#morpheus worshipper

[q-ueen-potato]

I have seen that plot idea for while now but I can't really find fanfics about it so....can someone recomend fics where the New Inn is a temple to Dream ? Or Hob accidentally is worshipping Morpheus ? I would be very happy

[kirkenovak]

Speaking of Hob accidentally building Dream a temple in the form of New Inn… a temple to someone like Morpheus is a rare thing indeed. Even more rare is the fact that Hob, de facto a high priest, was touched by Dream’s divinity; he sat with him, spoke with him, dined with him… such things do not go unnoticed. There are high priests and there are High Priests and there are the anointed ones and Hob is firmly in the latter category.

Soon, the New Inn starts to attract some odd folk. Of course, it’s London, you gonna get some odd folks here and there, but these people are odd in a very precise and focused way.

The dreams and nightmares that escaped to the waking world to find Dream use the Inn as their meeting place. At first, they watch Hob with hawkish eyes hoping he’ll bring them to Dream but when they figure out he knows less than them they continue to use this pleace as their base of operation. This is the place with the strongest presence of Morpheus, it inspires and guides them (or so they believe)

Dream’s creations, occultists wanting to harness the energy, people strongly attracted to things that are unusual, an odd supernatural being here and there, genuine worshippers of ancient gods… everyone who wants to touch the divine flock to the New Inn.

Some ask Hob for his blessing. He is a bit taken aback but he figures that they are probably harmless or maybe those LARPer guys, maybe even students trying to prank him so he jokingly “blesses them”. One woman kisses his hands and starts crying when he does it.

Hob isn’t surprised anymore when he finds odd items lying about the place. Candles, flowers, books, handwritten poems and prayers. Offerings.

Writers and poets find that they are strongly inspired if they spend enough time in the Inn. There are at least dozen books that have a dedications to The New Inn and it’s owner.

The problem with such a great amount of thaumaturgic energy is that it has to flow somewhere but Dream is trapped and imprisoned, the energy cannot flow to him, so it looks for a conduit, a storage, a battery if you will and it finds it in the form of one Hob Gadling. Hob’s dreams start to become more lucid, he finds his way to the library, the House of Mystery, the shores of creation, eventually, the crumbling throne room itself. Hob’s starts to channel the energy of the dreamers. He understands that he’s not exactly human anymore but he struggles to understand what he is.

In the basement under the Burgess manor, the glass bowl starts to crack. The cracks are microscopic, invisible to a naked eye, but Morpheus can see them, can sense them. The runes that trap him are fading quicker and quicker. Eventually they have to be redone daily. The cracks become larger. Something is happening.

Corinthian senses the changes too. Whatever it is, whoever it is, he cannot allow them to free Dream. Finding the source is easy, he is a nightmare after all, he is naturally attracted to the energy of the dreaming. He finds the The New Inn and he finds Hob Gadling, a creature that used to be human but is now something else indeed. Something that has to be killed before it realises its own power. Corinthian confronts Hob who is surprised to recognise him; they never met yet he knows him but Corinthian is not here to talk, he’s here to kill, and so he strikes a killing blow… except how do you kill an immortal? You don’t. You can’t.

But this strike by a nightmare with a knife made with the sand of creation severs the connection between Hob and the power, and suddenly all this cumulative energy of the worshippers and dreamers is free. And where does it all go? Straight to the place where Morpheus is kept, because no amount of runes and glass can separate all this power from its rightful master.

The circle is broken, the orb shatters, Dream of the Endless is free.

Corinthian tries to escape but Dream disposes of him before he can step a foot outside the inn. The energy from the New Inn allows Dream to summon the Moirai and ask about his tools (justice for Gregory). He finds his sand, his helmet, his ruby.

When he returns to the New Inn Hob is still there, still waiting for his friend.

“You waited for me”

“I did”

They smile at each other. It’s a beginning of a beautiful friendship or perhaps something more? Endless cannot involve themselves with humans but Hob Gadling isn’t human anymore. He’s something else. Something else indeed.

[7-wonders]

Never Been Kissed

Morpheus/Dream of the Endless x GN!Reader

Summary: Morpheus cannot possibly wait another moment to let you know how he feels about you. What happens when it appears that you don't reciprocate?

Word count: 2.0k

Author's note: Shitty summary, sorry, but you know the scene in Barbie (2023) where Ken goes to kiss Barbie after the party and she just stands there?

This one? Yeah I got it into my head that it would be funny if eternal drama queen Morpheus was in Ken's position.

Clueless!reader, innocent!reader. This is just a kinda stupid, goofy little fic, idk. If you liked it, I'd appreciate hearing from you! If you didn't like it, sound off as well! My haters are my motivators.

P.S. You might be saying "the Endless aren't allowed to love mortals it leads to their ruin!" And I say that this is my fic so I decide the rules. Buckle up babes.

Death would say that he is head over heels.

Desire would say that it is boringly predictable and far too soon.

Lucienne would not say anything, but she would give him that look over the top of her glasses, the one that says that he had better know what he is doing.

Matthew would say that he is down bad, which is apparently what the youth of today are saying.

They are all right, though Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, wishes they were not. Despite his very best efforts, he has fallen in love once more. With a mortal, a human—you. 

Morpheus has never had much luck in love. Though there were a few occasions (very, very few) where it was not his fault, he is mature enough to understand that he has often been the cause of a relationship’s demise. He falls hard and fast, and he always has. That, combined with his…intensity, is what he believes to doom him each and every time. Perhaps he gives too much of himself to those who don’t deserve it; perhaps he shows his hand too quickly. 

But you, he knows, are different. You won’t hurt him, not in the way that others have. You won’t take him for granted.

Tonight, he has decided that he will finally confess to you his affections. He will bare his realm to you, the parts that no normal dreamer will ever get to see, and hope that you understand that this is akin to him baring his very soul. After all, he is the Dreaming, and the Dreaming is him.

But where to take you? What to show you? Morpheus agonized over these questions for far longer than he would care to admit. Although he hoped to be able to accompany you to the farthest reaches of his realm (a tall task, considering said realm was infinite), to explore so much of the Dreaming with you that he rediscovered lands he had long forgotten about, this first foray needed to be perfect. He needed something special, something that conveyed to you the depth of his feelings.

He decided to start with something simple that most people would like to see: Athens, and specifically the Acropolis, as it was in its glory days. For all of the animosity Morpheus felt towards the Greek pantheon, he had to admit that they, and their worshippers, contributed much to society and humanity as a whole. Next was a glimmering lake that was actually the moon’s surface, followed by a glen in what could be the Scottish highlands populated by dragons—he found himself particularly pleased by your stunned awe upon seeing the mythical creatures.

The penultimate stop was one that Morpheus took great pride in thinking up, for he knew that it would be your favorite. A visit to a fae village, exiled by Titania and given sanctuary in the Dreaming (solely due to Morpheus’s dislike of their monarch), enjoying a Harvest celebration. They were harmless creatures in the Dreaming, devoid of any of the power that fae normally possessed, so Morpheus did not feel any hesitation in allowing you to explore the festivities. Above all else, the fae love a good party, so it was not surprising when a few invited you to join them in dancing, pulling you along with them until you were spinning and twirling as though you had always known the fae folk dance. You reached for him, mouthing “Come dance with me!” but he gently rebuffed you with a shake of his head and a smile, happy to simply watch the way you moved, with a grin on your face and boisterous laughter sounding just as lovely as the music playing.

What you had referred to as a “behind-the-scenes tour” ends in his private gardens, long a place of solace for him. Your excitement, your joy, fuels him. It’s palpable and intoxicating, and Morpheus wishes he could bottle it and keep it with him forever to give him just a hint of this feeling whenever he wants.

“This is…amazing. Your realm is amazing,” you gush, your eyes sparkling. “I feel like that word is such an understatement for what I’m trying to describe, but it’s the only one that comes to mind right now.”

“It pleases me to hear you think so.”

“Thank you for this. For trusting me,” you say sincerely.

Morpheus was right, you do understand the gift that this experience was meant to be. It makes the space in his chest cavity, where his heart would be if he allowed this form to have one, feel warm. It is only the the very least I could, no, would give you, he thinks. 

You’re smiling so sweetly at him, the moon shining down like a spotlight and making you look the closest to holy that Morpheus will ever get. This is it, he realizes. This is the moment where he will tell you of his love for you, and where you will then reciprocate. This is the moment that he will commit to memory for the rest of eternity until his sister locks up the universe behind her. This is the moment that you become his, and he yours. 

There is so much that Morpheus wants to say to you, yet he knows not where to begin. An unfamiliar feeling swells within him—nervousness. What if he says the wrong thing, what if he scares you off with his intensity before he can truly say what he wants to say? No, best to show you how he feels before telling you, that way there is no doubt. With that, Morpheus leans in towards you and closes his eyes, waiting to feel his lips on yours.

That feeling does not come, and Morpheus belatedly realizes after a few moments that it will not come. When he opens his eyes and looks at you once more, you’re still standing in the same position that you were, still smiling, albeit looking a bit more confused

“Is something wrong?” you ask.

All of Morpheus’s plans, his hopes and…dreams, for lack of a better term, come crashing down around him. So you’ve rejected him, then. He has laid his heart bare for you, shown you parts of his realm that no other mortal has been lucky enough to see, and you’ve turned him down. This, he muses, is his fatal flaw. Mentally, he had already declared you his, crowned you his consort, and created an entire life with you.

But the Lord of Dreams should know better than anyone that it does no good to dwell on dreams, for they are nothing but fantasy and can lead only to heartbreak.

“It appears that I was wrong in thinking that my feelings were reciprocated,” he says lowly, looking out at a carefully cultivated rose bush that is rapidly wilting. An icy wind begins to whip up, stripping the bush of its dead petals and sending them swirling off into the night.

Shock, raw and unfiltered, crosses your face. “Oh! You wanted…to kiss me?”

Morpheus pauses at this odd question, for he did not think you to be so obtuse. Did he not make it obvious that that was what he was intending? Are you attempting to shame him further? “Yes? I apologize, since you have made clear that you do not harbor the same affection for me as I do for you.” He has to grit his teeth to keep from spewing anything more vicious, though lightning cracks across the sky and says what he cannot.

“No! I mean yes. I mean–” You take a breath and shake your head as though you’re trying to physically clear your thoughts. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve never…been kissed. Before.”

The bad weather, which had been threatening since the moment he realized that he was wrong and tried desperately to hide the devastation that was threatening to overtake him, dies down so suddenly that it could have been turned off by some unseen entity hitting a switch.

“What.” It is certainly not proper of Morpheus to sound so shocked, especially when it’s regarding a topic that you are so clearly embarrassed about. But he simply cannot believe that someone like you, someone so delightful and open, so empathetic and, well, attractive, has never experienced intimacy from another before.

“I know, it’s super lame. People just…haven’t ever liked me in that way?” You shrug and add, “Just haven’t found the right person yet,” in a way that sounds so self-deprecating that it must be a line you’ve heard many times before.

“So you have never…”

You shake your head and look away in embarrassment. “No hand holding, no kissing, no dating. Nothing. Sorry to disappoint.”

It goes unsaid what else you haven’t done if those simple, basic acts of romance have been devoid from your life. From the way you brace yourself, you’re obviously expecting him to react negatively to the news, and he assumes that this is from experience. Instead, Morpheus finds that he does not mind in the slightest. No, this piece of information is…rather titillating, actually.

(Perhaps it’s the fact that this means you’re largely untouched by anyone, but specifically mortals, whom Morpheus has seen the worst of for over a hundred years. The filth of humanity has yet to mar you in such an intimate manner. Prior to today, Morpheus didn’t think that he had an innocence kink. Now? He’s starting to see why the gods and goddesses of old so favored virgins.)

He files this revelation away to be revisited later, when he can hope to be in complete control of his emotions and not have them divided by having the object of his affection standing right in front of him.

“I do not find myself disappointed,” he says.

Your eyes meet his once more, and he can see the hope you hold. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head. “It is not your fault that others have failed to properly see the magnificence standing before them.”

‘Magnificent’ does not even come close to doing any justice in describing you, Morpheus feels, but it will do for now.

“Morpheus,” you admonish half-heartedly and bashfully. You are obviously not used to receiving such compliments, which is precisely why Morpheus is now determined to make sure that you shall never go a day without hearing one. 

“Would you be interested in such things with me?” Things, of course, being the list of activities you have never partaken in.

Slowly, a smile spreads on your face. “Really? You like me like that?”

Your naïvete is truly endearing. “I do. Am I correct in hoping that you feel the same?”

“Yeah. You’d be correct.”

“Then might I bestow upon you your first kiss?”

Somehow, your smile widens, and you nod. “I’d like that.”

Morpheus again leans towards you, but this time, his actions are reciprocated. Your lips against his are soft and a little clumsy against his, which is to be expected from someone who has absolutely no experience. The entire time, he can feel the way that you’re trying, and failing, to keep yourself from smiling.

It is by no means the best kiss that Morpheus has ever had. Yet, it will likely remain one of his most fond memories of such an action.

When you pull away, you’re giggling almost giddily. “That was really good,” you praise, as though discussing a book or a meal. It’s simultaneously not at all and exactly what Morpheus was expecting from you, and he can practically feel himself falling further for you.

Tonight will not be the night that he espouses his love for you. He will not whisper promises of the universe against your skin, and he will not whisk you away to his chambers so that he may properly ravish you. Instead, this relationship will be…slow. Although that is not something that Morpheus is used to, something that he’s familiar with, he finds that he is alright with the concept of taking things slow, so long as it is with you.

[gabessquishytum]

When Hob was orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by the dream god's temple to be trained as acolyte or a priest.

Hob didn’t really like the priests of the temple (they didn't seem to have much use for children, even though they were supposed to be teaching him the ways of the temple) and they didn't seem to care that he was still very sad to be without his family.

And at least in the beginning, it seemed like Hob was the only child in the temple, but then he met Morpheus. Morpheus was close to Hob's age and must have been on a different track because they didn’t have any "classes" together (and the other priest/acolytes didn’t seem to know who he was talking about). It was really nice to have a friend, even as he stopped mentioning him to anyone in the temple.

Dream had never been a mere god but the novelty of "temples" to honor him had never really worn off.

When he visited this current iteration of a temple to himself, he was surprised to find a child under foot -- usually temples for his devotees were for adults. He had to check to make sure they weren't hurting a child in his name -- regardless of how cute he finds temples in his honor, he would destroy the whole thing if they were hurting children (Orpheus was still too close).

He appeared to young Hob in the similar guise of student. Hob was a lovely, but sad child. Dream decided to keep his eye on him.

It will be years before Dream realizes that his relationship with Hob has developed into more,,,, Hob might have realized 1st, as the seemingly "grew up" together.

OOOOO yes. The idea of Hob working at this temple and not knowing that he's besties with the actual "god" is so wild!

But the truth is, Hob ain't so much of a kid any more. He's in his early twenties now, taking on more of a role as a priest rather than a student. He still has time to hang out with Dream - he still doesn't talk to anyone else about his friend, and he does have a sneaking suspicion that Dream may be more than he seems. Hob doesn't mind who or what he is, he's just incredibly fond of his Dream and is always pleased to spend time with him.

Not to mention that Dream is looking very gorgeous in his silky black robe these days. The robe is much more revealing than Hob’s own and shows off tantalising strips of pale skin, and Hob (who lives a life of celibacy) is having some very impure thoughts indeed.

If only he could worship Dream’s body, instead of these meaningless stone altars to a god he's never really known. Hob has a hundred fantasies about how he could kneel at Dream’s feet, kiss every single inch of him from head to toe, submit to him utterly. When he's supposed to be praying or tending to the temple, his mind is inevitably elsewhere. Even the marble surrounding him reminds him of Dream’s beautiful smooth skin.

And Dream is honestly just patiently waiting for Hob’s self control to collapse. His robe is getting more sheer and low-cut by the day. He can't wait for his friend to finally break down and pounce! He just knows that Hob is going to be the most wonderful priest and worshipper when he finally gets his hands on Dream’s body.

[writing-for-life]

Dream—Craig Hamilton

I can’t get over the symbolism in this one. The poppies stand for themselves of course, but the obelisk!

No matter if you look at ancient Egypt or Greece, it is so loaded with connotations to creation, gods and kings (especially sun gods like Ra and Apollo, and many pharaos and kings used obelisks as a symbol of divine power), connecting earth and sky, often symbolising a ray of sun. And that connection is also so beautifully mirrored in Morpheus himself, with his hair basically becoming one with the night sky.

The positioning of an obelisk was either east-facing (rising sun/rebirth) or west-facing (setting sun/death and afterlife). The capstone (the pyramidion/benben stone) stood for Ra’s first emergence because the original benben stone was believed to have risen from the primordial waters: a symbol for the literal birth of life/creation and renewal. And since the ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, an obelisk also meant safe passage and ascension of the soul.

I particularly like the myth of Bennu (a heron-like bird) that would sit on the benben and cry/sing one last time when all Gods die (and it would be told to sing by Ra himself because it was basically connected to/a part of his soul). The Bennu might also have been the ancient inspiration for the legend of the Phoenix.

