Chapter Text
There was a spike in death rates around New Years.
Avery knows this now, for he had been religiously scouring obituaries from all over the country for more than a week after the new year had come.
Searching for ‘Derek’ and ‘Derek Hutchins’ and mysterious sudden deaths of any kind. Every state. Every obituary. He had even broadened his search to female deaths with the last name Hutchins, in case Derek had more secrets he hadn’t shared with Avery.
Nothing.
Well, not nothing. There was a Derek Hutchins who had died in Ohio, but he had been seventy-three, not exactly the Minecraft genius with a god in his head that Avery knows. A Derek Huckery had passed away in Florida, but that was from a car accident, he too had been older than Avery was sure his Derek was. Lastly, a Stella Hutchins had passed away from what seems like some some sort of brain condition; just twenty years old.
It was a possibility. But the amount of messages on her online obituary was crazy. Dozens and dozens of her friends and classmates, both her parents, grandparents and four siblings had all written in and were mentioned there.
Derek had been alone; no one to check on him for however long he had been trapped in front of his screen. Just a few cold smoothies and blue light to keep his ripping mind company. Not exactly the kind of person with present parents and a loving blanket of friends messaging in.
Which meant (hopefully and desperately) that Derek was alive. He had to be. Out there, probably more than half crazy, but still, he was Avery’s Derek. His savior and badass yet nerdy hero.
Avery wanted to find him. Show him that Derek wasn't nothing. He wasn't just some thing for the king to curl up into and die in.
Derek’s ending didn’t have to finalize in tragedy, as the idiot seemed to think it always had to end with him. His crazy story could keep going, with Avery right by his side.
Avery sighed, running a tan hand through his curls.
His room was getting stuffy and slightly claustrophobic with how much he stayed in these days. Going to work at the florist, coming home to check the news and obituaries, talk with his parents on the phone occasionally about work or whatever useless anecdotes he could sprinkle in to make them think he was fine and then to bed was his daily routine these last few weeks. He hadn't skateboarded since sometime last year.
‘Fuck… I need to get some air.’ Avery thought, shrugging on his light jacket and grabbing the house keys. California was warm even in January, thank god, Avery was definitely not made for the chilly weather some states got in the beginning of the year.
The weather had the sun out with barely any clouds, people around him talking and smiling in happy groups. A pang of pain flared in the man’s chest.
Again, his mind couldn’t help but return to Derek. Is he even remotely happy? Is he conscious? Is he thinking of me, too? He couldn’t help himself. The faceless stranger was like an itch he couldn't scratch.
Avery sat down on one of the wooden benches that lined the side of the street. Closing his eyes, as he tried to enjoy the sun. A slight breeze ruffled his curls, and the sun was sure to bring his freckles back more and more as the year went on. Avery quickly bounced his right leg subconsciously, as he tried to just enjoy something. He didn’t like being such a doom and gloom person, it really wasn't like him.
A slight tapping came close to Avery before whoever was there sat down beside him on the bench. Whatever; free country.
“You’re not a very hard guy to find, you know?” A slightly tired voice came from the person.
Avery felt his heart lurch as it began pounding faster and faster. His eyes flew open, and just as he was about to turn his head left, a dark and gentle hand caught him by the chin, tilting Avery’s face back forwards so he couldn’t see him. See Derek.
“D-derlord?” Avery stammered out, his breath catching as the coldness of Derek’s fingers seeped into the sun-warm skin of his face. A low chuckle sounded out, making Avery’s stomach churn in a new and pleasant way.
“I told you, Derek is fine.” The hand disappeared, seeming to trust Avery would keep his head forward. And he would, he’d do just about anything to make sure Derek never disappeared from him again. But that couldn’t keep Avery’s curiosity all the way away.
Using his peripheral vision to its absolute MAX, Avery tried to soak in as many small details as he could.
Derek was wearing a dark hoodie, loose and comfortable black pants and red sneakers. The hood was pulled up, making Derek’s face completely hidden, a few chest-length locs hung out, with some gold-colored loc accessories glinting in the sun. By Derek’s left hand, were two forearm crutches, Avery is sure that was the out-of-place tapping he heard when Derek had walked up to him.
“Where have you been? It’s almost February.” Avery couldn’t help the desperation in his voice. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, the obituaries and the news. Hell, I even considered calling every hospital in the state in the hopes someone there would break HIPPA and just tell me that a Derek Hutchins was there.” His voice shook, Derek was quiet.
“I know.” The other finally said, quietly and with more knowledge behind the answer than Avery could probably even fathom.
“Oh you do, do you?” Avery couldn’t help himself.
“‘Course.” Derek chuckled to himself again, before he brought a hand to his head with a wince. It took everything in Avery not to turn and check on his friend.
“Is your head still filled with just about everything?” There was a sympathetic edge to his voice, he knew how much shit Derek had gone through, before and after he found out about Avery. He appreciated it all, but the flare of slight anger at the abandonment was still there too. Hidden behind walls of both pain and affection.
“Yeah.” Derek sighed, leaning his forearm crutches against the bench so he could lean his elbows on his knees, a few more glinting locs came to hang out of the hood. With Derek leaning forward, he was easier for Avery to take in.He was skinny, not in an overly unhealthy way, but he definitely lacked the muscle and mass Avery carried around with its hidden strength. Avery eyeballed Derek’s length, he was pretty sure the other was shorter than Avery too.
“I’m sorry.” Avery croaked out, feeling his eyes burn a bit.
“It’s alright,” Derek began, before he was interrupted by Avery again.
“It’s not okay. You shouldn’t have done that, just punched me off and ruined your brain. What’s even happened to you? Is it in your head? Will you die? I don’t know anything, so tell me, because it’s not alright.” A few people walking by gave Avery a slight look as his voice grew angrier and louder.
Derek was quiet for a moment, before he leaned back again and grabbed the crutches. One in each hand, before standing up with a grunt and wobble.
“Let’s go to your place.” He said, already turning and walking in the correct direction of Avery’s apartment.
What a freak. Avery’s mouth curled up in a slight smile, despite the hurt still there; ever present.
He quickly caught up to Derek. He is shorter than Avery, he noted correctly. The forearm crutches made him lean forward a bit and shortened his height even more, but without them he still would be.
“Can you at least tell me if you’ll die?” Avery asked again, his eyes on the back of Derek’s dark hood.
“I’ll be alright. Just a slew of other issues, these being one—“ he said, lifting one crutch up and smacking it back down against the pavement with a metallic sound.
Avery’s thick brows curled in confusion, but he decided not to comment on the crutches. As long as Derek would keep living, Avery would care for him; medical or mental issues be damned.
Derek had saved him, and Avery would save him right back.