Tonight, then. I think you'll find it peaceful, and that is the only hint, I promise.
[OOC: If you ever wanna thread out a dreamwalking scene with them, either him showing her his favorite place or something else, I'd be down for it. If not, zero worries! I'm enjoying their talks either way. :)]
[ooc: I'd love to thread them dreamwalking together, I'm enjoying their interaction so much. Would you like me to set up a separate log for that or just continue here?]
[OOC: I'm totally fine continuing here if that's easier! I should make an IC post on my journal as well, I keep forgetting to do that. I'm really enjoying them, too. Titans is one of my fav comic teams and DC shows, you write Dawn very well.]
[ooc: Oh gosh, thank you! <3 You write Dream very well, I am a big fan of the comics and show and you really capture his sort of dry way of talking.]
If asked, Dawn wouldn't be able to say why the Dream Lord, Morpheus, had first entered her dreams. His reasons were his own and he wasn't always exactly forthcoming when it came to personal information.
But she does remember the first time she felt his presence, it was about five months after Hank's death and her nightmares had returned. Horrible, dark dreams where she was forced to watch his death over and over or ones where he was haunting her. A terrifying ghoul with undead eyes that was trying to drag her down into the darkness with him. She can remember feeling such absolute panic and loneliness and in her desperation she had cried out for help. And someone had answered.
There had been a shift, a pause in the darkness as what felt like two huge wings settled around her, wrapping around her protectively. After that she had slept soundly.
It was probably a month later that she started to see him in her dreams.
It was subtle at first, mostly out of the corner of her eye, as if he was almost shy as to how to approach her, but after a bit she started to notice him more and more. Always the same tall, lanky, pale figure with hair that resembled a raven's breast and eyes so dark that they almost looked black. But they weren't empty, quite the opposite, his eyes seemed to hold entire universes in them.
Finally, because she got tired of him lurking and because her own curiosity needed to be satisfied she approached him.
"You know, if you're going to repeatedly visit a lady in her dreams you could at least say hello." She had said, walking directly up to him. There had been a pause and the barest glimmer of a smile in his eyes, more like the dream of one, and he had nodded. This was how Dawn Granger met Dream of the Endless and like always when he appears to her in her dreams he is met with a smile. Soft and warm like the morning sun.
"You're late." She teases him when he appears to her after they finish texting and she falls asleep.
[OOC: TY! While I've loved the comics for years he's a new muse for me, so I appreciate it. I never would have put these two together and that is precisely why I love cross-canon, LOL.]
’You need them as much as they need you.’
Death’s words had reverberated in Morpheus’s mind long after he had parted ways from his sister. Shamefully, they might not have but a century or two ago, prior to his imprisonment. While he had certainly known love and loss, had known obligation and defiance for many eons, it was quite different now. Never had he experienced a state where the world had run itself without him. For a being who took his responsibilities seriously, who poured every ounce of spare energy and then some into his duties, his imprisonment had hit on so many levels.
The world could, indeed, turn without him. What, then, did he add to it? Why did he care so very much that the dreamers had been hurt by his absence, and did that hurt mean he could do much more for them?
He could. He should.
The humbling had hurt his ego, but it also made him a better listener.
Slowly Dream had started to enter the waking world more often. He knew what the dreamers brought to his realm, but he invested more in understanding the lives behind it. During his travels he had come across Dawn Granger. A person whose duties were prominent, whose hurt was pressurized and crafted into a tool for change. That much, Morpheus understood. He found himself wanting to help encourage her on her travels. He wanted to do that for all his dreamers. He always had, he exhausted himself in his efforts, but he’d never thought that knowing them better personally aside from their subconscious was necessary.
He started with Dawn, hoping what he learned from their interactions would help him with others. He came because of duty. He stayed because… he cared.
Her heart bled not from Desire’s deceitful fountain, but from a chalice he longed to fill. Hope, despite the encroaching dark.
It wasn’t long before she had noticed his lurking presence, admittedly he had never been one to blend into a crowd. He was still dressed in his black attire, and he tried not to let her notice of him rattle him as much as it might have done. It was only partially successful. His gaze swept over her, noting the smile that warmed him even if his own demeanor was the opposite. A cold that was so controlled, so compressed, it appeared impenetrable yet at its center was nothing but fire and creation.
