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Derek choked out a sob as he looked up at the eyes, he could hear that voice in his head. The voice of the King, ringing in his skull. But that didn’t matter…. He didn’t matter…
Avery was free… that’s, that’s what mattered.
Avery was free and safe and would never reach this place again. Avery was free and safe and away from it, Avery was free and… and safe.. and away from him… from Derek…
He fell to his knees.
Avery was free from being trapped in a different reality. From being trapped in Unreality. From unwanted knowledge, and horrific truths and beautiful lies.
Avery was….
Avery….
He sobs… all of reality glides past his mind, of his family that may or may not exist at all, and friends he might have had or didn’t exist at all. If strangers he Knows but will never Know. It hurts, it hurts so fucking much.
The unreality around him swirls as the King talks, and talks and talks talks talks talks. With every syllable, every consonant, every whispered and shouted and humming word, the pain in his head grows.
He claws at his helmet, never able to take it off or claw at the skin beneath for relief from the pain in his head.
There’s a loud sound, shouting, screaming… Why would there be screaming? The king never screamed…
Oh.
Wait.
That’s-
That’s him screaming.
That’s him, D3r- Derek… that’s him screaming.
He tries to shut up, but he can’t. He screams and shouts and begs, until his voice fails. And then he keeps screaming. His ears pop, the pain somehow growing worse with his pleading….
…
…
…
Who was he thinking about…?
NO ONE
No one… Right…
It hurts still, why did it hurt….?
…
Why…?
…
With the voice… with his King not answering he looks to the painful knowledge swimming in his head. Surely something can tell him.
Flashes of images and words and voices and calls and laughter and-
He gasps and turns away from the eyes that glare, slamming his helmeted head into the ground. Tears drip from within.
He’s crying. He’s lost something. Something he wants, something he needs….
No, no…
Nonononononononononononoonononononononoonononononononoonononononononoononononononono no no no…..
No…
Not.
Not Something.
Someone.
The pain returns in full force trying to break down his thoughts, trying to break him!
It almost worked. Almost.
Before and now again.
Here and Before.
It didn’t work then. He clawed his way out then. One sentence at a time… for Him.
He….
D3rL0rd3…
Derek….!
He can do it again! He will do it again…!
He will!
He-
He looks up at the eyes, not caring for the blood that drips from his helm.
Avery came here for him…. Avery risked himself… for him.
Avery did that all for him!
He… Derek narrows his eyes at the ones staring back, seeing his own reflection in those bottomless pits.
One of them would leave here….. Only one…. And he’s sure as shit not going to let it be this fucking piss coloured Jackass!
No amount of infinite knowledge will stop him..!
Not now…
Not ever!
NOT EVER
______________________
Avery laid in bed, his laptop on the bedside table. A few editing programs left open in the background, YouTube as well. A document lays open.
A final message from D3rl0rd3, from Derek.
Avery shakes with suppressed sobs, covering his head with his pillow. The red covering scrubbed roughly under his sensitive eyes, an unwanted feeling, but Avery couldn’t bring himself to toss it.
His blankets were tangled around him, an uncomfortable bunched up part was right under his side but he didn’t care, curling up tighter on his bed. It didn’t matter… none of it did.
He couldn’t help Derek, couldn’t save him, couldn’t be there for him. Could never be there for him now.
He rolled over, splaying out on his bed while fireworks went off outside. New years…
He spent so long searching for that world…. Searching for him.
Just for nothing…
He rolls over again, moving his blankets and pillow. Again and again and again. A sob building. He shouts! Screams at the world that does exist as he tosses his pillow. Pounds at his bed and kicks the wall, not caring for the pain.
Why! Why couldn’t he do one fucking thing right! One person, just… he just wanted to help one person….
Avery sobs as he sits up, letting tears slide down his face as he leaves his room to get a glass of water, the tears still fall by the time he returns to his silent room. He sits down on his bed, setting the glass to the side before letting his head fall into his hands.
So stupid… he should have guessed Derek would get him out. He shouldn’t have opened his inventory, he shouldn’t have opened chat!
He shouldn’t!
He…
He……
Now he couldn’t, he’ll never get to know Derek, never meet and never hear and never Know. And even if Derek Knew him he never got to Know what they could Be….
He never-
Ding~!
He-
Avery pauses, turning to look at his computer. A notification. From YouTube.
He pauses before reaching over and grabbing his laptop and moving it over. Setting in on his lap he navigates through it, mouse forgotten to the side, just using the mousepad.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click-
He pauses, hands freezing over the keyboard as he reads the notification.
A comment.
A-
“I never was that great with endings”
What-
What no.
No, how?
How?!
He looks at the username-
D3rL0rdInR3d
How.
How.
How.
Avery scrambles clicking and mis-clicking and replying.
> D3rL0rd?
> I thought I told you to call me Derek?
Avery’s hand spasms.. face twisting with emotions he couldn’t name if he tried.
> Derek how?????
Avery panics when no reply comes, is he dreaming? A nightmare??!! A-
> I told you. I’m not great with endings and the last one was terrible, so I made a new one.
Avery laughs, he laughs so hard he starts sobbing. This stupid man. This stupid ridiculous man.
> You’re*
> Your an idiot.
> Shut up!
> I know.
Avery can only stare at the screen, still processing.
> How?
> I wanted to see you. Not just. Know.
> So you what? Killed a god?
> Something like that.
> Do you like this ending, Avery?
Avery can only stare… only stare as a tearful smile slowly climbs his face, “This ending is way better.”
> I’m glad. So, So very glad.