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Vessel was sat on the sofa with IV’s jacket over his back, staring out of his head with glassy eyes, already dressed in his outside clothes while his others moved around the green room. They occasionally stopped to stroke his hair or cheek, to put a hand on his knee, and speak a few comforting words to keep him as present as possible.
His pre-aftercare routine after a ritual looked like this: getting him off stage, working together to get him out of his clammy clothes, clean off his paint, and get him dressed before the worst of the emotional drop hit. He was still fairly lucid then, but floating high on being a vessel for their worshippers’ emotions throughout the night. It would start to drain and around the time they usually piled into their bus or a car on the way to their hotel – like tonight – he would need more support and eventually their actual routine once they arrived and had more privacy.
IV was stroking up and down his arm with Vessel slowly blinking at him, listening to the man’s soft words, probably assuring him that they would leave soon and he could rest and be taken care of.
III was tugging his sweater on, then taming his hair by pulling on a beanie, all the while keeping his eyes on II. “Did you pack Shirley?”
II zipped his bag and nodded. “Yeah.”
Light blue eyes searched his, III’s worry seeping into their bond, prompting IV to turn his head toward them. “But are you sure? Cause if he doesn’t have her, then…”
II settled the strap of his bag on his shoulder and felt around for Vessel in their connection, feeling still-pleasant fuzziness on his end. He looked at the man in front of him with an expression of focus. “I’ve got it, Three, she’s in his bag.”
“Alright, alright.” III held up his hands and his shoulders sagged, fidgeting hands straightening his sweater. “Sorry, it’s just…” IV stepped beside him and took the hand closer to him, pressing against his arm.
II’s adjusted his expression, familiar with their partner’s anxiety. “I know.” With the bigger venues, the comedown was much harsher for Vessel. More people and more varied emotions meant a rough freefall from the high of the ritual. But that’s why they had the routine, tried and true, refined through trial and error.
IV looked between them. “Good to go?”
III nodded and weaved their fingers together, while II urged Vessel to stand. The man lightly swayed but shouldered his own bag and leaned toward II when he looped his arm through his.
They got into the car, talking between the three of them. Instead of joining in, Vessel was only listening, more and more just soaking up their familiar tones of voice as his mind buzzed. He usually went non-verbal by the time he left the stage and his words would come and go throughout the night. That was one of the reasons they came up with the system of taps and other physical cues that replaced actual words.
II was stroking the back of his hand with his thumb and squeezed his arm. “Alright, love?”
Vessel hummed, still looking out the window, watching the passing lights. With his intended reaction delayed, he slowly turned his head toward his other, the beginning of a frown creasing his brows. II took his hand between his and pressed their thighs together.
“I know, I can feel it. Just a few more minutes, okay?” The tears were coming and II could feel the man’s energy waning, felt him scrambling to hang onto some of it until they made it to the hotel.
III and IV were murmuring between themselves. II watched IV reach up and tug III’s beanie down over his brows with a teasing smile. For the three of them, the bond was steady as usual, only Vessel’s lack of input indicating anything out of the ordinary. If they tuned into him, they could feel him far off. He held the joy and sorrow of the fans of the night, their laughter and tears and it would all culminate in its own cocktail of emotions once the wave subsided and it hit him.
Once they arrived and took the lift, they split up into their neighboring rooms and II got started on the first step, depositing Vessel onto the bed and drawing a bath. While the tap ran, he returned to hear his other whimper quietly in his direction, shoulders slumped.
“I’m here, darling, it’s okay.” Vessel was clumsily shrugging his jacket off. One of his hands caught in the sleeve but he was already wrapping his arms around II who let him seek the closeness he craved and stroked the hair at the back of his head. “I know. Let it go, Ves.” He could feel Vessel surrender control. His posture lost its rigidity and his limbs grew clumsier as he gave up trying to appear put together. “That’s it.” II cooed and pulled back, cupping Vessel’s jaw.
The man’s eyes were hazy and it looked like he was held up by the place II was touching him. He looked tired and lost, his end of the bond messy and confused. II leaned in to kiss his forehead, then set to work undressing him. Vessel tried to be helpful, pulling his limbs out of clothes that seemed too constricting all of a sudden, letting II work without putting up too much of a fuss. Still, II made sure to create several points of contact, to talk to him throughout and keep him grounded.
He managed to get his naked and staggering partner into the bath and settled beside the tub. Vessel slipped down until the water was just below his mouth, then even lower. He made a surprised sound but II was already helping him adjust how he was sitting and got started on wiping him down.
