Chapter Text
It had been.. Avery doesn't know? A week or two after D3r– Derek saved him. He’s been having a hard time sleeping since then, thinking of what would have happened if he was faster, if he was smarter, if he was just better in general.
It feels like everywhere Avery goes, he’s reminded of Derek. Yellow street signs, those crappy knight costumes in the clearance aisle from the last halloween, old brown books in the yardsales in people’s driveways. Playing Minecraft without being reminded of Derek.
It isn’t his fault, Derek said it isn’t Avery’s fault in the letter he made for him.
But, now, because of Avery’s stupid self Derek is. . .
“Damnit. I should try to go out again.” thinks Avery, disrupting a thought he rather not think of right now. “Maybe try to do something else instead of bed rotting. It’s what Derek would’ve wanted.”
With a heavy sigh, he gets up and puts on his only clean clothes (a dark green hoodie and black shorts). After a few minutes of trying to make himself look at least a little less depressed, he grabs his car key and heads out.
It was a pretty slow day. It had just rained a few minutes ago so the earthy smell was still fresh in the air. The gray sky makes everything feel less colorful than usual. After driving aimlessly for 30 minutes or more, Avery parks in a spot downtown.
When Avery got out of his car, the chilly winds bit at his skin. Avery shivered and put his hoodie on, his teeth chattering slightly. Avery looks around him, there's a few antique shops around him along with an old theater at the end of the block.
After walking past a few shops, Avery spots a small coffee shop.
It looks cozy. The sign above the door says “Ameila’s Cafe”, he’s heard of the cafe before but never brought himself to actually go.
“Guess today’s the day.”
Avery says with a sigh as he walks towards the door to enter. The small cafe felt sung despite the gray leaking in through the two large windows next to the door. Warm lighting is in each corner of the place, plants on every other shelf and a wall with two big book shelves full to the brim with books.
Only one other person is there, a dark skinned man with dreads that are dyed with faded streaks of yellow, two golden vertical lip piercings on the side of his lips and square glasses. He has a dark coffee (Like a mad man) and he’s reading a book. The dark skinned man does have a large scar on his forehead, Avery notices but decides that it’s none of his business.
Avery walks over to the counter and a work with the name tag “Ze” on it. Weird name but whatever.
“Hello, welcome to Ameila’s cafe. What can I get you?”
“Hi, can I just get a Latte? Extra steamed milk, please?”
The worker nodes and writes Avery’s order down, then puts it in the cash register. “That’ll be.. $18.27.”
Avery nods and is going to take his wallet out till... his wallet isn’t in his pocket. “Shit.” Avery mutters under his breath.
“Uhm, soo… funny this is… uh…”
“You don’t have the money, do you?”
Avery chuckles nervously and nods
“Yeeeaaah… sorry..?”
The worker sighs in both annoyance and amusement before speaking again.
“Well sorry, no money means no coffee.”
Avery sighs and is about to speak, but then the dark skinned man walked up to the counter and spoke
“Hey, I can pay for his coffee.”
Avery blinks, stunted that this stranger just offered to pay for his drink. “Sure, man. I don't care, as long as I get the money.”
The man nods and takes out a crisp 20 dollar bill. After he gives Ze the money, Ze goes out to the back to make Avery;s order.
“Thank you so much sir, You're a-”
“You’re welcome, Avery.”
Avery blinks in confusion, how… How did this guy know his name? He didn’t say his name to the worker so it won’t be possible for this man to know. “How… How do you know me…?”
“Sorry, uh… You’re not a very hard guy to catch, you know.”
The man says with a slight smile playing on his lips. Avery’s eyes widen when he realizes who this dark skinned man is. At the same time, the sun finally peaks out of the clouds and everything seems to be vibrant again, like the sun itself was just as happy as Avery.
Avery smiles and his eyes start to burn.
“It’s you…”
“Me.”
“It’s really you…”
The man chuckles softly and nods
“Heh, heya Avery.”
“... Hi, Derek..”