How to Make a Sinner Sleep

35 | bandage; a garden of scars

Kaden was well aware of his idiocy.

Agreeing to a full-out duel with one of the most powerful living species, albeit undeveloped and still growing, while suffering from occasional insomnia and eternal stress, was not exactly a wise decision.

His entire body ached, particularly the stab wound where he had charged forth mindlessly, ignoring the sword that pierced through his body.

However, with the painful aching came a sense of exhilaration and excitement.

A fight for the sake of fighting. And not only had he won, hadn't he revealed to Noah his feelings, in some way or form? That he wouldn't back down, but that he wasn't just a controlled dog listening to Reed?

That the rumours, though most true, weren't entirely accurate?

He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to tell Noah or to prove, but he'd given his all into the fight just because he could.

Kaden blinked slowly at the intrusive lights in the infirmary, the stench of medicine and also the faint pungent odor of blood wafting in the air. Though he may have been partly to blame for the latter stench.

His mind blurred in and out of conscience, tired from over thinking and not sleeping. In the distance, he could barely make out a few voices.

A certain, irritated dragon and a worried human stood outside the door.

Noah leaned against the wall, black-inked fingers tapping sharply with impatience as Niklas blocked the entrance.

"You're irritation is too obvious right now. You'll disturb the patient."

"If he wanted me to show consideration for him, then he shouldn't have impaled himself on my sword." gritted out the dragon with deep anger.

The feeling of watching somebody get injured by a weapon he was holding, watching the sword sink through the soft flesh before piercing through to the other side. The blood that stained the metal after, the cold body in his arms.

It wasn't something he ever wanted to know.

Niklas glanced backwards at the ward, checking that Kaden was still sleeping before he sighed with frustration. "What are you guys even doing? I knew that you had a disagreement, but what happened?"

The cold, unflinching stare moved over to Niklas' face. There wasn't an ounce of warmth in them. "I wanted him to put down his facade."

"And a duel was the most ideal method?"

"No, but I believed it to be the freest way he could express himself." Noah's words, despite their anger, had an air of calm confidence. "A way that he didn't need to speak, but would expose him nonetheless."

Niklas fell silent at Noah's honesty.

In reality, it was true that only extreme methods could make Kaden completely drop his facade. That the self the man had revealed during that duel was likely the truest version of Kaden they'd ever seen.

A reckless, immature idiot. With movements free and without abandon, a trail of elegance and also chaos in the harsh swings.

"What was he trying to do, putting his life at a risk?" seethed the dragon.

Niklas stared at him quietly, before looking back where Kaden remained sleeping peacefully. Aware of Kaden's insomnia, he wondered if the only reason he could sleep so peacefully, was due to sheer exhaustion.

"I think he wanted to prove himself to you. You challenged him in order to reveal a vulnerable side of him, and he agreed, only after you threatened to end your relations, might I add. Perhaps it was a way of answering you."