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Hob looked over at his lover, standing next to the record player, watching the vinyl going around, and called out, “Dream.”The Lord of Dreams turned and looked at him.Extended one hand in invitation, Hob requested, “come cuddle with me.”He watched Dream just stand there, blinking.Realizing that might have sounded too much like an order, he added on, “please?” He added a waggle of his fingers too.A long moment stretched out. Protracted enough for Hob to drop his hand, heart sinking.“I do not cuddle.”A burst of laughter escaped his lips. “Yes, you do!”Dream drew himself up, haughtiness spilling from him. “I do not cuddle,” he repeated.“You do. You have done, with me.”Dream rocked back, startled. “When?”Hob thought back, tapping a fingertip on his chin. “Must have been…three evenings ago? No, four!”Morpheus cocked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. “Do you mean when I was in my cat form?”“Yes,” Hob nodded. “Exactly.”“We did not cuddle then,” Dream felt compelled to say.“Sure we did. You hopped into my lap after we ate. I was watching telly and you curled right up and I put one arm around you and petted you.” Hob suddenly grew worried. “You said you liked it.”“I did like it,” Dream admitted once again, as he had that night after shifting back to his human form. “But that is not cuddling.”“Seemed like it to me. The two of us sharing space, touching, getting all cozy and snuggly. If it wasn’t cuddling it was close enough, to my mind.”Morpheus thought this over. “And now you wish to do that again?” Without waiting for a response he said, “very well. Give me a moment to shift to my other form.”“Er, would you--!” Hob put a hand to halt him. “I mean, I was thinking…well, I was wondering…”“Yes?”“I would prefer it like this.” He gestured at Dream then himself. “Human forms, not you as a cat.”Dream went completely still, obviously startled. After a long pause, he asked, “you would prefer that? To what we did before?”Hob replied, “not prefer exactly. I did enjoy cuddling with you as a cat. Having you in my lap like that and all. But I would really like to do it, this time, with you like this,” he gestured at Dream’s human form. At another pause, he backtracked. “But if you’re uncomfortable doing that, if you only want to as a cat, I underst—“Dream interrupted him. “Hob. I am not saying no. I merely wish to understand.”“Right. Right. Of course.” Hob was silent a few beats then asked, “understand what?”“Why you would prefer to cuddle, as you say, with me like this?” Dream gestured to his body. “Are not cats cozier? Am I not easier to hold? Softer to touch?”“I’m not so sure about that last one,” Hob smiled. “And you are a good size, even though you are quite large for a cat.” He watched Dream subtly preen. “However, my dear Dream, in this form, if you feel like cuddling back? You can do it. Bit hard with paws,” he joked.Dream paused. “I am sorry.”Thoroughly confused, Hob got up and crossed to his lover. “For what?”“I did not realize that my lack of reciprocation was bothering you. That you wished me to return said ‘cuddles’”Hob let out a breath and stood up, crossing to the other man. He caught both of Dream’s hands in his own and pressed them to his chest. “You lovely man,” he said, fondly. Before Dream could protest he was not, strictly speaking, a man, Hob went on. “I see I need to explain. I do love it when you reciprocate,” he admitted, “but it’s fine if you don’t. I never want to push or pressure you into anything you don’t want to do or aren’t interested in. I loved cuddling you on my lap in cat form. I would very much like to hold you and have you hold me this way,” he moved their hands between them. “Even if we just both sit next to each other, side by side on the couch, just brushing shoulders and legs, that’s more than I thought I would get.”Dream made a noise.Unclear what it meant but wanting to get this out, Hob made a request. “Let me finish, please?”The King of Dreams subsided.“I’m just feeling particularly affectionate right now,” Hob admitted, a wee bit embarrassed. “I’d just like to be with you. Like this.”Morpheus moved his hands and brought Hob to him, holding him close in a loose embrace. “Of course. I merely worried—“Hob kissed him sweetly. “Come cuddle with me?” He asked again.