#Johanna Constantine/Destruction

[samsalami66]

Early Ball For My Goalie

Look at that, another part of the soccer au! This time, a little glimpse into my new favourite rarepair, Construction (if you have wondered who the mother of little Lily is... you will find out now !)

This was written for the wonderful @sandman-rarepair-fest, which gave me the motivation to write this thing in the first place!

Prompt: Strangers to Lovers

Rating: Teen and Up

Status: Complete

Words: 1,138

Warnings: No Warnings Apply

Tags: First Meetings, Crush at First Sight, Dominant Johanna, Destruction is so gone for her

Summary: John surprises the team during their usual Saturday Drink Night by introducing his cousin Johanna. Clearly, he has an ulterior motive to sitting her directly next to Olethros... and he rather quickly finds out just what exactly that motive is.

Read below or on AO3!

Some music, a good beer and even better company were all the things Olethros needed to enjoy a Saturday evening. And between the 80s’ rock, the New Inn’s craft beer, and his team, there really was no better way to spend a weekend night. 

Though this particular Saturday might have the potential to be the best in a row of great ones, all thanks to a new addition to their weekly meet-ups. When John had arrived with a mischievous smile on his face and a beautiful woman on his arm, all silky brown hair and eyes shining with joy, Olethros had simply raised an eyebrow at him. John was really the furthest thing from straight, probably only topped by their resident manwhore himself, Corin Thian. But once he introduced the woman as his cousin, Johanna, things came into perspective. 

The guy was up to something. 

Not that Olethros had the time to think about that particular fact for much longer, as John ushered her into the booth right next to him, so that they were pressed together from shoulder to thigh. Everywhere they touched, Olethros felt warmth bloom, racing up his body and into his chest so it might send his heart into overdrive. 

God, but it had been so long since he had felt this way after a mere glance and touch from a woman, like the blush on his cheeks might go up in flames if she so much as dared to speak to him. 

“So, you’re the goalie, then?”

Olethros knew the tips of his ears were growing hot, and he could practically feel the team’s amused eyes staring him down. 

“Yeah, that’s right,” he cleared his throat and turned more towards Johanna, giving her his full attention. “The name’s Olethros, but my friends call me Olly.”

As was customary for an introduction, Olethros held out his hand towards her, which Johanna took with a firmer grip than he would have expected from a woman so slight. The look in her eyes spoke of challenge and mischief, a competitive fire that Olethros wanted to meet all too readily. He was a player at heart, after all. 

“Olethros,” Johanna repeated, slowly, as if rolling the name around in her mouth. It sounded good in her voice, in her accent. “Eccentric parents?”

A laugh escaped him before he could even try to keep himself back. 

“You could say that. Though I think compared to some of my siblings, I got off lightly.” Johanna prompted him to elaborate with a raised eyebrow, and Olethros continued with a smile underlying his words that he couldn’t quite seem to shake. “Alright, from oldest to youngest, there are Potmos, Teleute, Morpheus, myself, Epithumia, Aponoia and Delilah.”

Beside him, Johanna snorted inelegantly, and Olethros almost didn’t feel the pang of hurt at speaking Del’s name over the warmth that rose in his chest. 

“Seems like your parents had a bit of a change of mind between child six and seven… But, really mate, seven children? Bet your childhood was a real treat.” 

Olethros’ answering smile was weak but genuine, a sad thing that he tried to hide behind a sip of his beer. 

“You could say that… What about you? Any siblings to speak of?”

“Nah,” Johanna nodded in John’s direction, who was basically sitting in Cori’s lap with how he was draped over him, deep in conversation. “That disaster of a man is as close to a brother as I’ll get.”

“John’s a good guy. Though he never mentioned you before, which is a true tragedy.” 

Johanna tsked at that and threw her cousin a disappointed glare, which the man probably didn’t notice, with how far down Corin’s throat his tongue was now. It would have been impressive, if Olethros didn’t have to deal with them every single day during training. 

“Bet he hasn’t, the little shite. I’ve been out of the UK for a while, only came back this weekend. So I’m not too surprised he forgot to mention his favourite cousin before.”

For a moment, Olethros bit his tongue in order to keep in the words which were threatening to spill. But Johanna’s open smile and imploring eyes were all that he needed to let loose what he usually wouldn’t, the words he knew were too much and too soon. 

“I don’t know how anyone could forget you,” the words came out stumbling, which made Olethros feel like an inexperienced teenager talking to his first crush, but Johanna’s eyes still seemed to darken at his words, emboldening him to go on. “I know I certainly won’t, after tonight.” 

Quite suddenly, Olethros felt a hand on his thigh, lithe and hot and strong as it gave the muscle a firm squeeze, and it took everything in him not to whimper at the touch. God, but he loved himself a woman that took charge. 

“Actually, Olethros, I’m currently looking for a place to stay, here in London.” Johanna drawled, her nails scraping along the inside of his thigh, and Olethros was a very weak man if the groan he let out at this teasing touch was any indication. 

“You barely know me,” he answered, slightly breathless, and choked at the smirk Johanna threw at him, the way she licked her lips while staring into his very soul. 

“Think I’d like to, though.”

Her words were followed  by a pinch so high up his thigh it was surely deemed inappropriate in public, which had Olethros gasp a desperate breath and nod, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. “Yeah, yeah, alright. I, I have a couch-” 

That sentence was interrupted by a thumb on his lower lip, pressing slightly into his mouth. Olethros felt his knees going weak. 

“I think I’d prefer a bed, for the first time.” 

Right, he could be so normal about that. No need to whine or moan like a needy lapdog. Except he did both, loud enough that at least six heads turned towards him, and Olethros could feel John’s stupid grin from across the table. 

“And we should leave, I think.” she added with a glare towards her cousin, before grabbing Olethros’ hand and pulling him upright. Despite her lesser height it didn’t seem like much of a problem to her, and for a brief moment Olethros wondered if she could throw him around if he let her, once they got home. In the next moment, Olethros realised that the idea sent a small thrill up his spine, and he scrambled to get out of the booth and into his jacket, which Johanna straightened for him with a small grin. 

“Have fun, you two!” John called after them as they hurried out of the New Inn, and when Johanna interlaced their fingers with a laugh, Olethros got the feeling that this was the beginning of something truly wonderful.

