tulipsforyourlips

[tulipsforyourlips]

Hiii! I read your Sandman series and I'm hooked! Pleaseeeeee continue with it! I'm so excited to see what happens next. Thank youuu

hii ahh that makes me so happy thankyou! unfortunately i completely forgot about this fic hahahahh and im not so much in the sandman brainrot i was in when i started writing it but i do plan on finishing it some day just praying for the motivation to find me again<3

[tulipsforyourlips]

just heavily edited this because wtf did i just read- i would say a person high on caffeine and no sleep would write better but that was precisely me coz i wrote this at 5 am when i was safe to say, sleepdeprived af boi because the typos were insane. coherency is not my strong suit

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (8)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3K

WARNINGS: angst, violence, blood, mentions of sex (only mentioned)

PART 8 ✧˖°.

Dream's coat pooled around the bottom of the stairs that led to his throne, while his head ached with past memories.

"Promise me"

"Hope I,-"

"Promise Dream."

"I promise."

And ached more as new joined them.

"You promised, Dream."

He had given up fighting the turmoil raging inside him long ago and let the madness consume him.

"You promised, Dream."

"I am not Hope!"

"You promised, "

"You promised , Dream."

"Boss!" Matthew's entry pulled him to the painful present.

"You summoned me?"

"I want you to keep a check on Hazel in the waking world," his voice was polished with stone as he spoke, "do not let her out of your sight unless I command you so."

"On it." After hesitating a moment, the raven asked, "she still hasn't visited the Dreaming?"

"No."

"If I may ask, what happened between you and her, boss?"

Dream lifted his head and the way his eyes glared, had Matthew realize he had gravely overstepped. Without squandering a second, he flew away.

You leaned your head on the wooden jamb of the window whose ledge you were currently perched upon. You dangled a foot below as you sucked in a breath, feeling the wind on your face against an effort to dismiss exhaustion away. Wounds from your week prior 'adventure' still marked your body. Set on your mission to avoid Dream, and stubborn as you were, you had completely forsaken sleep. Eyebags had begun painting the underside of your eyes a rueful purple that complimented the scar forming on your cheekbone. A pair of wings fluttered alongside you as your friend and raven dropped in your lap.

"You are looking cheerful," he cawed.

"Thanks Matthew. Did Dream send you?"

"What? No! What, a friend can't check up on another?"

"Sorry, I just am really not in the mood to endure him."

"You won't tell me what happened, will you?"

You sighed. "It's complicated."

"Never heard that before," he retorted. "He misses you, you know?"

Like hell he does. "I don't care."

"He needs you Hazel, I need you, the Dreaming needs you."

"Yeah okay."

"Listen! I don't know what the fuck happened to make you both so hurt but you cannot turn your back away from humanity and let it simply perish because of a feud between two emo people," Matthew gushed. "Please,"

A bitter smile gripped your lips. "I wish I could help Matthew, I really do."

"Then-"

But the raven never completed his sentence and disappeared into the wind.

"Did Edwin mix something in my morning coffee or were you just talking to a crow?" Charles squinted his eyes.

You were about to correct him when you realised you probably shouldn't. "The former." You swung your legs inwards and jumped onto the floor. "It's 3 in the morning, why are you up?"

"I am a ghost. Why are you up?"

"Back to my healthier sleeping schedule. Heading to bed."

"Brills."

Charles looked like he wanted to ask something but then apparently decided against it. There was still a simmering tension between you both, following the events from that day. Reduced colossally, but visible in the air of the room.

"Goodnight," was all he said.

You tossed and turned in your bed, pretending to be asleep as you had been for the past couple of days so as to not arouse more suspicion. The boys had relatively left you alone and you were grateful for their patience. You knew you had to tell them, you couldn't hold it off forever. Just needed some more time, you convinced yourself. Fatigue powered by sleep deprivation numbed your senses as you slowly began to lose yourself to it. No, you shook your head and tried to keep your eyes wide open. Even after your stamina dwindled down to nothing, you kept fighting sleep.

The library of the realm of christ dreams encompassed your puny figure. Oh god, you must have fallen asleep. There was no use in trying to go back, you knew the limit of your abilities. Before you could panic over the possibility of encountering Dream, muffled voices reached your ears. You approached the gates offering passage to the throne room through the library. The voices became more distinct. At the sound of Dream's, your heart skipped a tiny beat. You had missed him, despite your relentless reluctance to admit so. The second voice belonged unmistakably to a female, but you knew Lucienne well enough to recognize it if it were hers. You chased the gap between the doors and listened intently.

"I can't do it sister, I won't."

Sister? Were you eavesdropping on a conversation between two Endless?

"Dream, you have to tell her."

"She's not ready, we can wait."

"You mean you can. The world cannot."

"We will manage without her having to know."

"You cannot be serious Dream," the other endless groaned. "Either you tell her or I will."

Zero chance the 'her' was you, right? right?

"Please, I can't." The crack in Dream's voice made something uncomfortable crawl in your stomach. "I can't go-" you couldn't make out the rest. Stupid gigantic doors.

Silence haunted the room on the other side. You pressed your ear against the gateway to better understand the heated discussion when it suddenly propelled outwards. You hastily hid behind a towering bookshelf. A woman appeared in the library. From your place, you couldn't make out the details of her appearance. The doors swung shut behind her. You watched as she huffed a breath. It must be a task having Dream as your sibling. Your mind was racing, trying to solve the puzzle of which Endless was she. You stepped your foot backwards, and big mistake, a pile of stacked ledgers came undone on the ground with a rapturous noise. Brills. You peeked your head out from your poor hiding place, and with a jolt, your eyes met Death's. It seemed the puzzle was solved and your heart accompanied your mind in the sprint.

"Hi," you squeaked.

"Hi,"

You emerged from behind the shelf, fully revealing yourself. It felt weird, being this close to the Endless, one that you had been running away from for years.

"I'm-I am Hazel."

She studied you for a moment before making any indication that she had heard you. Noticing the colour on your face whiten, she said, "Relax, I am not here to take you."

"Yeah-no no I know. It's just that-" What? Were you scared? Were you starstruck? Seriously Hazel, woman up for once in your life. "It's an honour just being in your presence. You are Death," you enunciated her name. "How does a mortal like me deserve to have that chance?"

Death smiled and in that moment you knew why she was chosen to assist souls in their departure. Who would fear Death when it smiled upon you with such kindness? "The honour is mine, Hazel."

And with that confusing statement, she walked away, leaving a befuddled you alone in the library.

"Wait!" You called. "My friends, um two ghosts- Charles and Edwin, why do you spare them?" It was a shot in the dark but you had come to find yourself in it perpetually. 

Death turned in your direction. "Question for another time, darling."

The carpet cushioned your head as you flipped through the pages of some ancient text Edwin had handed you over to decode while he and Charles talked with their client. You thought you heard a fluttering of wings and you looked outside but you were received by an empty sky. You'd told Matthew to quit following you everywhere all the time but you still had your suspicions that he hadn't listened to you. You stretched your legs up in the air and they struck against something, followed by a crashing sound as a jar tumbled onto the floor, its lid strewn away. And to your horror, the jar was very painfully familiar. It was the same vessel Charles had trapped that one demon into. Why the fuck wouldn't they dispose it of instead of keeping it as a trophy in the living room? A hideous creature emanated from it and was panting right overhead you. It reeked and a revolting uneasiness shook you to your core. You swiftly scanned Edwin's desk for scriptures that had banished it earlier and located some papers scribbled with illegible incantations. You swiftly got up on your feet and were about to grab the papers when claws tightened around your ankles, puncturing skin and dragging you back. You tried to hold on to the edge of the desk, but its brute strength was no match for yours. Your back collided against the coffee table and a groan escaped you as glass shattered beneath. The demon pushed you against the floor, and hardened its clasp around your neck, strangling the breath out of you. Your hands flailed around and you grasped a piece of broken glass. And plunged it into its chest. Blood dripped from its mouth onto your face and you grimaced in repulsion. You threw its body off you and got up. Just as you were about to clean your face, a gurgle sounded and you whirled around to see the demon back on its feet. The audacity of this bitch. It advanced towards you at a frightening speed and you closed your eyes, thinking Death would not have anticipated such an early reunion. But when the contact never happened, you fluttered your eyes open to see Dream standing in its place, a worried expression lacing his face. There was no trace of the demon anywhere, well, except the mess of broken furniture it had left behind.

"The blood's not mine," you said timidly.

He was mere inches apart from you and closed even that distance as he wiped the blood off your face with his sleeve.

"Thankyou, for saving my life, again."

"You need not thank me for it."

He stepped away once you were rid of the blood and you missed the warmth of his closeness.

"Hazel, I am sorry-"

"It wasn't your fault."

"No, it was." He took your fingers in his. "But I tried Hazel. I couldn't locate you. I opened portals everywhere while I searched for you. I am sorry it took me so long to reach you, and I am so sorry I put you in such a situation in the first place." There was a pleading in his eyes, for you to believe him.

And you did. It wasn't everyday the Dream Lord apologized to a human, or to anyone in general. "Dream, I, I am sorry I got mad."

"You had-have every right to be."

"No," you smiled softly. "I am not anymore."

Just then, the mirror glass distorted as two ghosts tumbled into the area. You dropped your hands in a flick of a second.

"Woah, which tsunami hit this place?"

"The demon escaped." At their alarmed state, you added, "but not to worry, the threat is contained."

"And who the hell is this wannabe goth?" Charles piped.

You coughed. "Hey guys can I talk to you for a sec?" You tried to holler them away from Dream's intimidating presence.

"Is he? Is this him?" Edwin quizzed.

You slightly nodded your head in the affirmative. "Now, if you both could-"

"You aren't that old," Edwin assessed him from top to bottom.

"He does have an aura about him. Personally, I dig this look." Charles motioned to his choice of wardrobe.

He was talking to a damned endless. "Guys!"

Dream whispered to you, "Should I-"

"No! Do not dissipate into thin air. You will just spook them and leave all the explaining to me," you hissed back.

"Introduce him, won't you?" Edwin raised his brow.

"Oh goodness, boys this is Dream," in retrospect Morpheus would have been a way better introduction but being the dumbass that you were-

"Who the fuck names their kid Dream?" Charles questioned.

What sins had you ever committed to deserve this? You balled up your hand into a fist, itching to punch him right in the face.

"He can hear you!" You whined to Charles.

Unbeknownst to you, Dream had never been this thoroughly amused in his life.

"Oh." Charles mouth hung open. "He can see us?"

"Yes. He's been through some pretty traumatic experiences. Don't ask."

"Sorry mate, hi, nice to meet ya," he told the Endless. "It's just that you had really taken us off guard. Because with her reluctance to ever let us meet you," As you can see why, "I thought she had just made you up. She doesn't shut up about you by the way," Charles winked.

Why would he say that? Your eyes widened and red poured into your cheeks.

"Not that I blame her, you are a decent looking fellow and-"

"Charles! Charles! Another time, we were just heading out anyways." You pulled on Dream's coat.

"Yes, we were."

"But I made coffee." Edwin appeared with three mugs in his hand.

"How-when did you even-forget it," you gave up.

"I do not drink coffee."

"Everybody drinks coffee," Charles stated as a matter of fact. “Take it from a ghost.” 

"I do not require mortal sup-" You elbowed him in the ribs. "What I mean is, I would love some coffee."

"Thankyou," you mouthed to him.

"So, what do you do?" Edwin began his interrogation.

"He works in finance, yeah, he's a finance guy."

You took a sip from your mug.

"I have to ask mate, how does a handsome rich guy like you date someone-”

You choked on your coffee and Edwin patted your back as you wheezed.

"-like her. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I am fine." You shushed him away.

Charles bloody Rowland, count your hours.

A smile tugged at Dream's lips.

"It's a lengthy story," he replied.

"We have the night."

"No, we do not. Don't you two have cases to solve?" You tried to steer the conversation to anything but this as embarrassment reddened your face.

"Unfortunately we do," Edwin admitted.

"Alright then, bye bye."

"Rude," Charles muttered.

But you couldn't care less. The boys went to the study, leaving you alone with him. You stood up, wanting to get out of here, but as you did, a searing pain shot up your leg.

"I can't make the trip down the stairs with my injured leg," you told him.

He looked at it with concern. "We could go to the Dreaming,"

"Are you-how would it look if both of us just vanished into nothingness?"

"Fair enough."

Having no other option, you led the King of Dreams into your bedroom. As you were closing the door, Edwin popped up his face in the space between.

"Don't do it in here."

"Woah okay, calm your horses."

"Don't listen to him, Haz," Charles whispered from behind him.

"I am not having sex with him!" You shouted in a whisper.

"Just use protection," Edwin advised.

"All the best!" Charles gave an excited thumbs up.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" You whispered.

"Be-"

"Okay bye!" You shut the door in their faces.

You turned around and exhaled a breath. "Sorry about them,"

"It wasn't a problem." Amusement glinted in his eyes.

You found it difficult to wrap your head around the fact that an Endless stood in your bedroom, which was littered with books and clothes. You rounded up a handful of them and shoved them haphazardly in your closet.

"Sorry about the mess. I usually-no never have people over."

"Like a date?" He perked up his brow playfully.

His question took you aback slightly. "I am sorry, it was- I needed a cover for why I was always absent."

"And so you told them we were dating,"

"I didn't mean to-"

"Relax mortal, I am simply messing with you."

You rolled your eyes. "Funny,"

A dry chuckle left his lips at that and irregardless how short lived, your ears had never heard a sound more beautiful. It was a drug, because you wanted to hear it again and again till the end of eternity.

"Dream,"

You gazed into his eyes, which mirrored the stars outside. The same way they did when he had first turned up in your room, a stranger, that you were bound to fall for. Because your heart so carefully locked, had began thrashing against the bones that kept it safe, aching to feel the caress of the man in front of you. You wanted to hand it over to him and say, 'keep it forever, it belongs to you now. It will only beat in the warmth of your touch. Treat it gently, for it was my most precious possession.' Perhaps if you cared less, you could have spoken those words to him.

"Yes mortal?"

I love you.

Dream went stone rigid before you, his features hardened and his teasing smile gone.

You wanted to scream it to him but you just shook your head and said, "nothing."

Dream was set in statue, the only proof of his living the slight twitch in his jaw as he spoke, "you love me?"

"What?" Your heart was about to explode in your chest. Could he read your mind?

"You just said,"

What? Had you said it aloud? Oh no. Fuck fuck fuck fuck-

"Hazel, do you love me?" He lightly gripped your elbow. A sheen of glimmer coated his eyes.

You didn't respond, hoping the yearning in your eyes would be answer enough. Dream took a step back and with the next tick of the second hand on the clock above him, he was gone.

Shit.

Back in the Dreaming, Dream's fingers trembled as he held his sister's sigil.

"Death, I stand in my gallery and hold your sigil. I need you."

She appeared in a moment's notice.

"What's the matter, little brother?"

He turned around to face her. His voice was hoarse with unshed tears. "She fell in love with me." A solo tear glided down his cheek. "Again."

A/N: lol i'll let you guys figure out what that means. this was funnnn I had been foreshadowing it for the past seven chapters and i finally got to write it! ps: not proofread.

SERIES MASTERLIST ✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

the sandman fandom is bat shit level insane y'all are not ready for the show to come out if one sec of tom sturridge as dream has got u howling and absolutely feral (yes we all are whores of the highest form for thirsting over a man's vaguely visible collarbones)

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (8)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3K

WARNINGS: angst, violence, blood, mentions of sex (only mentioned)

PART 8 ✧˖°.

Dream's coat pooled around the bottom of the stairs that led to his throne, while his head ached with past memories.

"Promise me"

"Hope I,-"

"Promise Dream."

"I promise."

And ached more as new joined them.

"You promised, Dream."

He had given up fighting the turmoil raging inside him long ago and let the madness consume him.

"You promised, Dream."

"I am not Hope!"

"You promised, "

"You promised , Dream."

"Boss!" Matthew's entry pulled him to the painful present.

"You summoned me?"

"I want you to keep a check on Hazel in the waking world," his voice was polished with stone as he spoke, "do not let her out of your sight unless I command you so."

"On it." After hesitating a moment, the raven asked, "she still hasn't visited the Dreaming?"

"No."

"If I may ask, what happened between you and her, boss?"

Dream lifted his head and the way his eyes glared, had Matthew realize he had gravely overstepped. Without squandering a second, he flew away.

You leaned your head on the wooden jamb of the window whose ledge you were currently perched upon. You dangled a foot below as you sucked in a breath, feeling the wind on your face against an effort to dismiss exhaustion away. Wounds from your week prior 'adventure' still marked your body. Set on your mission to avoid Dream, and stubborn as you were, you had completely forsaken sleep. Eyebags had begun painting the underside of your eyes a rueful purple that complimented the scar forming on your cheekbone. A pair of wings fluttered alongside you as your friend and raven dropped in your lap.

"You are looking cheerful," he cawed.

"Thanks Matthew. Did Dream send you?"

"What? No! What, a friend can't check up on another?"

"Sorry, I just am really not in the mood to endure him."

"You won't tell me what happened, will you?"

You sighed. "It's complicated."

"Never heard that before," he retorted. "He misses you, you know?"

Like hell he does. "I don't care."

"He needs you Hazel, I need you, the Dreaming needs you."

"Yeah okay."

"Listen! I don't know what the fuck happened to make you both so hurt but you cannot turn your back away from humanity and let it simply perish because of a feud between two emo people," Matthew gushed. "Please,"

A bitter smile gripped your lips. "I wish I could help Matthew, I really do."

"Then-"

But the raven never completed his sentence and disappeared into the wind.

"Did Edwin mix something in my morning coffee or were you just talking to a crow?" Charles squinted his eyes.

You were about to correct him when you realised you probably shouldn't. "The former." You swung your legs inwards and jumped onto the floor. "It's 3 in the morning, why are you up?"

"I am a ghost. Why are you up?"

"Back to my healthier sleeping schedule. Heading to bed."

"Brills."

Charles looked like he wanted to ask something but then apparently decided against it. There was still a simmering tension between you both, following the events from that day. Reduced colossally, but visible in the air of the room.

"Goodnight," was all he said.

You tossed and turned in your bed, pretending to be asleep as you had been for the past couple of days so as to not arouse more suspicion. The boys had relatively left you alone and you were grateful for their patience. You knew you had to tell them, you couldn't hold it off forever. Just needed some more time, you convinced yourself. Fatigue powered by sleep deprivation numbed your senses as you slowly began to lose yourself to it. No, you shook your head and tried to keep your eyes wide open. Even after your stamina dwindled down to nothing, you kept fighting sleep.

The library of the realm of christ dreams encompassed your puny figure. Oh god, you must have fallen asleep. There was no use in trying to go back, you knew the limit of your abilities. Before you could panic over the possibility of encountering Dream, muffled voices reached your ears. You approached the gates offering passage to the throne room through the library. The voices became more distinct. At the sound of Dream's, your heart skipped a tiny beat. You had missed him, despite your relentless reluctance to admit so. The second voice belonged unmistakably to a female, but you knew Lucienne well enough to recognize it if it were hers. You chased the gap between the doors and listened intently.

"I can't do it sister, I won't."

Sister? Were you eavesdropping on a conversation between two Endless?

"Dream, you have to tell her."

"She's not ready, we can wait."

"You mean you can. The world cannot."

"We will manage without her having to know."

"You cannot be serious Dream," the other endless groaned. "Either you tell her or I will."

Zero chance the 'her' was you, right? right?

"Please, I can't." The crack in Dream's voice made something uncomfortable crawl in your stomach. "I can't go-" you couldn't make out the rest. Stupid gigantic doors.