“My apologies.” It wasn’t just anyone he said those words to, yet they rang true. “Time moves differently for each dreamer. I take it then the protest isn’t about the company?”
[OOC: 100%. It's a whole other verse to play in! Or in the case of DC, technically 52, LOL.]
"A curse of the long lived, we end up having reassurances repeated." It was said in his dry tone, though with a touch of honesty. She had, indeed, said that his presence is welcome. He wants to acknowledge that, even if his own hesitancies value the repetition. "I don't take lightly that I am a sight for eyes sore from the day, Ms. Granger." So formal. Even his face betrayed that he knew it was ridiculous, given that he turned up in her subconscious so often. His voice dropped a little as he self-corrected. "Dawn."
He glanced around at the surroundings. He was perhaps less surprised than she was. She dealt with death and decay so much, but wasn't it so that others may live a bountiful existence?
Lost in his thoughts, it took him a moment to look back down at her and give a rueful expression. It was faint, of course. He was a masterclass in micro expressions. "My day has been productive." That, to him, was synonymous with good. He felt adrift otherwise. "Apologies for the delay. I was merely... I suppose I find it easier to associate you with a garden than you do."
Maybe his destination wouldn't be so much a surprise. Fiddler's Green.
"I would like for you to meet a dear place of mine." He slowly offered her a hand, not saying how much it meant. How long he had been without any touch. Only his dear friend Lucienne, really. Calliope. And now...
His self correction makes her smile, as does hearing her first name pass through his lips. She suspects that he isn't informal with many and it makes her feel special, after all it isn't often that one gets to be on a first name basis with a Dream Lord.
"Productive is good." She says, knowing that mindset very well. She knows others who hate to be idle, Dick and Bruce for example. They always had to be working, solving a case, or catching a criminal to feel useful and on track.
His phrasing catches her attention and when he offers his hand she takes it, smiling at him and raising an eyebrow. "A dear place of yours? This place...is a person?"
"This place is sentient, yes. Fiddler's Green. He recently had a walkabout as a person, but he's been restored to his former self, and the Dreaming is the better for that." It would take some straining, but hidden in the reserved, precise words is a hint of warm affection. Of all the major arcana, Fiddler's Green held a special place in Morpheus's heart. The green domain was everything that Morpheus had hoped it would be, life-sustaining and gentle. Not without mettle, but never cruel.
He feels Dawn's hand in his. Smaller but with smooth skin. His own are colder to the touch, yet warm up when clasped with hers. With a gentle tug they begin to walk. This part of the Dreaming looks much like a fairy tale land, with dirt roads and charming houses where some dreams live. Animals that are not merely those found in the waking world dot the sidelines, and overhead the occasional majestic creature swoops in circles. Matthew is not with Morpheus right now, as the king in his own realm is quite secure. Usually. Morpheus had sternly said as much, and so far, Matthew and Lucienne were listening.
"It is a bit of a walk, I hope you don't mind. While he is in many ways the heart of the Dreaming, he's on the outskirts of the bustle." Morpheus glances over at her, a careful study on his end as she examines his realm. "I could simply move us to the location, but I thought you might enjoy the journey there as well."
The idea of a sentient place is an interesting one and Dawn ponders it a little as they start to walk through the Dreaming, which is as beautiful as always. The fairytale landscape obviously has influenced her mind a little as the t-shirt she wore to bed is now gone and she is dressed in a soft, flowing white summer dress.
"I don't mind the walk at all." She says, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Your kingdom is always so gorgeous and it's interesting to see the sights."
Not to mention that this way she gets to spend more time with him.
"So if Fiddler's Green is a person as well as a place does that mean he will feel us walk on him? Should I take off my shoes as to make it easier on his grass and paths?"
"Thank you. It is coming along." His kingdom. Oh, all the structural damage done when he'd been imprisoned was repaired, alongside the chaos of the Vortex. He tries to see it through Dawn's eyes, and he does feel a small swell of pride at what has been accomplished. Still. There is always so much to do, so much to improve, especially now that he is trying to make some changes. Even for the Endless, sometimes there did not feel like enough time. Thank goodness for Lucienne and all of her help. His gaze then turns back to Dawn and the critical frown that had crept in faded away at the sight of her. Instead there is a hint of pleasure at how well the dress complimented her form. "You are certainly adding to the landscape's appeal." As if to highlight this, he populates the side of their path with different white flowers that are instantly in bloom.