[iconsumethesoulsofthedamned]

A sandman meme for ur soul

[phantomstatistician]

Fandom: The Sandman (comics vs TV show)

Sample Size: 1,301 (comics); 4,048 (TV show)

Source: AO3

NOTE: Do not compare colors between charts

[joytherabbit]

finally i finish the sandman poker

weeeeeeeeee～

[zorawitch]

realized i havent made a post about the sandman recently so i am stepping in tonight to make several.

look. i love dreamling. but i will not STAND to watch so many good ships get ignored in favor of this one because there are like eight non-dreamling-centric sandman fics on ao3.

like bro! i know we were hopped up on destruction x hob for a second there but we need to go back to that because whatever we were on was Good Shit. also, i doubt there is a single person on this website who doesn't have a weird relationship with religion, so with that in mind, we are sleeping on lucifer's potential there. and johanna constantine has every trait of a tumblr sexyman. as the only person to date who has written a gault/lucienne hallmark au, i need better writers than me to acknowledge that as well because OH MY GOD theyre like a workaholic in a dead end job ends up with the head of a labor union why arent we doing anything with that. and what are we doing with desire, guys. they're right there. come on.

[wipbigbang]

WIP Big Bang 2023 Round Starting April 1st!

What is the WIP Big Bang? Good question! This is a Big Bang with one goal in mind: to clean out your fanfic drafts folder. These are stories that were unfinished for whatever reason, that authors returned to and completed, and the art that goes with them!

Please read our FAQ/check out our schedule for more details.

(* Fixed with the info about the BB...sorry for the blank picture!)

[writers-blogck]

A Favor Called ( Dream of the Endless/Morpheus x Reader )

Warning(s): This will go into religion and the ideas of Christianity. Some information may be incorrect as I myself am not a practicing Christian. This should be expected when it comes to the Sandman, or really most Niel Gaiman pieces. Disrespect is not meant but here is a warning for those who may be sensitive to that topic.  This will also use the information given in the comics. No big spoilers save for including all of the Endless. There will also be original characters, including the Lower Seven Endless. They will show up later in the story.  Reader is Female.  Song: Enter Sandman by Metallica 

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Title: A Favor Called Description:  A century goes by but Morpheus gets out. What is waiting for him on the outside? Pairing: Dream of the Endless [ Morpheus ] x Reader Fandom: The Sandman ( Comics and Netflix Series ) Word Count: 5,358

Previous Chapter: None. Next Chapter: The Pouch Opened Story Index

        Dream was locked in a glass orb, laid out like a marble statue. His eyes were narrowed as his arm laid to cover the lower half of his face. To the guards, the man didn't breathe or blink. He didn't eat, he didn't need to do anything. Roderick said he wasn't Death but then...What was he? A devil? Demon? He kept the truth from the basic guards, they needn't know. They instead were left to wonder. 

        "He's right scary, he is." The rat-like guard spoke, long and thin nose wrinkling up as if he smelled something rotten. Dream never remembered their names. He just identified them based on their appearance. They never stood out. All the same deep in their core. Terrible. Rotten.

        "How does he stay so fit when he's trapped in there all the time?" This one was tubbier and more stout in appearance. His nose was upturned and had fat covering his cheeks; he looked like a pig. Dream could only imagine what he would do to the two guards if he got loose. Those thoughts were a comfort on the harder days. Even though he was an immortal being, it didn't make it any easier to deal with the passing days. 

        "How does he survive without needing to eat? Or needing to use the loo? This man isn't normal, mate. He's a right demon, fuckin' monster. Sleep Paralysis Demon or somethin'. It's why we gotta drink the bean juice and take the pills. So he doesn't possess one of us when we go to sleep." The Rat swirled the black coffee in his mug before taking a swig. 

        "I think he's a Dracula. He's pale enough to be one. Ain't never tried to put him in sunlight before."

        Dream pushed the duo's words out of his mind as he retreated into his thoughts. He knew he had been in here for over twenty years, at the very least. Keeping track of time when you were stuck in the same place day after day was nearly impossible. Rumors of a Second Great War filled the air and for a moment, he thought he might be able to use that to his advantage. But, no, Roderick still took every precaution when dealing with Dream. 

        Even though Dream wondered if his siblings would come for him, deep within him he knew that he would be ashamed if they did. He never needed their help. He was solitary. He was alone. He didn't need anyone. Yet, here he was, trapped. He just had to remind himself that he could play the long game. Humans die. He would not. If he just waited...

        All he had to do was get through these years, which was easier said than done. His mind always would run back to his kingdom and his faithful servants. He would think of the Virtue of Hope who spent more time in his realm than her own. What was happening to them, to his kingdom? He had never been parted from his duties for this long since he was created.  He just had to remind himself that he left it in good hands. Lucienne knew what she was doing and Hope was there to help. She had observed his duties so much, she would know what to do. 

        His thoughts often drifted back to the Virtue of Hope...When all you can do is think, it is hard not to regret past decisions, especially when you were Dream. She would come to his realm to hide and he always pushed her away. She never did anything but be kind to him and Dream would return said kindness with his usual bitterness. 

        The real question was, where did Hope hide now? 

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London, 2020

        John Constantine owed the Devil a favor. That really was just as bad as it sounded. He had no idea what Lucifer would call him to do but he had been in such a desperate situation to save his sister that he had no other choice than to accept the fallen angel's help. Why did he always get himself in those situations? The ends that always were the last resort? It felt as though that was all he got recently. Nothing liked to go his way and it was quite tiring, to say the least. 

        Lucifer had gained some honor recently and that had John hoping that whatever the task was, it wouldn't go against his morals too severely. No murdering babies or robbing the elderly. Eh, Lucifer didn't do that type of thing anyway. That was just the Christians creating a monster to scare children. No, the real Devil was much more clever and even had his own rules he would abide by. Demons on the other hand...They had no qualms about hurting children. John tried to push the screaming girl from his mind but no matter what he did, he could never quiet her. A constant reminder of his failures. 

        He didn't have a clue about what he may be called to do, but he definitely wasn't expecting to see the charismatic man standing there with a young girl, who had to be no older than her early twenties, when he was eventually called. There was a look in her eyes, one of distance and foggy visions. Was she being controlled? His hands clenched in his pockets, mind racing at what he may have gotten himself into. Could he refuse Lucifer and walk out of here alive? He doubted that. Even still, he had boundaries that he didn't like to cross. He hoped that whatever the favor was, it had nothing to do with harming the girl. 