Silence haunted the room on the other side. You pressed your ear against the gateway to better understand the heated discussion when it suddenly propelled outwards. You hastily hid behind a towering bookshelf. A woman appeared in the library. From your place, you couldn't make out the details of her appearance. The doors swung shut behind her. You watched as she huffed a breath. It must be a task having Dream as your sibling. Your mind was racing, trying to solve the puzzle of which Endless was she. You stepped your foot backwards, and big mistake, a pile of stacked ledgers came undone on the ground with a rapturous noise. Brills. You peeked your head out from your poor hiding place, and with a jolt, your eyes met Death's. It seemed the puzzle was solved and your heart accompanied your mind in the sprint.

"Hi," you squeaked.

"Hi,"

You emerged from behind the shelf, fully revealing yourself. It felt weird, being this close to the Endless, one that you had been running away from for years.

"I'm-I am Hazel."

She studied you for a moment before making any indication that she had heard you. Noticing the colour on your face whiten, she said, "Relax, I am not here to take you."

"Yeah-no no I know. It's just that-" What? Were you scared? Were you starstruck? Seriously Hazel, woman up for once in your life. "It's an honour just being in your presence. You are Death," you enunciated her name. "How does a mortal like me deserve to have that chance?"

Death smiled and in that moment you knew why she was chosen to assist souls in their departure. Who would fear Death when it smiled upon you with such kindness? "The honour is mine, Hazel."

And with that confusing statement, she walked away, leaving a befuddled you alone in the library.

"Wait!" You called. "My friends, um two ghosts- Charles and Edwin, why do you spare them?" It was a shot in the dark but you had come to find yourself in it perpetually. 

Death turned in your direction. "Question for another time, darling."

The carpet cushioned your head as you flipped through the pages of some ancient text Edwin had handed you over to decode while he and Charles talked with their client. You thought you heard a fluttering of wings and you looked outside but you were received by an empty sky. You'd told Matthew to quit following you everywhere all the time but you still had your suspicions that he hadn't listened to you. You stretched your legs up in the air and they struck against something, followed by a crashing sound as a jar tumbled onto the floor, its lid strewn away. And to your horror, the jar was very painfully familiar. It was the same vessel Charles had trapped that one demon into. Why the fuck wouldn't they dispose it of instead of keeping it as a trophy in the living room? A hideous creature emanated from it and was panting right overhead you. It reeked and a revolting uneasiness shook you to your core. You swiftly scanned Edwin's desk for scriptures that had banished it earlier and located some papers scribbled with illegible incantations. You swiftly got up on your feet and were about to grab the papers when claws tightened around your ankles, puncturing skin and dragging you back. You tried to hold on to the edge of the desk, but its brute strength was no match for yours. Your back collided against the coffee table and a groan escaped you as glass shattered beneath. The demon pushed you against the floor, and hardened its clasp around your neck, strangling the breath out of you. Your hands flailed around and you grasped a piece of broken glass. And plunged it into its chest. Blood dripped from its mouth onto your face and you grimaced in repulsion. You threw its body off you and got up. Just as you were about to clean your face, a gurgle sounded and you whirled around to see the demon back on its feet. The audacity of this bitch. It advanced towards you at a frightening speed and you closed your eyes, thinking Death would not have anticipated such an early reunion. But when the contact never happened, you fluttered your eyes open to see Dream standing in its place, a worried expression lacing his face. There was no trace of the demon anywhere, well, except the mess of broken furniture it had left behind.

"The blood's not mine," you said timidly.

He was mere inches apart from you and closed even that distance as he wiped the blood off your face with his sleeve.

"Thankyou, for saving my life, again."

"You need not thank me for it."

He stepped away once you were rid of the blood and you missed the warmth of his closeness.

"Hazel, I am sorry-"

"It wasn't your fault."

"No, it was." He took your fingers in his. "But I tried Hazel. I couldn't locate you. I opened portals everywhere while I searched for you. I am sorry it took me so long to reach you, and I am so sorry I put you in such a situation in the first place." There was a pleading in his eyes, for you to believe him.

And you did. It wasn't everyday the Dream Lord apologized to a human, or to anyone in general. "Dream, I, I am sorry I got mad."

"You had-have every right to be."

"No," you smiled softly. "I am not anymore."

Just then, the mirror glass distorted as two ghosts tumbled into the area. You dropped your hands in a flick of a second.

"Woah, which tsunami hit this place?"

"The demon escaped." At their alarmed state, you added, "but not to worry, the threat is contained."

"And who the hell is this wannabe goth?" Charles piped.

You coughed. "Hey guys can I talk to you for a sec?" You tried to holler them away from Dream's intimidating presence.

"Is he? Is this him?" Edwin quizzed.

You slightly nodded your head in the affirmative. "Now, if you both could-"

"You aren't that old," Edwin assessed him from top to bottom.

"He does have an aura about him. Personally, I dig this look." Charles motioned to his choice of wardrobe.

He was talking to a damned endless. "Guys!"

Dream whispered to you, "Should I-"

"No! Do not dissipate into thin air. You will just spook them and leave all the explaining to me," you hissed back.

"Introduce him, won't you?" Edwin raised his brow.

"Oh goodness, boys this is Dream," in retrospect Morpheus would have been a way better introduction but being the dumbass that you were-

"Who the fuck names their kid Dream?" Charles questioned.

What sins had you ever committed to deserve this? You balled up your hand into a fist, itching to punch him right in the face.

"He can hear you!" You whined to Charles.

Unbeknownst to you, Dream had never been this thoroughly amused in his life.

"Oh." Charles mouth hung open. "He can see us?"

"Yes. He's been through some pretty traumatic experiences. Don't ask."

"Sorry mate, hi, nice to meet ya," he told the Endless. "It's just that you had really taken us off guard. Because with her reluctance to ever let us meet you," As you can see why, "I thought she had just made you up. She doesn't shut up about you by the way," Charles winked.

Why would he say that? Your eyes widened and red poured into your cheeks.

"Not that I blame her, you are a decent looking fellow and-"

"Charles! Charles! Another time, we were just heading out anyways." You pulled on Dream's coat.

"Yes, we were."

"But I made coffee." Edwin appeared with three mugs in his hand.

"How-when did you even-forget it," you gave up.

"I do not drink coffee."

"Everybody drinks coffee," Charles stated as a matter of fact. “Take it from a ghost.” 

"I do not require mortal sup-" You elbowed him in the ribs. "What I mean is, I would love some coffee."

"Thankyou," you mouthed to him.

"So, what do you do?" Edwin began his interrogation.

"He works in finance, yeah, he's a finance guy."

You took a sip from your mug.

"I have to ask mate, how does a handsome rich guy like you date someone-”

You choked on your coffee and Edwin patted your back as you wheezed.

"-like her. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I am fine." You shushed him away.

Charles bloody Rowland, count your hours.

A smile tugged at Dream's lips.

"It's a lengthy story," he replied.

"We have the night."

"No, we do not. Don't you two have cases to solve?" You tried to steer the conversation to anything but this as embarrassment reddened your face.

"Unfortunately we do," Edwin admitted.

"Alright then, bye bye."

"Rude," Charles muttered.

But you couldn't care less. The boys went to the study, leaving you alone with him. You stood up, wanting to get out of here, but as you did, a searing pain shot up your leg.

"I can't make the trip down the stairs with my injured leg," you told him.

He looked at it with concern. "We could go to the Dreaming,"

"Are you-how would it look if both of us just vanished into nothingness?"

"Fair enough."

Having no other option, you led the King of Dreams into your bedroom. As you were closing the door, Edwin popped up his face in the space between.

"Don't do it in here."

"Woah okay, calm your horses."

"Don't listen to him, Haz," Charles whispered from behind him.

"I am not having sex with him!" You shouted in a whisper.

"Just use protection," Edwin advised.

"All the best!" Charles gave an excited thumbs up.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" You whispered.

"Be-"

"Okay bye!" You shut the door in their faces.

You turned around and exhaled a breath. "Sorry about them,"

"It wasn't a problem." Amusement glinted in his eyes.

You found it difficult to wrap your head around the fact that an Endless stood in your bedroom, which was littered with books and clothes. You rounded up a handful of them and shoved them haphazardly in your closet.

"Sorry about the mess. I usually-no never have people over."

"Like a date?" He perked up his brow playfully.

His question took you aback slightly. "I am sorry, it was- I needed a cover for why I was always absent."

"And so you told them we were dating,"

"I didn't mean to-"

"Relax mortal, I am simply messing with you."

You rolled your eyes. "Funny,"

A dry chuckle left his lips at that and irregardless how short lived, your ears had never heard a sound more beautiful. It was a drug, because you wanted to hear it again and again till the end of eternity.

"Dream,"

You gazed into his eyes, which mirrored the stars outside. The same way they did when he had first turned up in your room, a stranger, that you were bound to fall for. Because your heart so carefully locked, had began thrashing against the bones that kept it safe, aching to feel the caress of the man in front of you. You wanted to hand it over to him and say, 'keep it forever, it belongs to you now. It will only beat in the warmth of your touch. Treat it gently, for it was my most precious possession.' Perhaps if you cared less, you could have spoken those words to him.

"Yes mortal?"

I love you.

Dream went stone rigid before you, his features hardened and his teasing smile gone.

You wanted to scream it to him but you just shook your head and said, "nothing."

Dream was set in statue, the only proof of his living the slight twitch in his jaw as he spoke, "you love me?"

"What?" Your heart was about to explode in your chest. Could he read your mind?

"You just said,"

What? Had you said it aloud? Oh no. Fuck fuck fuck fuck-

"Hazel, do you love me?" He lightly gripped your elbow. A sheen of glimmer coated his eyes.

You didn't respond, hoping the yearning in your eyes would be answer enough. Dream took a step back and with the next tick of the second hand on the clock above him, he was gone.

Shit.

Back in the Dreaming, Dream's fingers trembled as he held his sister's sigil.

"Death, I stand in my gallery and hold your sigil. I need you."

She appeared in a moment's notice.

"What's the matter, little brother?"

He turned around to face her. His voice was hoarse with unshed tears. "She fell in love with me." A solo tear glided down his cheek. "Again."

A/N: lol i'll let you guys figure out what that means. this was funnnn I had been foreshadowing it for the past seven chapters and i finally got to write it! ps: not proofread.

SERIES MASTERLIST ✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

hiii I lovee the i found you series and your pace is like god tier?? can’t wait for the next part!

ahahaha thankyou girl i should be studying but here im writing 20k words in 4 days fml anyways the next update would probably be in a while but soon!!

[tulipsforyourlips]

*tips hat*

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (7)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3.6K

WARNINGS: angst, heavy depictions of gore!! proceed only if you have the stomach for it!

PART 7 ✧˖°.

You were wrapping the take out noodles around your fork, for some minutes now. There was no space for food inside you, your guts were packed. With agonizing feelings. And the worst of them- unrequited feelings. You dropped your head on the table. 

"Insult. Preposterous scandalous insult. If I could eat, I would never ever insult noodles like that." Charles entered the living room.

He sat down beside you on the floor with a sigh. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." You titled your head in his direction, still resting it on the marble surface.

He brought his face needlessly closer. "Yeah?"

"You know mate there is this notion you have never heard of. It's called personal space and you're seriously invading it right now." You pushed his face back.

"Come on, tell me." He poked your leg with his under the table.

"Charles I," you pressed the heels of your hands against your eyes.

"I think I am in love." You brought your hands down and looked into his eyes.

"Haz you're my best friend-" Huh "-and I love you, I do but-"

"Not with you! You buffoon!" You smacked his shoulder.

His mouth formed an 'O'. "Of course I knew that," he said while massaging his shoulder. "That hurt by the way."

"Good." You threw your head on the couch behind you.

"Who is the unlucky man?"

"You don't know him."

"Wait is this the guy you keep ditching us for?"

"No-yes and I don't ditch you for him you overdramatic arse."

"Whatever. Are you sure you are in love?" He asked. "It's not just some infatuation?"

"No Charles it isn't a stupid crush. I feel my trachea physically contract when I am near him. Like someone has just seized it, leaving behind thumbprints-his thumbprints."

"I did not get a word of that."

You rolled your eyes.

"Is he hot?" He smirked.

You went over the memories of his flawless face, each detail on it so intricately stored in your mind.

"He's beautiful."

"Damn, you are fucked mate."

You were fucked.

"What's going on?" Edwin joined you both.

"Hazel is in love."

"Wha-"

"No!" You shrieked. "I think. I don't know."

"The mystery date?" Edwin pulled a chair and spun it so that his torso was against the back of it.

"Yeah."

"Haven't you known him for a month maybe?"

"It feels like an eternity," you said. "Why me?" You wailed.

"Happens to the best of us soldier." Charles patted your back.

"Does he..love you back?" Edwin inquired.

"Guys love is too strong a word! And no."

"Has he told you that?"

You narrowed your eyes at Edwin. "No." Before he could take apart your reply and divulge into its interpretations, you rebuffed, "he can't. It's not possible. It's complicated. Just that he can't. And please, can we stop talking about this. Don't you two have any better things to do than piss me off."

"No. Hazel in love is a whole new facet for me to explore."

"Say love one more time and I will skin you alive," you threatened.

"Loooooove," Charles sang.

"This is precisely why I was planning to just sulk by myself alone and swallow down my feelings. Fuck healthy coping mechanisms." You pushed the table back and began standing up when Charles pulled you down.

"You would have exploded."

"Like I am practicing sainthood right now," you fumed as you thrashed against his arms.

"So how old is he?" Edwin queried.

"You people are insufferable. Are you building a freaking facebook page for him?"

"Hey how did you know?" Charles was sniffing the bowl of noodles.

You hit him on the head. "Can you even smell it?"

"It's the effort that counts mate and stop bloody hitting me!" He yelped.

"Stop being you!"

"Guys guys stop it! Hazel how old is he?"

"Quite old," you sighed.

"Like grandpa old-"

"Ew Charles. Well," He was technically more than that.

Edwin's eyes widened. "I was aware you were into older men but?"

"Come on he can't be older than us," Charles grinned.

Yeah about tha t...

"What is he? Jesus?" Edwin questioned.

"Yeah mate like she just casually fell in love with a god."

Oh boy they were treading dangerously close.

As they began speculating which greek gods they would fuck, marry or kill, you felt your eyelids droop down and you succumbed to the sweet call of sleep.

You stood over the dreaming waters, a wind blowing your hair awry. You lowered your body and your fingers grazed the surface of the glittering water, causing a tremor of ripple. You felt the energy seething in the water body, intangible but somehow compellingly real. And you let it's force pull you into the unfathomable depths of the sea. The impact was cold against your mortal skin, but not as jarring as it should have been for a human. Perhaps it was practice, perhaps it was your weird abilities. Here you could even breathe underwater without flooding your lungs. A trail of light erupted inside the water, guiding you to your destinations. You slackened your muscles and allowed it to steer your body to the dream awaiting you. Like it had been for the past few days. You fell into the dream. Riveting darkness engulfed you. Something was off. A putrid smell wafted through the air which was devoid of any warmth. You opened your arms wide, trying to gain an estimation of your surroundings. Your hands braced against something. A wall? You tried to feel the coarse rugged wall with your fingers but they came away slicky. Gross.

"Hello?" You called out into the apparent void and heard your voice echo against the sickening enclosure of wherever the fuck you had stumbled onto. 

The rancid odour that hung in its air did not aid in pacifying your nerves. You carefully started walking, trying to locate the dream's inhabitant and reach the end of wherever you were when a  clank sounded from where your feet had accidentally kicked something. Before you could discern it, a torch shone in the far distance. A muddled sense of relief poured into your nerves.

"Is anyone there?" You called into the darkness and began approaching the source of light which was gradually making its way towards you.

As you neared the silhouette, it began taking the form of a person. Then you stopped in your tracks, the momentary relief freezing into blocks of fear. A beast of a man holding a sconce alit with fire stared at you with eyes reflecting its light along with an untamed hunger for bloodlust. And then he smiled, displaying all of his crooked yellowed teeth. You took a step back, then another and ran for your life. But luck adored you and you tripped and fell face first onto the  ground. Ouch. Your tongue tasted copper as blood oozed from your lips. The left side of your face that was in direct contact with the grimy ground throbbed and you were sure you had managed to bruise that too. You lifted yourself up on your hands weight which stung with meek cuts. The man's footsteps grew louder. And as they did, the light of the raving fire fell on the object you had first hit your leg against and now tripped on. A corpse, multiple corpses, half of them dwindled down to a revolting cluster of skeletons while the other half were decaying their way towards their comrades littered around your own breathing body which could soon add to the pile. Could you die in dreams? You could definitely get hurt. Oh my god you could definitely die. You wanted to empty your guts. Instead you ran. How were you in a nightmare and whose bloody conscious were you in? Who dreamt of walls slick with blood and cannibals or whichever friendly profession the guy practiced roaming within them?

"Dream," your voice pleaded as you exhausted your lungs' limits. You spared a glance back, he was still pursuing you. "Dream! Help me!"

No answer. 

He couldn't hear you. You knew that. You had tried it the second time you had entered someone else's dream- cursing and taunting him as a healthy way to vent your anger at your failed attempts. You had to escape this place. But how? The only way you knew was the opening of a portal after the dream had bent to your will. And there was no way you could get that despising man to trust you. Your legs ached but the nearing shadow on the ground had you disregard it. A portal appeared out of nowhere in front of you and the inertia of your run had you dive straight into it. Pitch black swallowed you again, this time absent of the smell of rotten corpses as you plummeted, to your death. No, not your death. You landed on stable ground in pure darkness. And a light bulb switched on. A mob of zombies were circled around you. Sharp acute fear sliced through your insides. Then the light fused out. Pitch black. When it switched on again, the bloodthirsty creatures were impossibly near you. Shabby vile hands wrapped around your throat. Another pair around your forearm. And another. The army of zombies was on you, nails digging into your flesh, drawing blood.

"Dream please," you futilely begged.

No answer.

Just as your mind was supplying you with images of the dead boy detectives at your tombstone, a portal opened underneath you and gravity pulled you down yet again. Your feet slammed against a polished floor. You found yourself in a diner. Nobody seemed to take in your pathetic presence as you stood studying the scenes playing in front of you. A waitress named Jenny took a happy couple's order. A young man dressed up for a job interview sat on the counter. A woman was calling up her girlfriend after a nasty fight. In the kitchen someone chopped up tomatoes. An odd man sat in a booth in a corner, observing the people all around with an unsettling glint in his eye. A red glow illuminated his face which seemed to come from an object clutched in his hand. Conversations played out everywhere. The scenes segued into the next seamlessly.  Something about this figment felt less a dream and more like a memory. But that did nothing to melt the blocks of fear still floating around in your blood, given the fiery streak of nightmares you were on. It's as if you were witnessing the worst of humanity. Your skin bore bleeding gashes as proof. You watched the now mismatched couples make out with each other. And when you blinked, you were alone. It was as though the people had vaporized into thin air. Apprehension tingled your spine. Three people flickered into existence to your right like the lights flickering overhead. The job interviewee was huddled over the CEO's husband. He pulled away a little and a gasp of horror left your mouth. A gaping slash decorated his neck as blood streamed from it, seeping into his clothes and onto the floor. Bile arose in your throat.

"What did you do?" The wife squeaked.

"I didn't mean to-" The young man started explaining when he dissolved into nothingness like the rest.

You wanted to get out of here. What kind of fucked up memory was this?

