"Dream, that's what designated drivers are for," Kate pointed out as she waved a hand in Matthew's direction. Was it really a good idea to encourage and all-powerful being to maybe get a little tipsy? Was Kate endangering the fate of the known universe and the unknown too? A little voice in the back of her head that sounded suspiciously like Matt's, it insisted she should probably drop this already.
Just in case.
"Orange and pineapple juice it is," at least, serving her raven friend came as a good distraction. As so did Dream's question.
"Huh, well, I do get some stuff for him from time to time, but Matt sort of has a particular palate." She had given him Doritos and Takis once. It was still one of her highlights in their relationship so far. "I always make sure to have -- Oh, there's oat milk if you want that instea of juice, Matthew." Kate had only unscrewed the lid so far anyway. "Sorry, I keep it for his drinks but then almost forget it's there." She turned to Dream then. "Do you want some with your tea?"
It wasn't a real shocker to hear Dream wasn't too thrilled with the Balloon Museum, but the plan to all of them go together to some play? That, she could arrange. "Well, I'm pretty sure there's a new season of 'Skakespeare at the Park' in C.P." She offered. "Even Matthew could join us then." A beat. "Unless Shakespeare is not your thing."
"Who's crazy enough to milk a nut? I'll stick with the juice, thanks," Matthew said, fluttering his wings and pecking at the candy left on the table. It wasn't like he actually had to worry about what he was eating these days.
Dream, however, did take some cream in his tea. He normally went with real cream, but living in the Dreaming, well he'd certainly heard of stranger items to eat or drink than oat milk. He wasn't bothered by the substitute. "Thank you." He noted how interwoven Kate's life was with her consort's. How enthusiastically she shared her space and presumably his. He was both glad for his friend, and he felt an aching inside at how he'd recently torn down the rooms he'd built for Nada. For several beings before that. Somehow in all his lifetimes he couldn't get what appeared so easy to work.
He certainly knew that he was in large part to blame, even if he didn't want to accept it.
Trying to brush that melancholy aside, he focused on what she said next. A small, pleased expression briefly passed across his face. "Not all of Will's plays were my favorites, but he did possess a particular talent. He would be very gratified to know that humanity was still performing his work. That was all he wanted. A legacy to leave behind." A beat. "He even performed for the Fae once, to tie in our earlier talk."
"Hey, I know it sounds crazy, but it's not bad at all," Kate pointed out, feeling almost a little defensive of Matt's choices. She filled up a small glass with juice, almost to the brim, and carefully brought it to her desk for the raven to enjoy, along with her own can of soda.
Careful as she didn't want the fizz to pour out or splash her feathery friend, she held the can away as she popped it open, quickly holding it in for a sip after that. The cold bubbles almost tickled in her mouth as Kate drank.
She would have choked on it all if by now she wasn't used to Dream and the things that came out of his mouth sometimes.
"Shakespeare. Of course you know the man himself." She had to wonder, how many dreams had his verses inspired over the years. Had that made Morpheus' work any easier? Like being offered patterns on how to do your work. "Humanity definitely still appreciates his work. Have you watched '10 Things I Hate About You'? That's the real deal."
However, if they were to enjoy their day in Earth, shouldn't she try an offer and new experience for Dream? If that was even possible. Was it possible? How can you surprise someone who lives in the world that feeds imagination itself?
"I'm sure we can find some original play," she offered. "Who knows, you might befriend a new author."
"I have never watched a movie. Though I am familiar with many of them through dreams." Morpheus was old fashioned, he knew. Still, thousands of years art had merely been spoken word and performances. When he'd been captured, film had only barely been around a few decades, not long enough for him to have bothered trying it out for himself. Since then he'd been busy rebuilding his kingdom. "I have from time to time seen live performances, though." His wife had been from ancient Greece, Bast from Egypt, so he'd viewed shows back then. Hob had introduced him to a few, as had Shakespeare and some others.
"I try not to interfere in your realm too often." Dream's finger lightly trailed along the rim of the mug, his only movement. "It is a fine line, being part of your world and influencing it." Something Death managed with such grace and balance, and someone like Desire in Dream's opinion abused. "I suppose I just... I heard him talking one night. He so desperately wanted to hold a mirror up to the soul, to say something that held meaning. He wanted to tell stories that would not only speak to the heart, but unfold what dreams lay within." Dream sounded baffled, bemused, and a touch inspired himself as he talked about his old colleague. It had been so impossibly human, that night listening to Will. "I found him... intriguing."
There had been a few mortals over the years who had perplexed Dream, who had caught his attention beyond the empathy he felt in general for those under his domain.
"You've never watched a movie?" The look Kate shared with Matthew spoke for itself. Funny how against her best judgement, how even when she'd been wondering about this very things moments ago, she could indeed still be surprised by Dream and some of his antics. "You know, the next time you're enjoying your wine and fried chicken at the throne? Give them a try. I promise it will improve the experience."
Then, turning towards Matthew, Kate added something in mere whispers. "I was sure he based his whole aesthetic on The Crow." As if to prove it, she waved a hand towards the raven.
Moving to sit on top of her desk instead, Kate's feet no longer touched the floor. She swung her legs, putting images in her head as Dream described what Shakespeare had been like. A desperate romantic. Literally a drama king. Probably one of those cases in which its better not to meet your heroes.
"I'm sorry," she huffed out a breath, clearly barely able to conceal her shock. "Did you just put me in the same category as freaking Shakespeare?"
