Chapter Text
Hob had been elated upon seeing his stranger, no now his self proclaimed friend walk into the new inn.
There were all manner of things Hob had planned to say to him, some were apologies, he even thought of begging for forgiveness for his previous overstep, and then of course there were the other not so kind things he thought of saying but in his shock all he could say was “ you’re late. ” And yeah maybe not his strongest start to a conversation but his friend smiles-genuinely smiles; it’s small and subtle but Hob will cherish it- and yes he can say friend now after all this time because he had stated as much himself.
After a long but not always uncomfortable silence and some probing questions from Hob his friend had very vaguely explained where he had been for the last hundred or so years. Even then the words indisposed and captured are enough to light a fire of rage in Hob that he hasn’t felt in years and he offers several times to kill whoever felt it right to capture his friend. Dream simply replies in a haunting tone that it is dealt with but his amusement at Hob's insistence on revenge persists despite his melancholy words.
They talk for so long that Hob ends up having to apologise profusely for overstaying their welcome at the inn when a young worker is forced to politely ask them to leave.
He quickly decides to lead his friend upstairs to the apartment above so they may continue without keeping the bar workers up all night.
It is a little embarrassing when Hob has to run around his living room tidying up a bit, finding a place to comfortably sit in the living room is harder than one may think at the moment due to the sheer amount of tests and papers Hob has to mark scattered on every available surface, once he’s done clearing the couch he gestures for his friend to sit beside him. With only a little hesitation he does so and Hob begins their conversation afresh with an approximation of the question that has been plaguing him for over thirty years.
“Is that why you missed our meeting then? Some fucker had you in a cage?” There’s a slight growl in Hobs voice as he has to speak his friend's fate aloud, he expects him to again be amused by Hobs anger but he simply looks away towards the window with no clear expression.
“ …perhaps .” There’s no real intonation in his tone and Hob feels a brief stab of anxiety over what that could mean.
“I get your whole mysterious deal but that’s really more of a yes or no question.” He decides he should just ask, he only risks another missed meeting and Hob has learned patience by now.
“ I was indeed detained when I missed our meeting, but truthfully I believe I would have missed it regardless. ” He doesn’t look at Hob as he speaks, instead more interested in the wallpaper Hob chose some thirty years ago. He really should get around to updating it. “ My sister reminded me of you recently, and with time enough to think and do little else I… Reconsidered some previous convictions I once held. ”
Hob nods slowly, his expression is probably a little sad as he takes in the confession and he sips his drink before sighing deeply.
“Fancy way of saying you changed your mind about being my friend, I’m not offended or anything mate. Really you’re a God or whatever I would have been content to have known you as long as I did in the way that I did.”
“ Then why did you wait, Hob Gadling? ”
There’s a desperation in his friend's tone that Hob has never heard before, it takes him by surprise and makes him want to give the man anything he asks for.
“Because I’m happier to know you than to have known you.” Hob says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I woulda sat in the pub till the end of my days on the off chance of seeing you before this all goes up in smoke. You’re my friend, were back then too even if you didn’t view me as yours.”
For a brief moment something flares bright in his friends’ eyes as they snap up to meet Hobs in a searing glance.
“ You are mine. ” His gaze shifts away perhaps too quickly. “ You are my friend, I took too long to realise that. ”
“Eh what’s a few years between us, we’ve nothing but time.” Despite his calm response Hob feels his heart flutter in his chest, his stranger had said they were friends not once but twice in a single conversation. “If we truly are friends may I ask for your name? If not then at least something I may refer to you as, for my own thoughts if nothing else.”
“ You may call me Dream or Morpheus, whichever you prefer it matters not to me which you use. ” Dream almost sounds like he meant to share this fact much earlier in the conversation and simply forgot to. Hob’s answering smile is probably his most overjoyed to date which is saying something.
“Well Dream it’s a pleasure to meet you, Now shall I update you on all the progress humanity has made in your absence? You’ve missed a lot so this’ll take a while, unless you must go?”
Hob is remiss to say it but he can already see the night sky clearly from his window and really he should have been in bed hours ago for work in the morning.
“ I have time if you do Hob Gadling, there is much I must catch up on. ” Dream follows his gaze to the sky as he speaks, Hob finds himself smiling again from the simple joy of looking at him.
And really would stay awake for days on end if it meant he could talk with Dream, so he settles into his seat and picks the first thing he can think of to talk about.
“Computers, you’ve missed computers and smartphones! I remember when you’d have to write a letter or go see someone in person if you wanted to say something to them. Now we’ve got computers that send emails and phones that send texts or video calls! Oh video calls, you can have friends on the other side of the world, I mean that used to mean the end of a friendship and now it’s nothing of the sort.” Hob knows he’s rambling and it’s not as formulated as his usual updates but Dream doesn’t seem to mind, he simply shifts to look at Hob and listen intently. God Hob had missed that look.
