Chapter Text
"Get up!" Hannah, the Keeper, hissed at Tommy. She ripped the thin sheets off his small bed and shook him. "Up! Up! Someone's here to see you and I'll be damned if you mess it up again for me."
Tommy groans and reluctantly follows her, rubbing his eyes and wincing at the cold stone floor under his bare feet.
"Who is it? Not that ol' Nan! She's a bitch!" Tommy groans then flinches back as Hannah reaches back to swat at him.
"Shut up! Respect your elders and watch you language! No, it's not her. He's a Vampire Hunter and specifically asked to see you. So you will be polite and not swear and not fuck this up for me." She turns to glare at Tommy, and he squirms under her gaze but nods. Then rolls his eyes at her hypocrisy as soon as she turns around.
Tommy wonders who this man is, and if he's insane. He must be if he asked for Tommy for Pete's sake.
The two turn the corner, the only sound each other's breathing, the storm raging outside, and the click-clack of Hannah's heeled boots on the stone bricks. Tommy turns to follow Hannah and is stops in fear and awe. The man in front of him is around six feet in height and powerfully built, wearing a cloak around his shoulders.
The man turns and Tommy catches a glimpse of a smiling white mask. "Hello, I'm Dream." The man says, his green cloak swishing.
Tommy gapes up at him. Tommy's tall for his 13 years of age, reaching 5 feet 9 inches. Even so, Tommy is forced to look up at the man that towers over him. Tommy glances down at 'Dream's' feet and sees heeled boots and suppresses a snort. The heels are at least two inches tall, probably making most of his height.
"Mr. Dream, sir! How are this fine morning sir? This is Mr. Innit as you requested. He's-" Hannah's ramblings (about the weather! Not even accurate, it's not nice, it's pouring outside!) are interrupted when Dream puts up his hand.
"Just Dream is fine," Hannah nods, her curly blond hair bouncing against her back. "Does he have a first name?" Hannah nods again, "Tommy, sir. Dream, I meant." Tommy suppresses laughter, but then realizes they are talking about him as if he wasn't even there. Dream circles him, never touching, but examining him like a horse up for sale.
"Age?" Dream asks Tommy. Hannah opens her mouth but Dream tilts his head towards her and she quickly shuts it again. "I asked the boy, Tommy. Not you. Unless..?" Hannah pales, blood draining from her face as she scoots backwards a few steps. Dream nods and looks back at Tommy.
"I'm 13 bitch! And I'm not some fucking animal for sale, and if you treat me like one I swear I'll kick your ass like the animal you think I am." Tommy spits it at him, before he can think, but it's too late now to take it back. The room's temperature drops considerably as silence fills the room. Then Hannah gasps, her hands going to her heart as she sinks to her knees. Apparently Dream has enough of a reputation to humble even Hannah. The silence stretches, until Dream starts to slowly shake his head.
Well, Tommy thinks. I'm fucked now. Bye orphanage, I won't miss you. Tommy closes his eyes as he waits for whatever is inevitable. Then he hears a small noise that sounds a bit like a tea kettle on the boil. Tommy opens his eyes and looks around, confused. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Hannah copying him. The sound only grows louder.
Then Tommy sees Dream half-bent with his hands on his knees and his shoulders shaking with mirth. Was that- was that terrible sound coming from Dream? Tommy looked at him closely. Yep, that extended tea kettle-sounding wheeze was from the green bitch himself. Why was Dream laughing?
"I-I haven't- that was... oh my God!" Dream clutches a stitch in his side as he struggles to stand. "I haven't been spoken to li-like that in years oh m-my God... wow." Dream gasps for breath as he contains himself. When he finally does, he crosses his arms and looks down at Tommy. "Well, that's certainly something I'd like to see in a Hunter. Enough drive to go all out, enough self-preservation to not go too overboard, and a fire that'll make him keep fighting. Yup," Dream says to himself, popping the 'p'. "Well, where are those insufferable papers I have to sign? I haven't got all day, and the rain's only getting worse. He gestures to the windows as a loud clap of thunder reverberates throughout the room.
Hannah scurries off, and returns with the offending stack of papers, a quill and bottle of ink. Tommy wanders over to one of the benches lining the hall and thinks about how his life is going to be. So, Tommy thinks turning over the night's conversations in his mind, so this Dream guy is a Vampire Hunter hm? Interesting. Obviously Dream wants Tommy as an apprentice, and Tommy wonders how he would train. Dummies? Dream himself? Dream's servants? An instructor? Or, will it be the option Tommy is both dreading and excited for with equal fervor. Will he go up against one of the Vampires himself?
Suddenly, Tommy is roughly pulled off the bench by Dream, who starts pulling Tommy towards the doors. Tommy stumbles and looks back at Hannah. Hannah is looking at him with equal parts worry, relief and sadness. However, when she sees Tommy looking, she shuts off her expression. The doors close behind Tommy with a bang as he's pulled into the stormy night.
Dream heaves Tommy up into a waiting carriage, and climbs in after, signaling to an unseen driver to get going. As the door is pulled shut, the crack of the reins is quickly lost to the wind as the cart's wheels start rolling. Once again, Tommy finds himself looking up to see Dream. Dream rearranges his dark green cloak over his shoulders as he settle back into the soft seats of the carriage. Tommy realizes Dream hasn't once taken off his eternally smiling white mask.