"I have never watched a movie. I do not lie." Sometimes he said nothing, other times the truth was embedded in symbolism or veiled, but that was not the same thing as blatant subterfuge. "I know of films through others' dreams." Perhaps he should one day experience a movie theatre, like he had live theatre performances. Was it the same? Did it hold that same energy and sense of community, without that feeding of energy of people literally in front of one? He wouldn't deny that film and television were art, he just wasn't easily moved with the changes in time. For him, two centuries was not long.
Matthew chuckled at Kate's quip, offering back, "I was gonna go with The Smiths but yeah, I like yours better."
Dream chose not to entertain either of them.
It should however come as no surprise that Dream was drawn to the theatre kid in the room, be it Shakespeare or someone else. He had fond memories of the man, even if in retrospect, he knew it had been a rather poor showing on his part to abandon Hob for a night drinking and chatting with the young playwright. Like so many other times, Hob had seemed to forgive Dream. A part of him was glad that he wouldn't miss out on another meeting with his friend.
Dream shifted a little, uncomfortable as always when he seemed to stir a strong emotion in someone else. "We are colleagues, are we not? You have proven yourself to be someone worth knowing. Though granted, in your case, it is not for artistic merit."
"It's totally not the same thing. You haven't experience a movie until you've cheered along with a bunch of strangers as Captain Amertica holds up Thor's hammer for the first time." The Rogers: The Musical adaptation had been more than just a success, it had been a pop culture phenomenon. Definitely not the kinda thing you could just tell people about, it was an experience.
"I'm gonna have to check out The Smiths now," she pointed out to Matthew as Dream pretended to ignore them.
Even though if, broody and moody as he seemed, he never offered Kate anything but kindness between his moments of silence.
"Well, yeah." And Kate wasn't humble to pretend she didn't have his talents. Not even when fishing for compliments. "It just feels a little crazy to think I'm in the same league as one of the most iconic people in history." She turned to Matthew, puckering her lips as she nodded in playful appreciation. "I mean, I'll take it!"
Still, there was a genuine surprise there. She was clearly touched.
"Guess it's already a pretty priviliged club I'm in here. You know, being friends with the King of the Dreaming himself." God, she sounded like a suck up, but it was the truth! "You know, it really means a lot to me that you showed up the last time. Even if you haven't offered a gift, it would have still meant a lot," she explained. "It means a lot that you guys are here now, too."
It should go without saying. But Kate was the kind of person that felt like love was to be shared, it was good to say it outloud when someone meant something to you. As much as complimenting a stranger. Those little things could go a long way.
"Anyway, I've been meaning to ask --"
And yet, before she could say anything, there was a knocking at her door. Maggie was there with a couple of bags in her hand. "Here's lunch, Miss Bishop."
"Kate," she quickly corrected as she slipped off her desk. "God, these guys are so fast. I love this place."
Dream considered his words carefully. He didn't often talk about himself, at least not in detail. He was also careful about what he revealed of those around him. Still, it seemed important to put what he said in context, in case he'd accidentally belittled Kate. "My first... friend... was a human. Is a human. He's been many things over the years. He's a teacher, now. History has no record of him in books, but that has not made him matter less. You are very... human... Kate. I value your company. You represent yourself and your kind well. Whether history tells such a tale or not."
He studied Maggie as she passed off the bag of food to Kate. His head gave an almost imperceptible nod. She stared at him a moment, brow furrowed like she was faintly trying to figure out why something about him felt a touch familiar, why looking at him brought up memories long since locked away, but then she shrugged and smiled before leaving them.
Turning back to the table, Dream leaned forward. He opened the bag and passed out the meals. Pancakes for Matthew, full of syrup and butter. What Kate had ordered Dream handed to her. Then he settled the chicken sandwich in front of himself. It was nicely battered, with crisp tomato and arugula instead of regular lettuce, along with a spicy mayo and pickles. Without saying a word, Dream opened the bun and gave some of the pickles to Matthew. A wordless exchange that bespoke that this was not the first time it happened. Matthew gave a happy caw and dug in, not finding it weird to eat pickles on the side of pancakes.
Looking back at Kate, Dream said, "You were about to inquire about something."
The lunch interruption had given Kate time for Dreams' words to sink in.
Representing her kind.
Dream had a point when he said that sometimes it didn't take the most famous people in humanity to know the true value of people. Sure, in some cases there was a poetic justice when the world celebrated people like Natasha Romanoff, a woman who seemed destined to remain in the shadows but who's name meant nothing but hope and gratitude these days.
So many people wouldn't be celebrated like she was. Would Matt ever reveal his secret identity? Would people remember Peter Parker or would he be immortalized as Spider-Man? In Kate's book, with or without the mask, Peter represented everything that was good about humanity.
She could see Dreams' point now.
Grabbing the packet with her cheesburger and fries, Kate was a little surprised to see Dream like this. Sure, she had grown used to their little encounters, but so many of them involved these crazy missions or simply strolling through fantastic fields. This was Dream, making himself a cup of tea or helping with lunch.
"When it comes to people's dreams, do you like swear secrecy or something like that?"
Unlike his colleagues who seemed eager to dive into their meals, Dream took his time. His sandwich sat for a long moment before he picked it up and gave a small, delicate bite. Even his eating was reserved, like an ancient being who had all the time in the world to swallow a mouthful. He ate and drank as carefully and controlled as he did everything else, taking a slow sip of tea afterwards. Matthew on the other hand was tearing into the pancakes and trying to cajole a fry from Kate, too.
