#Dream of the Endless

[darthstitch]

That Goddamn Fishbowl

Let's talk about Dream and that "fishbowl."

From a story and plot perspective, Dream's imprisonment starts off his story arc. This is where we first get to meet the King of Dreams, an entity imprisoned by a greedy, avaricious man who just wanted power, prestige and wealth. The comics don't even give Roderick Burgess a conveniently dead son to humanize him. He's just an asshole who wants to get one up on Aleister Crowley, a real person who was pretty well known in occult circles as "the wickedest man in the world."

I've seen some fans like to rationalize this as Desire's attempt to get the stick out of Dream's arse, knock him down a few pegs, stop him from becoming a complete monster. That the fishbowl was a "timeout" that was "good" for Dream and led to his character growth. So Desire had a point, right? Maybe Desire wasn't so bad after all.

People still continued to dream, right? Maybe Dream wasn't really needed to perform his function. Desire is the stronger of the two, after all, at the end of the Sandman series, Dream breaks. Dream as Morpheus comes to realize that in order for him to change, he should just die. The universe doesn't need Morpheus - they needed a Dream who was young, still capable of hope, a clean slate - hence, the rise of Daniel Hall as Dream - a pure, literal white knight who could lead the Dreaming better than Morpheus ever could.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK. NO.

The tragedy of Desire, to be honest, is this. Dream is the third eldest of the Endless for a reason. He is absolutely more powerful than Desire because dreams are where desires originate, where they are shaped and given form. It's not a coincidence that Destruction is fourth eldest after Dream, that just as Dream defines Reality, Destruction defines Creation, the logical next step when you're inspired to imagine and wonder. That's what Desire can't accept, because they're just as proud and as arrogant as Dream is, and ultimately, they're even more cruel and less self-aware.

If this was a bid for Dream's attention, then it's even more sad and pathetic. Dream loved Desire once and trusted them completely. And then Desire destroyed that love, affection and trust by messing around with Kilalla of the Glow and laughing in Dream's face about it. Was Kilalla a good match for Dream? Absolutely the hell not - she did not understand who Dream truly was, but she'd eagerly "traded up" when the star Sto-Oa courted her, dropping poor Dream like a hot potato. Could the relationship have developed better, given time and space to communicate? Maybe - they were still dating when all of this happened. We'll never know because Desire stomped all over that relationship and broke Dream's heart. It started off Dream's long string of disaster romances, where he could never trust and give into his desires in a healthy fashion, always afraid that his sibling was meddling and messing shit up.

The ironic thing is I can see that Alianora had to be Desire's attempt at a peace offering, but how would Dream accept that, knowing that this particular sibling just loved to fuck with his head? That he'd been manipulated and deceived before?

Dream is flawed but it's not impossible to talk to him. Death proves it when she points out how much of an asshole he had been to Nada. Death doesn't imprison Dream in a fishbowl to get him to calm his tits down and listen - instead, she literally helps him to make a friend in Hob Gadling. One mortal turned immortal - imagine that, you can actually drive home a point and make your little brother learn a lesson without emotional and physical abuse. Amazing!

There is nothing good about Dream's time in the fishbowl. The TV show only shows us the death of Jessamy - who absolutely did not deserve to die trying to save her lord - and Unity, who had spent her life in dreams and was actually raped and impregnated by Desire in a twisted plot to get Dream to spill family blood. The comics makes it clear that thousands of people died because of the sleepy sickness - little stories like the one of Ellie Marsden, Daniel Bustamonte and Stefan Wasserman. They didn't deserve this bullshit.

Ultimately, the Sandman is a tragic tale. Dream of the Endless attempts to change - to try and be a better ruler, a better friend, a better brother, lover, husband and parent. In the comics, many of his relationships and failings are repaired and fixed - Nada is freed from hell, Calliope is freed from Richard Madoc and closure is reached with her, Dream makes it to his meeting with Hob and calls him friend, Orpheus is finally set free from his living death. But it now has the sense of a person quietly closing out his affairs, having realized how terrible and unlovable and unworthy he is. That it's time to set down his crown and his powers and pass it on to someone worthy. It's a long suicide note, accomplished with the elegance and flair that Dream is known for, but it is suicide. Morpheus is dead. A wake is held for him. And his remains are set off in a Viking-style funeral - on a wooden boat set to sail straight into the heart of a star.

The last time we see Dream as Morpheus, he is with his brother Destruction, appearing one more time to Hob Gadling, in the same way dead loved ones appear to say a final farewell.

