#learn about Pavonis

[delta-pavonis]

AO3 Wrapped (Author's Edition)

Saw @tj-dragonblade's post and decided to reflect on 2024 on this first day of 2025 (also I just love data!).

Fics posted in 2024 (in chronological order): (Dreamling and complete unless otherwise specified) Another Song (incomplete) show me who I am Placebo Effect you might be the answer to the sinner in me Quaternion Military Offensive Slip Edition let me taste your silhouette (I loved a certain person ardently and my love was not return’d, Yet out of that I have written these songs) Special Exhibition Sold Parasomnia my mona lisa there were no secrets in his fingertips no fate(for you are my fate something in the way you're looking through my eyes (Adrian Tepes/Olrox, Castlevania: Nocturne) Dossier 54392 do I have to die to hear you miss me? (incomplete) Solar Futhark feel your ocean (come to my moon) Petrification wild horses (incomplete) can't take it back once it's been set in motion (Jayvik, incomplete) crawling back to you (incomplete)

2024 Stats Works Published: 24 Work Subscriptions: 348 Kudos: 3,900 Comment Threads: 913 Bookmarks: 790 Hits: 34,000 Word Count: 231,451

Top 3 fics of 2024 by kudos: Placebo Effect (492) Sold (261) Dossier 54392 (255)

Top 3 fics of 2024 by word count: something in the way you're looking through my eyes (26,677) Quaternion (16,767) you might be the answer to the sinner in me (16,638)

Top 3 ships (there only are three!): Dreamling (Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling from The Sandman) Alucard | Adrian Tepes/Olrox (from the Castlevania series, specifically Castlevania: Nocturne) Jayvik (Jayce Talis/Viktor from Arcane) [weird side note: apparently I am repping Netflix HARD in my ships. huh.]

Top 5 tags: Alternate Universe - Human (15) Anal Sex (14) Oral Sex (13) Dom/sub (12) BDSM (9)

[delta-pavonis]

Update on my Sainthood. Right now the scoreboard looks as follows:

Pavonis is Patron Saint of...

the Compelling Gaze

Smut

Kink

Kinky Smut

I am continuing to take votes via Asks because I find this fucking hysterical. Absolutely sitting here cackling to myself. Amazing.

Reblog if you want anon messages of what you would be the patron saint of

[delta-pavonis]

AHHH EVERYONE IS POSTING CENTENNIAL HUSBANDS BIG BANG FICS AND I AM SO BUSY WITH WORK I WANT TO CRY AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO POST MY FIC AND ITS AMAZING ART UNTIL SUNDAY AND I AM SO TIRED OF ALL THIS WORK I JUST WANT TO READ AND WRITE FIC FOR FOREVER AND AND AND AND AND AND *flops over*

[ifishouldvanish]

Vanish's Alurox Starter Pack

Hey y'all 👋

Has the line "not the first time you saved my life" been haunting your every waking moment since you watched Castlevania Nocturne Season 2??

Do you find yourself consumed with thoughts about what Alucard and Olrox might be like together??? Of what might have been? Of what could still yet be?

Because I and approximately 2.5 other people on this webbed site have been shipping these two since season 1 first came out, and I have a small backlog of content to help scratch your itch for more Alurox.

FANFICS

There are like, a whopping 5 Nocturne Alurox fics on AO3 🫠 But here's an even smaller selection for your reading pleasure:

Too Much Conversation by @fallloverfic (E) | The first Nocturne Alurox fic ever! Olrox came to Machecoul to accept an invitation from Erzsebet Bàthory—But what if Alucard had gotten to him first, and he made a trip to Wallachia instead?

Until The Sun Rises Again by yours truly (E) | I have a longfic focused on these two that I've been updating monthly for like a year 🫠 it's basically a continuation of where season 1 left off, with the gang + Olrox cloistered at the castle looking for a way to stop Erzsebet. In the process, they slowly develop an attraction to each other—a development that leaves Alucard conflicted with guilt.

Something in the way you're looking through my eyes by @delta-pavonis (E) | This is actually a fanfic of my fanfic. And it's filthy and kinky and delicious. Expanded my mind to all the smutty possibilities for sure. Mind the tags ;)

META & RAMBLINGS

Because sometimes you just gotta wax poetic about Them.

"Do you ever think about how both series are kicked off by a powerful vampire losing the one they love most?"

What Alucard and Olrox can learn from each other

Alucard the Myth; Olrox the 'Dragon'

Recovering the lost parts of themselves

My Ship in Five Minutes: Alurox Edition

The Sun and Moon

Loving again after loss

[unpredictable-probabilities]

The Pleasures of Dreaming and Waking

Summary:

Hob spends time with Dream after a long week at work. As they chat over their usual table, they grow more comfortable in expressing their fantasies and endeavour to explore them.

Notes:

Inspired by this fic written by @delta-pavonis <3

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,716

Square/Prompt: B3 - Somnophilia |  @dreamlingbingo

Ship(s): Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Hob Gadling

Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Kissing, Neck Kissing, Making Out, Nipple Play, Smut, Eldritch Sex, Light Bondage, Consensual Somnophilia, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Orgasm Edging, Multiple Orgasms, Sweet, Sweet/Hot, Cuddling & Snuggling, Naked Cuddling, Post-Coital Cuddling, Porn Without Plot, Porn With Feelings

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59931001

———

The sounds of conversations combined with the clinking of cutlery and soft footsteps is making Hob sleepy.

He had a long week at work and only managed to catch a break now that it's Friday; he stifles a yawn behind his hand and mumbles thanks to the waiter that just brought their order to their table.

“Are you well, my love? You seem exhausted.” A frown creases Dream’s forehead, and Hob still marvels at how Dream is more comfortable with expressing his emotions now, especially since they started dating three months ago; a fact that Hob still has trouble believing if he thinks about it too hard.

Hob nods and straightens up in his seat, trying to blink the fatigue out of his eyes. “I'm alright, love, don't worry. Just pretty knackered with finals week coming up. Been up late catching up on grading papers and all that.”

“You should have informed me sooner. We could always meet in my realm while your physical body rests.”

“Yeah, but I'm quite fond of this place,” Hob admits. “This table is where I was sitting when you first came back. I like talking with you here.”

“You are stubbornly sentimental,” Dream chides, though there's an unmistakable smile on his lips.

“You love it,” Hob says pointedly, taking some chips from the basket.

Dream makes a sound that might have been a chuckle. “Very well. What woes did you experience in the world of academia today? I have heard it is part of unwinding to talk about how one’s day has gone.”

“You learned that in one of those relationship books you read in your library?” He walked in on Dream reading that sort of book once in the Dreaming during their first month of dating. Dream vanished the book in an instant when he saw Hob, but Hob had been so endeared that he had pushed Dream against the shelf and kissed him senseless.

“Perhaps.” Dream drinks from his mug of hot chocolate to hide his face, but not before Hob sees the subtle pink on his cheeks.