"I do not share one person's dreams with another, no. That would be a betrayal of their unconscious," Dream confirmed with a single nod of his head. "The only instance where I would consider it is if the person wanted their dream shared for a particular reason." That really didn't happen, but he supposed that if Hob desperately wanted Dream to let his dreams by known to his new girlfriend, Dream would share their details. "Most people want to keep their dreams for themselves, or share them personally. Why do you ask?"
"Yeah, that's what I thought." There was lost to be said about someone like Morpheus, but the one thing that Kate could guess was that he had strong work ethics. Maybe not infallible? But then, even Gods were very human in some ways.
"Well, I wouldn't ask for details," she started after swallowing a big bite of her burger. Even as she reached for a fry she did a good job at pretending she couldn't see what Matthew was doing. "But I was wondering if you could tell me if my mom is having good dreams."
Morpheus studied Kate for a long moment, the tea and food once again forgotten in front of him. There wasn't a lack of compassion on his face, but it was accompanied by a reserved wall. He couldn't let his empathy for her situation bleed out into making deals and cracks in his rules. He liked Kate, he truly did, he even considered her a friend. Yet he could not give her special treatment in a manner that compromised how he ran the Dreaming. A one time boon was one thing, details on another dreamer was another. He knew why she asked, and he knew Kate liked to push boundaries, but he had to hold firm this time.
"I cannot talk about another's dreams, Kate." His tone was final, though soft. Frost cresting over the sharp tip of a mountain, to soften the edge with its coldness. There was a momentary pause before he added, "Perhaps it is something you might ask her yourself, though. If you are wondering about her, this is not likely to abate the more you don't seek answers. At least if you face her again you will know whether it was the right or wrong decision." Until then, it would remain an eternal What If, which was the domain of dreams and not meant to be a way to get through days of the living.
Dream's answer wasn't much of a shocker. In fact, it was what Kate had pretty much expected it would be. This was, after all, the same Dream that only granted her the gift to walk into her (lover? Boyfriend?) -- Into her partner's dream only if she had his explicit consent to do so.
Honestly, she could only hope that every being as powerful as Morpheus is shares also his work ethics.
"It's okay, I get it." She told him as soon as he reminded her of his rules. But, it was after Dream reminded her that there was other ways to find the answers that she could do little but stare at him in surprise. Well, that was her own words, her own point, all shoved right back to her face. Sometimes, when there's distance between you and an issue, you can give the best kind of advice. And Dream just did that.
"That's true. I've... Sort of heard this before. But I keep delaying seeing my mom. Telling myself I'm too busy to do it or to even think about it." Avoiding it is so much easier.
Many who met Dream for the first time did not welcome him. Oh, he was far more loved than Death by mortals, but still. There were many who held animosity over what their dreams told them. Nightmares that people fled from rather than facing. Dream didn't know what the interactions between Kate and her mother in the waking world had comprised of entirely, but he did know some truths about the situation from the nights she spent trying harder and harder to run away from unseen troubles. That Kate didn't push him for answers showed that she was indeed a friend, and not merely a desperate person looking to a higher power for help. He appreciated it, as he genuinely didn't like disappointing people. Some of his siblings could perhaps be bargained with, but he wouldn't say the world was better off for it.
"It would appear that you are not too busy to think about it." He said it simply and plainly, pointing out the obvious. Slowly he took another bite of the sandwich and a sip of tea. "What are you afraid of facing when you see her once more?" It was perhaps not a question most of polite society might boldly ask, but Dream didn't always play by normal society rules.
Matthew hopped closer to Kate, laying a wing on her arm for a moment. "Listen, as someone who died randomly before getting any of his shit together, don't delay things too long. 'cause now I get to help fix other people's problems but not everything I wanted to get fixed, you know?" He felt Dream's eyes on him as he said that. Dream had been very clear that Matthew had to severe all his past ties to the waking world, and Matthew had done that. It didn't make it any easier, though.
Even though Kate seemed content with Dream's answer, his questions were a completely different story. Grabbing her soda, she had just taken a sip and almost choken on it, spitting it back into her glass before she was caught in a coughing fit.
"Shit, Morph, you really don't hold back your punches," she groaned as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Matthew took the chance to approach her and, while he was being nothing but kind with his advice, it was still a tough pill to swallow.
"I..." Kate took a deep breath, for once avoiding Dream's dark and profound gaze. "I know. I know what you guys are saying." At least, what the raven did. Morpheus seemed to be genuinelly asking, wondering about Kate's reasoning to avoid her mom. "I know I should live life at the fullest and I shouldn't waste my time. I already lost my dad." And back when Fisk wanted to blackmail her mother, the possibility of losing Eleanor had become a terrifying reality.
But how to explain what was holding her back right now?
"I know I'm not too busy, but I'm busy enough to convince myself that there's other things I should be worrying about first." Even though she did some basic work on the fundraiser and the office, unless there was an unavoidable meeting then Kate could get away with sneaking back home whenever she pleased. Of course, she tried to do the basic hours almost every day, even if sometimes she did arrive a little later if her night had been specially rough.
Fisk and the task force, she told herself, was something she should be worrying about first.
Her relationship with Matt too, that had been her light at the end of the tunnel. A distraction that was all too sweet to ignore, luring her away from her latest worries.
Anything was easier than thinking about her mother.
"I guess -- I guess it's easier telling myself that at some point I'm gonna reach out, but that it's never the right moment to do it." Would there ever be a right moment? "It's kinda tough to think of facing her. I do miss her. I do miss who my mom used to be before I figured out that she'd done all those horrible things."
