⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚?
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
summary: after getting back from a long tour, exhausted, the vessels go straight to bed for the night. unfortunately, V gets sick sometime during the night and like always, the vessels have their back, even if they are moody and stubborn.
TW!: descriptions of vomit/being sick
word count: 7k
cw:so much fluff omg, and ofc angst, V is very anxious, kind of cryptid? ii is so mama, ves is also mama but not as mama as ii, iii and iv are idiots. author is ASS at dialogue.
side note: story is written in V’s pov, they can be self-inserted or just a character, whatever you prefer :) i made them gender neutral so all can enjoy!
also any and all relationship with v is STRICTLY PLATONIC! v’s character is supposed to be a teen (around 14-16) so don’t be weird
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
i am so excited to finally share this with you guys, i have been working so hard on it. keep in mind that i am in no way shape or form a writer, my grammar sucks and i have significant adhd so my processing skills are shit and i flip words around. so if you come across a sentence that makes no sense, that is why 😭 but hey, at least i am not a piece of shit ai user!!!
anyways, your feedback is much appreciated and even encouraged! feedback (as long as it is kind. feedback can still be critical while being kind btw) is what makes me a better writer.
side note: i am sorry that i did not add iii and iv as much as the other two 😭 i felt that if i did it would have been too messy and cluttered, but if i make another short fic i will be sure to add them more.
also HUGE shoutout to @livyatan--fell for editing this for me and listening to my useless rants and supporting my writing, you are amazing <3
out of respect for the band members privacy, all characters in this story are based off of stage personas/my imagination. no real names/descriptions of the band members will be used/tolerated!
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
The manor was quiet, more than usual, except for the rain pelting against the glass. The other vessels were asleep in their respective rooms. We had just completed the final leg of the tour, so naturally, everyone was exhausted from the back to back shows almost every night for three months straight.
I am still a relativity new vessel. This would be just barely my first year being one. The process of my transformation, however, is still not over, and it has been long and painful. And quite different than the other vessels transitioning process.
In general, I was very different from the other vessels. My teeth were sharper, my skin hadn’t taken human form yet. It was still an inky black color. Fuck, I still had a fucking tail. I stuck out like a sore thumb. The vessels told me that since I was so young, the “transformation process” was significantly more behind, explaining why I did not look like them. I did my best to ignore the lingering stares by some of the crew. I felt like everyone was watching me at all times.
Vessel and II decided that it was best that I waited a bit longer until I could perform with them, which is what I expected. But what I still can’t wrap my head around is why they still brought me with them. I was a waste of fucking air, it was embarrassing, there was no real need for me to be there. A majority of my time on tour consisted of sitting somewhere off to the side, out of the way.
The vessels didn’t speak to me much, which I understood because they were so busy, but it still hurt. Deep down, there was a part of me that was really starting to believe that the vessels did not want me around. Sure, they were very polite and kind, always looking out for me. But I was never really included in anything. I guess that's just what happens when you’re the “new kid” as some of the crew liked to address me as.
I then started to realize something that terrified me.
I was the odd one out.
I have no recollection as to why I was summoned. The vessels claimed to have never summoned me. They never asked Sleep for a fifth, especially not a kid that they had to look after, along with their millions of other responsibilities. To my understanding, I was simply thrown back into the earth, reincarnated as this cryptic being, with no memory as to how I got here.
I don’t remember anything from my past life. No one ever does. Sleep erases any reminder, any piece that might lead you back to who you used to be. I don’t remember what I had been running from. I don’t know what caused me to become so desperate to escape that I gave my life to Sleep, erasing every memory I had, any trace of what I once was.
So, for almost the entirety of the tour, my time consisted of practicing guitar and bass, reading, drawing, and disassociating into the abyss. I found that it was easier to live quietly. I kept to myself for the most part, took care of myself, minded my own business. It was lonely, but that was better than being in their way, it was better than being a burden.
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
Rain tapped against the windows of the old manor, falling in heavy sheets. Branches swayed with the wind as a summer storm rolled past, bringing dark gray clouds that claimed the sky. Thunder roared in the distance, the flash of lightning too far to be seen. It was early august, also known as prime thunderstorm season depending on where you lived.
