Work Text:
D3rlord3 cannot move. His body simply does not respond to his mind's commands. He can only remain here, standing in place, while Avery's body lies in front him.
It's a simply horrifying scene; it's not a normal death at all. Someone tore him to pieces. The slime of his body looks almost melted as it spreads across the floor, his organs likewise seeming to slide out, leaving only his transparent skeleton in place. Those empty eyes sockets stare at him, judging him.
He wasn't here to protect him. It's his fault. It's all his fault.
His legs give way, falling to his knees. The metal of his armor clanging against the ground is the only sound echoing in the cave. He can't even feel his own breath; is he even breathing? It seemed as if time stood completely still at that moment, the only thing moving are the tears falling from his eyes.
It's only in a few seconds that he realizes something: he's not alone here. There's something behind him. There's someone behind him. How could he not have noticed before?
With a tremor in his body that he hadn't felt in a long time, he slowly turned his head back, only to find him there. His imposing height made the knight felt as he looked down at him as if he were nothing more than a miserable insect. D3r's eyes widened.
The king is back. He found them. He found Avery.
From within the darkness beneath its long, hooded robe, one can glimpse something resembling a smile. A cynical smile. He's enjoying this.
And D3rlord3 can't do anything. He cannot even react when the king's hand approaches him, harsh grabbing his face in his hand until-
D3rlord3 wakes up.
Disoriented and scared with his breath coming in ragged gasps, he sits up quickly. It takes him a few blinks to realize he's in his room—his and Avery's room, in fact.
He's in home.
His gaze shifts to the side and it feels like a breath of fresh air on a sweltering day when he realizes Avery is here, sleeping peacefully beside him.
Life returns to his body.
It was just a nightmare.
Just a nightmare...
Or perhaps not just a simple nightmare?
How can he knows it means nothing? After all, the king is still out there, who knows where. It was a miracle they were able to escape that world in the first place, but knowing the power that creature possesses...they know they aren't truly safe anywhere. He can find them at any moment.
That dream could be the king right now trying to mess with his mind.
A warning. Or perhaps a premonition.
Even though D3rlord3 knows everything, any knowledge about the Yellow King is completely blocked. His brain does not respond to any doubts he has about the entity, and he knows it's entirely on purpose.
There's no way of knowing where he is, if he entered their new world, if he's nearby, if he's watching them in some way. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
He can only assume that he's still after them; he can't be happy with the idea that D3rlord3 survived after seeing him. He didn't even know how he managed to survive.
Well, no. He knows. Avery found him.
In every scenario that flashed through his mind as he began his escape from the king, he would be dead now. The most vivid vision was of him leaving Avery a book about escaping as far as possible, because yes, he saw Avery too. But as if it were a complete twist of fate, when he returned to the cave... Avery was already there. Shocked to see a dying knight stumbling before collapsing.
He owes so much to Avery. So much that he would probably never be able to finish paying off his imaginary debt to him.
His gaze returned to his partner. Avery didn't move a muscle, neither from D3r's sudden movement nor from his heavy breathing; he was a heavy sleeper after all. The slime looks completely at peace; there isn't a hint of worry on his face. He's totally calm, softly snoring.
D3r is so fortunate to have him at his side.
But at the same time...
He's so fucking selfish for staying by his side.
He knows this will only bring trouble to Avery; the king specifically wants him, not Avery. And he knows the king is capable of anything to torment him, involving harming the slime.
That's why that nightmare...has a good chance of becoming real one day. And that horrifies him.
For a moment his mind plays tricks on him and the image of Avery's dead body repeats itself right in front of his eyes. It makes him feel terrible, like he's about to vomit. If anything happens to Avery because of him, he...he...
He needs to go outside and get some fresh air. Right now.
Before getting up, he bent down slightly enough to reach Avery's head and place a small kiss on it. After that, he simply stood up and headed outside. Before leaving, he knew it was going to be extremely early; the sun was barely peeking over the horizon.
His feet lead him to the nice rest area they made a few meters from the house. It's all well lit, so he doesn't have to worry about hostile mobs appearing nearby.
He carefully sits down on one of the benches, his view looking directly out onto the flat meadow where their house is located. His back leans against the bench back, and that's when he allows himself to release all the bad air he had accumulated so his lungs can fill with fresh air.
He lets himself breathe in peace for a minute.
He would really like all his moments to be like this, calm and peaceful, without any fear or major worries making their presence felt.
Sadly, he knows that things will never be like that again, and his life will possibly never return to the peace and quiet it once was. That past now feels so distant...
D3rlord3 wonders what would have happened if that day he had simply turned around, if he had simply listened to the multiple warnings he had been given, if his curiosity hadn't been so great, if when he found that big doors he had simply left as his mind screamed at him to do, but the other part of his mind gave in to curiosity and well, the rest is history.