        The girl wasn't wearing a lot of clothing. Only a silk dress, which John assumed to be a slip, graced her form. Other than that small piece of fabric, her soft skin was on full display. Now John Constantine liked to think of himself as a gentleman in many aspects but even he couldn't help but take in the beauty of the woman standing before him. This was no natural beauty. He had been around enough nonhumans to sense when something was off. 

        "Hello, Constanteene." 

        "Constantine." 

        "Whatever, Constanteene, Constantine, Potato, Potaato- Just listen up, Conman. I need to call upon that favor I'm owed and this is a very important task. It would be to your benefit to do everything correctly from here on out. If you mess this up, I will not hesitate to create a personal hell for you that your worst nightmares couldn't possibly begin to dream up. Do you understand?" 

        "I have a feeling you'll create my own personal Hell no matter what I do when I end up kickin' that bucket." 

        "Jonathan, do you understand?"

        "Right, I've just got here, mate. I've no bloody idea what's going on." Flicking open his lighter, he placed one of his cigarettes between his lips. He had a feeling that he was going to need one. He turned out to be right.

        "What's going on, is that I require your services in becoming a sort of protector, guard, whatever you would like to call it. Either way, I'm calling in my favor, now." 

        "Guard her? And she is? Don't tell me she's gonna be a future sacrifice or somethin'." 

        "Listen well. She has many names, but from what I hear, she goes by (Y/N) as the primary title during this current time period. Some have called her Elpis. Others have called her Guan-Yin. Some even like to call her Pandora, though that isn't correct. She may have dealt with the woman but they are not one and the same." Lucifer slowly walked a circle around the still woman. If it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of her chest, John might have believed she was a very realistic statue. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time. 

        "Excuse me? Mate, that didn't clear a thing up." 

        "If you would let me finish," The taller man's eyes flashed red before they softened back to their dusty blue as he looked at the girl, "She is a citizen of the Silver City. She is a Virtue, which is the opposite of a Sin. She is Hope." 

        Hope? Now John had heard a lot of strange things in his life but this was nearing the top. As he blew out a ring of smoke, he did admit to himself that she did seem like a holy being. He had met angels before. Some gave off a sense of fierce loyalty while others had the gracefulness of a swan, but all had an unparalleled beauty. This woman fit into that category just like the rest. Yet, John couldn't feel the same aura that came with Heavenly beings. 

        "So, an angel?"

        "No, well yes, in a way, but high in the ranking. Angels are a rank of Celestial, the same as Archangels or Virtues. You, humans, like to call everything an Angel. Virtues are the highest in power as they can not be replaced. There are only seven in existence and each is just as unique as the other. Father didn't like making creations like that. He always allowed the opportunity for replacement but with the very nature of Virtues, due to them being created from their element, they can not be replaced." 

        "Right..." 

        The Devil shook his head, pushing his annoyance to the side. He was just being reminded of why he didn't work with John Constantine that much. He preferred John's twin sister, Johanna, but even he would admit that John was a better choice for this. Not only did he have a favor owed but the man was kinder than his elder sibling. He likes to play it up that he was doom and gloom all the time but Lucifer could easily see past that. Most could if they spent any time with him. 

        "Think of it like this. All holy beings aren't under the classification angels, though you humans seemed to use the term as a catch-all. Instead, angels are their own type. I, myself, was not an angel but an Archangel before I fell." He grimaced like there was a sour taste in his mouth, "Cherubs, Seraphim, the Powers. All different types of Celestial Beings. But yes, she is an angel if you have to consider it like that."  

        "Like a square is a rectangle but a rectangle isn't a square." 

        "What?" 

        "Nevermind. So, I just have to watch over her? She in danger or somethin'? I don't know how I could do anything more than she could." 

        "She has lost her powers. They were taken from her." 

        "Why did-" 

        "Demons, those that are loyal to me in any way, will offer her no danger. I've informed them that she is off-limits. But there are many things that would love to rid the world of a Virtue, especially Hope. With her loss of power, they may be successful in their attempts. I can not keep her safe without trapping her in my realm which I do not wish to do." Lucifer ran a gentle hand down the side of the girl's face, a look of soft care gracing his features, "She would not do well in Hell, even though I miss her dearly."

        "Is she a past bird, then?"

        "Oh, no. Nothing like that. No, Hope, she is my baby sister. I was her guardian, after all, Raphael could never truly replace me. Our bond is as strong as before, though I may not remember my time as Samael; what I do remember is the feelings I had for her, the sense of protection. I will not allow our family to ruin her as they did me. She does not deserve that." 

        "Wait, wait- You said she lost her powers? That means she's human?" 

        "Not human. Not fully anyway." Lucifer sighed, shaking his head. Constantine tried to ask another question but was interrupted by the other man before he could. 

        "Do you know this is the first time her feet have ever touched the ground?" This time, the Devil snapped his fingers, and a trench coat, golden in color, that was a near match to Constantine's, appeared in his arms. He draped it gently over his sister's shoulders with a sigh. Every move was filled with a gentleness that John had never seen from Lucifer before. 

        "Really?" Did that matter?

        "Holy beings and the beliefs of purity. You know how it is...But, it is clear to me that she will not do well on Earth by herself. Not only from unnatural forces but from humans as well. I don't know how she will adapt. She will need your protection."

        "And can I ask why she's going to Earth?"

        "The same reason we all end up on Earth, punishment."

        Lucifer stared at the girl with a look of pity in his eyes. It was easy to see that he truly cared for her. Had he gone soft? He hadn't been in her life for so long, why did he have to feel this way? The bond should have split as he fell, just as his wings burned away. It would have been much easier but then, who would you have in your corner when it came to family? It worried him, the times he saw just how alike the two of your situations were. Did your Father set you up just for failure? You didn't have the ego that Lucifer did, no armor against the world. 

        "So, I have to watch her for, what, a week? Three?" 

        "Until I say otherwise."

        "Shite, how long until that then, mate?" 

        "Unknown. But what I do know is that this will not be easy. For you or for her."

        Lucifer stood in front of the girl and buttoned up the jacket in both an attempt to keep the warmth in and the skin hidden. This was how a brother was supposed to treat his little sister, not what Michael had done. He wanted to rage against Heaven, knowing how they have turned their backs on her. She always did her job! Even the other Virtues allowed this to happen? He was beginning to wonder if he didn't have the entire story. He was picking up everything from second-hand sources.

