The Love You Want (sleep token fic - Polyvessels)

III: Part Twelve

Vessel and II are a quarter way into The Two Towers when III finally wakes, drooling on II's pillow as Elvira sleeps on it above his head.

"Mornin'" III slurs, rubbing one eye as they curl up into as small of a ball as possible, right up against II's side.

"Morning, sleepyhead. Rest well?" II says, receiving only a muffled hum in reply.

"When you're more awake, I'm going to need your and Ves' help maneuvering the mattress into the house. Carrying it in was no problem's all the tight corners and furniture I won't be able to navigate past. It's just sitting in the foyer right now, taking up space." II requests, and III nods into II's side.

"Coffee first." They mumble, eyes still shut as a thumb absent-mindedly traces a line back and forth on II's thigh.

"You seem more tired than usual." Vessel comments lightly, erring on the worried side, sitting up.

"Using my magic all day while Four was here was exhausting. Sleep said I would get used to it, though, and it wouldn't affect me so badly with time."

"Will you be able to healthily maintain your disguise on tour?" II questions, turning his phone screen off to properly pay attention to the conversation.

"I'll be fine. I'll have ample practice by the time touring comes around since Four's probably going to be coming over more often. Oh, speaking of, how do you feel about him? A bit blunt, but I can be as well." III finally sits up too, yawning into a closed fist.

"It's a bit early for me to say. He seems nice enough. What about you, Vessel?"

Vessel takes a moment to gather the words, not sure how to respond. Should he mention the man in his dreams? Vessel had wanted to wait until he'd spoken with Sleep, but... No. No, he'll wait to say anything.

Biting his lip nervously, Vessel says, "I do not feel drawn to him as I was to Three."

II takes that answer in, remembering the way he, too, was drawn to III, but not as strongly as Vessel had been. II himself didn't feel drawn to Nick, to Four, either.

"Well, has Sleep chosen our Fourth yet?" III says around another yawn, tears beading at the corner of their eyes.

"I am not certain. I will ask." Vessel moves to get up, but II stops him with an arm around his waist, pulling him back to II's side.

"Stay awhile, sweetheart. Ask later, once we finish our movie. I don't want you to leave my side just yet."

Vessel's face floods with a startlingly red blush, more shy about II blatantly admitting to wanting his company than he was about all of the dirty talk from that sinfully pretty mouth.

"What were you watching anyway?" III asks, hunching over to lean his head on II's shoulder.

"Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers." II replies, using his available hand to start carding gentle fingers through their hair, his usual blonde but now sporting black tips.

II's hand is warm where it has slid down to grip Vessel's hip tenderly, and Vessel is utterly lost in the gentleness of it.

"Oh, I've never actually seen those movies. A few scenes here and there from the first one, but that's it."

"We can- Um, I don't mind restarting from the first movie. If- If Two doesn't mind." Vessel speaks up, blushing further when II presses a kiss to his cheek.

"I don't mind. I've seen The Lord of The Rings a myriad of times along with The Hobbit trilogy-" II pauses, a frown appearing alongside a furrow between his brow, seeming to be thinking hard about something, "With my mothers. We would dedicate a whole weekend every once in a while to watching both trilogies. It got more difficult to plan once I moved out, but we managed."