[The touch was nice. Light and not restraining. It was easy for Morpheus to remain still, his cool hand soaking in the warm of Hob and feeling the rise and fall of his chest. It made Morpheus relax a little, a very unexpected and novel sensation. It was only when Hob began to answer his question that Morpheus drew his gaze away from the hypnotic sight of Hob's exploring fingers. His head cocked inquisitively to the side as he took in what Hob shared, looking to the various sights that were pointed out. In the end, he gave a slow nod as he turned it over in his mind.]
I am used to people bringing such intimacy with them to the Dreaming. I should not be surprised as much value is placed upon such moments in the waking world.
[Hob smiled and chuckled again. He didn't think his words particularly insightful, but he answered the question honestly.]
I'm happy to help.
[It was nice to be of use to Dream after all these years apart. Though he knows Dream's interest in Hob's experiences ended centuries ago. They met simply for companionship after that.]
You talk like you don't know it. Intimacy, I mean.
[Maybe he had overstepped with those words, but Dream speaks about it as though he were merely an observer.]
[He stiffened a little at Hob's observation, walls initially going back up. He didn't bolt this time, though he did withdraw his hand and twine both of his together tightly in his lap. His gaze looked downward, a genuine struggle not to withdraw completely. It was only because it was Hob that he sat and worked through it as best he could. How many minutes had passed he didn't know but eventually he began to speak again. His voice was low and even and he didn't quite meet Hob's gaze just yet.]
I have experienced intimacy.
[None of those times ended well, so he didn't elaborate any further beyond the admittance. It was only then that he looked back to study Hob's face.]
With dreamers though, I do not have the luxury of getting lost in their desires or woes. I should be as much an observer as I can be, connected yet apart, so that I might provide what they need for their fulfillment without letting it all consume me in the process. You merely have your own subconscious to manage. I have that of every being's contained within me. I know intimacy, but I must also know detachment.
[When Morpheus removed his hand, Hob knew he had stuck his foot in his mouth again. He shouldn't have said something so personal. As Morpheus sat looking tense, Hob also got up from his reclined position to sit, afraid the man might try to get up and leave. He's relieved when he's not left alone in the park.
When Dream says he's experienced intimacy, it's not with the sort of fondness one might who had good memories of it, which makes Hob frown.
What the man says does make sense. Hob can only imagine how many of those dreams are something intimate with so many people dreaming all over the world. And he figures some intimate dreams are better than others.]
And.. your fulfillment? Don't you ever want something for yourself?
[He was probably pushing it, but Hob couldn't help but speak his thoughts.]
I have. Yes. I cannot say it has ever ended particularly well in the past.
[Which wasn’t unique to him, Morpheus knew that. Ever so many broken hearts existed in the galaxy. It had existed in the very man who sat here with Morpheus. Hob, too, had suffered loss. Perhaps it was not, or should not, be a surprise that humans were so resilient. Not that anyone, mortal or Endless truly got over the loss of their family. It had been centuries and Morpheus still couldn’t bring himself to grieve with Calliope over Orpheus.
Would he take it back, though? That was the heart of regret, wasn’t it? To wish that something had never transpired. As much as it hurt, if he was honest with himself, he would not take back his time with Nada, Calliope, or the few others whom he had opened his realm and world to beyond his duties.]
You have always been the risk taker, Hob. The man who defied Death on a drunken gamble.
[Perhaps there was something to learn from that so very human trait.]
Wanting for myself does not come easily. My duties have taken such precedence. But… I don’t find myself wanting to depart your presence.
[When Hob lost his own family, it ruined him for nearly a century. That sort of loss was the kind that many do not come back from. Others might have accepted death at that point, but Hob was more resilient than some others. Perhaps they picked someone too strong willed for Death's game, or more likely, Death knew exactly how Hob would handle eternal life and what his life would do to her brother.]
To be fair, I didn't know I was gambling at the time.
[It was also very human to simple stumble through life with a bit of luck. At Morpheus' words, Hob smiles.]
I like being with you, too.
[Maybe those aren't the exact words that came from Dream, but Hob reads between the lines.]
