How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

In the evening serenity, when thoughts remained dormant and the sound of soft breathing became clear in the room, a figure sat silently at the edge of a bed. The man lowered his white-black hair, frowning in deep conflict.
The person sleeping on the bed turned in his sleep, restless and likely caught in another nightmare, revealed by his knitted brows.
Noah's eyelashes fluttered, casting a shadow on his cheekbones. He didn't move his hand to smooth away the bothered creases of skin, to smother the terrible dreams and hope for beautiful ones to replace it.
Professor Raymond's class had been a rude awakening; that their time could be as slight as it could be long.
Although it was more of a reminder to be more cautious when using their abilities and to not recklessly act, the fear of possibly dying remained present.
But more than his own life, he feared losing Kaden.
Because the dragon had yet to witness the man accomplishing his goal.
Despite that, when Noah had finally resolved himself to watch over Kaden's ridiculous acts, and wait patiently for him to accomplish his simple desire of happiness, the false smile had bothered him needlessly.
Happiness... what was the thing that forced Kaden to display an air of mockery, forced him to bury his wretched emotions deep down?
Doing that wouldn't grant Kaden's desires.
'You should trust what you see.' Kaden had said, moments before claiming that he was the last person Noah should trust.
But that alone contradicted itself—because what Noah saw was not suspicion clouding Kaden's existence, but a foolish sense of justice hidden behind layers of secrets. Noah had learned to believe in Kaden's character.
That was what he saw. And as Kaden requested, he would trust in his sight.
His gloved fingers, habitually wrapped around in the case of accidentally touching Kaden's skin, picked up a strand of the loose pink hair, a shade lighter when caught in the moonlight.
He closed his eyes softly, a flutter of images overlapping his current reality.
A body sprawled out on soft grass, strands of pink blanketed around the man's head as he grinned cheekily, full of teasing as he laughed.
Himself, fallen back onto the ground after being yanked, scowling with deep irritation as he turned his head to display the extent of his annoyance. It only served to make the other party for joyful.
Noah snapped his eyes open again, clutching his chest as his breathing quickened. His shoulders rose and fell as he released the strand of hair.
"What exactly are you, Kaden Chauvet?" muttered the dragon with a trace of sleepiness as he lowered his gaze. "Who are you?"
They were questions he couldn't determine the answer to.
He gritted his teeth, leaving the warmth of the bed and returning to his own side as he moved under the covers, covering his eyes with his arm.
He just couldn't sleep.
———XXX———
"By my family's name, my own pride and self, I challenge you to a duel, Kaden Chauvet."
Kaden dropped his fork, a loud clatter in the muttering food hall as he lifted his head with wide surprise. He swallowed his food hurriedly, coughing as he nearly choked on the bite he had been eating.
Their surroundings went silent in a moment, making the question hang uncomfortably in the air.
Duels were a common thing in the Academy, set for students to either solve disputes or challenge each other's skill and seek improvement. Kaden hadn't personally been involved with any, having no interest in provoking anybody in such a way.
He'd seen several throughout the school, but never watched due to a lacking interest. Most were cheap battles, students messing around.
He didn't think it was the same case this time.
Not when the proud and honourable request came from the prideful dragon.
Niklas revealed a more surprised expression, hurriedly standing up as he slammed against the table and gaped. "Noah, what is it that you intend to do?"
In reality, duels weren't something to be worried about. They ended with minimal bloodshed, and killing on the Academy boundaries was taboo, with all the professors near and watching.
But with Noah's impassive and cold gaze, it was hard to take it lightly.
Kaden blinked slowly, before revealing a wide smile. A fake, ridiculous smile that made Noah's gaze harden with impatience. "Dearest Bellamy, is this your answer?"
Friendships could end in mere moments.
People often left as quickly as they came—but it wasn't a big deal. Things would simply revert to how they once had been after a brief period of regret and reminiscence.
Kaden hadn't been able to understand Noah's sudden anger, but that was often how things were. He couldn't read thoughts; it was impossible to determine.
But if their last conversation had been about trust, and this was Noah's answer...