He, of course, still wore his typical black pants, boots, t-shirt, and coat. Even in the Dreaming, its king rather stood out for his unrelenting fashion statement.
"In essence, yes. Fiddler's Green is a sentient place, who got curious and decided to turn himself into a person and walk in the waking world for a period of time. He will certainly know we are there, but he's quite fine with people treading upon his grass. You needn't worry about damaging it. In the Dreaming, he is capable of having the grass withstand even my boots. And I'm a fair bit taller than you are." He gives her a slight smile at that, tilting his head downward to catch her gaze. "Though you are of course welcome to walk about barefoot if you'd rather. He's been enjoying spring of late, so the weather should be good for it. Any of the fruit growing is also edible and without any strings attached."
A short bridge connected this part of the Dreaming to Fiddler's Green. It was wooden and arched, with sea creatures beneath it making noise. Some of them were animals known in the waking world, others were utterly bizarre creations that happily coincided alongside them.
Dream is lucky in the way that Dawn is already used to interacting with people who show their emotions through micro-expressions, Bruce was a master at it and thus taught Dick the habit and after dating him for so many years she knows what to look for. And so she picks up on the tiny bit of pleasure he expresses at her choice of outfit and when he makes the blooming flowers appear to match her she chuckles softly and gives him a coy smile.
"And you're certainly adding to my ego if you keep up with such compliments." She teases, but really there's no danger in her becoming egotistical. Dawn is a confident woman of course, well aware of her strengths but she's also aware of her flaws and weaknesses. One of those of course being getting compliments from tall, dark, brooding types....
"A fair bit taller hrm? That's a bit of an understatement." She says and looks up at him, grinning, because it's true. Dawn is a petite woman which worked in her favor as a professional ballet dancer but next to Dream she looks extra tiny. The contrast between their heights is almost made more apparent by their different styles, she with such pale blonde hair that it looks white and his a shock of fluffy black. And as they walk through the Dreaming more than a few of the creatures pause to give them curious looks, it isn't often they see their Lord out and about with someone who isn't Lucienne.
When they get to the wooden bridge Dawn pauses to peer over the side, watching the sea creatures with interest. There are rainbow colored fish with wings, miniature blue whales, and a large sea serpent that has golden scales.
"Do you swim, Dream?" She asks, watching as one of the rainbow fish leaps out of the water and into the air only to catch a gust of wind and spiral up towards the sky.
Morpheus notes that his company is drawing some curiosity from the passing denizens of the Dreaming, but he doesn’t pay it too much mind at the moment. They don’t seem inclined to intrude, not all possessing Matthew’s level of brazenness, but he will not be surprised if there’s some whispering about it. The Dreaming is not immune to gossip, and while he overhears more than they seem to realize, for the most part Morpheus pretends he does not. Then again, it is not often that the rumors involve him personally. Most of the Dreaming population find their boss a reserved workaholic who might deserve a complaint for being a taskmaster, but is not possessing enough of a personal life to titillate.
It has been quite a long time since he’s broken that steadfast trend.
“I can swim. Though it has been some time since I have done so.” He pauses with her to glance over the side of the bridge, seeing through her eyes how the creatures are perceived. They are not mere crafts made by him. They are a part of him, even if ultimately their own entities. In that way, he cannot look at them with impartiality. He instead studies Dawn’s reaction, more curious how she takes to the sights. Though at the little fish taking flight, he does spare them an upwards glance. “Do you like them? They have only recently returned to the Dreaming. It seems they are pleased enough by their return.” So many dreams had fallen into disarray or even decayed into nothing when he had left. The fish hadn’t been highest on his priority list at the start to bring back, but he had finally gotten around to them.
His gaze dropped back to Dawn’s as he trailed back to her other question. “Were you wanting to swim now?”
Dawn's reaction to the fish is one of soft joy, she smiles and tilts her head to watch the fish soar upwards only to dive back down under the water.
"They're beautiful, their scales look like gemstones." She says and then turns her eyes to his. "Maybe another time, I was mostly curious if you ever did as to enjoy the company of all of these creatures you created."
Which is still a somewhat mind twisting idea, that everything here is a part of him and yet it's own.
"Although now I'm curious as to what you would wear to go swimming." She adds, giving him a mischievous glance.