Now he has to get used to this infinite knowledge he has.
The first time, he felt like his head was going to explode. It hurt, it hurt so much, so many things happened in so few seconds that his brain didn't know how to process it. He truly thought his body wouldn't be able to support him and that he would die there, alone in that cave in front of a book.
Fortunately, with time it seemed his mind got used to it. The first few times it hurt so much he had to clutch his head with his hands and wrap himself up to keep from screaming. The poor Avery didn't know what was happening to him the first few times, until D3r had to explain it to him of course. But despite being used to it...it's still torture, not only because of the pain, but because it seemed like nothing in life had any excitement left if he already knows everything that was going to happen. After Avery found him in the cave, he thought that perhaps only possibilities were being presented to him, but no. Apparently, that encounter was an unforeseen mistake, for whatever reason. After that, everything he saw came true; there were no more surprises. He knows everything, every single detail.
Perhaps someone else would think it's great to be able to know absolutely everything, when in reality it's the complete opposite.
D3rlord3 would love to silence all these thoughts at once, to bury and throw them into the corner of his mind where they will be completely forgotten without the ability to return. But he can't. He simply can't. The knowledge will live in his mind forever.
There's no way to stop it.
...although, there is one.
A terrible option that D3r sometimes thinks on more than he should. No more thoughts, nothing more, just silence and peace, exactly what he seeks. His mind would completely shut down, and he wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again. If he is lucky, his soul would be at peace for eternity. No more escaping, no more hiding, just existing on a plane that cannot be reached in this state.
It doesn't have to be painful; surely there's a way to leave without pain, without having to suffer. Something that will leave him in such a numbing sensation that he won't even realize he'll never wake up again. Or perhaps his soul will do it, in a place other than this world he knows, He only hopes that if that happens, his soul will be free from all knowledge, and that it can simply wander peacefully without worries.
Obviously he can't do it at home, no way, he'd have to go way too far away so nobody could find him, so...Avery...can't...find him...He swears is heart stops for a millisecond.
Avery. Oh Avery. His dear Avery.
He would never do that to him. What the hell is he even thinking?
Leave Avery alone? With that creature eternally following him?
But at the same time...
If D3rlord3 no longer existed, then perhaps the king would no longer have any reason to torment Avery...or would he? Maybe. The knight cannot be sure of anything.
The only thing he can be sure of, is that Avery would be devastated if anything happens to him.
In the same way that D3rlord3 would have his world completely shattered if something happens to Avery.
That...that's why he can't leave. He can't leave Avery alone; he doesn't want Avery to be alone.
Even if by some miracle the king doesn't harm him if D3r isn't there, Avery wouldn't be completely well ever again, oh he knows.
D3rlord3 was never one to depend on others, nor to have others depend on him. And while Avery doesn't depend on him... as much as he hates to admit it, he does depend on Avery a little. He basically owes his life to him. He wouldn't know what to do or how to continue if Avery isn't here anymore.
This whole situation is his fault. His fault alone, and no one else's.
He cursed himself, and at the same time he cursed Avery who had nothing to do with this.
If he hadn't interfered so scandalously and brutally in his life, Avery could surely be enjoying his peace, pursuing his Sky Wars or other hobbies without having to worry about anything else. But no, now he has to worry of a cosmic entity not finding them.
If D3rlord3 could go back in time, he would make sure to remove himself from Avery's life forever. But now he can't do that, and although he may not be a proper knight, he promised Avery he would protect him with his life.
Speaking of the slime, D3r knows he's getting closer. That's why he's not surprised when slimy arms wrap around his shoulders and his head rests on his, accompanied by a yawn.
"It's strange to see you awake so early, my love"
"I knooow, but I woke up to go to the bathroom and realized you weren't even in home. Did something happen?"
"I just needed some fresh air"
"Then indeed something happened"
Avery moved to sit beside him, noticing instantly that D3rlord3 seemed more tired and exhausted than usual, a little sad even, despite smiling at him.
"It...was just a bad dream"
"About what?" D3rlorde doesn't say anything, he just stares at him in response. "oh"
"Yeah"
"Was it that bad?"
"I dreamed that...he found you. And...maybe I'm scared that it's not just a dream"
"You really think he's still after us, huh? I mean, I don't blame you for that! But for now we seem to be out of danger"
"Exactly, for now, one can never be sure with him"
"I understand"
There was a silence between them. Avery wanted to say something, anything to cheer him up, but his words remained stuck, unwilling to say anything that might accidentally make him feel worse. Luckily for him, D3r was the first to speak.
"You should go back to bed, you're probably tired"
"Well yeah I am, but I don't want to leave you alone here. I know your mind works badly when you're alone"
D3r only chuckles softly.
"You know me very well, don't you, Aves?"