Hob grins and reaches for Dream’s hand resting on the table, fiddling idly with the cuff of his sleeve. “Nothing remarkable happened, at this point even the students were just waiting for the weekend so classes were rather quiet. Then afterwards I went with some of my colleagues to that pub near the university, and we just traded mindless gossip to purge our brains of essays and staff meetings.”

Dream turns his hand so his palm is facing up, and he brushes his thumb back and forth on Hob's wrist as he speaks. “I am sure the other patrons enjoyed hearing gossip from academics.”

“I'm not so sure I did, honestly. My mate Nick runs his mouth after a few pints, and I didn't need to hear that he had a wet dream about our colleague from the Arts department. Does that fall under your jurisdiction, by the way? You just know whenever someone's fantasising in their dream?” Hob has already asked a lot of questions about Dream and his function, which Dream always answers with some degree of amusement, but Hob still feels like there's so much more to learn.

“I am able to see into someone's dreams should I wish, but unless a nightmare is crossing a line in troubling them or other similar concerns, I have no obligation nor desire to do so. And any fantasies they might have are created by their own minds.” Dream pauses and tilts his head slightly to the side. “Do you wish for us to do the same? To share such intimacies in my realm?”

Hob feels his face warm and he chuckles. He still gets caught off-guard by how direct Dream can be nowadays. “I thought you said you can't read minds?”

“I can sense daydreams. And yours are often loud.” The corner of his lips tilts up in a smirk.

“Well, can you blame me? People dream about that kind of stuff all the time, but for you and me, it would be real. It would actually be you.”

Dream’s smile disappears and he seems to hesitate, his face becoming guarded.

“Hey,” Hob says gently, stroking Dream’s arm with his fingers. “We don't have to, okay? All the sex we have here in the Waking is already perfectly amazing.”

“Crude.” Dream's eyes twinkle in amusement and he seems to relax. He pauses for a moment before continuing. “You have seen my form in my realm. How… different. I look.”

Hob raises an eyebrow. “You mean being paler and taller than an average human and having galaxies for eyes? And wearing that sinful robe that would be considered indecent in the streets of London?”

Dream lowers his gaze and is obviously trying to suppress a smile. “I am trying to be serious, Hob.”

“Oh I'm perfectly serious. I'm surprised you didn't sense my daydreams whenever we walked around your realm with you wearing that thing.”

“I… did. But.” Dream trails off, his fingers tapping restlessly on the inside of Hob’s arm.

“What's wrong?” Hob rarely sees Dream be so hesitant.

“I am… afraid. To hurt you, in my realm. If we engage in physical intimacy.”

Hob’s eyebrows lift in surprise. “Hurt me? You could never hurt me, love.”

“I might.” Dream’s voice sounds strained with worry. “In my realm I am… more. In the throes of passion I might lose control of my humanoid form.” He looks right at Hob. “You inspire such greed in me, Hob Gadling. I will have you for as long as it takes until I am sated.”

Hob swallows, his mouth suddenly dry. If Dream intends to discourage him by what he just said, he's spectacularly failing. “So exactly as we always do it, then?” he manages to say lightly.

Dream huffs out a chuckle. “You are not daunted at all.” He sounds almost impressed.

“‘Course not,” Hob says easily. “Is it something that you want, though?”

Dream nods slowly. “I have thought of it. More than once. I should like to have you in my bed, at the heart of my palace. So the very essence of our ardour seeps into each fibre of my realm, that none may doubt my affections for you.”

Hob takes a shaky breath, unable to look away from Dream. They should probably be talking about this somewhere more private, but right now the most prominent thought in Hob's mind is if Dream wants it just as much as he does then why haven't they done it yet.

“Okay, okay,” Hob says mainly to calm himself. “Since we both want the same thing, is there any way I can make you more comfortable with the idea? We can use safe words, and I bet you can sense anyway if I feel like something’s too much for me.”

“I am uncertain about that. I have never been able to sense your discomfort in any of our couplings.”

“That's because I've never felt any discomfort, love. Like I said, everything we've done has been amazing, and I think you know by now that you're not the only one who can get greedy,” Hob says cheekily.

A smile curves Dream’s lips. “That is a fair point.”

“I know. So then. Um…” Hob looks around at the pub. “D’you wanna go upstairs and talk about it?”

“You are not too tired?”

“Oh believe me, I'm more awake now than I've been all week.” Hob calls over one of the waiters and tells him that they're taking their food to go.

“Eager, beloved?” Dream raises an eyebrow playfully after the waiter leaves.

“No more than you, Your Majesty.”

Dream makes a low humming noise in his chest that might have been a purr or a growl. Either way, it's definitely a sound of approval and that's all Hob needs to practically drag Dream upstairs as soon as they get their takeout bag.

Hob takes a shower first because he's not sleeping with his boyfriend while carrying the grime of public transport, nevermind that it's the quickest shower he's ever taken in his life.

When he gets out of the bathroom wearing a fresh shirt and sweatpants, he sees Dream on his bed wearing black silk pyjamas, sitting up against a pillow and reading Lord of the Rings. The whole image is so soft that it makes Hob’s chest ache.

“I like seeing you like this,” Hob says as he sits next to Dream.

“On your bed?”

“Relaxed.” Hob kisses the tip of Dream's nose. “Do you still want to talk about it?”

Dream nods. “Do you?”

“Yeah. Thanks for waiting while I showered.”

“You were not gone long. I had not even finished the chapter I was reading.” Dream closes the book and puts it on the nightstand. “I still do not know what happens after Frodo and Sam meet Merry and Pippin.”

“Oh, should I shower for longer then so you can continue reading?”

“If you step in that shower again I should be inclined to join you.”

“Talk first,” Hob says firmly, rather proud of himself for declining such a tempting offer. Granted, he declined in favour of a much more tempting one. “How'd you feel about safe words?” he turns to his side to more comfortably face Dream, folding a knee under him.

“They could prove to be useful, yes. What words do you recommend?”

“We can use the traffic light system. Green means continue, yellow means slow down, red means stop immediately.”

Dream considers for a moment. “And you promise to use them with no hesitation?”

“Yeah,” Hob nods. “And you should too.”

Dream slowly blinks at him, looking surprised.

“You can use them too,” Hob clarifies. “You're allowed to say if you're uncomfortable, yeah?”

Dream is silent for a few moments, forehead creased in thought. Then he slowly nods. “Alright. And I should like to give you control to shape the Dreaming.”

“What?” Now it's Hob's turn to be surprised.

“My realm is tied to my temperament. I may cause a storm without meaning to. Or an earthquake. While you might not be powerful enough to stop these things entirely, you will have the ability to shape the environment to conjure whatever shelter best suits your comfort.”

The first thought in Hob's mind is how utterly sweet Dream is to even think of granting him that much power over his realm; Hob is aware that that much trust given to him is not to be taken lightly.

The second thought following closely after is that Hob wants to see just how much he can make Dream lose control while sharing his bed. He wonders if he can pleasure Dream enough for him to make actual fireworks appear.

Dream chuckles and rests his forehead against Hob’s. “Your priorities continue to fascinate me, Hob Gadling.”

