The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXVI - Missing Limbs

I spent a lot of my days for the next week catching up on schoolwork that I had missed and letting my professors know that I had a "family emergency" and won't be able to finish out the semester. It was tiring.

I had been away for months and the only people that cared about my absence was my professors.

On Friday afternoon, while the boys were out somewhere that I didn't ask about, I finally gave up on the essay I had been working on and closed the laptop. I had woken from a nightmare that morning and hadn't gone back to sleep, but didn't think a nap would help, especially since the rain pouring down outside made me restless. It always did.

Evening was descending into the house and, with all the lights out, the walls and floor were painted a blue hue that flickered with the rain over the windows. 

I made my way to the kitchen in the dim light and nearly jumped out of my skin at a noise coming from the living room. It sounded like one of the back doors was open as cool air washed over my bare feet, but there was a small melodic sound over the drone of the rain.

Peeking into the front room, I saw one of the glass doors had been opened, Vessel lay on his back halfway in and halfway out of the house while playing an acoustic guitar. I could barely hear the tune over the rain. 

Did he know I was here?

His hair was damp, splayed out over the patio just outside the door. 

"Cause it still makes my blood run cold to remember what they did before, the stories that you never told to me..."

His fingers strummed almost lazily over the strings as he gazed off into the gathering night. 

"Oh, but worry not. The blessings rain on battles in the heavens arms..."

I took a quiet step closer, straining to hear his voice. 

"And my polite offenses won't last for long. The eager apprehension is wearing off..."

He paused, head ticking to the side slowly as if sensing I was in the room as I snuck over to the closest couch. I continued breathing when he continued singing, his eyes straying back to the gray sky above. 

Shadows of the rain streaming down the glass reflected over his face and I realized there was a glistening of tears on his cheeks that he didn't bother wiping away. 

He finished the song and played around with the notes, changing the key and playing something I recognized. 

"She seemed dressed in all of me. Stretched across my shame. All the torment and the pain leaked through and covered me."

Letting out a small little sigh, I leaned back. This song was such a comfort to me in school. 

"I'd do anything to have her for myself. Just to have her for myself. Now I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do..."

I couldn't help but to sing along. "When she makes me sad..."

He paused, frozen for a moment before lifting the guitar and leaning it against the glass door. He sat up, turning to me with a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry." I felt as though I had ruined the entire moment by announcing my presence, especially in such a way. 

He didn't care to wipe the tears from his cheeks as he studied me. 

"It's just such a beautiful song." I clenched my hands together, wishing I had never interrupted. 

He stood and picked up the guitar, setting it on a stand in the corner and I felt shame for coming out here at all. The only noise in the entire house was the sound of rain coming in through the open door and I was brought back to that first night I heard him play.