lonelylavenderluke - Tumblr blog

lonelylavenderluke · 2 months

Text

Let's start at the beginning... - .1

pairings: (Eventual) Bucky Barnes x Original Character

TW: mentions death, violence, angst, controlling behaviour.

🔅angst/fluff, first meetings🔅

Description: A young Birdie has her world stolen from underneath her and ghost in the night stands guard till sunset.

Dear Diary,

Let's start from the beginning shall we?

Do you wanna hear the gut wrenching tail of how my top notch upstate New York lawyer of a mother abandoned me to my father. The Playboy of playboys. Or how about how she came back into our lives only to abandon us once more after the birth of my baby brother?

Perhaps we'll skip that for another time I mean seriously who in their right mind wants that kind of trauma.

Not me that's for sure but hey ho there are people worse off than me, that's what my Tia Diana likes to say whenever one of us complains about something. She's the live in Nanny, she's been with us since I was born cause Dad wasn't one for babies dunno why he kept us really I have my theories that it would be too scandalous of a thing for Obadiah Stane to let my dad get away with.

This is stupid. Why did I let Doctor Donovan talk me into this. Not that it's your fault. She's the one who told me that perhaps talking (writing) to someone or something would help me to not burnout and get a better grasp over myself.

Let's give this another go...

Dear Diary,

my name is Elizabeth Maria Stark. But everyone calls me Birdie. Tia Diana says it was my first word. I do like birds, I have a small mosaic of feathers that I'd made in class from all the places I've traveled to. It's my favourite thing that I made in art class, that and the ceramic infinity vase that I made for Pepper's Birthday last year.

My birthday is August 3rd 1993, making me fourteen years two months and six days old as of right now. I'm a Senior in high school, Obadiah kicked up a fit when my first report cards in primary school came in and I was doing far too well to be stuck in such a low level learning environment,so instead I got bumped up a couple classes. Yay me i guess.

Being a senior is great I guess. I'm like the most unpopular kid in my year, I mean seriously what seventeen year old wants to be shown up by a fourteen year old. So yeah being in senior year is amazing.

I told Tia Diana that the others like to push me about whenever essays are due, mostly the older girls corner me and try to get me to do their essays for them. She says that just normal and unfortunately I was gifted with a very beautiful mind. Her words not mine.

I think the only positive to my brain is that it makes Toby wanna grow up to be like me. He likes to do show and tell of all the things I do with him whenever Dad's busy and ignores our existences. But I always feel prideful whenever Toby brings home something from Preschool or Kindergarten and it's a picture of me or when he'd started learning how to write names he'd try to write mine.

Toby is the coolest kid ever. But don't tell him I said that I've gotta keep that disinterested older sibling vibe you know?

He's a little rugrat and I'd be lonely as hell in this big house without him. I mean I'd have Jarvis and Happy but you know Toby is my baby brother, it's ride or die for us two the two Stark kids destined for greatness.

Jarvis says I should go to sleep. It's nearly two in the morning and I have school in a few hours, I guess this is me signing off for the night. I'll tell you more stories later seeing as you and I are now gonna be best of friends.

This is Birdie Stark signing off for the night.

——————

It's going great. I thought staring at the screen in front of me.

Fury had ordered me to be dragged out of class. Coulson was in the car that come to pick me up, greeting me as an old friend but I would be honest I'd never met the guy before.

"Miss Stark if you would be so kind as to focus" the one eyed man sent me a look making me shrug a little before looking back down at what it was they were showing, "so what your saying is for the past fifteen years you've been watching me?" I tilted my head a little wondering what it was that made me special. Like I get the whole being Tony Stark illegitimate child but like come on now, that's why everyone at school wanted me, doesn't explain why these people wanted me. "Because you are exhibiting skills that would put some of my best agents to shame.. and it's skills like those that catch our attention" Fury seemed frustrated which I get I was a smartass when it came to talking to adults, the only decent figures in my life were my godfather, uncle Rhodey and my Tia Diana, our nanny.

Looking through the list of things they had on me it showed all my after school hobbies and clubs along with my academic achievements. It was no secret I was held to higher expectations than most, a lot of it from Obadiah Stane who seemed to insert himself in anything to do with my life rather than allowing it to distract my dad. It had noted down about my ballet and the catch wrestling and mixed martial arts as well as being captain of my schools debate club and winning three national championships in a row.

"So. it's a scary world out there wanna be prepared" I glanced at Coulson who was skimming through a file in front of him, "what the director is attempting to say is that we would like to recruit you". I was silent for a moment wondering how to respond, it would be a slap in the face for Obediah who always spoke of these big plans of basically sticking me and little Toby behind a desk once we graduated College. I wanted to go into politics to make a difference, he wanted me and my baby brother stuck at SI for the rest of our lives under his control.

"What about College, I've just started getting responses back about them" I tell them as both adults looked at me in surprise for a moment, "bit young for college?" Coulson spoke up as Fury simply tilted his head watching me as I shrugged, "I'm fifteen in a few months, I wanna get a head start in life sue me... besides the sooner I can get out from where I am the better" I say as Fury leans forward in his seat. "Pick a school, you can do both" he said as I had a stare off with him, "Harvard... they got the best political science department of all the Ivy leagues... one of their lecturers came to an event my dad hosted last christmas one of the most interesting conversations i've had with an adult ever" I watch as he glances to Coulson before smiling. "You know what kid I've got high hopes for you... welcome to shield Agent Stark" and with that I was a Shield agent.

—————

Dear diary.

scratch out the plans for revamping the CIA, we're in with the big leagues now. School was great, got an A in my midterm paper on the prohibition period in Western States, got to listen to my teacher go on about his father's time in the army during the second world war. Apparently he got to meet Captain America whilst over seas. which is cool I guess, Dad always said we were held to the legend of Steve Rogers by my grandfather, how no one will ever be as perfect as Steve Rogers.

Anyway's History was the only class I got through, I was called out of class by an Agent Coulson from Shield. Apparently my grandfather was a founder of Shield alongside my great aunt Peggy. Just another secret to add to the pile of things my grandfather did that we didn't know about.

But that's not the point. Point is they've recruited me. Me of all people. The local overachiever with parent issues and a habit for picking up things quickly.

So yeah Fury and I hashed out an agreement, I'd train and work alongside Shield during the summers till I finish College and then I'll basically be Shields personal political figure that isn't the secretary of defence.

Finally my way out from under Obadiah.

note to self - remember debate club captaincy meeting next week, grab notes off of Hailey and Griffin.

—————

Toby was perched on Dad's work bench, the five year old had zero concept of time so more often than not woke me up so we could go work with dad in down in the workshop. Jarvis, the ever loyal companion he was would always let me know if our dad was actually up or not before we'd arrive.

"Pass me the flathead" Dad held a hand out for Toby to place one of the screwdrivers Dad had placed beside him, I couldn't help but smile as I watched them from my perch. Dad was going away for the week so Toby had especially wanted to be up early before he left, Toby adored Dad but then again Dads the only parent he knew, Harriet came back into mine and Dads life for a year before up and leaving Baby Toby in her wake. Not that either of us would complain, where dad had been distant with me growing up he was attempting to make some sort of an appearance in Toby's childhood. It hurt seeing them sometimes but he was improving in some areas as a parents He had yet to miss a birthday or parent teacher conference so he was getting there in some sense, most of the time though we spent our collective moments as a family here in the workshop.

Toby clapped at Pepper as she came in scolding Dad, another adult in our lives that Toby adored other than our dad was Pepper. The woman was a saint probably one of the few people to be able to get our father to do anything, she was always making sure dad had at least one day during the weekend to spend with us, making sure he didn't miss out on important updates from the schools, not that Dad got a lot of input when it comes to our schooling that was more Obadiah who didn't understand the meaning of keeping one's nose out of things. "Birdie make sure your father gets out of here on time for his flight.. Happy will be coming by to pick him up" the redhead smiled at me before swooping down to collect Toby into her arms gaining a multitude of laughter from the boy. "Come along Stark Junior Diana is here to get you ready for Henry's party" she smiled walking out with the five year old on her hip waving good bye to me and calling back to Dad to remind him of his flight once more before both disappeared.

Silence fell over us as I sighed getting from my spot watching dad tidy some of his tools away, "send my love to Uncle Rhodey yeah" I say stepping forward to be closer as Dad chuckled glancing at me, "sure you don't wanna come with really good learning experience?" he offered but I only shook my head knowing we'd had this conversation before. "I've got too much going on here Dad.. we've got Mock SAT's coming up I've gotta get on top of those besides wouldn't be fair on Toby if I also disappeared" I mumbled seeing his expression fall a little before he smiled once more, "I'm proud of you kid.. I know I don't say it enough but I am" he reached out looping an arm round my shoulder bringing me closer before kissing the top of my head. "Thanks Dad" Smiling I pull away before calling out to Jarvis, "Jarvis make sure the old man doesn't miss his flight" I say turning to leave, "stay safe and don't be late for Movie night, you promised us you'd show us Back to the Future" making my way out of the workshop it wasn't hard to miss the sound of my dads laughter.

Going about the days following was weird. It was a weekend so I hung out with Toby in the living room, Tia Diana bumbling about in the background making sure everything was sorted for us whilst dad was away. Jarvis was being brilliant in entertaining Toby by playing Simon says and name as many animals starting with the letter 'c', I chuckled lightly watching on ignoring the homework I had in front of me. By the second Day of Dad being away everything felt off, Tia Diana said it was nothing to worry about stating that I was simply stressed over school work and my extracurricular activities, Jarvis offered up the response of Dad missing out on calling us the night before letting us know he'd landed safe.

"I'm telling you Birdie you have to stop stressing I promise everything is alright" the older woman attempted to reassure. I wanted to believe her, wanted to believe Happy, who came by to bring my new lacrosse stick to me, the old one had broken after I'd been messing about with DUM-EE. "Seriously Kid you're dads probably just partying with investors, Rhodes is with him so he'll probably kick him into gear about calling you kids" the older man clapped me on the shoulder as we went out into the yard, Tia Diana was watching Toby swim whilst Happy promised to help me practice my throws for next weeks playoffs. "I just miss him is all... I promise I'll stop worrying" I mumble as Happy sends me a sad smile, "he'll appreciate you worrying means you haven't become such a moody trouble maker" he laughed before chucking the ball at me, "I'm a teenager, being moody is my specialty" I shrug with a grin before throwing the ball back at him. The afternoon was spent like that Tia Diana and Happy distracting Toby and I from the fact we still hadn't heard from Dad, we went through the motions of getting ready for bed and everything. Jarvis was reciting the digits of Pi as a way of distracting Toby as I tried to get him into the bath, Tia Diana had had to leave early to go to her own kids. "I'll be back before breakfast are you sure you'll be alright?" the older woman worried as I shook my head, "go sort your own family out first Tia Diana they're more important we'll be fine we've got Jarvis don't we big man" I say glancing to the the ceiling as the AI responded with reassurance, giving me one last look Tia Diana pulled me in for a final hug. "Sleep well Birdie" pressing a kiss to my temple before leaving me in charge of the house for the night.