“Shall I show you how fascinating I can be, then?” Hob reaches up to run his fingers along the collar of Dream's silk shirt.

Dream purrs low in his chest and holds the back of Hob’s neck to slot their lips together.

Hob groans softly and clenches his fist into the fabric of Dream's shirt, pulling him down to lie on top of him.

“I thought you wished to do this in my realm,” Dream says playfully against his lips, pupils already blown.

“Still do. Take me there then, my lord.”

There’s sand and the familiar feeling of drifting off to sleep, and then all at once Hob feels a different bed under him, smooth as satin and softer than goosefeathers.

Dream is looming over him, his black robe nearly slipping off a pale shoulder. His blue eyes flicker down to Hob’s clothes, running over them with a curious gaze.

Hob looks down and realises that he’s wearing a bottle-green robe, loosely tied at the waist and with nothing else underneath. “I owned something like this back then,” he recalls. “In the 1500s, I think. It was always comfortable.”

Dream nods in approval and noses along the line of Hob’s jaw. “Good. Here you shall have every comfort.” He sinks his teeth in the skin beneath Hob’s ear with just enough pressure to make him shiver.

“I wish I could carry your marks with me to the Waking,” Hob says breathlessly.

Dream pulls back to meet his eyes, and for a second Hob wonders if had said something wrong.

“If you truly wish it, I can extend my consciousness to my physical form currently sleeping beside yours. I will make love to you in the Waking as I do here. And you will have my marks until your body heals them away.”

Hob feels his eyes widen, his heart thumping in his chest. And once again he wonders why they’d never done this before. “Will I be able to feel what you do to my physical body? Even here?”

Dream considers it. “I can put your consciousness in the liminal space between sleeping and waking, just enough for you to feel my touch in your realm. Is this what you wish?”

“Yes,” Hob whispers, absently realising that he has his hands clenched into fists on Dream’s robe.

“Very well.”

Dream closes his eyes, and suddenly Hob feels smooth hands trail slowly up his thighs, even when Dream hasn��t moved at all. Cool fingers wrap around his cock and he gasps, hips jerking up against Dream’s thigh.

“Did you vanish my clothes?”

“I did not think you would need them.” There’s an edge to Dream’s smile, and when he opens his eyes the blue has vanished too, replaced by pools of black with brilliant stars at the center.

Hob pulls him down for a kiss, and Dream opens up immediately. Hob loses himself in the feeling of their tongues against each other and Dream’s body undulating above him. They both still have their robes on, but Hob can feel a hand slowly stroking his cock, a mouth around his nipple. He hears a whimper that might have been his but never felt it leave his throat.

“Dream,” Hob gasps, hips stuttering against Dream’s thigh. The sensations in the Waking haven’t stopped, but with most of his consciousness here in the Dreaming they all feel distant, like a vivid memory that can never live up to the real thing. “Touch me. Here.”

“As my love commands.” Dream unties Hob’s robe with one hand before pressing their lips together again.

Hob sighs against the kiss as he feels Dream’s hand caress his torso, gliding lower and kneading the flesh of his thigh. He wraps his arms around Dream’s neck, runs his fingers through soft midnight hair that seems constantly ruffled by wind despite the lack of any breeze.

The sensations in the Waking stop abruptly, and before Hob could begin to wonder why, he feels teeth sink into the inside of his thigh.

“Ah!” Hob arches his back, breaking the kiss and pulling Dream’s hair. His cock twitches and he feels the heat of Dream’s mouth wrap around him—in the Waking. Hob moans in frustration, his cock hanging heavy and neglected in the open air. “Do you even have plans to fuck me here?”

“I am marking you in the Waking. That is what you wish, is it not?” Dream rakes his nails lightly across Hob’s chest, scraping a nipple and making Hob twitch.

“Just in the Waking? What happened to being greedy?” Hob quickly bunches up Dream’s robes, thrilled to find that there’s not a stitch of clothing underneath. He grabs Dream’s bare arse and pulls him flush against his groin.

Dream throws his head back with a shaky gasp, his eyes fluttering close.

Hob pulls him down and mouths at pale clavicles, licks at Dream’s icy throat and nips at his jawline.

Dream surges down to kiss him, and at the same time Hob feels his thighs being spread open in the Waking.

Dream's tongue reaches into him from both ends, soft and slick and far longer than any human tongue should be.

Hob squirms as he feels Dream’s tongue move inside him in the Waking, feeling full and empty all at once. He grips the back of Dream's neck, ruts against his cock.

Dream makes a wounded noise and returns the enthusiasm, grinding down hard until Hob’s sure they're carving a dent into the plush cushions.

Hob feels precome on his belly, and he needs Dream inside him now but he also needs him to never stop moving.

And then Dream does stop, even his movements in the Waking.

Hob opens his eyes, mind clouded in a haze of confusion and lust. He sees Dream looking around their surroundings and blinking.

Hob begins to realise that even though they're still on the same cushions, they're no longer in Dream’s bedroom.

The ceiling made of a starry night sky is replaced with an elaborate mosaic of figures that might be deities, and the marble walls are now stained glass windows letting in colorful sunlight that dapples on the steps leading down from where he and Dream are.

Dream shifts to his side to give Hob room to sit up and look around. He realises that they're on a raised platform overlooking a great hall with long tables and tall double doors at the far end. They're the only ones here, and the vastness of the place has a solemn quiet to it.

“Where are we?” Hob’s voice echoes softly.

“You brought us here, beloved.”

“What?” Hob frowns and looks around again, paying more attention to the details.

The wall behind them is painted with doves and bells so intricately that Hob can almost hear them, and he suddenly recognises that the deities depicted on the ceiling are who the townspeople considered the gods of marriage from about six centuries ago.

“This is a wedding hall,” Hob breathes. I brought us here to shag on the altar.

Dream blinks at him slowly. “Why did you choose this place?”

“I didn't mean to,” Hob scratches the back of his head sheepishly. “I guess, um…” he feels his face warm up. He looks down and fidgets with the sheets. “I'm not proposing or anything, I don't even know what that would mean for you but… I s’pose I liked the symbolism of it. Us getting married…” He trails off and hesitantly meets Dream’s gaze again.

Dream is looking at him in bewilderment, and Hob feels panic rise in his throat, images of a rainy night and a black figure storming off flashing in his mind.

“Look, I can't control what my brain thinks,” he hurriedly says. “You can whisk us back to your room—”

Dream moves and pins him down on the cushions, claiming his lips with teeth and tongue and the intensity of the birth of a star.

Hob’s body quickly gets back with the program, whatever he was feeling before they got interrupted by the location change has come back in full force, and then some.

He grunts when he feels Dream slip a finger inside him, the sensation so vivid that it takes him a second to realise that it's happening in the Waking. Dream adds another finger, slick with the lube that Hob keeps in his nightstand drawer, or possibly dreamstuff, Hob doesn't really care. He grinds down on empty air here in the Dreaming, a moan of pleasure and need escaping him.