I woke in a dazed panic—cold sweat layered my skin, drenching my sheets. Something was off. I felt like absolute shit. A familiar pang of nausea rolled through my body, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Oh fuck
Without my permission, my body betrayed me as I projectile vomited all over my bed. What a lovely situation to be in for someone with a significant fear of vomiting.
I scurried out of bed, and stumbled into my bathroom that was connected to my room. I lifted the toilet seat up just in time as another wave rolled through and out of my body. I gripped onto the toilet seat so hard that I was sure that thing would break.
It was common for newer vessels to get these sudden “sick spells” as II called it. To me, it felt like a punishment. Not only did I have to deal with puking everywhere and feeling like shit, these sick spells also came with growing pains, delirious fevers, body aches, fatigue, headaches, all that good stuff. In other words, death seemed like a better option.
I whined as I tried to stand up. I felt like I was being burnt alive, like my skin had began to blister and char. I could feel every joint and muscle ache as I attempted to move. My head was throbbing, a dull pain settled behind my eyes. Eventually, I gave up on trying to sit up and laid on the cold bathroom tiles, curled in the fetal position, admitting defeat.
I must have dozed off, or maybe I didn't, I couldn't tell. I awoke to someone panicking. “Fuck, V, are you alright?” The frantic voice asked and crouched beside me. He flushed the toilet, then laid a cold hand against my scorching forehead. “Fuck, you’re burning up.” He whispered under his breath, probably said more to himself than anything.
“Come on love, let's get you back into bed.” He cooed. It sounded like Vessel, his deep voice gave it away. I whined, refusing to get back into my disgusting bed. “Noooo Ves it's all gross.” I cried, wrapping my tail around my body.
I have an irrational fear of vomit, so typically I’d be in a frenzy after throwing up, but I was too out of it to give a fuck. I curled up into a tight ball and shielded my eyes from the bathroom lights. They weren’t even that bright, but it hurt my face.
“Shh okay, I can change your sheets for you. Would you like to have a bath and wash up a bit?” He rubbed my back with gentleness that felt foreign to me. I rolled over and reached for him, wanting to be held like I was a baby. Again, normally I wouldn't be acting this childish but I was delirious with a fever, I just wanted my body to stop hurting.
“Everything fucking hurts.” I whined, grasping onto his leg for dear life like it could some how save me.
“I know little one, I’m sorry, lets get you clean okay?” he said, tucking a stray strand of sweaty hair behind my ear.
“Wait here, I'll be right back, I promise.” He cooed.
“Okay, but please come back.” I murmured, falling back into a half-conscious sleep.
I must have dozed off again because the next thing I remember is Vessel sitting me up and asking me to swallow some homemade medicine bullshit that II had made. Realistically, the medicine he made was designed for Vessels, normal medicine had no affect on me. Therefore, it was useless to take me to the hospital, which they would have done if I was human. I choked the bitter liquid back and felt it threaten to retreat out of my mouth. My tail flicked in a silent protest, thudding against the tile with a smack.
“I know, I know. It will help you feel better though.” he soothed. Vessel slowly and carefully helped me stand up—the world around me spun at an nauseating pace. I quickly doubled over the toilet and began vomiting. Again. He pulled my hair out of my face, doing his best to bring me comfort. I knew he hated vomit just as much as I did.
“Or perhaps not..” he admitted.
“I’m—sorry, this is disgusting. You don't need to be here.” I croaked, fighting back tears. I flushed the toilet and slumped back down to the floor, resting my head against the wall.
“None of that, it’s our job to look after you.” He reached down and opened the cabinets under the sink, grabbing disinfecting wipes to clean off the toilet and sink. I forget how much of a germophobe he is.
“I’ll run you a bath and get your sheets changed, yeah?” He offered, tossing the wipe into the trashcan. I heard him shuffle around behind me, followed by the sound of running water.
I zoned out, counting the dark red tiles that lined the bathroom floor.
Forty-two by sixty-three to be exact.
A question found it’s way out of my mouth before I had the chance to think about it. “What’s forty-two times sixty-three?” I blurted out, lifting my head in Vessels direction.
“What?” He asked, halting in his tracks, giving me a very concerned look.
“Well, there’s forty-two tiles going that way, and sixty-three tiles going that way.” I stated, using my tail to motion which way I was talking about.