Two figures materialized in the back, in the kitchen. The waitress was burning papers into a fire while the chopping guy from before was cutting up more vegetables. You warily approached the window segregating the customer side and you wished you hadn't. It wasn't just papers the woman was burning but her own hands and you fought the urge to scream at the charred skin of the woman which was peeling off her hands, exposing the tissues and bones inside. Her friend wasn't bringing his knife down on tomatoes but with a grimace, you saw on his own fingers. Blood spluttered onto the chopping board, a few droplets etching on his face. You grabbed the counter behind you as you shivered due to the gruesome sight you had just experienced. You grinded your teeth in order to not throw up right there and then. In the next second, they were both gone. You revolved your head around, scanning for any sort of escape from the ceaseless series of nightmares you had locked yourself in. You started towards the door, when Jenny appeared in your way with two screwdrivers in her hand. And to your utter harrowing horror, thrusted their spiky ends into her eyes. Your stomach unfurled into a sickening frenzy that gripped every organ of your being and you shuddered. You closed your eyes. Tears slid down your face, mixing the taste of copper and seawater on your tongue. Everything hurt.

"Dream I want to get out," you croaked to yourself, fingers trembling.

When you opened them again, all the individuals from before were staring at you. Drenched in blood-  gushing out of necks, dripping down from hammered and sliced hands, accompanied by bloodied slits for eyes.

"Dream please, I need you," you whispered, tears falling down in a torrent. 

Blood splattered everywhere as they made their way to you. The door was just behind you. But you were frozen in your spot, dread weighing your body down. They spread around, closing in from every direction. You took a step back and your back collided with something solid. You closed your eyelids, waiting to be impaled on a knife or a screwdriver when a familiar hand draped around your waist.

"I got you," Dream's sweet voice said in your ears.

And in a heartbeat, the horrendous scene was replaced by his throne room. He released his hold on you and without his hands keeping you upright, your knees buckled and you fell to the floor.

Bottling down any sob that could dare leak through, you asked, blinking away tears, "what happened back there?"

"You accidentally ventured into the worst the Dreaming has to offer," he explained while scrutinizing your injuries.

"I did not venture Dream. I got sucked into it," you bit out.

The Endless lowered himself to where you were crouched on the floor. You must be looking a complete and hapless fiasco, lips and skin torn, blood desecrating your features, incongruous in the Dreaming castle. 

"Hazel I never thought those could even be accessible to you. Some nightmares yes, but none that terrorizing. Something must have-"

"You knew?" You looked up at him. "You knew that I could stumble into a nightmare any of the days you sent me there?"

"It-it never happened before, with Hope-"

"I am not Hope!" you snapped. "I almost died Dream, more than once." Your voice shook involuntarily.

"I wouldn't have let you," he said firmly. "I heard you."

He did? All the names you had called him and the jokes you had made of his 'conceited arse' passed through your mind. But the spur of embarrassment mellowed down as rage took its hold back on you.

His fingers skimmed across the underside of your eye where a scar was engraving into it.

"Don't touch me." You swatted his hand away.

A momentary hurt flashed in his eyes.

"Oh please like I am not doing you a favour. You act as if my touch burns you." You tried to get up but a swell of dizziness swept over you and you would have fallen again if Dream hadn't caught you against him. And as quickly, he let go of his hands.

"You promised,"

Dream flinched at your words.

"You promised it would be fine. Nothing about that was fine."

Dream went still. You turned back, away from the glass panes. The crystal colours reminded you of the apron Jenny was wearing and the image of the waitress jabbing the metal ends into her eyes, surfaced from wherever it had been imprinted in your mind for the remainder of your life.

"I can't do this anymore Dream. I am sorry."

A yank pulled you out of your sleep and your eyes fluttered open in the waking world. Every muscle in your anatomy was sore.

"Come on you tosser up!" Charles barged into your room.

You dragged your sheets over your head, shielding your sorry state from his gaze.

"Get up mate!" He whined. "I come as a bearer of absolutely brills news. We have, drumroll please," he rapped his hands on the bedstand, "another sea monster creating havoc!"

"I am not feeling really well today. I don't think I will be able to accompany you," you said from under your covers and Charles groped them, about to toss them aside.

"Bugger off! It could be a nasty infection, you will catch it."

"Ghost's don't get sick idiot."

"Charles please I am a mess right now, go without me," you pleaded.

"Ugh fine. Rot in bed for all I care." And he went away.

So you proceeded to rot in bed all day, staring at the wall, regretting your existence, you know, the usual. After a while, as the sun became dimmer, you got out of your bed with grueling effort, scrambled on a hoodie to conceal your bruised face and body incase the boys got back and went to the study. You began combing through thick volumes of parasite trivia to distract your mind from replaying the events of last night. Even the knowledge of your confrontation with Dream sparked a pain that hurt more than any physical wounds on your self. You browsed through the shelves and your fingers hovered over a book that peeked your interest. You pulled it out and immediately dropped it onto the floor at the swooshing sound from the mirror.

"Fuck, you scared me," you told a reappeared Edwin.

"I had no intention to," he apologized. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," you lied.

Charles was next through the mirror.

"How was the case?"

"Ugly," he said. "Did you know about the night nurse?" He scrunched his face.

"The what?" Your bafflement was genuine.

"She's this transcendental being working in some afterlife department locating missing boys-missing dead boys and allotting them their fixed places in the afterlife," Edwin spoke up.

"Yeah she's a bitch basically. Tried to separate Edwin and me here." He put up his hands in disbelief. "The gall. She can try." He balled up his fist into a punch. "I won't let her take you back to hell," he told Edwin.

Edwin smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "I know Charles."

"This doesn't make sense. Death isn't even after you," you blurted out and realized your mistake.

"What do you mean?" Both their ears perked up.

"I don't think that she is." You moved away from them and secured the hood around your head. You kept the study barely lit for the aesthetics and you applauded yourself for that whimsy decision.

"Well believe it or not the world doesn't adjust itself to what Hazel thinks and what Hazel feels," Charles blabbered.

Except it did.

"Yeah, I know. I am going to bed, see you later." You picked up the book you had dropped earlier and walked away.

"You sleep more than a corpse these days you know?"

You stopped in the doorway as the skeletons and remains of people from one of the nightmares entered your vision, a fate you were about to join.

"That isn't  funny," you deadpanned as you turned around.

"Dude chill it was a joke. Why so serious? Trouble with your boyfriend?" He snickered.

"Everything is not a bloody joke Charles!" You hurled your book at him and he ducked just in time from having a permanent dent on his head.

"What the fuck mate?"

"Hazel," Edwin chastised.

You pressed your fingers against your temples. "I am sorry."

You rushed out of the study, mad at everyone and yourself. Footsteps followed behind.

"Edwin please don't."

You winced as he grabbed your forearm. He noticed your reaction and pulled your sleeve up. You jerked free from his grip but he had already seen the claw marks carved in your skin.

"What was that?"

You shied away from his inspecting glare. He warily approached you, afraid he might set you off again. But as you retreated back, your hood fell back and light illuminated your battered face.

Edwin sucked in a breath. "What the fuck happened to your face?" His voice was upsettingly calm. You had never heard him curse once in the 4 years you had known him.

He clenched his teeth when you didn't respond. "Hazel, I asked you a question."

"I tripped." That was partially true.

"You tripped?" He asked incredulously. "What is happening to you?"

"Everything is fine Edwin! Absolutely brilliant. There is nothing you need to worry about."

"How can we not?" He cried. "We care for you!" He brought his voice down several octaves.  "We want to help you."

"You can't okay!" You yelled at him.

"Let us try." His eyes were locked on yours. "Please."

Your eyes grew watery. You plopped down on the couch near you. Edwin sat himself next to you.

"What is going on Hazel?" He gently probed.

You pursed your lips to stop yourself from crying. "Nothing." You shook your head.

"Come here."

He put his arm around you and at the touch, the dam of your emotions busted open and you crumbled into his embrace, soiling his shirt with your tears. He stroked your hair as you sobbed into his chest, emptying all of the pent up frustration and hurt and loss until you were numb, incapable of feeling anything. Oh Dream, what are you doing to me?

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (7)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3.6K

WARNINGS: heavy angst, violence, heavy depictions of gore!! proceed only if you have the stomach for it!

PART 7 ✧˖°.

You were wrapping the take out noodles around your fork, for some minutes now. There was no space for food inside you, your guts were packed. With agonizing feelings. And the worst of them- unrequited feelings. You dropped your head on the table. 

"Insult. Preposterous scandalous insult. If I could eat, I would never ever insult noodles like that." Charles entered the living room.

He sat down beside you on the floor with a sigh. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." You titled your head in his direction, still resting it on the marble surface.

He brought his face needlessly closer. "Yeah?"

"You know mate there is this notion you have never heard of-it's called personal space and you're seriously invading it right now." You pushed his face back.

"Come on, tell me." He poked your leg with his under the table.

"Charles I," you pressed the heels of your hands against your eyes.

"I think I am in love." You brought your hands down and looked into his eyes.

"Haz you're my best friend-" Huh "-and I love you, I do but-"

"Not with you! You buffoon!" You smacked his shoulder.

His mouth formed an 'O'. "Of course I knew that," he said while massaging his shoulder. "That hurt by the way."

"Good." You threw your head on the couch behind you.

"Who is the unlucky man?"

"You don't know him."

"Wait is this the guy you keep ditching us for?"

"No-yes and I don't ditch you for him you overdramatic arse."

"Whatever. Are you sure you are in love?" He asked. "It's not just some infatuation?"

"No Charles it isn't a stupid crush. I feel my trachea physically contract when I am near him. Like someone has just seized it, leaving behind thumbprints-his thumbprints."

"I did not get a word of that."

You rolled your eyes.

"Is he hot?" He smirked.

You went over the memories of his flawless face, each detail on it so intricately stored in your mind.

"He's beautiful."

"Damn, you are fucked mate."

You were fucked.

"What's going on?" Edwin joined you both.

"Hazel is in love."

"Wha-"

"No!" You shrieked. "I think. I don't know."

"The mystery date?" Edwin pulled a chair and spun it so that his torso was against the back of it.

"Yeah."

"Haven't you known him for a month maybe?"

"It feels like an eternity," you said. "Why me?" You wailed.

"Happens to the best of us soldier." Charles patted your back.

"Does he..love you back?" Edwin inquired.

"Guys love is too strong a word! And no."

"Has he told you that?"

You narrowed your eyes at Edwin. "No." Before he could take apart your reply and divulge into its interpretations, you rebuffed, "he can't. It's not possible. It's complicated. Just that he can't. And please, can we stop talking about this. Don't you two have any better things to do than piss me off."

"No. Hazel in love is a whole new facet for me to explore."

"Say love one more time and I will skin you alive," you threatened.

"Loooooove," Charles sang.

"This is precisely why I was planning to just sulk by myself alone and swallow down my feelings. Fuck healthy coping mechanisms." You pushed the table back and began standing up when Charles pulled you down.

"You would have exploded."

"Like I am practicing sainthood right now," you fumed as you thrashed against his arms.

"So how old is he?" Edwin queried.

"You people are insufferable. Are you building a freaking facebook page for him?"

"Hey how did you know?" Charles was sniffing the bowl of noodles.

You hit him on the head. "Can you even smell it?"

"It's the effort that counts mate and stop bloody hitting me!" He yelped.

"Stop being you!"

"Guys guys stop it! Hazel how old is he?"

"Quite old," you sighed.

"Like grandpa old-"

"Ew Charles. Well," He was technically more than that.

Edwin's eyes widened. "I was aware you were into older men but?"

"Come on he can't be older than us," Charles grinned.

Yeah about that...

"What is he? Jesus?" Edwin questioned.

"Yeah mate like she just casually fell in love with a god."

Oh boy they were treading dangerously close.

As they began speculating which greek gods they would fuck, marry or kill, you felt your eyelids droop down and you succumbed to the sweet call of sleep.

You stood over the dreaming waters, a wind blowing your hair awry. You lowered your body and your fingers grazed the surface of the glittering water, causing a tremor of ripple. You felt the energy seething in the water body, intangible but somehow compellingly real. And you let it's force pull you into the unfathomable depths of the sea. The impact was cold against your mortal skin, but not as jarring as it should have been for a human. Perhaps it was practice, perhaps it was your weird abilities. Here you could even breathe underwater without flooding your lungs. A trail of light erupted inside the water, guiding you to your destinations. You slackened your muscles and allowed it to steer your body to the dream awaiting you. Like it had been for the past few days. You fell into the dream. Riveting darkness engulfed you. Something was off. A putrid smell wafted through the air which was devoid of any warmth. You opened your arms wide, trying to gain an estimation of your surroundings. Your hands braced against something. A wall? You tried to feel the coarse rugged wall with your fingers but they came away slicky. Gross.

"Hello?" You called out into the apparent void and heard your voice echo against the sickening enclosure of wherever the fuck you had stumbled onto. 

The rancid odour that hung in its air did not aid in pacifying your nerves. You carefully started walking, trying to locate the dream's inhabitant and reach the end of wherever you were when a  clank sounded from where your feet had accidentally kicked something. Before you could discern it, a torch shone in the far distance. A muddled sense of relief poured into your nerves.

"Is anyone there?" You called into the darkness and began approaching the source of light which was gradually making its way towards you.

As you neared the silhouette, it began taking the form of a person. Then you stopped in your tracks, the momentary relief freezing into blocks of fear. A beast of a man holding a sconce alit with fire stared at you with eyes reflecting its light along with an untamed hunger for bloodlust. And then he smiled, displaying all of his crooked yellowed teeth. You took a step back, then another and ran for your life. But luck adored you and you tripped and fell face first onto the ground. Ouch. Your tongue tasted copper as blood oozed from your lips. The left side of your face that was in direct contact with the grimy ground throbbed and you were sure you had managed to bruise that too. You lifted yourself up on your hands weight which stung with meek cuts. The man's footsteps grew louder. And as they did, the light of the raving fire fell on the object you had first hit your leg against and now tripped on. A corpse, multiple corpses, half of them dwindled down to a revolting cluster of skeletons while the other half were decaying their way towards their comrades littered around your own breathing body which could soon add to the pile. Could you die in dreams? You could definitely get hurt. Oh my god you could definitely die. You wanted to empty your guts. Instead you ran. How were you in a nightmare and whose bloody conscious were you in? Who dreamt of walls slick with blood and cannibals or whichever friendly profession the guy practiced roaming within them?

"Dream," your voice pleaded as you exhausted your lungs' limits. You spared a glance back, he was still pursuing you. "Dream! Help me!"

No answer. 

He couldn't hear you. You knew that. You had tried it the second time you had entered someone else's dream- cursing and taunting him as a healthy way to vent your anger at your failed attempts. You had to escape this place. But how? The only way you knew was the opening of a portal after the dream had bent to your will. And there was no way you could get that despising man to trust you. Your legs ached but the nearing shadow on the ground had you disregard it. A portal appeared out of nowhere in front of you and the inertia of your run had you dive straight into it. Pitch black swallowed you again, this time absent of the smell of rotten corpses as you plummeted, to your death. No, not your death. You landed on stable ground in pure darkness. And a light bulb switched on. A mob of zombies were circled around you. Sharp acute fear sliced through your insides. Then the light fused out. Pitch black. When it switched on again, the bloodthirsty creatures were impossibly near you. Shabby vile hands wrapped around your throat. Another pair around your forearm. And another. The army of zombies was on you, nails digging into your flesh, drawing blood.

"Dream please," you futilely begged.

No answer.

Just as your mind was supplying you with images of the dead boy detectives at your tombstone, a portal opened underneath you and gravity pulled you down yet again. Your feet slammed against a polished floor. You found yourself in a diner. Nobody seemed to take in your pathetic presence as you stood studying the scenes playing in front of you. A waitress named Jenny took a happy couple's order. A young man dressed up for a job interview sat on the counter. A woman was calling up her girlfriend after a nasty fight. In the kitchen someone chopped up tomatoes. An odd man sat in a booth in a corner, observing the people all around with an unsettling glint in his eye. A red glow illuminated his face which seemed to come from an object clutched in his hand. Conversations played out everywhere. The scenes segued into the next seamlessly. Something about this figment felt less a dream and more like a memory. But that did nothing to melt the blocks of fear still floating around in your blood, given the fiery streak of nightmares you were on. It's as if you were witnessing the worst of humanity. Your skin bore bleeding gashes as proof. You watched the now mismatched couples make out with each other. And when you blinked, you were alone. It was as though the people had vaporized into thin air. Apprehension tingled your spine. Three people flickered into existence to your right like the lights flickering overhead. The job interviewee was huddled over the CEO's husband. He pulled away a little and a gasp of horror left your mouth. A gaping slash decorated his neck as blood streamed from it, seeping into his clothes and onto the floor. Bile arose in your throat.

"What did you do?" The wife squeaked.

"I didn't mean to-" The young man started explaining when he dissolved into nothingness like the rest.

You wanted to get out of here. What kind of fucked up memory was this?

Two figures materialized in the back, in the kitchen. The waitress was burning papers into a fire while the chopping guy from before was cutting up more vegetables. You warily approached the window segregating the customer side and you wished you hadn't. It wasn't just papers the woman was burning but her own hands and you fought the urge to scream at the charred skin of the woman which was peeling off her hands, exposing the tissues and bones inside. Her friend wasn't bringing his knife down on tomatoes but with a grimace, you saw on his own fingers. Blood spluttered onto the chopping board, a few droplets etching on his face. You grabbed the counter behind you as you shivered due to the gruesome sight you had just experienced. You grinded your teeth in order to not throw up right there and then. In the next second, they were both gone. You revolved your head around, scanning for any sort of escape from the ceaseless series of nightmares you had locked yourself in. You started towards the door, when Jenny appeared in your way with two screwdrivers in her hand. And to your utter harrowing horror, thrusted their spiky ends into her eyes. Your stomach unfurled into a sickening frenzy that gripped every organ of your being and you shuddered. You closed your eyes. Tears slid down your face, mixing the taste of copper and seawater on your tongue. Everything hurt.

"Dream I want to get out," you croaked to yourself, fingers trembling.

No answer.

When you opened them again, all the individuals from before were leering at you. Drenched in blood- gushing out of necks, dripping down from hammered and sliced hands, accompanied by bloodied slits for eyes.

"Dream please, I need you," you whispered, tears falling down in a torrent. 

Blood splattered everywhere as they made their way to you. The door was just behind you. But you were frozen in your spot, dread weighing your body down. They spread around, closing in from every direction. You took a step back and your back collided with something solid. You closed your eyelids, waiting to be impaled on a knife or a screwdriver when a familiar hand draped around your waist.

"I got you," Dream's sweet voice said in your ears.

And in a heartbeat, the horrendous scene was replaced by his throne room. He released his hold on you and without his hands keeping you upright, your knees buckled and you fell to the floor.

Bottling down any sob that could dare leak through, you asked, blinking away tears, "what happened back there?"

"You accidentally ventured into the worst the Dreaming has to offer," he explained while scrutinizing your injuries.

"I did not venture Dream. I got sucked into it," you bit out.

The Endless lowered himself to where you were crouched on the floor. You must be looking a complete and hapless fiasco, lips and skin torn, blood desecrating your features, incongruous in the Dreaming castle. 

"Hazel I never thought those could even be accessible to you. Some nightmares yes, but none that terrorizing. Something must have-"

"You knew?" You looked up at him. "You knew that I could stumble into a nightmare any of the days you sent me there?"

"It-it never happened before, with Hope-"

"I am not Hope!" you snapped. "I almost died Dream, more than once." Your voice shook involuntarily.

"I wouldn't have let you," he said firmly. "I heard you."

