Chapter Text
Hypnos never really did dream, he could if he so desired to. It was extremely rare that he ever chose too, he had no reason to, as well as he didn’t have much spare time between managing work at the house and work in his domain.
Today was one of the rare days he decided to, he had the time after Zagreus asked him to put the house to sleep for him. While everyone was asleep he really didn’t have any duties to do. I mean, he could do work in his domain, but that could wait, he didn’t have much interest in doing at the moment nor did he want to see what dreams his brother and Meg had. He could guess and that was enough of a picture.
It wasn’t uncommon for him to be in dream realms—rather it was quite common— though it was usually never his own. His own was more Neglected than gods that choose not to sleep. It has definitely been over a century since he last visited. If dream realms could get dusty, his would be like walking into a room of just pure matted dust.
His own felt familiar with how long he spent within dream realms, but unfamiliar in the fact this was one he never visited.
While he did have complete control over this realm—or all of them—he decided to let his consciousness decide what should be created and dreamed of. He decided to see what his inner mind truly thought of and wanted.
The room created by his mind was the house of hades, surprisingly. Not something he expected—he was in the house a lot, but surely not enough that that was the only thing his mind could create.
While everything looked to be in place as per usual, the house felt off… more warm… more welcoming. Much different than how cold the house usually felt.
Upon walking around, there was no visible differences, only that of a better atmosphere and attitude of everyone here. The shades he passed by didn’t seem to be miserable, some were happy and others had neutral expressions, such a difference from normal exhausted expressions.
Hades runted when he walked by, but it wasn’t out of aggravation, rather it seemed like a greeting. Not even a word of telling him to get back to work or complaint of how slow he did work.
Nyx smiled and spoke “hello my child” when he walked past, a greeting reserved for only Zagreus. There was not a hint of disappointment in her eyes, she just looked content with everything.
Meg was sitting in the lounge, she smiled at him when he walked past. He’s half sure Meg would be caught dead doing that normally.
Zagreus seemed normal though he wasn’t trying to escape, he seemed happier in the house.
Achilles even seemed happier, accompanied by a new companion at his post. He knew exactly who it was. He had unfortunately seen what both men had dreamed about, although he was happy for Achilles to have his partner back, even if it’s in this horrible house. Maybe this one isn’t as bad.
Thanatos greeted him with a genuine smile, one that he hasn’t seen anything close to since he they were children.
It was refreshing to see. It felt so welcoming, like he was actually wanted, and needed. This certainly was a place he could get used to.
He would prefer if it was real, maybe he could indulge in this a little longer. It could do no harm, he’s not irreplaceable, as he has been told so many times. Replaceable.
He walked up to this dream Thanatos, who was standing at his usual balcony looking out behind the house.
“Hello, brother,” Thanatos said to him. It lacked the usual bite of annoyance, he said it like one would say to a familiar, or friend, perhaps a brother.
“Hi Than! Whatcha up to?” Thanatos hated that nickname, Hypnos couldn’t think of a time he was reprimanded for it. Childish and immature is what Thanatos called it, something that should stay in child’s play instead of continuing into the future.
“Just looking out the balcony. Perhaps we could hang out later?” Thanatos didn’t even seem to mind the nickname, then asking him to hang out?! If this continues, Hypnos might not even want to wake up. Though hearing Thanatos say ‘hang out’ was something he never thought he would witness within his lifetime.
“Of course!” Even if this was a dream, he wouldn’t dare deny this once in a lifetime opportunity—that probably wouldn’t even happen.
“I should get back to work now, though I can stay longer if you wish to chat” The workaholic Thanatos offering to skip work, definitely something he could get used to.
“No, it’s alright, you can get back to work.” Hypnos responded. Even if this was a dream, he still didn’t want to disrupt his brother's important work.
“Alright, I’ll be back later. Take care.” After that last line Than was gone. ‘Take care.’ It was such a simple phrase but it touched Hypnos’ heart.
He wondered who else was here, most likely everyone he knows. No doubt in that actually, it’s his dream after all.
He wished this wasn’t a dream.
He wished this was something he couldn’t awake from.
~*~*~
Hypnos awoke to being shaken awake by Zagreus, who looked mildly concerned. Zagreus would never hide his emotions, even if he tried he was incredibly easy for anyone to read.
Hypnos must’ve fallen asleep at his post again, given that’s where he is being shaken awake at the moment.
Wait, if Zagerus just got back from another escape attempt, how long has he been asleep? At least a full day no doubt.
“Oh good! You wouldn’t wake up and I got worried!” Zagreus spoke, now smiling, still with that undertone of worry. Odd that Zagreus is worried considering he is the sleep incarnate after all.
While Hypnos wished he could sarcastically say ‘maybe because I didn’t want to wake up’ instead he chose something much nicer and something that would ease the prince's nerves. No use in further worrying the man, that would just make him more of a burden than he already is.
“You know me! Just tired!” He smiled brightly to help make it more convincing, not that Zagreus would or even could tell the difference between the two. No one ever could—maybe they did, but just didn’t care enough to point it out.
“I guess that’s expected for the god of sleep. “ Zagreus spoke, with a slight chuckle. That seemed to relieve most of the prince’s worry, better than none even if it didn’t relieve all of it.
“Sooo- did you find out anything?” Hypnos asked, which as he expected, got Zagreus to start ranting about what he found throughout his latest escape attempt.
It did take awhile for Zagreus to finish relaying his newfound knowledge upon Hypnos. It seemed that Zagreus did find a lot despite how much he ranted about each thing.
“That’s cool!” He said in the most excited voice he could manage at the moment. “You should try to escape and go find her!” Her being Zagreus’ mom, Persephone. Hypnos knew of and knew her, lovely women.
“Oh! That’s a Good idea, I’ll be off!” Zagreus said as he then stood up to leave. Knowing Zagreus, he wouldn’t waste a moment before trying another escape attempt to leave this dreadful place. In that he envied Zagreus, though there was no place for him on that world above, hopefully there was a good one for Zagreus.
“Come back with an interesting death!” He shouted at Zagreus. He only slightly meant it, whether interesting or not, he would still make a joke of it and that’s all that mattered.
Zagreus laughed, genuinely laughed and yelled back “I’ll try!” Before he walked off though his bedroom entryway.
The prince was off, and he was alone again.
The halls felt as cold as usual. Nothing compared to that dream. Nothing compared to the warmth and welcoming of that dream, perhaps as warm as Helios himself.
Same old glare from Hades as he does his paperwork, and the disappointed expression of Nyx. Those looks make him mourn the dream even more than he already did.
That dream just made everything fell worse, he could tolerate all this before, but now that he’s seen the other side it felt only worse. It had it so much harder to deal with this normal. The dream was both a blessing and a curse.
Hypnos wished it was real.
He wished it was his reality.
Wait…
What if it was?
Maybe it could be.