The sun is almost rising by the time Hob feels he’s reached his limit of talking about the last hundred years of advancements, he hadn’t even covered half of it but despite being a teacher there’s only so much he can lecture about in one go even if his students might say otherwise.
Perhaps he could make Dream some PowerPoints to look through, the idea amuses him so much he chuckles a little aloud which draws his friends eyes towards him with an amused curiosity.
“Ignore me, lack of sleep I’m getting a little giggly.” He can’t hold back a yawn which seems eager to punctuate his point rather effectively.
Dreams' eyes widen ever so slightly as he turns to look out at the rising sun, he seems almost surprised at the amount of time that’s passed. Hob feels just a little pride at that, his students always say his lectures are the most interesting and perhaps that’s a talent honed for a specific purpose but they don’t need to know that.
“ I will leave you to rest, you have updated me well on the new advancements of this decade. You do not seek death I presume? ” The question is tagged onto the end as though it was almost forgotten. Hob shakes his head.
“Nah not a chance, so in another hundred years then?”
It’s out before Hob can stop it and he mentally kicks himself for not prolonging this interaction In some way, he feels a deep longing already building in his bones. He looks at Dream intently, wanting to memorise him perfectly this time. It’s an odd feeling to long for someone that hasn’t even left yet, he missed his friend when they last fought, but he only longed for his company when it replaced the hope that Dream would show up at their missed meeting regardless of how they left off last time.
“ ….if that is what you wish Hob Gadling. ”
Dreams' answer is stilted and follows a silence a few seconds too long to be accidental and too short to be entirely deliberate. Now hold on this was new.
“Mate I’d wish for you to pop by whenever the mood strikes you and perhaps more often besides. But I can't expect you to pop round for a drink every third day though can I?”
Hob is aiming for joking but there’s too much truth in it to really be a joke, it’s simply a statement made with a hint of humour which must do the trick because Dream huffs out a small breath that’s almost like a laugh.
“ Perhaps not as often as that Hob Gadling, but a drink every now and then does sound appealing. ”
Dream's reply is equally truthful and Hob finds himself grinning brightly, now and then for an immortal could mean any number of countless years between meetings but Hob would be glad for even a ninety nine year gap just to see his friend slightly more often than before.
“Well you’re always welcome.” Hob truly means it, Dream could show up mid lecture to drag him away from work and Hob would go willingly with an apologetic smile to his class.
“ A bold statement to make to one such as myself, perhaps reconsider the wording before you make that promise. ” There’s amusement in Dream’s tone but something powerful behind it, perhaps some would interpret it as a threat but Hob sees it as Dream testing some unseen boundary.
“Dream, I will always be glad to see you my friend, you could never be unwanted where I am.” Hob doesn’t hesitate to grant Dream whatever permission he was looking for, his friend is lonely, Hob knows that now for sure and he will do all within his power to fix that even if all he has to offer is his company.
“ … ” Dream inclines his head ever so slightly to indicate he hears Hob's words, his eyes are a little brighter than before. “ I shall visit you then Hob Gadling, In the waking and should you ever wish to visit me in the dreaming you need only call my name. ”
“A bold statement to make to one such as myself.” Hobs grins, suddenly sure enough that his playful mimicry will be well received to risk it. Dream simply tips his head with a curious almost smile.
“ One such as yourself? ”
“An old friend who’s missed you quite terribly.”
Perhaps not as playful a response as Dream had expected but Hob means it so he doesn’t say anything to pad out the statement with mirth.
“ Oh. ”
Dream seems surprised, or as surprised as Hob has ever seen him anyway. His eyes narrow briefly before he turns away from Hob entirely. For a moment Hob is worried he’s somehow deeply offended his friend again and they’ll have a repeat of that last meeting and that fear builds enough that he reaches out to stop him but-
“ I missed you too my friend, we shall speak again soon. ” As soon as the words are spoken Hob is alone in his living room with their implication.
He doesn’t have long to contemplate what that means for their relationship before his morning alarm goes off with a screeching noise and Hob has to resist the urge to just call in sick. He did chose to stay up all night with his friend and he won’t make his students suffer for that, so he flicks the kettle on and sets about making himself a very strong cup of coffee to get him through his morning lecture.
Even running on no sleep Hob can’t help grinning like a fool all through the day, a few of his fellow staff members even comment on it. Hob explains away his mood by saying he met up with an old friend he hasn’t seen for a long time and while technically that’s true he feels that so much more than that has happened in the last twenty four hours. Hobs know this interaction would carry him well beyond a one hundred year wait to see his friend again but he is more than delighted to know that he will not have to wait nearly that long.