He did? All the names you had called him and the jokes you had made of his 'conceited arse' passed through your mind. But the spur of embarrassment mellowed down as rage took its hold back on you.

His fingers skimmed across the underside of your eye where a scar was engraving into it.

"Don't touch me." You swatted his hand away.

A momentary hurt flashed in his eyes.

"Oh please like I am not doing you a favour. You act as if my touch burns you." You tried to get up but a swell of dizziness swept over you and you would have fallen again if Dream hadn't caught you against him. And as quickly, he let go of his hands.

"You promised,"

Dream flinched at your words.

"You promised it would be fine. Nothing about that was fine."

Dream went still. You turned back, away from the glass panes. The crystal colours reminded you of the apron Jenny was wearing and the image of the waitress jabbing the metal ends into her eyes, surfaced from wherever it had been imprinted in your mind for the remainder of your life.

"I can't do this anymore Dream. I am sorry."

A yank pulled you out of your sleep and your eyes fluttered open in the waking world. Every muscle in your anatomy was sore.

"Come on you tosser up!" Charles barged into your room.

You dragged your sheets over your head, shielding your sorry state from his gaze.

"Get up mate!" He whined. "I come as a bearer of absolutely brills news. We have, drumroll please," he rapped his hands on the bedstand, "another sea monster creating havoc!"

"I am not feeling really well today. I don't think I will be able to accompany you," you said from under your covers and Charles groped them, about to toss them aside.

"Bugger off! It could be a nasty infection, you will catch it."

"Ghost's don't get sick idiot."

"Charles please I am a mess right now, go without me," you pleaded.

"Ugh fine. Rot in bed for all I care." And he went away.

So you proceeded to rot in bed all day, staring at the wall, regretting your existence, you know, the usual. After a while, as the sun became dimmer, you got out of your bed with grueling effort, scrambled on a hoodie to conceal your bruised face and body incase the boys got back and went to the study. You began combing through thick volumes of parasite trivia to distract your mind from replaying the events of last night. Even the knowledge of your confrontation with Dream sparked a pain that hurt more than any physical wounds on your self. You browsed through the shelves and your fingers hovered over a book that peeked your interest. You pulled it out and immediately dropped it onto the floor at the swooshing sound from the mirror.

"Fuck, you scared me," you told a reappeared Edwin.

"I had no intention to," he apologized. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," you lied.

Charles was next through the mirror.

"How was the case?"

"Ugly," he said. "Did you know about the night nurse?" He scrunched his face.

"The what?" Your bafflement was genuine.

"She's this transcendental being working in some afterlife department locating missing boys-missing dead boys and allotting them their fixed places in the afterlife," Edwin spoke up.

"Yeah she's a bitch basically. Tried to separate Edwin and me here." He put up his hands in disbelief. "The gall. She can try." He balled up his fist into a punch. "I won't let her take you back to hell," he told Edwin.

Edwin smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "I know Charles."

"This doesn't make sense. Death isn't even after you," you blurted out and realized your mistake.

"What do you mean?" Both their ears perked up.

"I don't think that she is." You moved away from them and secured the hood around your head. You kept the study barely lit for the aesthetics and you applauded yourself for that whimsy decision.

"Well believe it or not the world doesn't adjust itself to what Hazel thinks and what Hazel feels," Charles blabbered.

Except it did.

"Yeah, I know. I am going to bed, see you later." You picked up the book you had dropped earlier and walked away.

"You sleep more than a corpse these days you know?"

You stopped in the doorway as the skeletons and remains of people from one of the nightmares entered your vision, a fate you were about to join.

"That isn't  funny," you deadpanned as you turned around.

"Dude chill it was a joke. Why so serious? Trouble with your boyfriend?" He snickered.

"Everything is not a bloody joke Charles!" You hurled your book at him and he ducked just in time from having a permanent dent on his head.

"What the fuck mate?"

"Hazel," Edwin chastised.

You pressed your fingers against your temples. "I am sorry."

You rushed out of the study, mad at everyone and yourself. Footsteps followed behind.

"Edwin please don't."

You winced as he grabbed your forearm. He noticed your reaction and pulled your sleeve up. You jerked free from his grip but he had already seen the claw marks carved in your skin.

"What was that?"

You shied away from his inspecting glare. He warily approached you, afraid he might set you off again. But as you retreated back, your hood fell back and light illuminated your battered face.

Edwin sucked in a breath. "What the fuck happened to your face?" His voice was upsettingly calm. You had never heard him curse once in the 4 years you had known him.

He clenched his teeth when you didn't respond. "Hazel, I asked you a question."

"I tripped." That was partially true.

"You tripped?" He asked incredulously. "What is happening to you?"

"Everything is fine Edwin! Absolutely brilliant. There is nothing you need to worry about."

"How can we not?" He cried. "We care for you!" He brought his voice down several octaves.  "We want to help you."

"You can't okay!" You yelled at him.

"Let us try." His eyes were locked on yours. "Please."

Your eyes grew watery. You plopped down on the couch near you. Edwin sat himself next to you.

"What is going on Hazel?" He gently probed.

You pursed your lips to stop yourself from crying. "Nothing." You shook your head.

"Come here."

He put his arm around you and at the touch, the dam of your emotions busted open and you crumbled into his embrace, soiling his shirt with your tears. He stroked your hair as you sobbed into his chest, emptying all of the pent up frustration and hurt and loss until you were numb, incapable of feeling anything. Oh Dream, what are you doing to me?

SERIES MASTERLIST ✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (6)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 4K

WARNINGS: slight angst

A/N: okay brace yourselves ladies it's a long chapter. and slow paced too but i genuinely loved writing this chapter and showing intimate conversations between dream and her. its a slow burn after all the chemistry has to be right.

PART 6 ✧˖°.

"Morning lads," you greeted the pair sorting through the daily mail.

"Mornin- woah what happened?" Charles' eyes motioned to your hand.

What? How were your injuries from your dreams transferring into real life? Well, technically that happened outside your dream. Whatever, you had no energy to mull over the technicalities of the realm differences, that was better left to the Endless.

"Eh nothing. Just slightly cut my hand open on the bed railing."

"How did that even- you know what nevermind."

"How's Jesse doing?" You changed the subject.

The boys had been monitoring her full night.

"The demon did peek through but for like half a second. Too brief for us to use our incantations and extract him out," Charles answered. "Poor kid. Must be suffering."

You gulped down some water and nodded.

"So? I was in-"

"Hell for seventy years." Charles and you finished his sentence.

"Oi turn up the volume a bit," you said as the television screen displayed some news in the background.

"As you can see around us ladies and gentlemen, the sleepy sickness has indeed made a comeback. We have Shiara's parents with us right now who has been diagnosed with the same, just one victim out of the thousands being affected," the lady reported from a hospital.

Shit shit shit. This was bad.

"Will the number soon soar to millions like it did around a century back?" The reporter continued.

You had obviously read about it. And Morpheus himself had told you how his imprisonment had befallen this plague on the waking world.

"That's..intense," Edwin said.

You never heard Charles' reply because your brain was busy trying to comprehend what you had just heard. You needed to see Dream. In response to your plea, Matthew pecked against the window.

"I will be right back," you told the guys. "Need some fresh air." You grabbed your coat and hurried out.

Dream was waiting for you in the alley behind the building.

"The sleepy sickness is back," you said as you approached him.

"I know."

"But-I-," you stuttered, "I don't understand. I thought things were supposed to move in the healing direction after last night. Atleast not worsen."

"You are coming to the Dreaming with me."

"Right now?"

In answer, Morpheus fetched his sand pouch from his cloak. You knew he could easily transport you through his cloak disappearing trick. But he seemed determined to avoid any direct contact between you two. Except when he had bandaged your hand. Ugh not the time to be a hopeless romantic. Sand enveloped you in a tornado and took you to the Dreaming. Your heart shuddered when you took in the scene awaiting you. Ruins littered the ground everywhere which in turn bore fresh cracks. You revolved your head around, assessing the damage. You took a step back, bad idea. Your feet connected with nothing and you fell, would have if not for the sturdy arm wrapped around you. Something in your guts uncoiled, partially from the apparent death, and partially from the proximity of him. This close you could see the crystal blue of his sapphires for eyes. Loose rocks fell into the crevice, showing you your alternate fate. He uprighted you on secure ground before withdrawing his hand from your waist. That was the third time he had contacted you, willingly or not. Were you keeping track? For fuck's sake you almost fell to your death and that's the part you want to fixate upon?

Shoving your flustered state deep down, you asked, "How did this happen?"

"Honestly, I dont know," Dream spoke, "What I know is we need to take another approach, a more direct and dangerous one. It is our only shot at saving humanity." He looked down at you, his eyes imploring you to trust him and validate his decision.

Had he so little faith in you? "When do we start?"

"Tonight."

You were flopped on the couch alongside Jesse watching some lame ass family movie. The boys were on some haunted house case according to the note scribbled in Charles' ugly handwriting. On the screen, a daughter hugged her mom and you tasted a palette of emotions- jealousy for being denied what others had for granted, lonely for having no one to call your own, frustration for not remembering anything. Even though you had accepted the erasure of your past, you couldn't help but grieve who you were. Who were you? Someone who mattered so little that her family and friends didn't even bother looking for her? Didn't deem her worthy of putting themselves through the trouble.

The door busted open and Charles stormed through.

"Where's Edwin?"

"Fuck knows." Was all he said before shutting himself in his room.

Okay something was seriously wrong. The door creaked on its hinges as you opened it.

"Charles?"

He was sat on his bed, whimpering softly.

"Hey? What happened?" You asked in a whisper and sat down beside him.

He shook his head. You gave him time to gather his thoughts. "He just doesn't understand."

"Edwin?"

Charles sniffed, wiping his tears away. He took a deep breath and started, "There was this family. The husband murdered the wife and children."

You inhaled a bountiful. You were aware of his traumatizing past starring his abusive dad. That fucker. The first time he had told you about him, a rage you had never been familiar with before had tightened around your veins. If that sick brute hadn't already had departed the waking world, you would have hunted him down and done that.

"I am so sorry." You intertwined your fingers in his.

"I tried to intervene but apparently had some strong emotional response to it and got sucked into the situation itself. I am aces now-"

"Clearly."

He continued on, "but that didn't stop Edwin from yelling at me for getting involved in the first place." He sucked a breath. "I couldn't help it Hazel, I just couldn't. When I saw his ghost murder-" he choked on his words. New tears escaped his eyes and burned at the back of yours.

You cupped his face in your hands and swiped your thumbs across his cheekbones, dampening his tears. "Look at me Charles." 

He reluctantly met your gaze. "I am so sorry you had to go through that. I can't even begin to grasp what that might have felt like. That's simply fucked up. But you have to know, if there is one person who understands you, it is Edwin. He cares for you more than any other person or ghost on this Earth. The only reason he yelled at you was because he was scared Charles." You didn't release your hold on his face. "Of losing you."

Charles' eyes softened.

"He loves you. We both do."

"I know." A hint of a smile graced his lips.

You kept tossing and turning in your bed. Charles' tearstained face kept flashing in your mind. You had found Edwin at the bottom of the stairs, equally devastated at his outlash. He had explained to you what you already knew, that he was worried for Charles, of losing him. Oh these boys were going to be the death of you,  provided you survived long enough.

"You are late," Dream declared when you appeared in his realm.

"Sorry, trouble at home."

"Nothing serious," you added to erase the crease in his brows.

"I want to show you something."

"Lead the way your Highness!"

You followed him to Holy shit. You'd thought you'd toured through every phenomenon in the Dreaming, been fascinated by every miracle it had to offer. You were proved wrong as you titled your head backwards to witness the dazzling fabric of sky warping around you. When you propelled it downwards the same enchanting sight glimmered. The water was coated in the sheen of the starry night. An admiration blossomed deep in your core for the Endless standing at your side, the creator of the spectacles you had witnessed in the realm, the cause behind all your fascination. These docks just being one example, perhaps your favourite yet. After your very own dream of course.

"And this, mortal, is where the magic happens."

He extended his arms and the sea waters responded to their master's call. It roared to life from its dormant state and danced to the tunes of the Endless' hands. Spiral of waves loomed from the sea, stray droplets settling on your skin as you watched the Dream lord at work. Globes of water bounced on the ocean's surface. An assortment of objects and beings went about in their respective bubbles. In one such bubble, through its foggy exterior you recognised a dream you had gotten to trust mere days ago. And then it dawned on you, you were watching people's dreams. You were staring at the collective unconscious of the living world. There was no horizon visible as far as sight took you, the sea and the sky effortlessly blended into one entity. You were in infinity itself. Where you stood was sacred ground. And Morpheus had brought you here, to a special rendition of his soul. He trusted you. No, he had no other option but to, with the waking world now in turmoil too. Unknown to your captivated self, Dream was taking in each and every shift in your expression.

He came up just beside you. "Dip your hand in it."

You peered through the mist swathing the globules of dreams floating in front of you. Seeing your apprehension, he went first. His skin immersed the film and once he was halfway through, he rotated his head back. An invitation.

"You will be fine," he said.

"You promise?"

A thousand emotions collided in his eyes all in a fraction of a second. "I promise." And he disappeared into the globule. You followed suit and landed on your butts on solid ground. The Endless at your side who was standing on both his feet having failed to make a clown of himself unlike you, paid no heed to your graceful landing. You were on your feet in a quick motion. Butterflies fluttered their wings around you and you extended your arms for them to rest upon. A giggle left you as one plopped itself on your nose.

"What is this place?" You couldn't keep the wonder out of your voice.

"This is Fiddler's green. One of my proudest creations, I confess."

"I don't blame you." Your eyes raked past the waterfall and the pure greenery of the place.

A boy, just a child, hopped a few feet away from you.

"Why are we here?" You asked finally.

"To try our new approach."

"Dream you really have to start being elaborate."

"We need him to wake up. He has been here for a while."

"Wouldn't really hold it against him. Have you looked at this place?"

Dream looked at you. Of course he had. What kind of stupid rhetorical question was that to ask the person who had made the effing place.

"I mean it's beautiful."

He brushed past your compliment and said, "Hazel he has the sleepy sickness."

"Oh. But how am I supposed to get him to wake up?"

Nightmares weren't the only ones running wild. Dreams even as pleasant as the one you were currently in, were drifting from their original purpose to serve humankind. They used their beauty and kindness as an added advantage to lure humans into staying in a fragment of their mind forever. You'd known humans' resolve was fickle, being one of them. And provided with an opportunity to escape, no one would ever turn it down. Even the strongest wills would shatter with the passage of time. And that was why you listened intently to what Morpheus had to say.

"Invoke trust in the Fiddler's green as you did with others. Without hope, their sense of their purpose is growing corrupt. They are feeding on humanity's innate desire to run away from reality. Your trust has to fill in the void left by the absence of hope."

"What if I can't?"

"You don't have a choice."

"Dream but I- what if I am not the person for this? This was Hope's job. It was never meant to be mine."

"Will you tell his parents that they can stop visiting his bed every second of the day, quell their prayers, and say goodbye to their son because you were afraid to try?"

Brutal. But the impact was necessary. "No."

"Then the fate of the world is in your hands mortal."

No pressure then.

"Oi where are you going?" You asked Dream's retreating figure.

"This is your fight Hazel. I will see you when he wakes up."

"If you think you can just leave me here- " He definitely thought so because you were standing alone on the grassy landscape, except the jovial boy chasing butterflies.

You looked at him, airy giggles erupted from his throat. You sat down, feeling the grass beneath your palms. And closed your eyes until the beating of your heart was all you were aware of.

The dream collapsed as back in the waking world, the boy began to stir, accompanied by exuberant cries of his parents. You found yourself back on the docks, completely drenched. Beads of water dripped down from the hair sticking to your face.

"You look pathetic."

You swirled around to face the Endless who had spoken those words.

"A thankyou, you did remarkably well. Yoo hoo you are saving the world and I am indebted to you. And I apologise from the bottom of my heart which I am not even sure if I possess one, for abandoning you back there, would be nice but you know whatever," you rambled. "Wouldn't want to disrupt this whole emo vibe you have going on," you vaguely gestured to his hair and robes.

Your sour mood immediately dissolved as a smile graced his lips, his perfect cherry lips, you didn't deny it this time. An actual smile, fleeting but it was there. As real as the wind blowing through his hair, bestowing an air of ethereality upon him. A god, an Endless, who had just smiled at you.

"It's time for you to wake up mortal. The sun has already risen in your land. We have a lengthy path to walk, Fiddler's green was just one on it."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're one massive buzzkill?"

You didn't think so with the authority he owned and his general 'you dare say anything to me?' demeanour but the reminiscent twinkle in his eye made you doubt otherwise.

"Goodnight Hazel."

You were lying in your bed since you had woken up, which was seconds or minutes ago, brooding over stuff, enjoying the quiet laziness before one of the guys would barge into your room and drag you out of bed. They were late today. The faint ticking of the clock was the only sound in the room when a sudden scream interrupted the monotonous ticking followed by a loud thud. You dashed through your room to the living room where an unconscious Jesse was slumped on the carpet. Charles and Edwin were both lying on the floor next to a book on incantation and Charles' pandora's box, as you liked to call his bag of tricks.

"Oh you are alive," Charles addresses you.

"What the fuck happened?"

"The demon happened," Edwin exhaled in a breath.

"Don't worry we had it contained, like forever." Charles jiggled an opaque jar in his hands. "No thanks to you," he quipped.

"I-" You were dumbfounded. "You could have woken me up."

"Oh we tried mate, but you were sleeping 'like a log' won't do it justice. We thought you were dead for a moment."

"Or worse, that you had the sleepy sickness. But before we could assess that for certain, Charles had to pee and then Jesse got possessed so we kind of had our hands full."

It was because I was in someone else's dream you gits. But it isn't like you could explain that to them. And you did have a history of sleeping like someone who had just been introduced to the concept, so you let it pass.

"But we are obviously super relieved to see you fit and aces."

"I can see that. Charles you chose pee over me!" You cried.

"Mate it was nothing personal. It was really urgent."

Okay that was the last straw. Your hands were around his neck in a second, your knees pinning him down as he tried to wiggle free from your grasp.

"Careful with the jar, you two." Edwin said flatly, unconcerned if you would strangle the ghost.

What would happen if you did? Could ghosts die again? A part of you wanted to find out badly, but a sympathetic loser  part of you took pity on his reddening face and let go. You fell down on the space next to him, both of you heaving air into your lungs.

"I hate you," Charles huffed, his earring still dangling from the aftermath of your force.

You patted his shoulder. "Don't fret it son. I hate you more."

You were headed back to the agency with arms full from your grocery trip. A yapping Charles trailed on in front of you. Jesse had moved out, to your ghost friend's dismal and ranting about it was his way of dealing with it, unfortunately.

"And she said Edwin-that Edwin had a better fashion sense than me! Can you believe it?"

"I can."

He stopped and you took the lead. "What?" He blinked.

"Come on Charles you can't be serious. His taste is impeccable. I would have stolen his wardrobe a long time ago if he wasn't a ghost."

Passers by gave you judgmental glances, but you were used to it.

He caught up to you. "Hazel, this." He gestured to his baggy jacket. "And this." He flicked his earring.

"Yes even after this and this."

"I can't believe girls sometimes, scratch that, all the times." He fastened his pace, muttering to himself.

You brought your wrist to your hand to see the time when you got knocked off balance as someone bumped against you. Your groceries spilled out of the paper bag onto the road.

"Oh I am so sorry," a stranger's voice apologised.

You both were on your knees, gathering your escaped items.

