This is one of those “I thought about making this a WIP but I simply have Too Much™ going on so I’m going to make it Gabe’s problem instead” 🤷
Human au, Hob and fem!Dream work together as professors. Hob is absolutely smitten, and Dream flirts back but seems hesitant to go any farther than that.
Then one day, Roderick Burgess shows up and sees Dream as she’s walking with Hob, and very loudly calls out for “Mr. Endless”.
Dream freezes, goes alarmingly pale, starts stammering about “it’s Miss Endl- I mean, it’s Dr. Endless, I-“ while Burgess talks over her about how he remembers “””him””” from when “””he””” was a student in one of Burgess’ classes and he’s stunned they let someone like “””him””” around students.
Hob will cheerfully admit to not being the brightest bulb in the box despite being a professor, but he understands immediately what is happening. Dream is trans, and this fucking asshole just outed her in front of a complete stranger.
Needless to say, Hob breaks his nose.
It’s a whole thing with security, but luckily every witness (Lucienne, Matthew, Jessamy, etc) is a full ally and they all insist that actually Burgess started it and Hob was merely acting in self-defense, so Hob is in the clear while Burgess gets banned from campus.
Dream ran off just before Hob laid Burgess out flat, and once everything gets cleared up he immediately goes to find her. She’s barricaded in her office, and while Hob tries to check on her she starts talking through the door, clearly crying, explaining that she didn’t mean to “””deceive””” Hob with her flirting, and please don’t be mad at her, she’ll just quit or transfer somewhere or-
Hob gently cuts her off, lets her know she has nothing to be afraid of. He’s so sorry she didn’t get to tell him herself, but it doesn’t change anything. She’s still wildly out of his league and he’s still head over heels. Dream hesitantly cracks the door open, tear streaked and sniffling, and asks if Hob means it. Hob continues reassuring her, filter fully gone as he admits to how he’s been trying and failing to work up the courage to ask her out.
Dream giggles, and admits that she wanted to ask him out too, but was scared of telling him she was trans. Hob smiles, strokes her cheek, and asks if he can kiss her. Things progress… rapidly from there, lol.
Needles to say, they become official before the first date even happens. 💕
Crying over this, actually, Trans ally, bigot punching, best boyfriend ever Hob <3 He is, of course, the ultimate golden retriever boyfriend. But he is also very much Dream’s Scary Dog. He walks the corridors behind her, glaring at anyone who so much as glances at her in the wrong way. Any hint of nasty talk about Dream is immediately snuffed out - doesn't matter if it's students or fellow staff, Hob is immediately inserting himself into their personal space and asking exactly what they've been saying about his beautiful talented genius girlfriend?
Dream thinks it's all a bit unnecessary, she doesn't need protecting. But she also doesn't tell Hob to stop, because it is rather nice to have someone in her corner. It's also quite sexy to see him getting so protective. Dream has never had a partner like that before, and it definitely pleases her. Especially because Hob always comes to pick her up from her office at the end of the day with the sweetest smile on his face. He's nothing but a lovely, gentle, caring man...
...and he will break as many noses as he needs, for his beautiful, amazing Dream.