"Tobias for the last time, either you let me finish washing your hair or I'll tell Jarvis to not do the constellation story tonight" I huffed seeing the boy huff splashing one last time before grumbling to himself as I went back to trying to put suds into his hair. Bath time was difficult, both Toby and I related in the fact that we may adore swimming but bath time was not enjoyable, listening to the toddler enact some adventure with his frog and scuba diver, I grabbed the conditioner comb to run through the mane or hair the boy seemed adamant to keep as a rats nest. Curly hair was a curse he'd gotten from our Ma, I was lucky to have dads soft waves that curled when damp, a huff and growl was all I got from Toby as I combed the conditioner through his hair as gently as I could. "Henry says Mama's are meant to to look after kids not nannie's and sissy's" the boy mumbled playing with the bubbles I'd added as an attempt to sooth the grouchy attitude he got after bath time, I paused for a second after finally reaching the top of his head with the comb, remembering the comments kids use to make to me whenever Tia Diana would come and get me from school instead of Happy who everyone was convinced was my dad. It was harsh having to understand why everyone else had mums or stepmoms and I only had Tia Diana, when Harriet came back I thought things might get better that she didn't abandon me but really she was just bored and in between husbands, probably thought she could get dad to marry her this time round but dad wasn't the kind of person to get married, he'd done the whole kids thing now he just seemed to live life one one night stand to the next.

"Well Henry doesn't know what's he's talking about besides I'm a great sissy aren't I?" I say as he tilts his head back to look at me with a trembling look, "why don't I have a mama?" oh no it was one of those nights. Toby was a sponge for anything, would ask you to explain the reason of life to him before the sun had even risen, he enjoyed numbers and thinking games rather than cartoons, not that I didn't get him to watch cartoons with me, it was a pass time that we'd all pile onto the coach and just spend half a morning watching cartoons with Dad. "Cause we haven't found anyone good enough to be our mama..." I say not realising I'd started talking before wet arms reached out to try and hug me, "no need a mama I have my sissy" Toby mumbled burying his soap soaked head into my neck and for once I didn't care my clothes were getting wet as I hugged my baby brother closer to me. "I love you Toby don't ever forget that" I say feeling my throat tighten at the little ones words.

Bed time after that went smoothly. Toby seemed stuck to my side wanting to sleep in my room, nearly crying when I'd walked out the room to go get changed. "Jarvis start telling story of the constellations again.. i'm just gonna get changed" I ask the AI softly pressing a kiss to Toby's head before leaving to get changed finally feeling the days activities wearing down on me. Listening to the story of the Big Dipper and the different zodiac constellations I fell asleep thinking that things would be okay.

And then we were told that Dad had been kidnapped.

Obadiah took charge of the whole situation, taking up guardianship of both Tobias and I. Guardianship that meant leaving both Tobias and I alone in the mansion on lockdown with only Jarvis and Happy to interact with. He fired Tia Diana stating that Tobias was too old for a Nanny and that anything he may need emotionally I could provide for him. I was furious, crying heavily as Tia Diana said her goodbyes to us, telling us how much she loved us and how it had been a privilege to have been apart of our lives for so long, Toby was beside himself chasing after her car as she left, in less than a week we'd not only lost our father but also the woman who had stepped in taking care of us and loving us so unconditionally.

I was distraught, no matter the distance between us I still loved my dad and I still needed him. Everything seemed to be falling out from under my feet, Obadiah had organised for us to be home schooled, making sure to keep both Tobias and I out of the public eye as much as possible. Hell I'd practically prayed for Harriet to come back and take us with her to New York. To live with her and which ever number husband she was on.

Coulson tried reaching out to me, I said I was under new guardianship and that circumstances had changed. He simply acknowledged what was going on, offering his condolences and that the offer for shield still remained when things were sorted out if I was still wanting it. I wanted to say yes, every part of me said yes but to yes would mean to leave Toby alone and I couldn't do that, too many people had already abandoned us I couldn't do that to him. "I'll think about it.. thank you though" I murmured ending the call focusing back in on Toby who was going through reading time with Jarvis.

—————

Dear diary

Someone came to try and kill me last night. They'd disabled Jarvis and all power to the house and tried to strangle me.

I don't know much about the man who saved me, I saw he had a mask, long hair and a metal arm.

He spoke Russian and English.

He's scary strong.

He saved me.

—————

I was curled in the corner of my room staring at the dead body on my floor and the man standing over it. My throat and chest ached as if acid had been poured down my airways. He seemed to be staring at me before moving forward reaching for me, I squeaked shocked for a moment before being lifted into his arms. I wanted to fight but my limbs wouldn't move neither would my mouth in an effort to scream, maybe he was kidnapping me? oh god what if Obadiah had pissed off someone and now I was paying for it.

Slowly carrying me into one of the guest rooms he placed me on the bed, "оставаться" he muttered before leaving I stayed put going over what had happened my eyes slowly filling with tears at the thought I'd nearly died. Quietly I started crying clutching at my chest as the fear of what had happened came over me. Some time later then man reappeared kneeling in front of me, watching me for a moment before reaching for the hand that was near clawing at my throat, taking it gently in the hand that was flesh. "You're safe now" he murmured softly, giving my hand a squeeze before letting go and moving away. "Don't go please" I didn't recognise my own voice, he came back slowly as I reached out wanting comfort so badly, I hadn't had a hug from anyone but Toby since Pepper came by to check on us a week ago. Holding onto the man who saved me, I cried half scared out of my mind confused as to why and how someone would try and kill me, he was stiff unsure as to what to do but left me to hold onto him. Toby. Oh god Toby. "My brother... oh my god Toby I need too-" the stranger was already up and out the room, I sobbed the fear that my baby brother could be dead that they would have gone out of their way to kill a child was gut wrenching.

As quickly as he left the stranger was back with a blue and green bundle in his arms, tuffs of dark hair sticking out as he approached me with Toby asleep against him. Gasping I reached out letting the stranger slip my brother into my arms, hiccuping slightly I pressed kisses to the crown of his head. "Thank you... Thank you..." I whimpered cradling Toby as close as I could to my chest. The toddler huffed at me disturbing his slumber but didn't seem to wake, I didn't care looking over him he seemed unharmed and simply lost in dreamland, burying my nose in his hair I took a deep breath trying to take in his smell.

Mystery man simply stood at attention his eyes scouting around the room, glancing to him I tried to see if I could make out anything distinctive about him other than the metal arm and mask. "Sleep. I will check the house" was the only thing to come out of his mouth before he disappeared from the room leaving me to the silence of Toby's soft snores. I didn't go back sleep simply tucked my brother into my side and held him there, I spent the rest of the night staring out of the window waiting for the sun to rise. He came back to the room once more standing in the doorway for a moment looking in on us before vanishing once more.

When the sun finally rose from the edge of the ocean Jarvis turned back on. Apologise reverberated from the AI to which I waved him off, "it's okay Jarvis... both Toby and I are okay..." I tell him as I go about sorting out Toby who had woken up in confusion as to why he was in a different room, I simply told him Jarvis had a power cut and I didn't want him to wake up alone with out his nightlights. After checking the house throughout the day nothing seemed disturbed except for the singular blood drop on the floor leading to the back door, stepping out I walked to the edge of the cliff looking out over the sea, feeling the waves shower droplets of salt water into the air being blown through my hair. I stared out waiting wondering if the stranger was still around if we'd once again been left on our own in such a big house. I was right to wait as I felt a presence at my side, the sun was already setting and I could hear the sounds of Jarvis playing Bill Nye the science guy for Toby. I stayed in silence waiting for the presence to make a move instead he simply stood waiting just as patiently, watching my every move as a hollering laugh rung out in the air from the house causing him to flinch ever so slightly.

"It's just Bill Nye.. Toby likes watching it after dinner" I murmur my gaze falling to the shadowy figure, glinting metal catching the last rays of sun. "Thank you... I don't know if you've come back to like kill me or something but thank you for not hurting Toby... he's a bright kid and he's got so much to give to the world" the words felt like lead in my mouth, every scenario was playing in my head each one as bad as the thought before but all of them ended with me dead and Toby alone in the world. "My mission is to protect not kill" his voice wasn't covered by the sound of his mask as he spoke startling me out of my head, swivelling my head at a dangerous speed I stared at the man long hair curtaining his face from me. "Why?" I shouldn't spoke but it had been the question on my mind all day, why had I been picked to die. "You're important... you're needed" It seemed as if he was struggling to think of an answer making me even more anxious at the thought that out there people where making decisions that resulted in life and death, "I'm not... trust me I'm not. I'm just a kid stuck in a world full of people who control my life with no way out" I say tears pricking my eyes at the thought of being trapped once again under Obadiah, I was met with silence before the feeling of a knuckle brushing against my cheek, closing my eyes I allowed the feeling of someone actually caring even if it was just for a moment.

Pressing into the touch, I didn't dare open my eyes. Parts of me were screaming at how I was being, this man had killed someone in front of me, yes he killed the person who tried to kill me but that still didn't make him any less dangerous and yet couldn't seem to find it in me to care.

As gently as his touch appeared it vanished being replaced by the sounds of movement, "the boy is calling for you- you should go back inside.. I will watch the house tonight" and then he left as I stood there fluttering my eyes as the figure of his back walking away.

I did as was told and went back inside getting Toby ready and tucked into bed. "Birdie who's the ghost man?" he asked sleepily as I held my breath for a moment before glancing to the window that looked out to the backyard, the ghostly figure danced across in the moonlight. "Someone who's keeping us safe... you can't talk about him Toby not anyone- not to Happy or Jarvis or or- anyone do you understand" I say watching the boy nod before burying his head in his pillow, "night sissy.. night ghosty" he voice puttered out as he fell asleep leaving me alone to my thoughts.

I didn't sleep in my room instead taking the sofa so I could see out the windows properly. When my eyes felt like they might close I swore I saw the shape of the mystery ghost man, but fear wasn't the thought on my mind as I descended into the realm of sleep.

