#john burgess | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

can-of-pringles · 9 months

Text

King and Lionheart - Chapter 4

Rating: Teen and up audiences

Warnings: Nothing that’s not in the series.

Word Count: 2k.

Summary: Dream goes after John Dee to get his ruby back.

Also Read On AO3

The two birds worked together to wake up their Dream Lord.

“Boss? Boss, wake up,” Matthew spoke.

“Please, Dream!” Lee shouted.

“Hey, boss, come on, get up.” He tried again, tapping him with his beak. “I mean it, seriously.” There was an edge to his voice.

Lee sighed.

“We gotta get him out of here. Gotta get the ruby back,” Matthew said. He hopped down from pecking Dream’s clothes. The raven stood in front of him.

Lee began to pace, quietly muttering under her breath. Should they try to contact Lucienne? Was that even possible with Morpheus unconscious?

“But we can’t do that unless you wake the fuck up! Wake up!” Matthew continued.

That seemed to work. Dream awoke with a start. He slowly sat up, looking dazed.

Lee tried hiding her surprise at seeing him in such a state, so used to his regal presence. “Dream? Are you okay?” She stepped forward, looking up at him.

Dream glanced around at the messed state of the crate. He took a breath, processing what happened.

“You had us really worried, boss.” Matthew tilted his head.

“I will be okay… but I must retrieve the ruby soon, and stop John Dee.” Morpheus managed to stand up, remaining relatively unharmed from the explosion.

“Like, right now now? Or…” Lee spoke, standing next to his shoe.

Dream looked down at her, furrowing his brow.

“It doesn’t seem safe,” she murmured, glancing away.

“It will be okay, I’ll put an end to this,” his tone was gentle, trying to reassure her. “Perhaps you should return to The Dreaming.”

Lee scoffed. “Listen, just because I’m a little shaken up, doesn’t mean I’m ditching you, okay? I’m not a coward.”

At this point, Dream knew better than to try to argue with her. He instead focused on what to do next.

---

John had gotten plenty of time to spread chaos at the diner. Now all his victims lay dead in pools of their own blood. The light started flickering.

I see the future.

Then tell me. Tell me my future. John asked.

You come from dust. The voice echoed.

He turned around from his seat at the bar. The three women who had been killed by his destructive choices appeared behind him; covered in blood. Thunder crashed outside.

“You walk the dust.”

“You go back to the dust.”

“That’s everyone’s future. Tell me my future,” John spoke.

Another voice caused him to turn.

“There is no future for you, John Dee.”

Now The Fates appeared as the three murdered women.

“It is bound by walls and guards and the sour smell of madness.”

John’s eyes widened. He felt like he could barely breathe, paralyzed by fear.

“And then the skein of your life is cut, son of your mother.”

“No. Look again. Tell me my future.” He begged.

The broken lights flashed suddenly again.

“You have stolen some of the power of Dream’s.”

“You will take all of it.”

“You will crush the Dream Lord’s life in your hands.”

---

Dream and the two ravens stood outside the diner, preparing for what potential carnage awaited them inside.

“I want you both to stay outside. Especially you, Lee.” He looked down at them.

“What? Why me?” she couldn’t hide the annoyance in her voice.

“Don’t argue with me on this, Lee Quinn,” Dream’s tone was one of concern, not anger. “You don’t need to witness the damage done.”

Taking the hint, Lee nodded, swallowing nervously. She had just been through Hell and back, literally, yet this must’ve been worse. It sounded like it from his warning.

“We’ll stay out here, boss,” Matthew said.

With that, Dream left them and opened the door of the diner. He walked inside, closing the door before Lee could get a good look.

John stood when he heard the door open and close. A man dressed in black appeared near the front, saying nothing as the lights continued to flash. He walked forward.

“Hello.” John sighed. “I’m John.”

Dream didn’t speak, silently shocked at how much he’d done with the tarnished ruby.

“I’m glad you’re here. The power has gone out. So there’s no TV, and no one left to talk to.” He glanced away.

