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Derek woke up to the sound of machines beeping and bright, horribly intense light shining down on him and into his eyes. Derek sat up, pulling the bright sheets off his face. His arms had multiple needles in them. An IV drip, a blood pressure monitor, and a few other needles that Derek somehow didn't know the use of.
What the fuck happened? Derek wondered, but he knew. He remembered what happened with Avery, and The King, and the world, and the knowledge... Something was missing, he just did know what. The main thing he could think of was when he would go back to college and, like when he had infinite knowledge, he still saw alternatives. But he didn't know how they would turn out. Did I even drop out? Derek wondered, staring at the ceiling as he laid back down.
“D3rlord!” Called a voice. A voice Derek did not recognize initially, but a voice he knew from what they said. “Avery. What are you doing here?” Derek asked, shutting his eyes. “I came to see you, of course.” Avery said, and his voice sounded just as Derek expected it would. Mildly high pitched, with a bit of a rasp that made him sound like he could be 12 or 20. “Did you… find me?” Derek asked, suddenly unsure if he wanted the answer.
“I… uhh. No.” Avery admitted, sounding embarrassed. “I actually didn't. I didn't know where you lived. Someone from your apartment, I think a neighbor found you, but I don't actually know. They said they heard screaming, and somehow, the paramedics found me as your emergency contact.” Avery finished, but having the full story just made Derek's head hurt. The headache came out of nowhere, dulled by something the doctor's gave him but not entirely gone.
“Avery, relax. I am fine. You don't need to stay.” Derek said, but he didn't hear the sound of retreating footsteps. “Avery?” Derek asked again, opening his eyes again. The lights were dimmed, not enough that it was dark, but enough it didn't hurt Derek's eyes like it used to. Derek sat up, looking to his left and right until he spotted someone standing next to the foot of his bed. It wasn't a doctor or nurse, Derek knew that by what they wore.
They looked around 5 '9, with white shirt under a loose, navy blue button up shirt with floral patterns that wasn’t buttoned. They also wore beige cargo shorts, and… socks with sandals. “Avery?” Derek asked, looking up at Avery's face. He had green eyes, and medium brown hair with a neon green streak, styled into a wolf cut with slightly tan skin. The headache Derek received simply from looking at Avery was almost indescribable. Burning hot, like what a fire does to a leaf.
“Yeah, it's me. But, umm, hey, D3r. I'll be back soon. I can't stay much longer, visitation hours are almost over.” Avery explained, waving as he walked away, but those words made the size Derek's headache grow. My head. Derek thought, lifting a hand to his temple and pressing down. The pain increased, making Derek gasp as he pulled his hand away, the pain subsiding eventually.
“Stupid vessel. Absolutely and utterly clueless.” Whispered a voice in Derek's head. The King. “Shut up.” Derek said, lifting a hand and pressing his finger to his neck. My pulse is still there, so I'm not hallucinating. Derek realized, ignoring the headache he received. “No. I will not shut up. You have ruined my plan. Ruined me. Now I am stuck in a body with a decaying mind.” The King said, but Derek smacked his temple, trying to avoid pulling any of the wires. The King instantly shut up, but Derek knew he wasn't gone.
I should sleep. Derek decided, shutting his eyes. The eyes of the king in yellow appeared before him, spinning around him endlessly until Derek thought he would collapse and fall into an endless void. Let me sleep, damnit.
Derek woke up to the sound of someone gently placing something on the visitor chairs near him. He opened his eyes and saw Avery, wearing the same outfit from before, frozen like he was caught doing something wrong. On one of the visitor chairs sat a white plastic bag with a smile drawn on it with a sharpie. Derek couldn't see what was inside the bag, but on the top, almost falling out of the bag was a hand-made card. On the cover was a drawing of their Minecraft avatars side by side with a star above Derek's avatar.
“Avery?” Derek asked, sitting up. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, staring at Avery, who stared right back at him. The golden light from the window shined onto Avery's face, making him look… worse. Like he was glowing Yellow. The most despicable color in the world, in Derek's opinion. “You're staring at me like I killed you. What's up, D3r?” Avery said bluntly, but Derek didn't want to answer.
“I have a headache. Can you leave?” Derek asked, trying not to sound like it's Avery who's giving him a headache. “Oh. Alright. Bye-bye, D3r! Hope you get better!” Avery said, waving as he left. A doctor walked in soon after Avery left, holding a clipboard and a pen in his hands. “Derek. You seem to have recovered fully from your injury, and you have been cleared to leave.” The doctor said, walking towards Derek.
The wires were pulled out by the doctor, and then, wherever the needles were, bandages were placed on Derek's skin. The doctor helped Derek out of the bed he laid in, but Derek's entire body felt stiff, like he hadn't moved in weeks. “How long was I unconscious?” Derek asked, his head already pounding with a mild headache. “About one and a half months. Six weeks.” The doctor said, and Derek's headache immediately got worse.
