Chapter Text
While Vessel had never been known as a chatterbox, it was noticeable when the man withdrew into near silence. III had noticed the change first, worried that the man was lapsing into antisocial tendencies, and began inviting more input from their singer just to hear his voice. His anxiety grew as the silence increased, and one night after Vessel had wandered out to the back deck to watch the stars, II stopped him from following and pulled him to the sofa instead. He urged the bassist to lay down, and the lanky man wasted no time wrapping his arms around the other’s waist and buried his face into the drummer’s stomach.
“I know this isn’t easy to hear, but you have to leave him to sort through his thoughts and the messages Sleep sends him. I promise you this isn’t him withdrawing from us” he soothed, stroking his hair. The bassist simply shoved his face more firmly into the other’s stomach, making him laugh at the childish antics. “I know, but it’ll just make it harder for it to run its course. In the meantime…” he quickly flipped their positions “If you’ll accept a consolation prize I might have some ideas.”
III grinned, sliding his hands up the smaller man’s shirt, flicking at a nipple just to watch him shudder. “Just for calling yourself a consolation prize I’m going to have to drag this out until you’re begging,” and pulled him down to kiss him breathless.
Eventually II convinced him to settle in Vessel’s bed to wait for the man to return. It was a relief to watch him settle into the familiar scent of their other love, he knew that III had a high emotional drive and when their singer got too distant it kicked up what II liked to call “duckling behavior” of him following them around the house for attention. He knew Vessel wasn’t intentionally ignoring them, II recognize the behavior, so similar to right before they found III. They’d been together in the manor for nearly a year then, and while neither of them were prone to frequent conversation it was odd when Vessel suddenly pulled away. He eventually noticed Vessel appearing to be listening out for something, but assumed that Sleep was conversing with him. It was several days later, after Vessel had kept II in their bed until the late afternoon, ravishing him with affection until the smaller man demanded they finally get up for a shower and something to eat and drink.
“Not like I’m complaining here, but what’s gotten into you?” he finally asked, once Vessel had his fill of him again and they were nearly ready to simply pass out for the night. “I’m gonna need a proper lie in tomorrow and don’t you even think about yet another round until I have a good two days of rest. You’re a right menace, my love.”
Vessel blushed deeply at the teasing, shoving his face into II’s neck to hide his embarrassment. “I really love you, I just wanted to show you. No matter what changes in our lives, that won’t ever change.” Despite his efforts to hide his face, II forced him to look him in his eyes, and at the concerned expression he elaborated, “Sleep has found us a third, she says we’ll meet him soon enough and wants us to prepare for him same as I prepared for you.”
So II wasn’t concerned at all, it just needed to run its course until Vessel was ready to talk to them about it. Though he had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing how their singer would act this time around with III included. When they’d found Four, III had been away visiting family, and it just wasn’t right without him there. It feels a lot like he was trying to make excuses but he knew Four wasn’t right because it just wasn’t the same intensity.
Just as he started to drift off he heard the soft steps in the hall as Vessel made his way to bed with them, his extra eyes gleaming lowly in the dark. He climbed in with them, wrapping around III’s back and reaching to grab II’s hand as well.
“I love you both so much” his voice was so deep and soft from the lack of use. II simply smiled back and gently grasped his hand in return as they drifted off.
The week passed, and III had done his best to respect Vessel’s need for space to focus while ensuring his own needs were met. Today’s solution was drawing Vessel as he faced out the window, basking in the sunlight with all of his eyes closed. He knew that as sensitive as his eyes were he still loved the warmth of the sun whenever he could get it.
Like a cat, he thought to himself as he sketched out the features, stifling a giggle when he added cat ears to the man’s head. The afternoon was calm and so relaxing that he ended up falling asleep drawing.
He eventually woke as he felt someone crawling over him and blearily blinked awake to find Vessel straddling him, kissing him fiercely before he could even form a coherent thought. He reveled in the insistent, possessive touches he was given, freely moaning when a hand slipped up his shirt to play with a nipple. Vessel pulled back after a sharp nip at the bassist’s lips, already breathing heavily, all of his eyes dark and laser focused on him.
“Well good morning to you too, beautiful. What’d I do to deserve such a treat like this?” III asked cheekily, a big smile on his face that made the other man melt back down into him, pulling at his pants to free his cock and moved down to swallow the bassist as far as he can go. “-fuckin ‘ell V I’m not gonna last if you go that hard” he moaned out, but not stopping him in the slightest. The singer looked up at him with the top pair of his eyes and redoubled his efforts, seemingly eager to get the other off. He slammed his head back, Vess knew what looking at him like that did to him and he flushed at realizing how close he already was, that this was his goal to begin with.
“Oh have we started already?” II’s voice calmly called out, and the distraction caught broke the bassist’s resolve as he moaned long and low. Vessel didn’t stop even for a moment, swallowing every drop and continuing to suck him down until finally III tapped out, gently pushing him off to catch his breath. As Vessel began to climb back up him for more, he was pulled back by his hair to look back behind him at II, who had quietly snuck up while they were distracted. “Oh my sweet, so desperate for us aren’t you?” Vessel could only moan in response, attempting to grind down but II pulled him up harder, “Now, now, my love, I do think our III needs a breather, don’t you? Don’t you want to be a good boy for us?” Vessel nods as much as he can with the grip in his hair.
II stared at him, assessing, before clicking his tongue in disappointment. “I don’t think so, I expect words from good boys.”
“Please II please I want to fuck him. I need you both, can’t think of anything else.” His words were rushed and breathless. II smiled, kissing him softly before releasing him. “That’s good, such a good boy telling me what you need. Why don’t you go upstairs and get yourself cleaned up proper for us? We’ll be up there waiting for you when you get out of the shower okay?” He nodded, dropping down and kissing III breathless once more before getting up to do as he was told, giving a short yelp when II landed a firm swat on his ass.
Once he’d gone, III looked over at II with absolute confusion “Definitely not complaining but that was…. Different, right?” he asked as the drummer offered him a hand up to guide him upstairs.
“The last time he was this bad was before we found you. He didn’t let me out of bed for almost two days.” He recalled with a lascivious grin before continuing, “He was so terrified that I wouldn’t stick around while he searched for you and made certain I knew how much he loved me, it’s just how he works through it.” He reassured the other as they made their way into Vessel’s room where they could hear the shower running.
II gathered III up in his arms as they got comfortable on the bed, letting the implications sink in. He was hesitant to say it directly, aware how much it hurt III when Four left, it was a tender spot for the normally exuberant man to the point even referencing it had him quiet.
“Do you think this one will be the right one?” he asked so quietly the other barely heard it.
II’s heart swelled with affection, he loved how openly III loved even as it ached this way, and decided to change tactics to pull him out of the somber thoughts. He rolled him to his back, straddling his hips and carding his fingers into the bright red locks before kissing him deeply.
“Depends if you’re capable of walking tomorrow, I also have to show you how much I love you,” he said after a moment.
“Neither of you better be making any plans, you won’t be going anywhere until I’m done with you both” Vessel suddenly spoke up, practically posed to pounce on the two of them.
They were both in for a very long night.