The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

III pt. 3 - Hypnosis

My heart was pounding. I had taken over an hour to type out a few sentences. I really was a fecking idiot. Hovering my thumb over the send button, I contemplated for the last time before squeezing my eyes shut and pressing send. 

Thank you for being willing to hear me out. Our tour is over in one week. If you are comfortable with it, I'd like to meet up and explain myself to you at CiCi's Cafe next Sunday.

Jumping off the bed where I had been sprawled, I took a deep breath and calmed my racing heart. I had considered asking if she remembered CiCi's, but that was a stupid question. She still lived here. We went there every Sunday. Before.

Needing to calm my nerves, I scrubbed my hands through my hair and left my room for the first time since getting in. The hotel was dark and the only light coming through was the city lights from the balcony window. Crossing the hotels main room, I shuffled to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, downing it till it was half gone. 

"Stop!" 

I dropped the water bottle, cold water spilling over my feet and the floor as I turned to find Hayley in the main room.

The balcony doors were open.

Vessel stood balanced on the railing, teetering on the thin metal.

I started toward him, but slipped on the water, crashing to the floor as I tried to reach them.

She dashed to the balcony just as I crawled out of the kitchen and stumbled into the main room. 

He let his arms raise at his sides, ready to freefall to his death. 

No. Not again...

Hayley managed to grab his shirt and yank him back, the both of them falling to the floor. She cried out as her hair cascaded around the carpet, knocking her head against the floor.

My mind stalled for a moment before I jumped to the sliding doors, slamming them closed and locking them.

Hayley was hyperventilating. I dropped to my knees and cradled Hayley's head first.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." She began sobbing as she pushed herself back up with my help.

Vessel had risen to his knees, swaying back and forth. Sleep still had a grip on his mind.

"You fucking asshole!" Hayley spat when she caught her breath, moving to stand and I grabbed her arm as she started for him. She didn't know he was still asleep.

II bolted out of his room, IV following, taking in the scene with such confusion. I shot a hand out to them and they stopped in their tracks.

She raised her hand to slap him just as he felt her near.

"Hayley, no!" I scrambled to my feet, one arm outstretched to her as if I could stop her and the other still holding off II and IV. "He's sleepwalking!"

She paused, eyes filled with such anger, but she didn't move to strike. The realization dawned on her face as she saw his head lull up, glowing blue eyes searching hers in heartbreaking confusion and pain. 

He reached a shaking hand up to her, trembling on his knees.

She fell to her knees just in time to catch him as he collapsed to the floor, eyes rolling back.

There was about a second and a half of silence as we watched his breathing even out into sleep before Hayley choked out a sob. The three of us, stood like statues, moved then.

II knelt before Hayley while I took Vessel into my arms. She launched herself into II and buried her face into his chest before letting herself sob into his shirt. 

"It's alright, you're alright..." II repeated, his hands pulling her head closer, tangling into her hair. He began rocking her to help slow her breathing, watching as I picked up Vessel to lay him on the small couch. IV hurried to the kitchen to get her some water, not knowing how else to help.

My heart ached as I let myself take a breath while also taking in what had just happened. I understood why she was angry, but didn't even think about why it stoked such a fire in her before it hit me.

She had been able to pull Vessel back from making that decision, been able to yell at him after knowing he was safe, but not her brother. 

~~~~~~~~~~

The four of us sat on the floor, leant up against the couch where Vessel slept. Hayley lay in II's lap as he ran his hands through her hair. We watched some ghost hunting show on low volume, letting ourselves and Hayley calm down in the wee hours of the night. 

We had talked quietly about putting the tour on pause. Maybe it was too much for the two of them right now. 

Feeling guilty for leaving, even for a moment, I assured them I would be back as I went to grab my phone. I didn't let myself see if there were any texts until I was sitting back down beside IV. He kept a strict schedule of making Hayley get up to take a drink of water every once in a while, usually during commercial breaks. It was his way of caring when he didn't know what to do. 

Unlocking my phone, my heart leapt at the sight of a new message from Isla. 

I'll be there.

Thinking it may make Hayley feel better, or at least be a better distraction than the furniture commercial playing, I showed her the screen and she angled her head up to give a genuinely bright smile. She reached her hand up in offering and, after a moment of hesitation, I took it and laid our connected hands over IV's lap. 

IV draped an arm around me, peaking at what I had shown Hayley before squeezing his arm tighter around my shoulders. 

Eventually, Hayley fell asleep curled up in II's lap, hand still limply held in mine. 

II slowly and gently picked her up to carry her to her own room while IV turned off the TV. 

After debating for a few minutes, we decided to leave Vessel where he was. He was curled into a ball on the couch, breathing evenly in a deep sleep. IV offered to stay in the living room, setting up blankets and a pillow on the carpet in front of the couch. I stood, stretched and went to clean up the water in the kitchen that IV luckily hadn't slipped on earlier. 

Seeing IV laying in front of the couch, staring up at Vessel's sleeping face, I decided to grab a pillow and blanket to lay with him. 

After we had gotten comfortable, II emerged with his own pillow.

We scooted over to give him space.