Work Text:
"Oh no," the Corinthian proclaims, louder than necessary, staring at the muddy, flooded crosswalk. "This will never do."
Dream's about to ask the Corinthian what, exactly, is the problem, but before he can even open his mouth, he's hoisted into the air, and he's begun, without any conscious thought, to move.
He jolts in surprise, and then he looks down, and horror dawns -
"Corinthian!! Put me down now!!"
But it's too late. The strapping nightmare is already wading resolutely across the road, Dream held securely on one shoulder, and people are staring at the man in white dirtying himself to keep the man in black clean, and wondering why it's not the other way round.
"I'm going to skin you alive," Dream hisses when they've reached the other side, but he falls silent when the Corinthian looks down upon himself, soaked to mid calf, shoes, pants and coat ruined.
"Don't worry about that," Dream reassures him. It's the least he can do, after -
"Absolutely worth it!" The Corinthian states, beaming cheerfully, then takes Dream by the hand and proceeds to drag him down the street.
Dream sighs, and hurries to keep up with the irrepressible nightmare.
*
"We have a mask on policy for the museum, sirs," says the guard.
The Corinthian frowns.
"But how will I see his beautiful face?" he asks loudly.
Beside him, Dream goes scarlet with outrage.
"Please ignore him. We will wear the -"
"Look at that magnificent jawline! Surely you're not asking me to hide it just because of some disease -"
"Sir, it's just our -"
"Enough -"
"No, it's impossible, I couldn't bear it," the Corinthian announces with a tone of finality, and takes Dream by the arm. With a flourish, he hauls Dream off from the museum entrance and marches off, the whole eavesdropping line behind gaping after them.
*
"- ouch -"
"Oh!! Your majesty, I'm so sorry!"
Dream stares at the Corinthian, going slightly pink in the middle of the shopping center.
"It's fine - it's not a big deal."
"Oh, but it is! My lord, please allow me to apologize, I feel so bad!"
"No - that's really not -"
The Corinthian goes to one knee before Dream and says loudly, hands outstretched,
"Please forgive me, my sweetest heart, I'll never do it again!"
"Corinthian," Dream hisses, bypassing red and going straight to mauve, "get the fuck up or I'll end you right here! Get up!"
"I must suffer for it, my dearest, you must punish me!"
Mute with rage, Dream hauls the Corinthian to his feet and drags him through the crowd, which is already forming to catch their behaviour on video.
"What did you do to him??"
"How can you treat him like that??"
"And in public too! Get a room!"
"I didn't do anything! He stepped on my toe and he's completely overreacting!!"
The nightmare stumbles after him, and by the time they're out of the shopping center he's clutching himself, helpless with laughter.
"I'm going to kill you," Dream threatens again, rumbling with feeling.