Dreamling fic idea: They we’re dating the whole time and Hob never realized.
The thing about being Dream is that to him the Dreaming is just as real as the non-Dreaming. After that first interaction where Hob unknowingly gains immortality, he dreams about this stranger he met. He dreams they get to know each other, he dreams that they kiss.
The only problem is that Hob never remembers his dreams.
So Dream spends centuries romancing and being romanced by Hob Gadling who only remembers their interactions in the waking world. For Dream, these meetings are anniversary dates. A compromise almost of spending so much time in the Dreaming that Dream feels like he owes it to Hob to spend at least one night in the Waking.
(They go through a rough patch one century early in the relationship. Hob gets married and has a child, so is it any wonder that Dream seeks out William Shakespeare on the supposed night he’s meant to celebrate his relationship with Hob? Things are better the next century.)
Every hundred years he grows more confident in his relationship albeit a little confused when Hob acts like he doesn’t know him as well as he does. He plays it off as public image because when he sees Hob again that later same night in the Dreaming, Hob remembers everything and acts as he always acts; like he’s in love.
When Hob tells Dream he’s his friend, that he’s only there because he’s lonely Dream takes it as an insult to their entire relationship. Centuries of being in love with one man, his longest and most successful relationship and this is how Hob chooses to end it?
Hob doesn’t dream at all that night. Or any night after. He knows something is wrong but not exactly what. He feels lonelier than he usually does, like he’s not even sure his previous loneliness even compares to this horrible gnawing feeling in his chest.
Meanwhile Dream gets a bit reckless in his heartbreak and gets captured by Burgess. He has 100 years to think and while he might be an idiot, he’s not stupid.
This is the most time he’s spent in the waking world in what has to be his entire existence and what does he realize in that time other than how utterly different from the Dreaming it is? He thinks back on every interaction he’s ever had with Hob and his own confusion every time he’s seen Hob in the waking world. How different he acts and how Hob seems like he doesn’t even know Dream’s name.
When he misses their next meeting Dream is just angry at himself. Why hadn’t he considered this before? Why didn’t he remember that humans don’t experience the Dreaming the same way he does? He vows to fix it. To explain it to Hob in the waking world and to break down that barrier that has kept Hob from knowing all these years exactly how not lonely Dream is.
In 1989 Hob figures he’s doomed this one most important friendship he’s had. He’s not sure how much time he has left but he wants to spend it fixing what he’s done so he throws himself into saving this Inn, he manages to put off the demolition for a few decades but realizes that there’s only so much he can do without bringing unwanted attention to himself.
So he opens up the New Inn, and decides to maybe try making a difference in the world rather than just letting it pass him by. He teaches history because he’s tired of watching it repeat so often. Maybe this time around he’ll appreciate the changes more this time around.
And then Dream comes back. He calls Hob his friend and he sits down like he’s planning on staying a while. He finally introduces himself and Hob can’t believe the change he sees in this man shaped being. And then Dream proceeds to tell him exactly what piece of the puzzle he’s been missing this entire time.
Stuff happens, Hob almost goes insane with this entire life he just apparently completely forgot about. There’s crying and apologies and a long talk about what this means for them. But ultimately it ends with them living happily ever after.
origamiaround
ellievsbear
kaledo-art
annaxmalina
pixelskylines