"There are no right moments. There are merely moments, for you to do with them what is wished. It sounds like you have told these excuses many times by now then, to yourself and others. It will do little good for you to keep repeating them." He didn't say it with the intention to be unkind, merely pointing out the obvious from what Kate has stated. Dream was what his function was, and that meant having little patience for people attempting to lie to themselves. "If it is easier for you to avoid her, then that is your choice. The waffling though does no favors, and you already know the risk." That putting it off for so long might mean there won't be time left. "I would think you want the choice to be up to you and on your terms, rather than the choice being taken from you." He gave a small shrug. "I merely wish for you not to have regrets."
Like leaving a lover in Hell for 10,000 years, or leaving an estranged son wanting to die for several millennia.
He could empathize with Kate's avoidance, but he couldn't say it would end happily because of it. In his experience, the longer the delay, the worse off the situation became. Although, Eleanor was the one who'd hurt Kate, unlike Dream who'd inflicted the pain of his estranged loved ones. That added an extra layer of guilt into the mix on his end that he was trying not to let influence his talk with her.
What if he'd dealt with Orpheus sooner, before that tragic night where his body had been torn apart? Pride and fear had caused the torment of the being he loved more than anyone.
His gaze was no longer on her. It was somewhere far past both of them.
"Time may heal some wounds, but other times, it causes them."
Kate listened to what Dream had to say. How, even though he most times he seemed to be quiet and distant, he now became patient as he talked away. Kate, picking a fry, stirred the ketchup in the little container that had come with her meal. But, despite of her silence, she didn't feel as if she was being called out. Honestly, the more she heard Morpheus talk? The more that sensation he fed to her heart, fooled her into imagining a very young kind of grandfather that was merely looking out for her through sharing his experiences.
He didn't want her to have regrets.
"Yeah, I get it," she was quick to point out, after she finally dared to give that fry a bite. "I know I need to listen. That you've seen it all and you know better." That she looked a little moody herself, that she seemed to have captured a little of his normal vibe by falling quite quiet herself. But in all honesty? She knew this was out of love.
Grabbing a fry, she reminded herself of how Matthew had attempted to steal one while she wasn't supposed to be looking. This time she openly offered it.
"I already have someone who offered me to be there for me if I can't do it on my own. I know I need to get my shit together and go for it. With him or on my own." Kate had the strenght. As much as she wanted Matt to be there. "I know mom may have changed, but I also know she still wants to look after me. That everyone deserves a second chance."
"I have seen a good deal. Not everything." As powerful as he was, Morpheus always was quick to state his limits, or if someone else was more powerful than he was. That sort of precision and boundaries mattered to him. "And I know a good deal." A beat. "In part because of mistakes of my own." Perhaps he should let humanity think the Endless were infallible. Was it kinder to keep that lie, than to let them know that these powerful beings sometimes made mistakes? Perhaps. He wasn't a very good liar, though. "Some of these mistakes are ones I have yet to rectify myself. So I can say with the wisdom of that experience that yes, waiting does not help. In many cases, it makes it worse."
Matthew took the fry and held it in one of his feet while he started to chomp on it from the other end. How a bird with just a beak managed to eat all that Matthew did was indeed some magic of the Dreaming.
"We're big on second chances, yeah. I mean hey, I guess you could even call ending up a raven as a second chance." That was at least a positive way to approach it.
Even though Kate wasn't exactly known for listening and following advice, it was obvious that she wasn't taking Dream's or Matthew's advice for granted. In fact, listening to her friends did ease some worries away.
Sure, it's not like her situation with her mother was now any easier. But it was easier to accept that she did miss Elanor. And that, even though there was no wrongs or rights here? At least reaching out wouldn't bring her the worst of regrets. This advice, coming from someone as old as Morpheus and that has seen as much as him? That, oddly enough, gave Kate some comfort. Because, as independant as she claimed to be, sometimes it was nice to be told which is the best road to take. To stop worrying about those worries themselves.
"I'll reach out," she finally told the pair. "Thank you, guys. I kinda... Was just set on avoiding this." And even though things wouldn't be any easier between her and Eleanor, now at least she did have the drive to swallow this bitter pill. "But your opinons matter to me. A whole deal, I promise you."
Grabbing a fry of her own, Kate ate half of it in a bite.
"Like, no offense, but advice doesn't get any better than when it comes from someone as old as you are, Morph." A beat. Kate couldn't help but sharing a look with his raven. "Unless we are talking about fashion advice."
"You're much more gracious accepting advice than many others." Including him. Dream knew he was notoriously bad at accepting advice, though he'd gotten better about it from Death and Lucienne. Sometimes even Matthew. A wry look came to his face as she noted his age. "I wish I could say that with age always comes wisdom, but that is not always the case. I have tried to be more... adaptable... of late. There are many gods and immortals though who do not see past their own pettiness." Dream considered at least one of his siblings like that, if not both the twins. "When one doesn't die easily, then learning from one's mistakes can at times become more difficult." With all the time in the world, some beings became lackadaisical about actually making improvements.
He took a small sip of tea, an eyebrow raised over the cup at what else Kate said. Glancing down at his long black coat, black pants, and black boots, he questioned, "What is wrong with my attire?" Surely everything still went with black. It was a style choice he hadn't changed in all the eons he'd been around in existence.