“You wish to be united with me in this manner?” Dream is actually breathless, and his form is starting to blur at the edges like a freshly made oil painting hanging on a lord’s wall.

He has a subtle glow about him, and Hob can believe that it's coming from the stars in his eyes that seem to burn brighter now. His dark hair ripples softly as if underwater. It's as if one of the gods from the mosaic came to life just to loom over Hob and look at him with utter adoration, as if Hob is the one worthy of worship.

“Of course I do.” Hob threads his fingers through Dream’s hair, caresses his face, his shoulders. Marvelling at how he's allowed to touch a being such as this. “I'll have you in all the ways you would allow,” he says quietly, reverently.

Dream presses their foreheads together. “Hob.” The syllable drops from his lips like a prayer and then he's kissing Hob again, their robes vanishing in an instant.

Hob cups Dream’s face in his hands, his eyes falling close as he inhales the scent of rain and ozone and fresh ink on paper.

He feels Dream's fingers pull out of him in the Waking, and his stomach clenches in anticipation.

The familiar shape of Dream's cock teases at his rim, and Hob realises with a gasp that it's here in the Dreaming. 

Dream tenderly takes his hands and pins them beside his head on the pillow, their fingers lacing together.

Hob is already slick and soft and open, and his eyes roll back in his head when Dream slips in, filling him up inch by delicious inch as Dream’s lips move down to his neck. Their fingers remain intertwined, but Hob feels soft touches up and down his body, becoming more insistent as Dream thrusts deeper into him.

Hob’s eyes flutter open to see that shadows seem to be bleeding from Dream’s form, shaping into tendrils that act as his limbs. Hob doesn't even bother to try counting them, especially not when one tendril touches his nipple, flicking and rolling the hard nub until Hob is squirming and jerking his hips up to meet Dream’s thrusts.

The teeth that scrape and nip at his neck are definitely sharper than usual, and a shiver runs down Hob’s spine, prickling his skin with goosebumps and making his toes curl.

Dream tightens his grip on Hob's hands and slowly pulls out before slamming into him in both realms.

“AH–!” Hob arches his back, or tries to, but finds that the shadow tendrils are pinning him to the bed; wrapped around his waist, his arms, holding his thighs open as Dream continues to thrust into him.

Dream's face is pressed in the crook of Hob’s neck, making growling noises that could never come from a human throat.

Hob’s weeping cock twitches from what little friction Dream’s body is giving, unable to get any more of it no matter how much he strains against the tendrils. Dream slams into his prostate and Hob cries out a sob, tears forming in his eyes.

Dream slows down and pulls back to look at him, the tendrils loosening their hold. “Colour, my love?” His voice sounds wrecked.

“Green,” Hob whines, taking advantage of his mobility to raise his hips and take Dream deeper into him. “Green— Fuck, Please…”

Dream captures his lips in a searing kiss. The tendrils wrap around Hob once more, but this time they help him move, raising his hips to meet Dream each time, faster than what Hob would have been capable of on his own.

He can feel Dream's teeth on him in the Waking while he's being fucked into his own mattress; on his chest, his jawline, his neck, oh his neck, Dream is making good on his promise to mark him, sucking bruises onto the skin and soothing them with his tongue. When that tongue moves down to his nipples, Hob feels so keyed up that he can almost feel it in the Dreaming as well.

A tendril wraps around Hob’s cock and strokes him quickly while another one teases at the slit, and it's all too much and not nearly enough. Hob doesn't quite remember how to breathe, and he tightens his grip on Dream's hands as the tendrils manhandle him to buck and rut against his lover.

The air feels charged, like the moment before a lightning strike, and Dream is panting in Hob's ear as a sudden wind whistles through the wedding hall, the light from the stained glass windows changing colours rapidly as if the sun is moving erratically outside.

Seeing Dream so affected is what hurls Hob over the edge, and he comes with a roar that might have broken the windows but he can't hear anything else above his own voice and the pleasure lighting up his spine.

Dream speaks against his ear, soft lips almost caressing. “This dream is over.”

Hob slams back into the Waking with a strangled cry, frustration crashing over him when he realises that Dream has a hand wrapped around the base of his cock, stopping his release even as Dream repeatedly fucks into him, his other hand bracing himself on the bed for leverage.

The whiplash of going from a mind-shattering orgasm to his cock heavy with wanting has Hob going half-mad.

“Dream–!” he digs his nails into Dream’s back, squirming as he tries to get free of Dream's iron grip, only succeeding in deepening the angle of Dream inside him.

“Shall I fuck you into unconsciousness, my lover?” Dream is in his human form again but his blue eyes are no less piercing. “I can take you here, and in my realm, going back and forth until you can no longer distinguish between Dreaming and Waking. Giving you endless pleasure in my realm where you will not tire, and holding back your release here until I decide that I am done with you.”

A full-body shiver runs through Hob; Dream's voice only stokes the fire already burning Hob from the inside, his words making Hob’s cock ache and twitch in desperation.

“You are mine, Hob Gadling,” Dream's hips stutter out of rhythm before speeding up. “Not to capture nor possess. But to adore and—ah—cherish. Mine to care for. Mine to love.” His eyelids flutter and his breaths are coming in pants. “Just as I am yours. To do with as you please.”

He thrusts deep and Hob cries out, his nails raking red lines across Dream's back.

A flash of concern appears on Dream's face as he looks down at him.

“Green, green!” Hob screams before Dream could even think to slow down. “Dream, my love, please…” he whimpers.

“Yes,” Dream says breathlessly, leaning down to kiss him. “Your love. Yours,” he says against Hob’s lips. He deepens the kiss as he strokes Hob’s cock in time with his thrusts.

Hob clenches his hands into Dream's hair, moaning wantonly in his mouth as his hips buck up and down of their own accord.

“With me, my love,” Dream gasps. He slams into Hob’s prostate and twists his hand.

Hob's vision goes white and he screams, his body thrashing under Dream as he spills and spills between them. He hears Dream’s guttural cry in his ear and it only flings him higher into his peak, where nothing else exists except the two of them and Dream’s spend filling him up more than he thought possible.

Their embrace tightens as they shake and tremble, listening to the sound of each other’s breaths as they begin to calm down, their chests heaving.

Dream gently slips out of him and they both groan at the sensation. “Have I fulfilled your expectations, my love?” he asks quietly, brushing away a lock of hair that had stuck to the sweat on Hob’s forehead.

Hob’s brain takes a few moments to understand the question. “Have… What…” he tries to form a coherent sentence while still catching his breath. “I only ever expect for both of us to feel good, and I think we'd been pretty vocal about that just now.”

Dream smiles, a soft thing that brightens up his face. “Indeed. And now, you must sleep,” he brushes a thumb across Hob's cheekbone. “You have been exhausted this week, and even immortal bodies need rest.”

Hob just hums. Given how his eyelids are already feeling heavy, he doesn't have much room to argue.

“Cuddle?” he manages, sleepily running his fingers through Dream's hair.