“Okay. I'd like to leave, if that's possible?” Derek requested, but the doctor declined gently. “Unfortunately. I cannot let you leave at this moment due to the fact there are forms and documents you must sign.” The doctor explained, leading Derek to the front desk. The discharge nurse slid a stack of forms across the desk between them. Derek leaned forward, trying to support his weight on the desk as his legs felt mildly weak. He could feel blood soaking through his left sock as he tried to sign the documents as quickly as possible.
Derek finished signing the papers, his hand shaking so bad he wasn't even sure that his signature would be deemed valid. The pain in Derek's head was loud, like sleeping next to a drill that was being used on his head. “I'd like to leave now.” Derek told the discharge nurse, walking to the exit. He then stopped, remembering the bag that Avery had left him.
I should get it. Derek decided, turning around. He walked to his patient room, and found that the bag was still there and everything was still inside. Derek picked it up, noticing how heavy the bag was. He held it with both hands as he walked, pressing the door open with his back, nearly dropping the bag as he looked at his surroundings.
“D3r!” Avery exclaimed, picking up Derek's bag for him. “Avery…?” Derek asked, shutting his eyes as tightly as he could. The intense pain he felt drifted in the blank abyss of his thoughts like clouds of red smoke. Derek slowly opened his eyes, squinting at Avery's face. “Heyo, I'll bring you to my apartment, alrighty? You can stay, if you wanna.” Avery told Derek, and Derek felt an arm slide around his shoulders that lifted him up.
Derek stared at the sidewalk, letting Avery bring him to his apartment. “You can take my spare room.” Avery said. Derek looked up, noticing that they'd already arrived at Avery's apartment building. It was on a fairly busy street, with multiple people coming and going. My head still fucking hurts. Derek noted, stepping closer to Avery.
Derek could smell Avery now, and the scent was a mix between slime, flowers, clay and a tinge of blood. Maybe the blood is me. Derek thought. “D3r. Follow me.” Avery instructed, removing his arm from around Derek's shoulders. Derek tried not to shut his eyes again, slowly looking around. The lobby of Avery's apartment building had this white and navy blue theme with dark, polished wood.
Avery took Derek's hand and led him to an elevator, swinging their arms slightly. Derek didn't mind and didn't pay attention to what Avery did, he just focused on the wooden flooring. Derek looked up just as the elevator doors dinged open, and Avery pulled him inside and clicked the button for the 30th floor. “Are you afraid of heights or anythin?” Avery asked, but Derek shook his head. They waited inside the elevator, hand in hand as Derek leaned against the elevator wall. The elevator is peaceful. Derek thought, noticing how little there was to see or hear. Avery didn't seem to mind, as he eventually let go of Derek's hand.
The doors dinged open before Derek could ask why, and Avery walked out, turning around to wave at Derek. “D3r!” Avery called out, still holding the bag in his other hand. Derek walked out and followed Avery, his head beginning to hurt again. Avery led him to a door with ‘Avery.’ Scribbled on a hanging sign that was nailed down. “Is this it?” Derek asked, trying to ignore how much his head hurt. “Uhh. Yeah. Hey, D3r, you look sick. You wanna sleep, then I'll show you around, kay?” Avery suggested, looking slightly worried.
Derek nodded, closing his eyes as Avery held his hand and led him through the apartment. Derek's head began to hurt less and less as they continued walking, with minor spikes in pain when his shoulder brushed a wall. “Here.” Avery said, and Derek could hear the faintest sound of a washing machine.
He opened his eyes and found himself in the doorway of a room, not too big, with grey painted walls and a medium sized window above a bed. There was a bed with grey sheets pushed to one corner and a singular nightstand with the same color palate. A wooden shelf, which was really just a few planks of wood drilled into the wall in a circular pattern, was mounted above a desk and a chair. Derek stepped inside and turned around towards Avery, noticing a closet with sliding doors next to the door.
Avery smiled sheepishly at Derek, scratching the back of his neck. “I know it isn’t that big, and I don’t know what colours you like, but I hope it’s okay.” Avery admitted, laughing nervously. “It’s fine, Avery. Grey is nice.” Derek said, trying not to wince at the headache he received. “I’ll bring you some pain killers if you want. You kinda look sick, D3r.” Avery told him, stepping out of the room. I don't need pain killers, I need a nap. Derek told himself, pulling his shoes off and collapsing into bed.
Derek shut his eyes, letting himself fall asleep. The room dimmed around him until he opened his eyes again and found himself back on that stone platform in the void. Avery stood in front of him, and Derek could see Avery's inventory open, slanted with the top pointed towards Derek. His inventory looked almost empty to Derek, with nothing in any of the slots beyond Avery's wooden sword in his hotbar. “Avery. What's in your inventory?” Derek asked, his eyes scanning over the slots in Avery's inventory again.
“Nothing. There's nothing in my inventory. Well, except for my sword.” Avery answered, closing his inventory. Derek walked up to him, and grabbed the front of Avery's shirt. “D3rlord?!” Avery demanded, panic edged in his voice. Derek let go of the front of Avery's shirt and pushed him. Avery stumbled, nearly slipping off the edge before regaining his balance. “D3rlord, wait!” Avery told him, holding his hand out. “No.” Derek said, pushing Avery off.
