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unpredictable-probabilities · 2 days

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A Star's Respite

Summary:

After not being able to see his dear sister for a long time, actor Morpheus Evermoore decides to defy his superiors' stifling schedule and leave to attend her birthday.

Meanwhile, times have fallen hard on The White Horse pub due to competition from new businesses. Owner Hob Gadling contemplates on closing it down, thinking it unlikely that a solution would present itself anytime soon.

Word Count: 11,799

Notes (more at the end):

For Dreamling Week Day 6: Monochromatic

[Read on AO3]

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Morpheus made his way to his trailer as the film crew began packing up the equipment. They had just wrapped up the last day of filming for his latest movie, and he was sincerely hoping he would get at least a few minutes of peace. And possibly lunch. It was almost noon, but they’d been so busy that he hadn’t had a chance to eat breakfast apart from the singular chocolate chip cookie that his assistant Matthew managed to shove into his hand a few minutes before filming.

He went into his trailer and closed the door behind him, taking his phone from the dresser and sitting on the small couch. He unbuttoned the front of his tuxedo and tried to settle down as best he could.

Usually he changed out of his film clothes immediately, in order to not risk damage on any properties of the costume department, but he owned this particular ensemble, and he had more pressing matters to attend to.

He unlocked his phone and viewed the notifications.

As he had expected, there was a message from his little sister. They had been having a conversation earlier before it was interrupted by his work schedule.

He opened the message.

Blysse: It’s okay if you really can’t come to my birthday. I understand. We’ll just see each other next time you’re not busy 💖

Morpheus sighed and ran a hand down his face. Ever since his career picked up a few years ago, he had missed so many important events in her life; school plays, ballet recitals, and most recently, birthdays.

Blysse never complained, which made it worse, somehow. Morpheus hated seeing how sad her eyes looked whenever he had to tell her on video call that he wouldn’t be able to make it home on time. He would rather her get angry with him if it meant she would not be so upset after.

Morpheus checked his schedule on his phone for what felt like the hundredth time this week. Blysse’s 18th birthday party would be on Sunday, three days from now. With the filming finished today and nothing else lined up for this week, he should have some time to himself. He already brought it up to his manager, but Mr. Fry didn’t want him leaving the city, insisting that he should start preparing for the press tour that would start in three weeks. There was a photoshoot on Monday too, and Mr. Fry didn’t want him to leave on Sunday and risk being unable to attend it.

Erasmus Fry had always been his manager, and he didn’t want to seem ungrateful by arguing about the schedules. Yet there was an ugly feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he would remember that he hadn’t seen Blysse in nearly a year now.

His phone lit up with a notification. He opened it to see a message from Blysse.

Blysse: I made this for your birthday last year, it was supposed to be a surprise but you weren’t able to come home. Be here on your birthday this year so I can give it to you! ^_^

The attached photo was a painting of him, a rendition of his movie poster from his very first film, but Blysse had done it in her unique style using vibrant colours that seemed to leap off the canvas.

Morpheus bit the inside of his cheek to quell the emotions rising within him. Truly, Blysse deserved all the love and care in the world. He only wished he could give her even a fraction of it.

He looked at his schedule again and at Blysse’s messages. A determined frown creased his forehead and his mouth set into a hard line.

He slightly opened his trailer door and looked around outside. The film crew was halfway done with packing up, and Mr. Fry was nowhere to be seen.

He quickly grabbed his wallet and keys on the dresser, securing them in his pockets. He sent a quick text to Blysse:

Morpheus: I shall be there for your birthday.

He turned off his phone, slipped out of his trailer, and closed the door behind him.

He casually walked to the far side of the trailer to hide him from view of the film crew, and sprinted towards the direction of the main road.

***

Hob set down the mug on the rack after he finished polishing it. He picked up a second mug and started the process all over again. The White Horse wouldn’t be open for another two hours, and none of his staff are here yet, but he needed something to do. The pub hadn’t been doing so well recently, with new competition popping up all over the place and that mall that just opened down the next block. He was still able to pay the electric bill and rent for the building, but he wasn’t so confident about next month. He had enough saved up that he’d be able to move to some other, smaller place, and he could always go back to teaching, but he was worried about the staff. As the owner of the pub, he felt that he should be able to do more for the people who relied on him.

That was why he had gone here, behind the bar, cleaning dishware that didn’t need cleaning. He had to think of a way to promote the pub somehow. They still had loyal customers, so he knew that the quality of their food or service hadn’t gone down. The problem was visibility; it was difficult to gain new customers when most people don’t even know about the pub.

He didn’t want his staff to be suddenly out of jobs, and he had to come up with something soon. It wasn’t like the solution to all his problems would just barge through the front door.

A sudden sound startled Hob out of his thoughts.

He looked over and saw that someone was prying open the sliding window on the far wall. He tensed at the possibility of a burglary, but who would rob a place at high noon?

The slender figure slipped in through the window and slammed it shut, crouching low on the floor and peeking out the window.

By this point Hob noticed that it was a man, too finely dressed to be a burglar of any sort. His tuxedo alone probably cost more than Hob’s rent.

A group of men in black uniforms ran past, and the tuxedoed man ducked quickly out of sight. He heaved a sigh of relief and sat back against the wall.

He met Hob’s gaze, and his eyes widened.

Hob probably didn’t look any different; he almost dropped the mug when he recognized the man sitting on his floor.

Oh my god.

“I apologise.” The man quickly stood up and walked over to the bar. “I did not mean to break into your establishment. I was just…” he cast a worried glance over his shoulder towards the window before looking at Hob again. “May I stay for a few minutes? I promise not to get in the way.”

Hob had just been staring wide-eyed the entire time, his brain still catching up to the fact that a movie star had just climbed in through his window. There was no mistaking that deep voice; Hob had seen a few films of Dream Evermoore and this was definitely him. And okay, maybe he had seen a bit more than a few films. Maybe he had seen all of them. But who’s counting?

“Um…” Hob finally found his voice. His wits were slowly returning to him, and he realised how worried Dream looked. The man’s eyes looked strained, and his fingers were tapping nervously on the bar. “Are you alright? Are you in danger?” Hob glanced at the window, but fortunately no one else was approaching. Was Dream being mugged?

Dream blinked at him, blue eyes bright with surprise. “I… I am alright, yes. Thank you. No danger. Apart from possibly being caught and reprimanded by my employers for sneaking out,” he gave a small smile. “May I sit?” he pointed to a barstool.

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Hob said quickly, putting the mug away and clearing the counter of coasters and menus. He had so many questions, but he held himself back. Seeing Dream so distressed felt wrong, somehow, and he didn’t want to cause such a worried look on his face again. “Can I… get you anything? Coffee? Some bread?” He wasn't sure what the proper etiquette was for hosting an impromptu visit from a celebrity. A gorgeous celebrity he had admired for years. Sitting two feet away from him. God have mercy.

“Thank you, but you do not need to prepare anything. I would not like to impose any more than I already have.”

A rumble that suspiciously sounded like it came from Dream’s stomach interrupted before Hob could say anything.

