slept—but knew her caution was warranted, and that the woman truly wanted to protect their safety.

Flicking the light on in their room, the pair, one dragon and one human, got ready for sleep without a word.

Noah changed the light to the lamp, casting a dim yet warm hue over the sleepy atmosphere. He naturally climbed into his bed, moving closer to the wall as he left a body space beside him.

Kaden, whose feet had habitually turned to the dragon's bed, froze and spun around. He hastily climbed into his own bed, throwing the covers over.

"You can turn off the light now." He said, staring at the ceiling as a pair of sharp eyes bored into him deeply.

Thinking that they were getting far too used to sleeping together, and that his nightmares had long gone, it was time to stop abusing Noah's kindness. To begin with, getting used to the slow and steady heartbeats wasn't something he should do.

Noah continued to stare silently, refusing to turn off the light as Kaden had asked.

Then he asked slowly, "You're sleeping over there?"

It seemed to contain sulking complaints, melted with the low and hoarse voice that clearly wanted to sleep.

"Yes, of course. Don't miss my company too much, my darling dragon." teased Kaden, feeling slightly awkward. After all, it had been he who relied on Noah's gentleness in order to sleep at night.

He sighed, furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought. 

Would the nightmares return with the loss of the rhythmic beat of life beside his ear? Well, he would attempt it for a few nights.

If it was simply a heartbeat he needed to heat, then it didn't have to be Noah.

For some reason, he decided against saying that aloud.

Additionally, that odd cat he brought back was still going under the process of investigation... after it was done, Kaden could hold the animal to sleep instead.

Noah pursed his lips, contorting his beautiful and indifferent expression into annoyance as his white hair fell over the side of his face, peering at the lump in the bed across from him.

The lump that was similar to a human heat pack, warming his cold body in the dead night. Noah felt a chilling breeze, even under his covers.

He frowned, pulling a pillow to his chest, but it was unable to replicate the lost heat that he'd grown accustomed to. The orange light remained on in their stubborn silence.

The dragon's frown deepened with great reluctance.

Kaden kept his eyes closed, refusing to glance over. Faintly, he heard rustling in the bed beside him, ignoring the movements.