Chapter Text
Erik stayed at the bus stop, hands in his pocket as he breathed out, a fog forming before his face. It was cold, and he didn't mind, because something warm was blooming in his chest.
Keith would pick him up, he promised, so after parting ways with Avery, Erik stayed by the bus stop. He's very giddy about being picked up after work, by his boyfriend, of course. It's so sweet and it makes him feel like there's so many butterflies in his stomach.
This side of his was, well, exclusive to Keith. Erik is the kind of guy you'd banter with, the type to be jesting whenever he could, but underneath all that, he's sweet and affectionate as well.
He was snapped out of his daydreaming by a honk, “Hey.” Keith called out, his car's window rolled down. “Hi, mi amor.” Keith's voice is silk smooth, something you wouldn't typically hear from a guy who loves to party.
“Hi,” Erik chuckled, a pinkish blush on his cheek that he's sure was just because of the cold, but maybe not, either way, it's fine. “Can we get McDonald's?” He adds, already walking towards the other side of the car to get settled in the passenger seat.
“To get your midnight McFlurry? Sure, anything you want, my love.” Keith chuckled, leaning in to press a soft kiss against Erik's lips, leaving a flustered Erik on the passenger seat.
Keith set the car to drive and accelerated along the road, the mood shifting with the radio's music changing to some love song from the 1900s.
“Wait, uhm, do you mind turning the car?” Erik asked, to which he had to brace himself because his requests never took minutes before they're fulfilled.
“Did you forget something?” Keith asked, already eyeing the rearview mirror to see two guys on a motorcycle passing by. It was dangerous at night, that's why he always picked up Erik when he could.
“Avery was with me for closing, I want to check if he's still walking—and if we can maybe drop him off at his apartment?” Erik hesitated for a second, but he was getting that feeling that he should be worried for their friend.
“Oh, yeah, for sure. I forgot Avery works with you.” Keith said, pressing a little harder on the gas to catch up to Avery, maybe.
Erik chuckled, his gaze drifting to the window to check the sidewalk for any signs of Avery. “Well, that guy isn't your typical introvert or extrovert, he's just straight up weird, no?” Erik hummed, the lyrics to the song playing in the background weren't something he memorized, but the tune was something he's familiar with.
“Yeah, I'm glad he's our friend, that guy probably won't even talk to anyone if they're not fit for his categories.” Keith echoed Erik's exact thoughts and they shared a quiet giggle before Keith braked so suddenly Erik felt like flying.
At first, the latter was about to ask why the sudden break before his eyes shot to the right side of the road, a crimson pool of blood under a person they both recognized from a distance. Erik bolted out of the car, the snow hitting his skin felt freezing as he stumbled towards that same guy he always thanked for covering his shifts.
“Avery!” His voice shook with the unfathomable amount of dread swallowing his entirety. He dropped to his knees next to him, the snow cushioning his fall on the concrete. His hands hovered over his friend, unsure where to put them, unsure what to do in that scenario.
Keith came crashing down next to them, his gaze full of worry for Avery but panic as well at the emotions he saw in his boyfriend's face. He's so unfamiliar with that look, and he didn't like what he's seeing.
He pulled out his phone, scrambling to call 911 as he moved back, the sight of blood making something in his stomach churn. Keith stood up again, his knees nearly giving up under him as he moved away to focus on the call, to try and get them help as soon as they could.
Erik, on the other hand, had his palms against Avery's abdomen, trying to stem the bleeding, trying to ignore the biting cold and the tremble in his hands.
Not Avery.
Please, not the guy I know who tried his best to get out of the dark on his own.
I beg you, not the guy we knew kept himself alive despite the life he had.
Erik's mind darkened, his vision blurring as he kept his focus on Avery's wound, he was still bleeding, but he wasn't responsive to pain. His heart wasn't even beating. Erik tried again and again, hoping that he'd get different results each time he pressed his fingers against his pulse point.
Nothing.
There was just nothing.
Erik barely snapped out of the trance he was in, out of the clouds of his own mind when Keith shook his shoulder to get his attention.
“Erik.” Keith's voice when he called out was so foreign that Erik felt like he's just dreaming.
Right, this must be a dream.