"No it's okay my fault. I wasn't lookin-" You looked up and golden eyes met you. Wow. That was one rare iris.

"Oh shush now darling. Mistakes happen," they cooed.

You both scrambled to your feet as they handed you your bag. "Thankyou."

"You're welcome Hazel."

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh I overheard you and the boy talking," they said with an unnerving smile.

They could see him? Well quite a many people could, guaranteed that they'd had a similar bump in with death, not the Endless. You watched Charles distant profile walk on far ahead still seemingly mumbling to himself. You turned your head back to ask them if they had been in a near death incident, but they were already gone. Weird.

"Haz are you coming?" Charles shouted, realising you weren't with him.

You forsake the encounter with the golden eyed person and made your way towards your impatient friend.

Cool water lapped around your ankles where you had dipped your feet in them. The past week you'd fallen into a routine, a tedious and rewarding one, as you helped more and more people get rid of their eternal sleep. You had learned to manoeuvre the waters on your own, invading people's dreams while Dream devoted his time in mending his realm. Some days he'd join you after your daily targets and you'd both sit together, relishing each other's company. Today was one such day.

"When do we begin with the nightmares?" You had only focused on the sweet dreams till yet. Dream was insistent on it, forbidding you from trespassing through any others.

"Not yet," he said.

"Don't you ever get tired?" You asked after some time.

"Of what Hazel?"

"Of being immortal."

He raised his eyebrows at you, "Would you?"

"Fuck no!" You bit your lip. "Sorry. I mean knowing your time is always running out, does generate a new appreciation for life. But that life seems to be gone in a blink of an eye. Too brief, to leave a mark, to have your existence mean something. Time becomes the most precious and most despised instrument at play," you spoke. "But being immortal, it's-it's something else. Imagine the wonders you could witness, could be a part of. An eternity of just living, carrying the past of the world with you into the future. I like having a particular destination to swim to, but I would rather be lost in the infinite ocean, you know?"

Dream listened to your words intently. "I have a friend back in the waking world. Hob Gadling."

"I didn't strike you as that."

"As what?"

"As someone having friends. But go on."

"We met in the fourteenth century. Death and I visited this pub together and there he was, proclaiming humans could cheat death."

"What did you do?"

"Death granted him his wish."

"What?" What?  "So does that mean he is still alive?"

"Yes. In fact we meet up every century."

"Hold up hold up. The devil meeting with an immortal man in the pub, that has nothing to do with this right?"

Dream's lips twitched imperceptibly.

"Will you ever cease surprising me?"

Quiet ensued you both.

"So this Hob Gadling, does he enjoy his immortality?"

"To my initial surprise, yes. I had thought after a hundred years, he would surely be begging me to take the curse back but he seemed to consider it a boon. Even after centuries had gone by, his zest to live never died, hasn't died. He reminds me of you. Or, you remind me of him."

"Oh careful Dream lord, are you implying I am your friend?" You nudged his shoulder lightly.

"Now let's not get too ahead of ourselves."

You let out a half suppressed laugh.

"Perhaps," he said.

You titled your head towards him, "Eh. I don't think I'm ready to promote you from acquaintance just yet."

"Is that how it is?"

"Absolutely."

A shooting star dived through the sky, cutting a blaze of fire through it.

"What do you wish for Dream?"

He glanced at you.

"Come on. It appears every day without fail, in the abode of your creations. You made it. What do you wish for everyday?"

He was silent.

"And here I thought we were friends."

"I created it in memory of Hope."

That was the first time he had willingly mentioned her. 

"Do you miss her?"

He took his time to answer. "Sometimes."

You drew your feet out of the water and hugged your knees. "Well. Tragedy does birth-"

"The most beautiful things."

You looked at him to find his eyes already on you, a quiet yearning displayed in them.

"Ok mind reader," you scoffed.

"I do not posses those powers, unfortunately."

"Oh a creep then?"

When you looked at him again, his lips imitated the crescent moon in the sky on his perfect face. It wasn't like any of the fleeting twitches, no matter how treasured, he had given you before. The smile reached his cheeks. His teeth glittered under the moonlight, his skin washed in it. A weak crinkle formed at the end of his eyes. Your heart lurched in its rib cage, wanting to join another. No. You won't fall for him. You won't fall for an Endless. You won't fall for the pompous goth guy. You won't fall for him. You weren't falling for him. You weren't falling for him. You weren't falling for him. You were not falling for him. Shit. You were falling for him. 

SERIES MASTERLIST

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (5)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 1500

WARNINGS: mentions of blood (the usual)

PART 5 ✧˖°.

You were sitting on your bed, pondering over Dream's words or actually the lack of them from last night. Why was it bothering you so much who he loved or did not? He probably had gone through an army of lovers being so ancient. You knew there was Nada, Calliope, courtesy of Matthew's inability to stay quiet for more than two seconds, and now Hope. But there was something about the first time he had said her name, pure anguish coating every syllable, that had your heart retreating into itself.

"No mate there is absolutely no way I am leaving her behind." Charles' muffled voice sliced through your silent rambling.

"Charles you cannot be serious. We can't put the entire agency to a halt because of one client," Edwin wailed.

"What's the problem?" You peeped through your door.

That's when you saw Jesse's curled form on the couch and the overheard conversation bore logic.

"She's still here?"

"Yeah." Edwin's face wore a scowl. But as he sensed the oncoming taunting suggestion from you, he hurriedly added, "which I have no problem with of course."

"Sure mate," you smirked. "I will stay with her."

Charles lifted his eyebrows.

"Yeah I am feeling super tired anyways. You guys go ahead," you assured the lot of two.

"How do you manage to feel exhausted after sleeping 10 hours a day absolutely stuns me. You stun me woman." Charles relieved a deep breath.

"Aw thankyou love," you pouted.

"Alright, Hazel keep a watch on her. And if anything strange occurs, call us immediately," Edwin spoke. "You sure you aren't staying behind because of your mysterious guy?"

You gave a mock chuckle.

"No seriously Haz how are things going with him?" Charles wiggled his brows. "Which base-"

"Okay okay okay out! Both of you."

You dropped the book titled 'Hope' with a thud on the table in front of you. You were waiting for Dream to join you tonight and in the meantime, your inquisitiveness had gotten a tight grip on you. So you had raked the library to locate Dream's past lover's record��successfully, you might add. Excitement swooshing in your entire body, you flung the book open. Nothing. White blankness stared at you. You flipped through the pages. Still nothing. Are you kidding me? How is this even possible? Lucienne had told you that any being, immortal or not, living or not, had a book dedicated to their dreams and stories. Before you could lose more of your mind on the enigma on your hands, you heard the flapping of Matthew's wings. You quickly put the useless book back in its place.

"Boss wants ya."

You gaped at the apparition in front of you. Consider a rhinoceros, but bigger and scarier and from a fairy land. He was partially covered in moss and vines loosely wrapped around his ears and horn. You pitied the humans back in the waking world whose dreams the animal had ever had a cameo in. You were just glad you weren't one of them. Now not so much as the whimsical rhinoceros slowly made its way in your direction. You stretched your arm in front of you. And closed your eyes in concentration. The sounds of heavy stamping grew louder. You can do this. You have been doing this for weeks. The literal fate of the world depended on you being able to do this. You opened your eyes. Yellow eyes speedily approached you. You got this. Blinding pain seared through your palm where the pointed horn of the creature tore through your skin and the acute scent of copper wafted into the air. Dream raised his hand to dispel his creation.

"No!" you shouted. "Don't."

"Haz-"

"I got this." You got this.

Blackness seeped into the periphery of your vision but you reeled your focus back to the huffing beast in front of you. He started towards you again, sand flying from the rear of his feet. You shut your eyes. Enough. You are chosen for a destiny far greater than yours, Dream's words from your first encounter surfaced in your mind when you had accused him of being a serial killer. So much time had passed since then, so much time putting your body and mind through vigorous training, so much time withholding yourself from your bestfriends, so much time with Dream, who had placed his faith in your hands, gentle and soft. A faint energy began buzzing in the core of your soul, spreading throughout, tickling every nerve in your body and roaring in your ears. You opened your eyes, the creature's angry black pupils crashed against your outstretched bleeding hand, almost. The second his bristly face came in contact with your touch, his pupils dilated and he skidded to a stop. Your hand glowed with the hum of energy that slowly receded back from wherever it had come from, inside you. The animal leaned into your touch before pulling back and leaped away to from wherever Dream had summoned him. Dream. You tilted your head to where he stood, his lips twitched upwards all so ever slightly, a ghost of a smile. A fire ignited in your heart, from where it trickled down your insides, painting them warm, at the sight. He walked towards you and the wave of adrenaline rush that had kept you distracted from your punctured hand that was reddening the sand below, died down. Before the blood loss could take its toll on you, Dream's calloused yet silken fingers wrapped around your wounded hand. His touch though cold, lit your skin on fire. He rubbed sand over your hand. The blow of the pain simmered down to a dull ache. He severed the contact between your skins, leaving behind an abrupt chill. It was as if your body was calling for his hand again, craving for his touch.

His perfect lips parted, perfect? you perverted brain get a grip, "Hazel? Hazel?"

Shit. Were you staring? "Yeah,"

"How is your hand?"

You looked down, a black cloth was tied around it. How long were you zoned out?

You might have cared for the throbbing pain still lapping around it if you weren't reveling in the ecstasy your triumph had wrought. "It's better. Thankyou."

"You did well tonight, mortal."

"Shut. Up!" You turned towards the newly joined raven on your shoulder. "He can hand out praise?" You asked incredulously.

"Unsolved mysteries of the world," Matthew replied.

Dream's lips fought a smile.

You fisted blades of grass within your fingers as you sat alongside the Dream lord in your favourite place of all the realms. The darkness was slowly fading away, a hint of pink dotting the mountain edges. It would soon be time for you to wake up.

"Dream,"

Morpheus turned his attention to you. You didn't like the intensity of it. 

"Yes mortal?"

You hesitated.

Dream's gravelly voice jeered, "How many questions do you have?" Amusement danced in his eyes. 

You sighed and laid down your head on the soft grass. "It was you, wasn't it? That day at the sisters' house. You saved me from Aura." You finally gave voice to the doubt solidifying in your mind.

"That isn't a question Hazel."

"Why?"

"Because you are important to the survival of the realms." 

You felt a brush of disappointment at his answer. What were you expecting? That made a perfect explanation for why he had saved you. This partnership was not forged out of any preference or want. You were chosen for this. He was stuck with you.

"So what happens now? With the nightmares under control- Why did you even create them in the first place? Just some merry dreams would have sufficed don't ya reckon?"

"Nightmares serve a crucial purpose. They are merely meant to reflect a man's worst fears so he can face them."

"I wish I could say makes sense."

"Don't trouble your puny mortal brain with the rules of the universe," he said in a teasing tone.

Your laugh was gradual but it came. He was getting better with his jokes. You felt Dream watch you intently. He had begun to open up. You had managed to writhe little information about his past but whatever you had, the Corinthian, Roderick Burgess, Rose Walker, he had given it up willingly. Do you ever get lonely? You had asked him your first time in the Dreaming. Even though he hadn't replied to you then, you had come to know the answer. He was just as eager for company as you were for his.

"Well back to the concerned topic, with the dreams now learning to trust again, what happens now?" You asked.

The sun had emerged from the diving nook between the mountains. Its rays spilled honey all around you. 

"We will decide tomorrow." Were the last words of your dream as you were tugged back into wakeness.

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (4)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3K

WARNINGS: none I can think of

PART 4✧˖°.

"So let me get this straight, ghosts cannot lie to you yet you work with two ghosts who apparently can," Matthew cawed from his place on your shoulder where you were huddled in one corner of the Dreaming library. 

Earlier that day, Dream had intercepted your walk to the bakery nearby your apartment, almost giving you a jump scare, and then brought you back here with him once you'd pleaded to let your ghost friends know you were going out. Since it was a weekend and the agency remained closed, they didn't question you. Although Charles did tease you about a date. If only.  

"Yep that pretty much sums it up. But it's not out of compulsion, it's that ghosts trust me, it's like they have no other option than to trust me. I don't know how it works seriously, just that it has helped a hell lot of ghosts successfully cross over and boom our business. And as far as Edwin and Charles are concerned, well my powers, if you could call it that, did happen after meeting the guys. So," you shrugged.

"Interesting," Matthew mulled over your words, "and this has been going for the past.."

"4 years.”

"And you remember nothing before that? No family, no one from your past?" 

An all so ever familiar brush of sadness tingled every bone in your body. "No," you exhaled. 

"I am sorry.”

"Eh I am used to it now. Besides I love my life with the boys. I did search for any signs of my family, if I had one and then just gave up after a year. The boys are my family now." 

"Include me in too.”

You laughed at Matthew’s response. "Of course you are my precious little raven." 

"My lady," Lucienne's voice greeted you, "he’s ready.”

While you were away, Morpheus had tried to repair the damage only for a fresh bout of earthquakes to replace the previous destruction. Now you made your way to where he stood crafting dreams or nightmares. 

"Mortal," he said in greeting, his back turned to you. 

"Dream.”

He moved aside and your breath got caught in your throat. Staring at you, was a half human, half monster who had a tongue of a reptile and teeth like razors. The stuff of literal nightmares.  

"Make him trust you," Dream spoke.

"Are you crazy?" You looked at him as if someone had cracked his skull open and was gorging on his brains and someone might have with what he was suggesting. 

"You dare-?" 

Yes you fucking dared. What was he expecting you to do, commit suicide? 

But he was after all an Endless, and you did not wish to invoke his wrath so you only mumbled, "I can't do this, you can't expect me to get a nightmare to trust me! It's unreal!" 

"But ghosts trust you.”

"Yes because they are ghosts and he is, well a bloody nightmare.”

"Try.”

"And who's guaranteeing that I won't die trying?”

"I am.” His words were solid pebbles dropping in your guts. 

You don't know what made you take the next step, maybe it was the conviction in his voice, but you stretched your arms forward and warily tried to approach the monster human. You took baby steps towards him, just a few more, you assured yourself but then the nightmare lunged straight for you. You tripped backward and the sandy ground contacted your back. But before the nightmare could contact you, Dream raised his hand and the nightmare vanished into darkness, flecks of what he once used to be gracing the ground in front of you. You got up on your feet, the image of razor teeth inches away from your face still imprinted in your mind. 

"I am sorry Dream I can't do this." 

"What?” A frown displayed on his face. “But I ensured no harm came to you.”

"Dream I was saved from becoming nightmare food by a mere second!" 

"I would not have let any harm befall you." His eyes sook yours trying to convey the determination behind his words. 

Your face softened. You wanted to believe him. You really did. But how could you trust his creations when you did not trust the creator himself.  

"And I am just supposed to believe you?" 

"Morta-"

"You know I have a name. If you want me to help you, the least you can do is stop perceiving me as a fly in your path and call me by my name!" you snapped. 

Dream was silent. 

"Get me out of here.”

You half expected him to deny your request but sand began swirling around you, and the next moment you were teleported back to the waking world. Had he so easily given up on you? Good riddance. 

When you pushed the door to the apartment open, the guys were huddled together on the couch, watching television. 

"Hey! how was your date?" Charles asked, his gaze fixed on the television. 

"Terrible," you murmured and slammed the door to your bedroom behind you. 

The king of Dreams sat on his throne, gazing at the universe contained in his ceiling, when he felt you enter the Dreaming. He always did. He entered the mountain clearing, your lone figure was sprawled on the grass in the distance beneath the starry sky. Before his brain could object, he started towards you.

You must have felt his presence because you bolted upright when he neared you, “Dream,”

His name felt so weightless on your tongue, he wanted to hear it again and again. You on the other hand didn’t know why you were so surprised to see him here, it was his realm after all.

“I told you I am not-"

“Relax Hazel, I am not here to impart any lessons to you.”

Hazel

“So why are you here?”

He opened his mouth and closed it, no answer left him. Had you just seen the Dream Lord hesitate? You patched the grass beside you, an invitation for truce. Tentatively, he sat down, his cloak spooling around him. It was an odd sight, seeing the Dream Lord on the ground beside you, instead of his ceremonious throne.

“Did you create this?” You asked.

“Partially, I had help.”

“I thought only you had the power to create dreams and nightmares.” Your time in the library had been well spent.

“It is true, but the vision can always belong to someone else. His voice was soft, words floating into the winds.

You imagined someone having the vision for this, for this phenomenal beauty you were sitting in and you thanked them.

“It’s beautiful.” Your voice came like a whisper.

Morpheus looked at you. “It is.”

You both sat in silence, gazing at the stars twinkling above you.

Dream’s voice penetrated the quiet. “Mort-Hazel, I never mean to belittle you. And believe it or not, I am grateful to you for your help. But you have to understand that-”

“Then make me understand.” You repeated your words from your first visit to the Dreaming.

Morpheus sighed before the low baritone of his voice reached you. “You know there are seven of us. There is Death, Destiny, Desire, Delirium, Despair, Destruction and I. And it is our purpose to ensure the smooth running of humankind. We have been here since the beginning of time itself and will be here when the last soul departs the Earth-” You had already read all this in the library but let him go on “-but along us siblings, there was,” he paused.

You thought it was for dramatic effect but when he didn’t continue, you called to him, “Dream?”

He inhaled sharply, “Hope.” The word left his mouth in a breathy exhale.  “There was Hope, and she held together what you could call the fabric of humanity.”

“Where is she now?” You asked.

Dream looked at you for some time and answered, his voice a whisper, “dead.”

The hurt in his voice took you off guard. 

“I am sorry.”

Silence engulfed the both of you again.

“Is that the reason behind the earthquakes?”

“Hope and Dream are co-dependent. Neither can exist without the other. We thought, we hoped that the future could withstand the loss of hope, but the inhabitants of the Dreaming grow weak without her pulse and the realm itself is failing.”

“And if it does, so will humanity.” Your words sunk in you.

“Because what are humans, rather any of us, without dreams and hope?” He looked at you.

“And that is why you need me, to instill trust in the dreams and nightmares so that they don’t stray from their purpose to serve humanity,” everything clicked, "Dream I had no idea-“

“It wasn’t your fault,” he stated. “But now since you know how imperative it is for the dreams and nightmares to learn to trust, the shadow of hope, will you help me,” his eyes held yours and there was a delicate plea seeping into his gravelly voice, “save the world?”

“Yes.”

You rested your head against Edwin's torso as you flipped through the mail you were holding. He was propped against the back of the wall as he went through a thick volume of ghost fungi or something. You couldn't care less. The past week had been tiring, an understatement of course. Your every organ was tired, despite sleeping for 10 hours a day. But it wasn't like you were sleeping, Morpheus and you trained every night in the Dreaming, and your grueling efforts had reaped no fruit yet. And during the days, the agency's work took a toll on you. The only respite from your exhausting and rigorous routine was the hour just before dawn, when you'd sit with Dream in your little bubble and gaze at the stars together. You'd begun looking forward to it every day, you had realised with reluctance. 

"Aha! This seems interesting.” You held out a paper in your hand, grabbing the attention of both the boys. 

Charles tilted his head from his position on the table to read the print on the paper. "A demon possession, brills!" 

"So your believe you are possessed by a demon?" Edwin scribbled notes in his notepad. 

"Yes.” The girl's voice was hoarse with crying. 

"And what makes you believe that?" 

"I-I wake up in strange places which I have no memory of traveling to, and there are voices inside my head-”

"Yeah, welcome to being alive duh," you snorted. 

Shit you had said that aloud. 

Charles gave you a rebuking look. 

"Sorry," you muttered. 