“Um—perhaps I should go and get II. Just—wait right there, okay?” He said, motioning me to stay where I was.
“But you never answered my question?” I complained.
He halted in his tracks, turning back towards me, “I have no idea” He stated, still staring at me with widened eyes. I scoffed, resting my head against my hands.
“Also—is it alright if I go into your wardrobe and get you clean clothes?” he questioned, standing in the bathroom doorway with his hands on his hips.
Dad core I guess?
I nodded my head weakly, a dull ache throbbed through my neck. I would have laughed at him standing like that, but everything hurt too much. He turned and walked out of the room. I could hear the drawers roll open and snap shut.
He came back a few moments later, holding a pair of my boxers and my favorite sleeping shirt, an old silent hill 3 t-shirt I found at a cheap thrift store. He folded them neatly and set them on the counter.
“Are—are you able to get into the bath yourself or would you like my help?” He asked, nervously adjusting his weight from one foot to the other, trying his best not to make me feel uncomfortable.
He was such a nervous Nelly sometimes. Again, I would have laughed at him if I wasn't currently dying.
“No, I think I got it.” I rasped, my throat was sore from the bile.
“Okay, let me know if you need any help- I’m surprised the others haven’t woken up. I'll leave the door open a bit just so I can hear you, but you can close it if that’s what you’d like.” He quipped and left the bathroom, leaving the door open just a crack.
I did my very best to undress myself, I really did. But every time I tried to pull my stupid shirt over my head I had to fight back the nausea that bloomed in my stomach. I was both equally pissed off and in pain.
Saliva coated my throat as that familiar sweet taste filled my mouth. I doubled over again and emptied the remains of my dinner. I have never felt this helpless, in all my times of suffering through these sick spells, this one seemed to be the worst one yet.
And that terrified me.
A gentle knock came from the bathroom door, startling me. “V, can I come in?” II asked. At least, I think it was II. I croaked out a faint "yeah", and the door opened. He walked in, rubbing sleep from his eyes, his hair was slightly tussled.
II gave me a small smile. One that said, “I'm here,” and walked over to the tub, turning off the water. I had bonded with II much earlier than I had the others. He just understood me. It was almost like he could read my mind, which was partially true due to the fact that we were all vessels, but still.
“Need help?” He asked, crossing the bathroom to where my quivering body crouched. I nodded and reached for him, and like always, he opened his arms and pulled me close.
“I know I know, I've got you.” he comforted, rubbing up and down my back. He placed a hand against my forehead, taking my temperature, “Gods, you are burning up. Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”
I turned away from him and faced the tub. He slowly peeled off my sweat-soaked pajama as I did my best to not throw up all over the bathroom floor. I climbed into the tub and carefully lowered myself in. The hot water felt both heavenly and excruciating. If I didn’t currently have a fever scorching my brain, I would have been a bit shy at the fact that I was very much naked, but as of now I had zero fucks to give.
“Your bucket is right here, call if you need us.”
III thought it would be hilarious to have a designated V puke bucket. He even fucking decorated it and wrote “V’s personal bucket” on the side.
I was granted only a few moments of peace. For just a moment I was given a chance to relax.
Gods was I tired. I was so tired, both mentally and physically. My joints ached dully, and my skin burned with every touch. I just wanted to be held while someone told me that everything would be alright. But the basic need to be loved was an embarrassing thing to ask for. So, like always, I kept my mouth shut.
I cursed under my breath and reached for the bar of soap. The smell of lavender did little to nothing to comfort me. In fact, the sweet smell of the soap made me feel even more nauseous.
Saliva coated my throat again, so much for peace and quiet. My body lurched and I leaned over the side of the tub, perfectly making it into my bucket.
Woohoo, score for me.
I was granted another moment of “peace” but it really just meant that I hadn't thrown up for a new record of fifteen minutes. Normally, if I were having these sick spells, the others wouldn't know about it. I was quite secretive about letting others know that I was in pain. I did not want any of them to feel the weight of my own problems. Besides, it wasn’t that big of a deal, most of the time.
“V, are you alright in there?” Ves asked suddenly from behind the bathroom door, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.
“Does it sound like everything is alright in here?” I snapped, tail flicking up water.
What kind of a fucking question was that?