“Avery—” He says, his voice clipped and tense as he looked at Keith. The look on Erik's face was just pure devastation and something Keith can't even name.
The blaring of the ambulance and the shouting of the first respondents made both Erik and Keith flinch. They were pushed aside in urgency to get Avery to the ambulance, to the hospital.
Avery's body dripped of blood, his very life draining out of his body and absorbed into the snow beneath their feet. Keith kept a firm arm around Erik as he tugged him towards his car. They had to go and follow the ambulance, they had to get there.
They had to be with Avery.
Because they're everything to him right then and there.
They had no means to contact his family, they didn't even know if they're still reachable, if they could get them here.
For now, they're there.
“Time of Death: 1:36 AM, February 9th.” Those words from the attending Doctor felt like a slap as Erik grasped onto Keith's sleeve a little tighter. This was supposed to be a happy day where he gets his McFlurry first thing in the morning and a promise of seeing Avery working later tonight but—
This?
This wasn't in the script—not in the schedule.
This wasn't supposed to happen, at all.
“We offer our deepest condolences.” The Doctor lowered his head with his bloodied hands hanging on his sides. “We'll—give you some time.” He hesitated for a moment, a question hanging on his tongue but he'd rather not interrupt with grievances.
They could just get the contact information for the parents of the deceased through the system, so for now, they'll let them be.
Because that's the best they could do now.
“Avery.” Erik's voice trembled, his hand carefully placed on Avery's cold one. “Hey, oi, wake the fuck up.” There's a harshness in his voice that he couldn't control. He wasn't mad at Avery, he can't be mad at him. “Oi, we have our shift later. Don't laze around.” He says, his eyes bloodshot from tears he had to hold back.
He tried to shake Avery, it wasn't working. He's not gonna wake up anytime soon.
“Avery—” Erik tried again, shaking him harder. “Come on, this isn't a good joke.”
Keith hated seeing this scene. His boyfriend was still in denial, still unable to accept that he just lost a friend.
And Keith felt the same way.
Avery was like a brother to both, someone to tease and spend time with. Someone they wanted to keep around to irritate about relationships and everything else.
And now that is gone.
Keith's hands were hesitant before they settled on Erik's shoulders, rubbing and hoping that would bring the slightest bit of comfort he could offer.
“Erik.” He whispered, unable to raise his voice at that moment.
“He's gone, Keith.” Erik sounded rather lost. “It's my fault. I should've told him to wait with me so we could drive him home—” Erik looked up, his eyes moist from unshed tears. “Keith, Avery—Avery's—” It's hard to speak, hard to process emotions you're suddenly faced with.
They're not accustomed to death, they don't have any family they had to bury, yet.
So, this? This was one hellish dream for both.
Erik mustered the strength to stand up from where he sat by Avery's bed, only to fall against Keith's chest and cry into his shirt.
Erik isn't a crybaby, even Avery can testify to that, but given the situation..
Keith's arms wrapped around Erik's, his face buried against his hair, his own eyes moist with tears. He can't understand how this whole thing could happen in so little time.
Last week, he was just asking Avery to party, and now here he is, holding back tears as the latter lay there, lifeless.
It took a while before Erik calmed down. He's all puffy like a fish from all the crying he just did. Avery would laugh if he knew Erik cried that much for him. This is a first for the ambivert orange cat.
Keith stood there—the extroverted golden retriever was nowhere to be seen—a phone in his hand as he tried to reach Avery's parents. He got the contacts through the hospital and the system, and he asked if he could try and call instead of the hospital themselves.
It took a lot of ringing and disconnecting before finally getting through with a click. “Hello?” The woman's voice on the other line felt cold.
“Hello, this is Keith Jenkins. I'm Avery's friend from College.” It was a brief introduction, as needed for the occasion.
“Yes? I'm.. his mother. How may I help?” The slight hesitation in her voice made Keith feel a whole lot more exhausted. He's aware of the rocky relationship they have but he didn't understand the extent.
“Avery was.. robbed on the streets.” Keith said, eyeing Erik from where he sat, still watching over Avery despite the fact that they've covered him with a cloth now.
“Oh, dear. Did he lose a lot of money? His stuff? Why was he out so late?” There's something unnerving in her words and tone that made something click in Keith's mind.