Where is Morpheus now? The text isn't clear, really. We are invited to imagine. Perhaps he is wandering between the stars and universes with his brother, free at last from function and duty. After all, there are many versions of Dream in the multiverse, and this version of Morpheus is just one of them. Perhaps he is now human, getting to grow old and creaky like the rest of us, living a mortal lifetime, ready to greet his sister when his time comes.

Maybe he's just some writer named Neil, grumpily answering inane asks in his Tumblr inbox.

[writing-for-life]

The Light of Stars Master Post

Here is the promised master post, which sends you directly to the chapters on Ao3.

Your comments, likes and reblogs/shares are super-appreciated, be it here or on Ao3. Writers and creators love to hear from you.

Art by me

Chapter 1: Juxtapositions, in which artist Thalia Callaghan finds herself having strange dreams.

Chapter 2: Understanding Without Knowing, in which a quest begins in both the Dreaming and the Waking World, and a very reluctant alliance to find the answers is formed.

Chapter 3: Stories Past But Not Forgotten, in which the door to Lucienne's Library opens other doors.

Chapter 4: The Science of Sleep, in which sleep brings peace and paintings uncover that which is true.

Chapter 5: Painting the Invisible, in which the Lord of Dreams has to admit to a deficit in understanding the workings of mortal feelings.

Chapter 6: Rainbows, in which we see refractions of light and discuss the wonders of drinking coffee (don’t take that one too seriously).

Chapter 7: Kerykeion, in which Morpheus remembers something he had long forgotten.

Chapter 8: Creating Stars, in which we meet the Three Sisters (but not the ones you’re thinking of).

Chapter 9: Of Ravens and Humans, in which a raven is a bit indiscreet, and no one is truly sorry about it.

Chapter 10: The Dream is Over, in which we remember Neil Gaiman once said we would never see Morpheus dance, and this writer says: “Hold my beer…” (but really, that’s not what the chapter is about. At all.)

Chapter 11: Dreamless, in which Desire is our favourite bitch, and they always catch on a bit quicker than everyone else.

Chapter 12: It’s Not In The Stars To Hold Our Destiny, But In Ourselves, in which siblings talk and far reaching decisions are made.

Chapter 13: Wide Awake Yet Dreaming, in which dams finally break and the lines between reality and dreaming become blurred.

Chapter 14: Surrender, in which the chapter title says all there is to say.

Chapter 15: A Waking World of Possibilities, in which we explore female friendship and awkward scenes in restaurants.

Chapter 16: The Veil of Night, in which two sisters talk some more, and the chapter title is appropriately ambiguous.

Chapter 17: Imbalance, in which old wounds are opened and new ones are caused.

Chapter 18: Collapse, in which what once felt safe comes crashing down.

Chapter 19: Dying Stars, in which sacrifices are made and memories are lost.

Chapter 20: Cosmic Dust, in which love seems lost, and G.K. Chesterton & Syed Arshad teach us something about its meaning.

Chapter 21: Mnēmē, in which memories lead to despair, and two siblings enlist the help of a third.

Chapter 22: Stygian Sleep, in which a dream leads to what was always the only reality.

Chapter 23: The Dreaming Is You, in which all hope seems lost, but that’s not an option.

Chapter 24: Chrysalis, in which everything changes yet stays the same.

Chapter 25: Petaloudia, in which we care about those left behind.

Chapter 26: Philia, in which we meet an old friend.

Chapter 27: Aletheia, in which confessions are made that cause deep pain.

Chapter 28: Sapphire, in which commitment leads to shenanigans in the throne room. But of course that’s not really the most important bit (or is it?).

Chapter 29: Solid Dreams, in which we hear the story of the true nature of all 12 dream stones.

Chapter 30: Epilogue, in which we find out that some stories are not fully told, and where the journey will take us.

[meadowziplines]

rating: T

more on the bookbirds polycule for the rarepair fest, ft. Queerplatonic Relationships + hand-holding and QPR Dream/Jessamy

Though suffering under workplace abuse by Roderick Burgess, Dream is unwilling to leave his job at a nonprofit due to the nature of his work. When Dream becomes ill enough out of fear of missing work to require surgery, the hospital calls his queerplatonic partner Jessamy as his emergency contact. In the aftermath, Dream must finally accept he cannot do further good at his job and needs to prioritize himself, and their relationship will undergo further changes as they both deal with what's happened.