And while there are no birds to see in here, the mythology surrounding obelisks dnd their capstones is honestly so fitting—including the connections to sun gods and Phoenix-like birds.

And it is so interesting to me that the Sandman in general makes so many references to Morpheus/Dream getting mixed up with Apollo, be it by worshippers, be it as Calliope’s consort/Orpheus’ father, be it through Aristeas (who was Apollo’s raven), be it through putting Orpheus out of his misery (there’s that part of mythology, too—it’s complicated). There’s some strange balance in replacing the epitome of sun/light with its (seemingly) opposite. And of course an obelisk stands for balance, too…

[darkened-writer]

imagine| Adoring Veneration

summary || ❝Would you have me dust my knees in the white powder of the snow, just to apologize to you about my lack of faith? Or the way I pray to you?❞

pairing || Morpheus x Worshipper!Reader

word count || 1,405

warnings || Morpheus being a sexy, stubborn, horny, immortal mf.

notes || @beautifulbows924​ inspired this fic with her works with Worshipper! Reader! So please, go check out her fics about the concept!! Also, this fic is heavily inspired by Cirice by Ghost, so go take a listen to the song!!! And enjoy.

For generations, upon generations, your family line had a very vast presence within religion. Not any normal religion however, but one worshiping a group of entities known as the “Endless”. Your ancestors were keen on these mysterious beings, but your family had adored one endless in particular. Morpheus, Oneiros, Dream, Lord Shaper, Dream of the Endless.

Plenty of imagery of Oneiros’s ‘haunting’ figure lingered within childhood memories. Painted walls of your childhood room adorned with sand like specks and an ever-looming black shadow. He was, without a doubt, a force to be reckoned with based off of the tales your mother read to you before bed. 

‘He knows of your deepest dreams, and your most haunting nightmares.’

But as you grew up, into teenagehood, rebelliousness struck swiftly. You denied the claims of any “endless”, shunning the once child-like love for the Sandman away with anger. It had brought great pain to your elders, but within the rage of rebellion grew a curiousness as you were never aware of his watchful eye. 

He watched you grow.

Watched you grow angry and distasteful. 

And even in your dreams, he contemplated why you would stray from your family’s worship of him. Were you going to be the end of the family tradition? Was he simply not good enough for your endless devotion?

You grew into a stunning young woman, personality to match it all. 

And he grew even more keen when he witnessed you looking into a box within your own walk-in closet. 

It was a large, wooden chest-like box, carvings of runes on the edges of each side. They read, ‘Worship and Adoring Veneration’. The contents of the inside being filled with altar materials for him. Black and white candles, a small pouch of sand, strawberries preserved in a vastly tight bag, and a dagger that glittered with the shine of a stone in the grip, a Dream Stone.

You were lighting the candles with a lighter, repeating the prayer that he had heard for years upon years, and he felt a smile tug on his lips, feeling foreign but right.

“Oh, gentle King of Dreams, Honor me with your presence, Morpheus, ruler of Dreams and Nightmares. Bless me with pleasant dreams and comfort the nightmares of mine within your care. Bring peace to those within disarray, and comfort to those with no hope.”

Oh.

Oh.

The blouse that was sat around your figure was now being slid off from the shoulders, your fingers gripping the pouch of sand as you began to sprinkle the individual grains across your chest, head lent backwards; eyes closed.

“Hail Morpheus… and Praise be…”

Your voice was laced with the erotica of creme and vanilla, Morpheus’s own self shuddering at the view. 

What has made you change your mind about him? How were you so sure that he was listening to the prayer being uttered by your saccharine lips?

Perhaps he would toy with you and cause a bit of mental chaos.

The notebook sat on your desk suddenly flipped open, rousing your eyes to open at the disruption.

“Wha…-?”

A slam, as the paper finally settled and stood still, but the discoloration of the pages alarmed you from afar. 

“Go to the paper… and be enlightened, my precious acolyte…”

You didn’t tell yourself to move and yet, your body moved on its own volition towards the notebook. 

Sand was everywhere across the desk, almost set upon to show a design, and you had recognized it immediately. It was a recreation of Morpheus’s helm, although poorly done, it was still vivid. And the words scrawled onto the paper sent a tremor up your spine, the haunting feeling from your childhood suddenly ever more present.

‘I’M REAL AND I’M LISTENING TO EVERY PRAYER THAT PASSES THROUGH YOUR LIPS’

Ever since the message was scrawled down within your home, you had felt as though you were being watched. Not just watched; but inspected, taken apart. You never felt truly alone for any moment at all. And that fact truly instilled fear within you.

Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams and Nightmares was frighteningly real. 

And while finding this out was frankly terrifying, you still carried on with your days; committing to worship before you were to sleep. And like you had asked, he had blessed you with many precious dreams, of great happiness and pleasure. 

He really was always listening to your praises, and that struck a question.

Had he been watching you all these years? Even when your faith wavered?

Hopefully, he would show himself to speak truly face-to-face.

“Can’t you see that you’re lost without me?”

The winter landscape came into view within a moment’s notice, the haziness making you immediately aware that you were within a dream. Was this of his creation, on purpose?

The particles of snowflakes fell down gently, settling onto the already covered ground. There was a green fence to your left, painted with what seemed to be many coats of paint. The pale blue sky was nostalgic and reminiscent of many winter mornings, walking to school wrapped in a warm coat; nose reddened from the sheer frozen air. But what had caught your eye was the bright streetlight. The light bouncing off of the pure white of the snow, making your eyes squint.

“Hello…? Morpheus of the Dreaming? I recognize the feeling of sleepiness here… I know you sent me here for a reason-...!”

The area was dead silent except for the crunch of the snow against the shoes you had on. Your nose felt like it was going to fall off, along with your fingers that lacked gloves. Cold and distant, just like the Endless.

“You’ve intrigued me, acolyte. Years of inactivity within worship and suddenly you are willing to give your body to me.”

You turn to the streetlight, eyes widening at the difference of Morpheus’s dark robes compared to the snowy ground. He was striking, skin pale like the ground and yet he looked as beautiful as the books had drawn him to be.

“How could you have really known if I was real, hm? You were practically serving yourself on a silver-platter for an Endless you didn’t believe in. Seductive to the air.”

His tone was harsh and yet as you walked closer to him, the feeling of being picked apart arose once again. You liked to watch you, the way you move, the way you carry yourself, it was alluring; the pinnacle of humanity’s lustful grace. 

“Would you have me dust my knees in the white powder of the snow, just to apologize to you about my lack of faith? Or the way I pray to you?”

He scoffs.

“You really think that would be enough, acolyte?”

“Surely.”

His pale fingers wrapped rather tightly against your clothed shoulder, arousing a shudder from your form. You oozed power and yet, he could make you weak with just a touch. 

Down.

Down.

He pushed you down until your knees were thoroughly submerged within the snow, the wetness seeping into the once dry fabric of your pants. His gaze looked down upon you, while you looked up at him with a feeling of.

Lust?

How could you feel these scandalous and unbecoming thoughts about him of all people. He was an Endless, a being to be worshiped with words and offerings. Not the flesh of the loins or the offering of one’s bodily autonomy. 

“My lord… I apologize for my absence within worship. If you’d allow me too, I’d like to show my adoring veneration for you.”

Your voice was like sliding honey across toast, slow but sweet; sultry but coarse. It could bring any man to his knees; it could bring any man to shed their clothing and submit. But was he just like any human man? 

“I have no desire for your… services. You may offer me regular offerings made just like your ancestors before you. Pray to me every night before you sleep. And maybe, just maybe, I can forgive you of your transgressions.”

“Yes, my lord. Anything for you, your majesty.”

His once rough hand was now on your cheek, thumb caressing the skin of your cheekbone with a deep caring.

“This Dream is over.”

A gasp, sweat covering you head to toe.

And the feeling of his hand on your shoulder, the coldness of your knees within the snow; it all lingered even in real life. 

Praise Be, Hail Morpheus. 

[beautifulbows924]

Endlessly Devoted

Morpheus, Dream of The Endless x Devotee!Reader

Masterlist

A/N: I was possessed with an idea by @rokuhoku, from this post. So for those of you who are looking to worship Morpheus, this is the fic for you. A huge thanks goes out to my Beta Reader, @darkened-writer, make sure to go check out their work! And as always, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any feedback you have in the comments and if you like my work consider leaving a tip! Thanks:)

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2.3K+

Warnings: SMUT, P with Plot, No Spoilers, Horror, Religious overtones and imagery, Worship, Possessive!Morpheus, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, tears, reader is heavily implied to be female but no pronouns are used.

The bell chimes, signaling your entrance. The shopkeeper looks up at the sound, a small, frail looking woman with spectacles perched at the end of her nose.

She greets you with a slight smile and goes back to dusting the shelves, each crammed with books of all shapes and sizes.

You notice the stack set next to her seems like it could topple over at any moment.

The shop itself has a musty smell, like something died and was never found.

You browse the religious section, running your fingers over the spines of the books, occasionally pulling one down to leaf through it.

When one sticks out.

Intricate golden edges, hardbound leather. It looks like it hasn’t been touched in years.

You take it down and dust it off.

The book is old and worn, the pages yellowed with age. The author is unknown, and the date it was published is long forgotten, but there’s something about it that feels… familiar, like you were destined to find it.

It’s written in a language you don't recognize, but the illustrations are beautiful. You flip through the pages, admiring the artwork, when you come across a passage that catches your eye. “The Endless”, it’s titled.

You stiffen. You’ve seen that before.

Skimming through the walls of text you find it, his name.

Morpheus.

“Are you alright dear? You’ve been staring at that same page for almost 20 minutes”, the woman asks, pulling you from your trance.

“Oh- has it really been that long? I’m so sorry”, you apologize, shutting the book and slinging your bag higher on your shoulder.

“No apology necessary”, she says, adjusting her glasses and tapping the cover, “That’s a good one you have there”.

“Do you happen to know anything about it?”

She takes it from you, turning it over in her hands, “Most of it is in an ancient Greek dialect, used mainly by the more unorthodox of worshippers, zealots. I haven’t had the chance to look through it yet, but the collector I bought it from certainly cherished it”.

You smile as she hands it back to you, “Thank you for the help, I’ll take it”.

“Are you sure? It’s quite expensive.”

“Actually, I‘ve been searching for something similar for quite some time.”

“In that case”, she says, heading to the counter, “I hope you find what you’re looking for”.

Your eyes are blurry and your head is spinning. You’ve read and reread the passage multiple times, but it’s like the words are dancing on the page, refusing to be understood.

Frustrated, you slam the book shut, only to have it fall open to the page you were just looking at.

Morpheus.

The name stares back at you, taunting you.

You’ve seen it before, you’re sure of it. But where?

Sighing, you rub your temples, trying to massage away the headache that’s forming. Maybe you should just take a break, and come back to it later.

Standing up, you stretch your stiff muscles, grabbing your coat off the back of the chair.

But with one foot out the door, something catches your eye.

It’s the book, open on the table.

And the passage is different this time.

“Morpheus, the God of Dreams”.

You stare at it, a bitter chill running up your spine as you try to reconcile what you’re seeing.

That’s it. That’s where you’ve seen it before.

In your dreams.

“What the fuck”, you breathe, picking up the book and flipping through the pages. They’re all different now, all leading to the same name. Morpheus, the God of Dreams.

There’s a sudden noise, a soft rustling, like someone is quietly turning the pages of a book. You tense up, heart in your throat, and slowly turn around.

There’s no one there.

But in your hands, the book is open, and the passage is different again.

“Morpheus, the God of Dreams and Nightmares”.

In all honesty, the prayers began out of fear, the book found open on yet another page.

But in time you came to look forward to it, look forward to dreams, for the unlikely chance that he might show up in them.

You kneel in front of your bed, hands clasped behind your back.

Head hung, eyes shut, brimmed with tears.

“Hail Morpheus,

The God of Dreams and Nightmares,

King of The Dreaming,

Dream of The Endless,

Bring hope to those who need it,

And despair to those who deserve it,

For we all rest underneath your watchful eye,

Wrapped in the peaceful curtain of sleep,

Praise be”, you call out, your voice laced with saccharine honey, as if saying, “Please, allow me to show you the extent of my devotion”.

There’s nothing. No response. No flickering of the lights, no voice inside your head.

You run a hand down your face, maybe he just doesn’t want to connect with you, or perhaps you dreamt the signs into existence.

Out of loneliness, the search for something more.

The candles seem to dance in confirmation as you put each of them out. One by one.

Cursing your imaginative mind, you stand, flopping back on your bed. The sheets envelope you in a comforting embrace, soothing the tense muscles created by the slog of the day. You allow yourself to sink further into them, closing your eyes with a heavy sigh.

A rustle. A creak in the floorboard.

Faint, beckoning.

Your stomach is filled to the brim with nervousness, your heart pounding against your chest.

You can feel his presence before you see it. Screaming power and reservation.

Holding your breath, you force your body to sit upright, limbs trembling.

It’s dizzying, electrifying.

You should be frightened, hiding yourself beneath the covers.

Instead, your body flushes with embarrassment and arousal.

“I’ve heard your prayers”, he says, his airy voice filling the space, “Your devotion is unlike any other of this century”. Cold skin meets yours as he trails his fingers down your arm.

You jolt, not expecting the sudden contact.

He doesn’t mention it, continuing his path down your body, “Look at me, open your eyes”.

It’s a command, not a suggestion.

His eyes, like constellations, access your every movement, waiting.

Your sight is fuzzy for a few seconds, plunged into darkness.

The candles have been lit, casting eerie shadows along the walls, but you can’t bring yourself to be concerned. Not with his imposing presence directly beside you, his hands still on your skin, igniting sparks with every touch.

You shift uncomfortably underneath his heavy gaze, worried you won’t measure up in the eyes of a God, an Endless being. You pry your eyes away from his, prickling with tears, too timid to continue to meet his heady stare with your own.

He makes a sound of disappointment, gripping your chin hard enough to convey his displeasure, “You can’t pretend with me. I’ve heard all your prayers, each moan of my name, seen each and every one of your dreams”.

“Tell me”, he says, dipping his free hand dangerously close to the space between your thighs, “When you dreamt of me, did it feel like this?”.

Your mind is blank, your body desperate to feel his fingers inside you, so you nod absentmindedly.

“You are either very eager or extremely disrespectful”, he chastises, tightening his hold on your face, “Speak”. Tears well in your eyes at the added pressure, “No-”, you stutter, heart swelling with adoration, “Nothing could compare to you, my lord”.

His grip only tightens, “You will call me by my name and nothing more, do you understand?”.

You nod, your eyes twinkling with hopeless devotion, “Of course m- Morpheus”.

His face remains carefully composed as he begins to peel off your clothing.

Your skin, painfully soft beneath his touch.

Piece by piece, articles of clothes lay strewn about the bed and floor. He could have simply made them disappear, but he enjoys the way you shift and gasp at his every touch, patiently devoted to him.

Taking your hands in his, he helps you stand on shaky legs, guiding your fingers to grasp the edges of his coat.

You lower your gaze in submission, respect.

The obedience of it all makes him want to swallow you whole, devour your piety until nothing remains, hear the most unholy of sins spill from your mouth as you cum to the mere thought of him.

At his allowance, your hands wander over his chest, taking in the feel of him through the fabric, using trembling fingers to pop open the buttons of his shirt, satisfaction burning inside you as each reveals more and more of him.

Lip pulled between your teeth, you stifle the whimper that threatens to leave your tongue as he runs his fingers along your entrance, collecting the wetness that resides there. “So soft”, he mutters, his next words louder, a demand, “All mine”, he tilts your head up to look him in the eyes as you say it.

“All yours”, comes your immediate response as you finally allow yourself to appreciate him fully. His eyes twinkle, a thousand stars behind them, his skin is pale, almost grey, his jaw perpetually tense as if he’s always clenching it shut. Hesitantly, you place a soft kiss to the hand that continues to caress your cheek.

He allows the action.

Enjoying the sickly sweet contrast of your lips on his skin, he guides your face to him. An inch away, a breath away, until your mouth brushes gently against his.

His lips are soft as he parts your mouth, using his hold on your neck to taste as much of you as possible. You moan, practically a whimper, molding your body into his.

He pulls your bottom lip between his teeth, tugging on it experimentally. You whine at the feeling, tugging on the rest of the clothes that separate you.

This time he doesn’t hesitate to make them disappear, sending them away in as little as a thought as he pushes you down onto the bed, stealing all the air from your lungs as you gaze at him in all his naked glory.

The pure adoration in your eyes makes him pause, when was the last time someone looked at him like that? It’s been so long since he was truly worshipped, since he’s had someone’s entire being devoted to him and him only. It makes him feel something, intrigue, desire. And for more than just your body, but your mind as well.

“Morpheus”, you call his name, practically beg.

He immediately longs to hear it again, hear it for all eternity, until the last spark is snuffed from existence.

“Say it again”, he all but growls, body laid directly upon yours.

“Morpheus”, you whimper, throwing your head back as you feel his cock rub along your folds, “Please”.

His restraint snaps, his hips meeting yours with one forceful thrust.

An animalistic sound rips through him, a reminder that he is no mere mortal man.

