The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXXVIII - Euclid

I roused from sleep to the scent of saltwater and cedar, immediately calming when my mind wanted to spiral. My leg hurt when I curled up further against the pillow. Blinking my eyes open, I found that I was in a room I didn't recognize. High vaulted ceilings, morning light coming in through the windows half drawn. The bed had black silk sheets and a canopy of black tulle hanging from the high posts to drape down around the sides. The walls were covered in music posters in gold gothic frames, walls painted a matte black. 

Memories of last night came back to me and I grew more anxious. Sitting up, I rubbed my aching head and checked on my leg that seemed to be fine other than a pulled muscle. No bullet holes, but it probably didn't help that it was the same leg that had gotten shot. 

When I looked myself over, my face heated at finding that I was in large sweat pants and an oversized band shirt that wasn't mine.

Had I been redressed?

I supposed it made sense, we had gotten soaked in rainwater before getting in the car and I must have dozed off. 

Getting up out of bed, I limped to the door, stretching my aching limbs from overexerting them running last night. I peeked out of the door partially ajar to a hallway painted a matching black. The door frames were carved with intricate swirls, seeming to be an old restored house. 

Just outside of the small hallway, there was a winding grand staircase with a black, glossy banister. On my way down the stairs, I looked over the baroque period paintings placed evenly through the descent of the stairs. They were portraits of war, blood and death painted in such a beautiful way that I had to stop and stare at a few.

I could hear the faint sound of a piano, but it seemed like there were other noises coming from the landing to the right. I looked around a doorframe to find that the entryway led to the stairs directly ahead, a kitchen to the left and a living room to the right. The living room had a large grand piano and I realized it must have been the same piano from the church. It looked exactly the same. 

I followed the sound of music to find Vessel bustling around a kitchen while listening to a record of classical music that flowed through the high ceiling room. He looked to be a thing of beauty, wearing a dark grey button up shirt that he had rolled the sleeves up on, hair a mess as he focused on what he was making. 

I was timid standing at the entryway for the kitchen as he worked before he glanced up to me, wiping his flour covered hands on a kitchen towel. 

His eyes roamed over me for a moment before he gestured to the small dining table to the left of the kitchen's counter. 

"Is this... your house?" I asked as I settled into a seat that gave me a good angle to watch him. 

He nodded, plating something before starting for the table, setting down a little plate of homemade blueberry pastries. It was cute how wonky they were. 

I picked one up and bit into one as he went back to make tea. "Where are the other boys?"

He spared me a glance before looking back down, "They went back to their own houses."

This made me nervous. I hadn't really been alone with Vessel for long periods of time. The most time we had spent alone together was the day we had hiked to the waterfall.

"I just thought I would've been brought back to II's house." I picked some of the flaky crust off the pastry and nibbled on it. 

He started for the table with two cups of tea, settling down across from me before sliding one of the mugs to me. "I thought maybe we could... talk."

Something washed over me and settled in my stomach at the sound of his voice. I didn't know if I could get used to finally being able to hear it. More than that, he seemed to be cryptic in a way that made me even more nervous in his presence. He watched me take my cup and I said nothing as I slid it closer to myself.