How to Make a Sinner Sleep

36 | exposed; the ignorance of self

If they listened closely, perhaps they'd hear the distant murmurs of students roaming the hallways, discussing various topics. Perhaps they would've heard the birds whistling in the slight breeze, in harmony with the swaying leaves.

But they weren't listening, muting all the surrounding sounds as they focused on every brush of movement in the small room of two.

Noah said nothing as his gloved fingers brushed against a jagged scar, particularly deep and no doubt carrying a wretched story. He couldn't help but wonder what sort of tale it would be, and if Kaden would ever tell it.

With a wet cloth, the dragon carefully cleaned away the smears of darkening red from the man's skin, kneeling between Kaden's legs.

He used another hand to hold on to one side of Kaden's waist for balance, and to prevent a certain wriggling person from accidentally causing further injury to himself.

Kaden lifted his head, staring mindlessly at the ceiling.

He winced, sucking in his stomach as Noah brushed closer to his wound, meticulously cleaning it.

"Don't move." muttered Noah, face betraying no expression.

Kaden sighed. "It's rather hard to when you press against a bloody gape in my stomach, unfortunately. I'll try my best for you, however, Bellamy."

The pressure at the side of his waist became more intense and Kaden straightened up in an instant. The dragon's fathomless gaze flickered up with a hint of amusement as he continued to clear the blood.

Silence settled over the pair once more, as if a curse that couldn't be resisted.

Noah's hand passed every scar, printing them to memory. The small and the large, marked against the man's skin in permanence.

What sword had driven through, which enemy had Kaden fought?

"Turn around." said Noah, moving away momentarily to grab a new clean cloth. "I'll clean your back before wrapping the bandages around."

"I know you enjoy touching me, however—"

"Chauvet, if you speak another word of nonsense, I will resort to my own methods of treatment without regard to your will."

Kaden fell silent, before he laughed. "No, I don't think you would."

Noah's threats were empty, but Kaden calmly turned around nonetheless. He didn't think anything of it, already exposing his wounds and scars to Noah in a state of vulnerability that he hadn't shown before.

However, he waited in silence and felt no pressure on his back.

He tilted his head backwards.

Kaden froze.

It was a face of absolute fury displayed on the noble dragon's features, an intensely furrowed brow and narrowed eyes of pure, condensed anger. Noah seethed, raising a gloved hand to trace along the long scars that ran along Kaden's back.

The touch made Kaden's muscles tense, burned by the trail left by the dragon's fingertips. He swallowed, a subtle display of his discomfort which Noah always seemed to notice, save for this moment.

The dragon continued.

They weren't simple stab wounds, or injuries made from battle. Noah had seen such marks before, on the back's of his kidnapped kin, and slaves.

A back marred from whip lashings, once bleeding and deep.

More terrible than Kaden's abdomen of scars were the dozens and dozens of faded lashes that painted the canvas of Kaden's firm back.