Dream closed his eyes momentarily, his cheekbones going pink, and Hob had to bite back a smile that would have looked impossibly fond.

“Well, I haven’t had lunch yet, and I was just about to make something, anyway. Care to join me?” Hob asked, trying to keep his tone casual. He had no idea what celebrities like Dream liked to eat for lunch, but he had a feeling that Dream didn’t want to be treated like a celebrity right now.

Dream pursed his lips before nodding slowly. “You are kind. I will pay for the meal.”

“Nah, it's fine. I'm the one who offered it. Just wait here, it'll be ready in about 15 minutes. And the pub doesn't open until 2 PM, so no one will see you,” Hob reassured him. He turned to go to the kitchen.

“May I help?”

Hob turned back to see that Dream was standing again.

“I do not feel comfortable doing nothing while you prepare something for me, especially since you would not allow me to pay for it. I wish to help in the kitchen, if that's all right.”

“Oh, um…” Hob suddenly wondered if the kitchen looked neat enough for visitors. They always kept it clean, of course, but the idea of having Dream in it was making him feel a tad self-conscious. “Are you sure?”

Dream nodded. “I know how to cook, and I will not get in the way.”

There it was again. Why did Dream always assume that he would be seen as getting in the way? Hob might have expected the opposite for someone of his status. He pushed down his curiosity and smiled.

“Sure, come on,” Hob waved Dream over to join him in the kitchen.

Dream was quiet and just stood patiently by the counter as Hob prepared the steaks and got the potatoes from the pantry, but he was looking around the kitchen with such curiosity and wonder in his eyes that made Hob smile.

Hob had been working in this kitchen for three years, and he realised he might be taking it for granted. But seeing Dream react to it now—subtle though it was—made Hob see the place again like he did the first time, with pride and appreciation of the fact that he was able to make his dream business a reality.

“When’s the last time you ate?” Hob asked to make conversation as he laid out the ingredients. “Did you come from set?” he nodded to Dream’ tuxedo. Now that he was calmer, he recognized it from the trailer of Dream’s latest movie.

Dream nodded. “There is catering provided for lunch, but I left right after we filmed the last scene.”

“Wait, did you run all the way here?” Hob frowned. “On an empty stomach?”

“It is only four blocks away.”

Hob had no idea they were filming so near his place. But more importantly, “You had breakfast, right?”

Dream blinked. “There was a chocolate chip cookie.”

Hob raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “Oh my god. Start chopping these, we gotta get some food in you quick.” He passed the bowl of potatoes over to Dream.

“I assure you, I’m all right,” Dream took the bowl with an amused smile. “It is hardly the first time I had worked for hours without eating.” He began to peel the potatoes.

Hob raised an eyebrow. “You realise that’s worse, right? Is that why you’re so thin?” He put the steaks on the pan and began basting them with butter and seasonings.

Dream’s smile turned fond. “It never seemed to be a problem. My employers actually seem to prefer that I am this slender; they said it is more appealing to the audience.”

Hob suddenly remembered his students at the high school he worked at before, how there was bullying about weight, and how fights and mental breakdowns occurred because of it.

Hob had to bite back a few choice words he wanted to say about those employers. Sure, he had always thought Dream looked beautiful, but he would never choose him being thin over him actually eating properly. And who decided anyway that being thin was the only way to be beautiful?

He let out a breath to calm himself and flipped the steaks in the pan. “Well, you don’t have to worry about any of that here. You’re appealing to me either way,” he winked, trying to lighten the mood.

Dream chuckled and glanced down for a second, and Hob immediately wanted to hear that sound from him again.

“You are kind,” Dream said as he set the potatoes to boil. “Do you always treat your trespassers this way?”

“You’re the only trespasser I’ve encountered so far,” Hob turned off the stove and transferred the steaks onto a plate. “And it’s really no problem, I do run a food business.”

“And yet you will not let me pay for the meal,” Dream arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“You’re helping cook it,” Hob pointed out. “That’s the payment.”

Dream smiled in fond amusement again and didn’t say anything more. He removed his jacket and hung it on a hook before rolling up his sleeves. “I gather that the cheese and seasonings you brought out are for the potatoes? I saw the baked potato option on your menu earlier. I would like to start the process, if you would permit me to use your oven.”

“Um…” Hob was too busy trying not to stare at Dream’s toned forearms to process the words immediately. “Yeah, go ahead.”

So Dream attended to the potatoes while Hob chopped the vegetables to go with it. They worked well together, and Hob was glad to see that Dream visibly became more comfortable around him as they cooked. His shoulders relaxed and his smiles came a bit more easily.

Soon enough, they had placed all their food on one of the tables in the pub. Hob set up the plates and prepared a glass of lemon soda for each of them. He had briefly considered serving wine but he didn’t want to risk Dream getting the wrong idea.

“What time do you need to start preparing to open?” Dream asked as he cut a piece of steak. “I would not want to overstay.”

“We got more than an hour left, don’t worry. And we can cook more food if you’re still hungry after that,” Hob said sincerely.

Dream took a bite of the steak and his face lit up. “You are a good cook. This is perhaps one of the best steaks I have ever tasted.”

Hob chuckled and glanced down, his face warming. “Thanks, but you’re probably just really hungry.”

Dream smiled, then he seemed to realise something. “I don't even know your name yet. I apologise. At first I did not think it would be polite to ask for it after I had trespassed into your property, and afterwards it had slipped my mind.”

“Oh! Yeah, that’s fine, it slipped my mind, too.” Hob smiled and reached out a hand. “Robert Gadling. But my friends call me Hob.”

Dream shook his hand firmly. “A pleasure to meet you, Robert. I’m guessing you already know who I am, based on our conversations earlier,” he said playfully before retracting his hand.

“I do, yeah. And I said my friends call me Hob,” Hob raised an eyebrow.

Dream blinked. “Yes, I understood you.”

Hob just kept staring at him, barely able to suppress a fond smile.

Dream’s eyes widened a fraction. “You… see me as your friend?”

“Yeah? If that’s okay…?” Hob smiled sheepishly.

A soft smile slowly appeared on Dream’s face, and the room became brighter. “It is. In that case, you may call me Morpheus, if you wish. Dream is merely my screenname.”

Hob froze for a second, his fork halfway to his mouth. Did Dream—Morpheus—really just give him his real name? He was a private person, and as far as Hob knew, no one referred to Morpheus by that name, not even hardcore fans on the internet.

Hob snapped his mouth shut and nodded, setting his fork back down. “I’m glad to have you here. Morpheus.” He smiled.

Morpheus opened his mouth to reply, but his eyes grew wide as he looked at something behind Hob.

Hob turned and saw three of his staff coming in through the door. They were having a conversation and laughing, and hadn’t seen either of them yet.

“I must go,” Morpheus said suddenly, standing up.

Hob stood up and grabbed Morpheus’ arm without thinking, then pulled him along behind the bar and back into the kitchen.

“There’s a fire exit through here but… will you be okay?” Hob asked. He didn’t know what Morpheus was running away from, and it didn’t feel like his business to ask.

Morpheus pursed his lips and looked reluctantly at the sign that said FIRE EXIT.

