The Love You Want (sleep token fic - Polyvessels)

III: Part Six

III awoke that morning with a clear head, fully rested with no signs of pain throughout his body except for the slow healing bruising on their face. He was wrapped around II, holding the drummer's smaller body to III's taller one like a teddy bear as II's snores filled the silence. He looked peaceful, still at rest as the both of them were warm under the blankets with his head tucked under III's chin. III was content to lay there a little longer before going to seek out Vessel to tell him good morning and ask how his night went-

Then III realizes he can barely feel Vessel in the bond. He sits up quickly, accidentally waking II in the process, who sits up slower, rubbing his tired eyes. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

II barely manages to get his question out before III shoots out of bed, tripping over the blankets caught around their legs. "I can barely feel Vessel."

Any tiredness is sapped from II's bones like a lightning strike as the second vessel scrambles to completely attune himself to the bond he shares with the other two vessels. III is already out II's door, bare feet easily heard thumping against the flooring as they run down the hall towards Vessel's room. III's bond was a frantic mess of confusion and worry and panic.

II could not describe just how relieved he was when he felt Vessel's bond in tact, open but just barely, deliberate in how much of Vessel could be felt.

"He's not in his room, or the altar room!" III calls, footsteps pounding down the stairs.

II gets out of bed, too, socks slipping over the floor in his haste to help III check the house. His knee slams into the ground, sending pain up his leg and down the bond but he ignores it in his worry. Panicked cursing meets II's ears as he also makes his way down the stairs, forced to take them slower lest he slip and break his neck. II goes to check the bathroom and practice room as III checks the living room and kitchen, then heads outside. Neither notice that the vines, usually so lively, are listless, moving about the walls at a snails pace.

Vessel isn't in the house, and when III comes back in, II having heard him yelling for Vessel from inside, III says, "He's not out there either! The car's still parked outside. I- I can barely feel him. He promised! He promised he would try to keep the bond open! What happened?"

"I don't know sweetheart, he never usually goes out by himself... but the fucking car's still here...? Fuck, the only place we haven't checked is the attic and most of the forest. With his bond like it is, we'd never find him amidst all those damn trees."

All III can picture in his mind is a bloody Vessel, lost somewhere in the forest, even if the bond shows no pain. He has lied to them with it before.

A thought strikes them-

"Our phones! Have we tried calling him?" III asks, already taking II's arm and pulling him up the stairs.

They apologize when II slips, helping keep him upright as they go slower. "Fucking socks. I'm sorry."

"Its okay, doll, I'm not meaning to rush you."

"You're worried about Ves, sweetheart, it's alright."

III goes to grab his phone off the nightstand in II's room, pausing when he sees three of them, with a note placed over one. "He left his phone..."

"The note says he'll be back soon. He even put the cute six eyed smiley face." II says, taking in Vessel's elegant cursive.

III runs a hand through his loose blonde curls, then does it again to try and release some of the restless energy inside them, "We could ask Sleep again?"

"You probably should, I've displeased the God each time. I'm... not as respectful as I should be when it concerns Vessel's safety."

II knows that he should show the God more respect. That Sleep is his God as much as He is the others'. That he chose Sleep, chose this life... but II hates that Sleep is a flawed God. Just as any other being. Hates that Vessel can't seem to see it, or perhaps doesn't care due to his own lack of self-love and his unending devotion to the God.