As Kate took a sip of her soda, she could have sworn that somehow, in Ohio, Clint was having a laugh. "Maybe. Maybe sometimes." Did she always follow advice? Definitely not always. She certainly didn't always follow advice or the rules. "Maybe sometimes." When it cames to emotions, rather than actions perhaps?
Was she changing for the better?
Again, Clint was probably instinctively laughing.
"Are you guys actually capable of dying?" It was hard not to be curious over that fact, since that last encounter they shared had Kate worrying and wonderin about Morpheus. Late at night or early in the morning, whenever she finally made it to be and she wasn't too tired to simply pass out, sometimes she thought about Dream. And even though knowing that the Dreaming was still alive and thriving, she couldnt' help but wonder about him.
At the question, she couldn't help but share another conspiratory look with Matthew. "Oh, there's nothing wrong. But... Black for a whole eternity?"
"Yes. We are capable of dying. It is not a death quite like you might understand it, though." He took another slow, measured bite of his sandwich and sip of tea. Somehow the tea never went cold despite how long he was taking to finish it. "I am an aspect of my function. Should I cease to exist, another aspect would take my place. More like a change in a point of view. So long as there are dreamers, there will be a manifestation to rule the Dreaming. However, once the last dreamer in the galaxy dies, then I will cease to exist entirely. There will be no point of my existence without the function I serve." He said it quite matter-of-factly, because while the end of the galaxy is hopefully a long way off, it was something he always knew would come eventually.
He watched the look exchanged between them wryly. "It goes with everything." That was his story and he's sticking with it. "Death often wears black and nobody gives her grief about it."
Kate's own chewing slowed down as she took in Dream's words. This ancient knowledge on how the universe worked. Things beyond anything her mortal self would ever see and, things that were basic to her existence. All while eating her cheeseburger.
"I think I get it, yeah." The world kept going while things sometimes changed. "Guess it would be really awkward if your sister showed up one day telling you that you're dead."
Funny, how much simpler it is to discuss this now that she doesn't fear he might be gone. At least, for now, the Dream she knows is still here.
"Well, I don't know Death personally. Thankfully." A beat. "No offense towards her, she sounds super kind considering the job she has." Kate doubts she could take that role. Showing up at the office almost every day was challenging enough. "But a colorful Death can't be that bad."
"An aspect of me on another world has perished in the past. I sensed it of course, as we are all interconnected and exist at the same time. And in this world, my sister Despair has died once. Those are my only experiences thus far with the Endless perishing and yet, of course, persisting." A pause and his lips pursed before he added reluctantly, "And one of my siblings abandoned his realm, so. He is as good as dead, in some sense." It wasn't even turning his back on his family that bothered Dream so much, as he could think of many good reasons to want nothing to do with his family. No, it was abandoning his realm that stuck in Dream's craw the most.
"You have met Death, you simply do not remember it. Everyone meets her at least twice. At birth, and then at their end." It was a quirk that Dream always found interesting, that nobody remembered that first meeting with his sister. Yet when they saw her again, they eventually realized they did know her, and knew who she was. "She is colorful in personality, if not attire. Out of all my siblings, she is the one people fear most and yet the most personable of us all." He was far more terrible than Death, he could say that for certainty.
Kate frowned lightly as Dream namedropped another one of his siblings. Despair? Suddenly, he imagined him and a bunch of colorful beings sitting inside of someone's head, with a panel control and colorful spheres like the ones in Inside-Out.
She tried her best not to let those thoughst distract her too much.
But whenever Dream explained more about his family and the way the universe worked, it was easy to dedicate him her full attention. After all, there was something definitely reassuring about thinking that Death was something familiar and kind. It even helped Kate feel better about her own loses. To think that her father met someone that woke soem vague memories and offered kind words before she helped him through that last journey.
It didn't mean she missed him any less, but this knowledge was another gift on itself.
"Can a person actually meet Death without, hummm, actually dying?" Or being born, apparently.
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timeasmymeasure
with the coconut, how could you resist? XD These perfect little details give me life <3
Date: 2025-07-07 11:01 pm (UTC)Just in case.
"Orange and pineapple juice it is," at least, serving her raven friend came as a good distraction. As so did Dream's question.
"Huh, well, I do get some stuff for him from time to time, but Matt sort of has a particular palate." She had given him Doritos and Takis once. It was still one of her highlights in their relationship so far. "I always make sure to have -- Oh, there's oat milk if you want that instea of juice, Matthew." Kate had only unscrewed the lid so far anyway. "Sorry, I keep it for his drinks but then almost forget it's there." She turned to Dream then. "Do you want some with your tea?"
It wasn't a real shocker to hear Dream wasn't too thrilled with the Balloon Museum, but the plan to all of them go together to some play? That, she could arrange. "Well, I'm pretty sure there's a new season of 'Skakespeare at the Park' in C.P." She offered. "Even Matthew could join us then." A beat. "Unless Shakespeare is not your thing."
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Date: 2025-07-07 11:35 pm (UTC)Dream, however, did take some cream in his tea. He normally went with real cream, but living in the Dreaming, well he'd certainly heard of stranger items to eat or drink than oat milk. He wasn't bothered by the substitute. "Thank you." He noted how interwoven Kate's life was with her consort's. How enthusiastically she shared her space and presumably his. He was both glad for his friend, and he felt an aching inside at how he'd recently torn down the rooms he'd built for Nada. For several beings before that. Somehow in all his lifetimes he couldn't get what appeared so easy to work.
He certainly knew that he was in large part to blame, even if he didn't want to accept it.