        Pushing the sleeve up on her right arm, Lucifer ran his hand over his sister's wrist. On the pulse point on the inner wrist, he began to burn a symbol. A feather with Angelic script underneath reading Redemption. It seemed like a tattoo but actually, upon closer inspection, was a scar. John winced in sympathy but if the girl felt the pain, she didn't show it. 

        "Neither of you will remember this encounter. When you awake, you will be traveling partners and no questions will be asked. It will be as if you have been with one another for months. When the time comes, as it surely will, when she will start her penance, this symbol will be vital. It will hold a memory, a strong one that will trigger her acceptance. Just like a bite from the forbidden fruit."

        "Wait, wot?! What if I have some questions now about everything-" 

        "There is no time for that. All that matters is this: Do not disappoint me, John Constantine."

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The Dreaming, 415 BCE

        "Come on, Morpheus, you can't be serious with this." You lay on your back, staring at the strange creation in front of you. You had seen quite a lot of things in your time of existence but you would never get used to the dreams and nightmares that Morpheus would create. He had a big imagination, that's for sure. Even looking at it from your upside-down point of view, you could see Dream's touch. Anything your Father came up with never could compare.

        "You can't keep making your nightmares handsome, okay? You're gonna give people a complex. Like that man Desire cursed, Oedipus?" 

        "He has teeth instead of eyes. How is he handsome?" His eyes narrowed as he looked at the blonde creation. Sometimes he could be so dense, "And Oedipus had sexual relations with his own mother. I don't see how that's relevant to what we're dealing with in the present moment." 

        Using your wings to push yourself off the rock you claimed as a chair, you ended up doing a strange backflip before getting back to your feet. The fog dispersed around you as you landed with ease, revealing the dark gray rock that made up this strange area of the Dreaming. You called it Dream's Workshop, though he insisted it had a proper name. Morpheus let you watch him at work while you worked on your own duties, knowing how you preferred to be with someone rather than alone. It took a lot of effort for you to carve a place in his dark heart but you had time. If you had anything, it was time. 

        Each step you took seemed to only glance over the ground as if you were floating above the rocks naturally; you looked weightless. With a simple wave of your hand over the creature's "eyes", a dark piece of cloth covered the one obvious indicator that the creature was a nightmare. Now he looked like a normal human would, though admittedly more attractive. His face still was all sharp edges and harsh curves, his smile with teeth like a military graveyard. Was Morpheus so blind that he couldn't see when he made something attractive? 

        "See? Might as well just call him Adonis." 

        "It doesn't matter what he looks like," Morpheus clasped his hands behind his back, stopping to look at the nightmare's new profile. He didn't want to admit it but he did enjoy the look of the blindfold. It hid what was frightening and would allow it to be a surprise for whoever this nightmare would haunt. Some nightmares were more monster based while others were closer to humanoid shapes. The younger children were mostly scared of monsters under their beds, but their nightmares became more abstract as they grew older. Failure, loneliness- Dream had to be more creative with his creations when the humans got older. With this nightmare, he intended to use it for adults who have fears of not having control as well as the unknown. So many couldn't handle the feeling of being helpless...Perhaps he should send this nightmare to those that made others helpless, allowing them to feel what they wrought for a change. He did like karmic revenge. 

        "I don't know. You don't want your dreamer to be scared and attracted at the same moment." You teased, crossing your arms over your chest, "That will be very confusing~. But, he looks good. Teeth for eyes, he could bite you in three different places at the same time! I guess they all would be near each other since, obviously, they still are just on the face. I bet his nightmare would be the ones where you lose your teeth." 

        "Hmph." 

        "What will you call him?" 

        "The Corinthian." 

        "After the town?" 

        "Yes, the one where crime runs rampant." 

        "Hm...It fits," Moving forward, you tossed your arms over Morpheus' shoulders to drape yourself lazily against him. You knew that his face would scrunch up, pretending he didn't like your touch. It had taken centuries for you to even get him to accept any touch and still, he would happily deny it to this day. Even still, you swore that you felt him lean into your touch a few times...He couldn't hate it all the time. But, you kept your mouth shut, knowing he would only lash out if you brought it up. He would give you the silent treatment for decades. You had already experienced that after you played around with his raven, Lucienne. Boy had he been upset when he found you. Though you hadn't done anything wrong, he was just a spoiled sport! Lucienne hadn't even minded...

        "Do Nightmares ever dislike what they have to do?" 

        "I don't care enough to ask." With a hum, Morpheus fixed the blindfold that covered the Corinthian's eyes. He couldn't have his nightmare blindfolded with a cloth tied off with a bow. It didn't scream frightening. A basic knot would do, "They are necessary for humans to work through issues while still being able to wake up, safely. The nightmares have work to do, which, by the by, shouldn't you be working on your own duties instead of bothering me while I complete mine?" 

        With a small whine, you stretched out your wings and flew up a few feet forward to face Morpheus. With a flick of your wrist, you gestured to the collection of fireflies that was flying next to where you had been laying, "I am working, just so you know. Do you not see my own creations? These are the hopes of children if you must know. At least, some of them anyway."

        While Dream could make whatever he wanted, you had to follow a few more rules. Working for the Big Man himself, your Father, he liked everything to be exactly how he wanted. Part of that was everyone doing their jobs and if you weren't, someone might take your place. Luckily, you were in one of the irreplaceable ones, being part of the Seven Virtues. You and your siblings weren't angels, per se, you were Virtues. You were your own type of being. You were all Celestials. It was true that Angels were the most populous and visited the humans the most, but that didn't mean you were all Angels 

        The seven of you, the Virtues, had your individual jobs and tasks assigned to you. One of your main personal jobs was creating the essence of Hope and finding different ways of spreading it throughout Earth. Sometimes you put it in animals, sometimes you put it in plants, and sometimes it was just a certain smell. Depending on the human, hope could be found in many different things. Some could pull essence simply from the air while others needed a bit more help. 

