Chapter Text
Derek felt July's cold skin against his chin, her warm body providing the perfect temperature for cuddling. They never liked each other that way, but it was nice when they got to curl up under a blanket and just hug each other until they slept.
He wished Avery was the same. He always seemed to avoid or even push him away. Did he not like that? Was he getting too needy? Was he invading his space? Did he not like getting touched?
These thoughts danced around Derek's mind while his face remained confused. There was one more thing. The King. Avery, was never in full opposition of the King. He hated him yeah, but he never hesitated to let the King use him or try to use the King himself.
Not to mention, he had somehow found the spell before Derek did, fully recited it, and still lived? Something wasn't adding up. Finally, his knowledge. The Avery he knew from his Infinity almost feels like a completely different person. He still had those traits but it almost felt like a facade. Did the King deliberately hide some things about Avery so he could blindly save him? Put so much trust and love into this random he's never met?
Derek didn't have time to collect his thoughts when July suddenly jumped out of the bed, struggling to get out of the tangle of blankets the two had trapped themselves in. Derek's eyes flew open from their tired state, suddenly on high alert.
"Woah, woah, what happening? July what's going on?" Derek asked groggy. His mind struggling to keep up with July's rapid movements. "Dude we have to wake Avery up NOW!" She yelled with urgency.
Derek's mind struggled to catch up as his mind slurred, still very confused on what was happening. By the time he opened his eyes without the teary remains of sleep clouding his vision, July was hunched over Avery, her hand slightly above his face and her demeanour completely forgotten.
"C'mon Avery, please you can't do this now. Please, come back, someone is waiting for you." Her soft voice almost enveloped by the empty silence, which seemed more forced than natural. "Whatever you're trying to do it's not worth it. Just wake up."
Derek had finally dragged himself to the bedside, eyes fully waking in horror to see Avery's Ocean green eyes had almost been completely swallowed by a sickening dark gold, his breathing uneven and chocked. His face was painted with streaks of dark blood spilling over his face, tracing down the nape of his neck and below his shirt.
"Avery! AVERY LISTEN TO ME!" July screamed as far as her lungs could tear out, but the body didn't even shiver, making the girl slump in defeat. The silence grew louder, making a hostile space between the two. Derek simply held Avery's hand as the gold started to dim, still lightly above the calm ocean green of his.
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12." July counted in rapid succession without a stutter, glare still fixed on Avery like a predator on its prey. Then she repeated it. Again. And again. And again. Derek wanted answers, as confused and angry as he was. "July, you're hiding something, as always. " He started with shaky breaths.
"I've trusted you blindly up to this point because you're my friend. But Avery, doesn't trust you. He didn't give me a reason-" Liar. "-but I'm starting to see it too. There's obvious limits to what you can tell me. But this isn't one of them. I know you're hiding something." Liar.
At first she didn't respond. Simply continuing her counting without ceasing, then she froze on the 5th cycle at 8. Brown eyes darted around her surroundings, body still unmoving. Derek shifted uncomfortably, standing up from the bed and heading towards his.
He could've sworn he heard July just woke up in that moment, a violent 'NO' barely escaped her lips before he found himself in an endless darkness. Every race of his environment gone. He wanted to deny it, but he knew this unfathomable presence already, he felt it when he first looked behind those cursed gates.
Except now it was much worse, the pressure forcing him to freeze, unable to move. Some.....thing....reached out of the darkness, a large....human? (no it was too incomprehensible to be mistaken for a human)....hand, grabbed Derek and lifted him from the ground with so much force and speed it immediately made him feel nauseous.
He wanted to move, wanted to break out, but the face that greeted him halted his thoughts, forcing him to utter a name in silence, inaudible among the endless expanse of darkness.
The figure began to laugh, almost sounding like a young innocent soul, tired and weathered, but it bellowed and echoed around the void, it's intentions and insanity clear as day in the blackest night.
"Heeheeheehee."
"I fou....nd.....you.!"