TheResearcher



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  1. Public Bookmark 41

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    Hob Gadling was by default, a relatively forgetful man. Not so much in long-term memory, but when it came to short-term stuff like dates or events – he was hopeless. He’d never found himself forgetting a date with his stranger, however, not until today.

    Hob accidentally double-books himself and ends up taking Dream to campus with him.

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    02 Jun 2026

    Bookmarker's Notes

    A soft hand on top of his, perhaps that hand on other parts of him after the lecture. The podium as a surface to lean against as his friend thrusts into him repeatedly. Breathy moans, trying to be quiet to avoid getting caught. Pale alabaster skin and a slim defined body…

    Hob snaps out of his daydream quickly. Thankfully he wasn’t in his own head for too long and his students haven’t noticed. Dream is looking back at him, but he looks away again quickly. Several students approach the podium.

    “Can we pet the cat, Robert?” One girl asks, he remembers her from a literary analysis seminar a few weeks ago. At the question Dream looks up and Hob stares back. He’s about to say the cat doesn’t want to be touched right now when he sees Dream give a small incline of his head. In slight disbelief he nods at the student.

    “Yeah, sure. His name’s, uhm…” Hob panics, what does someone call Dream as a cat? “His name is Snuggles.”

    Hob tries not to laugh as Dream makes a sound like coughing up a furball, he’ll have to apologise to his friend, but the temptation was too much. The students head towards Dream, or Snuggles, and pet him. Hob nearly chokes on a laugh when he realises Dream is purring. As Snuggles is being lathered with attention Hob sees a student with a familiar face approach him.

    “So, Professor. I was stuck on this assignment we have for next week. I know you aren’t our usual teacher for this class but I was wondering if you’d be willing to look over my work. Perhaps we could get a coffee in the canteen?” The student looks at him through round-rimmed glasses. Hob is vaguely aware of Dream watching the interaction.

    “Oh, hello Michael. I appreciate you asking, but, I am incredibly busy.” Michael, Hob now remembers his name from previous approaches, looks slightly dejected but still offers a small smile. He swallows and Hob sees his Adam’s apple move with the motion.

    “Anything I can help with professor?”

    “No, it’s all good Michael. Speak to your usual tutor if you’re having issues.” Michael seems to get the hint that his professor will unfortunately not be trying to lose his job today and steps away, heading over to pet Dream.

    All the other students have left, Hob notices, so when Michael goes to pet Snuggles and he lunges suddenly at his arm no one is left to hear his sharp cry. Perhaps he will be losing his job after all.

  2. Public Bookmark 44

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    Every time Hob leaves a drinking establishment into a rainy night between 1889 and 2022, he feels a stab of heartbreak that's no less acute for the passage of time.

    When he leaves the New Inn with Morpheus on a stormy night in 2022, though, the place in his chest that's normally full of pain is full of something wholly different.

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    06 Jan 2026

    Bookmarker's Notes

    Every time Hob left a drinking establishment between 1889 and 1989 into a rainy night, he felt a stab of fear in his chest that his Stranger would make good on his threat to not return for their centennial reunion, so scornful of Hob's companionship that he'd forgo it evermore for the sake of his stung pride. Every time he walked into a rainy night between 1989 and 2022, the stab was even sharper, the pain refined with his knowledge that he'd gone and fucked everything up for real by naming his Stranger a friend, by reaching for more than he deserved and ending up with nothing at all.

    ...

    Those rosepetal lips skim back to Hob's ear, mouthing at the hair hanging wet and limp under Hob's temple. "You beg sweetly," Morpheus says, his voice as low and rolling as thunder as he grinds against Hob's thigh, "but you need not beg for what I'll gladly give you who are dear to me."

    ...

    "I'm taking you home with me and out of these wet clothes and then you can have whatever freedom you need to learn, my love."

  3. Public Bookmark 77

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    Sometimes Morpheus surprises him by responding to things. Morpheus very rarely, nearly never, initiates something.

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    01 Jun 2026

    Bookmarker's Notes

    “Talk to me, Morpheus,” he prompts, because he doesn’t entirely trust Morpheus to tell him if he doesn’t like something. Morpheus is wonderful, obviously, Hob trusts him with his own life often enough that he knows that Morpheus is someone to be admired in many, many aspects. One of those aspects, however, is not self-preservation, and Morpheus is stupid enough to consider his own well-being nearly last in every situation.

    Hob isn’t about to unpack all of that with two fingers in Morpheus, so, for now, he’s dealing with it by making Morpheus talk to him, god damn it.

    “It’s— strange,” he finally says, and Hob slows, just in case, “not bad, only— it feels like an intrusion,”

    Hob slows way down, pressing a hot kiss to the inside of Morpheus’s knee, before he says, “yell if you want me to stop.” Morpheus nods, and now he’s watching Hob finger him, and, god, it feels like a blessing, he’s in love, he’ll do anything for this mess of a creature.

  4. Public Bookmark 15

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    It is only when tears start to slide down his cheeks that Hob moves, first to wipe at his face and then to swallow down the rest of the pint in one long go of it. He has come to a decision. “Alright,” Hob slams the empty glass down on the table, startling Daniel enough to make him flinch. “Let’s go then.” He gets up, gathering his coat and heads toward the door.

    What are you…” Daniel starts reaching out as Hob walks past.

    Hob turns back to him. “My flat is just down a ways. I need stronger liquor and a more comfortable chair for this conversation, if you wish to have it.” Then he tilts his head in invitation and continues out the door.

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    01 Jun 2026

  5. Public Bookmark 55

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    When he falls asleep Hob, more often than not, appears at Dream's side in the Dreaming. This night he doesn't... well, not exactly.

    That Hob had appeared outside the door suggested that Dream was inside the room. Inside the room and waiting for him. Hob couldn’t suppress his shiver. Dream was waiting with something behind that door and given the very nature of what they had created within that space… Hob shivered again.

    Set sometime after Hypnopompia turtur

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    01 Jun 2026