        Fireflies were your favorite. They had been your own creation, the one being on this Earth that you made. Your Father allowed all seven of the Virtues to make one animal when they were old enough and you ended up creating the firefly. You based it on one of your good memories of being a young fledgling. Samael would stand over your crib and entertain you by making lights with his fingers. That was a long time ago and Samael...He wasn't Samael anymore. He fell. But, you made the fireflies in honor of that memory. You think your Father knew that and gave the little bugs a short lifespan because of it. He had been your Father's favorite and when he left, your Father took it hard. You heard Samael went by a different name now but didn't know it...You didn't know if you would ever see him again. You had a feeling that no one told you his name in fear that you would try to find him.

        Being a Virtue could be difficult. They were looked at highly by the other Celestials and were expected to do the best. The only group that had any sort of authority over the Virtues were the Seven Archangels as well as Metatron. All seven of you were created just before humans, being a strange unique creation of your Father. Only seven of you existed...You weren't part of the hierarchy of Angels or the main grouping. You weren't Angels after all. The Virtues were special, just like the Endless. The biggest difference was that you lived in The Silver City and your domain itself was past the gates. Truth be told, it could be suffocating when you knew your Father had someone watching you at all times. Seven Virtues, Seven Archangels. One was always spectating. 

        Perhaps that was one of the reasons you spent so much time in the Dreaming. You knew your Father couldn't send anyone into their realms, a deal he had originally made with Night and Time but had apparently been passed down to their children. The first time you ever ended up in the Dreaming, you had snuck in. Well, was it sneaking in if it was an accident? Either way, that was a chaotic story for another time. For now, with a lot of hard work and determination, you had convinced Morpheus to allow you to spend time in his realm as long as you promised not to mess with anything he was doing. The tale of how you met to where you had gotten to now was a very interesting one, you had to admit that. A Virtue and an Endless being friends? Unheard of. Well, Morpheus would say it still was unheard of but you insisted the two of you were friends. You had even grown close to his sister, Death. 

        "Bugs?"

        "You know that they are so much more than that!" You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest in defiance at Morpheus' words, "I have done a good amount of work today." 

        "I have a feeling your siblings would care to argue otherwise." 

        "Well, then they can come and tell me that themselves but for now, I think that I deserve a good break." 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥  　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥  　♡　♥ ♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡

        "I swear John, if you ate all the chocolate flapjacks again!" 

        "I did not-!" 

        "John!" 

        "I swear, love!" 

        John knew what it was like to have an older sister. He would bet this was what it was like to have a younger one. Annoying, never listening to you, always bugging you for this or that. Yup, that seemed about right. He didn't get how you could already have this much energy this early in the morning. This was why he was so against you drinking coffee at any point during the day. You already were filled with enough energy for both of you. Adding any caffeine to that just made it ten times worse. He didn't need to learn that lesson more than once.

        "You know I prefer a brew for breakfast." He walked into the kitchen to see you standing there, all legs and way too much optimism for the world. John could admit that you were an attractive lady and perhaps in other situations, a one-nighter might have been in the cards. But, with you under his protection and the bond forming between you two, it all changed. To be honest, Constantine couldn't remember what exactly he was protecting you from or why but knew you were in danger. You were his little buddy and he had to keep you safe. You were special to the mage, after all. 

        "That's a problem we'll talk about on another day." You hummed as you placed the frozen breakfast food in the toaster. He didn't understand why you liked sweets so much. He was more of a savory guy himself. 

        John lazily moved from where he was leaning to taking a seat at the small two-person table. Most mornings would start like this. He would drink his morning pint while you had whatever sweet treat you decided to ruin your body with that day. He would grumble whenever you tried to talk to him, spitting out some excuse of it being too early or how he had a hangover. You never listened. 

        "Whatever you say, darlin'." 

        Piling the flapjacks onto your plate once done, you made a stack of four of the sweet treats. Adding probably too much syrup than was good for you, you plopped yourself down in the seat across from John. The two of you were in a small flat in London, one that was provided to John by someone. Someone you didn't know. There was a question of whether John really knew who was paying the rent or not. At least, you were questioning it. 

        "Can you teach me some more today?" 

        "Teach you what? How to get a job and stop leeching off of me so you can go live on your own? That sounds like-"

        "No! Magic, you Muppet!" Constantine couldn't help but chuckle at your pronunciation of the word. Most of the time, you sounded American, but for certain words you learned from him, well, you kept the British twang on those. It made an interesting accent and never failed to amuse John. 

        "Why should I? Hm?" 

        "Because...A demon might show up when you're asleep and I might need to defend myself." For some reason that John Constantine couldn't remember, that seemed more likely a threat than how you were saying it. It made a shiver run down his spine. It had been a nice morning until you reminded him of the danger you were in. He hated having the knowledge that for some reason, you were being hunted but by what and for what reason were still a mystery. He hated that unknowing. It made everything just that more dangerous. 

        "I don't know, mate. Is that a good enough reason to ruin my afternoon? I could be out at the pub, you know. Maybe finding a bird to bring back to the flat? Have a nice night with a nice lady." 

                "You wish!" Shoveling flapjacks in your mouth, you kicked the man under the table lightly in annoyance. A groan slipped past his lips and he set his beer on the table to keep from spilling it. He was such a drama queen at times! 

        "Whatever, we have to meet up with Johanna anyway." You continued, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's, "So I bet I can just ask her to teach me a few more things. She'd be happy to."

        "She'd be happy to have 'ye in her bed as well! I've told ya, you need to be careful around her! Bless my sister's heart but that woman can be like a dog with two dicks. She'll teach 'ye magic alright if she thinks it might getcha in her bed at the end of the day." 

        Since Johanna didn't spend as much time with you, she didn't develop the same type of feelings that John did. To her, you would never be like a sibling. You always would be open for some fun. Sometimes John thought she messed with you just to get to him. He couldn't help that he was protective of you...

        "You do this just to annoy me, right?" You pointed an accusatory fork in his direction, "Johanna isn't that bad. We get along great." 

        "I didn't say you two didn't. What I am sayin' is that she likes to play a dangerous game and trust me when I say you have enough of that in your life already." 

        "But, 'yer right," He continued, "Jo will be expecting us."

        "What does she need help with this time?"

        "An exorcism. Must be a pretty bad one too if she needs two hands on the wheel to get the bugger out. Either way, you listen to me this time, alright? No makin' more problems when we are there to fix 'em. Don't need you being cheeky on me. Got it?" 

        "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear ya. No fun for me. Stay back and just watch, keep out of the way."

