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It was highly agreed upon amongst the Gods and Mortals alike that only the lowest of beings would intermingle around their own kind. A human or God with a beast was an obviously low sort, something many looked down upon.
However, one other common inferior pairing was that of God and Mortal itself. Gods were seen as higher beings. Beings, that were meant to go untouched by those unlike themselves. As much as mortals dreamed of moments with Gods—blessed to be with such illustrious beings—the truth was that such an act was seen as gross and unrighteous.
When the Deity of Light and Happiness had been carried from a rotten town, drowned in the darkness of his brother's influence—by one of his brother's own followers, the world of the Gods had been in uproar.
Cross had been absolutely adamant about his loyalty and where he drew the line with Dream.
Dream, however… was not so strict.
“The world, my Deity.” Cross reminded firmly. “The world cares for your sanctity.”
“What nonsense!” Dream huffed, stretching out over Cross’ grip, giving the mortal knight a workout. Dream wasn’t exactly heavy; however, holding him up in this manner was… at least slightly difficult.
“The world cannot tell me, a God of all things, what I can and can’t do!”
Cross gave a long sigh, as they’d had this conversation many a time before, each going similarly to the last; Cross giving The God of Positivity a firm no to each of his advances to get a rambling complaint about the world at large and its unfairness.
Cross wasn’t surprised at all, really; having known Dreams Brother and having met a few other gods by chance, he knew they were either highly persnickety or whining and pouty… or both.
Though perhaps Cross was biased, he hadn’t met every God. Just a specific few.
“Unfair! It’s my business-!” The God in Cross’ arms finally rolled from his grasp, flouncing to fall to a couch instead dramatically. Cross puffed out a sigh of relief, massaging his biceps a moment. He looked up from his arms to Dream to find the god staring wantonly.
“My Deity.” Cross reprimanded. Dream threw himself to the sofa again, throwing an arm over his face. “What of my happiness!? All I do is give!”
Cross rolled his eyes unabashedly, having grown lazy to reactions like this after so long with Dream. The diety was—aside from whiny and pouty like other gods—very kind and much more understanding of mortals and their imperfections. With some deities, Cross’ thoughts could get him reprimanded and punished horribly.
“You do give, and so many adore you for it, including I.” Cross instantly regretted mentioning his own feelings when The Golden God shot up from the couch and sashayed to him.
“Yes~! You do adore me… And I adore you- What’s to keep us from showing each other our adoration~?” Dream looked so pleadingly up at his mortal guard. Cross couldn’t help but feel ever so slightly bad for the Deity before remembering what exactly he was pleading for.
The monochrome warrior took one measured, solid step back.
“The world, my Deity.”
Dream grumbled and slouched, turning away with a swoop of his sheer cloak. He glowed faintly in the darkened room, causing Cross to question the darker room at large, and faintly he wondered if it was a larger attempt to “set the mood” every time. A long sigh flowed from the god at large as he sat on his massive plush bed.
Dream began, “Cross—”
“Yes, my Deity?”
“How loyal are you truly?” His burning yellow eyes stared at the sentinel from the sides.
“Completely and utterly, my Deity,” Cross answered truthfully.
“Would you stay with me for as long as your life should be?”
“I would.” His answer was quick and without hesitation.
“Would you do for me what no others would dare…?”
Cross took a long moment to answer, he knew where this was leading… He knew what Dream was getting to…
“I would.”
“Would you break any rule for me…?”
“No… not any… my Deity.”
The Golden one did a double take, looking his knight over a few times. “No…?”
“No. There are rules I would die to uphold.” He said firmly. He could nearly feel the disappointment flow over his god at his answer. “I’m sorry.”
“I understand—”
The comment was so quiet, so sharp, it stabbed deep into Cross; he couldn’t just ignore his duties for some… grandiose fantasy… his or his deities.
However, seeing how his Deity slumped into the mattress, deflated, his glow burning lower…
The monochrome guard shifted his way forward, standing at the edge of the massive bed. Dream looked up at him sadly.
His slender arms reached up and petted Cross’ face delicately as if it was the last time he would ever be able to. Cross leaned forward from his usual stiff and firm stance to lean over the shining God.
Dreams' eyes widened ever so slightly as Cross climbed over him… and flopped into the space beside him.
“Wh-what…?”
“I can make exceptions,” Cross answered quickly, turning his face away.
Golden eyes stared obviously at him for a long while before hopping over him.
“W-Well, you can’t sleep in these—!”
“My Deity! My clothing stays on!” Cross countered quickly, his white eyes constricting at the others' quickness.
“My knight~ What naughty thoughts~” His gentle hand slipped under the black and white beings' chest plate. “I simply meant your armor~!”
Purple darted to Cross’ cheeks, already so much going rogue since he’s relaxed his standpoint; what insanity. “I—!”
“Just take off the armor!” Dream demanded, not in the mood for arguing.
“With your excitement, I almost fear to! I ask you to back away and settle down, my Deity!” The toned knight nearly chirped, a fear for any more of his standards to be quickly tossed out the proverbial window.
The divine giddily responded, “Yes sir!” as he lept back, sprawling onto his side to watch.
Cross narrowed his eyes at the shorter skeleton, reevaluating his decisions before ultimately deciding it would be okay, so long as he kept his weapons close at hand and Dream on his side of the massive bed.
“Fine,” he responded eventually, sitting up, “But I am very serious about my clothes remaining on my body, my Deity. That and my weapons will stay close at hand… My job is still to protect you.”
The overenthusiastic bobbing of his head only served to make the monochrome knight's eyelids lower in disdain before he got up from the bed and stripped from his warm armor. He didn’t exactly smell like a field of roses, having been in the armor all day and… frankly, all day yesterday without washing it. His God was a busy person and only chose to sleep on occasion. So Cross was left to long days, restless and alert. Unable to bathe and clean his gear as well until he mentioned it or his Deity noticed.
He pulled himself into bed—something he certainly didn’t sink into and nearly instantly fell asleep, no, definitely not—and looked expectantly at the radiant God beside him. His eyes were sparkling.
“You’re such a pretty mortal~” a glowing hand drifted over to Cross’ chest, only to get kept away by an offending white hand.
“Thank you, my Deity. Let us get to sleep.”
Dream pouted heavily, not liking to be turned down. In any way, let alone like this.
Cross, however, rolled over and relaxed for the first time in many moons. He’d never admit to it, but the golden glow of the god next to him eased his mind and SOUL from any dangers lurking.
A settling and a breath followed not too long after, his godly companion succumbing to his cuddle-less fate for now. Dream supposed this was better than nothing… and a step forward as well.