Chapter Text
Dream sat on the hill, knees to his chin. The harbor glittered below, bustling and busy with little people running about like so many ants.
It wasn't fair.
He'd overhead his uncle - that he and his siblings apparently had - talking to his mother and dad during one of their grandparent visits to George's palace.
Another ‘Dream' from across the dimensions had snapped - gone off the rails crazy and it was sending ripples through the dimensions.
Bad ripples.
Dream had figured there would be other hims out there that weren't the greatest - that was just the expectation with how ever many other dimensions were out there.
But the way Uncle Scott was talking -
This would be bad. That Dream was a 'core' Dream - a Dream that existed well before any of the others with his own timeline and dimension. His existence had triggered the creation of most, if not all, the other Dreams in all the other dimensions.
In other words, Dream only existed because that Dream did, and if that Dream was a crazy, cruel, vindictive -
"You doubt me?"
Dream lurched to his feet, whipping around so fast he nearly twisted an ankle and rolled down the hill. Since taking Fate's magic, no one was ever able to sneak up on him - he saw every action before it was taken
The woman had appeared out of thin air. She was much shorter than him, tilting her head and watching him with blue eyes behind thick glasses.
"Who are you?" Dream asked, hand going for his knife.
A quirked smile. "I am your creator."
Dream paused. "What?"
Her hands folded behind her back and she tipped back and forth on her heels. "I made you. I made this world."
"...you're the One?'
"No, my darling." She laughed. "I made him too."
Dream blanched. "I don't - "
"You're doubting who you are."
Somehow, she'd heard his thoughts.
"Of course I heard your thoughts, goober," she giggled, pushing her glasses up her nose. "You are because I am. You are a piece of me."
Dream swallowed, thinking of the other Dream.
"He is from my world, the one I didn't make," she said gently. "My world creates worlds, you see. I'm from there, and I made you."
So many questions whirled around Dream's mind, but he could only get one out. "Why are you here?"
"I've come gently. "My world creates worlds, you see. I'm from there, and I made you."
So many questions whirled around Dream's mind, but he could only get one out. "Why are you here?"
“I've come to comfort you, of course." She looked hurt he hadn't figured it out. "You are my creation, and you are hurting as a result of me creating you. It's only fair I come to comfort you."
"What comfort can you possibly give me?" he threw his hands to the sides, frustrated and angry and now with someone to listen. "The monster I'm named for or created by or whatever the nether he is abused children! He's lost his mind! He manipulated everyone he loved and - "
"And are you him?"
Dream paused. "What?"
The woman stepped closer. "Are you him?"
"No - "
"Then why are you worried?" Her hand came up and cupped his cheek. "You are mine, my darling. My child, my creation, my Dream. I made you - not him. I built your every thought and your every whim. I was there when you were born and I will be with you when you die. I made you great and I made you good . You doubt me, though you stand before me a hero of war? The savior of the world? Who do you think gave you Fate's powers?"
Dream's eyes were wide at her statements, feeling the distinct lack of warmth from her hand.
"I gave you those powers because I trusted you to keep this world safe while I'm gone," she said gently, lovingly brushing her thumb along his face. "I can't watch forever, and I knew you were the one."
Dream didn't know why he started crying, or when he started believing her, but he did both. She tugged him down, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and running a hand through his hair as he rested his face in the crook of her shoulder.
She had no warmth, no smell, nothing but her voice and the pressure from her arms. She wasn't from here. She didn’t even exist here, yet still her words melted like honey and silk, soothing and calm.
"I made everything you are," she whispered to him, just to h8im. "I may have created a world that needed to be saved, but I also made the heroes that saved it." She pressed a kiss to his temple. "Don't you forget who you are. You are my Dream. You are light and goodness and kindness. You saved the world because I knew you could." She squeezed him tight. "I will not let him hurt you. He will never get to you. Who he is will never be reflected on you because I will be there every step of the way to make sure you are your own person. I am more than the creator of this world - I am her guardian, and no monster will ever claw its way in here."
Dream sniffled and pulled back, wiping his face.
She beamed back, happy as a clam. "Take care of my world, Dream. Perhaps we'll meet again."
Dream blinked and frowned at the water. He'd never stood up, his face was dry, and he could feel nothing left from her hands on his or her palm on his face.
What happened?