“He lost a lot. Mrs. Collins, Avery was robbed and.. killed.” Keith thought of trying to break down the information into pieces to not shock the woman but based on the responses from earlier, he had a feeling they didn't care.
And he hopes he's wrong.
“What?” Keith had to pull the phone away for a second, unsure about the new tone he just heard.
“What do you mean killed?” She repeats. A jiggle of keys could be heard from her line and Keith rubbed a hand against his nape.
It's too late for something like that.
For that kind of tone.
“Mrs. Collins, we're at the City's hospital. If you could come.. We'll wait here.” Keith couldn't understand why there's those kinds of parents.
The kind that can't show a gentle love to their kids.
The kind that couldn't do anything good to avoid regrets.
The very kind of parents that Avery had the misfortune to have, the ones that can't care unless you're gone.
What a cruel thing death is.
To give you a glimpse of the parents you could've had when you were alive.
The kindness, the love, and affection and care.
It's late for all those for a body gone cold.
“Hello.” Avery's mind can't grasp the fact that he's seeing a familiar face breathing and alive. A face he's familiar from the amount of times he's seen that yearbook from Mrs. Hutchins.
“There you are.” That voice was inviting, warm and so alive.
“Avery Collins, right?” Avery could feel his breath leave his lungs when he heard his voice again, his skin prickly and his legs mushy under him, he couldn't try to stand, he'd fall.
“Yes? Who's—Who's asking?” Avery's voice shook, his mind spinning and his thoughts rampaging in his head.
“Derek Hutchins.” The tan-skinned guy was indeed him.
“..Der—”
“Ms. Jenkins is looking for you.”
Avery felt baffled to say the least. This was him, he came looking for him but not for the reason he hoped it to be. Why did he even think that was possible, that Derek would remember something, that wasn't possible to say the least.
He's the only one who can remember.
And he's fine with that, why?
Because he'll do what it takes to know Derek like the back of his hand. He'll do everything to know this person he's longed for, grieved for. He'll know why he felt helplessly captivated with someone whose name was the only thing he knew of.
“W—Where is she?” Avery stammered, shoving his book into his bag as he tried to get up. He's trying to keep his composure, which he's doing poorly.
“You don't have to be so nervous.” Derek huffed a breathless laugh, holding out a hand to help Avery get up. The latter hesitated but he did hold onto Derek and muttered a soft “thanks” before letting go and patting himself free of soil from where he sat.
“This is our first time meeting properly, I'm Derek Hutchins, your mom knows mine.” The conversation flowed so easily that you'd think they've talked before.
Well, they did, but that's in the distant future that Avery didn't want to unfold.
“Ah, I do know Mrs. Hutchins.” Avery did know her, only after Derek was gone did he manage a visit and a conversation with the older lady.
“Ms. Jenkins told me you're good at literature, and I heard murmurs from Mr. Harper, that you're good at painting.” Derek said, leading the way back to Ms. Jenkins. “Heard he wants you in the art club, though Ms. Jenkins said she wanted you in journalism or so.”
Woah, that's a lot of things all at once.
But Avery didn't mind as he followed along, his feet carrying him towards Derek like the mindless fools they are.
There's just something about Derek and his voice, his real voice and not the one he heard from that YouTube video. Avery couldn't help the warmth spreading in his chest, engulfing his veins in that feeling he dared not name.
“That's.. wonderful.” Avery's voice choked out. His emotions veiled, he didn't want to startle Derek given he might cry or hug the person. There's a factor that makes Avery's heart clamp up, something about this felt wrong yet so right that he didn't want to ruin the fragile balance.
“..Are you in either of those clubs?” Avery asked, a hand flying to his mouth at the question. “Sorry, I got ahead of myself—I was just wondering—”
Derek chuckled, a sound that eased the tension in Avery's shoulders. “I am in the arts club.” He smiled, tilting his head to the side to catch Avery's gaze. “I'm the club president.”
That made the choice clear even before being asked the question.
“Avery!” Ms. Jenkins exclaimed, standing from her desk as she walked and grabbed Avery's hand which startled the young man. “There's this public speaking contest happening soon, and I was wondering if you're interested in it?” That glimmer in her eyes spoke so much that it made Avery feel quite overwhelmed.