Continuing to thrust deeper still, he grabs a hold of your wrists and pins them above your head.

You writhe beneath him, a mix of pain and pleasure coursing through you, unsure where you begin and he ends. Sobbing, you chant his name in garbled words of praise and desperation as he forces your hips to meet his, a powerful reminder of who you’re devoted to.

He’s buried to the hilt, star filled eyes locked on your expression and the tears that stain your cheeks. Your mouth is clamped shut, painfully so, trying to stifle the sounds that threaten to escape your throat.

“I want to hear you”, he demands, letting out his own groan of pleasure at the way you take him in, “You have no need to hide from me, not ever”. Spurred on by his words, you allow your mouth to fall open in a breathy cry, stars shining at the edges of your vision as he brings his thumb down to circle your clit.

He follows your sound with more of his own, his eyes even darker than before, entirely eclipsed by lust. His messy hair begging to be carded through your fingers. You press your lips against his in a passionate kiss, a show of your devotion.

His hips begin to lose their rhythm, pace faltering as his thrusts and fingers speed up. You can feel his cock pulse, the drag of his fingers against your clit, the match that ignites your orgasm.

Your toes curl, every nerve ending on fire, the sheets soaked with your fluids.

Unable to form a coherent sentence, you simply let bliss consume you. His name, the only word your mouth can remember, “Morpheus, Morpheus, Morpheus”.

Hissing at how you clench around him, he continues his brutal pace, chasing his own end. You lay limp beneath him, whimpering, sensitive, fire still running through your veins.

His thrusts still, his grip on your wrists tightening.

He groans lowly, his seed spurting deep inside you, the thick liquid filling you to the brim as you spasm again, sending shockwaves of pure pleasure through your entire body and his.

Placing a kiss to the top of your head, his hand releases your wrists, slowly pulling his body away from yours.

You sigh in content, eyes closing to hide the tears that threaten to fall, understanding he must take his leave of you.

“Lover”, he sighs in that beautiful voice of his, index finger tracing your jaw, “What pains you so?”.

You shake your head, embarrassed by the strength of your feelings, your mind overflowing with doubt and unanswered questions.

“Open your eyes”, his words are gentle, but still a command, “Still your tears”.

Despite his best efforts to remain neutral, his face displays an expression akin to fondness, “Simply say my name, and wherever you need me, or want me, I shall be there”.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want to be tagged or un-tagged down below <3

The Sandman Taglist:

@alice-the-nerd @leg0city123 @uther-pendragon-is-an-ass @dark-night-sky-99 @mm2305 @luciamajer @lizajane2 @thegreatestsandwich @hyper-half-blood @layla2-49 @raylan-carver @shit-post-things @nerdy-wierdo @mikariell95 @musicconversedance @beakami

[oreosmilkshakes]

Hopelessly Devoted To You

Pairing: Morpheus/Dream of the Endless x reader Fandom: The Sandman Word Count: 2017

Warning(s): Dark Morpheus, unhealthy obsession, lightly detailed smooching scene

A/N: This is a one shot!! I was inspired by the god x worshipper trope because when I first saw it, I was like ‘I gotta write a fic on this’. Thank you to @beautifulbows924​ for this inspiration and for the read of your own take on this trope! I also combined the virgin!reader with this trope :D. Enjoy reading and comments are appreciated!

Taglist: @beautifulbows924​

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Since young, books and mythology had been a topic of interest for [Name]. First, it was the Egyptian gods and then it led to more than just Gods. Upon entering adulthood, her obsession grew more intricate to a point where it led to the discovery of special omnipotent beings that not many in the world knew. A special set of beings that were the embodiment of natural forces. [Name] travelled around the world, researching old books, visiting places where it was once said that these beings had visited.

Her obsession never stopped. Specifically to one being. Dream of the Endless. Everything she did, she did it in His name. Every decision she made, she would thank Him for helping her choose the right path. He was like God to her, praying to Him to try to make herself known to Him. Within the compounds of her little home sat a little shrine, ‘items’ dedicated to Him and for Him only. She dressed specially for Him, kept herself pure for Him to take.

Every night when she goes to bed, she prayed her dreams would involve Him. Everything had to be about Him. [Name] has dedicated her life to Him and for Him only.

[Name] had heard of a cult who had managed to capture one of the Endless. She was ready to travel over to witness everything with her own eyes but alas, a message got to her saying that they had captured the wrong Endless and it destroyed her. So much so that she immediately ran to her shrine and prayed for days and for nights.

Over the years, her collection relating to the Endless had grown very slowly. There was a book where the written language was nothing known to mankind, a slab of stone written in the same language. It baffled the girl at how incompetent mankind was in realising that there are godly beings who walk among them. However, the most important item sitting on her shrine was kept in a very small cylindrical bottle. Inside, held hair. Hair as dark as the fur of a panther, hair that was as dark as the night. It was said that this hair actually belonged to Dream Himself, when he roamed the streets of the City of Glass. On the topic of this, [Name] felt actual jealousy upon knowing that the ancient queen and Him tangled with one another.

She wanted that very much.

Sitting in the dimly lit room, one lit by candles on the shrine, [Name] held her head down, eyes skimming the yellowed page of the book. The unknown language made her head spin. What exactly did she have to do to get His attention? To call Dream of the Endless to her and notice her worship for Him? Screaming in frustration, she smashed her fist into the marble tile. The impact split her skin, the strain to her skin allowed blood through.

There were times when she wanted to give up hope, give up on the fact that her master had not yet noticed her. But she never went there. [Name] knew better and knew that she had to do more for Him to notice her.

A light vibration pulled [Name] out of her anger, her phone lit up with a notification.

‘I got what you asked for. Meet me in Greece,’ The text said. She leaned over to pick her phone up to reply, wiping her thumb of blood first.

‘Where?’

‘Island of Naxos,’

[Name] didn’t hesitate on what she did next.

The weather was warm and inviting the minute [Name] stepped out into the Grecian weather, pulling her sunglasses back down on her nose. There was no time to waste. She hailed for a taxi, which brought her to the hotel where she would be meeting a fellow follower.

Leon shook [Name]’s hand with a smile, guiding the woman for a sit.

He reached into his bag, pulling out a small case. He set it gently on the table, the locks open with a click. Turning it over to face [Name], he raised the lid, revealing a small, very clearly, a handwritten book. It was thin, looked light and as she leaned in closely, it was written in the old Greek language. Her jaw slacked, eyes widened as the closer she examined the book, the more she realised that it was a true piece.

“This is real?” Leon nodded with a hum. “Very real. Very, very real. I did a light read and it’s there. What you need, I mean,”

[Name] inhaled deeply, forefinger caressing the spine of the book. She reached into her own bag, retrieving his payment in the form of two big wads of cash. A brief exchange of goods and a briefer exchange of thanks and they part their ways.

[Name] knew she had much work to complete.

Days turned to weeks and the study room was in a mess. Messy written notes discarded on the floor, an empty mug that had been there since day one, [Name] hadn’t stopped and only doing so when she needed to eat, sleep and relieve herself. But everyday, her progress was getting better and better to the point that she was almost done translating.

[Name] kneeled before the shrine, glasses perched on her nose as her hand moved messily around the paper.

“..If you wish to invoke his presence, to..to summon..uh..to summon the God of Dreams, say his name..,” She mumbled, eyes wide. Was this it? The end of her journey but the beginning of her proper worshipping? One where she would constantly kneel before His throne, dressed in nothing but a black, translucent cloth to please His eyes, her hand rested on His thigh while their eyes locked? The imagination itself was enough to send goosebumps on her skin.

[Name] took in a deep breath before exhaling. As she turned to the next and final page, there was only a single word written. And she knew what it was. Quietly, she translated, eyes focused on the language book without looking at the name she was writing on the paper. Her eyes focused on the last letter, indicating that was the end of it. The end of the book. Slowly, she averted her eyes to the paper, a smile curled on both corners of her lips.

“Oneiros..,” The name rolled off her tongue like butter, enough to make a god crumble to his knees. [Name] looked around, her apartment empty as usual. A tired sigh left her lips. He wouldn’t just come to her just like that. Perhaps a little rest won’t hurt.

[Name] dropped her pen on the paper, leaving the study room for her bedroom. Kicking off her bedroom slippers, she crawled under the duvet, the warmth engulfing her like a lover. As she fell asleep, she dreamt…

The world was dark. Everything was in pure darkness and yet there [Name] stood, in the darkness. She looked to the sides to find nothing but pure emptiness. She turned around and spotted something in the far distance.

“Hello?” She called out. No reply. Just silence, like outer space. Her legs began moving her towards the direction of that something and the closer she got, the clearer it became. A man and a woman. The woman had her arms around his neck, eyes closed while the man had his hands gripping her waist. Low moans came from the woman, soft grunts and growls came from the man as their kisses were filled with passion and hunger. This confused [Name]. What was this dream? What did it mean? She slowed to a stop, a few metres away from the couple. The closer [Name] looked, the more she recognised the woman. She looked strikingly similar to her and this alarmed the girl.

The woman’s eyes flew open, lips still sensually locked with the man and [Name] looked on in horor. It was her! She took a step back as the woman whispered something in the man’s ear. He turned his head slightly, enough to look at [Name] over his shoulder with a dark look and a smirk on his red lips.

[Name] gasped awake, sitting up and panting lightly. The skies outside were still dark and the clock read that it was close to two in the morning. What the girl failed to register was the fact that the woman in her dream, her, was entangled with a man she had never seen before. She swallowed, pushing the duvet off her legs.

“Oneiros,” She whispered, seeking his help to calm her heart down. The girl left her bedroom for her kitchen to pour herself a glass of water, unaware that a pair of glowing eyes was watching her among the darkness. A few gulps down and her heart was steady enough to visit her shrine again.

But this time, something felt off about everything.

[Name] set her glass down, quietly leaving the kitchen for the study room. The room was still the way it was so what changed? She gulped, kneeling down before her shrine and closed her eyes. Her prayer was quiet but loud enough for Him to hear.

A cool hand hovered over her head, a low hum coming from the being.

“I hear you..I hear your call, my beloved,” The voice, deep and low, sent shivers down her spine. [Name]’s eyes slowly open. Morpheus stood before her, as soft gasp left her lips.

“Oneiros..,” Her words trailed off as Morpheus kneeled down, a small smile on his lips. His fingers rested on her chin, tilting her head so their eyes met. He took in a deep breath, humming lowly.

“My beloved, such a good and obedient little worshipper. I have lived endlessly and never have I met anyone as devoted as you,” There was adoration and slight mockery to his words, definitely from the fact that [Name] was obsessed with Him.

“Oneiros–,”

“Please, dear one. Morpheus,” He corrected her firmly yet gently.

The girl swallowed. “M-Morpheus, you’re here..You’re actually here..I..,” Her breath hitched, captured by his dark beauty. His beauty matched Him well. This was Him. Her God. “I h-have worshipped you for years, prayed to you, did things in your name..kept my purity as my gift for you. I never stopped worshipping you, finding ways to you, hoping you would hear my call,” She rambled on and the grip on her chin was enough to tell her to stop. Morpheus released her chin, turning his hand. The girl took it, standing. His cold eyes stared down at her as his hand snaked to the back of her neck. Morpheus pulled her close, the girl nuzzling his neck while he nuzzled her hair. The scent of it triggered his head wildly and deliciously.

The girl moaned lightly, hands resting on his chest. His hands moved down to rest on her hips, gripping it lightly.

“My beloved, are you ready to fully devote yourself to me? To kneel by my feet for the rest of your life? To worship every step I take? To share the same bed with me? To allow me to revel in your purity in all of its might?” Morpheus’s warm lips brushed against her ear, a low whimper left [Name]’s lips.

“You will stay with me forever in my realm, in my palace. You can never return here and should you do anything I do not like, you will be punished. Are you ready for a life with me?”

His words were a warning to her. [Name] still had time to back out. But why should she? Her devotion to Morpheus was stronger than her own logic. Like a mindless soldier following his captain to a shadow war. She pulled away so their eyes met, her hand moving to the back of his head. Her fingers gently tug on the hair there. He needed to hear the key words, only then will he whisk her away.

[Name] smiled widely, leaning up slowly to nuzzle affectionately against his rough jaw. 

“Anything for you, Morpheus,”

[rriavian]

Slightly different take than the premise @aisalynn came up with so hopefully I can entice them into writing a vampire au too. And maybe @seiya-starsniper with that iwtv idea :)

So! The fic! The Corinthian is a vampire, and Dream is the weirdly immortal entity he’s obsessed with. Had a couple of options for this but settled on Dream is (still) the Greek god Morpheus who’s spending his spare time vampire hunting and looking very good while he does it. Why is he doing it? Well, vampires don’t sleep/dream once they are turned and yeah that could potentially offend a god but…a group of them once caught Morpheus unawares and drank his blood which is far more offensive actually.

And it also gave them back the ability to dream which is doubly insulting and so Morpheus was like how dare you. 

To keep that a secret—and also punish them for the theft—Morpheus goes on a vampire killing spree. And then keeps it as a hobby. The Corinthian is already a vampire doing his own unhinged thing, but he catches sight of Morpheus somewhere somehow and is like ooh. But he doesn’t actually know who he’s messing with. So he manages to drink his blood—this would involve some sexy wall/floor pinning probably—and then is faced with a very very pissed off god. 

(He’s into it)

Anyway he's lucky enough not to be murdered (maybe Morpheus gets distracted and lets him go?) but he does fall even deeper into obsession. The Corinthian realises he can now dream and is like ok I’ve gotta figure out who this mysterious immortal is because not only is this a little odd but I didn’t even get a name. And then there’s some tension filled dream sharing, a bit of ill received flirting, and the Corinthian maybe tries to leverage the fact that he now knows Dream’s secret in order to get laid (and/or more of his delicious blood).

Morpheus is like: I will introduce you to the exact colour of your internal organs if you continue to speak to me this way

The Corinthian with hearts in his eyes: yeah sure would I need to lay down for that or can we do it standing up 

Unfortunately Morpheus doesn’t go for this. After being turned down quite spectacularly the Corinthian decides giving up is for losers and that the best course of action is actually to seduce the fuck out of this god. So he goes about figuring out how Morpheus likes to be worshipped. 

And then precedes to be far, far too good at it.

Morpheus is annoyed at how flattered he is because the world has moved on from ancient times so he’s mostly been forgotten. He’s still just as powerful but people don’t know about him the way they used to. No one’s built him a temple or left him an offering in centuries. They don’t even say his name anymore. And they certainly don’t murmur prayers the way the Corinthian does, or with such descriptive content…

The first time it happens and he actually blushes Morpheus is enraged that he’s become so easy. That his standards of worshippers have fallen so far that this small thing is making him squirm.

What happens next is a matter of pride. (Is it though?)

In typical Dream fashion Morpheus is like ok I’m going to demand more and more, because if this vampire wants to worship a god then he better worship a god. Cue even more intense dream sharing. And Morpheus very reluctantly starts to become just as obsessed in return while happily denying it. Just fighting it the whole time while also acting increasingly possessive towards his vampire. Mostly he manages to keep this a secret through the use of carefully blank facial expressions and a lot of casual threats.

Though sometimes he slips.

One day he’s daydreaming about the Corinthian’s pretty gold hair and accidentally shares it with him.

(That’s it I have to kill him now.)

[noforkingclue]

Hey hun, how about a dark!Morpheus that gets upset when one of his worshippers turns their attention to another god? Love all your work and I’m absolutely thrilled you are taking requests again.

Note: requests are currently closed

Of course anon! I hope you like the fic!

Title: Worship Me

Warning: dark fic

Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites, @spngingerbread21, @layazul, @lov3vivian, @simonsbluee

How could you do this to him?

Morpheus watched you as you laughed with your friends. You laid down on the grass and closed your eyes, inhaling deeply. You smiled as you exhaled and laughed at something one of those supposed friends of yours had said. Those friends who had taken you so selfishly away from him.

The shadows around him deepened and you shivered, sitting up and wrapping your arms around yourself.  Morpheus twitched at the urge to pull you into his arms. You shouldn’t be uncomfortable. Once you were with him he’d never allow to feel any sort of discomfort again. The thought of you curled up in his bed entered his mind and the faintest of smiles appeared on his lips.

Yes.

Yes eventually you’d be his.

How would you react to seeing the God you spent so much time devoted to in the flesh? Would you get on your knees in reverence (he liked that thought a bit too much) or would you be scared. Frightened to see the God you had abandoned in favour for another?

Would you be afraid of him? Cowering before him in fear that he would plague you with nightmares. He could be cruel to those who displeased him but up until recently you had been most pleasing. It might take some to reassure you that he would mean you no harm, as long as you continued to worship him. He would savour the moment he could finally press his body against yours, capture your lips with his, to see your body under his.

He would never do anything to hurt you. That was the truth. You were too precious to him to ever hurt. Well, at least physically. Morpheus was a patient man but even he had his limits. Just few mild nightmares. Nothings to scar you too much but enough to make you pliant.

As for those ‘friends’ of yours.

Morpheus’s eyes narrowed as one helped you to your feet and led you away from him. To that temple of the other God. The one who so deceivingly swept you away from him. Well, those people where hardly good friends and therefore they would not be spared from his wrath. They would be punished for taking you away from him.

