Disclaimer: It feels nearly sacrilegious to me just to write a fanfic based on a Neil Gaiman work, so how can I even begin to pretend that I own Sandman?
A/N: I read the entire Sandman series, and then went back and reread my favorite parts and picked up little moments I had missed before (like Destiny's flashback/foreshadowing). Personally, I found the whole relationship between Desire and Morpheus to be kind of close to love-hate half the time, because sometimes it really seemed that Desire was trying to get Morpheus's attention with some of his or her actions. Since The Wake didn't have a satisfactory conclusion for me in terms of the relationship between those two, I actually gathered up the audacity to try my hand at a Sandman fic.
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Desire doesn't dream.
That's Dream's realm, and all of the Endless besides their older sister lose power in another's realm. But if Desire were to dream (which Desire doesn't), perhaps he or she dreams of black hair, dark robes, and a solemn, grave voice that echoes with responsibility and infuriating stubbornness. In this dream (which doesn't happen), perhaps Desire finally gets a few last words with Morpheus (most hated and beloved of all his or her siblings).
Morpheus is (no, was) less fun to talk to than a puddle of ditchwater with little green things swimming in it. Always bound by his duties, always so serious, always so stubborn.
Which is why Morpheus is no longer here, of course.
He wouldn't leave (like their brother), he couldn't stay (the Dreaming growing more and more each day like a cage), and of course he couldn't, wouldn't change.
Desire had always been irritated by that. All the other Endless could change, or else their elder sister wouldn't be so perky, their brother wouldn't have left, and Delirium would still be Delight. Even Morpheus himself could change slightly but not enough in the end.
So really, Desire doesn't actually know what to say to Morpheus in the dreams that don't happen. Instead of resolving the animosity between them that has simply grown over the years, Desire would most likely just mock and needle Morpheus with a beautiful but insincere smile slashed across his or her face.
It's just what Desire does. She or he is easily the sharpest and cruelest out of all the Endless simply because that's what Desire is. And therefore he or she and Morpheus will never share kind words to each other, not even in dreams that do not exist.
It was not always this case. There had been a time long ago when Morpheus had affectionately referred to Desire as his favorite sibling, and Desire had often traveled into the Dreaming.
Desire had just been playing around when she or he had pushed Killalla at Sto-Oa. He or she had known about Morpheus' numerous and ultimately doomed relationships (how could she or he not? It was Desire's realm after all), but this had been the first time that Morpheus had actually brought one of his women to meet his family. He or she had been curious about this mortal (what made this one so special?), and so she or he had played a simple prank.
Oh, Desire had always known Morpheus would get angry (even back then Desire had known that Morpheus lacked his or her sense of dark humor), but she or he had not realized that it would last this long. But Morpheus was Morpheus (look at what had happened to Nada), and he or she was rarely if ever invited to the Dreaming again.
Their elder sister became Morpheus' new confidant, Desire worked much more often with Despair and Delirium and somewhere along the way after "Emperor" Norton, Desire's affection turned to hate.
(It really isn't all that surprising. Desire is always on the edge of things, and in the end all that separates love from hate are a few kisses and a knife.)
But now that it's all over, now that Desire's plan truly has come to fruition although not exactly the way that he or she had planned, Desire cannot find it in herself or himself to be truly pleased. He or she wanders from room to room in the Threshold, smoking cigarette after cigarette, waiting for the call of the new Dream.
Daniel.
Desire is unsure if this new incarnation of Dream will pick up as many names as Morpheus did, but either ways this new Dream is different from Morpheus. Barring his appearance (which Desire still finds mildly startling every time she or he looks, always expecting the usual black only to be greeted by a shock of white), this Dream seems softer.
Soft.
Morpheus had always been so grave and forbidding, and how Desire had laughed every time he had embarked on yet another doomed love affair. He or she had a little to do with every single one of them, but the end had always been Morpheus' doing. He was too stiff, too unyielding, and all of his lovers would eventually tire of it and leave. So no, Desire is not sure what to expect from this Dream who calls himself Daniel and refuses the name Morpheus.
Dream (Daniel) has already tentatively offered to renew the old partnership of dreams and desires, and Desire wonders at that. He has all of Morpheus' old memories (just as Despair has all the ones of Desire's poor, departed twin), so is it really so easy for him to throw away this enmity that has grown between them for a few thousand millennia?
Maybe Desire will laugh in Dream's face when he comes calling with offers of friendship and simply refuse to answer his call or let him through. Maybe Desire will smile his or her usual mysterious smile and then proceed to rip Dream's quiet offer to tatters with words sharpened on years of rivalry (and maybe abandonment and neglect). Maybe Desire will listen to all that Dream has to say before unceremoniously booting him over to Death's realm so that they can once again be the closest of the Endless (like the two of them once were before Killalla).
Or maybe Desire will nod and smile in assent and once again visit the Dreaming. Maybe Dream will once again walk through the Threshold, fascinated by how different it is from his own realm. Maybe Dream will once again smile and call Desire his favorite sibling, and Desire will laugh it off but be secretly pleased.
Maybe. He or she still hasn't decided yet.
"Sister-Brother? I stand in my Gallery, I hold your sigil. Will you answer me?"
But there he is. Personally, Desire finds second chances rather dull and boring, but she or he has been surprised before.
"Sister-Brother?"
Desire blows out a stream of smoke and nods as he or she watches it turn into a smoky heart. Morpheus is gone, taking his last journey with Death (who perhaps Desire envies as much as she or he loves and fears her), and Dream lives on.
And Desire has always been fascinated by Dream, no matter how much she or he hated (and loved) Morpheus or is confused about Daniel.
"Desire?"
She or he smiles, this time perhaps self-deprecatingly sharp and cruel, closes his or her tawny eyes for a second, before turning to his or her gallery.
"Dream. What a pleasure. Will you pass through?"
"Yes."
Goodbye Morpheus (ever loathed and beloved). He or she will always remember him (just as she or he always remembers her or his lost twin), even as she or he walks with Daniel.
Goodbye and good luck, wherever you may be, my most abhorred and cherished brother.
Goodbye.
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A/N: …I'm not too sure if I like how I ended it, but then again I rarely like my endings. Please review! I might try writing a fic with some of the Dreaming's servants (I found the Corinthian and Matthew way too much fun) later if finals and college apps don't kill me first. Hope you enjoyed it! It wasn't OOC was it? Desire was so mysterious most of the time that I'm not sure I got his or her character down. I decided to call Dream Morpheus here to distinguish between old Dream and new Dream.