#marvel #bucky barnes #winter soldier #bucky barns fanfiction #original characters #male original character #female original character #tony stark #marvel mcu #angst #siblings #death mention tw #bucky barnes angst

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lonelylavenderluke · 3 months

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Charlie rehearsing for a fight scene in Born Again

It feels weird to hear a British accent coming out of him while wearing the Daredevil suit 😂

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lonelylavenderluke · 3 months

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the brie

buttercup, chapter two

a/n: i was originally gonna go into more detail and dive into and actually write the traumatic moments, but i decided to go a little bit more easy on myself, just focus mostly on the healing part and regaining the good.

summary: “well, we’re going out to our usual watering hole, or it’s not just us, Karen, who works with us, is also tagging along. Would you wanna join? Might be fun… might tear the city up, dance all night and watch the sunrise or whatever kids do these days.”

warnings: matt murdock x baker!reader, neighbours to lovers, rape recovery, ptsd, wingman foggy, reference to croissant theft, alcohol consumption, drunk munching on cheese, kissing, crying, retelling of trauma (if it gets too much for you, then please feel free to just skip the last part of this chapter)

word count: 4978

∼ gentle reminder that feedback, but especially reblogs are the way you support writers on here ∽

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Scooping one divided lump of dough closer with the bench scraper in your grasp, you put it down before first folding the bottom of the blob over itself, then the sides and then stretched the top down as well before you rolled it all up to create that much more tension in the loaf. As you plopped the soft mass into one of the nearby dusted bannetons, nippily pinching the seam and giving it a few stitches, the ingrained dance only kept on as your fingers moved on to shape the next loaf of sourdough.

To your left, not at the central table where you worked, stood your uncle Howard, a piping bag of vanilla-flaked cream in his grasp as his rotund frame bent over rows and rows of delicate, flaky little pastries, filling the sunken centre up before he could top them off with little chunks of crimson berries.

“Are you alright, cupcake?” you glanced up to see Walter leaning against the doorframe that led directly behind the counter, “you look like you’re about to nosedive into the dough and use it as a pillow.”

“I’m alright, just didn’t sleep much last night,” you blinked back down at your work, noting how your weary eyes stung slightly from the lack of rest, “I had a nightmare that was really, really not fun, and immediately when I woke up I started crying and shaking, like instant panic attack, so I couldn’t really fall asleep again after that,” you glanced back up at him and offered a tight-lipped smile.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“I just don’t get why it has to feel so real,” you let your hands halt their waltz as you shared, Howard too glancing over in your direction, “why my body needs to remember it so vividly when I fall asleep. It hasn’t forgotten it while I’m awake, so I don’t feel like I need the reminders… sorry…”

“Don’t apologise, it’s–…” instead of uttering the painful truth, Walter instead let a heavy sigh flow and offered, “…do you want me to make you a cup of coffee? Maybe that could be nice, just a little bit?”

“Yeah,” you exhaled, “thanks,” before clapping the worst of the flour off your hands, briefly wiping them against the chocolate brown apron that partially covered your t-shirt and jeans, and wandered around the table, shadowing Walter as he fiddled with the espresso machine, making it hum and puff, till he handed you a steaming mug that had a little heart in the frothy foam floating on the top.

“Here you go.”

Bringing it up to your lips, you offered him a genuine smile, “thank you, Walt.”

Staying behind the counter as Walter disappeared into the back, the chime of the small bell above the door brought your attention to the pair that then strolled in. Setting down your latte and expecting it to be just any other customer, your eyes instead went wide as you saw who it was.

“Heya, neighbour!”

“Y/n, hi,” Matthew smiled as both he and the floppy-haired man beside him came to a stop on the other side of the stocked display case, “uh, Y/n, this is my friend Foggy Nelson,” he gestured to the friendly looking fellow, “Foggy, this is my new neighbour Y/n.”

“The pastry goddess!” Foggy exclaimed excitedly, “I bow to the.”

“Goddess?” you giggled, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks as you glanced over at Matt, secretly in hopes that he’d gotten that nickname from him, “oh, I don’t know about that. My uncle’s the one who oversees most of the pastries. He studied in Paris back in the 70’s, so in other words he’s a bit of a control freak. But, he is getting better! Slowly letting me take care of more things that I’m more than capable of doing… I’m talking a lot, aren’t I?” you sucked in a sharp breath as you noticed

your rambling, “I’ll shut up. The point was just that he is the one who makes most of the pastries here, not me. He’s the goddess.”

“Well, I tasted one of your croissants the other day–”

“Actually,” Matt raised a hand and interrupted his friend, “you stole it.”

“I did not–”

“You came over and I turned away for two seconds and the next thing I knew you’d obliterated the entire bag.”

“That sounds more like your problem,” Foggy joked, managing to keep a straight face as Matt chuckled, “you’ve known me how many years now? You should know not to trust me with baked goods unless you mean for me to enjoy them,” turning his attention back to you, he leaned his folded arms against the tall section of the counter, “anyways, Y/n, that croissant was properly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”

“Really?” your face lit up with a bright grin.

“Yes, it was so buttery and flaky and urgh!”

“Well, if you liked that, you might like today’s special…” your feet began to carry you further to the left to the very far side of the counter.

“Oh, please do tell me,” he followed along like a magnet.

Pointing down to the pastry row on the other side of the glass, you explained, “it is this rhubarb danish that also has a little base of pastry cream at the bottom to balance out the tart compote.”

“Oh… my… god…” Foggy nearly salivated, his hypnotised gaze never straying from the treat, “you gotta be some angel sent from above.”

Busting out a laugh, you grabbed a brown paper bag, “should I take that as confirmation?”

“Yes, please,” he nodded as you plucked one up with a set of tongs.

“Will that be all?”

“I don’t know if it ever can be all, but slowly but surely I’ll get through your spread, and that is a promise,” Foggy accepted the bag into his waiting fingers, “but for now, yeah.”

“Matt, do you want anything?” you asked, feeling the flutter of butterflies wake up within your stomach as you returned your attention to him, “do you want me to describe the options for you?”

“No, I’ll just have the same as Foggy, as well as–, do you sell coffee?”

“Oh,” the scent wafting off your half-empty mug probably caught his attention, “yes, we do.”

“Then I’ll have a cup as well.”

“Oh, one for me too,” Foggy interjected. When you’d packed up another pastry and filled up two to-go cups, the shaggy-haired man pipped up as they were paying, “hey, what are you doing later tonight?”

“Uh, I don’t know. Properly just head home and rewatch some series for the billionth time,” you said, putting the cash they’d handed you away in the register, “why?”

“Well, we’re going out to our usual watering hole, or it’s not just us, Karen, who works with us, is also tagging along. Would you wanna join? Might be fun… might tear the city up, dance all night and watch the sunrise or whatever kids do these days.”

A laugh then rumbled within Matt’s chest, “we’re not gonna go dancing, Foggy.”

“You never know,” Foggy sang, “I’ve got moves like you wouldn’t believe!” he snuck a small sip of his steaming coffee before meeting your eye, “so, Y/n! Please tell me you’re coming?”

“…and then Karen was like what’s that? Turns out a giant piece of glass had stabbed my side,” Foggy clutched onto his drink as he told his dramatic tale, “I nearly died.”

Cutting her sip of beer short, the golden-haired woman sitting beside him at the round bar table objected, “you did not nearly die.”

“Oh yeah?” Foggy squinted light-heartedly back at Karen, “says the person who barely got a scratch. I single handily rescued both you and Mrs. C from that building and got a sick ass scar to prove it.”

Their voices faded away like grown-ups in a Saturday morning cartoon as you glanced back down at your drink and let the radiating heat of the man next to you seep into your bones. As your fingers brushed down the sides of the glass and played with the condensation, Matt suddenly reached out for his own, though in his search for the stout glass that stood ever so close to your own, his touch briefly grazed against your skin. But if that wasn’t enough to spike your heart rate, when his long fingers enveloped his short glass, the back of his hand pressed up against yours at the proximity.

You weren’t sure how long it persisted before he raised his dark drink up to his lips, but it didn’t seem like he was in a rush to let the contact fade. Your breath managed to grow ragged in the chunk of time you got to stare down at his hand, it looking so massive up against yours. Though the light in the dingy bar was low, you could still manage to make out the dizzying pattern of prominent veins that cascaded off the back of his hand like a calm rainfall rolling down a windowpane.

For a moment there, assisted by the few drinks in your system, you let yourself dream, just for a little while, just until Foggy’s voice cut through your haze and stirred you from your fantasy.

“… I mean, am I right? I’m right. Come on, Y/n, back me up here!”

“Huh? I’m sorry, uhm…” you blinked, in some ways feeling more drunk than you had a minute ago, “wha–what did you say?”

As Foggy then began to explain what you’d missed, Matt leaned down close to your ear and whispered, his hot breath tickling your skin and causing goosebumps to erupt.

“You okay?”

“Mhm,” you hummed fuzzily.

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” you glanced down and noticed how rapidly your chest was rising and falling.

“Do you wanna go home? I can walk with you if you want,” he offered quietly.

“Uhm…” you blinked up at him before uttering, “sure, but I don’t wanna end your night before you want to.”

“No, you’re not,” he reassured you, “I’m ready to go home myself.”

“Alright then,” you nodded before Matt turned to the others.

“Guys, we’re gonna head home.”

“No!” Foggy boomed, “really?”

Throwing her hands up, Karen added, “but we haven’t even gone dancing yet!”

“Sorry,” Matt got up from his tall stool, “another night.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” you tugged your jacket back on, “I had a lot of fun.”

To your surprise, they both got up and hugged you in return.

“Thank you for coming!” Karen gave you a tight squeeze before Foggy took over.

“And we’ll be seeing you for the next one, right?”

“Uh, sure,” you gave his back a light pat, “if I have time and stuff the day that it happens, then I’d love to tag along.”

Casting his glance upon the other lawyer, “bye, Matt,” Foggy then yanked him into an embrace, “I love you, you know that?”

“Yeah,” Matt chuckled, clapping his friend’s spine, “I know, buddy.”

“You love me too, right?” Foggy pulled back, though still kept his hands fast on Matt’s broad shoulders, “don’t leave me hanging, it’s bad for a man’s health.”

“Foggy, I started a firm with you. Of course, I love you,” Matt smiled back at his sloshed pal, “good night.”