Trying to brush that melancholy aside, he focused on what she said next. A small, pleased expression briefly passed across his face. "Not all of Will's plays were my favorites, but he did possess a particular talent. He would be very gratified to know that humanity was still performing his work. That was all he wanted. A legacy to leave behind." A beat. "He even performed for the Fae once, to tie in our earlier talk."
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Date: 2025-07-09 08:02 pm (UTC)Careful as she didn't want the fizz to pour out or splash her feathery friend, she held the can away as she popped it open, quickly holding it in for a sip after that. The cold bubbles almost tickled in her mouth as Kate drank.
She would have choked on it all if by now she wasn't used to Dream and the things that came out of his mouth sometimes.
"Shakespeare. Of course you know the man himself." She had to wonder, how many dreams had his verses inspired over the years. Had that made Morpheus' work any easier? Like being offered patterns on how to do your work. "Humanity definitely still appreciates his work. Have you watched '10 Things I Hate About You'? That's the real deal."
However, if they were to enjoy their day in Earth, shouldn't she try an offer and new experience for Dream? If that was even possible. Was it possible? How can you surprise someone who lives in the world that feeds imagination itself?
"I'm sure we can find some original play," she offered. "Who knows, you might befriend a new author."
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Date: 2025-07-09 08:15 pm (UTC)"I try not to interfere in your realm too often." Dream's finger lightly trailed along the rim of the mug, his only movement. "It is a fine line, being part of your world and influencing it." Something Death managed with such grace and balance, and someone like Desire in Dream's opinion abused. "I suppose I just... I heard him talking one night. He so desperately wanted to hold a mirror up to the soul, to say something that held meaning. He wanted to tell stories that would not only speak to the heart, but unfold what dreams lay within." Dream sounded baffled, bemused, and a touch inspired himself as he talked about his old colleague. It had been so impossibly human, that night listening to Will. "I found him... intriguing."
There had been a few mortals over the years who had perplexed Dream, who had caught his attention beyond the empathy he felt in general for those under his domain.
Hob. Shakespeare. Thessaly. Nada. Constantine. Kate.
"I suppose... you have intrigued me, too."
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Date: 2025-07-09 08:43 pm (UTC)Then, turning towards Matthew, Kate added something in mere whispers. "I was sure he based his whole aesthetic on The Crow." As if to prove it, she waved a hand towards the raven.
Moving to sit on top of her desk instead, Kate's feet no longer touched the floor. She swung her legs, putting images in her head as Dream described what Shakespeare had been like. A desperate romantic. Literally a drama king. Probably one of those cases in which its better not to meet your heroes.
"I'm sorry," she huffed out a breath, clearly barely able to conceal her shock. "Did you just put me in the same category as freaking Shakespeare?"
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Date: 2025-07-09 09:00 pm (UTC)Matthew chuckled at Kate's quip, offering back, "I was gonna go with The Smiths but yeah, I like yours better."
Dream chose not to entertain either of them.
It should however come as no surprise that Dream was drawn to the theatre kid in the room, be it Shakespeare or someone else. He had fond memories of the man, even if in retrospect, he knew it had been a rather poor showing on his part to abandon Hob for a night drinking and chatting with the young playwright. Like so many other times, Hob had seemed to forgive Dream. A part of him was glad that he wouldn't miss out on another meeting with his friend.
Dream shifted a little, uncomfortable as always when he seemed to stir a strong emotion in someone else. "We are colleagues, are we not? You have proven yourself to be someone worth knowing. Though granted, in your case, it is not for artistic merit."
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Date: 2025-07-09 09:23 pm (UTC)"I'm gonna have to check out The Smiths now," she pointed out to Matthew as Dream pretended to ignore them.
Even though if, broody and moody as he seemed, he never offered Kate anything but kindness between his moments of silence.
"Well, yeah." And Kate wasn't humble to pretend she didn't have his talents. Not even when fishing for compliments. "It just feels a little crazy to think I'm in the same league as one of the most iconic people in history." She turned to Matthew, puckering her lips as she nodded in playful appreciation. "I mean, I'll take it!"
Still, there was a genuine surprise there. She was clearly touched.
"Guess it's already a pretty priviliged club I'm in here. You know, being friends with the King of the Dreaming himself." God, she sounded like a suck up, but it was the truth! "You know, it really means a lot to me that you showed up the last time. Even if you haven't offered a gift, it would have still meant a lot," she explained. "It means a lot that you guys are here now, too."
It should go without saying. But Kate was the kind of person that felt like love was to be shared, it was good to say it outloud when someone meant something to you. As much as complimenting a stranger. Those little things could go a long way.
"Anyway, I've been meaning to ask --"
And yet, before she could say anything, there was a knocking at her door. Maggie was there with a couple of bags in her hand. "Here's lunch, Miss Bishop."
"Kate," she quickly corrected as she slipped off her desk. "God, these guys are so fast. I love this place."
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Date: 2025-07-09 09:37 pm (UTC)He studied Maggie as she passed off the bag of food to Kate. His head gave an almost imperceptible nod. She stared at him a moment, brow furrowed like she was faintly trying to figure out why something about him felt a touch familiar, why looking at him brought up memories long since locked away, but then she shrugged and smiled before leaving them.
Turning back to the table, Dream leaned forward. He opened the bag and passed out the meals. Pancakes for Matthew, full of syrup and butter. What Kate had ordered Dream handed to her. Then he settled the chicken sandwich in front of himself. It was nicely battered, with crisp tomato and arugula instead of regular lettuce, along with a spicy mayo and pickles. Without saying a word, Dream opened the bun and gave some of the pickles to Matthew. A wordless exchange that bespoke that this was not the first time it happened. Matthew gave a happy caw and dug in, not finding it weird to eat pickles on the side of pancakes.