“Oh—Uh—”
“Ms. Anne, you're scaring the poor kid.” Derek couldn't help but intervene when he noticed the atmosphere. It's quite funny if you think about it.
“Oof, that's true, I'm sorry—ahem.” Ms. Jenkins pulled back, giving some space and trying to calm her excitement. She's desperately in need of a good speaker for the competition, given her competitive spirit.
“That's alright,” Avery sheepishly replied as he rubbed at his nape, a nervous habit of his. “I'll see if I can join, or something, I can't promise anything though.” It's true, he already had a lot on his plate, especially how he's going to plan what happens next. Though his main objective was to get close to Derek, there's another big one.
To burn that laptop.
Or at least, ruin it, remove the Minecraft, perhaps, or just about anything to prevent that whole thing from happening.
Avery looked to his side, seeing how Derek just smiled and nodded at him made that feeling in his chest creep up again.
“Thank you for telling me about it, Ms. Jenkins.” Avery chuckled, his voice quiet and shy even as a soft grin grew on his usually passive face.
“That's that, take care on your way home, kids. We still have a meeting to finish.” The exhaustion seeps from Ms. Jenkins’ voice as she rubbed her temples and sent both Avery and Derek to the door.
“See you tomorrow.” She smiled, that warmth radiating off of her again despite the etched fatigue on her features.
“Take care, Ms. Anne.” Derek nodded his head and offered a smile before he started walking, only to stop a few steps away to wait for Avery.
It felt natural, in a way, that he's waiting for someone he just met properly a few days ago.
“See you, Ms. Jenkins.” Avery waved and followed Derek's steps, walking towards the taller teen.
“So, you're going home, then?” Derek asked, walking towards the door leading out of the building.
“Yes, you?” Avery had a lot of words he could say, but he felt like he couldn't utter them.
“Wanna drop by Subway?” The question was something he didn't expect, and the fact that he's given the opportunity to spend more time with Derek—he couldn't help the way his heart skipped a beat.
“Yes.” It was an immediate response, sure and full of excitement even.
“I didn't think you'd agree so easily, you really are a weird guy, in a good way.” Derek chuckled, his eyes straying towards the gate and shifting to the tree in the yard where he saw Avery.
“I guess it'll be fun now.” He mumbled to himself, his eyes finding the curious expression on Avery's face. He couldn't help the grin on his face and the soft laugh he let out. “I didn't know it was this easy to talk to you, hm?”
“What?” Avery perked up when he heard that, “Have you tried talking to me before? Wait, was I rude?” He asked, feeling concerned over his past behavior towards other people. “Gosh, I swear if I did something bad, I was probably just not in the mood or something—”
“It's nothing like that, calm down.” Derek hummed, a chuckle stuck in his throat as he fought to hold back his laugh. “it's just that you always look gloomy, like you're ready to bite if someone talks to you.” Derek smirked, his lips tilted. “Turns out, that isn't the case.” He continued to walk with Avery on the path, a weird sense of familiarity blooming in his chest that he had to push down.
“I see, that scared me, I know my reputation isn't the best out there.” Avery finally calmed his nerves with the words he heard. Though, the biting part made him feel awkward. “Do I really look like I'd bite?” He asked, tilting his head to the side to steal a glance at Derek's face before his gaze returned on the ground they were walking on.
“You used to, with all your gloomy aura and scats.” Derek walked a little slower, all to accommodate the small guy next to him.
The gate was just ahead, yet with both of them walking slowly and just letting their feet take them was something odd. It was odd in the way it felt natural to take their time.
As though their souls knew that they didn't have that time before.
“Why art?" Avery asked, the question coming out of the blue as they walked in comfortable silence before that was broken by those words.
"Why not?” Seriously, Avery could tell how good of a conversation this was going to be once they started blurting out the whys.
"I mean, why wouldn't anyone want to do art?" Derek spoke, his steps in sync with Avery's as they passed through the gate, the students of their school all taking different paths, all in different groups and just about different courses of life.
“It's a universal language, spoken not by mouth but by expression and emotions." Avery listened, and he couldn't help the quiet huff of a laugh he let out. This, indeed, was the Derek he heard of. The one he played with for that brief moment. The one whose story was told to him by his mother, Mrs. Hutchins.