[aziraphales-library]

Any Good Omens and The Sandman crossover fics??

We have some here. Here are a few more...

Easy Action by Liquid_Lyrium (M)

Time seems to freeze as Crowley enters the shitty little dive bar in Soho.

There must be over a hundred humans cramped within this tiny space. (Well above the fire warden’s recommendation). Crowley locks eyes with a good-looking bloke hovering next to one of the pool tables, cue in hand.

Both of them are wearing sunglasses.

One predator can always spot another.

Rule 1 by the_bug_geek (G)

Crowley has extremely vivid dreams of certain people and events, which influences his behavior around Aziraphale. The Angel’s curiosity is piqued, and he tries to figure out the puzzle of What is Up with Crowley.

Twilight Procession by musicdefinesusall (T)

If you were to tell Crowley and Aziraphale how their day was going to end, they would have thought you were telling a joke. There was no way it would have come into existence. Though you would have thought they would have had an ounce of respect for the near impossible happening after the experiences they have gone through.

AKA Crowley and Aziraphale rescue Dream from the glass sphere with a little help from a friend.

Until you wake, My dear. by DarkAngel2891 (T)

When Dream is imprisoned and new sickness spreads across the world. Thousands fall into a sleep they cannot wake from. When Crowley is struck by this illness, Aziraphale sets off the find the Dream King and right the world. For the sake of both humanity and his dearest friend.

That Bonny Road by CopperBeech (T)

When you've fought Heaven and Hell to a standstill, it's easy to forget there are other realms just as powerful, and places where the boundaries are thin. It helps to have a witch in your corner.

“I’m out of ideas, Ana. I can’t exactly file a missing-angel report. But back at the airbase, back when it all happened, it took all of us but you were the one with the prophecies, you knew what was going to stop the missiles, you were the coolest head there – “

“I don’t know things like that any more. The book’s burned, I live here with Newt and my garden, and I give the good people of Tadfield a thrill because they can gossip about the American woman who tramps through all the hedgerows trying to figure out a mapping app and dances naked under the full moon. I don’t, by the way. The dancing part.”

- Mod D

[purgatory-of-assbutts]

Here we see how, after being thrown bread at by Death, Dream is surprised enough that his eyes appear human (as opposed to his usual star-specked ones). I just think this is funny bc of the implication that they are naturally like that, and the galaxy ones are A Choice™

[ravennightbirt]

Timetravel, Endless Laws and BAMF Hob also a Sandman ending fix it!

I’d like to apologise to @redmalkin in advance because this is the third time in less than a week that I’m tagging them…and I’m not a 100% sure they are appreciating it considering the last time…

Soo about that Rules of the Endless post…( because my brain is a one show pony at the moment!)

Can you imagining the plot of the Kindly Ones happening? And all of the Endless siblings are just standing there watching as their brother is reborn into Daniel.

And everyone is silent and shocked with the exemption of Desire who is fucking pissed! (I’m also on my let Desire be a bit feral FOR their Brother train) and they are screaming and raging and demanding their siblings to DO something! Because it’s DREAM!

Their brother. THEIRS!

And Death/Destiny go: The rules!?

And Desire is like FUCK THE DAMN RULES! I am endless I AM what everyone on this planet wants and they do NOT want this! (Me pointing POINTEDLY towards the overture)

And Death is ready to argue, because it’s already to late, At which point Hob just goes: Who made the rules? Because (explanation added by this post)

At which point ALL of them realise that not only do they have NO clue but also fuck he is right!

More importantly though WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING AROUND US?!

Because the Dreaming has stopped moving. Daniel has stopped becoming Dream and time as a Whole feels kinda iffy!

(Which is were @redmalkin Time!Hob Au comes in, because I love that so much)

And Hob upon getting told what is happening to him just smiles. Because the man was a mercenary, a killer, a slave trader (I’m gonna call it what it is!) and more importantly he is Dreams husband. Prince consort of the Dreaming. He will not loose his husband! (Also Daniel is a CHILD GOD DAMN IT! DadHob going absolutely NOT!) he has NO chill and Desire is absolutely behind him.

So he goes to Time and makes the man a Deal:

Either you send us ALL with our memories INTACT back in time to save Dream. No other stipulation, no games or I am going to absorb all of your power into me and do it myself erasing you from existence FOREVER in ALL realities!

Like I said no chill! Time agrees because he KNOWS Hob will makes good on this.