Seeing her reaction to the fish brings him a joy rarely felt. It is more than merely the satisfaction of a job well done when a dreamer finds inspiration or catharsis in what he has helped them experience. He can’t help but reach out and gently brush aside some of her nearly-white hair when the breeze carries it against her cheek, his hand lingering a moment after before he pulls it back.
He soaks in the moment before he contemplates her follow up question. It honestly stumps him a little, perhaps more than it should have done. After a moment where it's clear he's a bit baffled though aware he's missing something, he admits, "I did not create them for my enjoyment. They are for the dreamers, or for the individuals who live and work in the Dreaming."
In short, he does not often seek out their company, or anyone's, for his pleasure.
'Why can't they be both?' is a question he honestly can't answer. Perhaps as their king and creator he's always held himself apart from most of the Dreaming. The few exceptions are Lucienne and Matthew, but then, he did not create them.
Her next question draws his mind away from his musings and he let slip a look of amusement. His fingers grasp the edges of his jacket and he tugs on them as he looks down at himself. This time the puzzlement is pretend as he says, "Is fully clothed not the appropriate attire for a swim? Perhaps you should describe for me in detail what you wear so I may get a better idea for next time on what is appropriate."
His touch is so gentle and light, like a whisper, that it sends a pleasurable shiver down her spine and when his hand lingers she casts her eyes up to his. Giving him silent permission to stay there, to touch her. His eyes are so beautiful that she could get lost in them for hours, he's seen and felt so much and it's all reflected in his eyes which are like pools of impossibly deep waters.
She tilts her face ever so slightly against his hand, wanting to feel more of his cool touch but of course he pulls back and she tries to ignore the tiny bit of disappointment she feels about it, after all what was she expecting?
Her feelings of regret are forgotten when he looks down at himself and feigns confusion about his choice of swimwear. Dawn lifts a hand to cover the flurry of giggles that start to escape her because the image of Dream going to the beach as he is dressed now, perhaps just walking into the water like that, is too funny.
"I believe that one only goes fully clothed in emergency situations, like if you had to jump off a sinking ship. Most times people wear bathing suits." She says and then because he asked for details she continues.
"I usually wear a sage green two piece bathing suit." And then because she's can't help herself. "Or nothing at all, provided the area is private enough."
For someone whose life is eternal, and who holds himself to quite the regimented life, he ruefully realizes that he really needs to work on his timing. Or perhaps, more likely, he’s more hesitant in these sorts of interactions given his past failures. He realizes a moment too late how Dawn seems to welcome rather than revile his touch, with how she leans into it. It makes him regret having moved with haste, skittish inside to take a wrong step. It isn’t like him, he’s used to being on control. Particularly in control of himself.
He’s distracted from chastising himself though when he hears her laugh. Her eyes light up with amusement, a merry dance of mischief present. Everything about her countenance is warm and soft, silk wrapped around mettle that is harder than any who first glance would realize. He knows some of her life and the trials she has faced. He does for everyone. Yet it is different to see the person those experiences have shaped right in front of him, standing tall and welcoming. She… impresses him.
The details on her suit, how she goes along with his banter, earns a small smile. “Only in emergencies? Next thing you’ll tell me I shouldn’t be dressed in the shower.” Not that he technically needed to shower, at least not once he returned to his realm. Perhaps he was hoping to keep the smile on her face longer. His expression turns thoughtful at her description of her bathing suit, tucking it away. Sage green and two piece. “I would say I can imagine that suiting you, yet I would be more pressed to think of an outfit that wouldn’t.”
Extending his hand to her, he leads them further across the bridge and finally onto Fiddler’s Green. Even Morpheus’s countenance relaxes slightly in the calming presence of these fields. The air is sweet with flowers and fruit, the grass ever-green. It is warm despite the night sky. There are gently rolling hills and lush trees, ponds and plants. The only sound is the wind gently ruffling the air, and some birds and insects that call the space home. In a melodious voice to match the setting, Morpheus speaks to the area. “Welcome to Fiddler’s Green.” Overhead a shooting star is the only intrusion, the area saying hello to them.
Dawn laughs even harder at the mention of him in the shower because for some reason she is picturing him fully dressed in his usual all black attire but with the addition of a pink shower cap over his hair. To his compliment she gives him a warm smile and a soft 'thank you' and then takes his hand again, walking across the bridge and onto Fiddler’s Green.