“My love.” Vessel’s eyes fluttered open and he pushed against II’s hand on his back. “So proud of you, you did so well.” II was familiar with how much a ritual could drain the singer, how much it took out of him emotionally, shouldering what the worshippers channeled along with his own emotions. “You sounded beautiful, He had such a nice feast.” Sleep had drawn back right after the last note resounded in the arena but not before sending His approval into the vessels’ bond. Although Vessel might not have felt it with that much adrenaline dimming his senses.
Vessel nodded, his head bobbing heavily. “You, too.” He murmured and II couldn’t help his smile.
“Yeah. Tonight had some great energy.”
The other could only hum, mind busy struggling to sort through the mixture of emotions left over, everything from full-body delight to choking sorrow. II brushed his wet hair out of his face. As Vessel watched small bubbles bunch together and pop along the side of the tub, II finished cleaning him off, retracting his hand and wiping water from his forearm.
“Time to get out, dove, or you’ll get pruney.”
Vessel scrunched up his face and moved his hand along the edge of the tub to hold onto it. II supported under his armpit and around his waist until he was upright. A warm towel was draped over his back as he found his footing and II quickly rubbed it over his limbs and hair so he wouldn’t drip everywhere.
Their next stop was the bed, where there was a towel laid out already. II let him down onto it, pulling his hand along his back and patting his side. “There you go, sweetheart.” Vessel turned onto his side, making the towel from around his shoulders slide off. II righted it, then rubbed his arm and stopped to squeeze his hand. “I’ll be right back. Gonna get snacks and your stuffie, okay?”
While II didn’t wait for his nod, he could feel how he was practically melting in their connection. His mind was overcrowded and shaky but underneath all that, II could feel pure gratitude which couldn't be overshadowed even by insecurity at the vulnerability Vessel was experiencing. He wasn’t entirely helpless but with how loose-limbed and touch-hungry he was, it would have been hard for him to take care of himself without dissociating into a state that was detrimental to his well-being.
II was just turning back around with his arms full of packets of snacks and Shirley pressed between his elbow and side when he heard the door closing and a gentle exclamation. “Hey, sunbird.”
IV was already settling beside Vessel, while III stepped to II to press a kiss to his cheek and reached for Shirley. II let down the snacks and bottle of water onto the bed and caught III’s gaze to nod toward the bathroom before shutting the door to take a quick shower.
“You not cold yet, hun?” Vessel shook his head, turning his face into the comforter on the bed to IV’s amusement. “Two got you all warm in the bath, huh?” He turned one of Vessel’s hands palm up and traced his fingertips. “Like a raisin.”
III sat at the edge of the bed and rested his hand on Shirley, momentarily forgetting about the plush, focus taken up by his loves beside him.
Vessel made a sound in his throat, a half-whine, and, with his hand still in IV’s, pointed to it, brows drawn together.
IV turned his smile to III who returned from his brief haze with a minute shake of his head. “Sorry, love.” He slowly pushed the sheep along the comforter. “Here she is.”
Vessel curled his hand around the plush but before pulling it closer, his middle finger tapped a pattern of three against III’s wrist.
The bond lit up. “I love you, too.” Vessel blinked and nodded like they just finished a deep conversation, then closed his eyes and drew his plush to his front to hook his chin into its familiar material. After a few moments, his eyes opened again and his others could feel him struggling in the bond.
“T-two?” Vessel adjusted his grip on his sheep and sluggishly glanced around the room.
IV was quick to reassure him. “He’s in the shower, love.”
“Oh.” They felt the jumble of emotions from him at that. IV kept rubbing his shoulder and III settled closer to him, reaching out to stroke his hair.
“Don’t worry, he’s gonna be out in a minute.” Vessel directed his frown at him. III saw him blink rapidly and suspected he was fighting tears, as usual by the time he more or less settled down. It didn’t help that he couldn’t see and feel all three of them beside him. “I know he’s probably already told you but you did so well tonight, baby.” Vessel made a questioning sound and rubbed his plush against his face. “Yes, you did.” III brushed along his cheekbone. “Been such a good vessel. We’re so proud.”
“Sleep, too.” IV drew lines between the moles on his back.
Vessel pulled his hand back from around Shirley and reached out to poke III’s thigh, then tried to reach back toward IV but only managed to point in the air.
“Yeah, I know. Us, too.” III practically beamed at him. “Sweet boy.”
The bathroom door opened and II emerged, freshly showered, palm rubbing at his wet hair as if trying to arrange it, even though it was way too short for that. He set his clothes down by his bag and returned the soft welcomes he received in the bond from his others, their affection clear, tinged with gratitude and appreciation for taking care of the singer by himself, although he always insisted he didn’t mind it. It was still work and they made it clear that they could rotate the tasks any time II wanted a break.