        "Right on the money, love."

        "...Wait, are we gonna be paid for this?!" 

        "Bloody Hell..."

        "Can I bring my sand with us?!"

[naive-daydreamer]

What if we rewrite the stars... (Say you were meant to be mine).

Type: Fanfic.

Rated: M.

Chapters: 13/?.

Tags: too many to count / as much as ao3 let me.

Part 1 of the series: “To dream is to defy, and to defy is to dream”.

Written by: defianceoftheendless

read here on ao3

What was the saying? Ah, yes, dreaming doesn't cost anything.

Well, what if it turned out that the concept of dreaming was much more than a concept? What if it was, in turn, a man behind glass, and there was once a girl who tried to set him free?

That girl's name was Esther Carrasco, and it turned out that dreaming cost her everything.

•

Where the destiny of every living creature capable of possessing such a thing can be altered by a girl who, with the intention of breaking the glass of the Sandman's prison, lifted a poker twice, the second time being something that created a spontaneous fork in the Garden of Forking Ways.

•

Where a new entity, known as the Defiant of Destinies, emerges from the spilled blood of a dreamer.

•

Where Destiny of the Endless chooses to not give an end to this anomaly.

•

Name of the story taken from the song Rewrite the Stars from the Greatest Showman.

[maelstroms-blog]

Chap 4 is up, we meet some new characters, and Hob’s sixth sense is burning up

Enjoy

[lightdancer1]

Next chapter up:

Excerpt:

"Do you know of the Pale Man?"

She'd frozen for a moment.

I.....can't say that I do, by that name.

He'd described him and then Death sat up very straight.

You see my brother in your dreams.

He blinked.

"That's Dream of the Endless."

She swallowed deeply and nodded.

"He lives up to his reputation."

She winced and he saw the look of fear on her face.

Yes, yes he does.

[windsweptinred]

Why I love the idea of a great big Good Omens x The Sandman Crossover Gaimonverse ... (Ineffable Husbands and Dream of the Endless hobnobbing aside).

Gwendoline Christie's Lucifer ruling over the hopeless disasters which are the GO demons... Chef's kiss! Give me a twenty part, workplace comedy. With Lucifer being driven ever closer to a complete nervous breakdown by their shinnanigans. Until they throw Mazikeen over their shoulder, yell 'Fuck this, I'm out!' and rage quit.

The Endless and the Horseman existing in the same universe... Meaning there are tiers of Anthropomorphic Personifications. What does that make the Horseman? Insanely homicidal middle management?

Following Death around like obbsessive little ducklings.

Getting into all sorts of devilment with the Twins like their little chaos groupies.

Constantly checking in with Destiny like,

War: Is it the Apocalypse now?

Destiny: (Turns a page) No

Famine: Now?

Destiny: No

Pollution: Now?

Destiny: Do not make me leave this garden and come down there!

Being one of the main contributing factors in making their direct supervisor (Destruction) become a master hermit.

Most of Hob's down time being spent avoiding/messing with Sergeant Shadwell (This headcanon is stamped across my heart in glowing neon letters).

Adam Young being the bane of Destiny's existence. A reality warping, fate changing... Doodling all over the margins of Book of Destiny in crayola menace!

The image of Anathema and Johanna Constantine as professional associates of the British supernatural community is a thing wonderous to behold.

[zapiarty]

Sandman - Dead Boy Detective

1389 - Dream & Death meet Hob Gadling; who refuses to die 1489 - Dream & Hob form their Arrangement 1589 - Hob brags about how good he's got it, with a wife, a son, riches and a knighthood. Dream decides to leave early upon meeting William Shaxberd 1689 - Dream waits for Hob's arrival, who is at his lowest point in his life thus far, Dream expects Hob to ask for death now and is surprised when Hob laughs in his face and says "Death is a mug's game, I've got so much to live for!" 1789 - Dream warns Hob against getting involved with the Slave Trade, Lady Johanna Constantine interrupts their meeting, Hob comes to Dream's rescue briefly which amuses him 1889 - Hob wants to learn things about Dream, dares to suggest he's lonely and that they are friends, Dream storms off in a huff declaring he doesn't need Hob's company

1916 - Edwin Payne dies via ritual sacrifice to Hell by classmates at 16 - The Corinthian begins his mayhem in the Waking World - Dream of the Endless is captured & imprisoned by Roderick Burgess 1917 - Sleeping Sickness officially acknowledged - Unity Kincaid remains asleep

1926 - Ethel Cripps becomes Roderick Burgess' mistress - Roderick has his son Alex kill Jessamy the Raven - Ethel gets pregnant, steals the helm, sand, and ruby and flees - Roderick dies, Alex decides not to free Dream like he'd promised 1927? - Ethel Cripps gives birth to John D

? - Ethel bargains away the helm to a demon, sells the sand

1989 - Edwin Payne escapes Hell - Hob Gadling waits for His Stranger but he does not arrive (As Dream is still held captive in the Burgess' Estate) - Charles Rowland is murdered by classmates via hypothermia & internal bleeding at 16 in December of '89 - Edwin is there for Charles to ease his death; Charles decides to stay with Edwin instead of going with Death - Some point Edwin & Charles form the Dead Boy Detectives

1994 - Infamous Puppy Debacle (Charles got too attached to a living puppy?)

March 22, 1994 - Devlin Murders occur in Port Townsend, Washington

1997 - Great Fenwick Pixie Escape (puts Edwin at a loss)

2006 - Great Chewing Gum Debacle (stressor for Edwin?)

