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“I won’t go— Tell me what’s going on. Now,” Avery’s words were sudden and harsh, being spoken in a way that almost cut right through Derek’s chestplate. “I won’t go. I won’t go, I won’t go,” Avery repeated his own words frenetically a few times more, his voice increasing with volume as each word came out. Now, he was almost yelling, “Is that what you need to hear from me? Is that what you need? Is that…” He stumbled upon his own words, but quickly tried to fix it; “I promise I’ll leave but…” He audibly swallowed his own words before continuing. “Tell me what’s going—“
“Avery,” Derek was silent before he interrupted him, trying to match the tone of his voice yet slightly lower so as to not scare or startle the other in front of him further. “I will tell you…. You need to leave first, I promise,”
He had no time to finish as Avery threw himself at Derek, the lord’s armor making a loud sound as he was the only one who hit the floor; instead, Avery was on top of him. His hands were holding tightly onto the sides of D3rlord3’s plackart. Through the gap of his armor, Derek could see Avery’s expression switch between being surprised at himself for managing to even do that to Der, then quickly switching to the anger he was feeling before.
Undoubtedly, Derek felt deep adoration towards Avery; However, loving someone meant protecting them, even if it killed you. A knight and his prince; that's what they were. Now he had his prince on top of him, which is what he wanted, albeit he desired to see Avery smiling widely as he did so. He did not like to see them suffering, to see their fragile happiness slip away from—
“Tell me what’s going on,” Avery’s hands held the other in place even tighter now. “Now.” His words obviously hold a sentiment of anger stemming from Derek’s betrayal. After a brief silent moment; “You’re a liar, a liar… You,” Avery‘s grip on the other seemed to weaken slightly as he regained the ability to talk. “You lied to me. Liar,” they felt slightly weak upon saying those words, and, with ease, Derek sat up and briefly explained things to Avery.
…
Avery only seemed to be saddened further, and Derek stood up as Avery mumbled barely audible pleas and hit Der’s breastplate without any actual intent of hurting the other. “Please don’t, Der, I’m…” Avery’s words were breaking, “Please don’t leave— me, please don’t leave…” His eyes felt heavy with tears. “We can… figure this out, right? You are so smart. I know you can, Der,” They pleaded; hoping for any response which affirmed his belief. Any hope which reassured him that both could make it out alive—
“Avery.” He looked down at them, his singular eye resting upon their face.
Carefully, D3rlord3 grabbed them from the waist and lifted them up in the air as Avery mumbled some pleas and words which sounded similar to questions about if this could be fixed; — as well as some others which mostly which consisted of queries like if Derek was going to be fine, if they would ever see each other again after this— as he tried to free himself from the other’s grasp. “Please, Der, please, I’ll try my best. Really, I promise,” They mumbled between incoherent words, and Derek took slow steps to the edge of the platform they were standing on. “I’m strong, please.” Of course, this was another attempt at trying to convince him. “You don’t have to do all of this for me. It’s not your fault that you’re here and that I quite literally— literally it’s—“ he struggled again to speak. “It’s— no, I, I dragged you into this!”
Avery tried to push Derek once again. It was futile.
“If anyone should suffer any— any sort of consequences for this, it should be me!” He protested,
Now, their body was just hovering over the void which awaited him whenever Derek decided to drop him.
“I’m sorry, Avery, that it must…” For the first time, he seemed to struggle to find the right words to—
“I love you, I love you so much.” Avery closed their eyes tightly, simply letting the words spill out from them. “I love you so much, I owe you my life. I love you, but it…” He sniffled, “It seems that you were too busy saving my life to even notice,” He admitted. “Haaah… I had to get it out. This is the last time I’ll- I’ll see you, right?” Avery’s words seemed to hold hope for a simple answer; no.
“If… If not then, this is like. Super…” He stuttered, “Super embarrassing, dude.” Some tears slipped away to fall into the endless void underneath him.
D3rlord3 suddenly pulled them to a position which was almost like a goodbye embrace, but somehow even more bittersweet. Then, he cupped their chin with one hand; pressing their lips together gently and feeling Avery smile into the kiss softly. Of course, this is what he wanted— but could not let himself indulge in something that would bring his attention away from his duty which was, essentially, protecting Avery. Protecting them. Keeping Avery safe, his only purpose.
His only purpose that he would do anything to achieve.
Hope was regaining its strength on Avery’s heart, until Der pulled away, and brought them back to their prior position.
“No, No— I,” Avery started to free himself from Der’s arms once again, “Please, you can’t…” Derek simply looked at them with a rather bittersweet barely visible expression, and just from that, Avery could feel their own heart being broken into a million pieces by an arrow with the purpose of making both of them fall in love and live happily ever after in an almost fairytale way; but instead, it only stabbed them in the heart.
Then, Derek loosened their grip on them.
Watching Avery fall, in any other situation, he would swiftly catch them and scoop them up in their arms.
He looked at the abyss underneath the platform, and finally spoke something which held at least a particle of his true feelings towards them for once;
“Goodbye, my dearest prince.”