The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXX - Distraction

- 45 minutes ago -

I reached the balcony, quietly closing the door behind me as I watched Vessel take breaths in and out, staring out at the city with his arms outstretched onto the glass railing. I knew that he knew I was here with the small tick of his head to the right, but he didn't turn. 

Panic flooded my system again at the scene in front of me, but I didn't know why. 

"Two offered me a job." I broached, trying to keep my breathing under control. Trying to keep myself from surging forward. 

This made him turn slowly. Locks of hair had fallen in front of his face and I could barely see his eyes under the shadow of night. His brow was furrowed, but his jaw was set in a hard line. 

Dropping his hands from the railing, he turned to me fully, head tilted to the side just barely. 

After a beat of silence, I went on.

"If you want me to leave, then tell me to leave - cause, otherwise, in order for me to stay, I need to know what you're hiding from me."

I tried to ignore how he took small, slow steps toward me, head still tilted. He looked more serious than I had ever seen, almost frightening as he watched me like a predator. 

"Why won't you or Sleep tell me the debt to be repaid?" My voice cracked and I took a step back as he took one forward. "Why do I feel like..."

Waves of fear washed over me. I felt so small, so insignificant and helpless. Seeing him look at me as though he had seen into my soul and maybe he didn't like what he saw. Maybe he would tell me to leave. Or maybe he would just kill me, seeing as how the dark expression hadn't left his eyes. 

I was shivering and wasn't sure if it was the fear or the cold, but I clenched my jaw, trying to be strong as he closed in. 

Hayley...

My eyes snapped to his involuntarily at the deep voice echoing through my head. If I wanted the truth, I would have to deal with him invading my thoughts. 

"Vessel..." I warned, raising a shaking hand to stop him from getting any closer. I had planned on being so demanding that he couldn't avoid telling me the truth, but my resolve was melting away as it began to rain and I could smell him all around me. 

You want the truth?

A tear slipped down my cheek and I tried to stop the quiver to my bottom lip as I met his eyes. He was within arms reach now, his warmth nearly encompassing me as he stopped his advances. 

I had a strange sense of vertigo, as if the wall behind me would suddenly give way and I would freefall into nothingness. 

Answer me. His voice was hard, demanding. 

"Yes." I managed through clenched teeth, craning my head to look up at him, trying to let my face show no sign of faltering, of backing out. My nails dug into my palm as I fisted them to stop the shaking. 

He took a moment to study me, rain dripping from locks of hair.

Fine. 

I flinched as it seemed he came to a decision.

I watched his hands as they also shook, fingers bent as if he were trying to stop himself from making his own hands into fists. Maybe he thought it would scare me to do so, maybe he was trying to hold back some sort of anger. 

I will make a deal with you.

He tilted his head to try and meet my gaze that had dropped to the cement of the balcony floor. I took in a gasp of a breath and made myself look up to meet his gaze once more.