“Night, night,” Foggy patted his scruffy cheek before letting him out of his gasp, though adding as you turned to exit the bar, “night, Y/n! I love you too! I just met you today, but I love you!”

Soft giggles bubbled out of you as the door slammed shut behind you.

“So, those are your friends...” you smiled into the night, “I like them. They’re nice.”

“Yeah,” the corners of Matt’s lips turned further up till dimples bloomed, “they’re good eggs.”

As the two of you began to move along, the silence didn’t last very long at all.

“This is really nice of you, walking me home like this,” you uttered, “I know it’s just because we’re neighbours and headed in the same direction, but–”

“It’s not.”

“What?” your eyes found him.

“It’s not because we’re neighbours. It’s just, you know, the decent thing to do.”

“Right,” you exhaled, casting your glance back down onto the sidewalk as you momentarily got your hopes up.

“And you know how this city can be,” Matt went on, “it’s not smart for anyone to walk alone at night.”

“Yeah,” you nodded, trying to keep your tone nonchalant, “of course.”

When a street then appeared before you, slicing the path you journeyed on, and even though there wasn’t any traffic in sight, your hand still instinctively shot down to grasp Matt’s forearm before the two of you could cross.

Realising what you’d done, you quietly muttered, “sorry,” though couldn’t find the strength to withdraw your touch just yet.

“It’s okay,” his low voice slid from his lips like silk.

“I just didn’t want you to walk straight out into ongoing traffic...” you tore your gaze away from him and forced yourself to look at the road before you, “but there aren’t any right now, so we can cross the street…”

Guiding his palm up to the curve of your elbow, he accepted the gentle aid as you began to cross the lane.

Once you’d reached the other side and his grasp slowly began to drift back down. When his palm reached the height of your own, you softly caught it before timidly testing, “…do you mind if we–…”

“Hold hands?” with a gentle smile, he filled in before you might wonder if he could even sense your shy touch at all.

“Yeah…”

“No,” you felt him weave his fingers with your own, “not at all.”

His touch somehow felt even better than you’d imagined. Though surprisingly gruff, with harsh calluses all throughout, he cradled your palm with such care, like he’d held it a thousand times before, occasionally swiping his broad thumb over your knuckles, presumably just a subconscious gesture from his end that still caused shivers to trickle down your spine every time he did so.

You wanted the latter part of your walk home to last forever, engulfed in the comfortable silence of endless possibilities. But alas, when you did reach your building’s front door and then climbed the steps all the way up to your respective apartments, you couldn’t get yourself to let go just yet.

“Are you hungry? Because I kinda am,” you weren’t really, but anything to just stretch the night a little longer, “or maybe it’s just my subconscious taking care of me and lessening my hangover by giving me a sudden craving for cheese.”

“I don’t think I have any cheese.”

“I do,” you said maybe a bit too fast, “do you want some?”

Exhaling lowly, a soft smile twitched at his lips as he then uttered, “sure.”

As you unlocked your door, you finally let go of his hand, “make yourself at home!” you placed your keys down on the slender entry table before kicking your shoes off and peeling off your coat, hanging it up on the row of hooks, “oh, do you want me to, uh, describe the layout for you? Or just plant your down on the couch?”

“Just tell me the direction and I think I’ll be fine.”

Facing him, you haphazardly explained, “alright, the hallway goes on for a few steps and then it’s to your right–, no, wait, my right, that’s your left. It’s to your left.”

Whirling around, you delved deeper into your home till you reached the kitchen. Ripping open the fridge, you snatched up a block of half-eaten cheese before seizing a clean butter knife from the dishrack and a roll of seedy crackers from a cupboard.

Matt was already comfortable on your sage couch as you laid the humble spread out on the coffee table and joined him.

“I hope you like brie because that’s what I got. Unless you want a single slice of american cheese, then this is all the cheese I have to offer.”

“Brie it is then,” he relaxed into the cushions as you unwrapped the snack.

“Here, let me make you a bite,” slicing off bits of soft cheese, you spread it both on a cracker for him and one for you. Gently picking up his hand to place his snack in his palm, you then popped your own in your mouth and nearly melted into the couch next to him, “yep… that’s the spot…” you grinned hazily out the tall windows at the night sky as you chewed, “there’s just something about eating cheese when the moon is out that’s just so right in a way I can’t describe…”

Your murmuring conjured a light chuckle to rumble within Matt, one that swayed your gaze to train on him. Resting your head against the back of the couch, you watched as the moonlight reflected in his tinted glasses.

When the silence stretched on, Matt eventually cocked his head, “…what?”

Not tearing your eyes off of him, you breathed, “nothing…”

“You’re quiet,” his dark brows furrowed gently, “what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” you repeated, feeling almost like you were floating in a calm sea.

“You tired? Do you want me to go so that you can go to bed?”

“No, please don’t, I–…” you reached out and grazed his arm, “could–… do you want to go?”

Letting his body relax once more, he breathed, “not particularly…”

Gazing up at him, your bottom lip snuck its way in between your teeth, “Matt…”

“Yeah?”

“You–… you’re–… I–…” your pulse pounded in your ears.

“Mhm?”

“I really, really wanna kiss you right now…” you uttered thickly before you had the chance to chicken out. Like a wave crashing a shore, you didn’t even think as you let yourself dive in and press your lips to his. The kiss however didn’t last too long as you swiftly drew back as soon as your brain turned back on and you realised what you’d done, an apology hastily rushing out of your lungs, “Oh my god… I am so sorry.”

“Y/n,” hearing your name on his silky tongue did not help matters.

“I didn’t mean to just–”

“Y/n,” he repeated, trying to cut through your fog.

“We can just forget any of that ever happened, I totally get it if you don’t–”

As he brought his hands up to cradle the sides of your face, your nervous ramble fell short. When he ghosted his thumb across your cheekbone, you swore that you stopped breathing entirely.

“…can I kiss you?” he slowly asked, leaving you utterly dazed.

“W-what?”

Drawing in a breath, he repeated for you, “can I kiss you, Y/n?”

Blinking back at him, you hazily hummed, “mhm,” before he leaned in and brushed his lips against your own. The kiss was soft, just as your shoddy attempt had been, but it made your limbs feel like they morphed into jelly. When the pecks soon departed, you filled your lungs with a shaky breath as you gazed back at him in total awe, “holy shit…” only staying there a moment before you had to have another taste.

Slowly growing more confident, the intoxicating kiss gradually grew more hungry. When his fingers then weaved into your hair, you realised that up till now he’d been holding himself back, gatekeeping a kiss that caused your frame to crawl into his lap, starving for more. Your little whimpers vibrated against his tongue as he danced it against yours, growing dizzy as you melted into the heart-stopping sensation.

But suddenly a tormenting flash stabbed your being, and you abruptly tilted your lips away from his, breathlessly uttering, “wait, wait, there’s-, there’s-, uh…”

“What,” he breathed thickly, nose grazing yours before you retracted further, “are you okay?”

“I’m…” carefully crawling off his lap, you kept going till you were a safe distance away on your own side of the couch, “Matt, there’s something I need to–, uhm, tell you…”

Staying silent, he patiently waited as you gathered up the courage needed to jump off the cliff and tell him.

Casting your gaze up to the tall and dark ceilings above, you felt your limbs begin to tremble, “okay, alright… I have no idea how to, uh, say this, so I’m just gonna do it,” and like a band-aid, you uttered, “I-, I was raped,” your eyes squeezed shut, not daring to risk glancing at his reaction, “a little over a year ago… and I haven’t–, uhm, done or tried anything with anyone since… so yeah, I just thought that was a good thing for you to know since even though I hope for there not to be any problems, I just don’t know, I don’t know what it will be like for me, if my body will suddenly freak out, but I just wanted to tell you so that in case something does happens, that you know not to automatically take it personally...” drawing in a shaky breath, you fluttered your gaze open and waited for his response, “Matt?”

“Yeah?” he answered carefully.

“Please don’t say that I’m scaring you away right now…” you shifted your position, turning to face him once more.

“You’re not, you’re not,” his head softly shook from side to side, “I just–… I really, really sorry.”

“Yeah…” you exhaled slowly, feeling tears sting the corners of your eyes, “me too…” staring at him a moment, you then bared your all and uttered, “I really like you, Matt,” a faint smile accompanied the declaration, “I think you might be the only guy in all of New York that I’m not scared of,” every other man you could think of had all had at least a second, a little flicker, of something that over the past year had terrified you, “and I don’t want you to think that I’m made of glass, that’s not what I want, that’s not why I’m telling you this. Please trust me when I say that I want to, I wanna do–…” a weighty exhale flowed from your lungs as your lips remembered his taste, “I wanna do everything with you… if–, if that’s something you’d like as well… but if we do, even though I really, really want to, I think it’s probably smartest to go slow, no pressure, you know, just in case, so that my body doesn’t freak out. Also, I’d really appreciate it if I at any point indicate for you to stop or even just pause a moment, that you’ll do that, that you’ll listen to me,” you briefly glanced down at your fiddling fingers, “and you know, I’m not saying let’s only do PG things, there are so, so many wonderful steps on the way that we can have fun with… I just–, I wanted to let you know now, before, so that we wouldn’t potentially have this conversation when something did happen.”

Only parting his lips when he was sure you were done, he uttered, “thank you for telling me. Are you–… are you okay? Was what happened before too much?”

“No…” you shook your head gently, “no, it wasn’t,” taking his hand in yours, you shared, “and I’m okay, I think… I mean, some days it still feels like it just happened, and others I notice something, something small, that I’ve gotten back, that I’ve regained…” absentmindedly tracing the lines of his palm with your thumb, you asked, “do you–… do you have any questions? Is there anything you wanna know?”

“No, I–… I just want you to tell me however much or little you feel comfortable with sharing.”

