CPhil: Mate It’s MY Turn With The Twink

DOLLS KILL

So how’s the hc of c!dream being autistic feeling in light of recent news?

Pretty much confirmed canon now, because I think we can probably all agree that it’s not like the creators are professional actors so in many ways their personality bled into the characters so if cc!Dream is confirmed to be autistic, that pretty much means c!Dream is as well. Like no offense but I don’t think cc!Dream is that good of an actor to play a neurotypical character lol. I can barely try and write one XD. And of course the things talked about in my essays still stand as further support of that.

So… yeah, feels good. Especially because now I have a really good reason to give to people about why I’m obsessed with my green boy, cuz it’s not like there are that many autistic characters to be obsessed with and project onto. It’s also cool because the narrative and symbolism pieces I talked about in [part 3] of my autism essay now are confirmed to be applicable which is really cool. Like I mean the symbolism of the mask for one is just 👌… don’t even get me started on Pandora’s Vault being a great metaphor for people boxing up their autism for years (*cough* me *cough*).

Also this does open the box of actually considering what else this makes pretty canonical. For example, a common autistic thing is to not like eye contact (I personally hate it) and as mentioned in my essay, a reason for the mask could be so Dream can avoid having to make eye contact and making proper facial expressions to go with the situation.

Which means a few interesting things for fanfiction 1) I’ve often seen a theme of Dream having a mask because he’s so expressive and therefore is hiding his true intention with the mask and when he has it off he’s really easy to read. This however is likely not the case. In fact, Dream without the mask would mostly likely be just as hard to read because he would not be emoting properly, he might even by emoting inappropriately for the situation. He also could by extension not be one for extra eye contact. Course in my fics there is plenty of eye contact, but you’ll notice that I make a point to highlight it, because it’s not his natural or most comfortable thing to do….

Anyways, I’m pretty stoked honestly and I’m kinda curious if people will implement more autistic characteristics when writing Dream now. I hope they will at least keep it in mind, because I think that’d be really cool. And hey, to anyone not autistic or in general I suppose, feel free to reach out if you need some help or have questions about writing autistic Dream. :)

Found my sketches for the revengers stream in my forced family au.

reminders for today:

if you or someone you know might need it in the next few years, purchase plan b. the shelf life of plan b is 4 years, and we might not be able to access it as easily as we can now in the days ahead.

if you can, purchase books that project 2025 is looking to ban.

mass deportations are starting. if you see ice vehicles or agents, yell ice raid and la migra as loud as you can.

if someone asks who you voted for, keep your mouth shut. they’re fishing for traitors.

if anyone, anyone at all asks about your neighbors or their legal status in the us, you know nothing. don’t be the reason that their family is separated.

if anyone asks about your religion or lack thereof, keep it vague. this administration will look for any excuse to persecute you.

your friends are trans or queer? for the next four years they’re not. don’t expose anyone’s status as a trans or queer person to anyone else, even if you think you can trust them.

did someone you know get an abortion? no, they didn’t. it was a miscarriage if anyone asks.

in short, don’t be a snitch, and keep to yourself these next four years. we’ll make it through this even if it seems hopeless at times.

this is all i can think of at the moment, but i’ll be adding on to this as the day continues.

we can survive this. we’ve survived before, and we’ll survive again.

I think we as a fandom should compile a list of cultural phenomenons Dream has created

I’ll go first:

The speed run music

Normal pills

Magnet meme

Door PVP

Funneling Strategy (Dodgebolt)

Anything and everything, both in they way I think he can be any hybrid and in the way he can be all, like a inhuman/chimera

Maybe one that poses as a human too, but there are still tiny features that aren’t human, or animal

Debate!

