How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 69: Chapter 69

The bookstore, tucked between the cobbled buildings that were lined with branching vines, almost seemed like a sacred place to step foot in. A portal to another dimension.
When Noah had first started walking, large strides that seeped with confidence and a general indifference to his surroundings, Kaden had asked if they were really going the right direction. They'd passed a forest and several buildings, and he really didn't know where they were at all.
When Noah tilted his head, a lazy gaze sweeping over Kaden, he felt a strange surge of comfort.
That the dragon, indifferent as he was to all others, directed his attention solely to him. A fixed gaze that didn't make the other uncomfortable, but instead incredibly seen.
Regardless, Noah arched a brow with challenge. "Do you want to lead the way?"
He stopped, stubbornly rooting himself in the ground.
Kaden had looked left and right to the streets and buildings, all unfamiliar and confusing, and shook his head quickly.
"No, no, I believe in you, Bellamy.
"Go on."
Noah, like a stubborn wall of bricks, didn't move even with Kaden's assurance. The dragon coolly eyed the other with challenge, a clear intent to remain standing until Kaden took the reigns.
"..e on, you're not a petty person. We'll only end up lost in a ditch or shady area if I lead."
"I'll follow you."
The words were spoken with such certainty, Kaden shuffled on the spot feeling odd. Three words, casually spoke, and it felt like there was a deeper implication woven underneath.
A declaration to follow him anywhere.
To the brightest, and to all the darkest places.
Kaden huffed, playing the role of a responsible adult who reluctantly listened to the other party. Noah was amused, his cold black gaze settled on the man's back, watching intently as Kaden hesitated nervously before striding forward.
He was a person full of doubts, but once forced to decide, would resolutely charge forward.
Meanwhile, the other student was reassuring himself in his head as he led them to the right, and then to the left. Eventually, the did a full circle around, although Noah remained true to his word, following behind quietly.
Kaden spun around. "I'd really like to pry open that mouth of yours, Bellamy."
The dragon raised an eyebrow, standing beside him as he glanced over. Then, with poise and calmness, he opened his mouth into a circle, revealing a row of neat teeth and two sharpened canines—a trait of his bloodline.
Kaden fell speechless in seconds.
Noah stared at him silently with his mouth wide open.
The two men continued to gaze at each other wordlessly. High in the air, a bird squawaked as the wind around them blew.
"What're you doing, Bellamy?"
Noah blinked.
He even tilted his head to the side in response, loose strands of white-black hair delicately swaying over his eyes.
The more Kaden looked the more... wasn't it a little cute? It was strange calling such a large man, a vicious dragon, cute... but... the contrast between the sharp black gaze, and the silly action...
No! Kaden slapped himself in his mind, appalled. Deciding it wasn't enough, he slapped himself physically as well once.
Kaden huffed in satisfaction, all nonsense slapped out of his brain.
Contrastly, the dragon clamped his mouth shut and frowned deeply, striding closer. Kaden looked over at the approaching man and had a terrible feeling.
He took a step back. Noah took a step forward. Then, repeat.
"Hahahaha..." Kaden spun on his heels and dashed down the street, past the cobbled buildings and overgrown vines that bled over the floor.
When he glimpsed back, he saw the dragon's inhumane speed chasing after him in long strides of step.
A master speed-walker.
"You'd win at a speed walking conversation, Bellamy!"
"Stay put, Chauvet!"
"You're terrifying! Menacing! Absolutely not!" Kaden yelled loudly, dodging a wall that appeared out of nowhere. "What are you even doing?!"
"What were you doing?! Why did you slap yourself?!" shouted Noah back with irritation, done with the self-harming ways of that fool. If he allowed a simple slap to happen, then Kaden definitely wouldn't learn how to care for himself when it came to more grave matters.
"It was a method!"
"A method for what?!"
Kaden felt a heat begin to rise to his cheeks—because admitting anything like thinking of a grown dragon as cute was humiliating, obviously!
Actually, why was it embarrassing? It wasn't rude or disrespectful, or anything awful to say at all.