“…can I tell you? About it?” you asked slowly and he swiftly offered you a soft nod. Drawing in a deep breath, you began, “It, um, it was a Saturday night… I’d just gotten back from the bakery super late, maybe close to midnight… and when I was getting ready for bed, my roommate came home, he’d been out drinking as he usually spent his weekends. I remember we stayed up a while, just talking about the mundane stuff we always did. It was like any other Saturday, really. That was until I got too tired and went to go to bed, but he didn’t wanna stop talking, so he followed along into my room while I got ready and stuff,” averting your gaze, your bottom lip began to tremble, “we were just talking, it wasn’t anything special and then the next thing I knew, he was kissing me. It just–… it happened so fast… his hands were all over me… I remember he pushed me up against my closet so hard that my back was bruised the next day, and I don’t bruise that easily. He was just so wasted that I don’t think he realised or maybe even cared what he was doing. I tried to say something, tried to make him stop, but he didn’t listen to me. If he heard me, then I don’t think he understood what it was that I was saying… I would have pushed him away, slapped and hit him, but I couldn’t, I couldn’t move my body, not even a little, I just froze…”

“I can still feel what he felt like… like my skin won’t let go of the memory…” tears rolled down your cheeks as you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to ignore how your palm tingled with recollection, “how he forced me to touch him and held his hand over mine, making it move as if he just thought I didn’t know what to do… he was my friend, you know? He wasn’t just some stranger who dragged me into an alley and held a knife to my throat. He was my friend. He would always make offhand jokes about seeing me as just a little sister and how he wasn’t attracted to you at all. Made such a big deal of it that I never thought he’d try anything… I have no idea how long it actually went on… I don’t even remember when it was that I landed on the bed, if it was before or after he–… after he–… did stuff, t-touched me… I just remember I was laying there when it happened. The masked man, the devil of hell’s kitchen, he ripped him off of me…”

“He’d somehow heard… I think maybe if I hadn’t opened the window that night to air out the room, he wouldn’t have saved me… he beat him up... knocked him out… he told me to call the police, but I couldn’t, so I instead asked my uncle to come get me… my body’s never shaked the way it did that night… I remember I was so confused because I wasn’t cold, didn’t get it till the masked man said I was in shock… it didn’t stop till the next night… when he was about to leave, I asked what if Mi–,” you couldn’t get yourself to utter Michael’s name out loud without feeling as if your whole world would crumble around you, “what if he woke up before Howard arrived, and so he just stayed there with me, right till he somehow heard my uncle walking up the stairs and then he slipped out the way he came in, right before I heard the front door unlock.”

Letting out a long and unsteady breath, you raised a trembling palm up to wipe your cheeks.

For a while, the silence got to encompass the space completely, your left hand still shaking in Matt’s as you eventually heard him ask.

“Did you ever go to the police?”

“No. In the small window that I had to do one of those kits, I was just way too overwhelmed and confused and I just couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t do anything but relive that moment over and over again, so I didn’t do anything in time. But the longer time that passes and the more it sinks in what he did and the ways that I’m still paying for it, the things he ruined inside of me that I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to get back, the more I wish that I had gone to the police. But it’s too late now.”

“No, it’s not,” his fingers squeezed slightly around yours, “I could help you, I’m a lawyer after all.”

“No, Matt,” you said firmly, “it is. I don’t wanna sit there and hear them go oh, it’s your word against his, sorry, and have them think that not enough happened technically for them to take it seriously. Enough happened, trust me. I’m eternally grateful that Daredevil saved me from whatever else he could have done to me that night, but enough happened. Just because he didn’t stick it in me doesn’t mean nothing happened. That is the kind of belief that only belongs to people who think that the only sexual act that counts as sex is when a penis is in a vagina, and that is just so incredibly wrong,” an enraged laugh tumbled out of you as you fumed, “they are the kind of people who think that someone queer, disabled or just someone who isn’t into that sexual act isn’t actually having sex when they are. Sex is about connection, it’s about pleasure and there are endless amounts of things that can give a person pleasure,” clenching your jaw, you let out a heavy sigh, “I wish it could be different, I wish many things, I wish it hadn’t had happened at all, but it did, and I hope that at the very least he learned something from it, that he changed, that he wouldn’t do it again to someone else.”

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lonelylavenderluke · 4 months

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Me getting up in the morning like

Hittin’ the keyboard like

Friends comin’ online like

DID YOu SEE tHE THINGg MY GOD

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lonelylavenderluke · 7 months

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anyone ever just look in a mirror and not recognise the person staring back?

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lonelylavenderluke · 1 year

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watching puppet history is so much fucking weird emotional whiplash. look at the earth it's wonderful and beautiful and there are things living there who love each other and help each other and hold each other and there are things in space who fly forever in darkness alone and sometimes get lucky enough to catch a brief glimpse of one of the single most marvelous things in the universe and even though its always devastating in the end the fact that it happened at all in the entropy of time is a miracle. then theres an immediate hard cut to a man in his 30s fighting a hand puppet

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lonelylavenderluke · 1 year

Photo

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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RHAENYRA TARGARYEN + wearing her deserved crown.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON S01E10 "The Black Queen"

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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Dear House of the Dragon fandom,

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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Great work everyone.

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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Good day to you! (I don’t know if it’s Morning or Night there) So Im just going to wish you a good day.

I just wanted to say that really enjoyed your Son!OC. And that Orpheus reference at the end made me scream!!! It took me like three or four re-reads to really notice it. So kudos to you!

If it’s not too much of a bother, Id like to ask if you’ll be making a Part 3? Absolutely no problem if you aren’t because the story ended on a good place, but I would totally follow your story if you do decide to expand it!!

Anyway, I really hope you have a great day today!

Thank you I hope your having a wonderful day as well :))

I'm currently in the middle of writing the third part. There's a bit that I'm stuck at but as soon as I get it right it shouldn't be to much longer till my third part it out.

#the sandman netflix #morpheus #the sandman

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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From the ashes life goes on.

morpheus x platonic!original character, morpheus x son!original character

Warnings: Angst, demon exorcism, mentions of blood, talks of nightmares and hell.

Summary: Hope makes it to the realm of the waking, Morpheus must learn that his son is hurting just as much as him.

part one - son of my father. son of my mother.

Hope stared at the human in front of him. The Waking felt weird. There wasn't the gentle thrum of the Dreaming that brought him the sense of safety he'd gotten so use too. Johanna Constantine was a women he quiet often saw being plagued by the nightmares of her past. He'd asked Lucienne once if there was anything that they could do for the poor women but all he was told was that nightmares are important for humans to learn to handle their own fears and that it would be better to allow those who still did their work to continue on.

He was fascinated watching the woman as she exercised the demon 'Agilieth' from the mortal man. He turned his head when the mortal was ripped apart, despite being known as a fiercely protective being he was quite revolted at the sight of blood. His father stood beside him as they stepped closer as the Demon addressed us, "Lord Morpheus, after all your time away." this seemed to startle the human. "And the young Lord Hope an honour to see you outside of your realm," the demon goaded smirking as Hope shivered slightly the effect of being out of the Dreaming beginning to take over. "though I confess, I almost didn't recognise you without your helm. I wonder where your helm could be." Agilieth tried to pass attention onto the elder of the endless beings. "I presume it is in Hell, with the demon whom it was traded." Morpheus could sense his sons discomfort, taking charge to spare Hope interacting for so long with the creature.

Johanna had obviously gotten tired of the chit chat and began the exorcism again. Hope had never witnessed an exorcism in person, he'd seen a dream or two of priests who had exorcised before but never an actual exorcism. He was startled to hear his father yelled at the woman as the screaming the demon was begging the mortal to listen to Morpheus. When the demon was gone, Hope began clapping slowly shaking his head with a sarcastic smile on his face, "well done Miss Constantine, well fucking done" he turned to his father "These are the people I spent a century serving?". He was tired of being there when they were making no progress words from the last family dinner echoed in his ears from his uncle, mortals were selfish and would rather see the world burn then lend a helping hand.

He left the church spotting the immortal Hettie outside by the steps, "and how goes the young lord today?" she was one of the few human that acknowledged his presence within the dreaming as well as being a friend of his mothers before her death, "how've you been Hettie?" a smile to his voice as he pulled his jacket closer to him. "As good as any immortal can be, how are you finding the waking dear boy?" the woman asked kindly knowing the sheltering that the poor child had had, "cold... mortals are frustrating" he hummed looking back to the church, the old woman laughed shaking her head, "most are little one most are" the woman smiled at the young lord seeing the reflection of his mother in his frown. By now Morpheus had made his way out of the church joining his son and the immortal woman. "You must be proud of your boy, a fine man he's growing into is he not milord" Hope new Hettie was only being polite, those who knew of the boy felt pity for the young Endless's life, she'd watched the change in the child through her visits to the Dreaming saw the pain no child should have to go through. Morpheus took a moment to look over Hope seeing the tinting of his cheeks from the cold the familiarity in the ticked off look on his face after seeing such a look directed his way through the years of his marriage. "He is a testament to his mother" the Endless stepped closer to his son worried that the boy would vanish before his watch. Footsteps approached them as Johanna appeared out of the corner of Hope's eyes as all three immortals attentions were turned to the woman.

"I said the Sandman, and I meant the bleedin' Sandman" Hettie addressed Constantine, "it's good to have you back, milord" the old woman praised Morpheus's return knowing that what was wrong would soon be put right by the Endless, "don't let her mess you about." the warning was directed at both father and son before the immortal left them. Morpheus in turn turned his attention to the mortal, "my gran used to tell me stories of you lot." Constantine looked between the pair her eyes lingering on the youngster more than his father. "I've known your family for centuries" Morpheus responded as Hope stepped a little closer pulling his coat closer to him in search of warmth, "then you know there's not a single one of us that can be trusted." Constantine fired back judging the beings in front of her wanting to understand more as to why now the Endless were appearing again, "what do you want with me?" this time Hope spoke up, "a pouch of sand recently came into your procession we need you to return it to us for the sake of both you world and our realm" the voice he used was one he used on the few subjects that remained in the dreaming one that almost commanded others to listen to him. Constantine looked surprised but smirked at the youngster, "that old thing that i got at an estate auction couldn't even get the drawstrings to bloody open" she was cool in her response seeing how the boys eye's lit up at the mention of it truly coming into her procession. "Miss Constantine I don't think you understand the seriousness of our being here, with out that pouch both your realm and ours will fall into oblivion the likes of which have never been seen before, now do you or do you not have the pouch of sand on you?" the boys voice was raised as he stepped closer looking the woman dead in the eye, "you've already seen what's happening without the sand being with us, no mortal will have anything but nightmares until what is ours is returned to us" a smile was all Hope got from the mortal.

Silence followed as Morpheus watched his son stare down Constantine fascinated by how quickly his son had tried to take control over the matter, “Fine. I’ll help you get your bloody sand back” she conceded humoured by the youngster. “But I’ll do it on my own.” She continued a displeased sound echoed from the duo as she carried on, “and it won’t be tonight. And I mean it when I say on my own” Morpheus was displeased by her terms voicing them in singular words as Hope shook his head in frustration. “I’m not dragging either of you or your little friend all over London” she relented seeing the confused looks before a flash of realisation crossed the younger face.