Dawn stops for a moment, closing her eyes for a moment as the tranquility of Fiddler's Green washes over her; the sound of the soft wind and the smell of all the beautiful lush vegetation is deeply soothing and when she opens her eyes they are positively sparkling with joy.
"Oh Dream." She says, her voice tinted with awe. "It's breathtaking."
Morpheus gives a small smile and dip of his head in acknowledgement, clearly pleased that she appreciates the sight as much as he does. Often when his head is a mess he’ll come to Fiddler’s Green to walk about and clear it. It’s a toss up between doing that, or sitting in his castle while the entire Dreaming has stormy weather. Admittedly, he doesn’t always opt for the healthiest of coping mechanisms. He’s trying though, and Fiddler’s Green exists for this very purpose. An escape, an oasis, from one’s weary troubles. The fact that so many yearn for what Fiddler’s Green inspires is one reason he is considered a Major Arcana, and why it is so important he’s returned to his proper place.
“I am glad you find it so. You are welcome here when you dream. After all, the point of a dream is to be shared by dreamers. Without any it is not a fulfilling existence.” Though some dreams and nightmares still had other desires outside of what Morpheus creates. Gault for instance still needed dreamers to be satisfied, but wished to fill a very different role.
“I find here to be… a place of clarity.” He realizes he’s never really explained why this is his favorite spot in the Dreaming. “Even though existence is never simple, it somehow feels as such when there is nothing but open air.”
"Thank you, I'm sure now that I know of this spot I'll visit it often." She says as they walk further into Fiddler’s Green, the grass whispering at their ankles.
"Clarity." She repeats and nods, looking up at the sky above and then at the tree tops which are gently swaying in the breeze. "I can see that, this place is so serene that I'm sure it makes it a little easier to sort through complicated thoughts and feelings when you're here."
"It reminds me of the little rooftop garden I have. Obviously it's no where near as large or as grand but it's that same kind of feeling." She says with a little side smile and then looks up at Dream, her dark eyes catching his gaze.
"I'd like to show it to you sometime, if that's okay."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2022-08-28 05:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-28 05:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-28 05:32 pm (UTC)It is within my capabilities, yes. I'd say more but I take it you'd rather be surprised?
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Date: 2022-08-28 05:40 pm (UTC)And yes, I'd love for it to be a surprise.
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Date: 2022-08-28 06:02 pm (UTC)[OOC: If you ever wanna thread out a dreamwalking scene with them, either him showing her his favorite place or something else, I'd be down for it. If not, zero worries! I'm enjoying their talks either way. :)]
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Date: 2022-08-28 06:11 pm (UTC)[ooc: I'd love to thread them dreamwalking together, I'm enjoying their interaction so much. Would you like me to set up a separate log for that or just continue here?]
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Date: 2022-08-28 06:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-28 06:37 pm (UTC)If asked, Dawn wouldn't be able to say why the Dream Lord, Morpheus, had first entered her dreams. His reasons were his own and he wasn't always exactly forthcoming when it came to personal information.
But she does remember the first time she felt his presence, it was about five months after Hank's death and her nightmares had returned. Horrible, dark dreams where she was forced to watch his death over and over or ones where he was haunting her. A terrifying ghoul with undead eyes that was trying to drag her down into the darkness with him. She can remember feeling such absolute panic and loneliness and in her desperation she had cried out for help.
And someone had answered.
There had been a shift, a pause in the darkness as what felt like two huge wings settled around her, wrapping around her protectively.
After that she had slept soundly.
It was probably a month later that she started to see him in her dreams.
It was subtle at first, mostly out of the corner of her eye, as if he was almost shy as to how to approach her, but after a bit she started to notice him more and more. Always the same tall, lanky, pale figure with hair that resembled a raven's breast and eyes so dark that they almost looked black. But they weren't empty, quite the opposite, his eyes seemed to hold entire universes in them.
Finally, because she got tired of him lurking and because her own curiosity needed to be satisfied she approached him.
"You know, if you're going to repeatedly visit a lady in her dreams you could at least say hello." She had said, walking directly up to him. There had been a pause and the barest glimmer of a smile in his eyes, more like the dream of one, and he had nodded. This was how Dawn Granger met Dream of the Endless and like always when he appears to her in her dreams he is met with a smile. Soft and warm like the morning sun.
"You're late." She teases him when he appears to her after they finish texting and she falls asleep.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-28 07:45 pm (UTC)’You need them as much as they need you.’