Another that would be suitably dealt with would be that so called God you had turned to. That God might be powerful to mortals, such as yourself, but he was an Endless and therefore infinitely more powerful. Dealing with him was going to be enjoyable.

[zoeysdamn]

There shall be night - Part.1 Morpheus x priestess! reader

Religious themes (Ancient Greece)

The Morpheus x reader doesn’t start right away, I’m not good at making things happening quickly lmao

Also, English isn’t my first language, I apologize deeply for the possible grammar mistakes!

Enjoy ♥

There used to be a time where gods were worshipped by mortals, way more than the modern times ever could. Those times were the era of temples and devoted beings, of prophecies and offerings. Some gods took pride in having so many signs of devotions in the followers and temples dedicated to their names. Some simply never answered the prayers, remaining silent and absent to their devotees’ words. And some of them had peculiar worshippers, who would gladly serve them through their own duties. Even though ageless, the young Dream of the Endless knew that his priestesses belonged to the last kind of worshipers. Back then in Ancient Greece, even before he married Calliope, he discovered his first devotees. 

The first one was already a middle-aged woman when he first met her in the Dreaming. Back then, lucid dreamers were still a relatively new phenomenon in his realm. When he saw the woman consciously wandering through his realm and interact with other dreamers, he said,

“Who are you, dreamer?”

“A simple woman” she said 

“How come you interact with other’s dreams?” asked the Dream Lord, perplexed by such action.

“So they can go through their sleep as it was intended, my Lord”

Narrowing his eyes and still unsure of her intentions, he asked her “Are you here to try to change the course of those people’s dreams, woman?”

“That is not in my power, my Lord” she said humbly. “I am but making sure they carry on their sleep, for they need this place as much as the feeling of the earth beneath their feets when they have woken up.” 

A long silence hung in the air. The King of the Dreaming took a long look of this woman, already a long way through her lifetime, considering the era ; her kind eyes and strands of grey hair, the shawl on her shoulders and her hands humbly tucked together before her, reminded him somehow of the Hekate. Nothing made him believe she could be lying, although he still didn’t really understand why she wanted to make sure the dreamers stayed the planned time in his realm. 

“Why are you helping those dreamers, woman? Do you have any interest in doing so?”  asked Dream. 

“None but helping you through your duties, Oneroi” she answered calmly with a bow of her head. “Dreaming is a powerful thing that we humans may not always understand. I merely wish to help those who seek answers for this part of their lives. For I believe this realm is no less real than the grounds we’re walking on day by day” 

Dream inhaled deeply, quite impressed by the clarity of this mere mortal’s mind. For he knew every single creation of his has a purpose for dreamers, it was rare that someone else shared his opinion. 

“Very well” he stated slowly “If you wish to serve the Dreaming, then you shall. Help the dreamers, in your world or mine, woman.”

“I am at your service, my Lord”, bowed the woman in response. 

And thus, the first Priestess of Morpheus was created.

When she was a little girl, (Y/N) had heard her grandmother's story countless times. Her grandma may have been close to a hundred years old, she would always take time for her precious granddaughter if she asked for the story one more time. They would sit together on the temple’s stairs, the old priestess and the young child, talking for hours until the sun went down. 

“Grandma, what's Dreaming like?” asked (Y/N) while playing with the hem of her white robes. 

“It is a place where all became possible, my child” respond the eldery woman “You can feel everything and more if you open yourself to the land of Dreams”

“Is that why you go there so often? To feel things?” frowned the child, not entirely sure of what it meant. 

“No child, I already feel plenty of things in the Waking World. But the experiences in the Dreaming helps me to see things differently here, for we all have a lot to learn from our dreams” 

“Even…from our nightmares?” (Y/N) asked in a small voice. 

Her grandmother looked at her fondly and cradled her grandchild in her arms “Yes, even from our nightmares. That is why there is no use to deny ourselves from dreaming. Wonderful things can comes from it, however the Dream Lord has shaped it for us”

(Y/N) hummed pensively in response, like she slowly understood what her grandmother said. She knew that her grandmother was this old thanks to the Dream Lord’s doing. Her own mother once told her that some sand gave her a longer life, in reward for her duties. (Y/N) didn’t understand it yet, but it was alright: her mother and grandmother often spoke in mysterious terms to her, but she knew that it would make sense one day. All the other priestesses say so, too. 

“Did you have another dream, my child?” asked her grandmother as the setting sun rained his golden light on the temple.

“Hmmm” hummed the little girl. “I dreamt that Poeinos, the fisherman’s son, would find a rabbit behind Athena’s statue near the place. Argis’ nephews were there, too.”

“And what of it?” 

(Y/N) stayed silent a few seconds before answering “It happened this morning, just like in my dream”. 

Sensing the uneasiness of the young girl, the old priestess ran a soothing hand in her hair.

“Does it frighten you, my child?”

The young (Y/N) shrugged a bit “I don’t know. A little, maybe”

“You are gifted with a precious skill, young one. For premonitory dreams are quite rare, even among us priestesses”

“Will I make a good priestess, grandma?” she asked, looking up at her parents. 

The old woman looked at her fondly. She gazed at her granddaughter, remembering her smiles, the small frown of her eyebrows when she tried so hard to understand things, her willingness to always help those who visited the temple and seeked other priestesses’ help, and the devotion she already unconsciously helds for the Dreaming world. She was thankful and happy to have lived long enough to see her granddaughter grow, already becoming a better priestess than she ever was. 

“You will be, my child. That you will be”

(Y/N) smiled brightly at the older woman, and squeezed her into a tight hug. Before them, the sun was dying on the horizon, colouring the sky with red and orange hues. High on the celestial vault, dark shades of blue were already spreading ready to envelop the Waking world into the familiar embrace cherished by the two women on the stairs. 

“There shall be night” said the old priestess in a calm voice. 

(Y/N) nodded, already used to the Dream Lord’s followers' usual saying.

“There shall be night” she repeated.

[Part.2]

A/N: I literally haven’t write anything since 2019 lmao I have 0 clue of what I’m doing rn *sobs*

This was supposed to be a simple reader insert and now boom, I’m already writing part 3, plz help me

[gabessquishytum]

Let’s bring some other mythology into Dreamling, shall we?

Specifically, Ganymede. Zeus, as we all know, is an entitled, horny bastard. In the legend of Ganymede, Zeus was so compelled by his beauty that he flies down as an eagle and kidnaps him to serve as his cup bearer.

So Hob is minding his own business in the fields one day when a shadow passes overhead. He looks up just in time to see the glint of talons before he’s wrenched up and flown by an eagle as big as he is, to Mount Olympus.

Hob is not down for this. He defies Zeus at every turn, spilling wine, running away, trying to literally fight a god…but gods are immortal and powerful. Zeus mostly finds it funny. After all, there’s nowhere for Hob to go.

After centuries, Hob is resigned to his fate and being a decently obedient servant. Eventually the shine wears off of him and Zeus, being a bastard, sort of forgets about Hob and moves on to other pursuits. Hob is still his cupbearer and he wanders around Olympus, without purpose until one day he stumbles across the god of dreams. He’s stunningly beautiful, standing by himself at a party. So even though he shouldn’t, Hob goes to talk to him.

Turns out he is a little bit of a loner but he opens up as Hob chats away at him. Secluded in their corner, they end up talking all night. Morpheus is not like the other gods, seeming to disdain them. He also thrums with power, more than any other god Hob has ever met. But he is kind and respectful. He thanks Hob for refilling his wine every time. He even plucks a sprig of nightblooming jasmine and offers it to Hob.

By the time the night is over, Hob wishes it had been this god, not Zeus who swept him away. Hob is tired of Zeus and his family is long dead. So, he steals away and enters the temple of Morpheus. He kneels down at the altar in the moonlight and pours out an offering of wine. He doesn’t care if it starts a war, or if Zeus kills him for his impudence. He makes his plea to serve a new god.

Ooo this is a great hot take!! Good stories always start with "and Zeus was horny".

But since the whole thing where he was plucked out of the sky by a giant eagle, Hob’s life has been pretty boring. Being a cupbearer isn't wildly exciting, and Zeus only fucked him a couple of times before moving on to some other poor victim.

Morpheus, though? He's fascinating to talk to. He wants to hear about Hob’s dreams and ambitions. He's so obviously different from every other being Hob has met, and of course he's absolutely gorgeous so that helps.

Meanwhile, Morpheus is a little bit enamoured with the cup bearer of Zeus and all his witty, funny remarks. He thinks that the man has the capacity to do far more than pour wine for the gods, so when Hob prays for his assistance, Morpheus answers him. He decides that Hob can serve as his high priest from now on, and make sure that his temple is maintained and his worshippers are served. With the sanctity of priestdom placed on him, Zeus won't be able to take Hob away again. And Morpheus will have direct access to his new favourite human.

Morpheus soon makes a habit of visiting the temple - it's only polite to check that Hob is doing OK! The fact that Hob looks absolutely ravishing in his priestly garb has nothing to do with it of course. And in return, Hob makes impressive sacrifices to his god. First in the normal ways, and then he does some reading of ancient texts, and then he begins dedicating his orgasms to Morpheus, transferring his own pleasure to his patron.

Morpheus is greatly pleased. Even more so, when he sees Hob pleasuring himself on the sacred altar. He knew that Hob was destined for greatness, and he has a feeling that he might make the most wonderful consort for the dreaming...

[charliedawn]

The Trials of the True Believer.

Part 1 :

You are a young woman who is preparing to join the sisterhood of Lena of Dean..(who is absolutely not real) Only things don't go as planned. This idea came from a request of a worshipper!reader x Morpheus. Enjoy.

You were only a child when the nightmares came. They were fairly average and few in between at first. You would wake up in the middle of the night and seek comfort in the arms of your parents who were all too happy to give you reassurance.

'Normal nightmares for children your age..', the doctor had assured your parents, and they believed him..

But, that quickly changed.

The nightmares started being more vivid, graphic, persistent—terrifying..They made you scream raw in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat and burst into tears.

Every night. You would dream of the most utterly despicable things—and yet—you would insist on not taking the pills the doctor had finally suggested you to try.

They were terrible nightmares, awful in every way, right down unnaturally horrifying and gory—but they were yours. They were your nightmares.

Diamonds in the rough. Cruelly well-crafted. Chill-inducing night terrors...But, they were beautiful. Oh so beautiful..

Even though they made you scream, cry, thrash in your bed and made you beg for an end..You always felt better the next day. They made you see that life could be harsh, and enjoy your boring days..In a way, you were grateful for them.

You parents thought you were insane, but you felt alive.

One night, as your parents had insisted on you taking the pills, you were woken up by noises coming from the kitchen and frowned as you sat up straight in your bed.

"D..Dad ? Mom ?", you called weakly, but were met with dead silence..

You were about to get up to search for them when your bedroom door opened ajar and you felt your heart thump loudly in your chest as a man entered—one that you didn't know.

"Well..Hello there, darling.", his smile was perfect, as perfect as a smile could be..It made you shiver.

He took a couple of steps forward and you hid yourself underneath your blankets, shutting your eyes tight and internally begging him to be only a nightmare..which earned you a small dark chuckle as the stranger ran his fingers lightly above your bed covers.

"If only you knew.."

Suddenly, you didn't feel the safe comforting blanket around you and your breath hitched as it was replaced by an inexplicable sense of naked vulnerability..You blinked several times before noticing you weren't in your bedroom anymore. You couldn't move, but you felt no pain..There was warmth in this darkness.

You closed your eyes once more, bathing in this comforting silence..

It was only a nightmare. Nothing more..

"You like my work, don't you darling ?"

You frowned..His work ? Who was he even ? You thought he was a nightmare, but you had never seen him before. And yet—he seemed to take great satisfaction in making you afraid. Wait..He couldn't be..You opened one eye tentatively to peer up at the man who tilted his head to the side—his grin not faltering as you asked.

"You're..the one who is giving me nightmares ?"

He nodded in affirmation and did a little bow.

"Bingo. The one and only. You can call me the Corinthian. Nice to meet you, Y/N.."

He extended his hand forward and you stared at it for a few seconds before he retracted it—knowing you wouldn't take it. He then disappeared, only to pop up right next to you. You jolted and uttered a surprised yelp when he rested his arm over your shoulders, but he smiled and then lowered himself on one knee to face you fully.

"Even now..You like being afraid, don't you sweetheart ?", he looked at you with a mischievous leer and for a moment, you found him a strange ressemblance to the Cheshire Cat.

He seemed to read your mind again as whiskers suddenly grew out of his cheeks and you giggled when he raised his eyebrows up and down. He was a nightmare..But, he was funny.

His sunglasses, his dark menacing grin, his gentle touches..All an act that you knew hid something far sinister..But, it didn't make you flinch when he put his hand on your shoulder and gently laid you back down on your bed.

"Why are you here ?", you asked and the Corinthian stilled for a second before a shadow passed in his tinted glasses.

He then leaned forward and whispered in your ear in a voice that seemed so incredibly sad, you couldn't help but pity the dream demon.

"Dear Y/N, I came to say goodbye."

You felt a lump in your throat at the notion that you would be deprived of the nightmares you had grown accustomed to and had even learned to love.

"Why ? I..I don't want you to leave."

Tears gathered at the corners of your eyes and he wiped them away with his thumbs, offering you the most genuine smile he could muster.

"Oh my darling..I'm sorry. It is simply not possible. I have broken too many rules..They tried to take you away from me, and he would have let them..He said I couldn't have you. He tried to put me on a leash. Because you showed me that I was beautiful. You screamed so prettily for me—and yet—never hated my nightmares. But, don't worry. I won't let him find you, dear true believer. They won't ever separate us. Never. I will be your nightmare..Now, and forever."

"Mine", you repeated—as if trying to figure out how it would feel on your tongue—and you felt his smile broaden as he bent over to kiss your cheek.

"Yes. That's right. All yours, darling.."

You knew he was telling the truth, and it somehow served in making you smile.

Oddly enough, you understood him.

He was only a nightmare..But, he was yours.

You reached out for his face and gently cupped his cheeks, and he melted into the touch. It seemed that even nightmares could crave affection and acceptance. And, you accepted him. Welcomed him even. Suddenly, he backed away from you as you tried to take off his glasses to see his eyes. He grabbed your hand before you could however, and offered you an apologetic smile.

"As much as I would love you to..I'm afraid the sight alone would wake you up. And, I don't want this nightmare to end just yet."

He seemed so gentle, and it made your heart tighten a little at the thought that he had probably never allowed anyone to saw him without them..Being a nightmare must be very lonely.

"Your beauty could never scare me..", you assured him with a small smile.

His lips parted a little in awe at your words, and he didn't stop you when you finally attempted again. You stared at his eyes that happened to be two mouths and smiled—not even blinking in surprise..The Corinthian himself was impressed by your bravery and smiled back.

"You are one very strange human.."

Before you could answer, a voice boomed behind you.

"CORINTHIAN !"

The Corinthian's jaw tightened at the familiar voice and sighed in resignation before retrieving his glasses from you.

"Well..Seems like it is time for me to go. Goodbye, true believer."

You couldn't even turn around to see who it was that was calling him before waking up in your bed. Your parents then received a phone call about the doctor who had prescribed the pills to you..He had mysteriously disappeared.

Days later, your doctor would be found in a ditch not far from your house, his eyes having been plucked out and devoured by crows the time the authorities got to him..

Rumors started circulating in the village that you had something to do with it and even though your parents didn't believe them—they still wanted to make sure.

That was approximately the time your parents thought better to send you away.

You were introduced to the St Lena of Dean's Covent where the nuns welcomed you with open arms, disregarding all the rumors as obsolete..

You weren't cursed. You were just lost.

A few years later :

You were standing in front of your mirror, your fists clutching the hem of your skirt tightly and took a big breath—trying to give yourself courage for what you knew you had to do.

You tried to smile and look less nervous than you truly were, but it was an epic failure as your smile didn't hide anything, but only emphasized your uneasiness..You then decided you wouldn't smile at all today.

However, a little croak at your window snapped you out of your thoughts as you turned your head to the origin of the sound.

And your earlier resolution was forgotten.

Your lips immediately curved into a joyous smile as you recognized the raven now perched at your window, waiting for you to open it for him.

You gladly obliged and the crow cawed happily, flying around your bedroom before settling himself above your nightstand. You opened a drawer and retrieved a handful of seeds for the bird, the daily ritual you had gotten used to..He flew instinctively and fearlessly to your arm and wrapped his claws around your wrist to get better access to the tasty meal.

You giggled at the occasional tickling sensation of his beak against your skin and slowly petted his long black feathers expertly.

"Here you go, my friend. Try not to swallow too fast this time, alright ? I would hate to lose my most trusted advisor to a couple of seeds..", you started talking cheerfully to the raven—as if you were two friends catching up—even though he couldn't possibly understand your words. It was nice to have someone to talk to. The raven tilted its head—as if actually listening to you—and slowed its pace. You smiled and kept stroking his feathers, finding the gesture comforting in a way.

But, your moment was interrupted by Sister Helen who spook both you and your old friend by entering your bedroom—red in the face and breathless as she tried to make out a sentence.