“Can you stop being so stubborn and allow me to help you?” he added, gentle as ever.
“Fine” I mumbled as I scooted around so my back was facing him.
Ves walked over to the tub and crouched down beside the edge.
“Hair washed or no?” he questioned.
I replied with a single nod, wrapping my arms tighter around my body. My tail twitched, gliding through the water. I was delirious with a fever and half-asleep in a warm bath, my thoughts were fuzzy. The warm water had definitely soothed some of the aches, mainly those in my joints, but my muscles still burned.
He scrubbed my hair, taking his time to massage my scalp as well. It did wonders on my headache, which had reduced to a more manageable throb rather than a constant stabbing against my temples.
Neither of us spoke, he just washed my hair in silence as I stared at the soapy water. It was peaceful. I found myself being hypnotized by the water sloshing against the sides of the ceramic tub, mixed with the steady hum of the bathroom fan.
Except the longer I sat in silence, my mind only became louder. Guilt continued to corrode within, sanding down my bones until I was nothing but a pile of dust.
Here I was, getting my fucking hair washed by Vessel in the middle of the night. He should be in bed sleeping, not taking care of my pathetic ass.
Tears burned in my eyes, my throat tightened, but there was not a single chance that I would allow myself to start crying. I couldn’t. I’m already embarrassed enough as it is, crying would make it worse.
I tried focusing on the sound of Vessel quietly humming to himself, the smell of my shampoo and conditioner, anything. Yet despite my efforts, I could not stop the labored breaths used to fight back the tears.
“V? Are you listing to me? I asked if you were feeling any better.” He asked, gentle and patient, always so patient. I heard him reach over to my right and grab a cup off the side of the tub, filling it with clean tap water. A light tap to my shoulder gave me the signal to lean my head back slightly so he could rinse the soap out.
I nodded and scooted forward, slightly leaning my head back. It was a lie, I felt like shit and he and knew it. I know that if I tried to speak, I would surely end up crying. My stomach knotted with anxiety, it burrowed in the pits of my stomach, making my hands tremble ever so slightly.
Water trickled down my back. It was much cooler than the warm water I sat in, making me shudder.
“You’re not as good at hiding things as you might think.” he added. The bluntness of it caught me off guard. It was usually II that said things like that.
I remained silent. To be completely honest, I really had no idea what to say. My mind was unable to think of words. Another wave of aches rolled through my body, stabbing my spine and legs. The joints in my knees ached with a pain so sharp that it eased into a dull, as if someone were trying to tear my limbs apart.
It was somewhat similar to what growing pains felt like, except more intense and violent. The unfortunate part was that this is what happened to new vessels. Except the others did not experience it as painful as I did, they were older than I was when they were summoned. I don’t know why, but younger Vessels experienced it more intensely than older vessels.
I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a small whine and dug my fingernails into the flesh on my arms. Aside from being summoned, this was the worst pain I have ever been in.
A sob tore through the silence. It took me a moment to realize that It was I who made the sound.
Vessel didn’t say anything. At least, I don’t think he did. He helped me stand up slowly, and wrapped me in a fluffy towel. My knees buckled as I tried to stand, like a baby deer learning how to walk. He was quick to catch me, grabbing onto my arm as I stumbled. Vessel patiently helped me stand up as I dried myself off and got dressed. He stayed close, far enough to give me a bit of space but close enough so that if I did fall, he would catch me.
I finished getting dressed, sitting atop the closed toilet seat, staring at the grout between the old tile floor. My spine burned as another wave of pain once again took over my body. I felt a tear slip down my face, landing on my pajama bottoms.
At this point, I couldn’t stop the tears that began to slip down my cheeks. I tried focusing on my breathing, using the stupid box method IV told me about, but nothing was able to ease the pain. It was merciless.
“Come on little one, let’s get you back into bed.” Vessel cooed.
I reached for him, and he scooped me up in his arms. The act was so kind and loving that it broke whatever wall I had been putting up. Wrapping my arms around him, I gave in and buried my face against his shoulder, crying in his arms like I was a small child.
To my surprise, II was in my room, lounging at the foot of my bed.
“Why are you in my bed?” I sniffed, furrowing my brows. I tensed up in Vessels hold, flicking my tail.
