Edens Sleep Token one shots collection

Repeats and Harsh Words

Worship and lost faith; Vessel and III. (note: this is a thing that exists within my own canon; this chapter is a follow up to chapter 8)
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Distracted. That was the best way to describe Vessel's behavior lately, mentally distant and absent minded at best. It was something III had been watching the entirety of the day, pushing it off on the heat of early summer getting to him. If that's the case, it's sure to get worse. Even then, III couldn't quite stop it from bothering him, couldn't stop that hushed whisper in the back of his mind that said it was something else.

"Have you seen Vessel?" III leaned against the back of the couch II was lying on, chewing on ice cubes to keep himself cool. He was the only one III could find around, a sneaking suspicion telling him IV was probably out or asleep somewhere.

"Think he went up to his room." II accented the words with a crunch of the ice cube he had between his teeth, causing III to cringe a bit.

"Mumbling something about it being too hot I think." He shrugged, giving III a questioning look a moment later.

"Why? Something up?" III paused at the question, holding his silence for a few short seconds before responding.

"No. Well... maybe? Something like that." Even with his consideration, III stumbled over his words, a key cause for II to stare at him with suspicious eyes.

"You've been eyeing him all day like he wronged you or something. Did he do something-?" II pushed himself up from the couch, now at proper eye level with III.

"No, he didn't do something." III chuckled a bit and poked II's forehead, though it seemed about right for him to get so concerned about that. The reassurance seemed to do its job, II's suspicion melting away.

"He's just been acting off, it's bothering me." III leaned forward, lying the side of his head over his arms with his eyes on II.

"It's probably nothing to worry about, but I don't know. Think I should talk to him, maybe she did something." His expression fell a bit, mentioning the god he had come to loathe. II gave him a sympathetic look but otherwise held his own silence; Sleep had never wronged him before, it's unlikely for him to ever forsake them the same. Just like Vessel, so hopelessly devoted...

III had never truly touched on the topic, perhaps it was better that way, better to avoid the imminent argument that would come of it. He's had the same argument countless times by now with Vessel, harsh words thrown between the two of them they both came to later regret. It was a vicious cycle that never truly seemed to end, though also something III had come to avoid; he never liked the arguments.

"You should go check on him." II placed a gentle hand against III's arm, pulling him from his thoughts. The nod that came to follow was mildly hesitant, II pulling away again.

A weight set itself over III as he walked away, part of him wanting to change course and just go back to his own room. Perhaps part of him knew he wouldn't like what he would find out, or maybe he didn't want the confrontation. For Vessel to be off was a rare occurrence to begin with, III almost didn't want to know why. He almost didn't want to mention it at all, but he had doubts that anyone else would say anything otherwise.
There's always hesitation surrounding Vessels issues, even more so if they might have something to do with Sleep. They've all seen him get snippy, break down as a whole because he couldn't handle the weight of being her chosen first... All of it made III hate her that much more, hate her for the pain she's caused all of them.

That deep, gnawing suspicion pushed him forward regardless, picking up his own confidence with internal reassurance that this was right. They may not always see eye to eye, but III had chosen to stay, to be there for the others despite the pushback from Sleep. Even if his heart wasn't in it like the others, he couldn't risk leaving them be. It's something Vessel himself had suffered through already, something he never truly intended to happen, and though his faith isn't something III can follow anymore... he can't blame the other from the opposite.