Dream leans into his touch. “Both here and in the Dreaming.”

Hob vaguely registers Dream waving his hand to clean them up, and then Dream is lying down beside him and snuggling close, tucking his head under Hob’s chin.

Hob wraps his arms around Dream, drifting off to sleep and smiling at what a lucky bastard he is.

———

(Dreamling Bingo Masterpost)

(Masterlist)

[delta-pavonis]

This is literally the inside of my brain like 90% of the time I am writing.

The truth of it 🤣

[valeriianz]

fic talk! yay! tagged by @beatnikfreakiswriting and @hardly-an-escape <3

How many wips do you have currently?

okay, let's be reasonable about this (lol). WIPs that im currently working on, only 4. don't- hey! don't look into my Google Docs! ignore all those files. sometimes i like to jot a sentence or idea down, that doesn't mean it's an active WIP! that also doesn't mean they are abandoned. they are just... marinating. snoozing. biding their time.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish? Why do you think that is?

oh geez, probably Savory & Sweet. it's so silly because the first chapter of that flew out of me. it was so fun to write and its a verse i definitely revisit from time to time... and technically the first chapter works as a stand alone- i don't need to write a follow up. but after i had posted it, i really had every intention to write more. but for some reason the motivation to actually sit down and write it out is fleeting. but it's a year old at this point and i just want. it. FINISHED!

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

it never strikes when i want it to, firstly. never when im sitting down and writing. it sometimes comes when i dont have access to a pen and paper or my phone- like riding my bike or in the shower, so whatever great idea/line of dialogue/scene that pops into my head in that moment, i repeat in my head over and over until i can finally scramble to get it hastily written down lmao. but it is very random... and usually strikes when im alone and in my own head, doing nothing in particular.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

no. and i write in absolute silence as well. lyrics distract me and music has never spoken to me that way- not enough to influence writing at least. of course the big exception is Bolt in the Blue lmao. but i think it makes sense that im making playlists for that fic. (oh and i made one for Let Me Down Easy as well... but these two fics have literally been the only times in my entire fanfic history that i've made playlists haha)

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organised?

for the moooost part i have a bit of organization, even if it's a few scattered notes. i learned my lesson quite late about making sure to at least have an ending in mind before i start writing and publishing (to be very real with y'all, the reason the dreamling Road Trip au hasn't gotten off the ground yet is because i can't think of a good ending for it). that being said though, once i do have an ending sorted out, my writing process is basically chaos. sometimes plot points or arcs will change entirely... which is a little scary, but as long as i can keep my ending the same, fuck it.

tagging, no obligation/tag me in existing posts: @issylra @delta-pavonis @valiantstarlights @tj-dragonblade

[delta-pavonis]

Last 10 Fics/Writing Patterns meme + Last First Line Tag Game

First the writing patterns meme, which is such a cool idea! I was tagged by @teejaystumbles! Thank yoooou.

Rules: Post the first lines of your last ten fics posted to AO3 (Sort by date posted), AND see if there's a pattern!

By last updated date:

3 March 2024: Quaternion

KLOT DOD-DOT The knock of the twisted iron ring against its plate on the outside of his library door startles King Morpheus from his reverie. He is supposed to be notating one of the histories of the Moirai, the so-called Three Sisters of Fate, who have ruled the island nation of Ananke with brutal efficiency since seemingly time immemorial. Their ships have been seen too often in view of his coastline of late and he needs to be prepared for whatever their intentions are.

15 February 2024: you might be the answer to the sinner in me

“Hob, are you alright?��� Hob’s shoulders tighten and his spine goes ramrod straight. It is the family holiday dinner and he is out on the back patio in the cold, staring at the over-manicured hedgerows that make up one of the distant property lines. He left to have space to pull out his vape pen and take a hit because that is probably the only way that he is going to get through the night.

16 January 2024: Placebo Effect

“You should just DM him,” Desire is studying their nails, the dark red of dried blood, while reclining on a chaise in the living room of their oldest sister’s condo. “My kingdom for anything that might throw Dearest Mumsie and Popsicle off your trail for an evening. I don’t think I can endure another holiday of it.” They sprawl, letting their head loll backwards over the armrest, to look at Dream almost upside down. “What say you big brother?”

6 January 2024: show me who I am

Hob taps his fingers on the table next to the map of Northern Ireland and takes a sip from his glass of shiraz. “I think this is it. This is the plan. We’ve got it. Anyone see something we missed?” He looks around the table at each person in turn, waiting for a response.

1 January 2024: Another Song

Shunk ka-thunkszzzz. The lights in the entire loft go out. “What the FUCK?” Matthew’s voice smacks into Dream despite the thick panels of wood between them.

30 December 2023: Thoughts on the Roman Empire (and Other Pickup Lines)

“You know, I think this whole meme going around about men thinking about the Roman Empire is great!” Hob smiles at the ceiling as he leans back in his chair, balancing it on its back legs, propping his feet up on the table in the private library study room. He doesn't need to look at Morpheus to know that the grad student is giving him a withering glare, or perhaps not looking at him at all. “First off, people are discussing history! Second, some of the jokes are actually solid gold. Like I saw one that just murdered me in broad daylight. Wanna hear it?”

21 December 2023: Levade

“Oh fuck Dream,” Hob writhes in his bonds. “You said you wanted more did you not?” The centaur smirks. “I am simply acquiescing to your request.”

15 December 2023: You create me against your lips

The first time Hob sees Dream is when the latter has the audacity to enter the Morningstar's realm. He watches as the Dream King intimidates Squatterbloat into bringing him to the Palace. The demon is stupid and gullible, easily swayed, and Hob has a mind to bury his morningstar in the moron's fleshy head, but he would rather observe the visitor and his raven from the shadows.

9 December 2023: where I'm supposed to be

For all that he shares a given name with the God of Sleep, has a nickname of Dream, he has only experienced lucid dreaming rarely. Once, maybe twice, before. But. He knows he is dreaming right now.

26 November 2023: Venus conjunct Saturn

“Show me, Hob.” Dream purrs in a way he knows will make his lover shiver. “Show me how she pleasured you.” He is laid beneath Hob, who is on all fours above him, and the only cloth they have is the sheets upon their bed here in the Dreaming.

Other than 30% of those fics having titles from Maneskin lyrics... apparently I like to start with sounds or dialog. Some in medias res beginnings in there, too. Huh. Fascinating.

And, just for fun, here are the FIRST few lines paragraphs of the finished fic I have on deck, a sequel to A Change in Tactics (published in October 2022!)... (originally I was tagged in a last lines tag game by @amielot!)