IV felt warmth bubble up in his chest at Vessel’s dopey smile in II’s direction, and his tiredly excited wiggle as he knew that he would get to feel II close again soon.
III’s eyes were following II’s movements as he stepped to Vessel’s bag. “Gonna dress him?”
II hummed and glanced over his shoulder. “Wanna help?”
III was beside him in a heartbeat and accepted the small pile of clothes handed to him. It was a pair of boxers and sleep shorts, the most amount of clothes Vessel was still comfortable with since he craved skin-on-skin contact even more as he was coming down.
IV coaxed Vessel onto his back and brushed his fingers through his hair when initially, the man frowned at having to uncurl from his plush. His arm stayed around it but he fixed his gaze on II who leaned down to kiss his forehead.
From what could be felt of him, Vessel was unsteady but had been holding up so far. III stopped at his legs half hanging off the bed and crouched down to get the underwear on him. Vessel wanted to help by sitting up but his body felt heavy and II’s hand on his shoulder told him that it was okay. He wasn’t a burden. He was being taken care of.
“That’s a good boy.” III eased it up his legs with half a mind to tease him about how long they were when at a playful jab in their connection he was reminded that he was no better. Soft sleep shorts were next. III left the drawstrings untied and nodded at IV, then ran his hands down Vessel’s legs, gently kneading at them.
IV set to tying the strings, finishing off with a carefully evened-out bow. He couldn’t resist ducking down to press a kiss to Vessel’s stomach, with no other intention than to shower him in gentle affection.
“All good?” II had been tracing drawn-out lines down Vessel’s neck and arms in the meantime. He drummed a quick pattern on his shoulder, then pulled the towel from under Vessel when III urged him to roll off it, so they could get him under the covers.
“Biscuits, hun?” IV got him to sit up with Shirley in his lap and offered him some from the package he opened. Vessel accepted it and leaned against his partner, pulling his knees up. He chewed contently while II and III settled down as well, the former beside Vessel, the latter beside IV, with his hands on Vessel’s ankle to maintain a point of contact.
III got a pack of sour gummies open and placed one into Vessel’s mouth when the man prompted him with a hum. They passed bites between each other, their bond lightly buzzing with affection as lips found fingers and lay kisses over them, fond and tiredly content.
After Vessel tapped II to request a drink and had gotten it, he shifted to lie down. II stood to dispose of the empty packets, while III gathered Vessel into his arms and let him hide his face in his collar. IV stayed behind him and peppered his shoulder, nape and hair in kisses. Vessel began to tear up a few times but it appeared tonight wasn’t such a bad night in terms of overwhelming sadness.
II checked the time as he settled down at the foot of the bed. “It’s late.”
Vessel stayed silent but gripped the back of III’s sleep shirt and pressed himself closer to him, even if his plush between them made it difficult. His end of the bond was still somewhat fuzzy but they all felt it shake as if the connection itself was holding back tears.
“Oh, love.” IV stroked his shoulder. “Sweetheart.” Vessel just clung to III and hid his face.
III nuzzled his hair with a sad smile.
II sighed. It wasn’t a sign of annoyance, they had just already had this conversation a hundred times, and it never got easier to say no to those teary eyes.
“Vessel, dove, you know we won’t fit.” Vessel nuzzled III with a whine and reached behind himself clumsily to grab at IV’s sleeve. II shifted closer and cupped his cheek from behind III’s back, seeking his gaze. “Listen to me, sweetheart. Three and Four are gonna stay with us for ten more minutes…” Vessel pouted, lips turning down at the corners but II went on. “…then they’re gonna go and sleep in their bed.” The man’s eyes gleamed but II just stroked his thumb along his skin. “But I’ll be here with you all night.”
Vessel’s frown eased a bit. “Pwromise?” It came out slurred, partly due to his exhaustion, partly because his cheek was smushed.
“I promise.” II sent him reassurance and syrupy affection, hoping it could be felt on the other’s end.
Vessel blinked slowly, wordlessly accepting their eventual parting.
When the ten minutes were up, Vessel made sure he tapped repeated patterns of three onto every surface of skin he could reach on III and IV, then watched them leave to their own room.
II settled beside him. “Good to sleep now?” He pressed close and rubbed their noses together. “Hm?”
Vessel gave a tired hum. His eyes were already closed and II could feel him drifting toward sleep. His fingers were tapping against his plush.
“I love you.” Vessel pushed his chin forward as he slowly opened his eyes and II obeyed the wordless request for a kiss. “Night, love.”
Vessel hummed again, then settled down. The hand he had on his plush was touching II’s chest, fingers moving along his bare skin until they both fell asleep.