"The..They are taking the decision right now !", she finally succeeded in shouting and your eyes widened significantly at the news. You gently put down the raven outside and left the rest of his seeds beside him before running out of the room.

You strided urgently along the stone corridors of the covent, determined to catch Mother Superior before she could join the other sisters in the High Chamber—where was usually held the meetings to take important decisions for the covent.

You wanted to tell her again of your dedication to them and your undying will to make them proud and finally join the Order.

You had lived most of your life in St Lena of Dean's covent and you had already taken temporary vows to finally become a sister of the Order of St Lena.

You had learned how to read and write at a young age, thanks to the teaching of Sister Catherine who now wore the honorary title of Mother Superior of the covent.

You had taught yourself how to illuminate just as well as the other sisters, your hand feeling sore at the end of each training, but you had persevered until not one default could be noted.

You had learned to love their beliefs and worship on your knees for hours..To put your desires aside for the need of others. You had learned all that—and more.

You now only needed confirmation and a date for your actual permanent vows, one Mother Superior hadn't disclosed to you yet.

You knew patience was a virtue, but it had already been weeks since your request and even though you knew Mother Catherine would never refuse you, you still had doubt in your heart—as it wasn't only up to her now.

For the temporary vows, there had been no outsider involved in the decision and all the sisters had been unanimous in their vote.

However, a new priest had arrived in the village below, one that had moved in your little sanctuary and held power in the decision this time around.

You shook your head to get those thoughts out of your head. No.

It was the day. You were certain. You were finally ready to join the sisterhood for good. No doubt was clouding your mind that you wished to spend the rest of your days with this family you had found yourself.

You were so deep in thought, you failed to notice the dark figure walking your way until you collided and both fell to the floor. You quickly stood up and opened your mouth to apologize, but the dark and vicious look the man gave you was enough to leave you speechless.

Your eyes then landed on the shiny thing he was holding in his hand and you frowned a little at St Lena of Dean's cross; unmistakable with its golden and ivory beads, ruby red heart carved in its center and diamond-incrusted handle. It was one of the most precious relics of St Lena of Dean.

Why would he have it ?

As if he could hear your thoughts, he quickly hid the cross in his large robes and scolded.

"Sister. Why aren't you waiting in the High Room with the other sisters ? Don't you know it is rude to spy on others."

You immediately bowed your head at the harsh reprimand and closed your eyes, knowing well that the man couldn't be anyone else than the very one you had promised yourself to impress..Father Robert. The high priest whose voice had power over your fate as a Sister of the Order.

You tensed when he added.

"Have you taken a vow of silence, Sister ? If not, is it that you wish to anger a servant of god ? Of your god ? Then perhaps, I should do it my duty to make sure you do not embarrass the Heavens by entering the Order.", he emphasized on 'your' with such hatred in his gaze, your heart beat a little faster in fear. It didn't feel right. He couldn't..Could he ? Why was he so angry ? Where was his mercy ?

"No, father. I apologize..", you felt tears well in your eyes at the possibility that your misconduct may lead you to never be granted the honor you so desperately seeked for.

Father Robert must have felt your fear as he suddenly leaned forward and breathed out.

"Are you a true believer ?"

Your eyes widened at the familiar name and you slowly looked up quizzically at him, but all you saw in those dark eyes of his was a coldness that left you trembling in fear. You were terrified, especially when he dared rest his hand on your shoulder and gave you a sickly sweet smile.

"Tell me, my child. What is your name ?"

You didn't want to answer him. Something in yourself was utterly scared and repulsed by the man before you. He smelled like copper and ashes. Before you could think through about the consequences of your action, you slapped his hand away and backed away from him. The initial shock gone, the priest returned to his composed self, even though his eyes still retained that animosity which made shivers run down your spine and a lump form in your throat.

You ran. You ran away and only stopped when you were sure the man was far enough and you were back to safety, surrounded by your beloved sisters.

You then remembered your initial reason for going out of your room and walked towards Mother Katherine's office. Maybe, would you have to report this priest's terrible conduct ?

You stood in front of her door, anxiously waiting for her to exit and maybe talk about your strange interaction with the priest ? When she finally did however, you froze.

Here. Situated next to her, stood Father Robert.

How had he been so fast ? He seemed briefly surprised himself by your apparition, but it quickly disappeared as Mother Catherine unconsciously did the very thing you didn't want her to do.

"Father Robert. It is my pleasure to introduce you to the long-awaited Sister we all are very excited to accept among our ranks. Sister Y/N. Who will be joining us tomorrow, I hope."

Your joy of finally having your confirmation on your vows was quickly replaced by dread as the priest now knew your name and the power he had over your future.

He could use it against you, and he seemed to understand that as well as his eyes lowered to bore into yours and you could have sworn seeing the corner of his lip twitch upward..

"Sister Y/N..I see."

That night, when you went to sleep, your thoughts were preoccupied..You dreaded the next day. The words of Father Robert still haunting you as darkness engulfed your bedroom.

You couldn't sleep that night.

The next day :

You woke up early and put on your ceremonial clothes, the feeling of dread still present in your stomach, but you forced yourself to smile. It was your day after all..

You hurried to the ceremonial room and waited at the door, your hand raised up to knock on the door, but you hesitated.

You weren't sure you were ready.

You were picking at your fingernails nervously when a hand set on your shoulder, bringing you out of your thoughts and you looked back to find Maria standing there with a knowing and reassuring smile on her lips.

"You do not need to worry, my dear. You are worthy. You are as fair and just as any of the maidens in this household..You are a genuine soul—a true believer.", Maria assured you with a motherly smile and you felt your chest fill with pride at the compliment.

Maria was the closest to a mother you had ever had between those walls, and even though she had never been accepted in the Order because of already bearing a child, she was still the most pious and kind woman you knew. She had become the cook of the covent and had seen you grow up behind her cooking pots and pans.

Her words made your heart beat a little faster and she stayed with you, waiting by your side as the decision was taken inside the ceremonial room.

You felt in your heart that you were ready.

The doors opened wide and there came Mother Superior with the priest who would be assisting to the the ceremony. You stood up straight and prayed that he would find in you the same believer Maria was seeing. They invited you in and you stepped forward, unaware of the saddened look Mother Superior gave Maria.

Maria's eyes widened perceptibly and she tried to hide her tears.

Whatever was waiting for you in that church, it wouldn't be what you wanted.

In the land of Destiny :

Destiny stood before his mirror..How many years had it been since their last meeting ? Destiny thought of Dream.

He had missed their last, and even though he couldn't have intervened, it didn't mean he had been insensitive to his suffering.

He had been forced to stand in front of his mirror, watching his brother being tormented by this wretched human being: Burgess. But, Destiny couldn't do anything. Because that was his burden. No matter how horrible the future may be, he had to stay neutral and act as if he wasn't affected by any of it.

For that was his role.

He sometimes wished he could look away though—for only a second, turn his gaze away from fate and its consequences.

But, he knew he couldn't. Destiny had to watch. Or, chaos would unfold. He knew there was no other way. Destiny was his purpose, and it had been Dream's destiny to be locked up and face his demons.

But, that also meant he would be one of the most fervent opponents in the decision they had to take. For a new potential true believer had been spotted in the realm of the mortals, and it meant everyone would be arguing and fighting to get ownership, as they had always done.

Destiny let out a small sigh, already sensing the battlefield his meeting room would become..

He stood in front of his mirror, the summoning objects displayed all around him at his feet as he raised his hand and his voice resonated around the room of mirrors.

"I am calling a conclave of the Endless. I summon our family for an emergency meeting. It is I—Destiny of the Endless—who calls you. Come. And do not languish, as the matter I wish to discuss is of great importance."

He waited for a few minutes and soon enough, they answered the call.

Death was first. She gracefully hoped off her mirror and smiled brightly at Destiny.

"Hello, brother. Nice to see you again."

Destiny opened his mouth to answer when his eyes fell on her all-too-human outfit and he frowned disapprovingly.

"Death. It is the first time the whole family is being reunited since Dream's capture. Is that really how you wish to present yourself ?"

Death rolled her eyes at Destiny's comment on her fashion choice, but decided to still indulge him as she snapped her fingers and changed into her 'more traditional' clothes.

"Better ?", she asked with a taunting grin that Destiny decided to feign ignorance at.

"Yes. Much better."

Then came the twins, Desire and Despair, as inseparable as ever..Desire addressed a painfully white grin at the both of them and Despair attempted a smile as well, but it was more a sorrowful grimace than a smile.

He welcomed them both with a curt nod of his head.

"Desire. Despair. Glad you could come."

"And miss out on family quality time ?! Not a chance.", Desire replied gleefully while Despair nodded shyly behind him, holding onto the hem of his shirt.

Destruction then came in, a wide jovial grin on his face as he amically slapped Destiny's shoulder.

"BROTHER ! How long has it been ?! Still all cooped up in that big tower of yours I see !"

Destiny didn't flinch as he simply nodded, used to Destruction's boastful and loud personality.

"Yes. I am still monitoring humankind's future, which is the reason I have gathered you all today."

"REALLY ?! Me who thought you missed us !"

All eyes converged towards the new arrival who no one had seen entering..Delirium. Her hair covered with candy and colorful ribbons and her eyes creased, sparkling with mischievous glee. She had her hands clasped behind her back and even though her face screamed youth and innocence, they all knew better. She titled her head to the side and her unhinged side showed by the unnaturally wide grin she portrayed.

"Welcome, Delirium.", Destiny greeted her. "Of course I did, dear sister. But, you know our duties leave no choice but to reunite only for emergencies outside of the usual 1000 years meetings.."

She pouted, but giggled when Destiny finished greeting her and she didn't hesitate before jumping in his arms to leave a wet smack on his cheek.

"I know, you big dummy ! I was messing with you ! And I missed you too, big bro !"

Destiny smiled tenderly at Delirium. She had always been his favorite..

However, he frowned at the realization that there was still one missing person..

Surprisingly enough, Dream was the last one to answer the call—him who was usually never late.

Destiny knew it was his younger brother's childish way of reminding them of his late absence. Destiny frowned in disapproval when he finally decided to show himself, but Morpheus ignored him before taking his place around the table wordlessly.

"WELL, I HOPE THIS IS IMPORTANT ! BECAUSE I WAS HAVING FUN PLANNING A LITTLE FIRE IN THE MIDLANDS BEFORE YOU ALL SUMMONED US HERE !", Destruction shouted with one of his usual loud and guttural laughs, his eternal axe thrown over his shoulders and he glanced at Death who smiled back at him. Those two always worked together hand in hand when it came to disasters.

Destiny took a couple of seconds before answering.

"It actually concerns that fire.."

Death and Destruction both frowned in confusion and Death beat Destruction at asking what he meant. Destiny hovered his hand briefly above the mirror situated in the center of the table and it glowed for a minute or two before showing the covent Lena of Dean—your home.

"I have seen that the sole survivor of the fire you mentioned is a potential true believer.."

At the mention of true believer, the whole table fell silent. Even Delirium. Her who usually never stopped talking. She suddenly stared at the old stone establishment with great interest. Everyone knew what a true believer was. A being who had the ability to summon any otherwordly creature with the power of their mind, of their emotions..If Burgess had found a being such as you, he would have had no trouble getting what he wanted from Morpheus. True believers were extremely rare and most of them had been killed or captured before they could acknowledge their true potential.

A true believer could change fate and the course of History.

They acted as supernatural beings magnets and the Endless had the obligation to keep them under control or consume them if the situation came to get out of hand.

Getting their hands on one would have the Endless' own powers tripled, to a dangerous level which would cause an imbalance in the cosmos.

The Trials were made for that purpose. To test a true believer's self-control. However, none of the old true believers had ever succeeded all the Trials.

But, the problem was: the Endless usually took time making a decision. As they knew whoever gained possession and consumed a true believer would have more control over the next era than any other of their siblings..

And another inconvenience, both sides had to agree.

Consent was another touchy subject, as the Endless had sworn to leave the true believer a chance to refuse the Trials, or associate themselves to an Endless.

They could give themselves to only one of them. But, that Endless would see his powers grow tenfold.

Among the last true believers, you could count Caligula who had made a pact with Destruction, Kassandra who had asked Destiny for the gift of foresight, and one particular slave captured by king Midas, who had thought himself god among men. The king had used her to make a pact with Desire who had consumed her in exchange for endless riches for king Midas..But, as the story goes, it didn't end well for the king.

Destiny broke them all out of their contemplations as he started talking again.

"Her face hasn't been revealed to me yet, but it is of no importance because I know she will be the only one walking away from the fire unscathed. Now, the most important question is...Who will get this one ?"

All of the Endless looked at each other, all family bonds disappearing, as they knew this true believer might be the last. It had always been about power, and they all craved it one way or another.

However, no one suspected Morpheus to speak first.

"I'm sorry, brothers and sisters. But, fairytales such as this one are of the realm of dreams..They belong to me."

Morpheus had never tried to claim a true believer before, because he didn't believe humans to be of any interest outside of dreams. Dreams were his creations and he was satisfied with what he had been given. He didn't need more. But, he had experienced being the prized possession of a human being, and now this human would end up with the same fate as him—if he didn't intervene.

"Not in a million years will you claim them and expect us to stand aside !", Desire stood up outraged and Destiny raised his hand, which immediately made Desire seat back down, gnawing his teeth together with animosity at Dream—who had always gotten everything he wanted..

"Brothers. I think it is only fair we all get a chance. So, I propose a game.."

At the mention of game, Delirium's eyes brightened significantly and her large grin widened as she repeated excitedly.

"A GAME ?! YES ! WHAT KIND OF GAME, DEAR BROTHER ?!"

Destiny smiled at the young one's cheerful attitude and didn't waste any time before explaining.

"A game..of chase. The first Endless who finds the girl will have claim on her until her death. This way, everyone will have a chance to get the true believer. Do you all agree to the terms ?"

Dream could feel all his siblings side with Destiny, even though they didn't voice it out loud and he huffed a sardonic laugh.

"I see..It is a hunt that you want. A childish competition for the true believer and their powers. It is the real purpose behind this assembly. The poor girl would be spending the rest of her human days as a tool for your seek of power. Pitiful.", he uttered that last word with such loathing that all of his siblings looked up at him in unison, knowing full well what Morpheus was implying.

Destiny raised from his seat and Morpheus followed, the tension tangible in the air as they stared daringly at each other.

"Morpheus..I would think carefully of your words when addressing the family.", Destiny warned, "You ressent us. We understand. But, you know well enough that it was out of our jurisdiction. Human affairs remain human affairs. You let yourself be captured by one of them. It was your burden to bear."

Morpheus' eyes widened slightly at the poor choice of words of the brother he thought wiser than the rest.

"Let ? You think I had a choice ?!", he bursted out in rage and the shadows behind him grew menacing to take over the kind glow of Destiny's assembly room. However, Destiny didn't even flinch as he reconsidered.

"I apologize. I have upset you. It wasn't my intention. If everyone agrees, we will let you have the first chance to get the true believer. We will leave you a month and if you have sealed the contract by then, you have my word that we will not attempt to keep you away from the prize you so wish to acquire..We all would like to make amends."

Destiny sat back down, but Morpheus stayed standing and looked all of his siblings with utter disbelief, as not one of them had tried to intervene or defend him..He then narrowed his eyes at Destiny who seemed as poised as ever and felt all the rage he felt turn into determination as he turned around to leave and declared confidently.

"I will find that girl. I will find her and I will not let any of you make her a prisoner..It wasn't enough to let me rot in that cage, but you wish to do the same to an innocent soul ?! I will not allow it."

Desire snarled at him, but Destiny put his hand on his forearm, looking at Morpheus walking away with a small smile on his face.

Good luck..Brother.

Desire frowned a little, until he saw the same smile on Delirium's, Destruction's and Death's faces.

They had no intention of claiming that true believer, did they ?

"Why make this little game if you don't even intend to participate ?", Desire asked with a small frown of incomprehension and Destiny tilted his head to the side to look at Desire with a mysterious smile.

"Because, my dear Desire..Morpheus is angry at the world and the humans have started sensing it as well. We all know that talking about the problem directly with him would only result in more stubborn ressentment and it wouldn't lead anywhere..Humanity doesn't need it. And I can feel this true believer might be the thing he needs to forget and forgive."

Desire's eyes widened at the older's explanation and shook his head in disbelief.

"What..You all decided to give him a true believer as an apology gift ?! Are you kidding me ?!", Desire protested and Destruction laughed.

"DIDN'T WE ALL GIVE UP ON MIDAS WHEN IT WAS YOUR TURN ?! MORPHEUS NEVER ASKED FOR A TRUE BELIEVER BEFORE ! AREN'T YOU A LITTLE CURIOUS HOW HIS SHALL AFFECT HIM ?!"

Desire tilted his head to the side and started considering it..How would Morpheus react to the true believer ? And—most importantly—how would the true believer react to him ? It was no secret to anyone that the Endless and the True Believers could affect each other, and that it could even lead to the crumbling of civilizations. True Believers gave the most beautifully exquisite gifts and prayers, but they were rare because their faith had nothing to do with their actual beliefs, but the utter love and devotion they could demonstrate..However, that also applied to their hatred and fear. He finally got back his smile and chuckled, suddenly finding the situation very amusing.