@davewallz have no clue if you’ve seen this but here

Favorite frames from a DSMP X Epic animatic (c!Dream to Monster) that I’ll never finish

horror movie au!dream finally getting to experience someone who likes him for him and it doesn't involve fancy dinners and expensive cars or anything like that. it's him and techno in a crappy motel eating stale chips from the vending machine or sitting in the back of techno's van that smells like wet dog and shampoo.

c!Dream in the arctic

full pic under cut

Sometimes Misunderstandings are the Best

I do not know where this came from, I just started writing and then I had this.

Summary: Dream has been doing this song and dance for a long time. This is a first, though, and not one he's going to complain about. He never gets this much fun, afterall.

-~4k words

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"You have entered here with ill intent, impure thought and action driving your course," Dream recites, sword singing in his ears as he draws it. "You have ignored the chances to correct your course. Ignored the warnings to turn back. Ignored all the signs for you to become more than you are now. Consider this your last chance and the final one where you will face the culmination of all your choices that lead you here. The things and people that told you to come. Turn. Leave. Or you will have to battle me to gain the hand of the princess you seek."

The last words make him want to throw up, but they are needed. Have been since that first person refused to take 'there's not a fucking princess here' as an answer from Sapnap and leading to a couple missing fingers. All of those who have found their way here since have been after the cursed and trapped 'princess' and all of them are tired. Even though it feels like it drags Dream down more to have a new script he has to remember on top of the old one.

The armored knight shifts and Dream continues with the script before it can get any kind of word in. They're all the same. At least he hasn't had to watch the full effects in the same length of time.

"You have made your choice by staying here. A foolish one you will not see the other side of," he intones, wondering if he really should have just let George to take care of this. "You may have a blade, however can you use it? Will you be able to stand against another with that simple metal? Or will it break when you need it most? This will test that question, but I already know the answer. There is not a single time that one has managed to get past me and you will not be the first."

"Uh, I-"

Dream's eyes drift to the seam between the wall and ceiling. There's a crack up there one of them is going to have to take care of, but he's not sure they have the supplies on hand. Or if the building will let them mess with it. "If you still refuse to accept the fact that you are not worthy of continuing forward, draw your blade. You will have to face me in battle to continue forward and I warn you now: I am simply the first. The ones after me are stronger, smarter, better. They will know what you are capable of and you will not be able to beat them. I doubt that will be a problem as not once has blood been spilled beyond this room."

You know, he thinks they might have some leftover bricks from that fireplace repair. Maybe those could work? And they weren't rejected so hopefully...

Oh, wait, he should probably turn back to the knight in front of him. He's getting to the part where it attacks finally, Dream maybe decides to dodge it for a couple minutes, lops off its head, goes back upstairs and annoys someone into checking if they actually have bricks and fixing the crack while ignoring the body that turned to dust in front of him.

"Well? You are seeking for your true love," he says, feeling the mockery in his own words curling around his toes. "Fight for it or give up. There is no other choice for you to make at this point. Make it."

A shift and he grips his sword for an attack-

The helmet isn't looking at him. It's angled down as gloved hands dig into a belt pouch and aren't even holding a weapon anymore and this doesn't happen. Why isn't it attacking?

"I think I might be in the wrong place?" it says, staying in clear sight as it pulls out a parchment and still not looking up at him.

Oh.

Dream blinks under his own helmet. This... really hasn't ever happened before. Even before the whole 'princess' thing took off no one really got here accidentally. All of them wanted to kill Dream, after all, and he killed them in turn to avoid watching the worse option.

"I was lookin' for my" something Dream doesn't recognize but sounds kind of similar to Sapnap's first language "and I was told to come here. Or at least somewhere that has a lot of the same features? I'm not really familiar with this place."

Well, Dream is kind of feeling awkward now. A large part of him wants to offer to point them in the right direction, but he literally just made a huge, rambling speech about how he's going to kill them and they're a trespasser and clearly corrupt in one way or another. That isn't how you're supposed to start a friendly interaction with someone. At least according to Bad. Hm. Maybe he can try apologizing? Bad says that's something humans do when they mess up so it should be correct in this situation, right? Dream made a mistake in thinking they were here for the non-existent princess and he can make it up by offering help in finding the correct place.