“Friend?” Morpheus was the one to question as Hope looked to his side spotting the Raven that was obviously missed placed within the area. “That is your Raven right? My Gran always said Dream of the Endless travelled with a Raven” Constantine watched the pair as both slowly moved closer away towards the Raven.

The Raven went by the name Matthew.

And Matthew was becoming Hopes favourite being of the Dreaming par Lucienne.

The air was still cold. Hope wished to have followed Johanna inside, he hated the cold. It was an after effect from wondering the outer reaches the dreaming trying to hold together what he could of his failing realm. "Where did you go?" he turned his head to his father, they'd fallen into silence as soon as the woman had vanished from their sites, "what do you mean?" Morpheus didn't know if he could answer or not the pain of being captured was still raw to him and hearing Johanna speak of it only made things ache more. "Don't do that" Hope snapped knowing exactly what the older Endless was doing, "do what?" Dream was curious as to what Hope would say. "Acting like I'm still a child and only answering in questions... you use to do that when I was a child" Hope hissed unpleased with how his father was acting, if this man truly called himself his father he wanted to understand what happened that meant he couldn't come back to him. "Forgive me the last I spoke with you, you were a child and if I remember correctly you are still a child" that was not what Hope wanted to hear, "sorry to disappoint oh great and noble king of Dreams but the Dreaming didn't need a child, it needed someone to try and keep it from completely being destroyed" the boy turned away from Morpheus.

Hope was hurting. He was starting to remember why he'd practically wiped the man before him from his memory. The first few days of his fathers disappearance were the worst, he'd cried none stop begged Lucienne to call Jessamy back to tell him what had happened to his father. When Jessamy did return he was never told what truly happened and for decades others who sort to twist him to their benefits used that against him offered false hope of telling him what had been his fathers fate. But now facing his father once more made him question his childlike admiration and adoration.

“I only have one true memory of you” he wanted to cause pain, in Hopes mind it would be the only retribution for the pain that had been caused. “One memory… you leaving in a cloud of sand whilst wearing the god forsaken helm of yours” it was a painful memory as most of the memories of his father had been till recent. "My first nightmare was of you wearing that thing... the eyes of it blood red... you were taunting me blaming me for you leaving, for my mother dying for everything that had gone wrong for you since I'd been conceived" it felt like acid was building up in his throat but Hope knew if he didn't get this out of him before they went to Hell then he'd only be playing right into the Morningstar's hand. "I stopped sleeping after that.. and that's when you became nothing but a bad memory... the reason for my home falling out from under me" the words hurt but he needed to speak now or he didn't know if he ever would be able to, "I wanted my father... I pleaded with my aunts and uncle for them to help get you back from where ever it was you'd gone, all of them except Death laughed at me and even she did nothing for me" by now tears were welling in Hope's eyes. That felt like a knife to Morpheus's heart, he despised seeing his children cry, had felt like a failure each time Orpheus had cried as a child but seeing Hope, his sweet innocent Hope, who's memory had been the only thing tethering him to the mortal coil after so many years of torment, crying because of the actions of both him and others it almost made him want to strike down all his family and then ask Death to take him away to the sunless lands.

Reaching out Morpheus took hold of the younger pulling him to him as Hope began to cry, "my Lucas.. my son forgive me" the plea was quiet and muttered into his sons curled hair. Hope shook slightly from the anguish of hearing his father say his name, not even Lucienne called him that anymore. "I would see myself cast before the creator and the Morningstar in the pits of the seven rings of hell then have ever abandon you willingly... my boy my heart is broken at your tears" Morpheus was cradling Hope against him as the boy cried. They stayed close Hope clutching onto his fathers cloak, Morpheus had moved a hand into his hair stroking the baby soft curls at the back of Hope's neck. "Don't leave me again. I don't want to be alone again" the boy begged quietly his voice was too quiet for Morpheus's liking, but then he cursed himself for knowing that this was his doing. The pain was still fresh for his boy and he couldn't help but wish he had done more to those who had done this upon them.

"Never again."

Matthew was brilliant. Well apparently not according to his father but Hope grew very fond, very quickly of the Raven even going as far as to allow the bird to rest upon his shoulder as they traversed the path through hell. Despite lagging behind the Older being Hope knew that his father wouldn't allow for either to be left behind. "Is he always this up tight?" the raven had asked quietly making the youngster smirk, "I'm not sure... the man we're following seems to be but the man I remember was gentler" Hope admitted looking down when he felt Morpheus look at him. "What was he like?" the curious raven asked wondering as to why there was such distance between the father-son duo, "he was caring... loved deeply, dangerously... whatever else the humans did to him during his absence has since changed that" the words seemed easy to say, Hope was quick to realise that in some ways his father still hadn't changed and yet had but that was perhaps due to him having changed. His father was expecting to come home to a young boy and instead found Hope as nearly an adult or as close to being one as he could. Most likely sensing the change in his young master, Matthew let out cooing sound head butting the side of the curly haired boy trying to sooth him. "No being sad mister, Lucienne made me promise I'd keep an eye and make sure you both were okay so that means no getting sad kiddo" The Raven cawed in the boys ear making him laugh before swatting light heartedly at the raven, "watch yourself Matthew you're sounding like a mother hen" the chide was received with a scandalised caw from the bird.

Morpheus kept looking back seeing the smile on his sons face as the boy spoke to the raven. The green monster of jealousy reared its ugly head, why was it the raven could make his son smile but all he seemed to receive were looks of contentment and frustration. Every inch of his being felt like it was on fire at the thought of his own son being in hell, he'd lost a son once to the fires of hell the undeniable fear of losing his only surviving child stewed within him.

"When you say that the Morningstar is expecting us... what were things like the last time you were here" Hope grumbled shivering once again there had been a spike of something, the feelings of hope fluctuated with each lot of souls they passed as those trapped hoped and dreamed of leaving the fire pits for somewhere better. "As civil as one would hope" Morpheus murmured seeing the never ending gates of hell approaching them. "Well, I hope there are no hard feelings for me killing those demon lords a few decades ago then" Hope murmured as they watched blood pour from the gates as they opened, his hand flew to latch onto his fathers sleeve as his stomach churned at the sight of blood. "Stay close" Morpheus warned Hope seeing the slow echoes of fear glowing the boys eyes. "I wont look back" he whispered as the fear of walking into the true depths of hell filled him to the bones.

#morpheus #original character #the sandman #tom sturridge #the sandman netflix #netflix sandman #morpheus x reader #male original character #morpheus x platonic!reader

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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Son of my father. Son of my mother.

Morpheus x platonic!oc, mentioned Morpheus x Calliope x oc, mentioned Morpheus x reader

Warnings: angst, character death

Hope is who he was.

It's what his father would call him in the dead of night when even the moon couldn't scare away the small boys fears.

Lord Morpheus was besotted by his son. A final gift from his lover. The last thing they ever made before a curse put upon them by a jealous goddess killed them.

All the Endless remembered the day Hope was born.

Death had been there despite her best efforts to save her dying sister-in-law not even she could save them, she'd watched her brother clutching the screaming infant to him, the palace staff who'd been aiding the birth buzzing about. Some where crying, others ordering the rest about but in amongst it all stood her little brother cradling the crying child against his chest trying to sooth it whilst desperately avoiding looking at the corpse of the child's mother. "I'm so sorry Dream..." her voice was quiet as the room seemed to empty leaving the immortal Endless beings and a corpse. "Were they in pain?" the only thing he asked unshed tears welled in his eyes as he finally looked up at the body of his lover.

After the loss of Calliope and Orpheus both Dream and Goddess of Fortune, Tyche stayed away from many of the other gods. Betrayed by family, Tyche swore never to return to Olympus and instead devoted her time to aiding Morpheus in ruling the Dreaming, helping the mortals through guiding their dreams to show them fortunes within their lives. The Goddess's Hera and Artemis not long before before the death of the gods of Olympus cursed the young Goddess to die at child birth that even her own grasps of fortune could save her from. Morpheus was reluctant at the news of their child, he'd already lost a son now he faced losing another child and wife. Tyche had been upset by his reluctance, she held no care for the curse all she cared for was her child. "Have we not earned this one bit of joy Oneiros" she had once argued, sat upon his throne as if she had always belonged there, "but at what cost" he responded kneeling before sadness plaguing his very soul.

Desire arrived but hours after the birth of their nephew. Their twin Despair appearing beside them. Both twins walking in tandem of one another as they stepped through the gates into the throne room. The pair could feel the love and pain oozing from their older brother, as he sat upon his throne with his son in his arms, Lucienne standing tentatively at his side with Death hovering at his other. "Greetings brother" Despair was the first to speak, "Greetings sister" Desire followed on as Death and Lucienne turned their attentions onto the twins. "I hope we aren't to late to share our condolences" Desire smiled as Despair hovered closer to the steps wanting to see the infant within their siblings arms, "if you are only here to jest and make fun then leave... the both of you today is to celebrate and mourn" Death was harsh with her words, a surprise to both younger siblings. "No jesting, we only wish to see our new family member is all... we are deeply bereaved at the loss of sweet Tyche" Despair was the one to answer as Desire held their tongue knowing that it would be unwise to start something when Dream was like this. "Come closer then" Dreams deep voice broke through the tension as Despair darted up the stairs hovering in front staring contently at the small child in his fathers arms, "he is small" was her first thought. "Far too small, are you sure he is yours Dream" Desire poked at his brother seeing if he could goad some sort of reaction from him. Desire was forbidden from returning to the Dreaming for a long time after that day.

Destiny and Delirium were the next to visit. Destiny did not stay long only to pass on his blessing and a title for the new-born infant. The 'Prince of Hope'. Delirium stayed the longest other than Death. She adored the baby finding peace when holding him, Dream did not have the heart to turn the younger Endless away when she would visit. He found comfort in the sounds of his son and youngest sisters laughter echoing in his throne room, filling the silence left behind from his wife's own laughter.

Morpheus also found comfort in holding his son. Letting the boy sleep against his chest as he listened to the dreams that would come and speak of their own problems. He would carry the boy with him as he traversed the lands of the Dreaming doing his rounds as he visited his people. He never took his son near the nightmares. Despite being their creator he feared for his sons safety when near a nightmare, always enlisting Lucienne and Jessamy to watch over the boy as he went about working on his nightmares.