“Yes.” Dream let himself be led back to the sofa, then pulled down. He shifted, unsure how to position himself.Hob, meanwhile, had no such qualms. He leaned into Dream’s left shoulder and wrapped one arm around his waist. The other he let rest on Dream’s chest. He let out a little sigh of contentment. The music still played in the background.Not much of the music had gone by when Dream abruptly pulled away.Alarmed, Hob asked, “trouble in the Dreaming? Do you need to go?”“That is not it.” Dream was now sitting on the other end of sofa, looking at him. “I am uncomfortable.”“Oh. Oh! I am so sorry,” Hob half reached out then pulled back. “I never meant to make you do something you didn’t want to do or—““Hob,” Dream said, shaking his head slightly, “not that kind of uncomfortable.”Hob looked at him and then the penny dropped. “I see.” The relief in his voice, he knew, was audible. “Time to reposition?”“Yes. If I may?” Morpheus gestured in a semi-vague way.Shrugging, Hob said, “however you please.” He watched as Dream came close and then maneuvered them both around. Dream did not stop until he was half curled against Hob’s right side, one hand looped through an arm and the other gently resting on Hob’s thigh.“Is this satisfactory for you as well?”Hob brought his arm up around his lover’s shoulders and dropped a kiss into those dark locks. The other hand he used to, well, cuddle against Dream. “Better than satisfactory,” he hummed, feeling his body go limp with languor.Dream also relaxed. “Good.”They stayed like that for a long time, content. Hob nearly drowsing, so comfy was he. But he did not want to drift into the Dreaming, preferring to share this time with his beloved in the Waking world.“Darling?” He put forth quietly at last.“Yes, Hob?”“Are you enjoying this?”“Yes, Hob. Very much.”“Would you be open to doing it again sometime? I mean, this way? Also as a cat. I like both, just which way will depend on the mood I’m in. Or the mood you might be in?”A gentle laugh. “I am indeed open to doing this again. In cat form or human form. Whenever you—or I—should wish to cuddle.”“Good.” Hob was well pleased. He went to settle back down.“I believe it is customary for humans, at least some, to cuddle after sex.”A startled laugh burst forth from Hob who looked down. “Many humans do enjoy that,” he agreed.“Are you one of them?”“I am,” Hob confessed. “When someone—and I’m not naming names—doesn’t completely wear me out with strenuous sexual activity that means I pretty much fall asleep as soon as we are done.”Hob could almost see the smirk on Dream’s lips.“Is that why we have never cuddled like this, post-sex?”“Well, that and—“ He broke off.Sitting up and pulling away long enough to look in Hob’s eyes, Morpheus asked, “and what?”Once upon a time he would have been afraid to say it. But now that he and Dream were lovers, he took a breath and admitted, “I thought that you wouldn’t want to.” He continued, “that you might,” he paused then went on, “see it beneath you somehow?”Morpheus leaned forward and cupped Hob’s face in both hands. “Never.” He shook his head. “Never,” he repeated, emphatically.Hob smiled and pulled Dream close, feeling the Prince of Stories hands slipping from his face to around his neck. They rested casually there, wrists cross behind Hob. Leaning even closer, he kissed Morpheus, a long and lingering kiss. “We’ll have to give that a try, then.”“Right now?” Dream asked, his tone half hopeful.Chuckling, Hob gently pulled his oldest friend down on top of him, stretching out on the couch. “Later,” he said, turning them so they were on their sides. “Just now? I don’t want to move. Rain check?”“I do not understand what the weather has to do with us having sex.” Dream said in his most mock innocent voice. But he couldn’t stop the grin that crossed his lips.Shaking his head slightly, Hob just had to kiss him again. “Silly man,” he said, voice brimming with affection and warmth. He brushed his lips against Dream’s perfect cheek. “I adore you, you know.”“Do you? The feeling is entirely mutual,” Dream declared back.Smiling widely, Hob tucked his head against Dream’s chest and lay there, the music washing over them. “Should have done this long ago,” he muttered, fighting against falling asleep. It was difficult, however, as he was warm and safe and feeling very loved and comfortable.“We should have,” Dream agreed. “We will make up for it, though, with much cuddling in the future. Both after sex and otherwise.”“Sounds good to me.” End