Kaden's smile wavered painfully as his eyebrows tensed and he swallowed vaguely. Minor, unimportant fluctuations that didn't go unnoticed in the cold black reflection.
"I have classes to attend to, unfortunately. Much as I'd love to duel with you, Bellamy, it isn't quite convenient."
Noah's voice was low and unforgiving. "Duels are to be taken as priority, and you will be allowed to catch up separately if agreeing, as in accordance to the Academy rules. Chauvet, you have every right to decline my request."
"Then I'll sorrowfully decline—"
"But if you do so, then our relations end here. Will you reject me, Kaden Chauvet?"
Kaden's voice cut, as if he couldn't continue speaking. Clearly, a disagreement between Noah and him would interfere with the future kidnapping, which would then foil Noah's infiltration into the palace.
That wouldn't be ideal; why had Kaden clung to the dragon for so long, despite a part of him wanting to avoid the man, the hero?
That in itself was a lie.
He had initially hoped to stay clear of Noah and only approached under the guise of his mission, chained by a curse of obedience. That was it, really.
All it should've been, all it could've.
When had Noah's departure from his life begun to scare him?
Niklas sighed loudly between them, full of scolding intent. "Did you guys get into a disagreement? Come on, we're not children. Don't duel when you're in a bad mood. That'll only lead to injuries."
Kaden pulled out his seat, standing up as he neatly arranged his plate and looked at Noah, who stood waiting.
The chair scraped against the floor, loud in the room of watchful stares.
If that dragon had feelings he wanted to vent, Kaden would bear it all.
He had no right to decline, did he?
Rather, how could he, when Noah requested with such solemnity, that it left little room to reject? That the dragon, arrogant and isolated as he was, would lower himself to threats in order to convince Kaden.
Niklas glanced between them and shook his head quickly. "No, absolutely not. I don't know what madness overcame you both, but I disagree."
"There are some things that cannot be discussed with words."
Emotions that had no place to go, feelings that the writer Noah was couldn't portray. Kaden had a feeling that he would see them, manifested in a duel.
Kaden tugged his gloves further over his hands and smiled.
An unlucky and irritating sort, Noah thought mindlessly.
"I agree to your duel, Noah Bellamy."
He ignored the whispers that rushed along the students, eager for gossip and even more hungry to witness the duel between the two. It was as if he were a spectacle to watch, and a hundred eyes stared at him around.
Because, of course, even tragedy became nothing but drama to others.
Kaden swallowed and nodded his head to the doors. "Let's go to the training grounds? Unless you wanted another injured student or two?"
Noah followed behind obediently, speaking not a word.
There was a large crowd by the time they arrived on the separate training grounds. An allocated space for students that wanted to either duel or take lessons in physical combat.
Kaden walked over to the swords stand, pulling the metal out sharply, as he raised it in the air and lifted his chin.
"Real swords, of course. Unless you mean to treat this duel as a joke?"
Noah stared at the gleam of metal reflecting the sky overhead. He strode over to the stand and drew out a sword, moving to the side.
Kaden closed his eyes to the whispers around him.
"What did that sinner do to anger the dragon's son? It's obvious that Noah didn't do anything!"
A cry from a worshiper, no doubt. The sort who revered the might of the dragons, but knew nothing about Noah himself.
"I'm betting on that foolish prince losing. How could Noah lose?"
Another person against him, naturally.
"He'd been behaving so obediently recently. I knew something was brewing behind our backs! That damned dog—he's a murderer! Will Noah be alright?"
Of course, his past that still plagued his present.
"Kaden."
A voice that wasn't mocking or filled with disgust, but a turbulent, simmering calmness that betrayed no thoughts.
Yet a voice that saw him as he was.
Noah raised his sword. "Look at me. Only at me."
And suddenly the malicious words around him didn't matter in the slightest, fading into the background. Kaden laughed loudly, shaking his head as if he'd gone mad. A wide grin stretched across his face.
Why bother focusing on the gossiping hounds surrounding him? Rather, Kaden was skilled in the sword, practicing until his hands blistered and bled.
While his preferred weapons were smaller and more deadly, excitement stirred in the bottom of his stomach. He realized, as the grip around the handle tightened, that this was a duel.