"You know what ? You're right, Destruction..Let's see how this true believer shall turn out to be ? Besides, we shall see if they'll even get past the first trial.."

Destiny nodded, knowing what lied ahead for the both of you..The trials were extremely difficult and it would be the first time Morpheus would be participating. As he had been absent for almost all of them. It promised to be quite the experience.

All siblings parted ways at that moment and even though Morpheus had the first move, it didn't mean that they weren't going to do everything in their powers to get their hands on the true believer..

Little did they all know, Matthew was listening in on them and his beady eyes squinted slightly at the church still reflected in the mirror. He was the only dream capable of travelling between the two realms as he wished, being one of the great crows that had to send messages anywhere and everywhere. However, there was something about that particular covent that made his eyes widen in recognition.

It was Lena of Dean's Covent. Matthew dropped his gaze just a second, pondering on Destiny's words.

On one hand, you could be one of the victims of the fire and be in real danger..On the other hand..You could also be the true believer and would be hunted and tracked by all the Endless once the official deadline given to Morpheus terminated.

He never thought Morpheus would find you before it though.

And maybe, was it for the best ?

Back to you :

"Y/N. I am sorry, but I cannot possibly accept someone like you to join the sisterhood. You are uncultured, irresponsible, disrespectful and worse of all, a thief.."

Nothing in the world could have prepared you for the effect those words had on you. Your eyes prickled with tears as you desperately seeked comfort among your sisters. But, none of them dared meet your gaze.

The priest's eyes were set on you and you didn't know what you had done to deserve such harsh words. You opened your mouth to ask what you had done so wrong. Why did he despise you so ?

But, he didn't let you as he spat hatefully.

"You. Y/N L/N. Will never be worthy of bearing the title of Sister of the St Lena Covent.", the priest hissed through gritted teeth and his cruel words blowed all the air out of your lungs as he walked past you.

Sister Helen tried to intervene, but the priest sent her such a dark glare that it froze her into place. However, Mother Superior Catherine who was the highest ranked sister among them all, spoke up.

"There must be a reason for such accusations. Do you have proof, Father Robert ?"

As if he was expecting the question, Father Robert smirked and grabbed your arm, forcing you up as he fetched something in your sleeve..

"HERE IS MY PROOF ! I was praying in the church when I saw Y/N steal the cross of Lena !"

Your eyes widened significantly as all the sisters seemed shocked, outraged or horrified at the object the priest was now raising it high for all to see. It was the cross of Lena, the one you had seen him hide yesterday and some of the sisters even started praying for your soul. You were speechless and Mother Katherine who had tried to speak in your defense had now fallen silent. You were alone.

"He is a liar ! Please ! Do not listen to him !", you pleaded, but you had lost all credibility in their eyes and even Sister Helen couldn't meet your eyes..Father Robert threw you to the floor and spat.

"You are no longer welcome between those walls. Leave."

He then exited and all the sisters followed one after the other..As soon as they were all gone, you let yourself sink to the floor. It wasn't fair..Your head and heart hurt. You were surrounded by your sisters. Why hadn't they defended you ?

It hurt..It hurt so much..But, you still loved them. You still believed. You still wanted to..You closed your eyes.

You wanted to dream..

In the land of the Dreaming (One week away from the end of the deadline) :

Morpheus was sitting on his throne, watching the image of the covent over and over again..It looked like so many human constructions, he had no idea of how to differentiate it, nor how to identify the true believer ?

He was running out of time..A week was all he had now. He felt incredibly humiliated at the thought of not being able to make out one covent among all of them.

It just didn't make any sense..Morpheus had access and could travel through all of the dreamers' unconscious selves..And yet, he couldn't find the true believer. He hadn't even felt her..Something or someone must have made sure to make you undetectable by all of the Endless. Destiny himself had had trouble finding your location..

Thankfully, Morpheus wasn't alone in his search.

He had asked Lucienne to collect all the books the library had on constructions such as this one..'Covents', as humans called them.

Lucienne appeared beside him with the requested books and Morpheus didn't waste any time opening them and eagerly searching for the knowledge he so desperately seeked.

He failed to notice Lucienne's remaining presence who looked over his shoulder at the image now reflecting in the small mirror Morpheus was holding. Her brow furrowed as she tried to help her lord find what he was looking for..Morpheus was so focused on his search, he missed when Lucienne's eyes widened a little at the familiar blazonry represented on the flag situated on the right side of the door and what she uttered next.

"Lena of Dean.."

Morpheus frowned a little and finally turned his head towards his confident who seemed to have noticed something he had missed.

"What ?"

Lucienne gave a nod at the picture and started explaining.

"That particular form of pillar was very popular in the 11th century and the golden mountains with three gems represented on the flag were also known as the mountains of Dean. Each mountain for each trial Lena of Dean had to face. Physical, mental and finally..."

Morpheus didn't listen to the end, stopping at the name. Lena of Dean..He would find her there. His true believer.

He thanked Lucienne who smiled—happy to have served her lordship—before she turned around to leave, just as Matthew entered.

Morpheus raised his hands and a map made of sand expended on the floor, showing the covent as well as the village and forest nearby..Shiny grains of sand represented the sleeping believers and one particular grain seemed to lit up before his eyes.

Morpheus leaned forward and the sand suddenly formed a sleeping face: yours. He immediately tried to reach inside your mind and was satisfied to find you sound asleep..He bent down next to your sleeping form and even though your eyes were puffy and your cheeks reddened because of your tears..He still gazed down at you as if you were the most precious thing in the universe.

"I have finally found you, true believer."

A smile etched on his features as he carved your image in his mind and Matthew croaked beside him.

"Are you..smiling ?! You can smile ?! Wow. I don't know if I should be happy or terrified by that information ?"

As soon as it was there, his smile disappeared, replaced by a disapproving scowl as he turned towards the crow perched on a peach tree branch nearby.

"You followed me..", he stated plainly—not willing to share his thoughts with the curious crow—and Matthew ruffled his feathers in what looked like a mild shrug.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on you, right ? So you don't poof out of your own realm. Again.", Matthew reminded him painfully and even though Dream didn't like being treated like a child under supervision, he had to admit Matthew was right..

"..Besides, I've already seen that girl somewhere.", added the raven, his little black eyes now fixed intently on your image in the sand.

That perked Dream's attention as he turned back towards the crow with widened eyes. He..knew you ?

"How ?", he asked in a voice that left no room for discussion and Matthew knew it was too late to step back now..

'Forgive me, Y/N. I have no choice.', Matthew apologized to you as he thought of his duties to his lord. He had to tell the truth. He had to confess everything to Dream—even though you would probably hate him—but it was a small price to pay to protect you from the other Endless beings he knew he would have no way to keep you safe from. He knew lord Morpheus wasn't particularly known for his mercy, but he was better than most of his siblings and Matthew knew you would be safe with him.

Besides, he had already found you. No point in delaying the inevitable.., he convinced himself.

"Speak.", Morpheus commanded authoratively—already losing patience—and immediately regretted as he saw the fear in the raven's eyes.

Morpheus wished not to sound too abrupt or eager to find more about the girl, but failed as his eyes widened slightly and focused intensely on the raven who could feel his eyes burning holes at the back of his skull.

He knew that if he didn't start speaking soon, Morpheus wouldn't blink an eye before forcing the answer out of him.

But, he still sent a silent apology to you one last time, guilty and ashamed at his own cowardice.

Finally, he started talking.

"Most people don't mind crows, don't even look at them or worse, hate them. They throw stones at us, capture us and kill us..But, she feeds us, takes care of injured birds, collects our feathers and locks them in a special little box over her bed..She's nice."

Morpheus arched an eyebrow at the extent of Matthew's knowledge on your person and inquired.

"And you came to know all this because..?"

Matthew sighed.

He should have expected it.

He would have to tell the lord of your first meeting.

"She collected one of my feathers long ago. I got curious and followed her. And I may or may not have become a regular of her daily bird feedings..She became my friend."

Morpheus' eyebrows shot up in surprise. Matthew knew about this human before he did. He had even..befriended this human ? Had allowed her to feed him ? He didn't know how to feel about that information. For some reason ? He felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. He knew Matthew had no intention of stealing away or keeping to himself the true believer. He probably didn't know who she was before the meeting in the realm of Destiny. But, it didn't make a difference now.

For the first time in his life, he wished he was a bird. This way, he could go see you, keep you company unsuspectingly and pierce all of your secrets. He closed his eyes and entertained the idea.

He then turned towards Matthew with a disapproving scowl.

"And when were you going to inform me of your meddling with the world of the living ? Aren't I your master ?"

Matthew cowered a little under Morpheus' burning gaze and hoped back, not willing to look his lord in the eyes.

"I apologize. It was before I started being your raven, my lord. I didn't have a purpose yet and Y/N always seemed so happy to see me.."

Morpheus' eyes softened as he recognized the weight of loneliness in the Matthew's words..Loneliness was quite the burden, and he had to admit that your light was very hard to resist. He knelt slightly in front of the raven, his unwavering dark gaze now settled solely on his messenger before he commanded..

"You will tell me everything you know.."

The raven gulped and the many moments of tenderness you had shared played back in his mind. You were his friend. He wouldn't put you in any danger, but he had to obey Morpheus. It was his duty, his purpose..as you had yours. He finally sighed in defeat.

"Fine. As you wish.."

A few minutes later :

You woke up and blinked several times before finding a figure standing in the shadows. You immediately stood up straight and wiped your dry tears away.

"H-Hello ? Who's there ?", you asked with a shaky voice—your mind still muddled slightly with sleep and sadness. The mysterious shadow didn't answer, he just kept staring at you from the darkness with those bright yellow eyes of his..You shivered.

"W..Who are you ?"

Finally, the shadow stepped into the dim light coming through the stained glass and there stood a man.

"Do not be afraid..I wish you no harm."

Your heart stammered in your chest as you desperately tried to get away from the stranger. No man was to enter the sacred grounds unless they were a man of god, and the man standing before you certainly wasn't.

You eyes widened when in a few quick strides, he was before you and knelt to be at your level and look you in the eyes. His eyes weren't human. They couldn't be. The stars there sparkled brighter than anything you had ever seen and when he reached forward slowly—tentatively—you didn't dare move away.

He traced the outlines on your face with the back of his hand and you quivered slightly. He was touching you as if you were fragile, a gem sculpted in the finest of crystals..

"Finally..We meet. True believer."

This name. This terrible and cursed name..Father Robert had called you that. It made you think that maybe ths stranger was in fact more foe than friend. Maybe was he even a demon ?

The thought alone was enough to make you tear your eyes away from his.

You turned your head away and joined your hands over your chest, praying for Lena of Dean to guide your path and make the demon before you disappear. His jaw clenched as he heard you pray to your god..

He had feared you would be unwilling to be one of his believers, but you were far worse..Your belief had already been taken by another.

You would refuse to believe in him, to worship him as much as he wanted you to, unless you forgot about her..

He tried to make you understand.

"Do not waste your words so carelessly.."

You didn't understand.

He took your hands and even though the gesture wasn't particularly brutal, it still forced you to stop your prayers to look at him.

His eyes shone bright in the darkness and you were frightened the devil had come to take you away. Had you been so bad that the prince of hell himself had come to collect your soul ? Had you been refused from the Order for a good reason after all ?!

Mother Superior had done her best to defend your request to join the sisterhood, but were you even worthy ? You let out a soft sigh as his ivory fingers trailed your shoulders and his feet came to a stop in front of you. You shivered as his fingers raised to your chin and tilted it upwards so your eyes connected with his dark blue ones..Never had you thought the devil to be so cold and majestic. Stories described him as a ferocious beast with every touch as insupportably hot than the most passionate flames in the pit of hell..But, his touches were so gentle and soothing, they couldn't possibly belong to such a ill-intended creature, right ? He hadn't even given you his name yet.

As if he could read your mind, he indulged your silent request.

"I am Morpheus, Dream of the Endless.", he proclaimed loud and clear in a baritone voice that echoed through the walls of your church. He screamed power and respect. You slammed your eyes shut and prayed even harder, digging the tip of your nails into the skin of your knuckles, focusing on the pain instead of the elegant and gorgeous man in front of you.

"Do not.", he firmly ordered and you found yourself unable to disobey, lowering your arms on either side of your body and Dream of the Endless rubbed the tears off your cheeks with his thumbs.

Were you going to die here ?

Your thoughts then shifted to the other Sisters and Maria who was waiting outside..If you didn't come out soon, would they come in and see you in such a compromising position..You would be mortified.

Or, even worse, would he hurt them ?

However, Morpheus quickly tried to dissipate your silent worries.

"Do not fear, believer. I do not intend to inflict any harm upon you or the people that you love."

You frowned a little at the strange creature's words. If he didn't plan on harming anyone, why was he here ?

"Then, what do you want ?", you asked—unsure as to whether you wanted to know or not.

He sighed before looking away, as if apprehensive of your reaction as he admitted.

"I want you to be one of my believers, Y/N."

You had clearly not expected it and were startled by the being's strange request..One of his believers ? And how did he know your name ?

He must have seen the clear confusion and shock in your eyes, as he then started explaining.

"We are both children whose parents disappointed us, whose families abandoned us..We could be so much more, you and I. We could show them. Show them our true worth."

Tempting. Especially after your earlier disappointment. But, Lucifer was known to be a deceiver. You wouldn't let him trick you.

"Holy mother Lena of Dean. Pray for me and protect me from temptation and doubt..You who has been through the same pain as me, hear my call..", you persisted, praying out loud to drown his voice out of your head.

However, it was proved a fruitless attempt as his voice sounded in your ear, dark and filled with sweet promises..

"Lena cannot help you. You have no one but yourself to rely upon, true believer..But, I could change that. Just, let me show you. I could be the one to listen to your woes and offer you a shoulder to cry on. I would be more than a watching bystander, I would be a willing listener and active participant of your life.."

You were almost convinced as his arms wrapped around you..You were willing to let go and forget about the pain. But then, you heard the voice of Maria, calling you from behind the door.

"Y/N ? Are you still here ? Please. Talk to me. I heard what happened from Mother Superior, I know you must be disappointed, but I'm here. Come on out, dear child. I promise you that everything will be alright."

Tears brimmed in your eyes at her kind reassurances and you stood up promptly to walk towards the exit. But, a hand shot up to grab your arm and you turned around—having forgotten about the otherworldly being that was now looking at you with something akin to desperation.

"Her love will not last. Mine will.", he hissed out in your ear, but you were already decided as you pulled away from his grip and shook your head.

"If you really want to please me, you will leave me alone.", were your final words before you stepped outside and closed the door behind you.

Morpheus was left shocked for a few seconds before he also stood up and sand rose all around him.

"I'll be waiting..True believer..", he whispered before disappearing.

The moment you were out, Maria engulfed you into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness ! You're alright."

You breathed deeply—your heart slowing down at the familiar scent of peaches and wild herbs. You bathed in her kindness and warmth as she gently shushed you and stroked your back soothingly.

"Ssh..Calm down, deary. Everything is going to be fine..I'm sure of it."

You closed your eyes and sobbed in her chest, remembering the harsh judgment of Father Robert and—wishing to share your pain with someone else—opened up to Maria.

"They are going to throw me out, Maria. I'll be alone..My parents would never take me back !", you cried out.

"Nonsense !", Maria exclaimed before tilting your chin up to smile tenderly at you. "They'd be foolish not to ! And even if they do, you can always come live with me !"

Her sudden proposition left you stunned.

"You mean it ?", you voice betrayed hope and Maria chuckled before nodding.

"Never been more serious in my life !"

You giggled when she ruffled your hair and you felt warmth spread across your chest at the joy you felt. You would be living with Maria, your true mother..the one you had always relied upon.

It was enough to make you hope.

You smiled and both agreed she would come pick you up tomorrow morning. You had never felt such love..Who needed Dream of the Endless ? You had everything you wanted right here..

That night :

You closed your eyes and expected your sleep to be peaceful and uneventful..But, not two minutes later, you opened your eyes to find yourself on top of a very steep hill of black sand. If you were to even take one step forward, you would fall.

Then, he appeared beside you.

He didn't say anything, neither did you.

"I have until the end of this week to make you my believer, or it will be too late.."

Your eyes widened at the unexpected revelation and you then frowned in incomprehension. Why would he tell you that ? You shook your head. No. He wouldn't gain your sympathy. You didn't need him..You didn't need Dream of the Endless.

"I do not wish to insult you. But, why should I care ? I have already told you. I have given my faith to Lena of Dean, and intend to become someone worthy of becoming her devote servant..Sister, or not."

He didn't answer, he simply took a step forward and..Your eyes bulged out at the realization of what he was about to do and reacted instinctively.

"WAIT ! NO !"

You lunged forward him and wrapped your arms around his waist, falling forward with him as you both rolled down the hill.

You were both covered in black sand, but you didn't care as you quickly crawled to check on Morpheus. You rolled him over to find him smiling knowingly at you.

"I thought you didn't care ?"