2015 - Rose Walker & her little brother Jed are split when Rose and their mother Miranda move but her father refuses to let Jed leave with them

2020 - Lyta's husband Hector dies via a car accident, Rose's ill mother dies near the end of the year

2021 - Dream/Morpheus is released & searches for his tools to rebuild the Dreaming - Unity Kincaid wakes the moment Dream is released - Johanna Constantine purchases the sand but left it at a girlfriend's place when she left her 6 months prior (resulting in her death via the sand) - Dream faces Lucifer in Challenge for his helm; wins & humiliates Lucifer - John D uses the Ruby to nearly destroy the world in an attempt to make a better one; causing mass destruction and death, destroys the ruby in an attempt to destroy Dream and replace him but this only returns the stored power to Dream in full

8 Months later: - Death & Dream have a talk, Desire & Despair plot to knock Dream's ego down as Desire's previous attempts failed (Nada, Roderick Burgess); focus turns to Rose Walker (Desire's Great-Granddaughter) - Dream reconnects with Hob at The New Inn; 30 years late but acknowledging their friendship - Rose Walker is the Vortex and looking for her brother Jed who dreams of being The Sandman (thanks to Gault) - Unity Kincaid asks Rose to meet her in London to reveal she's her Great-Grandmother (the Great-Grandfather being her Gold Eyed Man aka Desire) - The Corinthian attempts to use her to create a New Dreaming - Lyta Hall gets pregnant from her ghost husband in the Dreaming; Dream banishes the ghost from his realm as Ghosts shouldn't be there - Morpheus collects all his lost Dreams & Nightmares; returns the Corinthian to his base form - Dream of a Thousand Cats - Calliope's most recent "owner" slips up and she is able to send a message to Morpheus who comes to free her (by driving the man who binds her insane with ideas)

Late 2022 - Crystal Palace & David the Demon enter into a relationship

2023 - Edwin & Charles take on the Case of Crystal Palace on behest of Emma the Ghost

- Becky Aspen case in Port Townsend, WA; meet Esther the Witch, get trapped in Port Townsend by the Cat King - Niko Sasaki & the Dandelion Sprites Case - February 17; The Devlin House Case (Charles' history brought up, meet Monty) - Case of the Lighthouse Leapers (Charles & Crystal kiss, Night Nurse fed to Sea Monster, Cat King taunts Edwin with Monty & Charles' likeness in an attempt to get a kiss) - Case of the Two Dead Dragons (Edwin realizes he's truly in love with Charles as he comforts Charles after a breakdown, Monty steals Edwin's first kiss thinking Edwin was talking about him) - Case of the Creeping Forest (Monty's betrayal, Crystal's Awakening) - Case of the Very Long Stairway; Edwin gets taken back to Hell & Charles goes after him, Edwin confesses he's in love with Charles - Edwin meets Despair and she decides they are "friends" now - Case of the Hungry Snake; Niko dies (?) saving Crystal from Esther Finch in an attempt to rescue Edwin & Charles - The Lost & Found Department of the Afterlife "officially" allows the Dead Boy Detectives to work cases to help them help ghosts cross over in exchange for allowing them to stay together on Earth

[writing-for-life]

The Ultimate Sandman Character Tag List!

I recently published a tag list for all female Sandman characters I have written about or posted art for (I’ve just added to it and tidied it up. The tags auto-update, so feel free to bookmark it if you want to stay in the loop about the Sandwomen), which made me think:

Why not do that for all the characters for quick reference?

So if you’re interested in one particular character, you can just quickly go to their tag on my blog. These are character tags, so you’ll find anything from metas to fics/poetry and art in no particular order. If you are looking for something more specific, please have a look at my pinned post.

I will not pretend I wrote and posted equally for all of them (some might just have one entry), and a few are missing (I’ll add tags when applicable). But right now, I have roundabout 100 Sandman characters waiting to get explored, and existing tags will auto-update whenever something new gets added, so feel free to bookmark this post.

I tag pretty consistently (some characters have two tags because I initially didn’t 🙈), but the odd one might slip through and float around on my blog without being tagged; you can also try to use the search function on my blog.

So without further ado, here they are (and now I’ll need to lie down):

The Endless

Destiny

Death

Dream or Morpheus

Dream/Daniel or Daniel Hall

Destruction

Desire

Despair

Delirium/Delight

Dream’s Lovers

(Yes, they get their own space for quick reference, but they’re also under their applicable headers)

Alianora

Calliope

Killalla

Nada

Thessaly

Titania

Denizens of the Dreaming

Cain and Abel (Cain here, Abel here)

The Corinthian

The Cuckoo

Eve

The Fashion Thing

Fiddler’s Green/Gilbert

Gault

Goldie

Gregory

Guardians of the Gate/Gatekeepers

Jessamy

Lucien (comics)

Lucienne (Netflix)

Martin Tenbones

Matthew the Raven

Mervyn Pumpkinhead

Gods and (Fallen) Angels

Bast

Calliope

Duma

The Fates (Furies, Kindly Ones, Hecateae etc)

Hades

Ishtar

Loki

Lucifer Morningstar

Mazikeen

The Creator/Presence and Glory

Persephone

Remiel

Fae

Auberon

Cluracan

Nuala

Titania

Immortals and Long-Lived Humans

Bhartari

Hob Gadling

Mad Hettie

Orpheus

Thessaly

Mortal Beings and Humans

Alex Burgess

Alianora

Augustus

Barbie

Barnaby Farrell (Uncle Barnaby)

Carl/Carla

Chantal

Clarice Farrell (Aunt Clarice)

Ethel Cripps

Foxglove (Donna Cavanagh)

Gwen

Hal Carter

Hazel McNamara

Hope Beautiful Lost Nebula

Jed Walker

John Constantine (Comics)

Lady Johanna Constantine (Comics)

Modern Johanna Constantine (Netflix)

John Dee

John Hathaway

Joshua A. Norton/Emperor Norton

Killalla of the Glow

Lyta Hall

Marco Polo

Nada

Paul McGuire

Prez Rickard

Rachel Moodie

Richard Madoc

Roderick Burgess

Rosemary

Rose Walker

Ruby

Unity Kinkaid

Wanda

Wesley Dodds

William Shakespeare

Zelda

Other

Barnabas

Night

Time

[valiantstarlights]

Wedding planner AU where Dream is getting married to Calliope, and the wedding planner is Hob, the one that got away.

Calliope's mom Mnemosyne calls Constantine's, which is one of the best (if not the actual best) wedding planning company in the country, but it just so happens that both Johannas (the founder and her granddaughter) have been booked for a royal wedding in a foreign country.

Whose royal wedding, you ask? Why, King Tristan of Stormhold to Yvaine the movie star, of course! Oh, but you absolutely shouldn't worry, Mrs. Muse. Mr. Robert Gadling is practically family to the Johannas, and he's our next best wedding planner. He did the Fell-Crowley wedding, you know, and that was the most talked-about event last year!

Mnemosyne begrudgingly agrees to book a non-Johanna, and so Hob is tasked to plan the Muse-Endless wedding.