Hob remembered how worried he had seemed earlier, the tension in his shoulders as if he was scared that Hob was going to kick him out.

“You can hide in my flat upstairs,” Hob heard himself say.

“What?” Morpheus said in surprise.

“Just until you feel that it’s safe to leave,” Hob hurriedly added.

“Boss? Are you in here?” Lou’s voice came through the open kitchen door around the corner. “Should we clear your plates?”

Hob met Morpheus’ eyes, and Morpheus nodded quickly.

Hob pulled Morpheus silently out through the fire exit—belatedly realising he had never let go of his arm—and led him up the stairs to his flat.

He fished his keys out of his pocket and quickly opened the door.

“You can stay here for now,” he said as they went in and he closed the door behind them.

He turned around and was suddenly greeted by the state of his living room.

Books and magazines cluttered the coffee table among an empty teacup and sandwich wrappers, the potted plant near the window was turned over on its side, and enough clothes were strewn on the couch to dress a family of four.

“I am so sorry—” Hob hurried to the couch and began gathering items of clothing in his arms. “Took these out of the dryer this morning, been meaning to fold them tonight.”

He carried the bundle of clothes to his room and tossed them unceremoniously on the bed. Then he ran back to the living room and righted the potted plant; he had knocked it over on his way out of the door that morning, and he had been so worried about next month’s rent that he just vaguely made a mental note to straighten things up when he got home.

He went to tidy up the coffee table—

“Hob.”

He instinctively glanced up at the sound of that voice saying his name.

Morpheus had a small smile on his face. “It’s alright. Your home is lovely. You have your work to attend to, and your employees will be wondering why you disappeared halfway through a meal.”

“Right,” Hob nodded and ran a hand through his hair to calm down. “Have a seat, and help yourself to anything in my fridge. I’ll pack up the rest of our lunch and bring it up here.”

“You don’t need to go to such trouble. I’ll be okay just resting here for a while.”

“It’s no trouble, Morpheus. We cooked it so you could eat, right? I’ll be right back.” Hob went out the door before Morpheus could protest further.

***

True to his word, Hob had packed up their lunch and brought it to his home. They finished their meal together and Hob said he told his employees that he had a friend over, hence the dining set up for two people, so Morpheus didn’t have to worry about anyone knowing he was there.

Afterwards, Hob left to help at the pub, but not before quickly scrawling his phone number on the notepad on the counter. “In case you need anything,” he had said.

Morpheus still wasn’t entirely certain why the man was so kind to him, especially after he had broken into his establishment. Hob did not even ask why he was running away, and yet he trusted him enough to leave him alone here in his home.

No matter, he would find a way to repay Robert Gadling for all his help. For now, there were other matters that needed attending.

He sat on Hob’s couch and took his phone out of his pocket, turning it on and bracing himself for the barrage of texts and voicemails that were sure to flood his notifications.

There were several messages of varying politeness asking him where he was and when he was coming back, and a few threats from Mr. Fry saying that if he didn’t come back immediately he would lose his job. Morpheus read all of them with relative indifference, having expected the messages already. He didn’t reply to anyone apart from Matthew.

Morpheus: I am well. I will be coming back on Monday at the studio in time for the photoshoot.

Then he opened the text that he was truly looking forward to seeing.

Blysse: 😯 Really? What happened? They let you take days off?

Morpheus: I will tell you the details when we see each other.

Blysse: ‘Kay! Thank youuu! I’m so excited to see you again! 💞💞💞

Morpheus smiled, he could almost see the twinkle in his sister’s eyes.

Morpheus: I very much look forward to seeing you again as well 🖤🤍

A new notification popped up, and he opened it.

Matthew: You got it, sir. You’re out of the city now, right? Mr. Fry coordinated with the rest of the team and they’re basically combing the area looking for you.

Morpheus sighed. A few people were aware of his reasons for asking Mr. Fry to let him leave for the weekend, but only Matthew seemed to really understand why it was so important to him. Morpheus was glad to have at least one person he could wholeheartedly trust at his work.

Morpheus: Thank you for letting me know, Matthew.

Morpheus put his phone down and leaned his head back against the couch. He might need a bit more help from his new friend.

***

Hob removed his apron and hung it on the hook in the kitchen. Now that his shift was done, he wondered what he should make for dinner. He didn’t want to take any of the ingredients from the pub while there were still customers coming in, and lately he didn’t have the energy to cook for himself so he wasn’t sure what ingredients he still had at his flat. Maybe he would just order takeout again.

He leaned against the counter and checked his phone. Still no texts from Morpheus. Hob had been half-expecting to get a message saying that Morpheus was leaving already, but there was nothing. He couldn’t text Morpheus because he didn’t know his number, and earlier he wasn’t sure if he should ask.

“Boss, don’t forget your jacket,” Merv’s voice made him look up.

“That’s not mine,” Hob said without thinking, seeing Morpheus’ jacket on the hook.

Lou walked by bringing in a tray of dishes to the sink. “Maybe it belongs to his friend from earlier,” she said cheekily.

“Oh, is that friend coming back, then?” Merv asked, with the less-than-subtle implication of Can we meet him?

“I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Hob said good-naturedly and took the jacket before going out the fire exit.

Maybe Morpheus did leave already but just didn’t let him know, that was always possible. He had his jacket, though. Would Morpheus come back for it? Probably not, but Hob wanted to hope he would.

He reached the top of the stairs and tried the handle on his door. Locked. Morpheus really must have left and locked it behind him.

Hob sighed as he took his key out and unlocked it, trying not to be too disappointed.

He stepped into his flat and froze as the smell of something cooking reached him. Then he noticed that his coffee table had been cleared of clutter, the books and magazines neatly stacked beside each other. Even the bits of soil that had spilled from the overturned potted plant earlier were gone now.

In a daze, he closed the door behind him and walked towards the kitchen.

The unwashed dishes that he’d left in the sink this morning were now clean and placed in the drying rack, and he didn’t know what Morpheus was cooking at his stove but it smelled delicious.

Morpheus turned at the sound of his footsteps. “Hob. Good evening. You’re just in time for dinner.” He turned off the stove and transferred the contents of the skillet onto a plate. “I hope you don’t mind. You did say I could help myself to anything in your fridge,” he gave a small smile.

Hob saw that Morpheus had cooked buttered salmon with sautéed cauliflower and roasted peanuts, all lined up on the counter now.

“You cooked for me?” Hob immediately wanted to kick himself after saying the words. Obviously Morpheus had cooked for himself, and Hob just happened to arrive when it was done.

“Yes,” Morpheus nodded. “It’s the least I could do after all your help today. Though if you’ve eaten already it’s alright, I can eat by myself and refrigerate the leftovers.”

“No, I haven’t had dinner yet.” Hob’s mind was still recovering from the whiplash of thinking Morpheus had gone and then seeing him having cooked for the both of them. “Oh, you left your jacket in the pub,” he held it out.

“Ah, that’s right. Thank you.” Morpheus took the jacket from him, causing their fingers to brush, and Hob wondered if the rest of his hand was just as soft.