“Darling, he’s here to look after you” He hummed, laying me down into my bed. He pulled a small blanket over my shivering, sweaty body, giving me a small kiss to my forehead. I reached for my whale plushie, clinging onto it for dear life.
“Get some rest, my V.” Vessel whispered.
He sighed, turning towards II who lounged on my bed by my feet observing, resting his back against the wall.
“Her fever has gotten worse—” Ves stated, the sounds of his voice were being drowned out by my body slowly drifting to sleep.
“——Normal for kids—” another voice mumbled.
“—Worried—”
“—Sleep——medicine?—” I never got the rest of what was said, everything went dark.
I fell into a deep sleep. Strange dreams claimed my mind, likely due to the intense fever that was frying my brain. I could not tell you what specifically I was dreaming about, but it was horrifying. Visions of unknown yet familiar places flashed in my mind. I saw fragments of someone standing along the shore, staring off into the rough seas. The sky was darkened by thick rainclouds, unforgiving winds howled in my ears. I then caught glimpses of dark woods, thick with fog and trees. These trees loomed above me, taller than anything I had ever seen. They weren’t abnormally large, I just seemed to be abnormally small. Twisting branches reached out for me, whispering false truths, telling me to keep running. So I did, I kept running.I don’t remember when I started running, but I never seemed to make it anywhere. It was all an endless loop, a repetitive viscous cycle of fear that I kept enduring. The last foggy vision I had in the dream was of one of the twisting trees finally catching me, wrapping my body up in its limbs, slowly crushing my bones.
I awoke with a gasp, frantically scanning the dark room for whatever had been chasing me.
“Hm?” A voice hummed somewhere within the shadows of my bedroom.
When I tell you my soul just about left my body, I mean it.
My eyes widened and I screeched, my whole body flinching. I flinched so hard that I completely fell out of my bed, landing on the hardwood floor with a loud thud.
“Who—what the fuck!? Who is that!?” I shouted, scurrying towards the back corner of my bedroom.
“Hey hey hey—it’s alright, It’s II, I’m still here.” He assured me. Squinting my eyes, I was able to make out his shadow walking over to my nightstand. He flicked the light on and I covered my eyes, hissing at him.
“Sorry kiddo, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He whispered.
My heart pounded behind my ribs, chest heaving. I slumped backwards, laying down on my back, staring at the ceiling. As the adrenaline wore off, the aches came back, once again plaguing my body.
“Oh fuck, that hurt” I groaned, rolling onto my side and then into a ball, closing my eyes. My tail twitched and flicked behind me, signaling to II that I was very much not happy right now. I felt like crying again. Fortunately, the nausea had subsided. But my body hurt, I was covered in sweat, and my mouth was dry.
Footsteps approached me, stopping right beside me.
“Want some help?” II mumbled, tapping my back with his foot, earning him a whip of my tail to his shin.
“No” I sniffled, wrapping my arms tighter around my body, shielding my face so he wouldn't have to see me cry again.
“Are you going to sleep in your bed? Or are you sleeping here?” II nudged me again.
“No—it’s sweaty and gross and that tree is gonna grab me again” I cried, rolling over to face him.
“Still fighting that fever, huh?” He asked, crouching down beside me. II rested his hand against my forehead and clicked his tongue. “You can come lay in my bed and watch a show if you’d like.” II offered.
That was probably the sweetest thing II has ever said to me. “I don’t want to get your bed gross and you should be sleeping and I'm sorry I woke you up and what if the tree comes back?” I stuttered frantically, panic rising in my voice. A sharp pain ran up my spine, making me wince.
“Okay first of all, there is no tree, you must of had a nightmare. And it’s alright if you sweat, that means your body is working, and I want to monitor your fever to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Also, do not apologize for things that are not your fault, am I clear?” He asked, wiping off the tears that fell down my face.
I sighed with relief and nodded my head, staring up at him with big sad eyes. Part of me still believed that he was annoyed with me for keeping him up. But it was not like II to say things without meaning it, he saw no point in hiding the truth, even if it was brutally honest.
“Good. Now let’s get you all cozy.”
II slowly helped me sit up enough to where he could scoop me up in his arms. My head, which felt more like a rock then my actual head, slumped against his shoulder. He walked over to my bed and picked up my whale plushie, offering it to me. I gratefully snatched it out of his hands, holding it close to my chest.