“We have to stop meeting like this!” Hob laughed as he broke the barstool in his hands over the head and shoulders of another patron of the White Horse Inn. Said patron had just previously been trying to stab Hob with a shard of wine bottle so he most decidedly deserved it. Hob pulled a chunk of wood from where it had lodged in his palm and frowned at the blood that welled up there. A crash to his left stole his attention. “Ope. Watch out Lou!” Lou ducked the tankard aimed at her head with all the sliding fluid grace of one well-acquainted with being deep in her cups. She didn’t spill a single drop of her own ale as she backed around the bar and out of the Inn through the alleyway door. Lou may have been part of starting this fight, but she clearly had no intention of finishing it. Which was just fine by Hob. Lou didn’t deserve to be in hospital any more than absolutely necessary. She had enough going on, as Hob had just learned. Speaking of his mysterious friend… Hob flung his sweaty hair out of his eyes in time to watch Dream elegantly sidestep the brawler charging him like they were a pair in some courtly dance. The beautiful bastard hadn’t even moved his hands from where they were clasped at the small of his back, while his opponent had gone headlong into a wooden pillar. “This only happens when I join you here, Hob.” One loping step over the fallen man and Dream was back at Hob’s side. (Graceful twat.) “This type of violence is notably absent when you visit my Realm.” (Double the twat on that one.)

I tag... everyone who has a springtime birthday.

[delta-pavonis]

Absolutely! The more random the better!

I have SO MUCH MORE in my head than what gets down on a given page... Like, you want to know how __'s hair is styled in __ chapter or a fic I wrote four years ago? I got you!

Reblog if you write fic and people can inbox you random-ass questions about your stories, itemized number lists be damned.

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Fantasy's Wings

Dusk descended gracefully upon the beautiful glittering spires of Tizca. Small lanterns, crafted by the younger children in anticipation for the celebration, hung all around the city. It was the beginning of the celebrations to ring in the new year, and tonight was the Night of Wishes, a time where children would make lanterns, make a wish, and let them fly off into the night. Some had already been lit, flying into the pale orange sky as it faded to a deeper blue, while others waited until the first stars appeared. They were all colorful, adorned with all manner of decorations from abstract patterns of colors to depictions of mythical beasts and animals.

Zikar-Sin strode around the city without much care or purpose. His day's work had been completed, and he had wanted to see the bounds of his home again. The quiet hum of everyday life around him was a breath of fresh air compared to the constant drum of war. He had only been away for approximately a decade, but he was more than happy to return. He was awaiting his placement to one of his cousin Legions for his secondment.

He had selected three of them, based on a few of the interactions he had with their warriors; the White Scars, the Iron Warriors, and the Word Bearers. He almost selected the Blood Angels, but one of his close friends -- an initiate into the Order of Ruin named Imentet -- was already selected to join them. So he chose the Word Bearers, in part because he wanted to meet the newly recovered primarch. Lorgar had been discovered and given reign over his Legion only about five years prior, and Zikar-Sin found the change from Iconoclasts to the Bearers of the Word... interesting. Not that he knew the Legion much before the coming of their primarch, just that they seemed to transform themselves into something... different. New to the Legions.

New wasn't always bad. So he wanted to learn more about it.

As the Astartes walked, he let his mind unwind a little. He rose into the lower Ennumerations with some concentration, allowing him to see the City of Light in all its splendor. Presently he stood on the edge of central Tizca, the mountains flanking him as he watched the waning dusk. Stars began to peek out of the dimming sky, which meant that it was almost time for the other lanterns to be lit and released. Zikar-Sin remembered when he first took part in the tradition; he had just been selected as an initiate into the Legion itself, and he had created one infused with his hopes to be the greatest warrior the galaxy had ever seen.

How naive he once was, he thought to himself.

You're still naive, he knew his brothers would tell him. Just a different kind of it.

He shrugged off the assumed words of his close kindred and started his walk back into the city proper. Families were gathering with their little ones, carefully taking the lanterns and preparing to send them off on their final flights.

As he walked, he kept his mind open, sensing the temperaments of those he strolled past. One child was wishing for another cat in addition to the five they already had, much to the chagrin of their older sibling who happened to be allergic. Could that be altered by the Pavoni? Zikar-Sin would have to ask later. As the child lit the lantern with the help of their sibling and parents, Zikar-Sin felt the dulled mind and presence of a stray a few streets over. With some gentle aetheric nudging, he led the animal back to the child, much to their immense delight. The Astartes was already long gone by the time the cat had made it over, and the bright light of happiness outshone their own lantern in Zikar-Sin's aethersight.

He continued onward, his mind still abroad and wandering. Another child was hoping that they could use their pyromantic abilities to turn into a dragon, or a lion with the mane of a sun. Their parents were not as enthused by this aspiration, and Zikar-Sin noticed they had already more than fireproofed their home. The parents did not have a similar lean -- one was an auramancer while the other some variation of geokineticist -- so the gentle tiredness and exasperation at their child's wish and aspirations for the coming year was nothing new for them. He allowed himself a smile.

But then something interesting snagged at his other senses. It wasn't a happy emotion, rather one of fear and sadness. Zikar-Sin's brow furrowed, and he went and followed the thread. It led him back towards the Silver District, to a side street that didn't have any lanterns hung.

Well. Save for one, being closely held by a small child.

They must've been no older than eight or nine Terran years, by Zikar-Sin's rough estimate. Midnight blues and uncertain yellows clung to them closely. They were crying. Zikar-Sin approached slowly, gently brushing his mind against theirs. He found a longing there, but before he could discern more, the child jumped and whipped their head around, looking for the source of the disturbance. They spotted Zikar-Sin and jumped backwards, trying to hide their lantern and aggressively wiping at their face to hide their tears.

"I did not mean to disturb you," Zikar-Sin said slowly.

"Am I in trouble?" the child asked. Zikar-Sin shook his head.

"Of course not. Why would you be?"

"Because you're not supposed to be sad when people are celebrating," the child answered.

"And who told you that?"

"My friends." The child wiped at their face again.

"Not all celebrations will bring feelings of happiness," Zikar-Sin said. He stepped closer and crouched down so he was more on the child's level. "I am Zikar-Sin, of the Thousand Sons. May I have your name?"

"Huitzilin," the child answered.

"It is very nice to meet you, Huitzilin," Zikar-Sin said with a smile. "Would you mind if I asked why you were feeling sad?" He sensed Huitzilin mentally brace, as though they were facing reprimand or ridicule.

"I..." they hesitated, fiddling with the tassels of the lantern still behind their back. "I just miss my dad..." Tears came to their eyes, though they did their best not to cry in front of an Astartes. Zikar-Sin feared this meant the child was an orphan of war, realizing their father was garrisoned with the 28th Expedition Fleet. But he then saw what made up part of the child's lantern, though Huitzilin wanted to hide it. Unfortunately, the child's aura betrayed their emotions. It was a letter, promising he would be home soon, and to keep watch over their cat and bird while he was away.

"You miss him dearly, don't you?" Zikar-Sin asked. "I'm sure he misses you just as much." Huitzilin nodded and sobbed, covering their eyes with a hand.

"I'm sorry..."

"No, no, don't apologize. Here." The Astartes took out a small rag from the belt that helped secure his tunic in place. The child took it and wiped at their eyes and nose. "Would you like a hug?" Huitzilin took a moment to consider, before nodding wordlessly and allowing themself to be brought into a warm hug by the Astartes.

