morpheus x reader oneshots & headcanons

curiosity

Summary: Morpheus meets a human at a park that intrigues him and interrupts the dreams of his future partner.

It was a pleasant day, just the type of day Morpheus preferred when sitting at a park. Just feeding the pigeons, relaxing after a day of work. Lost in thought as he watched the little creatures eat up the pieces of bread that he gave them.

Morpheus sometimes felt bad for the pigeons. Once loved by humans, as food, as tools, as pets. Now pests, hated by the people who had domesticated them. The pigeons were mostly all feral now, but the Dreamlord's pity had him occasionally visiting parks and feeding them.

But when he looked away, away from the birds to the bench across from him. He had only glanced for a second, but the one second he saw her filled him with intrigue.

His power of dreams let him know exactly who people were, and he was briefly surprised to see someone like her at a park. Her thoughts were dark, memories disturbing. And he knew that she was at this quiet spot for a similar reason as him.

He was getting away from his throne, she was getting away from whatever bloody or dirty job she was hired to do. But this was a safer place, and she just sat on the bench with her knees pulled to her chest.

As he watched her, she watched the other people. Examining them, trying to figure out what made them tic. For Morpheus, it was like he was seeing the lives of everyone around her just by watching this one human.

Then her attention was turned to Morpheus, and he almost felt naked under her eye. He knew she had no powers, no way to see what or who he was. But he still couldn't help the cautious feeling inside of him.

He averted his eyes from her, returning his attention to the birds. But to his surprise, a shadow fell over him that's as revealed to be hers.

"You shouldn't feed bread to the birds." She spoke up, not intimidated by his intense stare. "Seeds are better."

He tilted his head, putting the bread down. "Is that all you've come to say?"

He expected a reply, but she just nodded. Leaving after that, not at all satiating his curiosity.

Instead, he had to search her dreams for answers. Letting her out of her personal dreams and speaking to her. It may have not been his smartest decision.

But he didn't regret it.

Didn't regret seeing her, getting to know her. She wasn't a bad person, she was kind. Kinder than he was, or was used to from humans. It wasn't hard for him to care.

But to his surprise, he wasn't hard for her to care about him to.

Morpheus normally didn't interfere with the dreams of mortals. Even the ones who drew his attention at a park while he was feeding bird.

He couldn't resist watching however, seeing what this human dreamed of.

The dreams weren't so pleasant, clearing based on years of a difficult mortal life. Being chased, falling, betrayed. He could only empathise with some of it, knowing the feeling of betrayal quite intimately. But whenever he was there, he'd try and sooth those nightmares. Her sleeping mind would only stay calm for long, however.

He'd return to his throne, and the darkness would creep into her dreams once more.

In fact, she'd never stay asleep for long, returning to the waking realm in a cold sweat. Eventually however, it all became too much.

Morpheus could feel the pain the human felt from across the dreaming. The realm was made of him, and he could feel the pain felt inside of it. The emotions she had held in for so long, stabbing into him like a well placed knife.

He knew where it had come from, of course. And for the first time, he knew he had to properly intervene.

Her twisted dream disappeared in an instant, replaced with a white nothingness. Clean and empty, almost as intimidating as what she had just been seeing. "What..."

A voice spoke from behind her, and she turned suddenly to see the man she had seen at the park. "Do you remember me?" He asked, looking over at her.

She nodded in disbelieve. "You were feeding the pigeons wrong." She flinched as the words left her mouth, worrying that she had said something rude.

Instead of getting offended, he chuckled. "You do remember, good."

"I... what is this?" The confusion was evident on her face.

He stepped closer. "I control the Dreaming, and you won't have to worry about those nightmares anymore."

"Why are you doing this?" The nightmares had plagued her her whole life. Why was this dream maker helping her now?

But he just shook his head, letting it be known that he wasn't ready to answer all questions. "I may not be able to protect you in the waking, but your dreaming hours are under my protection."

Nobody had ever tried to protect her like that.

"Thank you." She told him gratefully.

"Of course."

He held out his hand for her to take, wanting to take her to better places in his realm than she had already seen. He wanted her to have at least one beautiful part of her life.

Even if it was just her dreams.