Hob sees the clients' surnames and thinks that it might be Destruction or Delirium getting married to one of Mrs. Muse's many daughters. And sure, maybe he'll see Dream on the date of the wedding itself, but...well, maybe Dream won't even show. Hob knows he hates going to family gatherings, and if he learns that Hob is gonna be there, then all the more reason for him not to attend.

But yeah, he's not gonna say no to the job. The Muse and the Endless family are both fucking loaded. The amount of money and prestige Hob would receive would set him for life. (Or like, half his life, if he decides to buy like a ten yachts or something.)

Hob goes to meet both matriarchs of the family (as well as the couple about to get married) on the balcony area of the most fuck-off-poor-people restaurant in the city. The wedding is like months away, but he knows rich people like planning everything down to the tiniest detail.

Hob is an old hand at this now, though, and so he comes prepared and armed with theme ideas (with pictures), a list of wedding and reception locations (also with pictures and an interactive map), pictures from the past weddings he planned, fucking pinterest boards and the contact numbers of fashion designers--you name it.

He is dressed like he's meant to be there (since he can afford that kind of shit now), and even his briefcase is designer. He looks very impressive, is the point, and for this job, he has to be.

Hob gets there and is led to the balcony area. But he doesn't even see the spectacular view the place boasts of, because a figure wearing all black catches his eye, and it's Dream.

He looks just like he always did, so very beautiful and untouchable, holding himself with grace and quiet dignity. It reminds Hob of when he first saw Dream in the university library some...what, ten, fifteen years ago now?

Hob once again feels like a dirty commoner, especially when he spots Dream holding a pretty girl's left hand on top of the table, and on her ring finger is a large, borderline gaudy diamond ring.

Dream does not even notice Hob until Mrs. Muse spots him lingering near their table, frozen in place. And then Dream turns, his eyes widen, and his face goes through a series of microexpressions.

But too many years have gone by for Hob to be able to read them accurately.

And anyway, it doesn't matter.

It has been made clear to him that the two of them would never work.

It's fine. Hob is here to plan a wedding--Dream's wedding, apparently, and that's all he's going to do.

He smiles like it's his first time seeing everyone sitting on the table, and marches forward.

[gabessquishytum]

I've seen people in other fandoms do their omegaverse secondary sex headcanons for characters so I'm gonna do mine for The Sandman (mostly just the show) ok ajsbsbsbdb. How do your headcanons compare?

To me, The Endless don't inherently have secondary genders, and can switch between appearing as whatever they like. They may have preferred forms to adopt in the human world, however:

Destiny is a beta

Death is an alpha

Dream is an alpha

Destruction was an alpha, now prefers to be a beta

Desire fluctuates wildly, impossible to pin down

Despair is an omega

Delirium is an omega

Now, the other characters:

The Corinthian is an alpha

(But the second Corinthian is an omega)

Lucienne is a beta

Fiddler's Green is a beta

Gault is an alpha

Matthew is/was an omega

Roderick Burgess is an alpha

Alex Burgess is a beta

John Dee is a beta

Rose Walker is an alpha

Jed Walker is/will be an alpha

Lyta Hall is an omega

Daniel Hall is/will be an omega

Johanna Constantine is an alpha

Hob Gadling is an omega (has also lived successfully as both alpha and beta)

Calliope is an alpha

Nada is an omega

Lucifer can also choose their secondary gender, but prefers to be an omega.

[tgrailwar-zero]

Oh, good idea. Even if Carolus-Tilpinus or the other proxies are skulking around, they’ll be hard pressed to hear us.

And on that note, we should probably discuss what you managed to learn, Rider. Avenger was approached a little while ago with an offer to ally with Charlemagne. Although…while Historia did mention that while it would be “appreciated” it wasn’t necessary, and they seem to have plans for the Nameless City. Conquest, presumably.

CONSTANTINE: "Right."

[ You felt 300 PPT leave your wallet from PRETENDER's fees. ]

He adjusted in his seat, clearing his throat before speaking softly, yet definitively.

CONSTANTINE: "The first important thing is that he brought the Ruler of the Theurgical Holy Grail War with her… Pope Johanna."

…JOHANNA.

She was a kind person, from what you remembered, patiently standing vigil by AVENGER's bedside and answering any questions that you had.

But the last time she saw you, you had convinced AVENGER to wrench himself free of his team due to listening to a malignant virus and led him to near destruction.

...Granted, that had been part of CASTER's scheme, but you had taken the bait rather readily. Either way, it wasn't a great look or particularly great terms to part on.

And now her base had been wiped out, the war declared 'over', and if she was in a similar situation to AVENGER and PRETENDER, she had assumed that all of her allies were gone with it.

NERO: "What's the big deal about this 'Pope'?"

The question had come rather blunt, and you could see that RIDER seemed a bit confused.

CONSTANTINE: "...The Pope is the leader of the faith."

He replied, simply.

She raised an eyebrow, not seeming impressed or entirely aware of what that exactly meant. His eyes narrowed slightly before he elaborated.

CONSTANTINE: "The leader of the Catholic faith. The Holy Church. An individual with incredible influence over Western religion, and are occasionally considered people who reached the level of sainthood. A guide for humanity to thrive against those that are unholy and unnatural."

She shrugged, sipping from her glass and gesturing for CONSTANTINE to continue. He sighed, before continuing to relay the information.

CONSTANTINE: "Anyways, if a man like Charlemagne has the backing of the papacy, even via a nebulous one like Johanna, then in his eyes… his crusade is absolute justice, and truly backed by the Lord himself. After all, the papacy had declared him the Holy Roman Emperor when he was alive, and had served to solidify and expand his claim upon Europe in addition to his own accomplishments."

NERO: "And so… this 'Pope Johanna' essentially is giving him the encouragement to expand his claim upon the Solar Cell?"

CONSTANTINE nodded, a bit tentatively.

CONSTANTINE: "…I believe so. Secondly, he's gathering support. In addition to Johanna and his four Paladins, he's managed to pull Lancer from the brink of death. Apparently, Caster was more than willing to let him die due to his zealotry leading him to support Saber over her… and it's coming back to bite her, badly."

He steepled his fingers, leaning forward slightly. The expression on his face was pensive as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

CONSTANTINE: "Pope Johanna, Vlad Tepes, Charlemagne… not to mention four of the virtuous Twelve Peers. Truly, if this is a holy crusade, then He has sent some of his strongest soldiers."