"I'm sorry," Huitzilin mumbled.

"Hush. None of that now," Zikar-Sin said softly. "Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't allowed to be upset about missing your parents. No matter the occasion. Okay?"

"Okay." The child pulled back, still hiccuping a little. They brought the lantern to their chest, sniffling and rubbing their eyes.

"Would you like my help releasing your lantern?" the Astartes asked. Huitzilin hesitated for a few moments. They hugged the lantern a bit tighter, almost defensive over it. Zikar-Sin felt the child's worry. They worried that if they let it go, they'd be letting go of their father's promise. Their wish was obvious.

"It is okay to say no," Zikar-Sin said. "Scary thought, to let go of a wish, isn't it?" Huitzilin nodded. "You know, I bet your father made a lantern for you tonight. And he has the same wish as you." The child's eyes widened.

"They make lanterns out there?" they asked. Zikar-Sin nodded.

"Of course. And, just like the ones here, they get released into the tides of the Great Ocean itself, and through the power of great will... they may just come true," the Astartes answered. "The more people wish for something, the more likely it is to come true."

Huitzilin looked back at the lantern. It was decorated like a brightly colored bird, the note from their father inside.

"Again, it is okay to say no. You do not have to let go of it if you do not want to," Zikar-Sin said.

"I think I want to," Huitzilin said, holding out the lantern to Zikar-Sin. "That way, my lantern can find his, and our wishes can both come true." Zikar-Sin nodded, beginning to conjure a small current of wind around him.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Huitzilin nodded, closing his eyes and silently mouthing his wish. When he opened his eyes again, Zikar-Sin lit the lantern, sending it into the skies above to join the thousands of other artificial stars, buoyed by the hopes and dreams of the children of Prospero.

"I hope it works," Huitzilin said quietly.

"It will. I know it will." The Astartes slowly stood to his full height, nearly doubling that of the child's. "Would you like to join me for the festivities happening in Occulum Square? A few of my brothers have planned out quite the spectacle. I think you'd enjoy it."

"That's a far walk..." Huitzilin mumbled. Zikar-Sin laughed.

"And who said you would be the one walking? I can carry you on my back, if you'd like."

That seemed to excite the child. They nodded, and Zikar-Sin crouched down again, letting Huitzilin hop on.

"Hold on tight, we'll be there before the sun fades!" the Astartes said. He gave the child a few seconds to clasp their hands around his neck, and he supported their legs before he stood and ran off through the streets of Tizca. His sandals slapped against the paved walkways as he raced for the heart of the city, making sure to take the streets that were less occupied so that he didn't accidentally trample over anyone. Huitzilin laughed and whooped in his ear, urging him to run faster, almost as though Zikar-Sin were their noble steed. The Astartes grinned himself and did his best to comply, taking a detour before getting to the heart of the festivities. He let the child down as the opening remarks began, earning some strange looks from the other gathered Thousand Sons present.

Zikar-Sin spent the next hour accompanying Huitzilin around the festival, until they ran into their friends and said. The children were in awe at the fact that Huitzilin had befriended one of the Legion. A couple of them seemed jealous, much to Zikar-Sin's delight. They invited Huitzilin to come play some games with them, and the child hesitated, looking up at Zikar-Sin.

"You don't need my permission," he said. "If you want to play with them, you are free to do so."

"I don't want to leave you alone," Huitzilin said, wringing his hands nervously. Zikar-Sin laughed.

"Oh, don't worry. My brothers are nearby. I'll need to check in with them anyway," he said. He looked over to where three of them had gathered, talking among themselves about some higher concepts. One of them noticed Zikar-Sin looking in their direction and furrowed his brow. Zikar-Sin grinned mischievously. "Maybe once you are done playing, you all can come meet them. I'm sure they would love to say hello."

+Zikar, what in the Emperor's name are you dragging us into?+ came a psychic voice.

+You can handle being around some small children for a few short minutes,+ Zikar-Sin sent back. +Some socialization would do you good.+

+Like you have any leg to stand on.+

+I have two, actually.+ Zikar-Sin then pushed away his brother's connection, focusing back on the children who were excitedly talking amongst themselves.

"That'd be awesome!" said one of them.

"Can we meet them now?" asked another.

"Later," Zikar-Sin said, "first I need to speak with them. Go play your games and have fun, and I'll call you all over when they're ready."

There was a small chorus of 'awww's that followed his words, but the kids seemed to accept it.

"C'mon, Huitzi," one of the kids said, gently grabbing Huitzilin by the shoulder. "You've got to see this cool lizard thing! It's from one of the worlds my mom went to!"

"No way, they've got to see my new cat first!"

"I want to show them the dragon!"

"Peace, children, peace," Zikar-Sin said with a dry expression. "Huitzilin, what would you like to see first?"

"Well..." Huitzilin said, frowning in thought. "The lizard does sound cool..."

"Then let's go! Bye, Sir Astartes!" said one of the kids, grabbing Huitzilin's hand and pulling them away. Zikar-Sin waved goodbye, watching them run off. He then turned to go join his brothers, a soft smile on his face.

"Scouting for new initiates?" asked the same who had intruded on his thoughts earlier.

"Not really," Zikar-Sin answered. "Though isn't that your job, Nekhbet?"

"Sometimes, when I'm not tending to the one's we're already testing," Nekhbet answered. "You seem to like the child well enough. They could be Astartes material. They seem to be of age."

"Hmm..." Zikar-Sin frowned.

"We could at the very least test for viability," said the soft-spoken voice of Asim, hardly more than an aspirant himself. Zikar-Sin turned back to where Huitzilin had ran off, thinking of the child's wish.

"I think they may like that idea," Zikar-Sin said.

---

The sky churned with the might of an endless storm above him. Starlight was obscured and refracted in strange ways, making the already peculiar light cast over the landscape even stranger. The ground beneath his armored boots was shards of shattered glass, each reflecting facets of both past and future to be and never to be again.

In his hands was a lantern, light and decorated in the aspect of a colorful bird. With a breath, Zikar-Sin conjured a current of wind, lit the lantern, and let it fly off into the sky. Inside of it was a note, never to be read.

It was but one artificial star, flying alone into the uncaring heavens above. It carried a wish that was never to be granted.

A wish for his little brother to find peace and safety in whatever realm he now walked within.

A silent tear rolled down his cheek, falling and splashing onto one of the shards below. As the sorcerer turned, he conjured his tower, walking inside without another glance at the tortured sky.

He did not see that, for the barest and briefest of moments, there was a second lantern. It winked in and out of existence in the span of a heartbeat, but it was there.

And that was all that mattered.

[bazzybelle]

Current Tag Game

Thanks for the tag, @phinofthestorm @windsweptinred and @mentallyinvernation

Current time: 11:17 AM

Current mood: Honestly, emotionally drained. It's been a week.

Current activity: Answering this questionnaire, listening to Speak Now (Taylor's Version), procrastinating cleaning my house.