Death’s words had reverberated in Morpheus’s mind long after he had parted ways from his sister. Shamefully, they might not have but a century or two ago, prior to his imprisonment. While he had certainly known love and loss, had known obligation and defiance for many eons, it was quite different now. Never had he experienced a state where the world had run itself without him. For a being who took his responsibilities seriously, who poured every ounce of spare energy and then some into his duties, his imprisonment had hit on so many levels.
The world could, indeed, turn without him. What, then, did he add to it? Why did he care so very much that the dreamers had been hurt by his absence, and did that hurt mean he could do much more for them?
He could. He should.
The humbling had hurt his ego, but it also made him a better listener.
Slowly Dream had started to enter the waking world more often. He knew what the dreamers brought to his realm, but he invested more in understanding the lives behind it. During his travels he had come across Dawn Granger. A person whose duties were prominent, whose hurt was pressurized and crafted into a tool for change. That much, Morpheus understood. He found himself wanting to help encourage her on her travels. He wanted to do that for all his dreamers. He always had, he exhausted himself in his efforts, but he’d never thought that knowing them better personally aside from their subconscious was necessary.
He started with Dawn, hoping what he learned from their interactions would help him with others. He came because of duty. He stayed because… he cared.
Her heart bled not from Desire’s deceitful fountain, but from a chalice he longed to fill. Hope, despite the encroaching dark.
It wasn’t long before she had noticed his lurking presence, admittedly he had never been one to blend into a crowd. He was still dressed in his black attire, and he tried not to let her notice of him rattle him as much as it might have done. It was only partially successful. His gaze swept over her, noting the smile that warmed him even if his own demeanor was the opposite. A cold that was so controlled, so compressed, it appeared impenetrable yet at its center was nothing but fire and creation.
“My apologies.” It wasn’t just anyone he said those words to, yet they rang true. “Time moves differently for each dreamer. I take it then the protest isn’t about the company?”
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Date: 2022-08-28 08:26 pm (UTC)"Of course not." She says and links her arm through his casually, "Like I said earlier you're a welcome sight after the day I had."
"I still can't believe I managed to roll right into a garden gala event after busting up that weapons ring."
She tilts her head up to look at him, smiling. "How's your day been?"
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Date: 2022-08-28 09:25 pm (UTC)"A curse of the long lived, we end up having reassurances repeated." It was said in his dry tone, though with a touch of honesty. She had, indeed, said that his presence is welcome. He wants to acknowledge that, even if his own hesitancies value the repetition. "I don't take lightly that I am a sight for eyes sore from the day, Ms. Granger." So formal. Even his face betrayed that he knew it was ridiculous, given that he turned up in her subconscious so often. His voice dropped a little as he self-corrected. "Dawn."
He glanced around at the surroundings. He was perhaps less surprised than she was. She dealt with death and decay so much, but wasn't it so that others may live a bountiful existence?
Lost in his thoughts, it took him a moment to look back down at her and give a rueful expression. It was faint, of course. He was a masterclass in micro expressions. "My day has been productive." That, to him, was synonymous with good. He felt adrift otherwise. "Apologies for the delay. I was merely... I suppose I find it easier to associate you with a garden than you do."
Maybe his destination wouldn't be so much a surprise. Fiddler's Green.
"I would like for you to meet a dear place of mine." He slowly offered her a hand, not saying how much it meant. How long he had been without any touch. Only his dear friend Lucienne, really. Calliope. And now...
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Date: 2022-08-29 03:31 am (UTC)"Productive is good." She says, knowing that mindset very well. She knows others who hate to be idle, Dick and Bruce for example. They always had to be working, solving a case, or catching a criminal to feel useful and on track.
His phrasing catches her attention and when he offers his hand she takes it, smiling at him and raising an eyebrow. "A dear place of yours? This place...is a person?"
no subject
Date: 2022-08-29 10:25 pm (UTC)He feels Dawn's hand in his. Smaller but with smooth skin. His own are colder to the touch, yet warm up when clasped with hers. With a gentle tug they begin to walk. This part of the Dreaming looks much like a fairy tale land, with dirt roads and charming houses where some dreams live. Animals that are not merely those found in the waking world dot the sidelines, and overhead the occasional majestic creature swoops in circles. Matthew is not with Morpheus right now, as the king in his own realm is quite secure. Usually. Morpheus had sternly said as much, and so far, Matthew and Lucienne were listening.