You let out a small huff of disbelief as you realized—you had been tricked. The nerve ! You rolled your eyes and were about to get up to leave when Morpheus grabbed your hand.

"Please. Stay."

His request made you freeze and debate internally about what you should or say next..You finally sighed before indulging and laying back down on the sandy ground.

You hadn't even noticed that Morpheus was still holding your hand until he raised it and seemed to be studying it. He was a curious being..

"You are just like her..", he let out thoughtfully with a small smile and you frowned.

"Like..who ?"

He looked up at you—surprised you had heard him, but still answered you.

"...Lena."

You eyes widened slightly at the comparison and you stammered in disbelief.

"W..Wait..YOU KNEW HER ?!"

He chuckled at your dumbfounded expression and it took you by surprise. He had a nice deep laugh..

Of course he remembered her..Lena of Dean. One of the only true believers he witnessed the trials of.

She was brave, the bravest of all the true believers he had ever seen. She was Destiny's true believer and passed the physical as well as the mental challenges. But, she was then defeated by something no one could possibly resist..Her dreams.

Dream had created a perfect little life where she could be happy forever, and the temptation was too strong..She deviated from her path and Destiny was disappointed. But, he wasn't.

Dream understood. Who would ever choose faith over happiness ? It was a fool's errand.

The main reason why nobody could surpass the Trials.

He told you and you smiled to yourself. At least, Lena had found her happiness..You had always thought strange that even though you had tons of relics of the woman, no body had ever been found..

"I envy her a little..", you confessed.

He turned his face to you and waited for you to expend on that thought,which you eventually did.

"I guess she got everything she wanted..I wish I could just close my eyes and live in a dream where everything would be perfect. Where there would be no tears, no disappointment, no suffering.."

It sounded like...a dream come true.

But your dreaming companion frowned and looked up at the sky, pondering on your words before admitting.

"You could have all that..If you were to survive the first two Trials of my siblings. I would make sure to craft the perfect dream for you..All you have to do, is believe."

Your eyes slightly widened at Morpheus' promise and for the first time since you met him, you felt as if maybe..It wouldn't be so bad to be one of his believers ?

However, you then felt the ground shake underneath you and frowned, quickly rising up to your feet.

"What is going on ?!", you panicked while Morpheus kept his graceful composure as he informed you calmly.

"You're waking up, believer..But, do not fret. I will keep appearing in your dreams again. But for now, this dream is over."

The next day :

You woke up early to pack your bags and whistled happily as you knew Maria would come pick you up at the gates.

You wanted to say your goodbyes to the sisters, but deemed it unnecessary as they wouldn't know how to respond and you didn't want to make them feel awkward about your sudden leave.

However, Mother Superior and Sister Helen were waiting for you at the gates and Helen couldn't help but run to hold you tightly against her.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N ! I know you couldn't have stolen anything. I should have said something..But, that priest really scared me !"

You smiled and didn't hesitate before returning her hug.

"It's okay. I understand."

Sister Helen had always been kind to you and you didn't want to part ways on bad terms.

"My child..Could you please read this for me when you find the time ? And know that I will never stop praying for you."

You nodded and embraced her as well.

"Thank you, Mother Catherine."

She nodded and tried not to show her true emotions as she held you. She didn't need the other sisters to see her this way.

You stepped out of the gates with your chin held high and tried not to let melancholy get to you too much. Thankfully, you recognized Maria's car and waved enthusiastically at her.

She stopped in front of you and opened the door for you. You didn't hesitate before stepping in..You were going home.

That night :

You saw him again.

Just like he promised.

He waited for you in front of an endless sea, his knees tugged underneath his chin and staring at the lowering sun slowly disappearing behind the large blue expanse.

You didn't know if you could take him by surprise.

But, you decided to try nonetheless.

You approached on your tiptoes and as it was your dream, decided to summon a bucket of icy cold water to throw on his head.

But, you yelped when someone suddenly grabbed you from behind and your bucket fell of the sand..

"Nice try..", he whispered in your ear and you could hear the smugness in his tone. You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms over your chest petulantly.

"Yes yes..You can let me go now.", you huffed, but Morpheus didn't and shook his head.

"I do not think so.."

He then scooped you up in his arms and you blushed widely, opening your mouth to protest, until you found the corner of his mouth stretched in amusement.

"No..Don't you dare !", you warned—guessing in next intent..But, he ignored your protest.

He then threw you in the water..

THAT LITTLE—!

You held your breath, but were surprised to find you could actually breathe underneath ! Morpheus joined you a few seconds later and you frowned disapprovingly at his self-satisfied look.

"You cheated..", you muttered grumpily under your breath and Morpheus shrugged.

"Maybe so..But you cannot call someone a cheater if the game had no rules to begin with."

Your snorted rather undignifiedly before admitting.

"Good point.."

You then looked around you and marveled at the colorful fish swimming in the nearly translucid waters, as well as the rocks which so conveniently could serve as seats. You sat down and relaxed as the sunlight descended softly on your face..

"I must admit..Your realm is quite the wonderful achievement.", you hummed appreciatively with your eyes closed and felt Morpheus wordlessly take a seat beside you.

It was quite different from what you remembered..The nightmares you used to have as a child depicted a rather gloomy place with little to no light and even though you had never seen it other than through the Corinthian's eyes..Morpheus' vision was far brighter and—you had to admit—very lovely. You had to admit it was quite nice..You then thought back about the Corinthian..You had completely forgotten about him. After his departure from your dreams, all your nightmares had seemed dull...almost tasteless really. What had happened to him ?

"Say..I think I used to have a friend who lived here. Maybe you know him ?"

Morpheus frowned at the question and wondered who you could possibly be referring to ? You took the spark of curiosity in his eyes as permission to proceed and indulged.

"Do you know someone by the name of the Corinthian ?"

As soon as the name had past your lips, Morpheus' expression seemed to darken, along with the sea who took a slight reddish tint and the fish suddenly disappeared..Had you said something wrong ?

"Where did you hear that name ?"

It wasn't a request, it was a demand..

He looked far more menacing now, blocking the view of the sun from you and hiding its warmth from you..You felt a chill run down your spine as the water around you now seemed almost to be suffocating you. His dark blue eyes focused intently on you as he tried to force the answer out of you.

"TELL ME !"

Your eyes widened, as he had never raised his voice at you before..He sounded unhinged and his fists tightened a little more. You then felt as if you were really drowning and coughed and gasped—desperate for air to reach inside your lungs, but to no avail. You had never seen Morpheus so angry before, and you were then painfully reminded that he wasn't only the lord of dreams, but of nightmares as well..Wait..Nightmare..

"HE WAS MY NIGHTMARE !", you finally chocked out and he suddenly released you.

You fell on the sand and then noticed, you were no longer in the water..

You took long and deep breaths, relieved to be able to breathe again. However, this booming and authoritative voice seemed so familiar to you. You had heard it before. You were sure of it. And then, your eyes widened in recognition.

"It was you..That night. You called the Corinthian. You are his master..", you realized and Morpheus stilled.

He knelt beside you and gently held your arms, wanting to help you up and apologize to you. He hadn't meant to be so hard on you..The Corinthian was a dangerous being, and the mere notion of him being your friend was enough to make him see red. He now understood why he had been unable to find you at the beginning..It was his doing. He had hid you well..

But, you slapped his hand away. Your unforgiving eyes glaring at him as you rubbed your sensitive neck where you could still feel the marks of invisible hands..He had done this to you. He was the Dreaming after all..the sea was a part of him. Everything here belonged to him. And you wouldn't allow yourself to join his little world and be forced into submission.

The Corinthian was right..He had only shown you the truth. This realm was dangerous and dark..No matter how Morpheus had sugar-coated it for you.

"You lost all chances for me to ever accept to worship you, Dream of the Endless. Corinthian was scared of you. And you just showed me why. I will never accept you as my god..I'll never be your believer. Now, this dream is over."

He tried to reach for you, but you were already gone.

Two days later :

You had made sure to stay awake during the last two days, not willing to see or hear from Morpheus ever again.

You had been living with Maria for the past few days and you couldn't have asked for a better mother..But, your feet always led you back to the place you had never quite left.

You stopped in front of the familiar gates of St Lena's Covent that seemed like such a far away memory now, even though only a week had passed..You did say you would be back. You just had to wait until that awful priest was out of there..And thankfully, it was today. You couldn't wait to get back in and forget all about Morpheus and your so-called destiny as a 'true believer'.

You just had to wait for the priest to leave.

Speaking of the devil, you caught a glimpse of his black tunic disappearing in the forest. You frowned as you were certain to have seen him a few minutes earlier entering the building, but didn't linger on the thought.

You then wondered where he was going ? Curiosity won over cautiousness.

So, you decided to follow him.

You knew the forest like the back of your hand, having grown up in the covent and quickly found him.

He entered a cave and you gulped as you felt something dark pull you inside. You shook your head and took a couple of steps back, only to find yourself moving forward..

You tried to stop, but your feet didn't obey you as you kept walking forward into the dark cave..

You suddenly tripped on something and fell forward. You hissed at the pain in your shoulder and took a look at what had made you trip, your eyes widening at the sight of a human skull bearing a golden helmet..Where were you ?

"Welcome."

You shivered at the familiar voice as you and looked up to find Father Robert standing there with a wide unnatural grin on his face.

"I hoped you would follow me..true believer."

You gulped as you could have sworn his eyes lit up red in the darkness.

"Who are you ?", you asked and the man tilted his head to the side before raising his hand and summoning fire to his fingertips right under your eyes.

"My name is Fire. I am one of Destruction's underlings..And as you can see, I like collecting rare things.", he gestured to the huge pile of gold, diamonds and various precious objects displayed around you.

He then walked down his pile of treasures, waves of golden coins washing at your feet and you took a couple of steps back as you felt trapped in the lion's den..Fire smiled maliciously and he ignored your fearful expression as he reached forward to grab your arm.

"We searched a long time for you, true believer. You will be a mighty rare piece in my collection. Leave your faith behind. The sisters do not deserve you. They didn't even believe you. You devoted your life to them, and they did not even stand up for you..Join us. We will wreck havoc together."

You lower lip trembled and you started crying as his touch felt like fire on your skin, it burned and you begged.

"Please ! Let me go."

Something in his eyes snapped as he grew taller and his hair flamed up..He looked like a demon.

"BE MINE, OR PERISH WITH THE REST OF YOUR SISTERS !", he threatened and you gritted your teeth as you could only fear for the safety of your sisters.

An unknown power than surged through you and the demon suddenly screeched in pain, removing his hand from your person as he felt intense pain in his hand.

You didn't have the time to be shocked as you started running, desperate to reach for your dear sisters before it was too late..

Unbeknownst to you that Fire wasn't one person, but three..

When you arrived, everything was already set aflame and you could see two identical monsters cackling as the flames raised higher and higher. You screamed for them to stop, and even though they heard you—they ignored your pleas.

You saw a couple of your sisters at the gates, begging for your help and reaching forward though the gates' iron bars. The gates were too high to be climbed and too heavy to be moved..You could only hold their hands as they screamed and sobbed in pain, the smell of burning flesh filling your nostrils.

You were powerless..

You didn't understand..Why ? Why had the world decided to punish you this way ?

The third Fire brother joined his brothers as they mocked you, dancing around the covent as if it was a camp fire..You felt such anger in your heart and it was directed to the three spirits, now laughing at your misfortune..

Even though you had promised yourself not to stray from your righteous path and ask for Morpheus' help..Your resolve slowly crumbled as smoke raised higher and higher in the sky..

Forgive me, Lena of Dean.

But, I'm going to commit the unthinkable.

In the land of the Dreaming :

Morpheus watched the covent burst into flames as your hands were holding the scorching iron bars of the gates. You both watched as your sisters all disappeared and their screams of pain and agony filled the air. He could feel your pain as your tears left wet trails on your cheeks and see the flames dancing in your eyes.

You cried out to them, extending you hand and trying to reach for them. But it was over.

He looked at the flames and the Fire brothers dancing around them, a complete contrast with the darkness taking over the terrible scenery slowly.

What a sad sight..What a glorious destruction..It meant his time was up.

His siblings were coming.

Back to you :

You stayed there for a while, knees buried in the ground covered with ashes and painfully realized..You had no more tears to give.

You didn't understand..Why had Mother Superior not opened the gates ?

You only understood when someone threw the key in front of you and the three Fire brothers stood before you with wide mocking grins..

"You just had to say yes..Believer. And we would have listened.", one of them taunted and you peered up at them through heavy and puffy eyelids with rage.

"I will kill you..", was your only reply. A promise. One you intended to keep.

The Fire brothers sniggered at you weak attempt of a threat before one of them shook his head in mock disapproval and patted your head, as for a child who was about to be lectured.

"My poor child..You are but a mere believer. We are immortal beings. You cannot kill us. You would only be wasting your fire.."

The two others cackled at the pun, but it only added fuel to the fire in your heart. They would come to regret underestimating you.

You leaped forward to strangle the one who had been talking, but he only slapped you and you rolled on the ground, pain shooting through your stinging cheek. It burned.

"See ya, believer !", one of them shouted at you before they all disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

You stayed on the ground for a while before returning to the cavern, hoping to find something to vanquish them.

But, you found nothing.

All the precious relics and golden objects had been removed from the cave and the so-called priest Father Robert was not found in the records of the covent days following.

Matter-of-fact, no one even knew him in the village.

They had completely ransacked the covent and stolen many valuable objects from the sanctuary.

And to cover their tracks, the Fire brothers had set fire to the covent, making sure to trap all the nuns inside before running away.

'He was an intruder. An imposter..A thief..', or so they all said. But, you knew the truth.

You stood alone in the forest and let out a shaky breath. You would get your revenge. One way or another..

"MORPHEUS ! DREAM OF THE ENDLESS ! HEAR MY CALL AND COME TO MY AID !"

Your plea was such that it shook the entire realm..Morpheus had no choice but to listen to your prayer and found himself sympathizing with your pain. This burning all-consuming rage and pain that left only ashes behind..

He knew Despair wouldn't wait before reaching out to you. He had to move before you could wake up.

He appeared beside you in a heartbeat and even though you knew he was there, you didn't open your eyes.

"You said we were the same, Dream of the Endless..You said we could help each other. Did you mean those words ?", you inquired and Morpheus approached with careful steps, afraid he might frighten you by being too eager and nodded.

"I do, believer. I believe in the good we can do together."

"Good ?", you repeated with a small bitter smile and opened your eyes to glance back at him with a profound desire for retribution and chaos.

"You misunderstood me, Dream lord. I want to know about selfish satisfaction..I wish you to teach me how to beat my enemy. I wish you to teach me how to kill a god."

Your request made him frown in indecision, as he was now doubtful as to whether he should accept or not ? There was a chance you might use the knowledge against him..But, he also knew you could be the one and only true believer..And he would be caught dead before letting any of his other siblings get their hands on you !

"I cannot bring back the dead, nor can I free you from your guilt, believer", he reminded you and your eyes downcast in sorrow, but he quickly added. "However, if it is vengeance you want ?"

He suddenly closed the space between the both of you and didn't hesitate before grabbing your shoulders from behind, a small chill coursing through you as you felt his breath against the back of your neck.

"I will help you, dear believer..", his voice a mere rasp in your ear, "but you have to know you will have many challenges to face before your wish might be granted. You will belong to me in exchange. Every worshipping offering, every prayer, every single one of your thoughts shall be dedicated to me and only me..Forget your god.", the command was accompanied by a sharp gasp as his cold fingers rested against your collarbone and the sound of his voice filled your mind, "Forget the god that abandoned you and listen to the one who answered your call."

It may seem petty of Morpheus to ask that of you right now, especially since he knew how hurt you were and how vulnerable..But, he couldn't wait any longer. Morpheus was still hurt by his siblings' abandonment during his imprisonment..It was high time for pay back. He would be the only Endless to have a true believer and make sure he would be strong enough to never be a prisoner ever again, and to make them pay.

Fueled by a shared desire for vengeance, you could feel each other's determination and it finally convinced you. You nodded.

"Very well. I accept."

Your eyes widened as he suddenly whirled you around to face him and you gasped at the twinkle of something akin to desire in his gaze—but far more primal.

You missed the slight twitch of his lips as he knew there was no turning back now. He then released you and you breathed out deeply..There was definitely something very intense about him—something that left you breathless.

You knew he wasn't going to hurt you, but you couldn't help but flinch as he plucked a hair out of your head and tied it around his wrist. He then did the same with his and put it in your hand, closing your fingers over it.

"Now..For the contract to be finalized. I need you to say the words, believer. I need you to tell me you believe. Believe in me. Believe in my powers. Believe in my dedication. And I shall give you what you want."

Your eyes widened at the demand and even though he hadn't asked you, you joined your hands over your chest and your throat felt incredibly dry..You would be linked to him. Forever. That creature you knew absolutely nothing about, but had a voice as sweet as honey that he knew well how to use to convince.

And convinced, you were.

"I..believe.", you finally uttered and suddenly, felt a whoosh beside you.

When you opened your eyes,

Morpheus was gone, and you fell into the ground.

In the land of Desire :

Dream fell forward as Desire rose from his throne and to his utter disbelief, clapped.