“Shall I take these plates to the table, then?” Hob asked, a little louder than what was probably necessary.

“Let me help. I shall just hang my jacket on your coat rack.”

They set the table for their dinner, in a manner that was so similar to how they set up lunch just a few hours earlier, and Hob couldn’t help but feel that it was so domestic. How had his day turned out like this?

“You didn’t have to clean up, you know,” Hob said as they ate. “I’d say you didn’t have to cook either, but I’m not complaining about these,” he gestured to the food. The salmon was so soft it nearly melted in his mouth, and the vegetables were crisp.

The corners of Morpheus’ mouth lifted. “It’s alright, I did not have much else to do, anyway. And… I have one more favour to ask of you.” He glanced down, then looked up in hesitation at Hob through his eyelashes.

Hob found himself looking back in anticipation. He didn’t know what he was expecting—or hoping for—but he seemed unable to look away from those blue eyes.

“My assistant had texted me that my employers are actively looking for me; it would be more difficult for me to leave the city now. Would you perhaps be able to help me find accommodations for the night? I am not very familiar with the area, and I would prefer someplace where they would not easily find me.”

“Oh, well…” Hob frowned thoughtfully. He knew several inns that were a short drive away, but he wasn’t sure whether any of them would be inconspicuous enough. “What if…” he tapped his fork nervously on his plate. “What if you stay here? There’s a spare toothbrush in the bathroom.”

“What?” Morpheus looked taken aback. “You don’t even know why I want to hide from my employers. How could you trust me to sleep under the same roof as you?”

Hob raised an eyebrow. “If you wanted to steal from me for whatever reason, you’ve had hours of opportunity already. If you wanted to harm me, you could have ambushed me when I came in or poisoned this dinner. I have no reason to think you’re dangerous.”

Morpheus blinked, then shook his head fondly. “How do you know I have not poisoned your food? Perhaps it is a slow-acting poison.”

“Just to keep me alive long enough to compliment your cooking?” Hob ate a mouthful of vegetables.

Morpheus chuckled. “I suppose, if I am to stay here, then I must tell you why I am hiding from them.”

Hob shook his head. “No, you don’t have to do that. It’s your personal business, really.” He didn’t want Morpheus to feel like he had to keep paying for his stay.

Morpheus looked thoughtful for a while. “I would like to talk about it. To a friend.” He met Hob’s eyes.

Hob felt a certain warmth in his chest at that look, and he smiled. “Then yeah, I’d love to listen.”

So Hob did. There was a gleam in Morpheus’ eyes while he talked about his two sisters who lived together, one older than him and the other one younger, though he was evidently upset that he wasn’t able to spend more time with them.

“I have no other obligations at work until Monday,” Morpheus added, somewhat defensively, after telling Hob how his bodyguards spotted him before he got too far from the set and chased him for four blocks before he decided to hide in The White Horse in a panic.

Hob leaned back in his chair as he took all that in. He had employees too, but he couldn’t imagine controlling their lives like that.

“Your manager,” Hob said carefully, not wanting to offend Morpheus. “Erasmus Fry? Has he always been like that?”

Morpheus nodded. “Yes. He was also the one who insisted that I have bodyguards. He had said it was for my sake, but as of late I have begun to wonder if he just wanted me to be watched at all times.” His voice had gone a little quieter, but he must have noticed Hob’s worried face because he put on a smile, though his eyes looked tired. “I will bring the plates to the sink.” He stood up and began stacking them.

“Hey, you cooked,” Hob reminded him, carefully taking the small stack of plates. “That means I clean. Feel free to use the shower in the meantime. I’ll lend you some clothes.” At Morpheus’ surprised look, he added. “You really wanna sleep in the same clothes you wore to work and your impromptu jogging?”

Morpheus pursed his lips. “I suppose not. Very well.”

Hob got some grey sweatpants and a brown sweater from his room and handed them to Morpheus, then went ahead and washed the dishes.

It had been quite a long day. When he woke up this morning and decided to spend some time in the pub by himself, he hadn’t been expecting for any of this to happen. It was strange; he knew Morpheus was a celebrity, had watched his movies for years, but when they were spending time together, it was almost like he forgot that Morpheus was an actor. They were just two friends having a meal, talking about their families.

“Where is your laundry area? I would like to wash my clothes.” Morpheus’ voice took him out of his musings.

“Oh, it’s just over…” Hob trailed off after he turned and saw Morpheus.

His damp ruffled hair was sticking up in places and falling across his forehead, giving his face a much softer look.

And then the sweater.

Hob had chosen that sweater to lend him because it was one of his most comfortable ones. He hadn’t considered the fact that because it had always been loose on him, it would be even more so on Morpheus.

Hob could see his collarbones, and the barest glimpse of his shoulders as the wide neckline hung loosely around him. The sleeves reached down to cover half of his hands.

Hob thought for a second that he had swallowed his own tongue. But he cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. “It’s just over there, through that door,” he gestured to the back of the kitchen.

Morpheus nodded. “Thank you.” Then he disappeared to the laundry area.

Hob took a shaky breath and leaned against the sink. He had invited Morpheus to stay the entire night. Wearing his clothes. Looking like that.

God give me strength.

***

“You sure you don’t want the bed?” Hob said as he placed a pillow and blankets on the couch. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch. I’m the one who suggested you stay here instead of a fancy hotel, after all.”

Morpheus shook his head. “You have already been exceedingly hospitable, Hob. I will not take your bed from you. Thank you for these.”

“No problem, let me know if you need anything else. And um…” Hob shifted on his feet. “Say goodbye to me, before you leave? Just so I know you're alright and you didn't get kidnapped from my flat by your manager or something.”

Morpheus smiled. “Of course, and I will make certain that you will not get in trouble for harbouring a fugitive.”

Hob chuckled. “Alright, then. Good night, Morpheus. It was really nice meeting you.”

“And I thank you for today, Hob. I have enjoyed your company. Good night.”

Hob smiled and headed to his room.

***

Hob had no idea how long he had been staring at the ceiling, his mind too restless for sleep. He had never expected to meet Morpheus Evermoore, let alone befriend him. He was already lucky to have spent as much time with him as he had. And yet, he couldn't help but feel that it was too soon for Morpheus to leave tomorrow.

It wasn't just because Hob enjoyed his company—although he very much did—but also because Morpheus looked like he needed more rest. He seemed tired already after dinner, and given what Hob knew of his less-than-ideal eating habits because of work, Hob wouldn't be surprised if he didn't regularly get proper sleep either.

Hob sighed. He shouldn't get too invested in someone who he might never even see again, even though Morpheus had called him a friend. If Morpheus was so busy that he hardly found time for his little sister whom he clearly adored, then what more for someone he only knew for half a day?

Hob turned over to his side and closed his eyes, willing himself to fall asleep.

It must have worked somehow, because the next thing he knew, sunlight was streaming in through his curtains.

He got up blearily and rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. He was halfway to his door when he remembered he had a guest.

He immediately went to the living room to check on him, partly because he wasn’t entirely sure that yesterday wasn’t just a dream.