He made his way to his bedroom, which was only down the hall. Each step he took sent a shock of pain through my body, making my tail twitch. Sometimes it just moved on it’s own, overall I really had no control over it, kind of like a dog.
I tried turning my attention away from the pain and focused on the sound of the storm. The occasional roar of thunder still lingered outside the manor. Rain continued to pelt against the windows, the wind continued to howl against the walls. I have always found great comfort in storms, especially at night. Thunder and rain always seemed to lull me to sleep.
II arrived at his room and nudged the door open with his foot. His room smelled like him, clean and earthy. All the vessels had an earthy smell to them. It smelt safe. He made his way over to his bed, flicking on the bedside lamp before plopping me on the mattress.
“You’re getting too big for that—you’re not the little runt that we found in the woods anymore,” He groaned, popping his back.
I furrowed my brows at him. “Maybe you’re just old” I shot back, turning away from him and curling into a ball. I was too hot and sweaty to be under the covers, and I didn't want to drench his sheets in my sweat.
“Shut up and watch a show. I’m going to go get you more medicine.” He grumbled, tossing the remote at me, except his aim was horrible and the remote smacked into my arm.
“OW—you did that on purpose!” I whined, rubbing my arm to make it more dramatic. It really didn’t hurt that much, but I felt like being dramatic. This fever was making it harder to keep my mouth shut.
“Oops,” he snorted, leaving the room.
I reached for the remote, immediately putting Spongebob on. It was my comfort show. …But tonight it brought me no comfort. My mind began to spiral.
Is he upset with me? Did I go to far? Should I go back to my room?
Guilt wrapped around my throat like barbed wire. All I wanted was to curl into a ball and die. I often found myself wishing that the vessels had never found me in the woods that night. It would be less dramatic without my presence—who knows if they even enjoyed me around.
I clung to my whale plushie harder, wallowing in my own self-pity.
I must have dozed off, again. I awoke with a startle, letting out a gasp. It was II coming back into the room, carrying my water bottle and more of the disgusting medicine.
He glanced at the TV, tilting his head, “Spongebob? Again? What is it with you and this show?” he chuckled.
II set both my water bottle and the medicine on the nightstand closest to me. He poured a small amount of the evil liquid into a little cup, handing it to me.
“Yuck” I complained, taking the cup from his hands. I put the cup to my lips and swallowed it down. It bitterly made its way down my throat, settling in my stomach. I shuddered at the taste, trying not to gag.
“Good,” he praised, handing me the water bottle next.
I rolled my eyes, snatching it out of his hands and taking several gulps. It was the most amazing thing I have ever put in my mouth. I had not realized how thirsty I actually was. I chugged it down, water dripping down the sides of my mouth. II motioned for me to stop, pushing down the bottom of the bottle, which then he finally took from me and set it back on the nightstand. I whipped my tail against the bed in protest.
“Okay, try and get some sleep kid.” He said, ruffling my hair.
I was fully expecting him to leave me in here to sleep next to Vessel. My stomach flipped, anxiety gnawing in the pit of my stomach. I did not want to be left alone. A hot flash ran through my body, making my knees ache. I groaned, rolling onto my side, fully prepared to spend the rest of the night alone watching Spongebob.
With widened eyes, I watched as he walked around to the other side of the bed, plopping down next to me. He looked at me, confused, and poked me in the space between my eyes.
“What’s on your mind?” II asked, turning his head back towards the TV with a half-lidded gaze.
“Do you guys hate me?” I blurted out, never breaking my bug-eyes stare at the side of his face.
He furrowed his brows, turning his head back towards me. I nervously averted my gaze to the TV, avoiding eye contact. I hated eye contact.
“What makes you say that?” He finally asked.
I shrugged, “Um—I dunno”
“Liar,” he called out.
“I mean—am I a burden to you guys? Because—like—I'm sick all the time and I went on tour with you and I didn’t even help or anything” I stuttered, fidgeting with the tag on my whale.
“I can see how you may think that, but I can assure you that it’s not true. You are very loved by all of us whether you believe it or not. And as far as the tour goes, we thought that going on tour with us was stressful enough, we didn’t want it to be even more stressful for you. ”
I turned back to look at him, but he kept his eyes on the TV. I could feel the tears brewing already. “But—you guys never even spoke to me.” I replied, cringing at the tremor in my voice.