His mind suddenly did a full rotation, and rather confusion replaced embarrassment. Wasn't it more humiliating to act as if he'd jumped on Noah, rather than thought of a kind compliment to his friend?
Kaden, who'd been running aimlessly, pivoted around suddenly and yelled over, "I thought you were cute! Endearing, in a menacing, very diabolic way?"
"What—"
Noah hadn't expected either Kaden's sudden action of stopping, or the random comment out of the blue. He startled, his foot entangling with Kaden's that stood at the open doorway to a building, hanging vines and small white flowers blooming overhead.
The pair tripped, and Kaden let out a noise of surprise and he felt himself falling backward.
The dragon, in the seconds between, slipped his hand underneath the waist of a certain forgetful eater, frowning slightly. As they collided with the floor, he stabilised himself on one knee, one hand slamming on the floor while the other held Kaden between the small of his back.
They both groaned as they crashed into the ground. Even with Noah's fast reaction, it was impossible to prevent any injury.
Kaden blinked his eyes slowly, the scent of paper and old wood wafting past him. The scent that surrounded Noah was similar, of oaken nature and paper, but it was a little different.
Not yet reacting to Noah, Kaden tilted his head back to squint dazedly into the building they'd fallen into.
Noah slowly blinked as well, glancing at the exposed neck after Kaden moved his head, before looking up at the rows of shelves in an organised mess, stacked and leaning against each other as a warm glow cast into the room.
Sunlight filtered through stained glass windows along the wall, and in the background were the turning gears of an old machinery clock.
The space reflected into the dark eyes of Noah, and when Kaden looked back to see the rows of books and comfort in the dragon's gaze, he felt it was perfectly suited.
A future where Noah Bellamy became not a hero, but a mere soul that roamed among the rows of stories, under the streams of sunlight that made his cold appearance warm.
The corners of Noah's eyes softened, and Kaden noticed it.
"You found it."
There was some awe and bewilderment, the words that were a faint whisper.
Kaden parted his mouth in surprise. "This is it?"
Noah nodded, naturally pushing himself up and bringing Kaden along with him. His hands—gloved once again, tucked the messy tangles of Kaden's hair behind one ear.
He hummed in response softly. Kaden glanced over at the other man's hands.
"You know Bellamy, you don't need to go out of the way to wear those. They get stuffy, don't they? Hiding such beautiful hands." teased Kaden, half-serious.
He didn't want anybody going out of their way for him. It wasn't worth another's discomfort.
Noah tilted his head lightly, shadowed by the open door frame.
"It's not uncomfortable." He said slowly, turning away and walking into the store. "Believe it or not, Chauvet, I'm wearing these because I want to."
"You didn't before."
"Before, I had no need to touch you."
Had Kaden been drinking water, he would've spat it out in that instant. That was his first thought as the words registered in his mind
And while he was left in confusion, Noah had casually strolled to one of the shelves with great familiarity, spreading the pages of a book open in one hand. He lightly tapped one of the random trinkets, a broken toy horse, and turned.
The dragon's face was unreadable. "Didn't you want to know the books I read?"
Kaden coughed. "Yes—but—what you said—"
"What of it?"
"That—"
Faced with such calm, Kaden's head cooled down and he relaxed again. He would put the matter aside for now, lest he waste more of this precious time.
Time wasted would never come back.
Noah watched the changing expressions, the fluster that relaxed into calm, the tinges of red that brushed over the ears. He turned back to the book, but the corners of his lips had hooked up ever so slightly.
There was no need to hurry or to rush. They only needed to enjoy the present, the tranquillity that life gifted.
Every moment, significant and insignificant, there was not a single one that Noah Bellamy considered a waste of time.
Not the time he spent thinking of the fool, or simmering in the silences that fell between in late evenings.
Kaden rubbed his face in thought, scrunching up his eyebrows before wandering over, peeking at the book. He skimmed the pages quickly, and became a little intrigued.
"What's this about?"
"A person who experiences life through the eyes of a different animal for one day, every month."
"Oh," Kaden urged Noah to flip the page, leaning closer. "The different perspectives would be interesting. What they see, what they do, it'll only be different hm? Just like you and I in a way."
