Endless Dream

A Lot of Explaining To Do

Dream knew if he resisted, Iris would grow angrier, and he didn't want another demonstration of their newfound wrath. He hoped to appease them quickly so they couldn't damage any more doors, or him.

Iris's shoulders moved up and down. He could hear their nose whistling as they breathed, a high-pitched sound that cut his ears.

"Talk. Now." Iris said bluntly. They had graciously allowed him a moment to prepare. They were furious with him. Dream dared to cower and act afraid when he had coerced them into bed and taken their duties from them so he could keep them in the palace like a pet. He had crossed a ridiculous amount of boundaries, and now he looked as if he might cry. Iris gripped the sheet tighter in their fists to stop themselves from getting angrier.

"You should rest-"

"No."

"Iris-" Dream tried to reach for their hands, using his seductive charm to touch them tenderly, but Iris smacked his hand away and began to tap their foot against the hard stone floor.

"Talk."

He wasn't getting out of it, "I'm sorry that you feel-"

"Try again,"

"I'm sorry, Iris," he waited for approval, wondering what sort of resolution they wanted; did they want him to grovel?

"Better,"

"Yesterday's events were terrifying; not only has one of my nightmares escaped, but he came after you; he thought hurting you was the best way to get my attention," Iris leant into their hips, moving their weight to one side of their body, "He escaped me when you were bleeding-"

"Why didn't you go after him? Why didn't you make Jessamy track him?"

"I was preoccupied at the time; this morning, however, I dispatched the cleaners and a legion of ravens to scour The Dreaming for him," Iris shuddered. They still cowered whenever they passed the cleaners. The ones who had tried to dispose of Iris had been moved to a different department after Iris had moved into the palace, but they still feared the rest of their regiment.

"Why didn't you go after him?" They asked again.

He sighed through his nose, "Iris, you were dying. Did you expect me to abandon you and run after the Corinthian?"

"Yes." The reply was so fast that Iris caught Dream off guard. He knew their tactic with the knife was to distract the Corinthian. It was to throw him off guard but did they really believe he cared so little for them?

"You are a fool, Iris. After everything we've seen together, after everything we've done, do you believe I would abandon you?" Iris didn't respond; they looked away from him. He saw their eyebrows knot together. He wiggled his finger, pulling on the thread; Iris' finger twitched in response.

"Where is the Corinthian now?" They asked, refusing to go down that train of conversation.

"Iris-"

"Where is he, Oneiros?" Iris had spent months, years with Lucienne after being named. They had read every book, every thought, every Dream about him to learn more. They had committed each of his names to memory, but Iris rarely used Oneiros. He preferred Morpheus and Dream to his other titles, but Oneiros sounded wrong coming from their lips.

"Iris-"

"No, enough skirting around it. You said you sent cleaners and ravens after him, so unless that was another lie, where is he? In a cell? A dungeon? Where?" Dream held his face in his hands, "Where is he?".

Dream gritted his teeth, "Perhaps it's better that I show you," he offered. Iris hugged the bedsheet tighter, feeling suddenly very immodest. Dream tilted his head to the side, searching their face for a reaction or response. Iris' eye looked from side to side, staring at an invisible object.

Iris closed their eyes, taking a deep breath. They focused on something, watching their thought take shape in their mind. Dream saw the knots in their forehead get tighter. The bedsheet wafted, a layer of sand rolling over its surface and covering the entirety of it in gritty beige. Iris moved their arms from their chest; they pictured sleeves, a waistline and long pants that covered them. As they removed their hands, the sand shimmered in them, painting them with shades of pink, orange and violet. Dream smiled, watching them tinker with what they were trying to conjure. There was a spark of pride in him, watching Iris use the ember of his power to their purpose.

The sheet shrunk and wrapped around them, folding over itself to create a high-collared blouse with sleeves that flowed the length of their arm. A pair of trousers formed around their legs, stopping at their ankles. Iris urged the cloth to take a different colour, willing it into a pale powder grey. The colour sapped their strength, leeching them as the colour washed over the sandy-beige like ink bleeding onto a page. They gasped loudly when it finished, panting and swaying lightly from the magick.

"Impressive," Dream grinned, reaching for Iris. Iris glowered at him. He swallowed and retracted his hand. He flicked his wrist, summoning his shirt and coat to his body. Iris did not share his pride, snorting and rolling their eyes at him. He took the pouch of sand from the inner pocket of his coat. Dream poured a heavy clump into his hand and motioned for Iris to come closer.

Iris took the tiniest step closer, barely moving their legs. Dream motioned again and Iris did the same. Dream took a quick calming breath, cursing them internally. He decided it was better for him to move; he stepped closer to Iris. Dream's hand automatically snaked around their waist as he threw the sand around them. Iris went to speak, to berate him but the gust of wind whipped up by the sand threw them into Dream, pressing their body against his. 

"Hold on tight," he whispered in their ear, a faint command as the roaring wind got louder. Iris held on to him tightly, wrapping their arms under the coat and shielding their eyes in his chest.

The sand rose upwards in a swirling vortex, scratching Iris's skin and whipping their hair up with it. Dream wrapped his arms around them, placing his hand on the back of their neck so they were better protected. He pressed his face into their hair, closing his eyes to picture the destination. He only hoped Iris had the stomach for it.