Fuck you and your pubescent-ness.
This time he turned towards me, furrowing his brows, “Aw—V—We didn’t know you wanted to be spoken to. You are quite hard to read, and so quiet, it’s difficult to know what you are thinking. We all collectively thought it was best to give you space and let you come out of your shell when you were ready.”
Relief washed over me; I could physically feel the weight lift off of my shoulders. I let out a long breath I didn’t know I had been holding, the gnawing in my stomach receded—for the time being that is.
“Oh—okay good, cause for a while I thought you all despised me.” I commented, trying to make the moment less awkward. I probably made it worse though.
“It’s nearly impossible to hate you, you’re a good kid.” He said, once again poking the spot between my eyes.
I’ve never done well with compliments. “Uh—thank you.” I replied. It sounded more like a question than a comment, but I think he understood.
We fell into a comfortable silence. The sound of the TV and the rain were a comforting mix. I feel like if I knew what nostalgia felt like, this would be it. And, as much as I hated to admit it, the medicine was significantly helping. Most of the body aches had subsided, except for my knees, and my fever had gone down. But it was still a bit present.
Then, I think the most magnificent thought popped into my head. I turned to II with a wide smile on my face, “You know which Spongebob character you remind me of?” I giggled. And by giggled, I quite literally mean I went “tee-hee.”
He groaned and rubbed his eyes, “If you say Plankton I will chop your tail off.” he muttered dryly. I broke into a fit of silent laughter, smacking his arm like it was the funniest thing on earth.
“Okay well—you remind me of Patrick because you’re an idiot.” He shot back.
“WHAT—no way, III is without a doubt Patrick, not me. Vessel would be Spongebob because he has such a big heart. And Ivy would be Sandy because he’s really smart but also knows how to be an idiot with us.”
II tapped his chin, as if he were deep in thought, “Hmm, yeah I guess that makes more sense. But then who would you be? Oh—wait I know, you would be the snail, or whatever it’s name is.”
“Gary?” I huffed between a yawn, rubbing my tired eyes.
“Okay enough of this Spongebob nonsense. More medicine and then bedtime for you kiddo.” He said, getting out of bed.
“Aw man,” I complained, then yawned again.
II poured more of the evil medicine into the cup and handed it to me. I shuddered and put the cup to my mouth, gulping it all down.
“Ugh—did you take a shit in this or something? Fuck—why does it taste so bad?” I rasped, grabbing my water bottle to wash the bitter taste out of my mouth.
“Yes V, I took a shit in it. Now go to sleep.” He mumbled, turning off the TV, then making his way back to his side of the bed, crawling under the covers. I was still too hot and sweaty to go under the blankets, so I settled for curling into a ball with my whale plushie. I stretched out my neck as I tried to get comfortable, accidentally bumping my head against II’s arm. To my surprise, I felt him give my head a quick scratch, as an acknowledgement that he was there with me. I nuzzled my head against his arm, and fell asleep.
Exhaustion hit me like a brick as I fell into a deep sleep. My limbs melted into the mattress, which was much nicer than the once I had. No dreams made their way into my mind, at least none that I could remember.
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
When I awoke, I had no concept of anything. My mouth was so dry that I would probably start coughing up dust if I opened it. I lifted my head off the pillow, peeling the drool covered pillow case from my sweaty face. My brain was in the state equivalent to when you factory reset a computer. In other words, my brain was soup.
I groaned as I sat up, listening to every single joint in my body pop. I sounded like a grandpa trying to get out of his favorite recliner after taking a nap. On the bright side, the horrible medicine II made me take was magical. I felt reborn. My fever was gone and so were the body aches.
Consciousness suddenly came back to me and I remembered that I had fallen asleep in II’s room, except there was no sign of him.
Good lord I reek.
The number one priority on my to-do list right now is to shower.
With a final stretch, I left II’s room and headed straight for my room. I made it to my bathroom and peeled off my disgusting clothes, tossing them into my laundry basket. I turned on the shower and hopped in. For a lack of better words, it was the most amazing shower I have ever taken in my life.