Looking back at Kate, Dream said, "You were about to inquire about something."
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Date: 2025-07-09 10:36 pm (UTC)Representing her kind.
Dream had a point when he said that sometimes it didn't take the most famous people in humanity to know the true value of people. Sure, in some cases there was a poetic justice when the world celebrated people like Natasha Romanoff, a woman who seemed destined to remain in the shadows but who's name meant nothing but hope and gratitude these days.
So many people wouldn't be celebrated like she was. Would Matt ever reveal his secret identity? Would people remember Peter Parker or would he be immortalized as Spider-Man? In Kate's book, with or without the mask, Peter represented everything that was good about humanity.
She could see Dreams' point now.
Grabbing the packet with her cheesburger and fries, Kate was a little surprised to see Dream like this. Sure, she had grown used to their little encounters, but so many of them involved these crazy missions or simply strolling through fantastic fields. This was Dream, making himself a cup of tea or helping with lunch.
"When it comes to people's dreams, do you like swear secrecy or something like that?"
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Date: 2025-07-09 10:59 pm (UTC)"I do not share one person's dreams with another, no. That would be a betrayal of their unconscious," Dream confirmed with a single nod of his head. "The only instance where I would consider it is if the person wanted their dream shared for a particular reason." That really didn't happen, but he supposed that if Hob desperately wanted Dream to let his dreams by known to his new girlfriend, Dream would share their details. "Most people want to keep their dreams for themselves, or share them personally. Why do you ask?"
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Date: 2025-07-09 11:13 pm (UTC)"Well, I wouldn't ask for details," she started after swallowing a big bite of her burger. Even as she reached for a fry she did a good job at pretending she couldn't see what Matthew was doing. "But I was wondering if you could tell me if my mom is having good dreams."
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Date: 2025-07-09 11:24 pm (UTC)"I cannot talk about another's dreams, Kate." His tone was final, though soft. Frost cresting over the sharp tip of a mountain, to soften the edge with its coldness. There was a momentary pause before he added, "Perhaps it is something you might ask her yourself, though. If you are wondering about her, this is not likely to abate the more you don't seek answers. At least if you face her again you will know whether it was the right or wrong decision." Until then, it would remain an eternal What If, which was the domain of dreams and not meant to be a way to get through days of the living.
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Date: 2025-07-10 10:37 am (UTC)Honestly, she could only hope that every being as powerful as Morpheus is shares also his work ethics.
"It's okay, I get it." She told him as soon as he reminded her of his rules. But, it was after Dream reminded her that there was other ways to find the answers that she could do little but stare at him in surprise. Well, that was her own words, her own point, all shoved right back to her face. Sometimes, when there's distance between you and an issue, you can give the best kind of advice. And Dream just did that.
"That's true. I've... Sort of heard this before. But I keep delaying seeing my mom. Telling myself I'm too busy to do it or to even think about it." Avoiding it is so much easier.
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Date: 2025-07-10 12:25 pm (UTC)"It would appear that you are not too busy to think about it." He said it simply and plainly, pointing out the obvious. Slowly he took another bite of the sandwich and a sip of tea. "What are you afraid of facing when you see her once more?" It was perhaps not a question most of polite society might boldly ask, but Dream didn't always play by normal society rules.
Matthew hopped closer to Kate, laying a wing on her arm for a moment. "Listen, as someone who died randomly before getting any of his shit together, don't delay things too long. 'cause now I get to help fix other people's problems but not everything I wanted to get fixed, you know?" He felt Dream's eyes on him as he said that. Dream had been very clear that Matthew had to severe all his past ties to the waking world, and Matthew had done that. It didn't make it any easier, though.
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Date: 2025-07-10 07:20 pm (UTC)"Shit, Morph, you really don't hold back your punches," she groaned as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Matthew took the chance to approach her and, while he was being nothing but kind with his advice, it was still a tough pill to swallow.
"I..." Kate took a deep breath, for once avoiding Dream's dark and profound gaze. "I know. I know what you guys are saying." At least, what the raven did. Morpheus seemed to be genuinelly asking, wondering about Kate's reasoning to avoid her mom. "I know I should live life at the fullest and I shouldn't waste my time. I already lost my dad." And back when Fisk wanted to blackmail her mother, the possibility of losing Eleanor had become a terrifying reality.
But how to explain what was holding her back right now?
"I know I'm not too busy, but I'm busy enough to convince myself that there's other things I should be worrying about first." Even though she did some basic work on the fundraiser and the office, unless there was an unavoidable meeting then Kate could get away with sneaking back home whenever she pleased. Of course, she tried to do the basic hours almost every day, even if sometimes she did arrive a little later if her night had been specially rough.
Fisk and the task force, she told herself, was something she should be worrying about first.
Her relationship with Matt too, that had been her light at the end of the tunnel. A distraction that was all too sweet to ignore, luring her away from her latest worries.
Anything was easier than thinking about her mother.
"I guess -- I guess it's easier telling myself that at some point I'm gonna reach out, but that it's never the right moment to do it." Would there ever be a right moment? "It's kinda tough to think of facing her. I do miss her. I do miss who my mom used to be before I figured out that she'd done all those horrible things."
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Date: 2025-07-10 08:21 pm (UTC)Like leaving a lover in Hell for 10,000 years, or leaving an estranged son wanting to die for several millennia.