It's weird, hearing how smart and deep his thinking is. To Avery, this wasn't just a conversation, this was like carving out a new space solely for Derek in his mind, in his entirety.
"It's great at capturing longing, I'd tell you that much.” Avery shrugged, remembering the countless styles and the canvases ruined because he couldn't quite decide how he wanted to make that painting.
He wasted paint, charcoal, watercolors and oil pastels trying to make an image of Derek in the way he knew and remembered him.
All of those are either still scattered in his apartment or posted up on that one wall near his bed.
Sketches, paintings, mosaics, crochet and even a sculpture he carved out of wood at one of his summer classes. He probably tried a lot of mediums just to make a remembrance, to have a piece of Derek he never really got to hold.
“I did see your painting. Mr. Harper was ecstatic when he showed it to me.” Derek chuckled, his gaze drifting from the road to sneak a peek towards Avery. " That knight looks so familiar to me.” He says, his eyes straying away as they take a right towards that Subway branch near their school.
Avery almost choked on air at that, he didn't wanna say anything that could reveal whatever he, or the situation, was. "R-right. Just a simple knight.” Avery rubbed his nape, his skin cold because of how nervous he tends to get.
"I remember now, my Minecraft skin looks like that, except it's all block-y instead of realistic like your painting."
Avery falls back a step before catching up quickly. He didn't want to show any sign of visible panic even though its pumped through his veins as they walked. "That's quite the coincidence, you can treat it like fan-art, or so, like a Minecraft YouTuber.”
To watch Avery almost mess up with how fake his laugh sounded after he uttered those words is something no one would wanna watch.
Though, Derek is a whole other type. He can find humor in someone's nervousness, especially a case that's way too obvious. "Oh? I'll take it, you're my first fan, then?" He says, a teasing note mixing in on his friendly tone.
Avery quickened his pace, walking ahead of Derek and taking a hold of the store's door handle. He opened the glass door and walked in, holding it open for Derek as he fiddled with the small hair on the back of his head with his other hand. “Yeah, that works out.. Sure.”
“Alright, I'll start making videos for my fans, I mean fan, then.” Derek teased, offering a nod as some sort of thanks for opening the door even though Avery didn't need to.
Avery let go of the door handle, following shortly after Derek as he stood by the counter, eyeing the menu. “So, uhm, what are you getting, then?” Avery asked, his eyes shifting from the menu to the booths around, checking if they'll have somewhere to sit, if Derek wants to.
“For the sandwich, I mean.” He says, adding to what he said even though he didn't need to clarify. Avery did tend to talk too much when he's nervous on top of already being anxious.
“Well, something cheap, that's for sure.” Derek answered, squinting through his old graded glasses, he can't quite read from this far but it's fine.
“Why—” Avery inquires, only to be cut off by Derek's very judgemental and amused tone.
“It's Monday, you can't think of spending every bit of money on Monday and barely scrape by when Friday comes, or are you that kind of spender?”
“Personally, I just don't spend at all..” Avery will never learn how to lie and how to make it seem believable. This kind of spending habit was something he had to force himself to get rid of over the span of years. He's gotten good over spending money but then, yes, he died, unfortunate but at least he's talking to Derek.
Face to face.
And that's something.
“The veggie one, or the ham one.” Derek ponders aloud, his gaze shifting to meet Avery's very focused gaze on the prices on list.
“..Pfft.” Derek had to look away with a hand on his mouth. He didn't mean to laugh, this younger guy just had that pure concentration over Subway sandwich prices and he can't help the laugh he almost let out.
“Hm?” Avery looked up, his focus broken by such an unfamiliar but not unwelcome sound from Derek. “You can laugh? That's something.” Avery mumbled, the words lost between them.
“Hello, may I take your orders?” The person manning the counter said. They didn't even realize the person ordering from when they arrived had finished making their order.
“Oh, uh, I'll have the six-inch, sliced ham.” Avery said, pulling out his wallet which he just hoped had money since this would be the first time he checks since, well, regressing.
To see fives and twos was such a great thing for someone like Avery. This must be from the times Avery did side quests, jobs and all that, as well as the savings he had that he probably just kept in his wallet.