"The voices inside my head, they are too loud. He makes me do things I would never do," the girl continued.

"Can you..feel him right now?" 

"No,” she shook her head, “he surfaces only occasionally," she sniffed. 

"Hey." Charles held the girl by her shoulders. "Don't worry, you will be okay. We will get him out, we promise.”

Oh no, there was only one rule. You never ever promised a client. You look up expecting to see Edwin's dismal expression but only find a thin veil of envy coating his features. Oh boy. 

You were just beginning to tease him when you caught the unmistakable unruly hair of the King of Dreams to your right in the distance. 

"Uh guys, I will be right back," you told the group, "really need to pee."

God you needed to work on your excuses. 

"What are you doing here?" You hissed when you neared him. 

Matthew cawed on his shoulder. 

"Pleased to meet you too Hazel.”

"I thought we had a deal, no training during daytime.”

"It's not I but Lucienne who seeks you. She needs your help with the library.”

"Oh?” Spending an entire day in the library of dreams? Sign me up. “Well then I could make an exception for her,” you hummed. 

“Of course, it doesn’t assist any fascination of yours,” he mocked. 

“Did you just attempt sarcasm? They grow up so fast.” You wiped false tears.

“Come now-”

“I need to tell the boys first, and don’t-don’t do that whirlpool thing here,” you looked around, “there are witnesses. Meet me at the-”

Before you could finish, he dissolved into nothingness. Great. 

“Were you um talking to yourself?” Edwin’s voice spooked you. 

You whirled around. “Yeah, just normal sane things.” You added hurriedly, “what’s with the girl?” 

Edwin’s expression changed into annoyance at her mention. “Charles insists on taking her back to the apartment to-“ he drew quotation marks in the air, “-monitor her in hopes of expelling the demon out of her body.”

“Well all the best with that.”

“What do you mean? You aren’t coming back with us?” 

“I just think that since she’s not a ghost and I don’t have any leverage over her, I might pursue other activities today.”

“Like the date?” Edwin frowned.

“No-Yes,” you sighed, giving up. 

“Uh alright have fun. See you tonight.” 

“You too.” 

You were propped up in Lucienne’s chair, combing through yet another volume of the history of the universe. The sheer rarity of this knowledge baffled you. You hadn’t seen Morpheus since he had apparated the both of you in the library. Turns out, Lucienne had been rearranging vast sections of the library today and even though she didn’t exactly need your help with that, she welcomed an eager friend and her joyful company. After hours of studying her intricate filing system and aiding her in that, your tired self now sat a few feet away from where she stacked the remnant books in their allotted places. You simply were in awe of that woman. Matthew chirped from your shoulder, he had seemed to make a home there. Eyes drooping with exhaustion, you slammed the book shut. Should you ask them? It’s now or never right?

“Who was Hope?” 

Lucienne froze in her movements, and Matthew stopped chirping. A feather could be heard dropped in the quiet that you had unknowingly compelled the room into. 

The librarian answered after what felt like hours, “it isn’t our place to say, my lady.” 

You nodded, a part of you had already known her answer. 

“Hazel please Lucienne.”

”Sorry my la- Hazel.”

Jesse, you had learned was the name of the possessed girl, giggled at an extremely, extremely horrid joke of Charles. 

“I don’t understand. That wasn’t funny,” Edwin said. 

Man he really needed to learn to conceal his jealousy better. 

“You and me both buddy,” you said more to yourself. 

“It’s alright mate, it isn’t exactly Victorian humour,” Charles said in between laughs. 

Charles and Jesse were clustered together on the couch, being unnecessarily touchy. Edwin was viewing them with a bitter scowl. 

You nudged him in the ribs lightly, “Someone is jealous.”

“Please, like she is someone a human or ghost could get jealous over.” 

Was he seriously that utterly daft?

“Eds I meant Charles,” you said it in a ‘duh that’s so obvious’ tone. 

“What?” He got immediately defensive. “Charles is my best friend, and nothing more. Nor do I wish him to be,” he jutted his chin out.

“Ok liar, pants on fire,” you squinted at him. 

“Hazel I don’t know how to prove that to you.”

You tittered, “prove it to yourself, love.” 

Edwin sat in deliberate consideration for a while. You glanced at the time, 9:00 pm, you were so tired but the day was young even though the moon was out. A part of you just wanted to escape your destiny and blah blah, but the part that was slowly growing attached to Dream didn't let you do so.

“Hazel?” Charles’ voice pulled you back. 

“Uh yeah,” 

“So tell her about it.”

“About what?” 

“About the case of the sea monster we solved a while back," he said with annoyance, "were you not listening to me?”

“Uh uh. No can do.” You got up, brushing imaginary flecks of dust from your pants. “Anyways lads, I am going to disintegrate myself into my beloved bed now where my beloved sleep awaits me.”

“Who are you and what have you done to my Hazel?” Charles pointed his fingers at you. 

“What?” You laughed. 

“Mate you have been going to bed at 9 pm for more than a week now, you, the one who put the sleep schedule of owls to shame.”

“Yeah I don’t know man I just feel super tired recently.”

“Everything's aces right?” Charles’ voice was concerned. 

“You just seem a lot distant lately,” Edwin added. 

“I do?” Genuine shock seeped into your tone. You needed to cover your tracks better. You fucking hated keeping things from them. Jesse looked curiously at you. 

“Yep boys everything's aces, it’s just called being in your 20's right?” You tried to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. 

They didn’t even seem half convinced but didn’t interfere further as you entered your room and subsequently the land of Dreams. 

The river babbled as it shimmered under the stars. Morpheus and you sat together after another training session. You were getting closer, both you and him were sensing it. You turned your head towards him, his dark eyes held the entire cosmos in them, and his cloak blended into the surroundings. Here in the dark, under the cover of the night, he almost felt like an extension of darkness itself. His hair was wild like always, falling on his forehead, and you had the sudden urge to glide your fingers through them and tuck them back. Embarrassing. 

“Do you wish to say something, mortal?” 

This time the mortal wasn’t used as a deriding remark, rather it had now become a term of endearment between you two. 

“Did you love her?” The question escaped you. 

Morpheus was silent. “Love who?” 

“Hope,” you said, her name on your tongue a weird sensation. 

He didn’t answer. But that was answer enough for you. Dream in love? The literal king of Dreams was capable of experiencing an emotion as tender as love? A pang of something hit your insides. Jealousy? No, can’t be. No way in hell you were falling for an Endless, least of all him. 

Time laughed somewhere in the universe. 

SERIES MASTERLIST✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

AHAJSK thankyou<3 and i know right

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°.

{the sandman x dead boy detectives}

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

WC: 3K

WARNINGS: none I can think of

PART 2✧˖°.

The ground was a soothing anchor for your rampant thoughts which all seemed to recede as you laid on the plush grass, its touch on your skin soothing. The stars reflected in your eyes, spanning as far as the eye could see, only obstructed by the mountain ranges surrounding you, capped with ice that shone under the twinkling night sky. The breeze kissed your cheeks and rustled the leaves on the trees that lined the lake gurgling few feet away from you, the sound of ripples caused by the breeze a tranquil sound in your ears. If you weren't already dreaming you would have succumbed to a peaceful slumber long ago. But as a matter of fact you were, and it was no mistaking that, provided you always dreamt of this scenic place. Regardless of the time of the day or the night, you always found yourself here, in midst of what you could only call 'a slice of heaven'. You buried your fingers in the grass, exhaling a deep breath of contentment and let your eyelids droop down, embracing the sound of the howling wind muffled by the river's constant churning. Hours passed by and the dark slowly began to fade away, the sky preparing itself for sunrise. Soon it would be time for you to wake up, you thought dismally. You felt a gaze on you and your eyes opened to catch a blur of darkness staring at you but it only remained a blur because when you blinked it was gone. 'Strange,' you mused to yourself. No one had ever crossed your path here. From the beginning of time, or well the beginning of the past four years when you had stumbled across the agency, you had always been here alone. Just as you began convincing yourself that it was just a trick played by the light, your alarm rang throughout the vast expanse. 

"Ugh," you groaned as you slammed the alarm clock, probably fracturing it a bit.

But it was of no use as the awfully cheery voice of Charles greeted your ears, "Wakey wakey sunshine, the day is new."

He opened the blinds to your window and piercing sunlight entered your eyes.

"Mate are you trying to blind me?" You grumbled in your pillow, turning your head in the other direction. 

"Come on! Wake up," Charles pulled your blanket away.

You opened one eye and squinted at your phone screen, "It is 7 in the morning there is absolutely no reason for any man or ghost to be happy and have that amount of energy at this hour.”

"The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming. It's the best time to live life.”

"Yeah coming from a ghost.”

Your back creaked under the weight of Charles' body as he tried to annoy you into getting up by imparting physical pain. 

"Get off me, you creature!" You mindlessly grabbed his face with your nails but he pinned your arms behind your back.

You tried to wiggle your way free but in vain, "Get. Off. Me."

"Only if you get up as soon as I release you.”

Rendered optionless you huffed, "fine you arse.”

Charles freed his hold on you and you sat up, rubbing your eyes hoping to rid the exhaustion away. 

"Good morning," Charles smiled. 

"Morning," you yawned. 

"Breakfast is getting cold!" Edwin's voice boomed through your apartment. 

"Be right there," you called back. 

You stepped down from your bed and made your way to the bathroom when you halted in your tracks, your reflection peered at you, an enraged expression on its face. Your t-shirt was soiled with blood, your favourite t-shirt. You had almost forgotten about that and you sent a 'I will butcher you alive' actually more like 'I will butcher your ghost' look in Charles' direction who seemed to discern it very well because he wasted not a second in dashing out of your room.

Your coffee mug stared at you, your hands enclosed around it with their initial purpose of warming themselves made useless with your coffee now cold. The contents swirled inside, undissolved sugar twinkling amidst the dark liquid, reminding you of your dream and the odd addition to it last night.

"You okay?" Edwin's voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah I am fine."

"So is the coffee that bad?"

"Eh it’s passable," you scrunched your nose. 

"Edwin I for one think it surpasses excellence," Charles piped in.

"Calm down dude he is not handing out golden stars.”

Charles' only reply was a scowl.

"Thankyou Charles,” Edwin placed his hand on the brunette ghost beside him. 

"Get a room." It was your turn to scowl, earning looks from both of them.

You gulped your coffee down and collected the utensils to deposit them in the sink while the boys pushed the chairs back and rearranged the furniture slightly for what was to follow. 

"I guess we are ready," Edwin spoke and you used that as a cue to open the doors.

"And so we begin.” 

The clicking of your pen echoed in the room. You were half in your chair, while your upper half was rested against the table, eyes boring into the ceiling. 

"Since when did ghosts become so lame?" Charles spoke from his place, legs crossed on the table, touching your head and an apple and a knife in his hand.

It was 4 hours since you opened the gates to the ghosts to hear out their woes and help them cross into a peaceful afterlife. But none of them had presented a case worth pursuing, for all you three wanted more than aiding the distressed was an adventure, an adrenaline rush, gears put to work inside the brain. Yet today every case was solved by asking a few more questions, a remedy supplied by Edward's intellectual mind or some probing by you. After all ghosts trusted you. 

"Since uh you died," you quipped.

But just as Charles opened his mouth to use whatever comeback he had thought of, the doors opened once again with such gusto that it sent the papers on the table flying.

"You have to help me,” A girl's voice pleaded.

"So this is it," you muttered to your ghost buddies who were currently wearing skins of two police officials as you all watched the scene on the opposite side of the street. 

People in uniform bustled about the scene of the crime which they had ruled a 'suicide'. The parents of the girl who had dropped from the roof were huddled in a corner, fresh tears flowing down their already tear stained faces as her corpse was put into a body bag. Your heart weighed down under the sudden sadness enveloping it. The street was silent except the beeping emitting from the ambulance and police cars. The girl's ghost on the other hand was waiting at your place and you were so grateful for that decision, seeing her own body and her parents so broken would have devastated her.

"God it is horrible," Charles voiced aloud your thoughts.

"Come on Charles," Edwin said in a startling female voice. 

"God Charles why do you always have to make him a woman?"

"It suits him," he drawled.

"More like suits your fantasies huh?" 

You were met by Edwin's soft blow on your head, "ow sorry.”

"Ok Hazel, Charles and I will question the victim's parents and provide you with an opportunity to sneak inside. Search the building for any signs of a ghost and wait for us to join you. Be careful, she seemed pretty intent that she didn't commit suicide."

You were about to nod when you caught a glimpse of dark hair retreating behind the house as if you had caught them watching you. 

"Hazel?"

"Huh.” You looked up at Edwin. 

"Is the plan clear to you?" 

"Crystal."

Who was that guy? It eerily reminded you of the blur of darkness in your dream. You tucked your curiosity away for later and brought your focus on the case. It's more important right now.

"Hello?" you called out into the scaffolding. It seemed their house was going through renovation when the incident happened. You shuddered when the images of her parents popped up in your mind.

A clank of metal made you whip your head around. It was nothing, just a piece of construction metal had fallen down. The ground floor provided with no clues, no proof of anything paranormal so you approached the staircase leading upstairs. Sun shone bleakly through the crevices of the area of the house that was being reconstructed. You gripped the banister and began climbing. Wait, was that? Surely not? But as you neared the landing the unmistakable sound of whimpering reached you. They had the entire house cleared right?  No one was supposed to be here. Not someone living atleast. The thud of your boots on the wooden floor quieted the whimpers. Should have worn sneakers, I knew it. 

Still you were determined to find the source of the whimpering and you called out into the silence again, "Hello? Is anyone there? I am here to help." 

No reply. You opened the door on your right and scanned the room but no presence was there. Who were you kidding, like luck is something you know.

As you were closing the door, you spotted a figure hunched on their knees in the corner of the room. Luck and you? That was something new. You made your way to them, to her you realised as the distance shortened between you two. 

"Hey, are you okay?" you spoke in a hushed tone, scared you would startle her. 

The girl, just a teenager, tilted her head up at you, her eyes widened, "You-you can see me?" She managed out.

She had the same auburn hair as the ghost at your apartment and the same dip in her nose.

"Are you a ghost?" She bit her lips.

"I can sweetheart and no I am very much alive, unfortunately."

You bent down to her level, "What are you doing here?"

Your soft tone was merely your politeness, giving her the illusion of choice when you knew she had no other option than to answer your question. 

Another whimper escaped her and she opened her mouth when Charles voice rumbled from downstairs, "Hazel?"

You turned your head away and called his name back, "I am up here!" 

But when you looked back, the girl was gone. You swiveled your head around trying to locate her but there was no sight of her. 

Footsteps grew louder until they reached you and Edwin's voice said, "It's messier than we imagined."

"Yeah?" you asked absentmindedly.

"Turns out the folks outside had two daughters. And guess what happened to the other?" Charles joined the conversation.

Both of them had shed their disguises.

"She died.”

"She die-" Edwin stopped midway.

"How do you know?" He perked his eyebrow.

"Because I think I just saw her.”

"What?" Both of them exclaimed in unison. 

"But how is that possible? She died 5 years ago." 

"Must be one hell of an unfinished business,” you shrugged.

"Isn't it weird that the sister never mentioned her? Like I don’t know about people but if I had a dead sibling who died in the same spot I did, I would atleast mention it," Charles reasoned. 

"God knows man.” You rubbed your forehead.

"Thanks but I do not.” 

You only rolled your eyes at his response, mind too occupied connecting the pieces. "We have to find the girl. She was just here."

"Seems the right course of action to do. Let's split up."

You both nodded in reply to Edwin and went your paths. You searched room after room without any result. 

You began your way back when you spotted him. "Edwin? Charles?" You called to the stoic figure at the end of the corridor. “Is that you?"

But the black robes, the wild mop of the darkest hair, and the air around him that seemed to tingle with his presence was reply enough for you. 

"Who are you?" The words left your lips.

But in the blink of an eye, same as in your dream, he vanished, leaving a befuddled you behind. What the fuck just happened?

You turned around only to be met by the suicide girl who actually did have a name. "Oh hi Aura. What-what are you doing here?"

"I am sorry, I just couldn't wait on my own, wondering-what-that I-"

"I get it.” You quelled her unnecessary rambling. "You can stay here with us and help us locate your sister." 

"My-my sister?" Her eyes widened in fear?

"Yes," you said hesitantly. "Why didn't you tell us about her?"

"It can't be. No no no-" she backed into a corner. 

"Aura?" you voice was laced with concern and caution.

"Hazel! You won't fucking believe this." Charles approached you, slightly out of breath and froze when he saw the auburn hair.

"Hazel- get away from her," he said sternly. 

Confusion must be evident on your face because he repeated his words. "Get away from her, she murdered her sister."

What?

"No no! She is lying!" the ghost screamed, "That prick is lying!"

Charles wasted no second in divulging into his backpack to procure shackles that could bind any ghost, except the one using them.

Before you could ask Aura the question yourself to confirm the truth, she lunged for you. You kicked her in the chest and ran forward but her hands clamped against your mouth, a cool metal blade pressed against the skin of your neck. Where the fuck did she get a knife from? Oh Charles' bloody apple.

"You use that on me, and I won't hesitate to have her join this ghost party."

"Aura," Charles warned. 

Her grip tightened and Charles faltered, "ok ok ok, here." He put the shackles back. "Just let her go."

"Stay there,” she ordered. 

"Please, just let her go," his voice quaked.

She retreated back, the knife still on your throat, towards the stairs. If only you could free your mouth from her grasp. Charles moved forward. 

"Don't you dare," she seethed.

She reached the stairs and you hoped she'd let you go now. But she grinned toothily and slashed her knife across your neck. A clank, a thud. But all you could process was the droplets of blood dripping down as you fell to the floor. Charles was beside you in two quick strides.

His tone was urgent, "are you okay?"

"To be honest I thought cutting your neck would be a much bloodier disaster.”

"It's because you didn't cut your fucking neck you idiot," he chuckled softly. 

But the blood? You brought your hands to your cheek and the blood smeared your fingers, it was just a scratch. 

"But how?" You sat up. 

"I have no freaking clue. It just happened. One second I thought you were going to die and the next-” He looked down where the stairs ended. 

Aura's body was lying on the ground. Unconscious. And there seemed to be...sand? around her. 

Your bones clunked against each other at the crushing embrace of Charles' hug. 

"Oh you sappy boy.” You ruffled his hair. 

He pulled back, his eyes weary with emotion. 

You took his hand. “I love you too idiot.” 

You both smiled at that. 

"Right I better shackle her incase you know, the maniac wakes up.”

"Sounds alright, I will go check up on Edwin.”

"He is on the roof with the little sister.”

You made your way up onto the roof. Edwin seemed to be talking gently with her, trying to coax out the details of her murder and her sister's. Right  you still had no idea who murdered Aura.

"Finally, what on Earth took you so lo-" Edwin's gaze fixated on your cheek. "What happened?"

"All sorted.”

Edwin accepted your answer hesitantly. Then said, "I am afraid I give up. She is all yours.”

You went to the scared teenager and asked her, "will you tell me what happened?"

"So let me just get this straight. Aura murdered her sister accidentally 5 years ago. And then her sister murdered her as revenge yesterday," Charles stated in disbelief.

"Precisely.”

"That's what I suppose healthy family relations look like. I am so envious," Charles said.

"Boy do they give greek mythology some competition," you added.