He could empathize with Kate's avoidance, but he couldn't say it would end happily because of it. In his experience, the longer the delay, the worse off the situation became. Although, Eleanor was the one who'd hurt Kate, unlike Dream who'd inflicted the pain of his estranged loved ones. That added an extra layer of guilt into the mix on his end that he was trying not to let influence his talk with her.
What if he'd dealt with Orpheus sooner, before that tragic night where his body had been torn apart? Pride and fear had caused the torment of the being he loved more than anyone.
His gaze was no longer on her. It was somewhere far past both of them.
"Time may heal some wounds, but other times, it causes them."
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Date: 2025-07-10 11:13 pm (UTC)He didn't want her to have regrets.
"Yeah, I get it," she was quick to point out, after she finally dared to give that fry a bite. "I know I need to listen. That you've seen it all and you know better." That she looked a little moody herself, that she seemed to have captured a little of his normal vibe by falling quite quiet herself. But in all honesty? She knew this was out of love.
Grabbing a fry, she reminded herself of how Matthew had attempted to steal one while she wasn't supposed to be looking. This time she openly offered it.
"I already have someone who offered me to be there for me if I can't do it on my own. I know I need to get my shit together and go for it. With him or on my own." Kate had the strenght. As much as she wanted Matt to be there. "I know mom may have changed, but I also know she still wants to look after me. That everyone deserves a second chance."
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Date: 2025-07-12 02:06 pm (UTC)Matthew took the fry and held it in one of his feet while he started to chomp on it from the other end. How a bird with just a beak managed to eat all that Matthew did was indeed some magic of the Dreaming.
"We're big on second chances, yeah. I mean hey, I guess you could even call ending up a raven as a second chance." That was at least a positive way to approach it.
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Date: 2025-07-13 04:52 am (UTC)Sure, it's not like her situation with her mother was now any easier. But it was easier to accept that she did miss Elanor. And that, even though there was no wrongs or rights here? At least reaching out wouldn't bring her the worst of regrets. This advice, coming from someone as old as Morpheus and that has seen as much as him? That, oddly enough, gave Kate some comfort. Because, as independant as she claimed to be, sometimes it was nice to be told which is the best road to take. To stop worrying about those worries themselves.
"I'll reach out," she finally told the pair. "Thank you, guys. I kinda... Was just set on avoiding this." And even though things wouldn't be any easier between her and Eleanor, now at least she did have the drive to swallow this bitter pill. "But your opinons matter to me. A whole deal, I promise you."
Grabbing a fry of her own, Kate ate half of it in a bite.
"Like, no offense, but advice doesn't get any better than when it comes from someone as old as you are, Morph." A beat. Kate couldn't help but sharing a look with his raven. "Unless we are talking about fashion advice."
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Date: 2025-07-13 12:43 pm (UTC)He took a small sip of tea, an eyebrow raised over the cup at what else Kate said. Glancing down at his long black coat, black pants, and black boots, he questioned, "What is wrong with my attire?" Surely everything still went with black. It was a style choice he hadn't changed in all the eons he'd been around in existence.
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Date: 2025-07-14 12:22 pm (UTC)Was she changing for the better?
Again, Clint was probably instinctively laughing.
"Are you guys actually capable of dying?" It was hard not to be curious over that fact, since that last encounter they shared had Kate worrying and wonderin about Morpheus. Late at night or early in the morning, whenever she finally made it to be and she wasn't too tired to simply pass out, sometimes she thought about Dream. And even though knowing that the Dreaming was still alive and thriving, she couldnt' help but wonder about him.
At the question, she couldn't help but share another conspiratory look with Matthew. "Oh, there's nothing wrong. But... Black for a whole eternity?"
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Date: 2025-07-14 03:28 pm (UTC)He watched the look exchanged between them wryly. "It goes with everything." That was his story and he's sticking with it. "Death often wears black and nobody gives her grief about it."
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Date: 2025-07-14 04:03 pm (UTC)"I think I get it, yeah." The world kept going while things sometimes changed. "Guess it would be really awkward if your sister showed up one day telling you that you're dead."
Funny, how much simpler it is to discuss this now that she doesn't fear he might be gone. At least, for now, the Dream she knows is still here.
"Well, I don't know Death personally. Thankfully." A beat. "No offense towards her, she sounds super kind considering the job she has." Kate doubts she could take that role. Showing up at the office almost every day was challenging enough. "But a colorful Death can't be that bad."
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Date: 2025-07-15 12:40 pm (UTC)"You have met Death, you simply do not remember it. Everyone meets her at least twice. At birth, and then at their end." It was a quirk that Dream always found interesting, that nobody remembered that first meeting with his sister. Yet when they saw her again, they eventually realized they did know her, and knew who she was. "She is colorful in personality, if not attire. Out of all my siblings, she is the one people fear most and yet the most personable of us all." He was far more terrible than Death, he could say that for certainty.
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Date: 2025-07-15 02:42 pm (UTC)She tried her best not to let those thoughst distract her too much.
But whenever Dream explained more about his family and the way the universe worked, it was easy to dedicate him her full attention. After all, there was something definitely reassuring about thinking that Death was something familiar and kind. It even helped Kate feel better about her own loses. To think that her father met someone that woke soem vague memories and offered kind words before she helped him through that last journey.
It didn't mean she missed him any less, but this knowledge was another gift on itself.
"Can a person actually meet Death without, hummm, actually dying?" Or being born, apparently.
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