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Wind and rain bash against the windows, trying their hardest to break the thick panes of glass that protect the inside of Sleep’s manor from the elements. It rages with howling cries and whips its wind around the corners of the manor, taking anything that isn’t tied down with it into the abyssal night sky.
III hums thoughtfully and turns back to their board game, placing his pawn on a different spot according to the amount of eyes on his dice. IV groans when he is overtaken and III grins happily.
II murmurs to Vessel, asking quietly if the man will roll the dice for him. Vessel nods and leans over II’s shoulder, making sure not to jostle the smaller man in his lap. II is almost tuckered out, his cheeks flushed with fever. III worries, but he knows II will be fine. He should’ve just come inside when it began raining instead of tending to the last garden tasks.
Vessel throws the dice and then moves II’s pawn, looking back at him to show the little drummer, but II is truly out now. III chuckles fondly.
“Should we pause?” he asks.
“Maybe,” Vessel hums. “He might enjoy playing the rest of this when he wakes up.”
“I’ll go make some soup, then,” IV announces, getting to his feet with a groan. “You know, that onion soup he loves.”
“Thanks, Ivy,” Vessel beams. “That’d be great.”
IV makes his way to the kitchen and starts rummaging around for pots and whatever vegetables go in an onion soup. III stands as well and carefully places their board game on a small table by the couch so it’s out of the way.
Vessel stays on the carpet with II for a moment before requesting III’s help with lifting the drummer. III easily scoops II up and places him on the couch, arranging him so he’s comfortable. II mumbles something intelligible and furrows his brow, but doesn’t wake up.
Vessel comes over with a blanket and hands it to III, letting the bassist tuck II in.
“Should we keep watch over him?” III wonders. “He might need one of us here.”
“I’ll stay with him,” Vessel nods.
III nods as well and runs his hand through II’s sweaty hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead before he goes to retrieve his bass from the studio. When he comes back, Vessel is sitting beside II with a basin of water and a soft cloth. He daps up the sweat from II’s forehead and hums a quiet lullaby.
The house smells of onions and broth. IV hums the same lullaby in the kitchen, though it’s a bit quieter when he gets overshadowed by the chopping of a knife. III moves to sit on the opposite couch and pulls his headphones over his head, connecting them to his bass.
He begins strumming something to himself, letting his fingers caress the strings as he plays. He watches Vessel and II, smiling fondly at them. IV sways in the kitchen, dancing to music only he can hear. III thinks it’s awfully cute.
Their quiet moments of serenity are interrupted by the occasional flash of lightning and the clap of thunder here and there, but they barely hear it. Sleep casts them into comfort, protecting them from the rattling storm outside. III leans into the magic; the feeling of Sleep so close he can almost touch the God.
II breathes deep and steady while Vessel tends to him, weaving magic into his body to soothe his fever and help him recover. III is always amazed with how well Vessel can manipulate the energy around them. He’s amazed with Vessel in general. Vessel is so close to Sleep and can use their God’s powers to the best of his abilities.
It’s magnificent.
III turns his face to the window, watching rain and storm clouds pass them by. It’s truly coming down now and he can barely see the forest around their house. There is only vertical rain.
“III,” Vessel catches his attention.
“Yes?” III asks, pulling his headphones off.
“Can you grab me another blanket from upstairs?” the singer questions.
“Of course,” III nods and puts his bass down.
He hurries upstairs and grabs II’s favorite blanket from the edge of his bed, smiling at the soft texture. He also grabs a change of clothes in case II becomes drenched in sweat sometime later tonight.
Downstairs, he hands Vessel the blanket and places the clothes on the coffee table. Vessel thanks him quietly and III presses a kiss to his hair, running his hand over Vessel’s neck in comfort.
“Do you two want bread and cheese in the soup?” IV calls from the kitchen.
“Please,” III replies.
“Yes, thank you, darling,” Vessel answers with a smile.
IV nods and starts rummaging around again, crouching in front of the oven and pushing three mugs of soup inside. III knows he won’t do the same for II because that’ll just be harder to eat. He’ll make the soup mush so II can easily eat it.
III returns to his seat and runs his fingers over the neck of his bass, glancing at the storm again. The Moon barely gives any light with the huge clouds. They’re dark, too; ominous, in a way. III loves watching them.
He loves watching clouds in general. The ways of nature still greatly surprise him most of the time and he finds enjoyment in sitting by a window, watching as clouds pass him by on a gentle breeze. He likes to watch hawks and crows drifting on the breeze, playing with the updrafts they can find.