"Of course I do!". The slime said proudly. "So I can also tell that you're probably thinking a lot"
"I am"
"What are you thinking?"
"What do you think I'm thinking?"
"Oh, don't start with that! I don't have the knowledge like you do!"
"I know"
"Could you just tell me what you're thinking, please?"
"I...I'm just thinking of you"
"Me?"
"Yes, you Avery, and..."
"Aaaand?"
D3rlord3 looked down at the floor before speaking.
"And how in part I ruined your life by entering it"
Avery remains completely silent. D3r glances at him sideways; that happy, silly expression he always has transforms into one of concern, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"Why...why do you think that?"
His hand rests on D3r's, and of course, being the touch starved he is, the knight can't help but hold it, squeezing it gently.
"It's just the truth, Avery, imagine a life without me, without-"
"I can't imagine a life without you, Derian"
D3r suddenly falls silent, Avery smiles gently at him and god, that smile is going to be his end someday.
"You...you can't just say that out of nowhere"
"It's not out of nowhere! It's just my truth! I don't want a life without you!"
"Even if that means a quieter life?"
"Even if that's gets to be real, you're the best person I could have ever met, you know. Even if the situation that brought us together...isn't the best, I'm happy that at least I was able to find you!"
"And I'm so grateful that you found me, Aves, you have no idea how much, But despite that, I can't help feeling guilty, you know? You shouldn't have to be going through all of this. I'm worried something might happen to you because of it. I condemned myself, and I condemned you in the process. I'm so sorry, Avery"
"Derian..."
It pains Avery to see him feel so guilty, he knows that D3rlord3 carries a heavy burden on his back, and one of them is the guilt that haunts him. It's not the first time they've talked about this, of course, and they always come back to the same thing. Obviously, Avery can't blame him for feeling this way; he understands perfectly. He knows Derian isn't doing well, and he would love to be able to help him more honestly.
"I just feel like I failed you so much with all this"
"Hey, don't say that". Avery's other hand moved to his cheek, tilting his face to make eye contact again. "I never felt like you failed me Der, not once. You always do your best for me, and sometimes it worries me. I'm worried that you're forgetting to take care of yourself"
"I'm taking perfect care of myself, don't worry about it"
"You know I'm going to worry anyway. What I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to feel guilty about all this. I love having you in my life! I love having you close, and despite everything that's going on around us, I know you'll always be there to try to protect me, you're my knight in shining armor after all" Avery chuckled after saying that, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "But I also want you to remember that I'm here to protect you too, okay? Don't carry everything on your own"
"I know...I know...you're the best at PvP after all, aren't you?"
"I am! That king doesn't know what awaits him when he faces me!"
D3rlord3 chuckles, just a bit. He knows it's just a joke, but the idea of Avery coming face to face with that creature horrifies him. And he knows that deep down, Avery is worried too.
While they are together, he would like to convince and lie to himself that everything will be alright.
Avery then reaches out to hug him directly, his head nuzzling against his neck.
"I love you a lot, Derian"
D3r hugs him back.
"And I love you too"
"Do you feel calmer now? A bit at least?"
"I think I do, thank you"
"You don't have to thank me". Avery suddenly breaks free from the hug to stand up, taking D3r's hand. "Let's go home, okay? I think you deserve to keep sleeping"
Derian smiles, but when he gets up, Avery takes him in his arms, easily lifting him up.
"What-"
"I think you deserve to be carry up there too. Hey! I know I said you are my knight! But a bit of princess treatment wouldn't hurt either, would it?"
D3r now laughs outright, wrapping his arms around Avery's neck
"You are right"
So then Avery carries him all the way to the bed, carefully laying him down on the sheets, then lying down beside him, bringing D3r's head towards his chest so he can wrap him in a comfortable and warm hug.
"If you have trouble sleeping, wake me up so we can spend the morning together, okay?"
"Okay"
Avery being Avery fell asleep almost immediately, the soft snores filling the air once more. D3r, for his part, couldn't quite manage to fall asleep, and instead of waking Avery to let him rest, he simply stayed in the position they are on now. Paying attention to the slime's heartbeat.
Avery is so full of life, in every possible way.
He just hopes that Avery can always keep that light, that spark that makes him so bright and radiant, that nothing and no one can turn him off completely.
Avery only woke up when the sunlight coming through the window was already bothering his eyes. Derian really hasn't slept a wink in the last few hours, hopefully Avery wouldn't notice.
As is in their daily routine, they prepare breakfast and eat together while chatting about whatever topic comes up. D3r wishes that every day could be like this, without any interruption that drastically changes everything upside down. Just him and his beloved Avery in a cozy home and a good life while doing their daily domestic tasks. He just wants Avery by his side, no matter what happens. And he would always try to be there for him too, as much as he can.