There he was, bundled up under the blanket, hair falling softly across on the pillow.

Hob felt himself smile. Morpheus looked so relaxed, no crease on his forehead as he slept soundly on the couch. Hob wished Morpheus could have more rest days like that.

He quietly went back to his room and got dressed for the day. He knew from checking the kitchen last night that he didn’t have much food anymore, and it was time to buy ingredients. He supposed he could order takeout for their breakfast, but he didn’t think Morpheus got to eat home-cooked meals often, and he could at least cook him some good food before he had to leave today.

The thought of him leaving made Hob’s heart sink, but he pushed down those emotions and just focused on making a mental shopping list.

He went back to the living room, making sure not to wake Morpheus. He got a notepad and pen from the counter and taped a note to the front door.

Went to buy food for breakfast. Be back in a tick.

Hob.

The shop was just around the corner, hopefully he would be back before Morpheus even woke up. He went out the door and locked it behind him, not wanting to leave a sleeping Morpheus to possibly be burgled.

He got to the shop early enough that he was able to buy what he needed without having to deal with crowds or long lines at the register. He checked his watch and was glad to see that he would have time to cook breakfast and eat with Morpheus before he had to go down to the pub.

“Sir! Excuse me!” A woman wearing a grey business jacket with her hair in a bun ran up to him. “Do you live around here? Do you work at The White Horse?”

Hob glanced at the ID hanging around her neck bearing the logo of a local news program. “Did something happen?”

“Some sources say that Dream Evermoore was spotted here early afternoon yesterday. Did you happen to see him? There are rumours that he ran away from set after their last day of filming.” The woman brought out a small notebook and pen.

Hob couldn’t contain the surprised look on his face, so he decided to go along with it. “Oh wow, Dream Evermoore was here? I did hear some people at the pub talking about how they saw someone who looked like him at the bus station. I thought they were just having a laugh, but maybe it was really him, huh?”

The woman nodded as she quickly scribbled down notes. “Bus station. Thank you, sir. Call us if you see him around,” she handed him a card. “We might film an interview in the future.”

Hob took the card and smiled politely.

As the woman walked away, Hob paid more attention to his surroundings. Other reporters and paparazzis were definitely all over the block in disguises of varying subtlety. There were even a few of the uniformed men that Hob saw through the window chasing Morpheus yesterday.

He made his way up the steps to his flat, resisting the urge to run. He unlocked his door and quickly stepped in, locking it again behind him.

“Hob?” Morpheus’ voice sounded concerned. “Are you alright?”

Hob turned to see him on the couch folding the blankets. “Yeah, I’m fine, just…” he opened the curtain a tiny bit and peeked out the window. “Yup, they’re still there. See for yourself.”

Morpheus frowned and went to look through the small gap in the curtain, his arm almost pressing against Hob’s. “I see. My assistant Matthew was correct. I saw his message when I woke up; apparently Mr. Fry believes I am still in the area, and has ordered my guards to look for me. I would not be surprised if he was the one who tipped off the media as well.”

Hob sighed and turned to look at Morpheus. “I’m sorry—” Morpheus’ face was inches away from his. Morpheus was still looking out the window, but Hob’s nose would touch his cheekbone if Hob only leaned a bit forward.

Hob looked down to avert his gaze but then his eyes landed on Morpheus’ bare shoulder, visible because of the sweater that had slipped down even lower. The slope of his neck was more noticeable too, fair and smooth skin all the way down to his collarbones.

Hob quickly stepped away and began walking to the kitchen. “Any chance they won’t be there anymore after we eat breakfast?”

Morpheus followed him and shook his head. “It is unlikely. I would have to find a way to get past them, and then find accommodations where they would not think to look for me.” He leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed, a frown forming between his eyebrows.

Something ached in Hob’s chest at the sight. All the stress that had seeped out of Morpheus since yesterday seemed to be coming back.

“How about— And tell me if you’re uncomfortable with this in any way…” Hob kept his eyes on the slices of bread that he was preparing to toast. “How about you stay here until Sunday morning, and I’ll give you a lift to the next city so you can get to your sister’s birthday?” His hands felt suddenly cold, but he was glad that they were working well enough to spread butter on the bread.

“You would do that for me?” Morpheus said in surprise.

“Yeah, I mean, you’re already here, so…” Hob lets out a nervous laugh. “Sorry, I’m explaining it badly. I just meant…” he looked at Morpheus to hopefully force himself to find the right words, but Morpheus’ soft smile just disarms him further.

“I understand what you mean, Hob. Don’t worry. Admittedly I… I feel comfortable. With you.” He glanced down, his eyelashes catching the light. “Last night was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time, knowing that I didn’t have to worry about anything in the morning.”

Hob just stared and smiled for a few seconds before realising he should say something. “I’m glad to hear that, Morpheus. You’ll always have a safe space here. So, you agree with my plan…?”

Morpheus met his eyes and nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his own lips. “Indeed I do. Although, I might need to buy some clothes.”

“I can go down to the shop later. They’ve got slippers and underwear and soaps, but not really sets of clothes. You can keep borrowing mine, though, if that’s okay…?” Hob asked hesitantly as he put the slices of bread in the toaster.

Morpheus’ eyebrows lifted.

“Or— Or— I can go to the mall down the next block,” Hob stammered. “They’ve got a department store and—”

“Hob.” Morpheus was smiling in amusement, then his expression changed into a more somber one. “I do wish you would not be so nervous around me. Have I done anything to make you feel that way?”

“No, no,” Hob hurriedly said. “It’s just…” he sighed. “I’ve watched all of your movies. I’ve admired you for years. And now I just don’t wanna come across as creepy. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, Morpheus.”

“You have not caused me discomfort in our entire time together, Hob,” Morpheus said, and there seemed to be a hint of sadness in his eyes. “And I suppose I understand better now. Why you are helping me. I thank you for appreciating my work.”

“Woah, wait,” Hob stepped closer to him. “To clarify, I’m not just helping you because you’re a famous actor, okay You walked into my pub looking scared, of course I wanted to help.”

“I broke into your pub.”

“Because your manager’s practically holding you hostage,” Hob pointed out. “Morpheus, you deserve better than how he’s treating you. And I really hope you get out of that situation when you return to work. There’s gotta be a long line of managers wanting to work for you, right?” Hob hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but as soon as he said out loud that Morpheus had looked scared, it all came rushing out. He didn’t want to think of Morpheus looking like that the entire time he was at work.

Morpheus nodded and gave a small smile. “I did not want to seem ungrateful by replacing him, but you are right. It is time he realises that he cannot control my life nearly as much as he wishes to. Thank you, Hob.” He chuckled. “I did not think I looked quite so frightened yesterday. That must have been unsettling to see from someone who just appeared in your pub.”

“Not really. You also looking devastatingly gorgeous sort of balanced it all out,” Hob said to lighten the mood.

Morpheus looked at him in surprise and didn’t say anything.

“What?” Hob raised an eyebrow. “You have no idea how handsome you look?”

Morpheus blinked. “It is quite flattering to hear from one such as you. I would imagine you have some rather high standards. Considering what you see in the mirror every day.”

