Chapter Text
After a century in his cage, Morpheus has started to feel desperate, angry, depressed and, some days, even delusional. However, neither of his younger sister had come to him ―No to see him or, at least, mock ―, leaving him to rot in his cell. He wants to be mad at them but, at the end, he cannot do it. Not really. Because he knows that their indifference is only his own fault.
I think you’re lonely.
How right had been Hob when he’d told that! He had been to proudful to notice it or acknowledged it but it doesn´t make the statement least truth. In his current circumstance, he can see it. And now, 30 years after he had missed his century appointment with the immortal, he is afraid of losing the only friend he had ever had; a friendship he doesn’t earn but it has been freely given to him. The possibility of losing Hob pains him as much as the abandonment of his siblings.
He notices between his moping thoughts that the guards seem alarmed by something. He cannot hear them as the absence of air makes hard to be able to hear anything outside the cell. He could try using the small power at his disposition to do it but…for what? After the death of his dear Jessamy, he doesn’t really try to do it; there is nothing his captors could say that he wants to listen. The only thing that would interest him to hear from them is their cries from mercy as he punishes them for their transgression.
Nevertheless, something inside him encouraged him to try it. His eyes get directed to the lips in their lips to read the alarming gestures they do. That’s the way he finds out that the second floor is on fire and, for a moment, he feels trapped in the day Jessamy died. Her loyal companion had tried to save him, starting a fire to distract the guards, but she had been killed for that. He hadn’t been able to do anything for her, he could just stand and saw them took her for him. Even after decades, he still can see the rusted bloodstains over the floor.
The sound of metal being hit makes him break his trance and force him to glare at the door that separated the basement for the rest of the house. Someone is outside and it’s trying to force their way in. He doesn’t dare to hope…It is probably an old rival of the former Magus that has come to try to stole him for Burgess. No one will come for me, no one cares enough.
Then, the door is opened and he is surprised by the beautiful sight of his former Wife. She looks stunning and it’s a gift for his sore eyes; She is able to pull up that ugly sweater, which had been horrible knitted, and still looks as the Goddess she is. But what takes his breath away, figuratively because there isn’t air inside his prison, is the worry and care he notices in her brown eyes. He doesn´t deserve it.
However, his surprise only grows when Hob Gadling enters behind the muse. The immortal human doesn’t look as ravishing as the Goddess, Morpheus notices that one of his arms is burned, but he still spares him one of his brighten smiles. The ones that always makes him feel uncomfortable and yet he wouldn’t want to stop witnessing.
“Calliope…” He says, using all his remnant power to be able of being heard for them. His throat hurts after it hadn’t been used for so many years.
“Oneiros”, she answered with her soft voice and a part of him what to cry as he listens those soft cords of music full of care directed to him again. “Hob and I will get you out of here”, she promises before she starts to work in ripping off the circle that bind him there.
“Hob Gadling”, he calls him with a raspy voice. “My friend, you came for me”, Even after the pain I made you endure, you came. The term friend seems not enough to Morpheus ―The immortal deserves more―but, to Hob, it seems to mean the world by the way his face lights up.
“Of course, I did, love”, he replies easily and something inside Morpheus melts with the sincerity in his voice. “Sorry for being late”, he adds, almost making the Endless to lost the composure. Why he was apologizing?
“It’s okay, I didn’t call for your help”, He responds to him. Morpheus knows about the Old Laws.
“Well…I don’t care if you ask for it or not and neither does Calli”, Hob says, he seems to be a little irate by his response and Morpheus has to wonder if he says something wrong. “We are gonna get you out of this and…” Something seems to has called his attention and makes him turn to look outside and the Endless feels distraught for that…No, not again… “Take him out of this place”, Hob orders Calliope before he advances toward the exit with weapons in his hands.
Morpheus wants to scream. HOB! He wants to urges his former wife to free him faster. Calliope, please, don’t make me see it again! Yet, he witnessed again how one of his is harmed in his name; the bullets hits Hob’s body and Dream can see the blood starts to flood but the human doesn’t stop defending them, gaining them time. Calliope appears to share his distress as she starts to shoot the glass in desperation. She doesn’t want to see Hob in pain either. He is hers too…How did they met?
When the glass starts to shred, he let his power come to him and, then, let it go. Calliope is a little shaken for the force but she still offers him a small smile as he walks out of the cage. However, both of their attention are captured by the continues sound of bullet shoots and they look in time to see Hob collapsing, a sordid and gruesome laceration that goes through his crane.
“Hob!” Calliope screams and runs towards the fallen man, not caring of the men are still outside.
Not that she has to care about them. No as long as Morpheus is here to protect both of them. He easily puts them to sleep forever, endless nightmares for them, not caring on using the last of his power to do it. After that, shaking, he advances towards them and fell at their side in his knees.
Calliope has Hob between her arms. She really cares about him. He cannot fault her for that, Hob is easy to loved. Loved? Did he use that word to describe his feeling for him? And, still knowing about Hob’s immortality, he finds himself scared seeing him like that.
“You have to go, Oneiros”, Calliope says, teary eyes, “I will take Hob out of here”.
“But…” Morpheus doesn’t want to leave them. Not after everything they did for him.
“The Dreaming needs you and you need it too”, Calliope replies wisely, as always, “Lucienne is expecting for you…”
“Hob…” Morpheus tries to say.
“I will be by his side,” She promises, “We will wait for you to come back”-
That faith and love for him are sweet salve over the wounds caused by his isolation. These two beings, who he had mistreated in the past, had worried about him and they had come for him. No one had asked for it and they still did it.
“I will as soon as I can”, Dream swears before letting himself return to his realm. The last thing he sees is the gorgeous smile of Calliope and he dare to hope.