"Bravo, dear brother. I knew you could do it ! And just in time !"

He didn't understand..until he realized they weren't alone in the room. You, as well as all of his other siblings were there and a terrible sense of dread took over him as he stood up.

"What is this ?!", he roared and Desire chuckled before opening his arms wide, as if to welcome him to his doom.

"Welcome to the Trials, dear brother..Now, seat and enjoy yourself..It's going to be a long ride."

[killingdoll]

Imagine the Corinthian, freshly made and still oh-so innocent, coming back after his first ‘job’ ever, hefting an eyeless dreamer on his shoulder and then presenting the corpse at his lord's feet with the reverence of a devout worshipper and the pride of a house cat

Imagine Morpheus, trying not to smile and failing, shaking his head at the ‘tribute’

And the Corinthian remembered that tiny, barely-there smile of his lord until all he got was thin lips in a straight line and a cold look of dismissal

That was when he decided to leave the Dreaming, never going back

[darkened-writer]

imagine| Adoring Veneration ii

summary || ❝Your eyes that begged him to touch you, calling him your ‘lord’, your ‘majesty’; it was filthy.❞

pairing || Morpheus x Worshipper!Reader

word count || 2,628

warnings || Morpheus being horny once again, ritual sex?, reader is a very obedient acolyte, p in v, oral, dear god his voice will be the end of us all.

notes || @beautifulbows924​ inspired this fic with her works with Worshipper! Reader! So please, go check out her fics about the concept!! Enjoy!!!

Six months. A grueling six months of continuous prayer and worship to Morpheus. You dedicated every night to intense prayer and offering of objects, such as Sage, Sweetgrass, Milk, Strawberries, Poppies, and Chamomile tea. It was safe to say Morpheus loved it all, because his candle would always flare when you would set an offering on his altar.

You had expected him to eventually show up to say that you were forgiven, but that never came. Would he really subject you to such a long time of waiting? But, what you hadn’t known is that Morpheus was scared to confront you. He’d never had an acolyte offer up their body for worship; let alone forgiveness. It sprouted a feeling of uncertainty and scarceness within him, which was odd for a god such as himself. Lucienne even suggested that he take at least a year before even thinking about coming back to you, but you were so god damned tempting.

Human pleasures were a distant thought since he had been captured by Roderick Burgess; but the thought was now ever present as he was trying to create dreams and nightmares. He distanced himself from every entity of the Dreaming to try and work, but you, you invaded his mind like a parasite. Your eyes that begged him to touch you, calling him your ‘lord’, your ‘majesty’; it was filthy.

Due to these thoughts, he couldn’t even churn out a single dream. His work was stunted, which put the Dreaming in a semi-crisis.

“My lord…”

The balcony that overlooked the whole of the Dreaming was a spot that Morpheus loved to use as a quiet spot to read or ponder. However, now it was currently being used for him to jot down his thoughts in a small, leather bound journal. His movements while writing were sparse and unruly, he was truly stuck in whatever was crossing his mind at the very moment.

“My lord, I think you need to deal with this problem first hand…”

“And how do you suppose I do that, Lucienne? Hm?”

“Perhaps you must… act upon these thoughts?”

His eyes widened, “Commit to it? But, aren’t you always the one to advise me not to do things?”

“Well…” Lucienne gestures out towards the Dreaming with her ring-adorned hand, “Without you in a correct mindset, nothing can be done here in the Dreaming. No dreams, or nightmares, can be created unless you focus up, M’lord. So, I advise that you visit this… worshiper and fulfill this carnal need of yours. It will do you no good to keep it buried for the sake of work relations.”

“Is it wrong to want her, Lucienne?”

“You’ve watched her for a while, I assume this interest in her spans far longer than what is happening currently?” Morpheus nods and Lucienne smiles to herself.

“Well, go on and see her. I’ll take care of the Dreaming while you are away, M’lord.” She gives his shoulder a comforting pat before walking away promptly to take care of business, and although he still had some doubts tugging at his sleeve, he pulled some sand out from his pouch and set his intentions towards finding you.

-

By the time he arrived at your home, you were getting ready for prayer before your own slumber. So he lingered in the shadows of your room, watching you kneel by his altar and set each offering methodically in each spot you deemed fit. You were mumbling something under your breath, but from where Morpheus was standing, he could not hear you at all until you began to pray out-loud into the still, and rather warm air. 

“Hail Morpheus, God of slumber, King of The Dreaming, Lord of Dreams and Nightmares, I bring you these humble offerings and hope for pleasant sleep whenever I may be consumed by the sand. May these offerings prove my devotion and adoring veneration for you. Praise be.”

Parallel to the last time he watched you pray, you began to pour salt upon yourself, eyes closed and lips moving as if you were muttering something once again. Your neck was bare and the urge to delve into it and bite was itching upon his urges. But what really got him going was your tongue licking your lips, sultry and sweet, mimicking how you probably tasted. You were a sight to behold, in your dreams and in reality.

You got up and got under the covers of your bed, curling up like a cat, but before you could fall asleep; you felt a hand touch your ankle and you shrieked.

“AH! Ah…?” 

There he was, the god that was plaguing your every thought. And he looked damn good at the moment. 

“Precious acolyte, I come to you with a firm request.”

“Am I forgiven yet?”

He chuckles, “Yes, but I must know something before I ask you this request…”

You perk up visibly, “Anything, Your Majesty. You can ask anything.”

“Are you still willing to give your body to me as an offering?”

A beat of silence, a shocked look on your face before you nod slowly, unsure of yourself just as he was unsure why he was even there in the first place. This revelation however led him to his request, “I want your body, acolyte. Your body, soul, and everything in between. Will you give it to me?”

His hand slid up your leg, feeling up every stray hair and odd texture there was, because everything that you may think is wrong with you; he absolutely adored it. 

“Then, we may come together in a venereal act of skin on skin. I will be back here at twelve p.m. tomorrow night, you must prepare a circle of poppy and salt, sand also. The ritual is one that your ancestors have done once and you will do so with me.”

He rose from the foot of the bed, eyes scanning over your whole figure before giving you a small but subtle smile.

“Check the books of your ancestors' worship, you’ll find the rest of what you need, acolyte.”

Your vision went black momentarily before he was gone from your room, leaving an eerie circle of sand, the air clearing up immediately in his absence.

“Fuck-”

-

The whole day you gathered all of the necessary things you would need for the ritual. Oddly enough, it only required quite simple things like black candles, salt, sand, poppy, and a simple incantation. Though, you decided to carve Morpheus’s sigil into each candle for added potency. 

The stress was seeping into your thoughts as every hour ticked by, until it struck the hour of eleven P.M. and you had no idea if you should wear something special or just lay in the circle of poppy and salt. You chose the latter of the two, sitting cross-legged with a lighter, lighting each candle; smiling as each flame arose from the wick. 

11:10

The smell of leather and sea moss entered your nostrils, easing the tenseness in your shoulders and lower back.

11:30

You let yourself lay in the circle, gently laying your hands on your stomach, taking a deep inhale and brash exhale.

11:50

The air was slightly warm from the burning candles, but there was a sudden chill that spread throughout the room.

12:00 PM

“Enjoying yourself, already?”

Your eyes opened immediately at the sound of Morpheus’s voice, sitting up fast enough to lock eyes with him from the dark of the hallway of your home. His eyes glowed with the alluring darkness and infinite galaxies that you had read about for years. So damn beautiful, and yet he was characterized as one of the more “Apathetic” endless.

“I was just relaxing before you arrived, your majesty…”

He stepped finally into the light of the burning candles, his usual dark garb covering his body but his expression was one of great longing.

An ache.

“I assume you read from the great books of your ancestors…?”

“Yes…! I gathered everything and set it all up accordingly. I… hope it is to your satisfaction, M’lord.”

He was quiet for a moment, taking in the neatly set up candles, salt and poppy in a precise circle, and the sand. You were punctual and paid attention to the details, that was admirable. 

“It is, Acolyte. You’ll have to forgive me for I haven’t done one of these rituals in quite a long time.”

His fingers were beringed, oddly dainty and yet they hold the power of worlds. They wrapped gently on the edges of his overcoat, gripping and sliding, until the coat was clean off of his figure. He was simply ghostly in form and so very refined. He always carried himself in a regal and awkward manner. It made you feel a bit more comfortable hearing that he too would fumble while consummating an ancient ritual such as the one laid out before you.

“You need to be prepared, yes? What is it called…-foreplay?”

This roused a laugh out of you, “Do as you’ve done in the past, M’lord. I am yours.”

That, however, made his gaze visibly darken, his pupils expanding under the pale light of the candles.

“Mine? You saying the thought makes it sound utterly divine.”

He stepped into the circle, easing you down into a lying position once again with his palm gently encompassing your shoulder.

“Lift your legs.”

You obeyed immediately, as if you were a puppet controlled by strings, all of your actions puppeteered by the desire swimming in your stomach. The heartbeat in-between your thighs thrummed in your ears, as if it was going to consume your senses.

His hands slid down your legs, touching every atom of skin with ease until they finally settled on your thighs, his thumbs rubbing comforting circles. Your legs were hiked up on his shoulders and he made quick work of the shorts you were once sporting, throwing them outside of the circle and onto your couch. 

“Your underwear is very damp… may I?”

You voiced a wordless “Yes” and he hooked a finger under the strap of the underwear, savoring the slowness of easing it off of your legs. His eyes were trained on you and you only, and the attention was overwhelming.

Focusing attention on the task at hand, he broke his lust filled gaze to peer at your sex, leaning down slowly, slowly, until the warm breath of his mouth fanned across the flesh of your inner thighs. The goosebumps rising on your legs gave him firm evidence that you were very responsive, so without wasting any time he eased his tongue into the fold of your sex; immediately finding the swollen bundle of nerves. 

The feeling of his lips wrapping around your clit sent a breathy moan from the very depths of your vocal cords, your own fingers finding their way to his raven locks to pull.

The room that was once filled with the serene sound of silence was now full of slurping and sucking noises of Morpheus, now introducing his fingers into the equation. This led a moan to escape your lips and into the air like a prayer to him, to Dream, as he was on his knees for you, worshiping and praying to bring you to your peak.

His tongue was relentless, thousands and thousands of years of experience being used to elicit pleasure and it sure as hell was doing the trick. His fingers were methodical in movement, precise like he already knew you and all the buttons he would have to push to make you scream.

“Don’t moan to God, Moan to the skies, my dear Acolyte.”

“Morpheus…M-Morpheus. I’m going to…”

“God…Morpheus…”

The words roused him to continue his ministrations, himself humming, obviously pleased with himself that he was driving you to your limit. And, when the crescendo hit, he kept his eyes on yours and those galaxies carried you through the dopamine washing through every limb and bone in your body; your pelvis rising from the floor and cunt clenching and releasing against his tongue. But, as quickly as it came, it washed away, and you sagged graciously against the floor with a breathless moan.

He pulled away from your cunt, his lips and surrounding skin around it were all damp with your liquids, his tongue darting out to lick his lips, causing a chill to run up your spine.

“You’re prepared, Acolyte. Strip yourself of your shirt and bra.”

He left you no second to rest as you followed his command, throwing your shirt and bra where you saw him throw your shorts. 

A smile now graced his face as he stood up, looking filthy and tarnished. The sound of clothes rustling gave you a semblance of the current moment, watching his hands make quick work of his own clothes. Unbuckling his pants and quick work of the button of his pants, slowly unzipping his fly with tension, building butterflies in your stomach. His hands wrap around the top of his pants, pulling them down along with his boxer briefs, the distinct “V” of his pelvis being uncovered to you, making the beat between your legs once again sound in your ears. His member was dripping at the tip, veins on the underside pulsating with desire that was mirroring your own, and his gaze was even more filled with hunger, a carnal passion thronged with wontoness. 

“When you feel yourself reaching completion, say the incantation and let yourself  fall.”

His full body loomed over yours now, his eyes looking down into yours as you felt the intrusion of his member entering you with relative ease due to your previous arousal, a gasp floating from your throat and eyes closing in debauchery.

He was now going at a relative speed which could be described as pretty fast, the speed making you raise your legs, wrapping them around his midsection and settling at his hips as he bucked into you. Foreheads pressed against each other, soft grunts were coming from him, complimenting the gasps from yourself, creating a symphony of pleasure. The slaps of skin on skin consuming your every sense, the wetness of sweat on your skin making wet plomping sounds as his hips met yours in tandem. The pleasure filtering in from the decadence was hazing your brain, making you drunk on the pleasure.

Eventually, your head lolled back into the hardwood flooring, eyes rolled back into your skull as you kept hold of him with your hands on his biceps, gripping as much as you could. The pleasure surging through your veins left you speechless.

“Slow… S-Slow…”

And, he listened, going from the fast pace to a slower pace, which gave him time to thrust deep, and deeper, hitting the bundle of nerves he had on his tongue previously, accompanied by the now new throbbing of his cock.

“I bring this humble offering to you…! My body and its many earthly pleasures, an ultimate gift for your taking. May it bring you great luxury, Lord Shaper! Oneiros! Dream! Praise be, Morpheus!”

That was all it took, the exhilarating feeling consuming your very being, spreading all over your body in a symphony of intoxicating surges of almost electric pulses. Your nails dug into his biceps as he chased his own finish, eventually hitting his own peak, groaning into your ear with your name, “Acolyte”, and a warmness filled you, sending a tremor down your legs at the warmness and thickness of it, giving you an odd feeling of coziness. 

You didn’t notice however, but the flames of the candles around you shot up into taller towers of fire, casting light across yourself and Morpheus as he let one of his hands touch your cheek.

“And you are mine, Acolyte.”

[beautifulbows924]

Hopeless Surrender

Morpheus, Dream of The Endless x Devotee!Reader

Masterlist

A/N: I’ve remained possessed with the worshipper trope, spurred on by both @rokuhoku and @darkened-writer. So for those of you who were interested in a part two to Endlessly Devoted, this is the fic for you (short, but sweet, since I’m planning more with these two). And as always, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any feedback you have in the comments and if you like my work consider leaving a tip! Thanks:) 

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 600+

Warnings: Smut adjacent, No Spoilers, Religious overtones and imagery, Worship, Dominant!Morpheus, Fluff if you squint, tears.

You kneel at his altar, utterly consumed by the memory of him.

The gentle pressure of his touch, the silent demand of his presence, the unrestrained passion held in his eyes.

It leaves you longing, unable to rest.

The flames of the candles flicker, affected by the sudden change in temperature. Plummeting with each breath of silence.

You steady yourself on your knees, painfully aware of each creak in the wood as he circles you like a predator stalking its prey.

“You are meant to be in the Dreaming”, his deep voice fills the surrounding air, sensuous and promising, underlying the barest hint of a threat.

You bow your head, embarrassed by the intensity of your emotions as hopeless adoration encompasses your every word, “I apologize my lord, for I’ve fallen in love with the memory of you, and it’s sweeter than any dream sleep could bring me”.

He moves closer at that, the airy warmth of his body seeping into yours, “Is that so?”, his hand comes to rest on your cheek, tilting your face upwards to meet his gaze, “And if I were to give you another?”.

You shiver at the prospect, unable to contain your excitement as you nod eagerly.

“Your impatience never fails”, he says, displeased, his fingers leaving light impressions on your skin, “I should like to leave you on your knees for that indiscretion alone”. He withdraws his touch, watching you with an intensity that makes your heart leap from your chest.

With a shuddering breath, you swallow thickly, unable to prevent the tears that brim your lashes, “If that is what you wish”. You sink further into the floor, trembling with desire as you await his command.

“Very well”, he replies, an almost amused smirk on his face. “You will kneel here until I let you move, and you will not allow a sound to escape your lips.”

He moves away then, leaving you to your thoughts as you try to calm your racing heart.

The minutes stretch into what feels like hours, your body growing numb from the awkward position. The only thing keeping you grounded— the knowledge that he’s watching you.

Every move, every breath.

He’s captured, pulled in.

Fear mixed with desire, naive innocence flooded in utter devotion.

The candles have long since burned out, leaving the room in darkness. You can only focus on the sound of his breathing, slow and steady, as he waits for you to break.

But you won’t. You can’t.

Not when you know that this is what he wants.

To see you kneel before him, devoted and obedient.

To know that you would do anything to please him.

His presence is a comforting weight as he comes to stand behind you. “You have done well”, he murmurs, his voice a gentle caress, “You may stand”.

Relief washes over you as you finally pull yourself to full height, your body protesting after being in the same position for so long.

Morpheus brings you close, his hands cradling your face as he captures your lips with his, your back pressed against the wall. Trapped.

He groans lowly at the feel of you fully against him, drinking in the shaky way your breath rasps out at the contact. His hand continuing to guide your lips to his as an arm stays wrapped around your waist, keeping you held there.

He presses his face into your neck, nose trailing down to match as he runs his index finger down your arm, enjoying how your body reacts to the lightest of touches.

You moan, pressing yourself harder against him still, body absolutely writhing.

He’s everything.

An intensity that leaves you trembling, torn apart at the seams.

And just when you think you can't take anymore, he pulls away entirely, leaving you gasping for air.

His next words a tenderly whispered taunt, “Until next time, my love”.

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