Sometimes he wishes he could fly.
“Want me to wake him when you’ve got dinner ready?” Vessel asks IV when he walks into the kitchen.
IV shakes his head, “No, let him sleep. I’ll keep the food warm. He needs the rest. He was working so hard all day.”
“He really was,” Vessel chuckles, accepting a slice of carrot from IV when he holds it out on the tip of his knife. “Said he wanted the last tasks to be done today before the storm hit.”
“Guess we miscalculated when it would come,” IV murmurs. “I hope his fever won’t get any worse.”
“I can ask Sleep to help,” Vessel suggests.
IV hums, “Perhaps. But maybe, if it’s not so bad, he can just sweat it out.”
Vessel hums to that and returns to the couch, sitting beside II and grabbing his hand. III watches him, propping his feet up on the coffee table and holding onto his bass gently. He enjoys the weight of it on his stomach; the comfort of knowing the instrument is close—just like his lovers.
It takes a little longer before the soup is done, so III starts playing a song again, closing his eyes as he lets himself get swept away by the music. It’s soothing, in a way, to give himself over to the melodies in his head. He can play without worrying it needs to go somewhere.
He doesn’t know how much time passes like that, but it doesn’t matter. III enjoys himself, and Sleep does, too, living inside of his chest and eating up his songs like an offering.
Someone taps him on the shoulder and III opens his eyes, locking his gaze with IV, who holds out a cup of soup for him. III smiles and puts his bass aside, accepting the cup from IV. When the guitarist steps aside, III can see II is awake, sitting groggily against the armrest of the couch with a cup of soup on his lap.
There’s a tired smile on his face and he giggles when Vessel tries to wrestle his sweat-soaked shirt over his head without spilling the soup. II helps little, but Vessel gets the shirt off and the clean one goes on much easier.
“Thanks, III,” II says croakily.
“You’re welcome,” III replies, spooning up some soup.
He blows on it and then sticks it in his mouth, groaning happily at the taste. IV chuckles at him and then moves to sit beside him, scooting in close. III presses a kiss to the side of IV’s head and murmurs his thanks for the soup.
He eats and watches Vessel help II with the soup. II protests, but eventually lets Vessel dote on him, knowing how much the singer loves to do just that to any of them. II pretends to hate it, but he actually quite enjoys the attention. He’ll never admit that, though.
III sits back comfortably and finishes his soup in record time. He places his cup down on the coffee table and then wraps his arm around IV’s waist, pulling the guitarist in. IV yelps and almost spills his soup but rescues it just in time.
III chuckles.
“Be careful!” IV scolds.
“You keep it straight,” III muses, nosing at IV’s hair.
“Not during dinner, you guys,” II manages, his voice sounding wrecked.
III pouts, “I wasn’t doing anything!”
“Uh huh,” II snorts. “Let him finish.”
“Yes, Sir,” III mocks with a little smile.
II rolls his eyes and accepts another spoonful of soup from Vessel. III keeps his hands to himself but does press an occasional kiss to IV’s nape, whispering how much he loves the guitarist. IV flushes but keeps quiet as he eats.
When II’s soup is finished, the drummer almost immediately falls asleep again and Vessel tucks him in, pressing a sweet kiss to the smaller man’s cheek. He holds onto II’s hand until he’s sure the other is asleep, and then starts eating his own soup, finally.
“You’re too sweet, Vessel,” IV comments.
“Am I?” Vessel smiles.
“No,” IV chuckles. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“How about me?” III asks. “Do you guys love me, too?”
“Of course, we do, Trips,” IV muses, leaning back to kiss him gently.
“Yeah,” Vessel agrees, beaming brightly. “So much.”
“Well, I love you, too,” III mutters, suddenly feeling shy.
Vessel cackles and takes a bite of his soup. IV puts his cup down and turns in III’s hold so he can hold him tightly, embracing him so lovingly on the couch. III buries his face in IV’s hair and inhales his fresh scent, smelling the shampoo from this morning’s shower.
From the other couch, II grabs Vessel’s arm and curls his fingers around him, catching all of their attention. II looks so incredibly tired, but he smiles at them so fondly, so dumbly, so fucking sweetly.
“I love you all,” he whispers.
III all but melts into the couch and pretends there aren’t any tears in his eyes when he hides his face in IV’s shoulder.