"Let me see."

The helmet finally looks up again and oh no. Is that overstepping in a different way? The others don't always like when someone tries to help and even Dream gets annoyed when one of them tries to push help when he doesn't want it. He should just clarify that he's-

"Here," the knight says, holding the parchment out. "My friend - I think that's the word - wrote it out for me."

Dream nods slightly, carefully taking the page and trying to not think about how far they must have traveled to get here if they aren't sure about the language. The writing is, weird. Parts really small while others are huge in comparison and somehow spiky and curvy at the same time. He can still read it, but the handwriting is strange enough Dream is seriously wondering if he can maybe ask to keep this for Bad to have.

Though....

"I think this is the right place," he says, trying to pull up the faint memory of arriving in this damned place and the outside world. Why did he offer to point them the right way? He hasn't been outside since he was a child.

"Really? Cause I want to find" that same word from earlier "before" a different one "gets" and they seem to just be slipping into their native tongue now. At least he can tell their voice sounds almost excited and Dream really wants to know what the fuck they're talking about if they aren't here for the 'Princess' or would be able to translate into trade. Actually, Sapnap's here right now so he should be able to ask for his help with this, right?

"I said 'I think'. It's been awhile since I've seen the outside, but I think I know someone who might speak the same language you're using," he offers. "Would that work to double check with him?"

The knight nods, "Yeah. I can stay here if you don't want anyone following you around?"

Dream stares. All of this has been weird since the script got tossed out earlier, yet the offer to just, stay in the entry hall to not overstep the tenuous 'welcome' is just as off putting as the knight not attacking. It's actually enough he pauses to think about if he's actually alright with a stranger entering the rest of the building.

"Are you okay just standing here?" he finally settles on. "It can't be that interesting, but..."

How can he nicely put 'The rest of this building is the safe place for all of us and none of us like the idea of outsiders being let in past the entry hall' without sounding like a bigger ass then he has been?

"As long as you don't mind me poking around here," the knight states, attention already off of Dream and staring at the murals along the walls.

He glances over, but they aren't that interesting and he doesn't get why the knight is apparently intrigued, but it means he can track down Sapnap in the time it takes them to get bored of the boring things.

"Okay, I'll be" wow, they don't wait even a second before jogging to the nearest one "right back."

Dream stares at them for a second before slowly backing up to the concealed pathway deeper into the building. They don't even react as the redstone activates to let him through or as it closes.

"What the fuck," he whispers, staring at the dark stone and wondering if he's actually gone insane for a moment.

He shakes it off, bolting as fast as possible into the maze of the building and yelling at the top of his lungs for Sapnap. There's an explosion from somewhere followed by a 'You muffin!' almost drowning out a thump from a room he passes. (George's bedroom, so not where Sapnap would be. And it's his own fault for sleeping while the rest of them are awake.) Luckily, it doesn't take long to come across Sapnap poking his head out of a doorway spilling heat haze into the hallway and Dream skids to a stop to avoid sudden onset heatstroke.

"Why are yelling?" Sapnap asks over the clanging of his rods.

Dream takes a breath, "I need your help with something in the entry."

Sapnap's face scrunches up, "Didn't you say that you wanted to deal with the next ones that showed up? Get some kind of fun out of beating up people who deserve it? Or" he gets a shit-eating grin "is it someone from your home?"

"None of that," he sighs, rolling his eyes under the helmet and kind of wishes he could take it off to deal with this. "I need you to translate."

That has Sapnap pausing, silent except for the rhythmic clanking of his rods. "Yeah, okay. Sounds interesting."

"Great. C'mon. I left them alone and they said it was okay, but that room is soooo boring to be stuck in and I don't want them to wait forever," he says, grabbing hold of Sapnap's wrist and tugging him out of the room.