I finished up showing and dried off, throwing on comfy sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt. Because of my stupid tail, most of the pants I owned had a small hole on the butt for it to comfortably stick out of, hence why I always wore baggy t-shirts to cover it. I can not wait for this thing to go away.
I hurried out of my room and down the manor stairs, because lord have mercy was I hungry. Sunlight greeted me through the tall glass windows, welcoming me in warm rays. I was tempted to curl up on the warm hard-wood floors like a cat, but my stomach growled in protest.
As I got closer to the kitchen, I caught the most heavenly smell wafting through the air. It was so good I might as well have floated through the air like a cartoon character.
I slid into the kitchen, gliding across the tiled floor in my fuzzy socks. As I assumed, I found II to be the one behind that amazing smell. Ves sat on a stool by the kitchen counter, lost in whatever book he was reading.
“What are you making? It smells amazing.” I announced, walking over to where II stood by the stove.
II glanced over his shoulder and smiled at me. “It’s chicken soup. And I take that your dramatic entrance is a sign that you are feeling better?” he asked, turning back towards whatever he was stirring on the stove.
Fuck yeah I love soup.
“Yep,” I chirped.
Vessel finally looked up from his book and gave me a big smile. He motioned me over to sit next to him, which I complied to. I shuffled over to the stool adjacent to him.
“How are you feeling little one?” he cooed, running a hand through my hair.
Despite last night, I was not the biggest fan of physical affection, so I awkwardly kept my hands to my sides, stiff as a board. I didn’t mind receiving physical touch, I just didn’t like touching other people back, unless delirious with a fever or it was II. I would occasionally make an exception for him since I was much closer with him.
“Better, still a bit sleepy though” I replied, tail slightly wagging from his affection. This made Vessel smile even more which made me roll my eyes. I got bored and walked over to the stove where II was cooking.
“I bet, you slept in for a while,” he added, then went back to reading his book.
I stopped in my tracks, whipping my head over to Vessel, “I did? what time is it?”
“It’s a little past one,” II chimed in, stirring his magical soup.
My eyes widened, “What? Why didn't you guys wake me?” I exclaimed.
“Because you needed to sleep,” Vessel replied, giving me a loving smile.
“Fair,” I shrugged, giving II’s shoulder a head-butt as he cooked.
“Okay cat, why don’t you go and see what III and Ivy are squabbling about in the living room while I finish up the soup? I bet you it’s that stupid video game they always play.” II hummed, giving my head a pat.
My stomach flipped, “I—I don’t know I mean what if they don’t—” I stuttered.
II cut me off before I could finish worrying, “V, remember what I told you last night?” He asked, giving me a very mom-esque look.
I sighed, bowing my head in defeat. “Fine,” I accepted, knowing that I had no way out of this. I dragged my feet out of the kitchen, across the hall, and into the living room where a very loud III and Ivy argued. I stood in the doorway watching their antics.
“Are you fucking dense!? What the fuck are you doing!?” III yelled, point his finger in Ivy’s face.
Ivy tried to cover his smile, but it was obvious he was laughing by how much his shoulders shook, “I’m sorry, I got distracted,” he giggled, resting his face in his hands.
III slapped his hand on his face, “AT WHAT?” he roared.
Ivy almost fell off the couch from laughing so hard. “Mate, it’s fucking Mario Kart” he wheezed, turning his head to which he finally noticed that I was standing there.
“V! You’re alive!” He cheered.
III whipped his head around and smiled, as if he wasn’t screaming at Ivy thirty seconds ago.
“Thank Sleep you’re alive, we were worried about you.” He said.
Worried? About me?
I fidgeted with my hands, flicking my tail, “Oh, uh—my bad” I mumbled, awkwardly shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
Ivy shoved III over, then scooted over himself across the couch to make room for me, “Come on, we’re just about to start another round,” he called, patting the empty cushion next to him.
I shuffled over to the couch and sat down in between the two vessels, tucking my legs underneath me so I wouldn't squish my tail. III handed me an extra remote and started a new round.
The rest of the day consisted of eating soup and playing several rounds of Mario Kart. This was probably the longest I had ever hung out with III and Ivy, and it was fun.
For once in my life, I started to feel hopeful and so very loved.
⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆𖤐⋆༺𖤐༻⋆
thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed it :)