The three of you turned around, now a safe distance from Death's grasp and waited for her to reap the two souls. Soon, the air tickled with electricity, pronouncing her entrance. It strangely reminded you of the man in the corridor. It was always so surreal to see Death do her work. Blue light coated the roof in an ethereal glimmer as she took the scared soul perched on it to the sunless lands. She had accepted her flaws and fate and the price to be paid had lightened. The wings flew downwards where Aura was shackled and a surprising red painted the windows, perhaps the darkest shade you had witnessed till now. You knew her redemption wouldn't be pleasant but that seemed a tad extreme. The slight quiver in the boys beside you meant they thought the same. 

"That...was something." 

"Something might be an understatement," you spoke.

"Well job officially jobbed," Charles concluded.

You were tidying up your bed to make space for yourself, sleep a welcoming pull in your body. After a refreshing bath and some horrific birdshit Charles had cooked up that was meant to taste like potatoes according to him, you were ready to give in to your exhaustion. Your hair was still wet against your skin, the cool touch pleasing. You went to the mirror, taking some ointment in your fingers for your cheek and looked up to find a set of dark eyes on you in the mirror's glass. You whipped around, the tube falling to the floor and finally saw the mysterious stranger in full light. Black coat brushing the floor, hair equally black and eyes even darker, matching the night sky outside your window. 

His lips parted, "Hello Hazel."

NOTES: i know there is a profound lack of dream atp but dw it has just started. and edwin and charles are aged up in this story to be in their early 20s. well technically they are decades old but even in their ghost form they are just not teenagers to me ahsk.

PREVIOUS PART ✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

THANKYOU SM!!<3

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°.

{the sandman x dead boy detectives}

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

WC: 800

WARNINGS: none I can think of

PART 1 ✧˖°.

"Promise me.”

"Hope I,-"

"Promise Dream."

"I promise." 

The Dream Lord stiffened in his seat as he banished away his thoughts to the darkest chambers of his mind, afraid they would return otherwise. But they still do, every time. The colours swirling in the glass pane that framed his throne cast vibrant hues of light on his poised face, accentuating his features that were sharp enough to cut skin. Promise Dream the words come back as a whisper, evoking a chill on his neck that travelled through his spine. He shut his eyes willing his mind to quiet, trying to-

"My lord." Lucienne's welcoming voice pulled him to the present. 

"You have a visitor," she announced. 

Morpheus raised an eyebrow imperceptibly at his failure to come up with someone who might visit his realm, especially when he was not expecting anyone. 

"Little brother.” The voice was accompanied by a woman with black curls and a skin that glowed before the light from the glass pane even touched her. 

"Death," Morpheus stated, bewilderment tucked somewhere in his tone. After all, he hadn't expected to meet her again so soon. 

"How are you?" She asked.

"I am truly well sister, what brings you here?"

Death knew how much truth his ‘truly well’ held but let it pass for the moment. "Lucienne would you please excuse us for a minute?" 

"Ofcourse my lady," she dipped her head and pursued the command, closing the colossal doors behind her. 

"Something...something has happened." Death wasted no time in speaking.  

This time Dream did not try to hide the raise in his eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?" His calm voice floated through the room. 

"Dream,”

Before she could follow the sentence, turmoil had already begun growing within him, Death was using his name only to soften the blow. 

"It's here."

“Bloody hell, that was one hell of a case!” Charles exclaimed as he shut the door behind you three. 

“Charles you know Edwin suffers from serious ptsd please stop using hell so much around him. It’s not like the British lack in creative curses,” you reprimanded him as you shrugged your jacket off, draping it over the couch. 

“Haha you’re hilarious,” Edwin stated monotonically while Charles started chanting ‘hell’ in the background just to spite the both of you. 

“Thanks hon,” you winked, “and Charles shut that hole up or if the ghost didn’t get you I surely will.”

“Hell hell hell hell hell- ow what was that for?” 

You grinned in delight as your boot contacted with his abdomen, “for being annoying.” 

Another “ow” escaped Charles as he sent glaring looks at you. “And that?” 

“For being you,” you beamed, devoid of both your boots now.

Your smile was quickly wiped off your face as Charles began his incantation right in your face. 

“Get away from me!” You groaned flailing your hands to push his bloodied face away. 

“Okay now I don’t know about you both but I for one am seriously tired after the events that have transpired during the day. So if you will excuse me and please take whatever this is,” Edwin gestured at the both of you with a foul expression, “somewhere else because I need to rest.” 

“Hell hell hell.” Charles resumed being annoying as if nothing had happened. 

“I swear if even a droplet of that ghost’s blood drops on my t-shirt I will fucking kill you. Again.” 

“Hell hell- you love me too much for that-hell hell-”

“Yeah? Go on and find out- NO!” You let out a scream that would have for sure woken up your neighbours if you had any, being a secretive ghost agency and what not. 

“You bitch! That was my favourite t-shirt!” You looked down at the once white fabric now bearing an impression of Charles right profile with blood.

“I know.” He had the audacity to smirk at that. 

You went for his throat, fully determined to give truth to your previous threat when Edwin pulled you from him. 

"Enough! Both of you!” 

Charles and you stared at each other, your ears still hot with fury.

“Charles go wash up that face please! And Hazel you need sleep, unlike us so go retire to your bedroom.” 

“Like you can just order us around,” you rolled your eyes. 

But Edwin’s one look in your way got you scrambling for your jacket. 

“Yes boss.” Charles made his way to the bathroom. 

“Goodnight Edwin, fuck you Charles.” And you departed with your wishes.

You sighed as you switched on the lights in your room, and plopped down on the single bed. Not even mustering up the courage to change into your night clothes, you let sleep engulf you and enter the world of dreaming. 

NOTES: hello peeps this story is set post the events of the sandman show and i haven’t read the comics so you will have to bear with the inconsistencies and the like. if i mess up real bad pls do let me know<3

NEXT PART✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (3)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3K+

WARNINGS: none i can think of

PART 3✧˖°.

"What the fuck." Your heart beat thunderously in your ribcage. "Are you stalking me?"

The goth guy paid no heed to your question. "I am Dream."

You just stared at him. "Oh okay and I am a nightmare?"

He only became more stern if that was even possible. He took a step forward.

"Don't. I'll call the police," you threatened.

He continued on without paying any heed to your threat. Who the fuck does he think he is?

"I am King of Dreams-"

"Dude-I told you not working."

"Stop talking.” His voice was low but the words were sharp.

But you weren't going to turn down your sass because of a man? Cmon.

"I am Dream-"

"I think I got that bit.”

An imperceptible flare of his nostrils made you zip your mouth. Wow you really got under his skin.

"I am Dream of the Endless and you mortal, have been chosen for a destiny greater than your cause.”

You gawked at him and broke into a chuckle, "o-okay Dream, Wait." You straightened. "Did you say the Endless? Like Death?"

You didn't know much about the Endless but you for sure knew Death was one. He did not answer your question but he did not deny your claim, so you assumed it an affirmative from him.

"How do I know?"

"Know what?"

"That you are infact one of the Endless and not a serial killer concocting stories to trap his victim."

He stepped closer and this time you let him. "Oh I do concoct stories.” He brought his hand to his mouth and blew...sand particles?

However you had no time to asses that for certain because the next second you were suspended in the cosmos, your body pulling in all directions, vivid images clashed in your mind, touring you through the entire world and all in a blip of a second. You grabbed the rim of your bedstand as your mind spiraled, reeling itself back to reality. 

"Woah," you breathed out.

Had you just disrespected an Endless? And called him a stalker? You cringed.

"We will meet again," Dream said as he swooped his cloak over his head.

"Wait." He halted his actions.

"Why me?"

A flicker of emotion fired in his eyes, so brief you labeled it as your imagination.

"Goodnight mortal.”

You woke up with a start. And clutched your head in your hands, stupid dream. You glanced at your alarm clock and then realized it was broken, that you broke it and instead looked at the digits glowing on your phone screen, 5:00 am. Sleep would not come to you now, you knew that much so you put on your slippers and made your way to the kitchen, padding softly so as to not make any sound. You put on the stove and boiled the milk for some coffee, allowing your thoughts till now kept at bay to flood your mind. Okay so that was a dream, explains some stuff. But then those blurs in your dream, and you were sure you had seen him at the corridor yesterday. Unless you had watched a movie starring him and now you saw the actor everywhere. Nah that wasn’t true. But what about your dream? Ever since you were seventeen, you had dreamed only of that place with the mountains and the river. Or maybe before, it wasn't like you remembered anything before that, before your life here, with Edwin and Charles. Is something burning? Oh no. The milk was overflowing, dripping down the slab onto the floor.

"Fuck," you cursed.

How the heck did this even happen? You were staring right into the pot. You grabbed for a cloth, dabbing the milk away. The vessel was tarred black with the burnt milk inside. You couldn't do one bloody job properly.

"Turn around!"

You did, hands up in the air, heart beating exponentially fast yet again. Edwin was in his pajamas, a quizzical look adorning his face. The ghosts didn’t really need sleep but they still liked to bide the time away by resting when there were no immediate cases in need of solving. 

"Hazel?" he furrowed his brows and then examined the mess you were standing in. "What are you doing? I thought you were a thief or a ghost hunter or something.”

"Ghost hunters exist?" You were genuinely surprised.

"Dunno," he shrugged. "It's 5 in the morning, how are you up?"

"A dream.”

"A nightmare?"

"Not exactly.”

"A different one?"

You nodded. Edwin was taken aback at that. He knew about your dream, and that it was the only thing you ever dreamed about. Hell he knew everything about you. Both of them did. They were your only family.

The sun was slowly starting to emerge from underneath the cover of the dark. Edwin approached you at your place on the couch, two coffee mugs in his hand, steam ascending from them. He handed you your mug and took his place beside you.

You took a sip of your coffee. "Mmm.”

"Passable eh?" He teased.

"Yeah." You threw your head backwards.

A comfortable silence enveloped you both, your shoulders touching and knees budging each other.

"You want to talk about it?"

It took you a second to realize the context, "No." You shook your head. "It's nothing.”

"Okay." He didn't probe further and you were thankful for that.

You felt someone watching you and you glanced at the window, only to find a crow? a raven? looking back.

"Bastards.”

You both turned your head to the source where a jealous Charles stood. "Are you having coffee without me?" He was acting like you both were cheating on him.

"Oi calm your horses, its not like your body requires coffee."

"And I care why? Everything is not about survival loser." He flicked your forehead.

"Ouch.” You sent him a glare.

"Okay I don't have the energy nor the patience to sit through this." Edwin got up. "You two, be ready in fifteen. Cases await us."

The moon was beginning to appear in the sky and the wind blew some mischievous strands of your hair across your face as you stapled the posters in your hands on the poles around you. A boy was missing, and your client was sure it had to do with some supernatural activity. It paid well so the agency didn't question it further. While the both of them were searching the location of his disappearance for clues, you were seeking more information about him. The wind knocked some papers out of your hand, and you bent down to pick them up. Your body jerked back when you straightened up.

Hand on your heart, you exclaimed, "Jeez!"

The goth guy from your dream stood before you.

"You seriously need to stop doing that," you gritted out.

And then suddenly your mind clicked and the words left you before you could stop them. "Wait you are real?"

Ever so slightly, Dream's face morphed into a question mark.

Okay so that definitely wasn't a dream, it was real. Very real apparently you realized as you assessed the man, no Endless standing before you.

"You need to come with me," he said oblivious to the raging commotion happening inside your mind.

You didn't reply, instead widened your eyes for an elaboration.

"To the Dreaming, my realm.”

"I can't, I am on a case.”

"Your friends can manage without you," he stated as a matter of fact.

You scoffed, "first of all that's rude, secondly-"

But before you could finish, sand, yeah sand for sure, began to swirl around you, gaining more motion until it enwrapped your entire body and when you next opened your eyes, you were in the Dreaming.

"Holy mother of god," you breathed as your eyes took in the throne room, the magnificence of it all, the colours shimmering in the glass pane, the cosmos swirling above you, the vastness of where you stood. You felt trivial, a bug in the path of a jogger.

"Lucienne I would like you to meet somebody," Dream's voice rasped and you revolved your head to face the woman his words were directed to.

A woman with skin like chocolate, sporting fashionable coattails and wearing spectacles that made her look infinitely wise or perhaps the glasses were just an addition to her preexistent wisdom met your eyes.

She bowed her head. “Greetings your lady."

You returned her gesture. "Hello Lucienne."

"Lucienne is my most trusted advisor and the sole librarian of this realm," the Endless spoke.

"Wow, I wonder what the library of the dreaming would look like.”

She peered at you in bafflement for a moment before quickly collecting herself.

"It would be my honour to show you sometime.”

"The honour would be all mine, Lucienne,” you smiled.

"Lord Morpheus," she called to the Endless.

Morpheus? Who the heck is Morpheus?

"Um who is Morpheus?" You decided to voice your curiosity.

A knowing glance passed between the two.

"It's another name I am called by.”

Oh.

"Lucienne go on,”

"There were further abruptions reported earlier around the house of mystery and..."

You were no longer paying attention to Lucienne's speech as your gaze travelled along the enormous cracks dividing the ground.

"Sorry to interrupt but is this part of the decor?" You asked the both of them.

"No," Morpheus sighed, "and that precisely is why you are here.”

"You don't have construction crew around here?"

Morpheus clenched his jaw, "We have Mervin, however this problem does not concern him. It runs deeper than you can comprehend.”

"Then help me comprehend," you said.

Morpheus eyes' pierced into yours, "All in time mortal."

Your legs dangled below you from where you sat in the library. As promised, Lucienne had shown you around and to say you were mesmerized beyond your wits would be a brutal understatement. You were in the dreaming, an entirely different realm, sitting in its library that towered even after you stretched your neck to its capacity, and were going through books that no mortal would have ever had the luxury of touching or even knowing that such pieces exist. Not to mention, having spoken with an Endless. An Endless? The king of Dreams himself. For a second you feared if you were dreaming again. But the old pinch sufficed to make you believe the opposite. But why? How? Your mind was a muddling mess. Guaranteed you had your fair share of weirdness working with the dead boy detectives but this was something entirely else. The librarian had introduced you to Mervin, who to your astonishment was actually a pumpkin head. You were after all in the realm of the dreams, if anything was possible, it was here. A sudden caw pulled you from your spiraling. A crow perched on your shoulders. No a raven? Was this…the raven from before? The one you had glanced in the living room's window?

"Hi kid, I am Matthew."

You weren't as taken aback as you thought you would be at the talking raven. You were slowly getting used to all the craziness.

"Hi Matthew, I am Hazel.”

"Pretty name.”

"Flattery doesn't work on me, just for your information," you stated, your gaze fixed on the words in the book propped open on your lap. "It might serve the goth guy you work for stalker.” You narrowed your eyes at the raven.

"Ooh, a feisty mortal, nice you and I would get along very well.”

And you both did. It would have been just minutes chatting away with Mathew but as your laughs erupted in the silence around you, you felt you had known the guy forever, the raven, oh the raven that had been a guy once.

"Matthew," Dream's cold tone quieted you both. “Leave us alone.”

"Yes boss," the raven obeyed.

"Accompany me,” Dream said as he turned away expecting you to follow behind.

Arrogant.

You fell in with him, a question on your lips when the gates to the palace opened. The question forgotten, your mouth parted in amazement as you stared at the vast expanse of gardens before you. You exited the palace steps, incredulity lingering on your face as you inhaled the sheer exquisiteness of the place you were in.

Dream ushered his head in a direction. "Come," and continued that way.

You jogged to match up his pace.

"What do you know about the Endless?" He asked.

"Very little," you admitted, "I mean I know there are seven of them, Death being one and now you apparently, but I'm afraid that's about all the knowledge I have."

"It is still more than what humans generally know about us."

"Well it's the courtesy of my friends.”

"Ah, your ghost friends," he disclosed.

You stopped in your tracks. "You know?"

"That they are ghosts?" He walked on.

"Yeah I just wondered- I figured you didn't know and that's why you didn't tell Death.”

"Oh Death knows," he revealed the information with a glint in his eye, as if he was enjoying your reaction.

"What?" You cried. Gathering yourself, you said, "Then why doesn't she..go after them? Bring them to the sunless lands and whatever?" You joined him.

"Death has her reasons. She is far kinder than you know.”

"I, I don't know what to say."

Morpheus did not try to continue the conversation. You both walked in silence for some time. Questions ran rampant inside your head, but never left your lips.

"Ask," he said not tearing his eyes away from the path.

You didn't even realize he had sensed your hesitation. Questions grappled with each other to be released first and in that brawl you muttered the stupidest of them all. "How many names do you have?"

If Morpheus was surprised at the choice of your question, he didn't show it. "Many.”

Wow okay that was one elaborate answer if you heard any. Did it pain him to speak?

Just as you had accepted that's all you would get from him, he spoke, "Dream, Morpheus, Oneiros and Sandman to name a few.”

"The Sandman? As in the fable Sandman?"

"Tell me mortal, do I look like a fable to you?"

"Fair point," you mused.

Taking the opportunity of his answering mood, you exploited your luck further. "Can the mortals visit the dreaming anytime? I mean how does this even work?"

"Yes, whenever a mortal sleeps, he enters my realm where I contain the unconscious of the entire world.”

"That sounds…tough.”

"Does this mean I am sleeping right now?" You queried further.

"Exceptionally, no. I brought you here. Your soul and your body are both intact at the present and there is no trace of you in the waking world."

Your mouth opened once more to ask him another question, when his raspy voice cut through the air. “You get one more.”

The ego of this man, fine you insolent arse.

"Do you ever get lonely?"

If you were paying rapt attention you would have noticed the falter in his steps but your eyes were trained on his face.

"No," he answered.

"Seriously? Not ever?"

"You have run out of your questions and your friends must be waiting for you." He turned his body towards you. 

But before he could procure his pouch of sand from his cloak, the ground gave a sudden croak beneath you. Followed by a deafening cracking as the very ground you stood upon began parting into two.

"What the-," you started.

Dream grabbed your elbow and pulled his cloak over you both. The universe itself seemed to wrap around you and in the next moment you were in the waking world. He released his hold on your elbow as if your touch had burned him. He would probably need to wash his hands after touching a mortal.

"Stay here," he ordered.

Before you could object, he had vanished. You waited in the clearing, the stack of posters on the ground and the moon bathing you in its light. You were gone for more than half a day but only a few hours had passed back here. Times moves differently here, Lucienne's words entered your mind. After waiting another 10 minutes, you got up from your position on the ground, collected the posters in your hand, and began to make your way back to the apartment. He wasn't coming back.

Just as you were out the woods, Morpheus' voice reached your ears. "I told you to stay there.”

You turned back. Moonlight filtering through the trees illuminated his pale skin to ghastly pale. He looked beautiful. What? Shut up brain.

"I thought you weren't coming back."

Morpheus didn't say anything to that. This guy really needed to work on his communication skills.

"What was back there?"

"The realm is collapsing, at the rate of the damage we have very little time."

"For what?"

"To prevent it from happening.”

"But-"

"Rest tonight mortal. We begin tomorrow." And with those obscure words he was gone in a blur.

You opened the door to the apartment and were immediately met with yelling. "Where the fuck were you?"

"You just totally vanished!"

"We searched for you everywhere!"

"Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"We were worried!"

Charles and Edwin's frenzied voices overlapped each other.

"Guys guys stop!"

They both fell silent.

"I am sorry I-I had to be somewhere on an urgent business and my phone died down."

"Next time the very least you can do is inform us beforehand," Edwin chided you.

"I swear the situation was out of my control, I promise it won't happen again."

Edwin's features softened and he asked, "Are you alright?"

You exhaled, "Yep I am aces."

"Get your own catchphrases," Charles muttered behind you and draped his arms around your neck from the back. "We are just glad you are back safe and in one piece.”

You leaned against his frame. "You can't even lie properly.”

