(“You”)

-

Dream considers Hob gadling sitting across from him. Human beings really are bizarre creatures. Making light  idle conversation and eating, All the while he can feel Gadlings minds eye how it whirls with such crude imagines of desire and debauchery.

While Dream does not necessarily possess the power to intently read the thoughts of others he is the monarch and  personification of dreams within all the sense of the word, dreams within the sleep and daydreams waking aswell as that of hopes and wishes and so where the divide between his and his sibling Desire realms becomes murky in their intersection,  dreams of lust and want. 

His function is the product of humanity and does not judge or govern the imaginings of them, nor is he immune to that nature himself. But he’s not so crass a being to indulge himself in all forms of voyeurism ,thankfully the object of Knowing is enough to fulfil his role on the matter, not all dreams require direct attendance,

.. that said fair few involve him directly And seldom fewer as intimately as this. 

Yet Hobs mind dreams so vividly so loud he might as well shout it at him across the table .  It’s quite distracting to say the least.

In the waking world, hob chats of a stage production of King Lear. but in that of dreams..

Dream can only quirk a brow as hob imagines 

*Hoisting him up onto the table, crockery smashing, cutlery clattering. Dreams legs wrapped around his waist, Ripping the bowed ribbon from his hair, Raven dark dark locks tumbling over his shoulders,*

Hob takes a bite of his cake 

*cupping him by the jaw devouring his mouth against his own*

Sips delicately from his teacup

* the hot wet slide of their mouths drinking each other down.*

Slides the neatly folded napkin against his mouth.

*Imagines the ridge of Dreams exposed collarbone slid against his lips.*

Dreams lips can’t help but part softly as he inspects the contents of his own cup, 

hob imagines *the part Rosen kissed lips as he reaches down between them*

And Really that’s quite enough, Dream clears his throat audibly, even for an unspoken daydream.

Hob stops whatever he was halfway through saying looking at him brow slight a furrow .

“What?” 

The lord only regards him with a look of wry skepticism.

“Am I boring you”

Dream just sighs inspecting the tea leaves again 

Hob sips his own watching him, Imagines *reaching down to between them, fingers grazing the front of Dream's trousers*

Dreams gaze flicks up meeting there eyes And sets the cup down 

Hob only questions a brow, all to innocent , mockingly so regarding the circumstances ,So Dream sees no need for diplomacy. and states the fact plainly 

“I will have you know I can hear your thoughts  hob gadling”

Hob starts . Just a fraction, eyes widening ever so slightly, cup steady in hand and swallows down his mouthful of tea with far too much grace then a man caught out should be able to. 

“Is that so..”

Gingerly putting his cup back on its saucer.

“Reading my mind?”

“I needn’t hardly have to when it’s written all over your face”

Hob just “hums a small laugh in response, setting the cup and saucer on the table 

“Yes well..”

Apart from the slightest of blush in he’s cheeks hob strongly appears unfazed as a whole.

“I’ve suspected as much”

Now it’s Dream’s turn to be caught off guard. He says nothing, but his eyes sharpen at the ease of admission, 

Across Hob Regards him now exposed, unbidden lust in his eyes unmistakable, shine not with embarrassment but Challenge. Of all the response, Dream had never expected this. Not many can take an endless off gard. The sheer hubris of Man.

Hob holds his gaze ,imagines* cupping him there within his palm*

Dream inhales and hob eyes piercing sees he’s reaction for what it is. “can do worse then just hear them can’t you”

“You dare” Dream breaths warning the words like blacked night

But hob doesn’t retreat gase only bores it deeper, dreams taken off kilter by it, that so, before he can collect himself with an answer, Hob beats him to it, 

“who are you?”

*Flat at the base of him*

Dreams eyes flare heated

“What’s your name”

*Presses down*

Dreams mouth opens ever so slightly as if to answer...

An unfamiliar voice entered the room

“I would ask you the same question”

The spell between them is broken and a regal looking woman walks down from the staircase

————————-

Lady Joanna Constantine now disarmed on the ground eyes a glaze 

 “What did you do to her”

“She has old ghosts ,i merely have showed them to her”

Dream states calmly as hob rises 

“You need not have come to my assistance“ dream adds

Hob meets his gaze  “clearly” , “Still” He smiles absently tugging his ear, “I didn’t want to drinking alone here in a hundred years time”, he smirks

dream can’t help the small smile that plays at his own lips in return.

Hob eyes dreams mouth appreciatively, but not to be caught in a stare lowers he’s gaze further down to his neck, there, a cravat lay pleated, adorned with the ever present ruby, It catches the light from fireplace, flickering blood red glimmers dance across its fractures hypnotic pulling him in. 

They were close now.

“I’m perfectly safe. I can’t die, remember?” Hob said, his voice soft.

“Aye, but you can be hurt or captured, it’s important we stay vigilant”

“Always”

The jewel delicate and beautiful, like it’s wearer, Hob thinks

“you always wear that”

hob hadn’t even really noticed that he’d raised his hand to touch it, when the other, caught his wrist in his own , stopping him just short, his grip not rough on hobs wrist but firm enough, in gentle warning. His skin was cold, yet welcoming, like a cool glass of water on a hot summer's day.

“It is not for mortals”

Hand still in hold, Hob forks two outstretched fingers , the tips skirting the outer sides of the Gem. 

“why?,..what can it do?..” hob asks, withdrawing them only to bring his thumb against the flat heart of it. Beneath it the steady pulse of its wearer , the jewel and fine cloth the only thing separating them there.

Mesmerised holding it under the pressed pad of his thumb. feels he already knows. 

can feel the strangers eyes on him, when the he replies

“It grants whatever one most desires.”

The airs so thick hob can’t barely think to breathe, to acutely aware his cool hand contrast to his own skin Heated, behind his eyes In his mouth, within him,deeper. when he echoes low though a whisper, “Whatever one most desires“ 

Hob’s gaze flicks up.

Their eyes lock

“All around me darkness gathers,Fading is the sun that shone,We must speak of other matters,You can be me when I'm gone”

“Flowers gathered in the morning,Afternoon they blossom on,Still are withered in the evening,You can be me when I'm gone.”

I don’t know about you but to me it feels like two entity’s speaking to each other, the fist being dream (like how he spoke to Daniel before leaving) and the other being Daniel in reply. As if in swapping their functions. a dreamer becomes a dream and dream becomes a dreamer

The question I cannot shake,

If Daniel hall can someone before “Endless” then can Morpheus be so to after ?