"A different perspective." repeated Noah quietly. "Thoughts we can't fathom, meanings behind words and actions we can't fully understand."
"Well, you can make a certain assumption over what a person does. Or people do it anyway. If they don't smile in return, they may dislike you. Everything a person does is being judged."
Noah flipped to the next page and he noticed Kaden's finger twitch, eyes landing near the end of the page. They had stopped trailing across to read the words, and before Kaden could ask, Noah continued to flip the page at the perfect timing.
"If they don't smile?" prompted Noah.
Kaden answered smoothly. "They may dislike you."
"And if they ignore you?"
"The same might apply."
"You think the worse of others." Noah corrected himself. "We, think the worse possibilities. Is that inherently our own selfishness to worry more about how we're percieved, than what their actions really meant? To give them the benefit of doubt?"
The paper flipped again and Kaden smiled, looking up. "We can't bear the idea of people judging us, yet we always judge others. It's hypocrisy. That's what it means to live."
Noah's hand paused, and he glanced sideways. "A person you consider noble may not be kind or heroic."
"But a person that seems cruel may truly be a sinner." said the other softly, a harsh whisper between them as the man lifted his gaze. "Turn the page please, Bellamy."
Noah obliged and wondered, "Then what's better? To assume the worse or to assume the best?"
"I find most will say to assume the best. More like, even if the worst were true, why would it matter? If somebody despises you, why does it actually matter? Because they hate you, and you can't do anything about it but live what that fact."
"You can worry and be anxious, but that does not change their hatred."
"Right. Exactly. Of course, in theory, it's easier to think about it. Why do you feel this way, that way? Logically, it doesn't make sense. But feelings,"
"They're not logical." finished Noah.
Kaden raised his head again. "They're not." He agreed.
Then, a voice tore through the lapse of silence that had settled between them.
"Don't be noisy in my sacred abode."
Kaden jerked, almost jumping directly into Noah's arms as the dragon stabalized him, startled himself. Perched behind them, squatting down on the wooden floors with a youthful face resting in his palms, was a teenage boy wearing gold-rimmed glasses that made his eyes appear larger.
His face was stiff, lacking even a twitch of emotion on it. Despite his quiet voice that seemed to carry traces of leisure, the boy's neat appearance was the direct opposite.
Kaden calmed his thumping heart. It couldn't be helped—his senses were trained, even distracted by conversation. The teenager had appeared without the slightest bit of sound of movement, like a ghost with no presence roaming past the shelves.
The boy tilted his head, inquisitively. "Oh. Did I scare you?"
It was obvious that Kaden had been startled, but it seemed to be a genuine question.
Kaden paused, and then nodded. "You did."
"I apologize. That wasn't my intention." Then the boy pursed his lips and considered it. "However, if it made you stop chattering, then it was my intended result."
Kaden didn't know how to reply to that, blinking in silence.
Instead, Noah spoke. "Grandfather."
"......" Kaden swivelled his head back and forth in deep disbelief. He laughed, and then swallowed back the laugh when he saw no humour in the two faces. "...repeat that again?"
"He said," supplied the teenager helpfully. "Grandfather. In reference to me. Unless it was to you?"
"I'm the same age as him?"
"Ah, appearance can be deceiving." hummed the teenager with glasses. "I did wonder. I thought perhaps Noah had a thing for older men. I never know. It's been a while since he's visited, after all."
"I repeat, I'm the same age as him? Wait—a thing, no, did you think for a second he would be interested in me, while also assuming he might be calling me grandfather, which also implies—"
"Don't overthink it. The fact stands that you are young, and that you seem to believe he does not have any interest in you. In that case, my temporary wonders aren't important." The boy explained solemnly, pushing his glasses up.
"Noah." The boy nodded to the dragon. "It has been a while. I thought you'd given up reading."
"You tossed me out when I was sleeping, and I haven't been able to find my way back since." said Noah expressionlessly in reminder.
"Oh. Did that happen?"
"It was raining. I caught a cold the next day."
"Don't tell me you're holding a grudge? You were young and healthy."
"I'm not."
"Brilliant. I didn't plan to apologize."
