Work Text:
The pain in Derek’s head was reduced to a dull but consistent throb at the moment, it was annoying but leagues more manageable then it was before. He was thankful one of the nurses turned off the overhead lights for him. A nurse poked her head in, which was strange, it wasn’t the usual time they checked on him.
“Someone’s here to see you, an Avery-”
“-Avery’s here?”
Derek winced as he sat up too fast, the nurse let out a surprised laugh, seemingly up accident as she tried to cover it up as she gestured for him to lay back down.
“I’ll go and grab him, please try not to hurt yourself.”
He nodded politely and laid back down. Millions of thoughts started to swirl around his head, most of them blurry, he groaned and brought his hands under his glasses to cover his eyes. He didn’t need this. He didn’t need this now. Not with Avery. Definitely not with Avery. Avery deserved his full attention. He exhaled sharply and tried to clear his head, which he knew was futile but he needed the pain to be manageable.
He was drawn out of his stupor by voices outside the door, he recognized Avery’s voice immediately despite never hearing it before. He uncovered his eyes and fidgeted with his hands as the conversation out there wrapped up. It was strange, he knew Avery intimately. His aspirations, his insecurities, his hopes, his dreams, all of his little quirks, what he looked like despite never never seeing him before, everything.
Avery came in and paused in the doorway, seemingly surprised by Derek already looking there. Neither of them said anything. Seeing him in person was different, even in the lowlight. Avery took a step forward before faltering and Derek, even with knowing every single word in every single language, couldn’t find words to say. Avery made his way over to Derek’s side and extended his hand like he was going to touch his shoulder but stopped and brought it back to his side.
“Found you.”
Derek laughed quietly, a real genuine laugh, he noticed how Avery’s expression got lighter.
“That you did.”
Avery hesitated, whatever he was about to say next stuck in his throat. Derek tilted his head to try and prompt him. It worked.
“Are you okay?”
Avery didn’t hide the worry in his voice, he wouldn’t have been able to if he tried. It… made Derek feel a little funny.
“I’m alright. I have a constant headache but, right now, it’s not too bad.”
Avery didn’t seem to buy it but he didn’t push.
“Uh, would it be weird if I asked if we could hug..?”
Avery asked, sheepishly. He pretty much existed in a state of unsureness during the whole… debacle. but asking for a hug seemed to take the cake. The mere concept of a hug was overwhelming to Derek but… this was Avery. Someone who was very dear to him, even if it didn’t make sense at the moment.
“No. I don’t think so.”
Avery, despite his excitement, was very careful to not to jostle Derek as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, Derek pressed his forehead against Avery’s shoulder and slowly moved one of his arms to be on his back. His touch was… a lot, especially for someone who hadn’t had human contact in… Derek didn’t want to think about that, but it was nice. Warm. Comforting, even. Avery slowly pulled away, almost like he didn’t want to. Derek didn’t want him too.
“I uh, I wanted to bring you something but I… I realized I don’t know if you’re allergic to anything so,” Avery rummaged around in his bag for a moment then pulled out a homemade card that was bent at the edge. He tried not to show it but Derek saw the way his mouth slid down for a second before being replaced by a smile again, “I made you a card.”
Avery held it out for him and Derek gingerly grabbed it. It was made with decent, sturdy paper and there was a handful of shaky flower doodles on the front, all done in green pen.
“I had to do it on the bus.”
He offered an explanation but Derek shook his head, he didn’t mind. The imperfections were lovely to him. On the inside was a couple more drawings and a short note talking about how he was grateful the two of them met, even if the circumstances sucked, and how he was glad Derek was still here. Avery put a smiley face next to his signature. The note was clumsily written but that didn’t matter, not to Derek. He didn’t know how to react, he read it over again, and again, and once more before he looked back to Avery, who had a soft smile on his face.
“Avery…”
Derek trailed off but, thankfully, Avery recognized his lack of words for what they were trying to be.
“I’m glad you like it! I was a little worried you wouldn’t.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Derek spoke earnestly. Of course, he knew why but the idea of anything else didn’t occur to him. Avery’s face flushed as he shrugged. Derek gave the card another once over before motioning to the side table.
“Can you put it there?”
“Wher- Oh! Yeah!”
Avery carefully displayed it as Derek scooted over and loosely pointed to the spot next to him.
“You can sit down. If you’d like.”
“Is that allowed?”
“I’m allowing it.”
That was good enough for Avery, he put his bag down and sat on the edge of the bed to take his shoes off. Derek started to speak as he did that.
“And I’m not allergic to anything, by the way. That I know of.”
Avery snorted and sat cross-legged, his shoulder lightly bumped into Derek’s as he got comfortable.
“That you know of.”
Avery spoke while laughing as Derek snickered but it slipped into a genuine laugh, it felt more like an inside joke shared between them then something that would haunt them forever.
The laughter died down after a minute and Derek exhaled shakily, a small smile on his face.
“Avery, I- I just… I- oh goddamnit.”
He hissed under his breath as he adverted his gaze away. Avery bumped his shoulder against Derek’s again, intentionally this time, as a sign of support.
“We have all the time in the world, Derek. Don’t push yourself.”
Avery spoke softly, his hand lingering near Derek’s.
“The sun’s set to implode in-”
“-Oh c’mon, you know what I meant.”
Derek laughed through his nose but it didn’t last long. He gathered his thoughts and started to speak, quieter then he meant too, Avery leaned in to hear him better.
“I just… wanted to thank you. If you hadn’t called an ambulance I- I wouldn’t,” Derek intertwined his pinky with Avery’s, “Be here. Right now. So just, thank you.”
Derek wasn’t satisfied with that, Avery deserved a much better ‘thank you’ then that. He was onto something with the note. Avery hesitated but pulled Derek into a hug.
“I’m just glad I was quick enough.”
Derek bit his tongue as he pressed his head into Avery’s shoulder. He was dead before the paramedics got there. He didn’t know how they managed to revive him – he didn’t want to know – but Avery didn’t need to know that. Not right now.
One of Avery’s hands started stroking Derek’s hair lightly and he rested his chin on top of Derek’s head.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. Just breathe, Derek.”
Derek didn’t realize he wasn’t. He tried and only got shallow breaths, which was better than nothing.
“I’m- impressed you found my address that fast.”
Avery let him switch the topic.
“I almost didn’t, the instructions didn’t make any sense.”
Derek realized his hands were shaking slightly as he returned the hug.
“I’m not surprised you figured it out.”
He spoke matter-of-factly. Avery made a small noise of surprise but didn’t say anything. The silence stretched on for a minute, the only notable sound being the monitor hooked up to Derek.
Derek broke the silence.
“You’re taller than I thought you would be.”
He felt Avery laugh, the sound already shaping up to be one of his favorites. Avery wasn’t much taller then him but it was noticeable.
“Thought you knew everything about me?”
“Doesn’t mean I can visualize it.”
“Yeah, that’s fair. Gotta say, the glasses make sense.”
“I do enjoy being able to see.”
Derek chuckled into Avery’s shoulder. Right there, in Avery’s arms, was the first time he’d felt safe since he found that mine in his world.