Currently thinking about: That's a loaded question my friend...Let's see: My rabbit's food intake (he's had a VERY rough week), cleaning the house, my WIPs...

Current Obsession: In general, definitely Sandman. I had wanted to read this comic series for years (since meeting my husband in 2012), but it's a very heavy series. Essentially, I wasn't in the right headspace to dive into Sandman's many existential themes, until 2020. So I listened to the Audiobooks and feel deeply into the lore and the characters and the amazing world building. Then the Netflix show came out last year and Dreamling became a Thing.... Yeah sorry, I'm stuck here.

On a smaller note... I'm way too currently obsessed with how much Hades is eating and pooping. He was in GI Stasis on Tuesday and we almost lost him. It's been... it's been rough over here. He's ok. Death is a mug's game for him apparently. But now husband and I are just obsessively checking his food intake and how much he's pooping while he recovers.

Current favourite song: The same one it's been for like the last decade. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.

Currently reading: Dreamling fics (specifically You create me against your lips by @delta-pavonis) (GUYS... THIS FIC!) (no but seriously... it's SO GOOD, and the art by @teejaystumbles makes me feral).

I also bought this beautiful Jane Austen anthology, so I'm making my way through it (currently reading the intro/biography).

Currently watching: I got Disney+ recently and it's got BOTH Boy Meets World and Criminal Minds so... randomly watching eps from both shows.

The next shows I'm planning on watching are Silo and I wanna watch Nimona.

Current favorite character: Hob Gadling from Sandman. He's just SUCH a guy. I already liked him a whole lot from the comics, before Ferdinand Kingsley rocked on up all "yes, but what if you loved him MORE?"

Not only do I love Hob's zest for life and hunger for everything, I love what he represents. He's the Human Everyman in a story about eldritch beings and supernatural magical beings. Hob's just there loving life. On the other hand, he is also the representation on what it means to be human. He is NOT a good man, but he keeps trying to be. Like humanity, he keeps trying to be better and to learn. Like humanity, he strives to grow and experience. He serves as a grounding presence for the otherwordly beings we meet in The Sandman series.

I dunno... I just think he's pretty neat.

Current WIPs: Oh God... Ok... so... I've got two in my Carry On list (Youth Without Youth and No One To Save) and three in my Sandman list (Hob Hanahaki, Reincarnation AU, and Grey's Anatomy AU). I also have a Renaissance/Queer coming out novel that I've been plotting out.

Tagging (no pressure): @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @amywaterwings, @ninemagicks, @namistrella, @aroace-genderfluid-sheep, @wellbelesbian, @yellobb, @tryan-a-bex, @artsyunderstudy, @facewithoutheart, @stardustasincocaine, @blackberrysummerblog, @ivelovedhimthroughworse and @forabeatofadrum

[aralezinspace]

Summer Reading/Arting/Writing Tag

Tagged by @chromehoplite thank you for helping me procrastinate learning my lines xD

Describe one creative WIP project you’re planning to work on over the summer.

I really want to finish the next chapter of PDD but my mind just hasn't been in it, especially now that rehearsals for summer Shakespeare have started.

Recommend a book.

I recently reread the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. It's like if Assassn's Creed and Game of Thrones had a baby geared toward older teens and was very well written

Recommend a fic.

Okay okay so these are the fics that have been merry-go-rounding in my brain all week:

high enough (you got me good) and find in me your rhythm by @delta-pavonis

Promises by @cuckoo-on-a-string

Fortuna by @honeybeezgobzzzzz

Where Demons Hide by @plague-of-insomnia

Recommend music.

I can't recommend this song or this movie enough. If you like musicals, melodrama, colonists getting what they deserve, this is three hours of amazingness

Share one piece of advice!

Tell the people you care about that you love them. Whether they be friends, family, romantic partners, etc, tell them you love them and appreciate them and are glad they're in your life. We need to hear it more than anyone would like to admit, and you never know how long they'll be around.

Tagging with no pressure: @javajowgie @plague-of-insomnia @apocalypticromantic666 @honeybeezgobzzzzz @roguelov @cuckoo-on-a-string @peachesofteal @just-some-random-blogger @7-wonders @undiscovered-horizon

[delta-pavonis]

I'm game. I love blathering on about fandom.

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? 

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

V - Which character do you relate to most?

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

[delta-pavonis]

I feel seen and also attacked.

[delta-pavonis]

I’m an actor who does stage combat and I now have the mighty urge to get a friend and actually put together/do these Dream/Hob fights 🤩I live for combat as foreplay and you write it so fricken well it turns my brain to mush

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THANK YOU!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I quite literally have ZERO direct experience with one-on-one combat of any sort. I have watched a little at SCA events and Ren Faires and on YouTube videos. I am not bad at archery, but that is a far cry from sword-and-board.

If you ever do one of the fights let me know so I can fly to wherever you live and sob on the floor nearby (but still a safe distance away) whilst you do the fight and then like buy you lunch or something. (Kidding... mostly.)

[delta-pavonis]

another get to know me meme

Tagged by @teejaystumbles and I am procrastinating so let's gooooo...

Who was your first fictional crush?

First ever? If you go back far enough that I didn't really realize it was a crush, probably Storm from X-Men. And Gambit. Tommy the Green Power Ranger. In terms of the first one I recognized as a crush? Probably Tobias from Animorphs (the book series).

What's the first colour you think of when I tell you to think of a colour?

First off I love the British English spelling of things, so I am not correcting it. Second, green.

Which fanfiction emotionally scarred you and still makes you shudder to this day?

None that I can think of...

I'm coming to your house for dinner, non-negotiable, what are you making me?

Don't do this to me, there is so much more to take into account... spicy preferences, allergens... everything being equal, probably Curry Doria, which is my favorite comfort food.

Do you prefer lions or kangaroos?

Of those? Lions. I'd rather say gryphon, thought.

Which fictional villain do you brush past the glaringly obvious issues for because you really like them?

Severus Snape because I am an absolute whore for Alan Rickman.

What would accompany your picture in the Burn Book in Mean Girls?

I know of the movie, but haven't seen it.

How many days would you last in the universe of your favourite fandom?

The vast majority of my top fandoms have plenty of regular old people running around, so I'd be fine. The Sandman, X-Men (comics), Ted Lasso, The Vampire Chronicles, The Dresden Files, Final Fantasy VII...

Have you heard of Mischief Theatre?

Nope.

Do you feel sorry for Medusa?

As sorry as I feel for most of the women in Greek mythology, which is a lot.

Which song makes you think of your OTP?

I just apply my OTP to almost every song I hear. Recently, Maneskin's The Loneliest has been peak Dreamling for me. But on the car ride home from work today I was thinking Dreamling during songs by Arctic Monkeys, Billie Eilish, Twenty One Pilots, and Maneskin. *shrug*

Which song makes you disassociate and daydream the fastest?

This changes a whole lot over time. Right now it is anything by Maneskin, but I also daydream with most songs, NGL. I also just daydream a lot. The fact that my inattentive ADHD went undiagnosed for so long is a goddamned wonder.