“What is it you think you’re doing?” Morpheus asked.

“Saving the world from its lies.”

“The ruby wasn’t made for that.”

Realization shown on John’s face. “Oh, you’re The Sandman. My mother was right. She said you’d be coming for it.”

“You must return it to me so that I can repair the damage you have done.” Dream instructed.

“I’m not giving it to you, it’s mine.”

“It is harming you, John, and your world.” He warned.

“It’s revealing the truth.” He nodded slightly. “This is the truth of mankind.”

“No. You’re wrong. This is the truth of mankind.”

Dream used his powers, allowing a vision. Light shone in from the windows of one booth. The people were alive again, and everything appeared normal.

“How’s work going?” Bette asked as she waited at their table.

“Good, you know. Busy,” Kate said.

“They’re lying to themselves,” John insisted.

“Garry’s supervising a new venture that looks promising,” she continued.

“It’s all lies.”

“Not lies, John. Dreams,” Morpheus replied.

“Right, sweetie?” Kate turned her attention to her husband.

“Kate dreams of running away, where no one will find her.”

She glanced away toward the window.

“How are you, Bette?” Garry asked.

“Garry dreams of proving his father was wrong about him.” Dream narrated.

“How’s Bernard doing? How’s your writing going?”

“Yeah, how’s the novel?” Kate added.

“Good, you know,” Bette answered.

“Bette dreams of creating something that matters to people.”

John frowned. This wasn’t right. It wasn’t the truth.

“Their dreams inspired them,” Morpheus said. “Their dreams kept them alive. But if you rob them of their dreams, if you take away their hope, then… yes, this is the truth of mankind.”

The lights turned red, and the vision faded, now back to the horrific reality it was before. The lights flickered, showing the dark blood that stained the floor from the bodies.

“The ruby is hurting you, John.” Dream walked toward him. “It has too much of my power within it. It stole more when I tried to use it.”

“Then perhaps if I use it to steal the rest of your powers, I will be the King of Dreams,” John proposed.

“If you’d rob a Dream Lord of his power, you shall do so in his realm. In dreams.”

John turned around, no longer in the diner. He glanced down at the ruby in his hand before looking up again. He moved toward the Burgess mansion in the distance, fog hanging in the surrounding air.

Now inside, he looked around, feeling wariness sink into his bones. Confusion shone on his face when he noticed a cloaked figure in the distance. Whoever they were, they clearly weren’t Dream. However, they wore the helm. Before John could get closer, they disappeared.

He paused and continued to look around, glancing up when he heard footsteps above. The black cloak dropped to the first floor, revealing a mysterious woman. John quickly moved up the stairs. She walked away and out of sight. He tried to follow her to another room.

She disappeared yet again, leaving him to look around the room. John stopped and glanced at an old photo of Roderick Burgess, his son, and Ethel Cripps.

He turned his head when he heard laughter, assumingly coming from the mysterious person. John didn’t stop his search, finding her on a bed. He carefully reached out to take the helm off her face. His eyes widened when he saw her face.

“Welcome home, Johnny,” a young Ethel spoke.

John gasped and immediately backed up, genuinely freaked out.

“Don’t be such a baby, Johnny.” She smiled too widely and laughed.

John couldn’t ignore the fear he felt, overwhelmed by the sounds and disturbing sights. He turned around, now in another place. He saw an old memory of his mother trying to stop an infant version of him from crying. Though the memory turned twisted.

“Go to sleep, Johnny. Please,” Ethel spoke frantically, trying anything to quiet her son; even if her methods were more forceful.

“Mother?” John walked toward the memory, wondering if she could hear him.

“Johnny, you have to go to sleep.” She didn’t hear him.

John’s steps were halted as someone from behind grabbed and choked him. He was in yet another place, back in the asylum and being choked by his mother.

“Your father was right. I never should’ve had you,” she whispered.

He could barely get a single breath out, continuing to choke as she pulled the necklace tighter.