There's a yelp and a faint struggle as Sapnap barely manages to kick the door shut, "Dream! Are you trying to burn the place down? You know that won't work!"

Dream ignores the complaining as he keeps dragging the other back through the halls. He has no idea how long the knight has been left there with how this place is structured and he really doesn't want to leave them for long enough to get bored or, you know, die, so he keeps pressing against the button to open the door even though it doesn't make it open any faster. Sapnap tugs his hand away from the button after the 20th press and he just starts tapping his foot against the carpeted floor.

"Dude. You can calm down," Sapnap sighs, throwing arms over Dream's armored shoulders and letting his full weight press down. "It hasn't been that long. There's no way Slowness has even had the chance to activate."

He shoves an elbow into Sapnap's ribs because technically yes, but in reality no. It's maybe something he should talk to them about, but he really, really does not want to talk about Before and they know that but this is really something they should-

The door clanks open enough to get through and he dashes through, lungs burning as his eyes snap around for the knight-

Who is still at the first mural, staring up at it and where they really that interested in the fucking murals depicting Dream's imprisonment? Really?

The knight's head turns to look over, straightening at seeing them standing on the dais and - oddly - Dream doesn't feel the weight of their focus on himself even though they're looking at them both so who could they-

Blaze rods clanking in a harsh smack reminds him that Sapnap's here too and he watches as the other drifts barely above the ground as he goes down the stairs calling what he knows is a greeting. With that, a whole conversation starts up in the rumbling, burning language Dream's never been able to get a hang of no matter how hard he's tried. It kind of sucks not knowing what either of them are saying, but he trusts Sapnap will give him answers and as long as he's in the room, none of the effects should have the chance to start up.

His eyes flick up to the mural the knight was so intent on, but he really can't see any reason for someone to be interested in it. It's nothing but the remainder of people who were terrified about nothing and decided the best way to deal with that was to toss him away without a second glance. It's pure luck that none of the others have decided to ask about them.

Sapnap bursts into laughter, dragging his attention back. The blaze hybrid has his feet fully on the ground, bent over to brace against his knees as he laughs and laughs and laughs. The knight looks up at him, head tilted and Dream can feel the bone deep confusion that rings in his own body. At least it seems to be a misunderstanding? Maybe? At least something Sapnap finds absolutely hilarious.

"Oh sweet Nether," Sapnap finally gasps out. "This is great."

"Wonderful," Dream says, crossing his arms. "Are you willing to share, now?"

Sapnap gasps in air, the rods and his skin flaring in brightness with each breathe, "I'll tell you, just gimme a moment."

He rolls his eyes, hearing Bad's near silent footfalls as he steps through the door, "Fine."

"What's going on?" Bad mutters, bent over to speak right next to Dream's ear. "Are they going to join us?"

"I don't think so," Dream whispers back, watching as Sapnap's coloration slowly steadies. "I just needed Sapnap's help figuring out what exactly they're here for and then he fell over laughing."

"Huh."

"Okay, okay, okay!" Sapnap is still laughing as he comes over. "So, they're here to fight you."

Dream blinks, "They said they weren't here for a princess? Was that just a miscommunication?"

"No. It's more like an arena match," Sapnap explains. "Or sparring with us. They aren't here for a princess or to kill an evil beast or any of the other things people have sought this place out for, they are literally just looking for a decent spar for a best of five. And they were sent here with a vague as shit description."

He looks over at the (maybe not a) knight who's head has turned back to the murals. The armor has the appearance of something that's actually used and the sword he can tell even from this distance has been cared for and, well, he has been calling them a 'knight' from the very first glance.

"I'll fight them," he says, stepping around Sapnap to go down the three steps.

Sapnap calls something out to the visitor who obviously perks up, moving to the spot they'd first stopped in when Dream had started talking. Dream stops a length away from them. Not close enough for either to actually hit with their blades and he actually feels excited to be facing a battle. It might not be much - even the others have to go three to one for him to really start having to think in a spar - but this is different and he can't wait to experience it.