And sends them back.

And then wibbbly wobbly timey whimey shenanigans where the Endless siblings learn to break the rules snd get out from under their parents thumb. Hob taking care of the Dreaming because FUCK THIS, but they can not free dream because…time magic bullshit (I want angst ok?!)

But them also making sure that no matter what Dream will NOT die.

Festuring Destruction who majorly confused, because??? (Hob said ALL of them so…)

Desire who is still in love with Unity but does is properly this time and also takes care of their kid/grandchildren (I love Rose and Jet sue me! I also want absolutely feral Desire going after Jets foster dad before anything happens at all because HELL NA!

Johanna Constantine who would like to strangle her ancestress and Matthew who is only there because Hob said so.

Anyway…if you wanna know more just ask!

[wayfaringstrangxr]

Like this for a starter from Morpheus, crossovers are VERY welcome

[daniilune]

Dream of a Thousand Cats

[pointyshoesmf]

Hob talks a lot about nothing in particular; Dream wants

Finally finished this one, so have some 80s Dream(his ass is not listening)

[littleststarfighter]

Been reading the Sandman comics again and had to do my own version of Dream waiting for his sister Death. Hopefully will be continuing this and will draw Death to go with her moody brother because I adore her 💀

[darthstitch]

I love the fact that we, as a fandom, seemed to have collectively decided that if the Netflix Sandman chooses to follow comics canon, then we'll end up with retired (hopefully still immortal) Morpheus, who is now just living his best life, telling stories, wittily answering Tumblr asks and TOTALLY NOT RESEMBLING IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM some British writer dude named Neil.

Pfft. Shhh. Nobody tell You Know Who

[writing-for-life]

I just noticed I haven’t posted any updates for my fic on here recently, but a few chapters have been added since the last time.

Here’s the master post with all links:

Only a few more chapters to go, I’m so sad. Can’t really let them go, so guess what I’ll be doing this NaNoWriMo?

Big thanks to everyone who is reading, commenting and otherwise engaging 🫶🏻

[seadeepspaceontheside]

Dream is tired.

[aziraphales-library]

Thank you for all your great recommendations, they are wonderful.

With Sandman coming out on Netflix, can you list some Good Omens fic recommendations that include Morpheus of the Endless? In particular I am looking for the complete story where Crowley naps, and his visit to the Dreaming results in a relationship between Morpheus and Crowley. Aziraphale becomes jealous and lonely, and falls asleep himself in order to follow Crowley to the Dreaming, and asks him to return to consciousness and him.

Thank you.

You’re welcome! The only fic I can find that involves a relationship between Crowley and Dream with Aziraphale going to sleep to find Crowley is...

Who Among You by prestissimo (T)

Sandman crossover, mainly based off of when Morpheus (King of Dreams, Prince of Stories, etc.) goes down to Hell to visit Lucifer and he says something along the lines of 'What power would you have in Hell if souls could not dream of Heaven?'.

Morpheus is very interested in Crowley. They both have lost something, after all. Crowley does his terrified best to keep up as Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, begins to court him in The Dreaming.

And here are a couple more Good Omens fics featuring Dream...

Curating the dream experience by doomed_spectacles (G)

Crowley pays a visit to the Dreaming, where he finds his host is surprisingly sympathetic.

Preludes and Omens by Rocketbride (T)

Aziraphale and Crowley are just about to go to dinner when they are rudely interrupted.

A.K.A. How Dream's imprisonment and escape affected our favourite Ineffable Husbands and their ongoing quest to avoid talking about their feelings for each other.

No Time For Tea by WaterHorseyBlues (G)

“I think he's going to come after me,” Crowley finally said.

“Why?” He asked, baffled. “You've given no reason for him to do so.”

Crowley grimaced.

Aziraphale hesitated, fingers delicately holding the handle of his teacup. “Oh no. Crowley, what have you done?”

The demon sucked air in between his teeth. “I... May have had some involvement with a deal regarding his helm.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Though Crowley was not in possession of the helm when the Dream Lord returned, he was the first demon to get his hands on it. Morpheus does not take kindly to those who he believes have slighted him. Aziraphale is stuck in the middle, trying to keep his favourite demon safe.

That Bonny Road by CopperBeech (T)

When you've fought Heaven and Hell to a standstill, it's easy to forget there are other realms just as powerful, and places where the boundaries are thin. It helps to have a witch in your corner.