“It’s a dream!” He gasped and repeated, realizing. The ruby began to glow red.

The strain on his neck was gone. He turned around, now in the ruins of The Dream Lord’s castle. He stood to his full height and looked around, turning to look at the throne. No one was there except him.

“Is this your palace… Dream lord? Is this your throne… King of Lies?” He held the ruby out. “Well, it’s mine now!”

Using the power of the ruby, he decided to destroy more of the palace.

“Are you watching? Can you see me?” He yelled.

Everything around him crumbled, coming apart.

“Using your own powers to burn away your lies?”

“You must stop.” Dream appeared in the distance, wearing his helm. “It is not too late to save yourself.”

“Oh, you think it’s me that needs saving?” his voice was raised.

“Your father stole the ruby from me and cursed you with it.” Morpheus corrected.

“You mean he blessed me with it.” John paused before holding out the ruby. “Your reign… ended when my father captured you.”

He slowly walked forward, attempting to trap Dream with the ruby.

“Your kingdom is my birthright!” He shouted as Morpheus began to weaken; being pulled into the gem.

“Your power resides within me.”

Dream lay trapped on the ground, too weak to move as he was absorbed by the ruby.

“How does it feel to know I hold your life in my hands?” John spoke triumphantly.

“You’re hurting the dreamers.” Dream muttered, his voice hoarse from pain.

“Well, it’s time they woke up! Your life and your lies end now.” John raised his voice.

A huge red explosion erupted. John crushed the ruby in his hand, breaking it into multiple pieces. Everything turned blindingly white, leaving him to stand in a white void.

“I did it. I killed him. I won.” He glanced around.

“Thank you, John.”

The voice caused him to look up in surprise. He stood in the palm of Dream, the Endless now many times bigger; towering over everything.

“But I killed you,” John argued.

“You destroyed the ruby and released the power inside it. I would never have thought of that. I’d forgotten just how much of myself I had placed in the jewel,” Dream spoke.

“Are you going to kill me?” He asked meekly.

“I could. Perhaps I will.”

John said nothing in response, too scared to speak.

“But the dream stone was not made for mortals. And it came to you through no fault of your own,” the Dream Lord continued.

Everything faded to white once more.

“So, no, John. I will not kill you.”

Morpheus had brought him back to the asylum. He used his powers to render John unconscious; putting him back in his bed at the hospital.

“Sleep well, John.” Dream murmured, leaving John asleep in his room.

---

Now back at the diner, the ravens and Dream Lord stood watching the fire and debris. The flames seemed to glow brighter in the dark night sky.

Lee kept close to Dream, realizing he was right about staying outside. If it was this bad out here, how bad must it have been inside?

And while she may not have been there, she could feel Morpheus during the confrontation with John. They were connected, and she had felt his pain. While he was okay now, it had left her unsettled.

“All the damage the ruby did, can you undo it?” Matthew asked.

“The ruby didn’t do this. John merely used it to reveal wounds that were hidden, but never healed. Tomorrow, the rebuilding will begin. In this realm and in mine.” Morpheus explained. “But tonight at least… humanity will sleep in peace.”

“Dream?”

He glanced down at Lee.

“I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re okay…” she muttered, ironically feeling tired at the moment from the adventure they’d been on so far.

He nodded, trying to ignore the concern he felt when he saw her tired eyes. After a conflicted moment, Dream held out his arm.

At first, Lee simply stared, unsure what he meant. Her eyes widened in realization and she hopped up, grateful he allowed her to perch on his arm.

“Thanks.” If she could’ve smiled, she would’ve.

“We’re leaving,” he stated as he began to walk away from the scene.

Matthew stood still for a second, almost in shock at the fact the Dream Lord showed a softer side. He quickly caught up and followed, unaware of the figure behind them in the distance.

“I’m watching you… big brother.” They smiled mischievously and laughed, their golden eyes almost appeared to glow.