"Don't hold back," the visitor says, sword dangling from their hand as Sapnap gives a count down.

"We'll see," he replies, wondering how much he might be able to draw out the coming battles. Sapnap said best of five, after all.

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Every single inch of him aches and Dream can't help the stupid grin he knows is splitting his face even if it would reduce the strain in his muscles even slightly.

"Can you stop with the ridiculous smile," George pleads, dropping a warm towel over his head. "It's getting disturbing."

"Let him have it," Bad chuckles. "It's not like there's a whole lot that gets him this happy, anyway."

Dream hums in agreement, wincing faintly at the strain it puts across his chest and limbs. He can't move and Bad had to help get the armor off, move him into the back of the building, and get him onto one of the couches to rest his muscles from the strain Dream'd put them under. Not a situation he likes, but he can't bring himself to care right now.

"So I should have actually left my room to figure out what was going on," George sighs. "What happened?"

"Hilarity!" Sapnap crows, the door slamming into the wall as he rushes in. "I really, really need to tell you guys just how hilarious this is. It's great!"

The towel over his face is pulled away and Dream can actually see the other three now. George lounging in one of the chairs, Sapnap floating in excitement by the door as his rods rotate faster than normal, and Bad sitting next to him folding the towel into a rectangle he places over Dream's forehead.

"It was someone just looking for a spar," Bad offers. "Odd and certainly different from the usual, but I'm not sure why Sapnap's finding it so funny."

Sapnap gasps in mock offense, grasping at his chest, "How could you! It is absolutely hilarious and watching Dream get his ass handed to him was even more so."

Dream snorts, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Sapnap chirps. "But seriously, it is way funnier and I should probably explain why."

"You should," George says. "Though imagining Dream loosing in a spar is funny enough."

The rods clack as he continues, "So, I mentioned that they were looking for a best of five spar thing which isn't the best explanation but it's the one I could use. Basically, a lot of the races in the Nether have this coming of age task where they prove they're strong enough to be considered an adult. Most of the time, it things like go kill a ghast or help take out a threat to the clan, but sometimes, they'll be sent out to find specific fights for various reasons."

Dream carefully turns his head to the side, eyeing Sapnap as he grabs hold of his rods to keep them from running into the couch as he sits and continues, "Rarely, something happens and they have to use something to actually find the task. I don't know all of the details cause each of them is different, but they implied that their's was a vision of some sort. Meaning, they were literally sent here by divine intervention to fight Dream. Purely to prove they're skilled enough to be an adult."

He crosses his eyes, staring at the wall, "I guess it is kind of funny, but I think you still have a lot more cultural input that makes it more so."

"Probably," he sighs. "But thinking of a god just looking at all the possibilities for them to fight and choosing to send them to Dream is-" he waves a hand around in the air, trailing off with a large grin.

"Knowing how much of a pain it is to get here, that is kind of amusing," Bad adds. "Were they another blaze? I didn't see any rods, but they could have been holding them inside the armor?"

Sapnap shakes his head, "Nah, something else which is why they had the armor. Blazes don't really do that proving thing. Mom had a handful come to challenge her while I was growing up, though."

Dream closes his eyes as they start going into questions about what the differences between the various Nether races is when it comes to coming of age. Given most of them are just 'No clue, but this is what I remember/saw', he doesn't feel bad about tuning the conversation out. It doesn't really matter to him why the visitor decided to make the trek to the building. Not when he's still turning the fights over in his head, debating what he could have done differently, what it would be like to have a rematch, how to maybe convince one of them to track down the visitor and give an offer of a place to stay in exchange for another fight.

It's been forever since he had a fight that pushed him like that.

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The helmet clangs against the stone as it drops from Techno's fingers, quickly followed by the gauntlets and vambraces. The enchantment on the rest of the set stings against his skin. Pulses in waves of tingling pain that doesn't actually hurt him, but is uncomfortable enough he wants the thing off.

