The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXIV - The Apparition

I woke up before everyone else, blinking the light away that spilled over the floor in the main room to find the boys cuddled close to each other on the floor. II was burrowed into IV's side, arm draped over him. IV was lying on his back, arm tucked behind his head as if he were simply taking a nap, but his curly blond hair lay partially over his lids. III's feet stuck out of the shared blanket between him and II as II stole most of it.

Vessel was awake, running his hands over II's mess of hair, moving the locks away from his relaxed face.

When Vessel caught my eyes, his brow furrowed almost in worry before darting around and deciding to avoid my gaze altogether.

Instead of trying to talk to him and risk waking the others, I padded to the phone by the door, feeling Vessel watching me as he slowly sat upright. He tracked me as if he thought I would just walk out of the hotel and never return.

I picked up the phone and ordered breakfast to be brought up in a quiet voice and Vessel seemed to relax a bit as I watched him sink back into the couch from the corner of my eye.

Grabbing the notepad from the table, I wrote him a note so we could still be as quiet as possible before breakfast arrived.

III has a date with Isla after the tour.

His eyes lit up in surprise as he scanned the note handed to him before a small smile touched his lips, looking down to III's sleeping form with such pride and love that it made my heart ache.

The smile faded into something distant and sad before he silently asked for the pen.

When I handed him the pen, he jotted something down before handing it back.

If not for me, they would have been together for eight years this year.

I stared down at the note for a few extra seconds, not knowing how to respond. I thought a moment before putting pen to paper again.

It wasn't your fault. People's decisions aren't your responsibility. Anyway, I'm sure deciding between a relationship and the life of his best friend was an easy choice. He has a chance to tell her the truth, now.

He looked at the notepad for a long time, seeming to think over my words again and again. I stepped away to answer the door when breakfast arrived.

The knock on the door woke II and he rubbed his eyes, blinking away the light before squinting up to Vessel and reaching a hand up to him.

From the look Vessel gave him, it seemed he was apologizing as he looked back down to him.

I brought in a cart of fresh food and pulled it into the main room, seeing IV and III stirring. III threw an arm around II and burrowed his face into his neck. IV stretched and moved the hair from his face before slowly blinking his eyes open. He focused on Vessel, who waved at him from above.

Reaching up, IV beckoned for Vessel's hand, but when Vessel reached forward, IV snagged Vessel's shirt and pulled him down.

Vessel lost balance on the couch and toppled on top of IV, II moving just in time with a low chuckle.

When Vessel moved to get off of IV, IV held him fast and pulled him close. After a moment, Vessel relaxed against IV's shoulder and used his arm as a pillow.

"Guys, up." I rested a hand on my hip expectantly while pointing to an invisible watch on my wrist. "Check out's at eleven."

III and II groaned while Vessel and IV began to get up without a complaint.

We had breakfast in silence before disbanding to pack up.

I met II in the hallway as IV carried their stuff out and pulled him aside. His eyes were wide with surprise, but he allowed me to pull him to the corner between the rooms.

"You guys are hiding something from me." I murmured, trying to be as serious as I could. I didn't want him to think he could avoid my questions.

Sighing, he ran a hand down his face and I knew he was tired. They all were. "Hayley..."

"Tell me the truth." I ground out. He opened his mouth to speak and when nothing came out, I went on. "Last night..."

His eyes searched mine, last night running through his head as well.

"Why do I feel like I've met him before?" I whispered, nearly not letting myself say it. I could have brushed it off, but it was as if there was something I was missing, a piece I had yet to find.

There is much you have yet to understand.

Sleep's words came back to me and I stood my ground, waiting for II to answer me.

Closing his eyes with a sigh, II shook his head. "Look, we never expected to be called to... that night. I never expected to go into that basement and see you."

"Then, why me?" I shook my head, trying to make some sense of this.

"This isn't for me to get into." II's face was hard as he looked into my eyes with finality.

He knew why.

"Who is it for? Vessel?" I challenged, our voices still a low murmur in the hallway, but I had to hold back on raising my voice.

With Vessel's direct connection to Sleep, he would have been my best bet to try and figure out what was going on. Make some sense of anything that had happened thus far.

With this realization, I left II in the hallway without a word and he let me go without trying to stop me.

~~~~~~~~~~

As if Sleep could sense my intention, they didn't answer when I called. I didn't even care if Vessel could hear me trying to get Sleep's attention, but Vessel seemed to be my only way of knowing the truth now.

Vessel avoided me at every opportunity, even though I never directly seeked him out. It was a lot of stress that they were going through, barely dragging through the last leg of the tour in one piece.

I was sending through some videos to be edited and stole glances over the laptop to Vessel, who was sitting at the other end of the bus. He was deep in thought, a notebook open in one hand and a pen in the other, but he was staring off out the window at nothing.

With a moment to look at him, I tried to figure out where it was I had seen him before. It was undeniable when he looked up to me that night he nearly jumped.

I believe somewhere in the past, something was between you and I, my dear...

The last show of the tour was in IV's hometown. It made me wonder if there was anyone here that he knew. That missed him. Remembering our conversation outside of the church, I was sure there was at least one person that was at the forefront of his mind as he helped set the stage up.

Just before the show, the boys huddled together as they did every show. Vessel was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he looked between them when they parted before looking to me standing off to the side. As if having the same idea as Vessel, IV opened his arms with Vessel to beckon me into the small huddle.

Politely, I waved it away as my face heated, but IV stepped away to pull me closer and I set the camera down as he dragged me over to the group. I couldn't help but giggle when the men pressed their foreheads together lightly, IV gently guiding me to do the same. Vessel touched everyone's heads one by one and III bounced impatiently before the group departed to take their positions on the stage.

I picked up my camera, a small smile on my face before someone tapped my shoulder. Turning to find Vessel, I glanced around to see the rest had already gone.

The lights went down and the crowd began cheering as Chokehold started. I opened my mouth to tell him to go, he was going to miss his cue.

He bent slightly to pick up my hand and I let him, freezing the rest of my body in confusion. Placing something in my hand, I watched a bright smile spread onto his face before he ran off to side stage and made it just in time for his cue.

Looking down to an origami flower and a small note, I couldn't help the smile that spread over my lips.

Thank you.

- V