Vessel X Reader/OC (Sleep token)

Chapter 10

Author's note:

So... If these two like... Bang...

Would you readers prefer a heavily implied scene or outright smut? I will be democratic about this ❤️

Also... You know how in the Alkaline video sleep kind of gives Vessel cool powers? Should vessel be a little more supernatural?

Thank u love u

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I stir my fruit and oats around the bowl, and look around. It's about midday, I'm guessing, from the sun's position, and the camp is absolutely bustling. I didn't even realise that many people were here.

Just as I'm lost in thought, a woman sits beside me, and I look at her. She smiles, and I smile back faintly. Brunette, very, very pretty, but with sharper features. Kind of like a mean girl in school.

"You're the new girl, huh?" She says, and I shake my head quickly.

"I'm the temporary girl." I respond, and she laughs, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Of course. Sorry. I'm Elva. And you're Iris, right?"

I nod.
"Nice to meet you."

She smiles, and plaits small strands of her hair to keep her busy.
"Me and a few others are preparing for a ritual tonight. Will we see you there?" She asks.

"Probably, yeah."

"Fantastic." She says, and wanders off.
That was kinda weird.

I finish off my food, clean up my bowl, and it dawns on me I haven't seen Vessel today, yet. Jesus, I wish I didn't think about him so much.

I take some honey from the food stores, and try and find some burn ointment or something in my survival bag. Naturally, no such luck. Quite irritatingly, I'd packed moisturiser, but no burn ointment.

I pour the honey into the moisturiser, and stir it, closing the lid. I poke my head into Vessel's tent, and he's sat on his bed, shirtless, but with his head in his hands.

"Morning." I say, and he quickly looks up.

"Iris." He says, sits up properly, and runs his fingers through his hair. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing." I respond, and sit beside him. He looks a little confused, but doesn't protest.

"Can I see your hand?" I ask him, and he reluctantly holds out his burnt hand. I gently touch it with mine. It's still red hot, it's inflamed, there's even some light bleeding on some of the burns.

"It's not bad." He says. "And it's nothing for you to worry about, either."

Before he can argue, I cover his hand with my little burn concoction.
"It should heal fine. Just keep applying this." I say, and put the tub beside his bed.

He stares at me, in what looks like shock, but I assume is confusion.

"Thank you." He eventually says, and I nod. I try and suss out what kind of guy I'm dealing with today. I kind of get caught up in how gorgeous his face is, and, admittedly, how good he looks without a bare torso. Without the jacket, and the paint, too.

"What are you looking at?" He questions, and I go red.

"Sorry. I'm just not used to you not having black paint on.

"I struggled with my burnt hand. I didn't bother. It's odd for me too."

He glances over at his tub of charcoal paint, and I pick it up.

"Fine, I'll take the hint. Keep still. Are we doing your face, too?" I ask him. He tries not to smile.

"If you don't mind."

I carefully apply the paint to his face, below the nose, and his neck, and eventually, his arms, back, and chest. He looked tense, at first, but calmed down eventually.

I rinse my hands, and put his paint back.

"All done. You look terrifying." I say, and he smiles slightly.

"Perfect."

I decide the scary guy in front of me is the one I had a thing for to begin with, so I kneel on the bed, and lean in to kiss him. 

He kisses me back, and as I pull away, he tries not to laugh.

I cock my head. Huh?

"Black looks good on you."

"Ugh." I groan, and quickly wash the transferred paint off of my face.

"I'll see you tonight. Thanks for your help, Iris."

I nod, and leave, and get ready for the ritual. I did say I'd be there. I'm late, once again, and Vessel had already started singing. It was clearly a love song, and super pretty. Sad, though.

I get really caught up in it, that I didn't notice Elva standing beside me.

"Gorgeous voice, right?" She says, and I nod, with a smile. "Do you reckon his face is as gorgeous?" She asks.

I raise my eyebrow.
"You haven't seen his face?"

"Of course not."

"Oh..." I mumble, debating whether I should say anything. "I have." I say, and she suddenly glares at me.

"What?"

"It's probably just because I'm only here temporarily. I'm not special." I reply, with a little nervous laughter.

She looks enraged. Like a toddler, it's insane. She quickly glances at Vessel, and back at me.

"Unlikely. Our god is brutal. Do you really think he's just going to let you go? You're with us, or against us. Vessel is just a man. He probably just doesn't know how to tell you yet. Sleep will let you live. He won't let you leave."

I feel completely sick to my stomach, and go faint.

I dash back to my tent, and sip water, breathing carefully, trying not to be sick or have a panic attack.

A couple hours later, I'm unsurprisingly visited by Vessel, who upon seeing me, immediately takes off his mask and places it on the bed.

"I wondered where you'd gone to. You don't look well."

I hven't yet decided how to play my cards, but I know I need to figure out how to get out of here.

If their god is real, he sends Vessel to find me if I leave. If he isn't, Vessel seems to find me anyway. Either way, the common denominator is him.

I look back at him, and kind of get caught up in those big brown eyes.

"I'm ok." I respond, with a faint smile.

"Alright. Now tell me the truth."

I can't help but grin.
"I'm fine. Just feel a little tired. Maybe a bit ill."

"Okay." He says, quietly, and leans down, gently kissing my forehead. I'm a little confused, trying to figure out where this big softie had come from.

"Hey," I say, being ballsy. "Can I have my carving knife back?"

He raises his eyebrow at me.
"What do you need it for?"

"Nothing, it's just... I've never not had it with me. Me and my dad used to go camping, and he gave it to me. I miss it."

He bites his lip for a second, and leaves the tent. He quickly returns, and places the knife beside my bed.

"Don't kill anyone." He says, with a smile.

"We'll see." I reply, and I hear him laugh, slightly, under his breath, before spinning on his heel to leave.

"Vessel." I say, and he stops in his tracks, and turns his head to look back at me.

"Can we talk?" I ask, and he nods once, before sitting on the bed.