#the sandman #lee quinn #the sandman netflix #the sandman oc #dream of the endless #morpheus #the sandman fanfic #the sandman fanfiction #sandman fanfic #sandman fanfiction #sandman oc #matthew the raven #john dee #john burgess #original character #ocappreciation #allaboutocs #my writing #pringles writing

6 notes · View notes

my-head-is-an-animal · 2 years

Text

Honesty Is The Best Policy

John Dee x Reader/OFC

Word Count: 2315

Summary: After getting tired of everything going wrong in your life, a stranger by the name of John Dee changes the way you look at things.

I stood up, tired of sitting on a bench, tired of feeling sorry for myself, tired of life being so difficult. But I did not anticipate walking straight into a very solid figure and having the wind knocked out of me.

‘Oh, god, sorry!’ I exclaimed, looking up to see the middle-aged man I had just randomly slammed into. ‘So sorry.’ I said again.

‘That’s alright,’ he said. ‘Wasn’t looking where I was going either.’ He gave a slight grimace. ‘Are you alright?’ His eyebrows knitted together.

‘Oh, yes, fine.’ I nodded, but I could taste salt. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the last of my energy disappearing. ‘No, actually, I’m not.’

‘Then why would you say you were?’

I had to chuckle. ‘I don’t know. It’s become habit by now I guess.’

‘It’s an awful habit to get into.’ He said simply.

‘It’s also a very tiring one.’ I nodded.

He gave a quick nod and gestured to the bench, I had to admit, I wasn’t ready to leave the park just yet and the sun was starting to go down.

‘What’s your name?’ He asked as we sat back down.

‘Sarah. Yours?’

‘John.’

He kept a careful distance between us, I suppose he was unsure how close to sit.

‘Why don’t you tell me why you got into the habit of lying in the first place?’ John folded his hands in his lap, it was only then I noticed he was wearing pyjamas. How odd.

I thought for a moment, looking over at the fountain in the middle of the park.

‘I suppose when you tell people you’re not fine,’ I swallowed nervously. ‘There’s a sort of sigh they do, as if you’re about to zap all their energy away. People don’t really want to hear about how not fine we are, even our friends don’t want to hear it. No one has the energy for anyone anymore. It’s just easier on everyone to pretend you’re fine.’

‘It’s not easier on you.’ John frowned.

‘No.’ I looked back at John, his blue eyes scanning me curiously. ‘But that’s my point, people would rather believe a nice lie than hear a heart breaking truth.’

John half smiled. ‘Not me.’ He shook his head. ‘I hate people who lie. Truth is always better. Will you tell me the truth?’

I couldn’t help a small smile appearing on my face. ‘Okay.’ I swallowed. ‘Maybe it’ll do me some good.’

‘I think it would be very good for both of us.’

There was something so kind and gentle about his face, soothing in a way, something that made me feel like my truths would be safe in his hands.

‘Okay, what would you like to know?’ I asked, curious about where this conversation would take me.

John thought for a moment. ‘We’ll start easy and don’t worry if you think it sounds selfish or horrific, I just want to hear the truth.’

‘Okay.’ I nodded.

‘Do you love your parents?’

It was an odd question to start with, but easier than others. I thought about it for a moment.

‘Sometimes, not always.’ I felt a small relief, I had never admitted to that before. ‘Sometimes I resent my dad, when I was younger, I wanted him to be proud of me, so I just did whatever he asked. I wanted to act, but he told me I should have a back up that would help in some way, like Sports Science.’

‘You don’t like sport?’

‘I do,’ I nodded. ‘Well, some sports. I like learning about the human body, it’s incredible the things it can do, but it wasn’t my passion and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I should have studied acting. I even met with an agent one who wanted to sign me on.’

‘What happened?’

‘I was fourteen and my dad said no.’ I felt a lump forming in my throat. ‘Thing is, it’s an industry where second chances don’t come around that often.’

‘You feel you missed out?’

‘Yeah.’ I whispered. ‘I blame him for me not making it.’

John nodded, there seemed to be something of relief in his eyes. ‘What about your mother?’