“And you, Derek?” Avery asked, looking back to see him still trying to figure out what to get.
“I'll just get the six-inch, Subway Melt.” Derek says, pulling out his own wallet only to hear the beeping from the cash register and the sound of the till popping out and change being taken.
Avery paid for both sandwiches, and he looked happy about it while Derek just stared.
“I'll pay you once we sit down.” Derek says, still pulling out the bucks to pay for his sandwich.
“It's my treat.” Avery shook his head, a gleeful smile on his face. “Something to mark the start of our friendship, hm?” Avery chuckled, seeing that dumbfounded look on Derek was new, and it didn't suit him, but it still felt nice to see him make all these expressions.
“But I'm the one who invited you here, I should pay.” Derek looked at Avery, watching him put his change in his wallet and that wallet in his pockets.
“It doesn't work like that, not just because you invited me means you'll pay for whatnot.” Avery walked to the side to wait for their orders, and this time, Derek followed in his footsteps.
“My point is—” Derek held the dollars in his hand, his other hand holding onto his wallet, still.
“Nope.” Avery insists, watching as their sandwiches get made.
“Hah.. Fine, you win.” Derek ultimately gave up on it. He could see a hell of a lot more of these kinds of back and forths where he loses. It's odd, but amusing.
“Next time, it's my treat.” He says as he puts the dollar bills back in his wallet before putting it in his bag.
“Let's see.” Avery chuckles, taking their tray of sandwiches from the nice lady who made them before he's walking to find a booth they could sit in on.
Derek stayed for a moment longer, asking for two cups of water. He would buy soda or juice but he's still not sure about what their preferences are, or if Avery's allowed sugar or so. You just can't be too careful.
He held the tray and looked around, seeing that Avery already found a booth to occupy made it easier to beeline towards him. It's so weird how easy they seemed to “click,” knowing that Derek can be quite wary of new people.
Avery watched as Derek walked close and as he settled on his seat. He saw the water cups and smiled subtly. “Thank you,” he muttered, a grin on his face appearing despite the anxious tapping of his finger against the table.
He can talk well, be friendly, but no one can manage the nerves when it hits. First the regression, then talking to someone who he knows would die. It's scary, and nerve wracking, and there's a certain part of him that is excited to see what would happen, and how he could change what he knows would happen in the future.
“Avery,” Derek tilts his head. “You look happy happy,” he rests his chin on his palm as he leaned forward, his gaze solely on Avery.
“I do?”
“Yep, you're all smiles,” Derek nodded his head in a comical way before laughing. The kind of laugh that speaks dollar signs?
Avery lifts his hands from the table and presses his hands against his cheeks, forcing his supposed smiles from being too much.
“This is my first time making a friend,” he lies, but it's true. It's his first time making Derek his friend.
“Oh? Really?” Derek's eyes widened at that, he thought Avery would still have a few close friends but he didn't expect him to have none at all. That's a little sad, if you think too much about it.
“That's heavy on me, then, being your first friend.” Derek grins, a mischievous look on his face as he thought of teasing Avery. “First friends tend to go missing or worse, dead.” He watched as Avery looked at him, the emotions fleeting through his face so fast Derek's unable to name them.
Avery sat there, feeling bile rise in his throat at the mere suggestion. He knows a joke when he hears one, but knowing what happened, or what happens really just messes you up.
“I'm joking.” Derek sighed, putting a hand on his nape and rubbing awkwardly as he looked away. He didn't think he'd get that kind of reaction.
“Yup, sorry, the joke flew above my head.” Avery chuckled wryly, his gaze shifting to the sandwiches. “These will get soggy.”
“Oh, right.”
Derek grabbed his sandwich and Avery did the same. A Sliced Ham for the latter and a Subway Melt for the former.
They sat there, eating and laughing about the simple things life had to offer. They got to know a little more about each other, and such about their mothers, and the arts club, the journalism, the library and that Willow tree they met by.
It's a little funny how Avery felt relieved to see Derek alive and well, knowing he died just a couple of hours ago.
“See you.” Derek raised a hand and stayed where he stood, he's not the type to wave frantically and follow someone to their front door.
“See you tomorrow!” Avery shouts, running down the street to get home while waving his arm like a bird flailing in the air.