"Oh my god, could you not wait like another ten feet to start taking off the armor?" Skeppy complains. "You almost hit me."

"Sounds like a you problem," he grunts back, twisting around to reach the buckles on the pauldrons and breastplate.

"Just because I'm shorter than you-"

Techno's ear pricks up, turning to the flowing magma river in time to see crackling skin breaching the surface and soul fire eyes stare at him.

Skeppy bumps into one of his greaves, "Why are you- Oh, hi Tommy."

Tommy tilts his head, claws digging into the netherrack as he shoves out of the magma. Globs of the molten rock drip down his skin as he settles on the shore and reaches out to Techno. Techno steps closer, collapsing to the ground and purring as those same claws curve under the armor to pick out the buckles.

"SaaaAAffffe?" Tommy's voice rumbles out.

"Yeah," he replies, eyes drifting closed as the armor comes off piece by piece and taking the tingling of the enchantment with it. "We're both safe."

A crooning rumble vibrates through the air around them with the last of the buckles around his torso coming undone and Tommy switching focus to Techno's hair. The scratches across his scalp increase the volume of his purring as he leans back into the warm scales and skin.

"This is sickeningly sweet," Skeppy says, leaning against Techno's thigh. "Why do you have to put me through this."

Tommy hisses, but doesn't pull away from petting Techno's hair. If anything, he just pulls his trailing tail further out of the magma to curl more around the two of them.

"Succeed?" he croons.

Techno gives a positive hum as Skeppy says, "Yep! Techno really proved himself in battle and I'd say is totally an adult even if he already is and I don't really get why he had to do this in the first place, but that doesn't change that he won. It was a real pain to get there, though. Couldn't you have offered somewhere easier to get to? Most of the travel was just finding the thing and we got there and then the first thing we come across was talking about a mate or something? It was weird and made me think I got the wrong details before it got a blaze to confirm we were in the right place."

He huffs as Tommy sprawls across his back, pressing down on him and stopping with the hair petting. Something that is absolutely criminal and he grumbles and shifts to make that clear. It only gets a grumbling chuff and Tommy pressing further down on him and fine. Techno will take the physical contact for now, he guesses. He has missed being with his full sounder.

Tommy doesn't bother with more words, curling over Techno fully. He's finally comfortably warm after being cold and having to wear that armor set didn't help either even if he knows it was designed to keep him safe. Skeppy is pressed into his side humming faintly under Tommy's rumbling and his own purring. There will be time later to talk about his proving, but for now, Techno lets sleep claim him.

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Details I was thinking about while writing:

Dream is imprisoned in a sort of castle-thing and has been since he was like five in order to prevent some kind of bad thing from happening. Bad, Sapnap, and George live with him, but aren't under the same imprisonment deal so they leave occasionally.

When Dream was alone, he figured out there was a sort of curse on the place as well and anyone who enters the entry hall has the chance of getting some sort of affliction put on them. And time acts weird in the Hall sometimes going faster, sometimes going slower.

Sapnap is a blaze hybrid, Bad is a demon, George is human, Dream is unknown but looks humanoid

This is Techno's first time being in the overworld and he hates it. Mainly because of the armor he had to wear and how cold it was compared to the Nether. He knows that it was the only logical option for his proving trial, though, so he puts up with it.

Tommy is a magma/lava mer and they can speak, they just tend to use calls more than words, but he puts in the effort to make sure Techno has all the resources to grow up properly. Yes, Tommy is older here. He's also a god, but ignore that. He just wants to make sure his little brother knows he's loved.

Skeppy is just like, a 6-9 inch tall golem so he was there for the battle with Dream, it's just none of them besides Techno noticed him. He's also part of the sounder and helped a lot with tracking down the castle-thing due to actually being created on the overworld.

If there's any other tags I should add, let me know!