The child had been crying for what seemed like hours. Most of the palace staff steered away from where the king and his son were. Lucienne had tried offering some advice but instead was met with nothing but more tears. "You're only causing yourself more pain" the lord muttered pacing back and forth, "there is little benefit to all this noise" he almost huffed confused as to what could have caused so much distress for his son. Walking back into his chamber he sat on the end of his bed resting the child on his lap so that he could look down and check over the infant once more, nothing was out of the ordinary. Lifting the boy up he rested him against his chest offering comfort as best he could, "my sweet boy what is so upsetting " his voice was low and deep pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of his sons head. "Your mother would have been better at this... she would have known what you were feeling, what to do to make you feel better" Morpheus admitted quietly running his hand up and down the child's back trying to sooth the restless baby, "your mother was always better with others than I was" the pain of missing his wife gnawing away at him. He found that he could only speak about her to their child, it was too painful to talk about her to any of the others but he felt that it was his duty to his wife that their child knew of their mother. Lying down holding his son against him, the king of Dreams kept telling tales of his wife sharing his memories of her to try and sooth his son. When he'd finished reciting the time Tyche had taken to being a mortal actor for plays such as those written by William Shakespeare he'd noticed Hope had finally fallen to sleep eventually soothed by the sound of his fathers voice.

Any who walked in the realm of the Dreaming would see it's king and his shadow in the form of his child. The little boy growing happily under the protective gaze of his father, Hope was rarely seen away from his father, hands clasped onto his fathers cloak so that he wouldn't lose his way. He spent so many of his days either playing in the Fiddlers Green or curling up in the library be read the stories of the world. Wanting nothing more than to explore the waking world but only having the books as an escape. Morpheus however forbid his son to go to the waking, “mortals are not as they are in the books my sweet boy… there are those who would seek to use you and your gifts” he warned gently lifting the boy up to sit on his lap, brushing his hair from his eyes, “when here no harm will come to you as long as I say.. you are my son and the Prince of the Dreaming, all the Dreams and Nightmares are just as much yours to control as they are mine” he leaned closer as the small boy glanced around at the few castle staff that were bobbing in and out of the throne room. He reached out for his fathers ruby playing with it in his hands, Morpheus took it off and placed it around his sons neck instead. “One day a long time from now, you will have your own tools like I do to govern the Dreaming as I do now” he slowly explained watching as Hope studied the jewel with great delicacy, the boy seemed to look closely at the inscription on the gold of the jewel recognising the name that Lucienne had pointed out to him so often, “Mama” the toddler cooed running his fingers over the inscription. Of course how could Morpheus forget, the day his son had been born but his wife died he’d inscribed her name onto the gold of the ruby wanting to forever have a part of her with him where ever he went. “Yes little one it allows her to always be with us” he spoke softly as he watched his sons gentleness, that was one thing Morpheus believed little Hope had inherited from his mother was her gentleness. They stayed in silence Dream wrapping his arm to pull Hope closer as the little boy yawned still playing with the ruby, “one day I will take you to the waking but for now I want you to stay and keep growing happier and stronger” the king of dreams promised his child not knowing what the future held for them both.

“Papa” his sons voice called out over Lucienne’s warning, the Lord of the Dreaming was just leaving to go after a rouge nightmare, the little one had been reading in the library when he sensed his fathers preparations to leave. Morpheus turned back to look at his son who seemed to be struggling to run up all the stairs with his baby deer like legs, ml img away from his throne the king moved closer before kneeling down to his sons level as the child crashed into him wrapping his arms around his father. “Don’t go stay” the poor boy whimpered, he always cried when Dream left the Dreaming, the fear of him never coming home grew anxiously within the child, Morpheus hated leaving Hope wanting nothing more than to take the boy and lock themselves away in chamber so he could hold and shield his son from the dangers of the universe. “I cannot little one, I must leave to sort something out… I promise to be home soon” the ancient being promised pressing a kiss to the boys temple, “I miss you papa” the toddler snuffled clinging to his father.

Hope eventually let go. The last memory he has of his father was that of swirling clouds of sand. After that his father never came back. And soon after even Jessamy stopped returning. The memory of his father was all Hope was left with. He was still an infant in the eyes of the endless. Delirium visited once during the Dream Lords absence but left quickly when the little boy refused to play instead focused on trying to help Lucienne stop the chaos.

He eventually lost track of time. Slowly began forgetting what his father was like. He shadowed Lucienne for a decade before taking over, by then he'd grown as if he were a human, tired of being treated like the child he knew deep down that he was. Standing tall almost as if he were the reincarnation of his mother with hair like his father, those who remained took pity on the Orphaned Lord. All he had left were in what remained of the Dreaming. His endless Aunts and Uncles abandoned him at the first signs of fathers disappearance. With no one to guide him and no books left in the dreaming to teach him, Hope was left to hold together what remained of the Dreaming. Lucienne mourned the child her young lord had been, mourned that there was little that she could do to help the prince in his attempt at ruling. The boy held no ill will to her, reassuring her that her remaining at his side was all that he needed from her.

Fierce was the young Lord Hope, kept away the reaching hands of those like Lucifer who sort to steal what was his fathers. With what little power he knew to muster he forged a blade encrusted with Amazonite, 'the stone of hope' as mortals knew it as, in the presence of those that remained like Cain and Abel. He swore upon an oath to protect the Dreaming and all who resided and walked among it, swearing to never abandon those who stayed true to it. And so he stayed in the far reaches of the Dreaming wondering the dreams of those who could still dream. He never returned to the castle of his youth to much was felt there, pain that not even the soothing words of Lucienne could quell in the young gods mind. So he remained governing and caring for who stayed, watching over protecting his realm until he felt a disturbance in the realm, feeling a pull that lead him towards the home of Cain and Abel.

If he could remember his father then he would have felt his fathers return. Instead all he could think was that his home and its people could be in danger. He sensed Lucienne nearby, close to the unknown threat. His heart picked up, fear growing in his mind as he ran through the Dreaming, holding tightly onto the connection held between it and himself.

"Lucienne!" he shouted pulling his sword from its sheath reaching for the librarian who stood beside the dark figure. Cain and Abel stood by as well all seemed shocked yet unsurprised by the Princes actions. Long had those left in the dreaming known that Hope had forgotten his father Morpheus, the belief that the pain of his absence had been to much that his conscious mind had forgotten him to save the young boy from the pain. "Stand back" the boy hissed pulling the librarian behind him shielding Lucienne with himself his sword held high and aimed at the figure, Morpheus was all but stunned.

He knew that face. It was almost as if looking at the ghost of Tyche. His boy. His small son that had been begging him not to leave him that day. "Lord Hope" the brothers called out bowing their heads at the youngster, Morpheus watched at the snarl that had found purchase on his sons face. How he looked at him as if he were a stranger. "Hope please put down your blade" Lucienne ordered resting a hand gently on the boys shoulder as he looked back at his closest friend, "Lucienne a stranger stands before us, a possible threat to both you and the brothers and you ask me to put down my blade and leave us defenceless" the young lord growled unhappy at the order. The only thing stopping him from snapping at the woman was the trust in which he had in her. "My dear lord this is no stranger to the dreaming" she was soft in the way she spoke, spending so long with the boy had allowed for her to learn how to calm the young man in front of her. "Lord Morpheus has returned, my prince" Abel called out a hush fell over them as Hope struggled to deal with what was said. Anger and hurt but also glee brewed within him, he had waited so long for his fathers return but at what cost.

"Hope" Morpheus called to his son, wishing for the boy to meet his eyes, "my son" the words were a plead to the child he'd left behind. The blade was lowered but not put away. “I am no one but the Lady Tyche’s son” the young lord said, tears welling in his eyes. Morpheus felt betrayal fester inside of him, how dare his own blood turn against him. But then he understood, he’d promised to be by his sons side, to guide the young boy into his powers and now. Now his son stood before him nearly a grown man. Had his absence forced his son to change so.

“So, did you find out what you were looking for?” Hope was sat at the end of the walk way, staring down at the rippling nightmares and dreams below him, “I must leave for London” Morpheus said aloud Lucienne watching from behind as the pair stared at one another, “so I’ll watch the realm for another hundred years then” the younger hissed with venom on his tongue. Morpheus stared at his son unsure as to approach the subject of his absence. “I want you to come with” the request startled Hope. He looked at his father with unease, “the man who left would never have allowed me to the Dreaming” the statement was meant harm more than it did, instead Morpheus nodded. “Trust me if there was any other way I would travel alone.” The old god responded, Hope knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he didn’t know this man but knew that if he helped then his home might be saved.

“For my sake please take a raven, my prince” Lucienne pleaded taking hold of the youngers hand, her pleads had fallen onto deaf ears with his father but the youngster nodded, “please send one for us Lucienne” the request was quiet but heard before the boy followed after the Endless being into the waking world.

#tom sturridge #the sandman #morpheus #original character #Morpheus x platonic!oc #morpheus x reader #the sandman netflix

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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youtube

I heard ppl where searching for a link to a recording of the watch party and even though I'm sure multiple ppl on here already posted it i just wanted to share also just in case anyone's still searching

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lonelylavenderluke · 2 years

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Dreamers Innocence §

Pairing: Dream of the Endless x Spouse!OriginalCharacter

Warnings: Angst, fluff

Summary; Dream despite his desperation to retrieve his missing tools hopes to find some sort of sign of his missing Queen. After retrieving his helm from Hell he receives one last piece in the search for his love.

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The power of his helm thrummed under the tips of his fingers, the familiarity was comforting easing the ache that was festering within him.

"I have one more thing of interest for you Dreamer..." the Morningstar's voice echoed through his ever spiralling thoughts, dark eyes flickered to the devil standing before him. Within the entities hand a single piece of parchment, aged yet pristine, "an Italian man some decades past entered my gates with this interesting item, perhaps you might find it of some help" the devil offered with a sly smile on their face.

The endless being stepped forward snatching the parchment from the ancient creatures mites, gingerly unfolding the offered item as his eyes danced across the illustration. His heart pulsed thunderously within his ears, deafening the world around, tears fought their way to well up as he memorised the very essence of the drawing before him. His lost love, despite being a side profile was drawn as clearly as she had once stood before him but a century ago, even if the words written on the page could not further convince him that the figure depicted was not his missing queen.

'To the fair fabled Olette

may the sketch bring joy to your brightening days

with care, Armando'

With child.

His love had been with child, 'it couldn't be his child' the nightmarish part of him whispered, 'but what if it was?' the part of him that was utterly devoted to his lover. He knew his love if she had truly been with child then that would have been why she had left the Dreaming, without him there to rule and sustain the realm, it would never have been safe for both their child and them self to stay.