‘Oh, she’s just…’ I tried to think of the right words. ‘She’s just very disappointed. I’m nearly thirty and she still treats me like a child who can’t dress herself. I think she always wanted me to be this elegant young woman, but I don’t wear satin tops, I wear bands t-shirts and, in her eyes,… it’s all just very disappointing.’

‘I am sorry you’ve been treated so poorly.’

‘It’s not all bad.’ I shook my head. ‘My dad and I share a love of music, I told him I wanted to learn to play the guitar, we went out that afternoon and he got me my first acoustic guitar and a book to learn from. We would spend hours in the basement playing simple songs and he always encouraged me to learn something just a little more challenging every time. And my mum loved to paint, she taught me how to draw.’ I swallowed back the tears that were forming. ‘So, sometimes I love my parents. There’s been a lot of ups and downs.’

‘There always are.’ John mused, observing me closely.

‘What about you?’ I asked, hoping to get the same honesty in return.

John gave a sad smile. ‘I never knew my father, but my mother was an awful woman.’

‘I’m so sorry.’

‘She had me put in prison, you know?’

‘Prison?’ I exclaimed, suddenly not feeling so safe.

‘Well, she called in a psychiatric hospital, but it was basically a prison.’ John explained, but there was still something haunting about him. ‘I wasn’t allowed to leave because they thought I would hurt more people, my mother only visited when she wanted something of mine, but I never gave it up.’

‘You hurt people?’

John’s eyes snapped to mine, I felt fear trickling down my spine. ‘Only in self defence… are you afraid of me, Sarah?’

I inhaled deeply, honesty was the best policy. ‘Yes, I am. I’m scared you’ll hurt me.’

‘You’ve given me no reason to.’ He said, earnestly and I really did believe him. ‘You haven’t lied or tried to hurt me… and I like your honesty, it’s refreshing. Don’t you feel better for it?’

It wasn’t until he asked that I actually realised that I did feel better for getting those things off my chest.

‘Yes, I do.’ I admitted.

‘Maybe we could keep talking for a while, I think we’d both feel a lot better for it.’ John smiled a really rather kind smile and as long as we were in public with cameras everywhere, then maybe it wasn’t so bad.

‘Okay.’ I nodded.

‘Good, so are you in a relationship with anyone?’

I inhaled deeply once again, thinking about whether I should just get up and leave, but something in his earnest look kept me in my seat.

‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘I was, but it didn’t end well.’

‘Abusive?’

‘Not exactly.’ I swallowed, nervously, no being careful with my words. ‘He slept with someone else.’

‘I see.’ John nodded, moving his gaze away from mine to look at the park around us.

‘What about you?’

‘Oh good gracious, no.’ He chuckled. ‘I’ve never found anyone good enough for me to entertain in that way.’

I frowned, it seemed like such an odd way to respond.

‘You seem surprised.’ He commented.

‘I suppose I’m surprised that it isn’t the other way around,’ I confessed. ‘Most people would assume that they aren’t good enough for someone else.’

‘Do you think that?’

‘When my boyfriend slept with someone else, it was hard to think much else.’

John nodded and stayed quiet for a moment.

‘May I ask something rather forward?’ John shifted just a little closer, but still not intrusively.

‘Sure.’ I gave a curious smile, wondering where he was going with this.

‘I would like to ask you to go out with me,’ John said, fidgeting a little more. ‘But I would like to know something before I think about asking… would you be able to stay honest? Never lie?’

I took a much deeper breath and thought for a while. It wasn’t what I expected to happen that evening, John seemed nice enough, harmless as long as you kept by his rules, but to spend a prolonged amount of time with him may have been more than I could handle.

‘I think I could say yes to a date, I could be completely honest for an evening,’ I swallowed nervously. ‘But I need the small lies in my life. I just don’t think I could give you what you were looking for long term and I don’t think you could give me what I am looking for.’

