#Dream doesn’t ~need~ anybody to save him but lbr he appreciates the gesture

[majorxmaggiexboy]

okay but Professor Hob bringing Dream to the campus where he works just as a little tour and it’s fun and different and a nice change of pace

They meet a few of Hob’s coworkers and it’s all super pleasant but then one of said coworkers just sort of. Won’t leave. Just keeps inserting himself back into the conversation and it’s a long few minutes before he leaves

Hob notices this little shift in Dream’s demeanor, (a slight flicker of expression, like his look when Jed called himself the sandman but. With a bit of that you dare energy) so Hob’s like “Yeah Killian can be a little intense. Teaches advanced biology. Anyway, greenhouses! I haven’t shown you-“

“Not so advanced,” Dream announces, “He was just thinking of performing. a vivisection. On. Me,”

Hob stares. “Mate, if you’re saying you think he was flirting-“

“His daydreams are…colorful. He would not enjoy the reality of them.”

“Well if he doesn’t, that’s his loss.”

“Thank you, Hob Gadling. Were his tastes akin to yours he would be less inclined to disappointment.”

“…right.”

Please it would be so funny, Dream doesn’t explain Anything. from Hob’s perspective it’s Wild Shaksberd all over again, Dream is just abruptly super interested in this rando. Which Hob respects, sure he’s a little hurt but is also like, cool, Stranger doesn’t want to be boyfriendzoned, that’s fine. But he’s still friendly levels of Concern. Like “hey, is my coworker suddenly giving off creep vibes or am I just jealous af” concern

meanwhile Dream is still between quests at this stage so he doesn’t have much better to do than be intrigued by this idiot’s violent daydream and the hilarious implications of fitting his ‘type’ while also being an entity so far beyond his mortal comprehension. So Dream is observing and trailing after him like a hubris-eating polar bear playing a ridiculous game of “yes, and?” the way you would keep a telemarketer on the phone so they’re stuck dealing with you instead of scamming someone’s gran

naturally these two perspectives meet at some point and Hob decks this guy who had Just pulled a knife,

“Sorry, duck, I expect you were about to handle that”

Dream, who just got a bit staggered by the revelation of the collector convention and the fact that Corinthian will be there, was in 0% meaningful danger but also doing heck all to not get stabbed, “…………………perhaps”