How to Make a Sinner Sleep

117 | faith; in all the sacrifices made

Underneath the gleaming stalactites, two bodies sat next to each other, draped across the ground as they watched the water ripple with every slow drop that fell from the ceiling.

Kaden curled up his legs, lazily leaning sideways as he peered over.

Noah's eyes were closed, his hand enclosing Kaden's tightly. Their breathing intertwined to form a natural rhythm, the sound of two lives meant to merge.

Kaden quietly and carefully squeezed Noah's hand as if frightened that it was all an illusion, a peaceful delusion he would never want to wake from.

It was frightening—trusting somebody to love him and to remain by his side.

To dare imagine such a future.

His eyes darted to the rippling lake that illuminated the walls of the cave and saw a standing shadow, slender and lonely. It was an illusion, he knew.

"What if he betrays you?" The shadow wondered, insecurity and fear weighing their voice.

"Then he betrays me."

"What if he stops loving you?"

"Then he stops loving me."

"Can you bear it?"

Kaden buried his head down, holding tightly onto the warm hand that limply entangled with his. He smiled tiredly, fiddling with the inked fingers that Noah despised but Kaden adored.

"I can't," he admitted softly, raising his gaze to meet his shadow—the delusion of his own making. "But I won't run away."

The shadow blinked at him, long and slow. Disapproving. The lake lapped at its feet and it evaporated, fading back into the void of his thoughts.

The dragon shifted in his slumber, rousing from his deep dreams. His eyes cracked open a slit, drowsy as he murmured and pressed closer to Kaden in an attempt to absorb some warmth.

Kaden raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Stealing all my warm, darling Bellamy? I'll become an icicle."

"Mn," Noah hummed tiredly, the pain still lingering in his healing wounds. "If you do, there's a simple solution."

Kaden leaned in, intrigued. "And that is?"

"I'll warm you up."

Kaden paused. "And then steal all my warmth again?"

"A symbiotic relationship," muttered the dragon calmly. "If it's a cycle, then you won't be able to leave again. Not unless you want to freeze."

The last portion had been spoken with more bite, a half-hearted threat and Kaden coughed between laughter and surprise.

"Are you threatening me, Bellamy?"

Noah fully opened his eyes now, sliding his dark gaze sideways. "I'm threatening you, Chauvet."

"I'm terrified. I have no choice but to submit to your threats."

Despite seeing the teasing tilt of Kaden's lips, the curve of mischief that he'd missed for so many years, Noah nodded in satisfaction.

He shuffled again and Kaden frowned. Noah wore a sliced shirt, dampened by blood and dirt, torn at the edges. He was a little curious about how clothing remained intact after the transformation but decided it wasn't a good time to ask.

Another time, he would inquire about all his curiosities about a dragon's biology.

"What should we do, Bellamy?" Kaden sighed, knocking his head lightly against the rocky background. Noah frowned and stretched out a hand to still the disobedient head.