Avery fell, grabbing onto the ledge of the platform as he looked up at Derek. “Derek, please. Help me. We can find another way, together. Please.” Avery begged, and Derek could see the way Avery's fingers strained to hold onto the ledge, his fingers slipping more and more. “No.” Derek said, turning away. “Derek!” Avery screamed, until there was nothing but silence.
Derek woke with a gasp, pressing his hands against his head as his headache flared up, making it hard to think. Derek got out of bed, but wobbled on his feet and sat down on the edge of the bed. A tear fell down his cheek, and Derek wiped it away, trying to compose himself. Another tear fell, and Derek wiped away but it felt warm and sticky against Derek's fingers. Warmer than tears were supposed to feel. Derek pulled his hand away from his face and glared at it, noticing a smear of red. Blood. Derek realized, then the headache came back, pulsing in his head.
A knock came from the door. “Hey, D3r. Are you awake?” Avery asked. “Yes.” Derek managed, glancing at the door. Avery pushed the door open, stepping inside carefully. “D3- D3r! Are you okay?” Avery asked, walking towards where Derek sat on the edge of the bed. “Actually. Wait here. I'm going to get the first aid kit.” Avery said, speed walking out of the room. Derek didn't bother looking at anything except his foot. Has it stopped bleeding? Derek wondered, but when he looked back at the sheets, he saw a small red stain on the sheets. Avery isn't going to be happy. Derek thought.
Avery returned, carrying a first aid kit and placed it on the bed. “Close your eyes. It might hurt.” Avery instructed, and Derek nodded, closing his eyes. His headache dulled partly, and he let out a small sight of relief until he felt something touch his temple. Derek winced, taking a deep breath as Avery cleaned the injury, trying to keep himself from shaking. “Sorry.” Avery whispered, then Derek felt something on the injury. He opened his eyes and found Avery pressing down lightly using a towel.
“Your foot… D3r. Hold this down for me, okay? I'll wrap your foot.” Avery said, letting go of the towel. Derek reached up and pressed down lightly. He shut his eyes again until he felt Avery wipe something over the injury in his foot. Derek winced, opening his eyes as he nearly let go of the towel. Avery looked up at him apologetically before turning back to his foot. Derek watched in astonishment as Avery skill fully wrapped his foot.
“Here, take this.” Avery told him, then stood up and pulled something out of the first aid kit, handing it to Derek. Derek took a look at what was in his hand and found that it was a bottle of pain killers. “I don't think these are typi-” Derek began, but Avery cut him off. “Just take them, D3r. I added them to the kit.” Avery told him, sitting next to him on the bed.
Derek nodded, taking a pill out of the container. He put it inside his mouth, then swallowed it without water. “You wanna eat breakfast together? Or well, I guess it's lunch. Regardless.” Avery asked, standing up. “Alright.” Derek said, but Avery suddenly turned him. “Wait, do you have any allergies, D3r?” Avery asked, and Derek shook his head. “No. I don't.” “Oh. K.” Avery said, motioning for Derek to follow him.
Derek stood up, standing on the outer edge of his left foot. He began walking, following Avery into the kitchen. Avery's kitchen was mediumly sized, with an L shaped counter against the back wall and wooden cabinets above it and an electric chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A fridge was pushed against the wall near the corner of the counters. A sink was on the counter, with a stove right next to it and an exhaust fan above the stove. Derek received a headache from Avery's kitchen, but it was dulled by the pain killers.
He found Avery leaning against a partial wall with a paneless window through it. “Hey.” Avery said, pushing himself off the wall as he walked towards Derek. There was a square wooden table with four chairs, but two of them were being used to hold what looked like clay vases. Derek sat down, watching as Avery sat across from him. Avery had cooked 2 fried eggs, some slices of toast, a bowl of chopped strawberries and two glasses of water.
Derek took one of the fried eggs and placed it on a slice of toast, directly taking a bite from it. Avery looked at him with a look of slight shock, but looked back down at his own fried egg and broke the yolk with a piece of toast. Avery then dipped a piece in the yolk and broke off a piece of the egg whites. Derek continued eating and noticed that his yolk was cooked through, but he didn't mind.
Derek looked back at the clay vases, then remembered the way Avery smelled like clay. He does pottery. Derek realized, then noticed the bag on the counter. It was the same one Avery brought to him when he was in the hospital. Avery looked up after finishing his egg, noticing that Derek was looking at it. He stood up, picking up the bag and bringing it to the doorway of Derek's room. Avery then walked back, sat and started eating strawberries.
“You don't like strawberries?” Avery asked, and Derek shook his head. “I don't mind them, but they aren't my favorite.” Derek explained, and took a sip of water. My head hurts less. Derek realized, taking a few slices of strawberries and ate them. Avery smiled at him, looking like a chipmunk with his cheeks filled with strawberry slices.