Vessel X Reader/OC (Sleep token)

Chapter 23

And so I spent the last week or so at the camp like I spent my first week or so: hiding in my tent, refusing to eat or talk to anyone.

Seph hadn't left my side for a moment, to be fair, so I wasn't even lonely. The sun starts to pierce through the small opening in the tent, and I sit on the floor beside Seph, and hug her, crying into her fur. She was already getting so big, so I was conscious of showing her plenty of love before she turned into a wild beast.

Alec pokes his head through the tent, and smiles at me.
"Hey sis, you free?"

I can't ever be mad at him, unfortunately.

"I'm busy." I say, wiping my eyes.

"You look busy." He says, and sits on the floor with me. He cuddles Seph, and crosses his legs.

"When you gonna come out? You haven't eaten anything we've brought you, you've barely drunk, you won't talk."

"Can you blame me?"

"For a week? No. Not at all. I understand, I do. But it's time to get over the bitterness and hatred, and enjoy your life. No one knows how long we're here for."

I roll my eyes.
"I can't enjoy my life here."

"You started to really enjoy it until you knew you had to stay. Don't bullshit." He says, firmly, and I look down, sighing.

"I can't just get over it."

"No. You can't. But you can start to. There's a party tonight, and I know damn well that Vessel won't attend, even though he's the host. Maybe we could change that."

"What's wrong with Vessel?" I ask, tilting my head.

"He hasn't left his tent either. No rituals, no prayers, no blood sacrifices."

"And that's my fault?" I ask, and Alec shakes his head.

"No. Your reaction was fair. But he really cares for you, and can't function normally knowing that you can't, either."

I think, carefully.
"I don't know if I could see him without punching him."

"You can punch me, too, if you'd like. I knew that you'd have to stay."

"You did?!" I yell, and he sighs.

"Yes, once you tried to kill Vessel, I knew sleep would not allow you to leave."

"How the fuck would you know that? Vessel told you?"

"No, I'm... I'm a Vessel. Joff, too. Vessel's like our boss, and he makes big decisions, and leads rituals and stuff. But we speak to Sleep, too."

I think about punching him. I take ten seconds to calm down, and I sigh.

"Are you going to come out? Go speak to Vessel, maybe?" He asks, and I think.

I shake my head.
"For someone that claims he loves me, he betrayed me massively."

"He did, I suppose. But a blind man could see that you love him too, and it's not like you've never made a mistake. You tried to kill him. And I understand why. But more importantly, even he understands why. And he didn't punish you."

"That's different. I did that because he's holding me captive here."

"I'm not defending Vessel. You need to understand that. But the clue is in the name, Iris. Vessel. He's just a medium between us and god. He follows orders. It's not him you need to be mad at. He's still a man, and he has thoughts and feelings, like you. Maybe think about that a little more." He says, sharply, and leaves.