Not a bloodbath, as he was used to. Not a murder.
Simply a duel.
The difference between the two, the freedom that rushed through his blood at the thought of using his abilities just because made his hairs stand on end.
"Then," Kaden pushed his hair back and raised his sword. "Don't you dare look away either, Noah Bellamy."
They both rushed forward, and their swords crashed against each other loudly. Kaden, with his reckless fighting that revealed in his crazed movements, and Noah with his intelligence seeping into play, crossing swords with the intention to disarm.
Separating for an instant, before their blades crashed against each other again in a flurry of blows and feints.
Noah's blows were heavy, as if slamming his fury into his sword, chipping away at Kaden's defenses. It was only then that the dragon realized; Kaden didn't put up any defense.
The battle changed in an instant.
Kaden continued to rush ahead, searching for openings while twisting around without any care for his body. He was showing his resolution, his determination and his trust in Noah.
The dragon's eyes widened slightly as the anger fueling his sword lessened with each collision. The pair separated, huffing heavily as sweat bead their foreheads.
What did they want from this duel?
In this method of revealing feelings, the only way that they could, Noah desperately clashed against Kaden, forcing the man to expose his weaknesses.
He wanted to understand the other, wanted to be let in.
But on the other hand, Kaden left himself open and exposed, revealing his lack of care towards his own body, and foolish self-sacrifice. His desire to win against Noah, at the risk of himself.
Only at this moment, Kaden revealed no defense.
Noah belatedly realized that to understand Kaden, was perhaps to let him go. And he wasn't willing to have that man disappear.
"Defend yourself!" Noah couldn't help but shout, as their swords heavily clashed against each other, and he avoided a thrust.
Kaden had already lost himself in the battle with the sweet taste of freedom. The tiredness that made his bones feel heavy, the exhaustion that made his vision blur.
It was all his, by choice and for no other reason.
He felt as if he'd have to win; would winning prove to Noah that he was his own person? Kaden wasn't sure why, but he wanted that dragon to see a glimpse of freedom in him.
He wanted to show, for even a second, that he wasn't only an obedient dog. He wasn't to be trusted, he would eventually betray, he was cruel as he was terrible but—
'Please trust me.'
A contradiction between what should be and what he desired deeply.
The pale green eyes widened, seeing a glimmer of an opening as he failed to understand Noah's heavy emotions that crashed against his sword.
He lunged forward.
The students watching collectively gasped in horror as Niklas ran into the field. A metal sword pointed to Noah's throat, a sliver away from piercing the delicate flesh.
Kaden huffed before his face stretched out into a wide, joyous smile.
"I won!"
Noah had never heard the other sound more excited.
Red dripped onto the stone ground, drop by drop as it dribbled, seeping into fabric. Noah stared in horror at his own sword, deep in Kaden's abdomen.
And at the spreading smile, more innocent and real than anything before.
A smile he'd wanted to see.
But it wasn't a reward.
Kaden stared in confusion at the change in the dragon's expression, pulling away as his hand wandered to his stomach, feeling a throb of pain. His emotions rushed to his head, making his thoughts blend together.
That dragon had been angry due to Kaden's remarks previously. His cruel facade of a sinner had forced that calm man to reveal unease and challenge him. Noah wanted to figure Kaden out, to determine if he could be trusted, right?
And although Kaden couldn't verbally tell Noah that he was on his side, he could at least prove this fact. That he was fighting with his own free will.
That his life wasn't merely to be controlled.
This was a reflection of his freedom.
'Don't you see, Noah, see my resolve, but also witness the freedom of this life! I've won! This is my proof, haven't I revealed myself to you?'
He was free, and he was powerful; therefore, Noah,
'Stay by my side for a while longer.'
Kaden stumbled where he stood with a crazed look in his eyes, and Noah rushed forward to catch the falling body. His hands trembled with terror and unease, feeling the coldness of the man's skin.
Noah had simply wanted to see Kaden's facade crack, to see an honest side of that man. But what he'd found was a face riddled with desperation and need.
An honest face filled with self-despise.