"Hey sod off.” He broke apart the embrace.

You laughed at his tantrums.

"Anyways you wouldn't believe the adventure we had today. It was brills. Turns out the missing boy was actually..."

Yeah you wouldn't believe the adventure I had today either.  We begin tomorrow, the words scraped against the walls of your mind.

A/N: phew the stage is set. so lmk ur thoughts<3 i would love to hear em!! 

SERIES MASTERLIST ✧˖°.

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you MASTERLIST ✧˖°.

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives || ★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader+charles rowland x edwin payne PARTS: 8/? WARNINGS: angst, slowburn, vivid depictions of gore, blood, violence, mentions of sex

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜

AO3

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (2)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 3K

WARNINGS: mentions of blood, attempted murder?

PART 2 ✧˖°.

The ground was a soothing anchor for your rampant thoughts which all seemed to recede as you laid on the plush grass, its touch on your skin soothing. The stars reflected in your eyes, spanning as far as the eye could see, only obstructed by the mountain ranges surrounding you, capped with ice that shone under the twinkling night sky. The breeze kissed your cheeks and rustled the leaves on the trees that lined the lake gurgling few feet away from you, the sound of ripples caused by the breeze a tranquil sound in your ears. If you weren't already dreaming you would have succumbed to a peaceful slumber long ago. But as a matter of fact you were, and it was no mistaking that, provided you always dreamt of this scenic place. Regardless of the time of the day or the night, you always found yourself here, in midst of what you could only call 'a slice of heaven'. You buried your fingers in the grass, exhaling a deep breath of contentment and let your eyelids droop down, embracing the sound of the howling wind muffled by the river's constant churning. Hours passed by and the dark slowly began to fade away, the sky preparing itself for sunrise. Soon it would be time for you to wake up, you thought dismally. You felt a gaze on you and your eyes opened to catch a blur of darkness staring at you but it only remained a blur because when you blinked it was gone. 'Strange,' you mused to yourself. No one had ever crossed your path here. From the beginning of time, or well the beginning of the past four years when you had stumbled across the agency, you had always been here alone. Just as you began convincing yourself that it was just a trick played by the light, your alarm rang throughout the vast expanse. 

"Ugh," you groaned as you slammed the alarm clock, probably fracturing it a bit.

But it was of no use as the awfully cheery voice of Charles greeted your ears, "Wakey wakey sunshine, the day is new."

He opened the blinds to your window and piercing sunlight entered your eyes.

"Mate are you trying to blind me?" You grumbled in your pillow, turning your head in the other direction. 

"Come on! Wake up," Charles pulled your blanket away.

You opened one eye and squinted at your phone screen, "It is 7 in the morning there is absolutely no reason for any man or ghost to be happy and have that amount of energy at this hour.”

"The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming. It's the best time to live life.”

"Yeah coming from a ghost.”

Your back creaked under the weight of Charles' body as he tried to annoy you into getting up by imparting physical pain. 

"Get off me, you creature!" You mindlessly grabbed his face with your nails but he pinned your arms behind your back.

You tried to wiggle your way free but in vain, "Get. Off. Me."

"Only if you get up as soon as I release you.”

Rendered optionless you huffed, "fine you arse.”

Charles freed his hold on you and you sat up, rubbing your eyes hoping to rid the exhaustion away. 

"Good morning," Charles smiled. 

"Morning," you yawned. 

"Breakfast is getting cold!" Edwin's voice boomed through your apartment. 

"Be right there," you called back. 

You stepped down from your bed and made your way to the bathroom when you halted in your tracks, your reflection peered at you, an enraged expression on its face. Your t-shirt was soiled with blood, your favourite t-shirt. You had almost forgotten about that and you sent a 'I will butcher you alive' actually more like 'I will butcher your ghost' look in Charles' direction who seemed to discern it very well because he wasted not a second in dashing out of your room.

Your coffee mug stared at you, your hands enclosed around it with their initial purpose of warming themselves made useless with your coffee now cold. The contents swirled inside, undissolved sugar twinkling amidst the dark liquid, reminding you of your dream and the odd addition to it last night.

"You okay?" Edwin's voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah I am fine."

"So is the coffee that bad?"

"Eh it’s passable," you scrunched your nose. 

"Edwin I for one think it surpasses excellence," Charles piped in.

"Calm down dude he is not handing out golden stars.”

Charles' only reply was a scowl.

"Thankyou Charles,” Edwin placed his hand on the brunette ghost beside him. 

"Get a room." It was your turn to scowl, earning looks from both of them.

You gulped your coffee down and collected the utensils to deposit them in the sink while the boys pushed the chairs back and rearranged the furniture slightly for what was to follow. 

"I guess we are ready," Edwin spoke and you used that as a cue to open the doors.

"And so we begin.” 

The clicking of your pen echoed in the room. You were half in your chair, while your upper half was rested against the table, eyes boring into the ceiling. 

"Since when did ghosts become so lame?" Charles spoke from his place, legs crossed on the table, touching your head and an apple and a knife in his hand.

It was 4 hours since you opened the gates to the ghosts to hear out their woes and help them cross into a peaceful afterlife. But none of them had presented a case worth pursuing, for all you three wanted more than aiding the distressed was an adventure, an adrenaline rush, gears put to work inside the brain. Yet today every case was solved by asking a few more questions, a remedy supplied by Edward's intellectual mind or some probing by you. After all ghosts trusted you. 

"Since uh you died," you quipped.

But just as Charles opened his mouth to use whatever comeback he had thought of, the doors opened once again with such gusto that it sent the papers on the table flying.

"You have to help me,” A girl's voice pleaded.

"So this is it," you muttered to your ghost buddies who were currently wearing skins of two police officials as you all watched the scene on the opposite side of the street. 

People in uniform bustled about the scene of the crime which they had ruled a 'suicide'. The parents of the girl who had dropped from the roof were huddled in a corner, fresh tears flowing down their already tear stained faces as her corpse was put into a body bag. Your heart weighed down under the sudden sadness enveloping it. The street was silent except the beeping emitting from the ambulance and police cars. The girl's ghost on the other hand was waiting at your place and you were so grateful for that decision, seeing her own body and her parents so broken would have devastated her.

"God it is horrible," Charles voiced aloud your thoughts.

"Come on Charles," Edwin said in a startling female voice. 

"God Charles why do you always have to make him a woman?"

"It suits him," he drawled.

"More like suits your fantasies huh?" 

You were met by Edwin's soft blow on your head, "ow sorry.”

"Ok Hazel, Charles and I will question the victim's parents and provide you with an opportunity to sneak inside. Search the building for any signs of a ghost and wait for us to join you. Be careful, she seemed pretty intent that she didn't commit suicide."

You were about to nod when you caught a glimpse of dark hair retreating behind the house as if you had caught them watching you. 

"Hazel?"

"Huh.” You looked up at Edwin. 

"Is the plan clear to you?" 

"Crystal."

Who was that guy? It eerily reminded you of the blur of darkness in your dream. You tucked your curiosity away for later and brought your focus on the case. It's more important right now.

"Hello?" you called out into the scaffolding. It seemed their house was going through renovation when the incident happened. You shuddered when the images of her parents popped up in your mind.

A clank of metal made you whip your head around. It was nothing, just a piece of construction metal had fallen down. The ground floor provided with no clues, no proof of anything paranormal so you approached the staircase leading upstairs. Sun shone bleakly through the crevices of the area of the house that was being reconstructed. You gripped the banister and began climbing. Wait, was that? Surely not? But as you neared the landing the unmistakable sound of whimpering reached you. They had the entire house cleared right?  No one was supposed to be here. Not someone living atleast. The thud of your boots on the wooden floor quieted the whimpers. Should have worn sneakers, I knew it. 

Still you were determined to find the source of the whimpering and you called out into the silence again, "Hello? Is anyone there? I am here to help." 

No reply. You opened the door on your right and scanned the room but no presence was there. Who were you kidding, like luck is something you know.

As you were closing the door, you spotted a figure hunched on their knees in the corner of the room. Luck and you? That was something new. You made your way to them, to her you realised as the distance shortened between you two. 

"Hey, are you okay?" you spoke in a hushed tone, scared you would startle her. 

The girl, just a teenager, tilted her head up at you, her eyes widened, "You-you can see me?" She managed out.

She had the same auburn hair as the ghost at your apartment and the same dip in her nose.

"Are you a ghost?" She bit her lips.

"I can sweetheart and no I am very much alive, unfortunately."

You bent down to her level, "What are you doing here?"

Your soft tone was merely your politeness, giving her the illusion of choice when you knew she had no other option than to answer your question. 

Another whimper escaped her and she opened her mouth when Charles voice rumbled from downstairs, "Hazel?"

You turned your head away and called his name back, "I am up here!" 

But when you looked back, the girl was gone. You swiveled your head around trying to locate her but there was no sight of her. 

Footsteps grew louder until they reached you and Edwin's voice said, "It's messier than we imagined."

"Yeah?" you asked absentmindedly.

"Turns out the folks outside had two daughters. And guess what happened to the other?" Charles joined the conversation.

Both of them had shed their disguises.

"She died.”

"She die-" Edwin stopped midway.

"How do you know?" He perked his eyebrow.

"Because I think I just saw her.”

"What?" Both of them exclaimed in unison. 

"But how is that possible? She died 5 years ago." 

"Must be one hell of an unfinished business,” you shrugged.

"Isn't it weird that the sister never mentioned her? Like I don’t know about people but if I had a dead sibling who died in the same spot I did, I would atleast mention it," Charles reasoned. 

"God knows man.” You rubbed your forehead.

"Thanks but I do not.” 

You only rolled your eyes at his response, mind too occupied connecting the pieces. "We have to find the girl. She was just here."

"Seems the right course of action to do. Let's split up."

You both nodded in reply to Edwin and went your paths. You searched room after room without any result. 

You began your way back when you spotted him. "Edwin? Charles?" You called to the stoic figure at the end of the corridor. “Is that you?"

But the black robes, the wild mop of the darkest hair, and the air around him that seemed to tingle with his presence was reply enough for you. 

"Who are you?" The words left your lips.

But in the blink of an eye, same as in your dream, he vanished, leaving a befuddled you behind. What the fuck just happened?

You turned around only to be met by the suicide girl who actually did have a name. "Oh hi Aura. What-what are you doing here?"

"I am sorry, I just couldn't wait on my own, wondering-what-that I-"

"I get it.” You quelled her unnecessary rambling. "You can stay here with us and help us locate your sister." 

"My-my sister?" Her eyes widened in fear?

"Yes," you said hesitantly. "Why didn't you tell us about her?"

"It can't be. No no no-" she backed into a corner. 

"Aura?" you voice was laced with concern and caution.

"Hazel! You won't fucking believe this." Charles approached you, slightly out of breath and froze when he saw the auburn hair.

"Hazel- get away from her," he said sternly. 

Confusion must be evident on your face because he repeated his words. "Get away from her, she murdered her sister."

What?

"No no! She is lying!" the ghost screamed, "That prick is lying!"

Charles wasted no second in divulging into his backpack to procure shackles that could bind any ghost, except the one using them.

Before you could ask Aura the question yourself to confirm the truth, she lunged for you. You kicked her in the chest and ran forward but her hands clamped against your mouth, a cool metal blade pressed against the skin of your neck. Where the fuck did she get a knife from? Oh Charles' bloody apple.

"You use that on me, and I won't hesitate to have her join this ghost party."

"Aura," Charles warned. 

Her grip tightened and Charles faltered, "ok ok ok, here." He put the shackles back. "Just let her go."

"Stay there,” she ordered. 

"Please, just let her go," his voice quaked.

She retreated back, the knife still on your throat, towards the stairs. If only you could free your mouth from her grasp. Charles moved forward. 

"Don't you dare," she seethed.

She reached the stairs and you hoped she'd let you go now. But she grinned toothily and slashed her knife across your neck. A clank, a thud. But all you could process was the droplets of blood dripping down as you fell to the floor. Charles was beside you in two quick strides.

His tone was urgent, "are you okay?"

"To be honest I thought cutting your neck would be a much bloodier disaster.”

"It's because you didn't cut your fucking neck you idiot," he chuckled softly. 

But the blood? You brought your hands to your cheek and the blood smeared your fingers, it was just a scratch. 

"But how?" You sat up. 

"I have no freaking clue. It just happened. One second I thought you were going to die and the next-” He looked down where the stairs ended. 

Aura's body was lying on the ground. Unconscious. And there seemed to be...sand? around her. 

Your bones clunked against each other at the crushing embrace of Charles' hug. 

"Oh you sappy boy.” You ruffled his hair. 

He pulled back, his eyes weary with emotion. 

You took his hand. “I love you too idiot.” 

You both smiled at that. 

"Right I better shackle her incase you know, the maniac wakes up.”

"Sounds alright, I will go check up on Edwin.”

"He is on the roof with the little sister.”

You made your way up onto the roof. Edwin seemed to be talking gently with her, trying to coax out the details of her murder and her sister's. Right  you still had no idea who murdered Aura.

"Finally, what on Earth took you so lo-" Edwin's gaze fixated on your cheek. "What happened?"

"All sorted.”

Edwin accepted your answer hesitantly. Then said, "I am afraid I give up. She is all yours.”

You went to the scared teenager and asked her, "will you tell me what happened?"

"So let me just get this straight. Aura murdered her sister accidentally 5 years ago. And then her sister murdered her as revenge yesterday," Charles stated in disbelief.

"Precisely.”

"That's what I suppose healthy family relations look like. I am so envious," Charles said.

"Boy do they give greek mythology some competition," you added.

The three of you turned around, now a safe distance from Death's grasp and waited for her to reap the two souls. Soon, the air tickled with electricity, pronouncing her entrance. It strangely reminded you of the man in the corridor. It was always so surreal to see Death do her work. Blue light coated the roof in an ethereal glimmer as she took the scared soul perched on it to the sunless lands. She had accepted her flaws and fate and the price to be paid had lightened. The wings flew downwards where Aura was shackled and a surprising red painted the windows, perhaps the darkest shade you had witnessed till now. You knew her redemption wouldn't be pleasant but that seemed a tad extreme. The slight quiver in the boys beside you meant they thought the same. 

"That...was something." 

"Something might be an understatement," you spoke.

"Well job officially jobbed," Charles concluded.

You were tidying up your bed to make space for yourself, sleep a welcoming pull in your body. After a refreshing bath and some horrific birdshit Charles had cooked up that was meant to taste like potatoes according to him, you were ready to give in to your exhaustion. Your hair was still wet against your skin, the cool touch pleasing. You went to the mirror, taking some ointment in your fingers for your cheek and looked up to find a set of dark eyes on you in the mirror's glass. You whipped around, the tube falling to the floor and finally saw the mysterious stranger in full light. Black coat brushing the floor, hair equally black and eyes even darker, matching the night sky outside your window. 

His lips parted, "Hello Hazel."

A/N: i know there is a profound lack of dream atp but dw it has just started. and edwin and charles are aged up in this story to be in their early 20s. well technically they are decades old but even in their ghost form they are just not teenagers to me ahsk.

SERIES MASTERLIST✧˖°

[tulipsforyourlips]

✧˖°. i found you ✧˖°. (1)

|| the sandman x dead boy detectives ||

SUMMARY: You run the dead boys detective agency along with your two best friends. And somehow two ghosts and a living girl make it work. Until you dream one night, of dream himself.

PAIRING: dream of the endless x fem!reader

WC: 800

WARNINGS: mentions of blood

PART 1 ✧˖°.

"Promise me.”

"Hope I,-"

"Promise Dream."

"I promise." 

The Dream Lord stiffened in his seat as he banished away his thoughts to the darkest chambers of his mind, afraid they would return otherwise. But they still did, every time. The colours swirling in the glass pane that framed his throne cast vibrant hues of light on his poised face, accentuating his features that were sharp enough to cut skin. Promise Dream, the words came back as a whisper, evoking a chill on his neck that travelled through his spine. He shut his eyes willing his mind to quiet, trying to-

"My lord." Lucienne's welcoming voice pulled him to the present. 

"You have a visitor," she announced. 

Morpheus raised an eyebrow imperceptibly at his failure to come up with someone who might visit his realm, especially when he was not expecting anyone. 

"Little brother,”

The voice was accompanied by a woman with black curls and a skin that glowed before the light from the glass pane even touched her. 

"Death," Morpheus stated, bewilderment tucked somewhere in his tone. After all, he hadn't expected to meet her again so soon. 

"How are you?" She asked.

"I am truly well sister, what brings you here?"

Death knew how much truth his ‘truly well’ held but let it pass for the moment. "Lucienne would you please excuse us for a minute?" 

"Ofcourse my lady.” She dipped her head and pursued the command, closing the colossal doors behind her. 

"Something...something has happened.” Death wasted no time in speaking.  

This time Dream did not try to hide the raise in his eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?" His calm voice floated through the room. 

"Dream,”

Before she could follow the sentence, turmoil had already begun growing within him, Death was using his name only to soften the blow. 

"It's here."

“Bloody hell, that was one hell of a case!” Charles exclaimed as he shut the door behind you three. 

“Charles you know Edwin suffers from serious ptsd please stop using hell so much around him. It’s not like the British lack in creative curses,” you reprimanded him as you shrugged your jacket off, draping it over the couch. 

“Haha you’re hilarious,” Edwin stated monotonically while Charles started chanting ‘hell’ in the background just to spite the both of you. 

“Thanks hon,” you winked. “And Charles shut that hole up or if the ghost didn’t get you I surely will.”

“Hell hell hell hell hell- ow what was that for?” 

You grinned in delight as your boot contacted with his abdomen, “for being annoying.” 

Another “ow” escaped Charles as he sent glaring looks at you. “And that?” 

“For being you,” you beamed, devoid of both your boots now.

Your smile was quickly wiped off your face as Charles began his incantation right in your face. 

“Get away from me!” You groaned flailing your hands to push his bloodied face away. 

“Okay now I don’t know about you both but I for one am seriously tired after the events that have transpired during the day. So if you will excuse me and please take whatever this is,” Edwin gestured at the both of you with a foul expression, “somewhere else because I need to rest.” 

“Hell hell hell,” Charles resumed being annoying as if nothing had happened. 

“I swear if even a droplet of that ghost’s blood drops on my t-shirt I will fucking kill you. Again.” 

“Hell hell- you love me too much for that-hell hell-”

“Yeah? Go on and find out- NO!” You let out a scream that would have for sure woken up your neighbours if you had any, being a secretive ghost agency and what not. 

“You bitch! That was my favourite t-shirt!” You looked down at the once white fabric now bearing an impression of Charles' right profile in blood.

“I know.” He had the audacity to smirk at that. 

You went for his throat, fully determined to give truth to your previous threat when Edwin pulled you from him. 

"Enough! Both of you!” 

Charles and you stared at each other, your ears still hot with fury.

“Charles go wash up that face please! And Hazel you need sleep, unlike us, so go retire to your bedroom.” 

“Like you can just order us around,” you rolled your eyes. 

But Edwin’s one look in your way got you scrambling for your jacket. 

“Yes boss.” Charles made his way to the bathroom. 

“Goodnight Edwin, fuck you Charles.” And you departed with your wishes.

You sighed as you switched on the lights in your room, and plopped down on the single bed. Not even mustering up the courage to change into your night clothes, you let sleep engulf you and entered the world of dreaming. 

A/N: hello peeps this story is set post the events of the sandman show and i haven’t read the comics so you will have to bear with the inconsistencies and the like. if i mess up real bad pls do let me know<3

SERIES MASTERLIST ✧˖°.