"Delirium. My sister. I stand in my gallery and I call you. Your brother awaits you."
The transition that follows is not meant for mortal eyes. It is the reason that the gallery is so well hidden in Morpheus' domain – the Dreaming has ever been the easiest of the Endless' realms for mortals to enter.
"Um. Hi." She blinks her mismatched eyes. "It's. Uh. Nice…to see you like this…big brother. It's been…long. You know."
He simply holds out a hand. She takes it, and they walk.
It has been a long time since she was here last. Before he was imprisoned. Del's always been the wisest of them all – she's right. It's nice, walking through the Dreaming with her by his side.
It's rare for her to come through the portrait. For any of them to come through the portraits. His realm has always been the easiest to walk into.
Even the Endless dream. Apart from him – but the universe cannot sustain the dreams of the Dream-Lord, so he remains the only being in existence who does not sleep.
It is a thought for Lucien to mull over. For now, he has his sister by his side.
"I saw what you did yesterday," he murmurs, making certain not to sound censoring. An angered Delirium – as much as he cares about his youngest sister, he cannot have her in the Dreaming in such a state.
She blushes. They turn from the gallery.
For Morpheus, the Dreaming is like an old friend. As much as each dreamer shapes it, so does he. And there are parts of the Dreaming that only the Endless know, just like there are others that only he knows of.
Delirium's dreams are of her realm. It's different in the Dreaming – here, Morpheus can walk through it unscathed – but its essence remains the same. Every time Del makes her way to him, they end up in her dream.
"It was. Uh. A bad thing. A really bad thing. Wasn't it, big brother?"
He loves her. Of all his younger siblings – she is the one he favours the most. Her and- but he prefers not to think of the Prodigal. Not until he returns.
It is difficult not to love her, especially for one who remembers when she was different. When she was Delight. Even as Del – apart from Death, she is the only one who is open with him.
Companionship is a rarity for one of the Endless. He takes his wherever he can.
"You are not supposed to change the fabric of the world, Delirium. You know that."
"I couldn't help it," she murmurs. Fireflies jump out of her fingers. "He had fireflies in his mind. Fire…flies. Fireflies. Fire. They needed to eat – they wanted fire, big brother. I couldn't let them…starve. Star. Ve. Sta. Starve."
"And in doing so, you have altered the fabric of the universe – of that universe, at the very least. Fiction becoming being – it's never safe. Not when it happens outside of the Dreaming."
She blinks at him again, confused. "But it goes the other way, doesn't it?" she asks innocently. "People becoming dreams? I don't understand…big brother," she whispers, her voice a sound so low that only one of the family would be able to hear her.
"Delirium." He rarely uses the voice on her, but when he does it is enough. Unlike Desire, his youngest sister seems to know when to stop. Or to start again by walking down a different road.
"Big big brother hasn't come with his book," she says as way of explanation. "Maybe – it means that it was all okay. You know. Just like I know. I know everything that people think and forget about it forever and ever and ever after that. Apart from when I don't know."
A few butterflies emerge and chase after the fireflies.
"I made butterflies, big brother! Look! And Desire can't take these from me here."
…
"I know big big brother's thoughts too. And big brother's – and yours, big brother. We – we can make the universe. We can – can – can – can – change it. Like the butterflies. I made the butterflies, you know. They weren't there before, but they're here now. Butter…flies. They're pretty."
Morpheus isn't one to argue for long. Not with his family. Not unless it's Desire. Besides, Del is right, in her own way. There is nothing he can do that will alter the changes she's wrought.
Influencing mortals the way she has is not part of her domain. Her actions will be felt far beyond what she must have intended. But it is done – and as Destiny has not yet made an appearance in front of their youngest sister, he can only assume that it was meant to be done.
For now, he has his sister in his realm again. The Dream-King has very little chance to rest – he will be called to the mortal world by his sister's actions soon, he has no doubt of that. Until then-
Delirium skips in front of him, her form flickering and changing. In the Dreaming, dreams are given shape, and she is reminiscent of Delight once more.
In this moment of time, Dream is hers to command. He finds he doesn't mind it.
A/N: This one's set somewhere between the end of Season of Mists and Morpheus' death. I have my own ideas for who Delirium changed - but I'm leaving that question open to different interpretations.
This is the first time I'm attempting to write anything for this fandom, and I hope I've made even the first step into getting Gaiman's characters right. Delirium is hard to write, and Dream is as inscrutable as always.
Please drop a review on your feelings on your way - I'd love to hear your feelings on this fic :)