Now it was Hob’s turn to gape at him in surprise. Morpheus was looking at him with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and eyes shining with something that dangerously looked like banked intent—

DING!

Hob startled and stepped away. “That’d be the toast,” he blurted out, turning around to carefully place the hot slices of bread on a plate, feeling his face warm. “I’ll just fry some eggs and bacon, and breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Shall I make us some orange juice, then? I saw a juicer in your pantry last night.”

“Sure, go ahead,” Hob said, still keeping his back turned. He wasn’t sure if Morpheus had been joking, but the look in Morpheus’ eyes seemed all too real, and the fire it lit in Hob’s gut was definitely real. And it was all a lot to deal with before coffee. He didn’t want to risk misreading things and doing something stupid.

Fortunately, breakfast went by pretty smoothly. They talked like usual, and Hob felt more relaxed now that Morpheus had said he never felt any discomfort around him. Hob did feel maybe very slightly disappointed that Morpheus hadn’t made any similar remarks or advances like he did earlier, but eventually he managed to brush it off and just decided to enjoy Morpheus’ company while he was still here.

Before he went down to the pub, Hob reminded Morpheus that he had free reign of the kitchen, as well as the telly and any of the books.

Hob ate his lunch at the pub like usual, and packed up some food to bring Morpheus, just in case he hadn’t cooked anything for himself yet.

“Oh, thank you,” Morpheus said when Hob brought him the barbecued lamb with chips on the side. He took the paper bag and frowned. “This is a lot. Have you eaten yet?” he glanced at Hob.

Hob opened his mouth to reply. “No,” he heard himself say. “No, uh, not yet.”

Morpheus smiled. “Then you can share this with me. Come on.” He led the way to the dining table and began setting up the food.

Hob followed, grateful that he didn’t eat a lot for lunch a few minutes ago.

“I’ll be going to the shop later to get your supplies,” Hob said as they ate. “Do you have any allergies to certain soaps?”

Morpheus shook his head. “Anything will do.”

“Any preferences for clothes, then? I can hand them to you before I head out so you can shower if you like.” Hob remembered something. “Oh, you usually wear black and white for your interviews and events. Was that your choice or is it more of a branding thing?”

Morpheus smiled. “It is my choice, yes. I’ve always leaned towards monochromatic colours ever since I was young, and fortunately I was allowed to continue that. They even decided to incorporate it in some of the roles I play, like the mainly blue colour scheme of that prince character two years ago, and the tuxedo in this latest film.”

Hob nodded. “I think I’ve got some black and white clothes you can borrow, yeah.”

Morpheus tilted his head slightly. “You would accommodate even that? You are very kind to me, Hob Gadling.”

“Or maybe you just look really good in those colours and I like seeing you in them,” Hob teased.

Morpheus chuckled. “Then I am fortunate that you look good in any colour, and I am allowed to enjoy the view frequently.”

Hob looked down at his chips to hopefully hide the flush on his cheeks. “Do you have to one-up me everytime?”

Morpheus laughed a bit louder this time, and Hob had to look up again in order to not miss it.

“Oh, speaking of the shop.” Morpheus stood up and got something from the counter before returning to his seat. “I will give you some cash for the supplies. I’d hand you my debit card but my name’s on it and I’d rather not drag you into this whole manhunt for me.” He took a few bills out of his wallet and held them out to Hob.

“No, that’s not necessary,” Hob said, not making a move to take them. “I offered to help, remember?”

Morpheus shook his head. “You are already feeding and housing me for free. Surely I can pay for a few socks?”

“You can, but you don’t have to.”

“Hob Gadling, take these or I will leave.”

Hob was taken aback for a moment, but he narrowed his eyes. “You’re bluffing.”

A smile of amusement appeared on Morpheus’ lips. “Yes, I am. Take the cash, anyway?” He tilted his head slightly to the side and batted his eyelashes.

Hob took the money with a playful huff. “That’s unfair. You’re using your looks to get what you want.”

“Did you not do the same when you asked me to stay here?”

“What? I thought you said it was my kindness that got you to stay!”

“It is several things.”

They both laughed, and their borderline flirty banter came up again a few times throughout the entire meal, and Hob was glad to see that they were both perfectly comfortable with it.

***

“I do not remember why I ever liked this game,” Morpheus said jokingly as Hob’s knight took his bishop.

After they had finished dinner and prepared for bed, he had spotted a small magnetic chessboard among the books on Hob’s shelf. He made a passing remark about how he used to play chess with his two sisters when they were children, but had not had the chance to do so again in recent years.

Hob asked if he wanted to play now, and that was how they ended up on the couch with the chessboard between them. Hob was in a light green shirt and blue sweatpants, while Morpheus was wearing a black shirt with a white-and-grey checkered pyjama bottoms.

“You don’t?” Hob said in an equally playful tone. “Well I’m having a lot of fun for some reason.”

“Could the reason be because you are eviscerating my team with yours?” Morpheus arched an eyebrow.

Hob grinned. “I would have thought you’d be amazing at chess, seeing as it’s monochromatic.”

Morpheus shook his head fondly. “Your mind’s logic continues to fascinate me.”

Hob chuckled and proceeded to be merciless in how he took over the board. Morpheus stared at him at every chance he could. Hob had a certain warmth to him that Morpheus had not seen in anyone else, and everytime he smiled it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

He knew that Hob recognized him when their eyes first met, and Morpheus had just been hoping that he wouldn’t call the police on him for breaking and entering.

When it didn’t seem like Hob was going to do any of the sort, Morpheus expected the usual reactions of people running into him: asking for autographs, selfies, or a blurted out, Oh my god, you’re Dream Evermoore!

But Hob’s first reaction was to ask if he was alright, which admittedly took him off-guard. He told himself it was an understandable reaction if Hob had seen him being chased, but then Hob offered to cook for him, and didn’t ask any questions about his new film even when Hob voiced out recognizing his tuxedo as coming from set.

Hob clarifying this morning about his reasons for helping Morpheus was honestly sweet of him, and Morpheus could not help the remark he had made about Hob being handsome. It was a sincere remark, one that he had worried might have been an overstep based on how Hob seemed to keep his back turned on him afterwards, and so he was relieved when Hob continued such banter during lunch.

Their chess game ended soon enough, with Hob as the unsurprising victor. They put away the board and decided to watch some cooking shows, at Hob’s recommendation. Morpheus had learned to cook for himself as soon as he was living alone for his work, but his skills were nowhere near what the contestants on the show were displaying, and he was fascinated to be learning a lot.

As the evening grew later, Morpheus’ eyelids grew heavier, and he found himself leaning against Hob’s shoulder.

He immediately sat up straight as soon as he realised it. “Sorry,” he rubbed his eyes. “I did not mean to use you as a pillow.”

“I didn’t really mind, you can keep doing that while we watch. Unless you want me to turn off the telly instead?” Hob reached for the remote on the armrest.

Morpheus considered it. “No, I would like to keep watching. You are certain I can lean on you?”

Hob gave a soft smile. “‘Course. Anytime.”