"It is a bit of a walk, I hope you don't mind. While he is in many ways the heart of the Dreaming, he's on the outskirts of the bustle." Morpheus glances over at her, a careful study on his end as she examines his realm. "I could simply move us to the location, but I thought you might enjoy the journey there as well."
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Date: 2022-08-29 10:50 pm (UTC)"I don't mind the walk at all." She says, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Your kingdom is always so gorgeous and it's interesting to see the sights."
Not to mention that this way she gets to spend more time with him.
"So if Fiddler's Green is a person as well as a place does that mean he will feel us walk on him? Should I take off my shoes as to make it easier on his grass and paths?"
no subject
Date: 2022-08-30 07:08 pm (UTC)He, of course, still wore his typical black pants, boots, t-shirt, and coat. Even in the Dreaming, its king rather stood out for his unrelenting fashion statement.
"In essence, yes. Fiddler's Green is a sentient place, who got curious and decided to turn himself into a person and walk in the waking world for a period of time. He will certainly know we are there, but he's quite fine with people treading upon his grass. You needn't worry about damaging it. In the Dreaming, he is capable of having the grass withstand even my boots. And I'm a fair bit taller than you are." He gives her a slight smile at that, tilting his head downward to catch her gaze. "Though you are of course welcome to walk about barefoot if you'd rather. He's been enjoying spring of late, so the weather should be good for it. Any of the fruit growing is also edible and without any strings attached."
A short bridge connected this part of the Dreaming to Fiddler's Green. It was wooden and arched, with sea creatures beneath it making noise. Some of them were animals known in the waking world, others were utterly bizarre creations that happily coincided alongside them.
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Date: 2022-08-30 09:09 pm (UTC)"And you're certainly adding to my ego if you keep up with such compliments." She teases, but really there's no danger in her becoming egotistical. Dawn is a confident woman of course, well aware of her strengths but she's also aware of her flaws and weaknesses.
One of those of course being getting compliments from tall, dark, brooding types....
"A fair bit taller hrm? That's a bit of an understatement." She says and looks up at him, grinning, because it's true. Dawn is a petite woman which worked in her favor as a professional ballet dancer but next to Dream she looks extra tiny. The contrast between their heights is almost made more apparent by their different styles, she with such pale blonde hair that it looks white and his a shock of fluffy black. And as they walk through the Dreaming more than a few of the creatures pause to give them curious looks, it isn't often they see their Lord out and about with someone who isn't Lucienne.
When they get to the wooden bridge Dawn pauses to peer over the side, watching the sea creatures with interest. There are rainbow colored fish with wings, miniature blue whales, and a large sea serpent that has golden scales.
"Do you swim, Dream?" She asks, watching as one of the rainbow fish leaps out of the water and into the air only to catch a gust of wind and spiral up towards the sky.
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Date: 2022-08-31 12:57 am (UTC)It has been quite a long time since he’s broken that steadfast trend.
“I can swim. Though it has been some time since I have done so.” He pauses with her to glance over the side of the bridge, seeing through her eyes how the creatures are perceived. They are not mere crafts made by him. They are a part of him, even if ultimately their own entities. In that way, he cannot look at them with impartiality. He instead studies Dawn’s reaction, more curious how she takes to the sights. Though at the little fish taking flight, he does spare them an upwards glance. “Do you like them? They have only recently returned to the Dreaming. It seems they are pleased enough by their return.” So many dreams had fallen into disarray or even decayed into nothing when he had left. The fish hadn’t been highest on his priority list at the start to bring back, but he had finally gotten around to them.
His gaze dropped back to Dawn’s as he trailed back to her other question. “Were you wanting to swim now?”
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Date: 2022-08-31 01:52 am (UTC)"They're beautiful, their scales look like gemstones." She says and then turns her eyes to his. "Maybe another time, I was mostly curious if you ever did as to enjoy the company of all of these creatures you created."
Which is still a somewhat mind twisting idea, that everything here is a part of him and yet it's own.
"Although now I'm curious as to what you would wear to go swimming." She adds, giving him a mischievous glance.
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Date: 2022-08-31 11:41 am (UTC)He soaks in the moment before he contemplates her follow up question. It honestly stumps him a little, perhaps more than it should have done. After a moment where it's clear he's a bit baffled though aware he's missing something, he admits, "I did not create them for my enjoyment. They are for the dreamers, or for the individuals who live and work in the Dreaming."