John looked up at me with his clear blue eyes and smiled, nodding. ‘The most hurtful about that is I believe you. And in some ways I feel you might be wrong, but perhaps you’re right.’

I smiled with him; he seemed so easy going in this new light. ‘Besides, you can’t tell me you find me that attractive, I know what I look like.’

John’s smile faded as a small frown appeared between his brows. ‘What exactly is it you think you look like?’

I shook my head, not expecting to be asked that question. ‘Well, you can see me, I’m so plain and uninteresting, there’s nothing unique or eye catching about me. I’m just average, in every sense.’

John suddenly let a breathy laugh go, shaking his head. ‘That is the first thing you’ve said that is entirely false, Sarah.’

‘I’m not lying.’ I felt my heart pumping a little faster, unsure of what John might do.

‘I believe you, well, I believe that you think so.’ John said, turning his body to face me slightly. ‘When we bumped into each other a few moments ago, I thought your eyes were quite stunning, they were full of water admittedly, but there was something about your sadness that caught me off guard. And I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit where plain and average are concerned. There’s nothing unattractive about you, plain is better than ugly and average is smoother than unique. I like smooth, very much.’

I could feel the smile forming on my lips, somehow he had altered the way I saw myself and it was bliss. I felt warm under my skin for a moment as my cheeks began to flush.

‘The colour suits you.’ John remarked, making me chuckle. ‘Happiness is an attractive quality in anyone, it removes all negativity and leave only positivity, don’t you think?’

‘You might be right.’ I chuckled, watching my hands in my lap, fidgeting. ‘I never really thought about it that way before.’

John paused before speaking again. ‘What about me? Do you… find me… attractive?’ I could sense the nervousness and I felt for him, he must have had a very lonely life in that hospital.

‘I think you’re very kind and very curious,’ I said, nodding. ‘I think those are very attractive qualities. And you hate liars, which is even better.’

John chuckled with me. ‘But you don’t think you could be with me.’

He wasn’t sad exactly, more stating a fact and I felt our evening coming to an end.

‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘Like I said, I need a little dishonesty in my life. People are far too complicated for me, there are some things I’d rather not know.’

John nodded. ‘I understand.’

I felt myself smiling at John, catching his eyes flickering to my mouth and I had to admit, I wouldn’t have minded kissing him. I swallowed and turned away once again.

‘Sarah.’ John hummed. ‘If you’re going to say goodbye, perhaps we could do so with something more honest than words.’

My nervousness was returning tenfold. I wasn’t sure I wanted to encourage John, but I couldn’t deny it would have been nice to be treated with care for a moment or two.

The moment I turned back to tell John I needed to leave, I felt my heart pounding in my chest, just something about the way he looked at me, like nothing in the world was wrong with me, if I was just honest with myself.

His lips were cold, but soft. He was tentative, just giving me a moment check in with myself, to wonder if I was enjoying this. I was. I kissed him back, just a little more pressure than before, he responded and deepened the kiss for just a moment, bringing his hand to cradle my face.

I couldn’t help but melt into the touch, it had been far too long since I had been kissed like that, far too long since I had been treated with such care and kindness, a part of me wondered if I could in fact go out with him, spend more time with him.

John pulled away gently and I wasn’t quite ready for the moment to end, but the cool evening air was now between us and I needed to go back to reality.

My eyes fluttered open and John was smiling at me. I couldn’t stop my small nervous chuckle.

‘Goodbye, Sarah.’ John spoke quietly.

‘Goodbye, John.’ I repeated back, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to say goodbye just yet.

‘Should our paths cross again, I would like to take you up on that date.’

‘Okay.’ I breathed, biting my lip gently.

John’s eyes darted over my face for a moment, taking it in one last time before getting up off the bench to leave.

I watched him walk away out of the park, feeling the same sadness draping over me that I had started with.

Who was John?

If you liked this, please consider supporting me ☕ thanks for reading!

#john dee #john dee x reader #john dee x ofc #john burgess #the sandman #the sandman fanfic

24 notes · View notes