Morpheus lay back on his shoulder, shifting into a more comfortable position. He thought he heard Hob’s breath hitch, but his mind was too sleepy to be sure, and he trusted that Hob would voice out any discomfort if there were any.

The cooking show went on, and Morpheus vaguely remembered wanting to cook some of those dishes for Hob before sleep overtook him.

***

Hob woke up to what sounded like an ad for a vacuum cleaner. He blinked himself awake and squinted in confusion at the telly. He must have fallen asleep on the couch, his muscles stiff from sitting all night.

Then something shifted beside him, and he looked to see that Morpheus was sound asleep on his shoulder.

Hob was tempted to nuzzle into the soft hair tickling his cheek and inhale, but he wouldn’t know how to explain himself if it woke Morpheus.

Another, louder commercial blared from the telly, and Morpheus flinched awake. Hob reached for the remote and lowered the volume.

“Were we here all night?” Morpheus asked sleepily. “Did I keep you here? I’m sorry, you should have woken me,” he stifled a yawn with his hand.

“Nah, I didn’t even realise I’d fallen asleep,” Hob said, which was true. Morpheus snuggling against him kept his heart rate up for a while, but eventually he relaxed into it and apparently fell asleep. He stood up and stretched his stiff muscles a bit. “Breakfast?”

Morpheus nodded. “Please.” He lay back down on the couch and curled up, his eyes closed again.

Hob smiled at the sight before heading to the kitchen.

***

They were lounging on the couch again after their nightly routines, and Hob suggested another game of chess, which Morpheus wrinkled his nose at and politely declined.

Hob flipped through the channels, looking for something they could watch. He didn’t want to go to sleep yet, knowing this would be their last night together. He eventually landed on one that usually streamed reruns of films.

“Oh look, it’s you,” Hob said to Morpheus as the character of The Sandman appeared on the screen. “This was about three years ago, right?”

Morpheus nodded. “The fantasy genre was quite popular at the time, and the writing team suggested I play my namesake from the myths.”

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever watched this movie properly. I was just starting the pub when it came out, so I didn’t have time to go to the cinema. One of my buddies held a watch party when it was released for a limited time on streaming sites, but I was only able to stay around for the first half.”

“We could watch it now,” Morpheus offered.

“Really?” Hob said in mild surprise. “It wouldn’t be weird?”

Morpheus smiled and shook his head. “Not at all, don’t worry. Besides, I rarely get the chance to see my own work for myself. I should like to know if I did any good.”

“I can guarantee that you did good in the first half.”

Morpheus chuckled. He looked so comfortable and at home, leaning back on the couch wearing a black hoodie and white sweatpants. Hob almost just stared at him instead of watching the movie.

Morpheus got up to make some popcorn, insisting that Hob stay on the couch instead of helping him in any way.

And so they watched the movie together with a bowl of fresh popcorn between them and some cans of soda.

“That was not half bad,” Morpheus said as the credits rolled.

“Are you kidding?” Hob turned to him. “It was incredible! I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this sooner.”

Morpheus smiled and glanced down for a moment. “I’m afraid you might be biased, my friend.”

“No way.” Hob put the empty popcorn bowl on the coffee table and brushed off any crumbs from the couch. “It’s one of your most popular films, right? So clearly I’m not the only one who thinks it’s great.”

Morpheus smiled at him. “Thank you. And it was indeed quite fun making it.”

“I bet. And how did you do the voice? Was that like, special effects or something?”

“The voice?” Morpheus tilted his head in confusion.

“The Sandman voice. How was it done?”

“Oh. That was just my voice, there were no special effects necessary.”

“Wow. Can you still do it?”

Morpheus fixed him with a gaze much like The Sandman’s, and Hob could almost imagine his eyes being all black and dotted with stars. “You are asking if I can still speak like The Sandman?”

It instantly dawned on Hob just what he had gotten himself into, and he couldn’t look away as Morpheus practically crawled across the small gap between them on the couch.

“Would you like to know if I can see your daydreams, Hob Gadling?”

Hob felt the armrest behind him and realised he had been leaning back, and now Morpheus was looming over him.

He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

“Perhaps we have already met. In your dreams. But men forget in waking hours.” Morpheus’ voice was quiet, his nose almost touching Hob’s.

“Morpheus…” Hob managed. He could feel that his face was flushed, and it was difficult to string together a sentence with Morpheus looking at him with flames behind his eyes, his breath warm on Hob’s face.

Some hesitance appeared on Morpheus’ features, and he pulled back slightly. “Am I causing you discomfort? Tell me and I shall stop.”

“No,” Hob gripped the front of the hoodie, so tightly his knuckles paled. “Don’t,” his voice came out a whisper, and he met Morpheus’ gaze, showing with his eyes what he couldn’t articulate with his words.

Morpheus’ breath hitched, and he descended on Hob, capturing his lips.

Hob’s hands went up to Morpheus’ hair, and he groaned at how impossibly soft it felt. Morpheus put more of his weight against him, and Hob arched into the touch. He angled their mouths to deepen the kiss, and Morpheus welcomed Hob’s tongue with his own.

Hob sighed at the sensation of the heat in Morpheus’ mouth, tasting of buttered popcorn and the comforts of home. Hob could have spent the entire night like that, being pressed into his couch by Morpheus with their tongues gliding against each other.

They parted only enough to catch their breaths, their foreheads pressed together.

“Do you…” Hob’s voice sounded hoarse to his own ears. “Wanna sleep in my bed tonight? We don’t have to do anything, we can literally just sleep. Before I drive you out of the city tomorrow…?”

Morpheus smiled down at him, and any embarrassment that Hob might have felt in that question dissipated in the face of that brightness. “That sounds lovely.”

So they did just that, though they continued to make out for a good long while before literally just sleeping in each other’s arms. Hob had no complaints.

***

“I have a press tour coming up, for the new film. And I will be busy for around two months. But afterwards… might I be able to visit your pub again?” Morpheus asked as they drove out of the mall parking lot.

The crowd of people looking for Morpheus had fortunately lessened enough that they were able to get into Hob’s car and have a quick shopping trip at the department store to buy Morpheus some clothes for his sister’s party.

“Of course,” Hob said, then he remembered something. “But, ah… The pub might not be there anymore at that time, and I might be living somewhere else. But we can definitely still see each other, I’ll text you my new address.”

They had cuddled for a while before breakfast, and shared a few soft kisses after, but neither of them had brought up any labels of sorts for what they might be now, and Hob was happy to know that Morpheus still wanted to see him in the future. Morpheus even gave his number to Hob without Hob having to ask.

“Hold on,” Morpheus frowned. “You’re shutting down The White Horse? Why?”

Hob’s fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel, it was something he avoided discussing even with his other friends, as it made him feel like too much of a failure. “It’s… well, it’s not making enough money. I might not be able to make next month’s rent for the building, and I’d have no choice but to close down the pub and move somewhere cheaper.”