Perhaps not. Still. You did return to meet the extremely strange man who helped grant you eternal life on a whim. I doubt everyone would have returned to the inn, no matter how much they wanted answers.
[Morpheus had wondered that first time around whether Hob would have even shown up. Some might have found it all too terrifying and steered away no matter the potential cost. Others might have had so much hubris to assume they didn’t have to hold up their end of the bargain. Morpheus could admit that back then he probably hadn’t presented the most welcoming of presences. Not that he did these days either, though Hob managed to bring out more smiles in him than just about anyone else.
Such as now, when Hob read between his carefully chosen words.]
You are to be my translator, then? I suppose I can accept it. Within reason. [A small smile softened his words. A ball was kicked near them and he reached out to stop it, gently rolling it back to the children at play.] Let us see then where these new days lead us. I look forward to figuring it out together.
[OOC: Agreed, I'm good wrapping this one up here! I'll tag our other one tomorrow if not tonight. At some point in the future we should definitely also write out Dream showing Hob around the Dreaming.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I am used to people bringing such intimacy with them to the Dreaming. I should not be surprised as much value is placed upon such moments in the waking world.
Such as this one.
Thank you, by the way. For what you have shared.
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I'm happy to help.
[It was nice to be of use to Dream after all these years apart. Though he knows Dream's interest in Hob's experiences ended centuries ago. They met simply for companionship after that.]
You talk like you don't know it. Intimacy, I mean.
[Maybe he had overstepped with those words, but Dream speaks about it as though he were merely an observer.]
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I have experienced intimacy.
[None of those times ended well, so he didn't elaborate any further beyond the admittance. It was only then that he looked back to study Hob's face.]
With dreamers though, I do not have the luxury of getting lost in their desires or woes. I should be as much an observer as I can be, connected yet apart, so that I might provide what they need for their fulfillment without letting it all consume me in the process. You merely have your own subconscious to manage. I have that of every being's contained within me. I know intimacy, but I must also know detachment.
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When Dream says he's experienced intimacy, it's not with the sort of fondness one might who had good memories of it, which makes Hob frown.
What the man says does make sense. Hob can only imagine how many of those dreams are something intimate with so many people dreaming all over the world. And he figures some intimate dreams are better than others.]
And.. your fulfillment? Don't you ever want something for yourself?
[He was probably pushing it, but Hob couldn't help but speak his thoughts.]
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[Which wasn’t unique to him, Morpheus knew that. Ever so many broken hearts existed in the galaxy. It had existed in the very man who sat here with Morpheus. Hob, too, had suffered loss. Perhaps it was not, or should not, be a surprise that humans were so resilient. Not that anyone, mortal or Endless truly got over the loss of their family. It had been centuries and Morpheus still couldn’t bring himself to grieve with Calliope over Orpheus.
Would he take it back, though? That was the heart of regret, wasn’t it? To wish that something had never transpired. As much as it hurt, if he was honest with himself, he would not take back his time with Nada, Calliope, or the few others whom he had opened his realm and world to beyond his duties.]
You have always been the risk taker, Hob. The man who defied Death on a drunken gamble.
[Perhaps there was something to learn from that so very human trait.]
Wanting for myself does not come easily. My duties have taken such precedence. But… I don’t find myself wanting to depart your presence.
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To be fair, I didn't know I was gambling at the time.
[It was also very human to simple stumble through life with a bit of luck. At Morpheus' words, Hob smiles.]
I like being with you, too.
[Maybe those aren't the exact words that came from Dream, but Hob reads between the lines.]
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[Morpheus had wondered that first time around whether Hob would have even shown up. Some might have found it all too terrifying and steered away no matter the potential cost. Others might have had so much hubris to assume they didn’t have to hold up their end of the bargain. Morpheus could admit that back then he probably hadn’t presented the most welcoming of presences. Not that he did these days either, though Hob managed to bring out more smiles in him than just about anyone else.
Such as now, when Hob read between his carefully chosen words.]
You are to be my translator, then? I suppose I can accept it. Within reason. [A small smile softened his words. A ball was kicked near them and he reached out to stop it, gently rolling it back to the children at play.] Let us see then where these new days lead us. I look forward to figuring it out together.
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