"Who is that?" the quiet voice of Mathew broke the lord from his trance, "that little Raven is the embodiment of Innocence and Hope, the Queen of Dreams" - "my wife" both Devil and Dream spoke to the Raven. "Olette... the same Olette that Lucienne said has been missing for decades now?" the ravens words darkened something within Dream, "why would you give me this, what benefit do you gain from showing me such a thing as this?" Dream question distrust shining in every word he spoke.

A smirk grew on the devils face as they watched the turmoil within the Endless's features. "Innocence was a close friend of mine long before they chose to be by your side Dreamer... It is only fair that they be reunited with you despite my own feelings towards you" Lucifer for once spoke truth, even after the fall, Innocence remained a close friend of the Morningstar. Despite the differences in the way they lived their existences, The Lightbringer and The Lady of Innocence remained close friends. Lucifer made it their responsibility to ensure peace within their closest friends existence, even if it meant helping the ones they despised the most.

Pocketing the drawing, the Lord of the Dreaming left Hell, his heart a little lighter and new destination on his mind. Only when he was strong enough would he return for his lover; only when he was sure that their home would be safe for her child, whether it be his or not, would he seek her out of whatever sanctuary they had found for themselves.

Abruzzo region, Italy

Innocence walked almost silently through the gardens she'd spent years working on. It was early morning the sun had yet to rise over the mountain range, the peace was pleasing the eternal being. Until it was broken. The sound of her infant sons cries filled the air alerting the Queen of Dreams of the child's awakening. Taking in a breath, the Innocence glided almost through the flower beds into the morning chilled halls of her sanctuary, their home built for them by a dear friend many decades ago after leaving the realm of Dreaming. Following the sounds of the babe crying Innocence drifted through the door into her sons nursery, the name Theodore carved delicately into the wooden crib the sat within the room.

"Hush my sweetling, hush I'm here now the nightmares can't get you now" soothing coos left the ancient being as they retrieved the boy into her arms cradling him close to her chest. Even in his mothers arms the crying baby wouldn't calm themselves, a twinge of worry blossoming within their mothers chest at the distress of their child. "Theo my dearest love, why so many tears, what could be so troubling for you" the mother quietly asked rocking the restless child within her arms as they pressed feather light kisses to his cheeks and forehead wanting desperately to sooth the worries of her babe. After checking twice over and seeing no reason for her son to cry, Innocence sat themselves down on the window seat they'd picked so that the pair could wait for the sun to also wake up. The being tried to sooth the boy as best she could but even the sound of her voice seemed to upset the boy, a tired feeling settled over them as sadness began to overcome Innocence. "I know not what else to do Theo, no nightmare nor demon, hunger or cleanliness, not even loneliness nor injury... my sweetling what else could be wrong" a tone of despair evident in the beings voice, her pain mirroring that of her sons.

A hand appeared creasing the head of the babe that brought silence to the room. By now Innocence had closed their eyes trying to search for what could be causing so much upset that she had missed the arrival of her once lost husband. Dream had watched the baby sleeping, studying the child as much as he could before seeking out his love that he nearly missed the presence of a rouge nightmare daring to plague the mind of the child. In an instant he'd sent the nightmare to the Darkness but did not the chance to sooth the infant before his love appeared to answer the cries of their child.

"Silence little one before you upset your mother even more" the lord of Dreams hushed watching the child was lulled into a peaceful sleep. Looking up from the child his eyes locked with hers, tears welled heavily in hazel speckled eyes.

"Your alive."

Morpheus reached out cupping his lovers cheek creasing it gently, “They told me you had died” the words were quiet but seemed to infuriate the lord of Dreams. “That doesn’t matter now, I’m here with you and that’s all that matters” he tried to sooth shifting so that he could hold both of them within his arms, cradling them safely from the universe, “never again, I swear on it”. Dream could feel the quiet sobs racking through the body of his love, he cursed himself for being so lenient on the Burgess man. The pain he could sense from his family was a far greater crime to him than being trapped by the amateur sorcerers, he could not care less the pain he felt being trapped for so long in the moment all he cared for was that his lover was okay.

He could feel the anger leaching out of himself slowly the tendrils of magic wrapping themselves around him in an attempt to calm him down. Dream shouldn't have been surprised that the entire place was encased in Innocence's power, it's how she would have kept them safe for so long outside of the Dreaming. "Where did you go?" their words were shaky as if fearful of asking him such a thing, "the mortals were trying to capture Death, they trapped me instead" he spoke softly leaning his head to rest on her shoulder.

"Where are they now?" he could lie and say the humans were dead but he knew they would never believe him, to go against their nature would be unnatural. "Somewhere they may never harm us again, an eternal sleep that no being could ever wake from" was the answer he gave feeling comforted by the magic that was wrapping around them, "tell me about him" the request was without anger or malice. Dream couldn't be angry with Innocence ever, even if the child wasn't his he'd still love and care for the child because the boy was apart of Innocence, apart of a dream that Innocence had been nurturing for centuries. The pain of having to say goodbye to the children who visited the dreaming, who's childlike innocence she cared deeply for only made the longing for her own child to grow and grow. He'd promised her not long before his imprisonment that they'd try for her dream, for the child she wouldn't have to send back to the mortal realm at the end of every night.

"It was snowing when I gave birth, the humans kept telling me he was stillborn but I could sense him despite everything they were saying... I spent the entire night holding him till he started crying" The ancient being looked down at her child, "I named him Theodore because in Ancient Greek it means 'gift of god'... he was my gift left by you before you disappeared" she was quiet as the magic around them seemed to swirl almost as if attempting to protect its master from whatever it thought could be a threat. "Your magic.. it's.." - "slowed down time here... yes I don’t know how just that when I went into labour it started happening and nothing I do can stop it" they admitted softly glancing round to see the flickers of her magic slowly amassing. Dream only nodded understanding sometimes even though they had so much control over their abilities there were times even he struggled to keep a grasp on his own dreams and nightmares. "You said that he was a gift from me..." The Dream Lord asked quietly not wanting to trigger his lovers magic that seemed to take on a life of its own, "I was sick for a while after you disappeared, Lucienne was trying to aid me in keeping what remained in the Dreaming that we thought it was merely strain on my powers..." they curled more around the babe in their arms as if the reality around them was a dream and her child could disappear at any moment. "It wasn't until I had to leave to preserve what was left of my strength that I realised what had happened, I sort no other companion after you had left and even I am not strong enough to create life outside of Dreams or I would have millennia ago" Innocence admitted pressing her forehead to Theodore's relishing the energy of innocence that surrounding her sweetling.

Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle the satisfaction of smothering the doubt within him was relieving, "he is a credit to you my dearest" he spoke kindly brushing his fingers gently against the babies cheek sensing the colourful images of his sons dream.

They stayed together watching the world outside to windows for hours after that. Even when Theodore woke up and fussed slightly, Morpheus watched on in silent fascination at the gentleness of his lover, he'd seen the care she put into nurture the innocence of the children of the world for thousands of years but now watching them with their child brought a warmth to his soul he hadn't known he was missing till now.

By now they had moved to the garden, walking side by side as Olette explained each plant that blossomed within their flowerbeds, Morpheus listened intently every so often looking down at the quiet babe that rested in his arms, little Theodore's eyes seemed to follow anything that moved nearby. Bright baby blue eyes meeting greyish blue as father and son stare at each other. Olette couldn't help but smile at the pair, "it's like looking in a mirror with you two isn't it" the grin on her face seemed to spur a smile out of the King of Dreams, "but much stronger and far more fairer than I ever shall be" he allowed the boy to take hold of his finger the strength of the child surprising him yet making him far prouder than he thought he would be. The afternoon sun hung in the sky casting dancing shadows across the garden as they had finished their walk around the garden, Morpheus had moved to talk of his encounter with Lucifer and his search for his tools as always Innocence rolling her eyes at the attitude expressed by both her lover and friend to one another. When he spoke of John Dee, Innocence went quiet remembering back to the decades following her husbands disappearance, "I remember John, he was one of the last children I would visit before I left the Dreaming... such a sad child... his mother Edith struggled both with him and the people within their lives" they explained as flashes of a small boy with teary eyes crossed her mind.

"I put him into an eternal sleep just as I did his brother" the lord of dreams explained staring down at his son finding comfort in the attention the boy seemed to have on him, "the Burgess line is a cursed one" the truth hung heavy in his words as Olette leaned closer to him watching both the dearest loves of her life. "They can't hurt us anymore though and that is what matters most" the quiet reassurance was meant to comfort their husband as the ancient being nodded glancing to his wife, the time away had made him miss having them at his side.

"Come home with me... come back to the Dreaming" the request hung in the air between them as Innocence thought over the request, she'd admit she had lost track of time in their self imposed exile. The fear of what others would think if they returned to the realm they had to abandon. "Will I still be welcomed.. after all this time?" they asked standing before their husband with a serious look upon their face, "will the dreams still accept me after leaving them for so long?" the fear was clear and Dream understood that but he wanted his family back safe in his realm. "They will accept their queen and if not then there will be no place in the Dreaming for them, you are the mother of our son and my wife, my loyalties will lie with you first and foremost" he stated glancing between both his wife and son, "the Dreaming is your home, it is Theodore's birth right, I will not leave this place unless you are both with me" the determined tone instilling his point. A moment of silence falls across them before a heavy sigh leaves Olette. “I miss home” the quiet admission was all that Morpheus needed to hear, he held his hand out for his lover to take hold of, “let us go home then”.

When the gates of the Dreaming opened Lucienne stood watching on as the lord and lady of the Dream realm returned, she smiled at the sight of her dear friend finally returning home. “Welcome Home, Lady Olette and young Theodore” she greeted as Olette sped up to meet Lucienne, she grinned letting the Librarian have a better look at the baby in her arms, “it is good to be back Lucienne” the joy between them bloomed amongst the Dreaming as if the realm itself is was greeting the return of its Queen. “I hope his lordship wasn’t to much to handle for you” the comment was met with chuckles as Morpheus rolled his eyes so easily at the pair, “after so many years Lucienne I feel at this point I would still take him in whatever form he grows to be” Olette grins widely as her husband wraps an arm around her waist pressing a soft kiss to her hair. The small family walk together back to the castle greeting both dreams and nightmares as they did, introducing the youngest endless child to the realm, the king never straying far from his family as the rest of the time was spent celebrating the return of the Lady of Innocence.

#morpheus #the sandman #morpheus x reader #Morpheus x spouse!reader #she/they

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