“You brought me food from your pub for three days,” Morpheus sounded horrified. “For free! Hob, why didn’t you say anything? I could have paid for all of those—”

“Hey, hey, now, none of that,” Hob chided him. “Like I said, I offered to help, remember? And calm down, love, it’s not like you’ve driven me to homelessness. I’ve made arrangements with my staff, I’ll be helping them find other jobs before I close down the pub. And I can get back to teaching again while I figure stuff out.”

Morpheus was silent for a while, and Hob’s eyes were on the road so he wasn’t sure what Morpheus looked like, but when he spoke again he was much calmer.

“You told me that it was your dream to own a pub. Am I remembering correctly?”

“Yeah, but, you know…” Hob shrugged, though he felt touched that Morpheus remembered him mentioning that in passing during dinner. “It’s just how it is, sometimes.”

“What seems to be the problem? Your food is excellent, and I like to believe the service is commendable as well.”

“Too much competition,” Hob said, unable to keep the tiredness from his voice. “I mean, I’ll still do what I can, but there’s lots of new restaurants in the area now, and then there’s the mall. It might be better if I just focus on finding new jobs for the staff.”

“So the main issue is visibility, yes? You need to be known by potentially new customers?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ll be working on when I get back home.”

“I see.” Morpheus pulled out his phone and began typing. “I don’t suppose you have any objections if I post on my social media pages that I’ve had a good dining experience at The White Horse and tag its location?”

“What?” Hob looked over in surprise at Morpheus before turning his eyes back on the road again. “Morpheus, you don’t have to do that. You don’t owe me anything, really.”

“I am aware. I simply want to help out a friend. We are… friends, yes?”

There was a hesitation in Morpheus’ voice, and Hob couldn’t tell if it was because he wanted Hob to say that they were more than that, or if he was hoping that Hob would take the hint that they were just friends from now on.

“If that’s what you want,” Hob said and gave him a smile, figuring it was a safe enough answer.

“What I want is to be an investor of The White Horse. Once I get a new manager, they will be in contact with you about the details while I am on the press tour.”

“What?” Hob said incredulously as they stopped at a traffic light. He turned to look at Morpheus. “That’s— Isn’t that too much? You don’t need to do all of that.”

“I have some very fond memories of the place, and I’m afraid I have grown quite attached to it,” Morpheus smiled. “You have my word that I will back out at any point once you feel that it can stand on its own again, and you will remain the sole owner.”

“That’s not even what I’m thinking about! Morpheus, are you sure you really wanna do that? Not just because you feel like you have to return the favour or…?”

Morpheus reached over and placed his hand on Hob’s. “You are dear to me, Hob. That is why I care about your happiness. And I meant what I said about the place holding fond memories for me. Will you allow me to help?” he held up his phone to show Hob what he had planned on posting.

There were a few pictures of The White Horse from the internet, Hob recognized them as the few they had uploaded as ads. And Morpheus had captioned them by saying that the food and service were excellent, and he would definitely come back from time to time.

“You haven’t posted it yet…?”

“I will not do so without your agreement,” Morpheus brushed his thumb across the back of Hob’s hand.

Hob was almost overwhelmed by the absolute care that Morpheus put towards his feelings, and he had to take a breath before he could speak again. He nodded, “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Go ahead.”

Morpheus smiled and let go of Hob’s hand as the traffic light changed and they had to move again.

They spent the rest of the short ride in comfortable silence, with Morpheus tapping away on his phone.

A few minutes later, they arrived at what looked like a fancy restaurant, complete with a garden and a fountain in the middle of it.

“Is this the place?” Hob said as they parked.

“Yes,” Morpheus nodded. “We used to go here often as children, and my sister wanted to celebrate her birthday here.”

They got out of the car, and Hob walked Morpheus to the entrance.

“I guess this is it, then?” Hob tried to sound casual, but even he could feel that his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Thank you for everything, Hob Gadling,” Morpheus held his gaze. “Truly, you have been a wonderful companion in our short time together.”

“I could say the same thing about you. I’m glad you chose my place to break into.”

They chuckled, and then there was nothing more to say. They stared at each other, neither one willing to be the first to leave.

Hob steeled his nerves and moved towards Morpheus’ lips—

“Morpheus! You’re really here!”

Hob flinched away and saw a young woman in a beautiful dress run out of the doors to embrace Morpheus.

“Blysse,” Morpheus returned the gesture. “You have grown so tall now. Any more and we would be of the same height.”

Blysse laughed and pulled away from the hug.

“This is my friend, Robert,” Morpheus smiled at him. “He has been very kind to me. I might not have been able to be here without his help.”

“Don’t say that,” Hob returned the smile, then looked at Morpheus’ sister. “Your brother really wanted to be here, I’m sure he would have found a way no matter what.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Robert!” Blysse beamed at him. “Would you like to stay for the party?”

“Oh, really? I’m not sure I’m following the dress code,” he chuckled, looking at the siblings’ formal outfits.

“I have some spare clothes in your car, you can borrow some,” Morpheus said.

“Great!” Blysse smiled. “I’ll see you both inside! I’ll tell Tia you’re here!” she said to Morpheus before running back inside.

“Morpheus,” Hob said uncertainly. “I know you borrowed my clothes, but I’m not sure it could go the other way around.” His shoulders alone are significantly broader.

Morpheus smiled playfully. “I think you’ll find that there is at least one suit in your car that is your exact size.”

Hob looked at him in surprise. “You set me up,” he said accusingly, but he was already smiling.

“Perhaps.” Morpheus’ eyes were twinkling. “And I believe we were interrupted earlier.” He stepped forward and pressed their lips together, his hands holding Hob’s face.

Hob held Morpheus’ waist, their kiss soft and lingering with the barest brush of their tongues.

“Hob,” Morpheus said quietly, still holding Hob’s face. “You have truly been a beautiful presence in my life, and I will not ask you to wait for me—”

“I will,” Hob said, meeting Morpheus’ gaze. “I’ll wait anyway.”

Morpheus looked at him with something like awe before kissing him again. “I think you better get dressed now before we get too distracted to attend the party.”

Hob chuckled. “Good point.”

They got the suit from the car and headed inside to the bathrooms.

“Since I will be an investor for your establishment, it only makes sense that we would be in constant communication with each other.”

“I thought you said your new manager will contact me?” Hob raised an eyebrow playfully.

“They will, but I like to be hands-on about my interests,” Morpheus said pointedly.

They reached the bathrooms and Morpheus stopped just outside.

“You’re not coming in with me?” Hob teased. “I wouldn’t mind you being ‘hands-on’ in there.”

“Believe me when I say that if I go in with you, I will not be helping you put on any clothes,” Morpheus said evenly, a smile playing on his lips.

Hob chuckled and went inside.

He took a good look at the suit for the first time, smiling as he saw the colours.

Monochromatic black and white. He would match with Morpheus.

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Notes:

This got away from me in so many places and grew to be about three times longer than I initially thought it would be, so I finished it a bit late 😅 I really like how it turned out, though 🖤

Thank you so much to @patchyegg87 for all the help in brainstorming and beta-reading, and for keeping me motivated throughout this whole thing especially when I was doubting whether I could still finish it~

And thank you all for reading! I hope you liked it! ^_^

Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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(Dreamling Week Masterpost)

(Masterlist)

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