“I’m out of ideas, Ana. I can’t exactly file a missing-angel report. But back at the airbase, back when it all happened, it took all of us but you were the one with the prophecies, you knew what was going to stop the missiles, you were the coolest head there – “

“I don’t know things like that any more. The book’s burned, I live here with Newt and my garden, and I give the good people of Tadfield a thrill because they can gossip about the American woman who tramps through all the hedgerows trying to figure out a mapping app and dances naked under the full moon. I don’t, by the way. The dancing part.”

- Mod D 

[purgatory-of-assbutts]

I want Sandman to get renewed so that it can keep getting renewed so that we can get to Overture bc I really wanna hear Morpheus say “I… I do not want a piggable”

[ravennightbirt]

If you love a mortal their end will be horrible

Ok so this post I made two nights ago about Hob questioning the rules the Endless siblings have to follow and that was inspired by @redmalkin questioning those rules in the first place?

That was the nice version of how everything could have happened.

And It’s still swirling through my head…so enjoy the pain!

They have been in the dreaming for several days at this point. Hob had called in sick for work almost immediately. Called it a family emergency that needed him to leave the country. Thankfully the New Inn was self-sufficient and he only needed them to know that he couldn’t do extra shifts for some time. 

It had went so well, too. Just like he had thought the Endless siblings were terrifying when they worked together, truly worked together. Dream and Desire alone had figured out half of what the rules truly were supposed to be about in less than a day. 

Death and Delirium on the other hand, the two who worked closest with humans and who actually interacted with them on a regular had made plans to get their siblings to rejoining the Waking world properly, although that was mostly for Destiny and Desire. Dream was on his way there already thanks to Hob. The sentence “Hob can help us here” had fallen more than once already and he already had kissed peacefully flat and quiet evenings curled up with Dream goodbye. Not that he wouldn’t do it. 

Destiny was still quiet. They had no clue jet how to break the damn chain and make it possible for the man to do stuff on his own. The chain was reacting to everyone who tried to touch it, burning them. Which was why Despair was sitting at her big brothers feed and was looking at the thing. Hob still twitched whenever the smell of burned flesh reached him. 

Which was why the sudden change in the Dreaming hit him like a train. 

The only warning they got was Despairs agonized moan and how she fell over against Destiny before the Palace started shaking. 

Hob for his part suddenly relived the most beautiful and painful moments of his life. Holding Robyn for the first time, holding him for the last time. Elenore laughing on their wedding night, when he tried to get her to not be nervous. Elenore silent. The first kick of their baby girl. Holding her still body.

He came back to Desire gripping his arm had enough that they were drawing blood and Deliriums holding onto his other hand, babbling nonsense. 

Dream was still standing at the war table he had created once they had found the truth behind Destiny’s chain and book. It was cracked and the books and papers and everything else they had had on the table was all over the room. Death was right next to Dream not really touching him, but wanting to. She was talking asking what had happened. 

Dream didn’t even react to it. He was just standing there frozen in place. Looking in pain. 

“Brother please!” Death called out sounding close to hysterics. It finally got a reaction.

“We are not allowed to love mortals.” 

It was nothing more than a whisper, but is sounded hoarse and choked. 

“We already figured out days ago!” Desire answered. Their grip on Hob tightened. Confusion was written clearly on their face. Dream turned his head to wards them and when his eyes- just for a second- met Hobs before they slit over to Desire’s the first tear rolled down his cheek.

“I loved…” Dream trailed off, his voice breaking. He took a shaking breath of air more tears spilling down his cheeks. Death wavered as if she was realizing what he was talking about. 

“I loved him so much.” Dream croaked out. Hob felt the Dreaming wailing with pain and agony. It hurt so much. Oh god he knew this pain, he remember this pain.

“So I rejected him, cast him out. Thinking it would save…” Dream’s knees buckled and only Death already reaching out for him kept him from crumbling to the ground. 

“I rejected him thinking it would be enough. That he would make it. I made him hate me so he lived!” 

Hob felt Delirium crawl into his lap. She was whimpering and crying and talking fast than he had heard ever before. Desire on his other side was crying. Slow tears rolling down their face. Hob couldn’t see Destiny and Despair from where he was, but he heard Despairs sobs. 

“They killed my son!” Dream screamed and it rattled the whole Dreaming. The older Dreams and nightmares and other denizen of the Dreaming, Hob could feel them, could feel they sorrow and pain. They could feel Dreams pain. 

“They made me kill my son!”