The exchange felt eccentric, both dull and, in some inexplicable way, affectionate. The teenager squatted down again, and pulled a book from the shelves, handing it over to Noah. Noah lowered his eyes onto the title printed in bold.
'10 Ways to Make ‌a Human Love You. A Guide for Troubled Beasts.'
The teenager observed Noah's darkening expression and turned around again. "No good? I thought I'd picked a particularly useful one. It has a step-by-step guide as well. I heard the success rate was fairly high. Perhaps this will better suit you."
Another book was stacked into Noah's arms.
'Love Lessons for the Socially Inept.'
The teenager glanced over and hummed. "Aren't you more picky than you once were in the past? Don't you tell me this is no good either."
"Grandfather. Are you implying something?"
"It's advice for the socially inept. I know you can read perfectly fine."
"Pft—" A snort escaped Kaden as he hurried to cover his mouth, but the curve of his eyes couldn't hide the amusement mixed with the pale green gaze.
Noah swiveled over, exasperated before closing his eyes with a shake of his head. He opened it solemnly, skimming through the pages. It appeared as if he weren't reading, but his gaze registered all things necessary.
When he finished, he calmly spoke. "Hand out."
Kaden was still chuckling to himself and opened his palms up obediently.
Then, a book was placed in on top of them.
"....." He looked down at the book and then back up at Noah. "...?"
"Your turn, Chauvet. I doubt I'm the only one this book can help."
"I assure you, Bellamy, I'm rather skilled in relationships."
Noah arched a brow, moving to grab a different book from the messy shelves, covered in stacks of books. He pulled one out and placed it on the growing pile.
'The Difference Between Curtsying and Bowing.'
Kaden's eyes went wide. "How did you—"
"Mn?" Noah cocked his head leisurely. "What's the matter, Chauvet?"
A voice always stoic and calm now contained a tickle of amusement. Kaden frowned, but he didn't want to admit his humiliating acts out loud. As long as he didn't admit to anything, then it didn't happen.
Sometimes being a little delusional was healthy. For his mental health, that was.
Only a little.
The white-haired teenager had, at some point, settled atop one of the shorter shelves, slowly drinking from a cup of steaming liquid. He adjusted his glasses, pitch black eyes gleaming. It was an appearance, Kaden realized, that looked more like Noah when he examined carefully.
At a glance, despite Noah and the teenager's similar hair and eye colour, they radiated a different air that made one not correlate a relation at the start.
Feeling the stare, the ancient teenager flicked his gaze up.
"What're you staring at, when you should be talking to that foolish grandchild of mine instead? Give this old man some amusement with your silliness."
The words really didn't seem to be coming from the teenager's mouth.
Kaden asked tentatively, "I assumed dragons didn't live among human towns...?"
"Bah. Certainly, maybe a good portion of our kind may like to isolate themselves and dig a hole out of an over sized rock to live in, but there's secrecy in living publicly. This place itself isn't an easy place to find."
Kaden looked left and right curiously. "Do you collect jewels and gold?"
"Asking all your questions now that you've gotten an opportunity, aren't you? Despite having a dragon, albeit small, bratty and immature, right by your side."
Noah's eye twitched. "Grandfather."
"At least he's handsome. He better be, with my blood running in him. Quiet, brat. Well, I'll be kind to you." The teenager huffed a sigh, drinking the last remains of his drink—what Kaden assumed to be tea. "My treasure, you ask? Why, you're looking right at it."
Admiration filled Kaden's chest as he realized, gazing at the rows of old books filled to the brim with imagination and knowledge.
"Now what are you looking at?" snapped the teenager, holding up his teapot. "This. This is my treasure, got it? This and the jewels I have hidden underground, though I won't be showing you that."
Noah sighed, rubbing his temples. "Grandfather..."
"What? Is that disappointing? Sorry human, but I'm not that silly grandchild of mine. I like gold, jewels and teapots, understand?"
The teenager huffed, rubbing his back as he jumped over the table, snatching up with teapot. He frowned at the pair and sighed, muttering something about how bothersome young folk were, and disappeared around the corner.