In short, he does not often seek out their company, or anyone's, for his pleasure.
'Why can't they be both?' is a question he honestly can't answer. Perhaps as their king and creator he's always held himself apart from most of the Dreaming. The few exceptions are Lucienne and Matthew, but then, he did not create them.
Her next question draws his mind away from his musings and he let slip a look of amusement. His fingers grasp the edges of his jacket and he tugs on them as he looks down at himself. This time the puzzlement is pretend as he says, "Is fully clothed not the appropriate attire for a swim? Perhaps you should describe for me in detail what you wear so I may get a better idea for next time on what is appropriate."
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Date: 2022-08-31 05:05 pm (UTC)She tilts her face ever so slightly against his hand, wanting to feel more of his cool touch but of course he pulls back and she tries to ignore the tiny bit of disappointment she feels about it, after all what was she expecting?
Her feelings of regret are forgotten when he looks down at himself and feigns confusion about his choice of swimwear. Dawn lifts a hand to cover the flurry of giggles that start to escape her because the image of Dream going to the beach as he is dressed now, perhaps just walking into the water like that, is too funny.
"I believe that one only goes fully clothed in emergency situations, like if you had to jump off a sinking ship. Most times people wear bathing suits." She says and then because he asked for details she continues.
"I usually wear a sage green two piece bathing suit." And then because she's can't help herself. "Or nothing at all, provided the area is private enough."
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Date: 2022-09-01 11:52 am (UTC)He’s distracted from chastising himself though when he hears her laugh. Her eyes light up with amusement, a merry dance of mischief present. Everything about her countenance is warm and soft, silk wrapped around mettle that is harder than any who first glance would realize. He knows some of her life and the trials she has faced. He does for everyone. Yet it is different to see the person those experiences have shaped right in front of him, standing tall and welcoming. She… impresses him.
The details on her suit, how she goes along with his banter, earns a small smile. “Only in emergencies? Next thing you’ll tell me I shouldn’t be dressed in the shower.” Not that he technically needed to shower, at least not once he returned to his realm. Perhaps he was hoping to keep the smile on her face longer. His expression turns thoughtful at her description of her bathing suit, tucking it away. Sage green and two piece. “I would say I can imagine that suiting you, yet I would be more pressed to think of an outfit that wouldn’t.”
Extending his hand to her, he leads them further across the bridge and finally onto Fiddler’s Green. Even Morpheus’s countenance relaxes slightly in the calming presence of these fields. The air is sweet with flowers and fruit, the grass ever-green. It is warm despite the night sky. There are gently rolling hills and lush trees, ponds and plants. The only sound is the wind gently ruffling the air, and some birds and insects that call the space home. In a melodious voice to match the setting, Morpheus speaks to the area. “Welcome to Fiddler’s Green.” Overhead a shooting star is the only intrusion, the area saying hello to them.
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Date: 2022-09-01 04:50 pm (UTC)Dawn stops for a moment, closing her eyes for a moment as the tranquility of Fiddler's Green washes over her; the sound of the soft wind and the smell of all the beautiful lush vegetation is deeply soothing and when she opens her eyes they are positively sparkling with joy.
"Oh Dream." She says, her voice tinted with awe. "It's breathtaking."
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Date: 2022-09-03 12:50 pm (UTC)“I am glad you find it so. You are welcome here when you dream. After all, the point of a dream is to be shared by dreamers. Without any it is not a fulfilling existence.” Though some dreams and nightmares still had other desires outside of what Morpheus creates. Gault for instance still needed dreamers to be satisfied, but wished to fill a very different role.
“I find here to be… a place of clarity.” He realizes he’s never really explained why this is his favorite spot in the Dreaming. “Even though existence is never simple, it somehow feels as such when there is nothing but open air.”
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Date: 2022-09-03 05:13 pm (UTC)"Clarity." She repeats and nods, looking up at the sky above and then at the tree tops which are gently swaying in the breeze. "I can see that, this place is so serene that I'm sure it makes it a little easier to sort through complicated thoughts and feelings when you're here."
"It reminds me of the little rooftop garden I have. Obviously it's no where near as large or as grand but it's that same kind of feeling." She says with a little side smile and then looks up at Dream, her dark eyes catching his gaze.
"I'd like to show it to you sometime, if that's okay."