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Derek Hutchins knew how much he was loved.
He knew he wasn’t loved enough by his parents, he knew he didn’t have friends who loved him.
But there was someone he hadn't met yet, who loved him more than anything else Derek had thought possible.
And that’s why he did the things he did.
Because he knew how much Avery loved him, even if Avery hadn’t even been aware of Derek’s existence yet-
And how could anyone blame Derek for falling in love with Avery in return? Derek knew everything there was about the other- all his flaws, all his doubts, all the parts Avery kept hidden and didn’t know about.
And all Derek could do was fall fast and hard.
Maybe that’s why he survived as long as he did.
His brain was too full, threatening to cave in on itself if Derek let it, so instead he focused his mind on something that could give him strength- perhaps enough strength to endure everything the king would throw his way.
It was enough- It was more than enough to endure weeks of torment.
It was enough to see right through one of the king’s tricks.
It was enough to leave signs filled with love.
It was enough to keep him going, solving puzzles and finding a safe space to rest.
The love Avery felt for him gave Derek enough strength to eventually meet Avery.
Derek wished Avery would back off, wished he could convince the other that this whole mess wasn’t safe and that it would truly be for the best if the other left.
Avery refused, of course,
because Avery cared-
He’d begun to fall, and Derek knew he’d fall fast and hard-
Much like how he himself had fallen.
Behind the screen, Derek’s smile had fallen, as he realized what he had to do.
He’d have to lie to Avery- deceive him.
And die for him.
Derek had accepted his life was over, but knowing just how much it would hurt Avery made him pause.
It made him hesitate- made him want to believe that maybe there really was another way and Avery wouldn’t have to go through the heartache.
But unfortunately, Derek knew better.
So he lied, he told Avery a lie about golden blocks knowing that even IF they were there, Avery had no means of mining them, hoping, PRAYING that Avery would realize the same before reaching the top, leaving through the first gate and trying to find iron for a pickaxe.
Derek so desperately hoped that Avery would listen just long enough for Derek to do what had to be done.
For a bit, it seemed like Avery had-
But then that message appeared, and it was clear that Avery was hurt-
Not because of the king,
but because of the lies Derek had told him.
Lies that would now make it harder for Derek to get Avery to leave-
Derek sighed-
He knew this was a losing battle.
Avery loved him.
Avery loved him so much-
Enough to forsake humanity as a whole just for the chance to save Derek.
Enough to surrender himself to the king just so Derek had a chance-
But Derek couldn’t let Avery live a life like that-
Derek had seen what would happen to Avery if he surrendered to the king and became his vessel- in the fleeting moments where fear took over all he could see was that ending- and it always drove Derek to push forward- to fight harder-
To embrace the inevitable, for the alternative was far too horrifying for either himself or Avery to endure.
So Derek pushed forward, finally breaking and revealing everything to the other.
What would happen
What would happen to the world
What would happen to Avery
And why exactly Derek had to do what he was about to.
And of course, Avery refused to leave.
He was staying right there with Derek-
But Derek wasn’t going to allow that, so he had to trick Avery one last time.
Derek had to make sure the person he loved most would live to see another day- even if it meant being forgotten.
Because he could be forgotten by Avery.
That was actually an option that could come true.
It wasn’t guaranteed, but-
…Maybe it’d be for the best.
…but in case it wasn’t-
Derek closed the game, feeling pain explode in his head as the king was fully taken into his mind, scratching and screeching to be released- promising everything from wealth to life to-
Avery.
Derek didn’t listen, having to type and retype words over and over and over again as his hands refused to listen and his body jerked painfully- as if trying to escape the agony he was in.
With the letter finished, Derek allowed himself to fall, voice having given out hours ago, hidden by the sounds of fireworks going off outside.
He couldn’t scream, couldn’t even make more than small wheezing sounds, but he had done it.
Avery was safe
The king would die with him
And-
…And Derek was loved.
He was loved by the one person who mattered more than anyone else.
And that knowledge made it all worth it, even as the king, with the last remnants of their power, tried to drag things out as much as possible- to make the agony last in an attempt to break Derek.
As if the king could even hope to do so, when Derek knew that somewhere out there, Avery was safe and alive, never having to endure the same agony the king was subjecting Derek to.
But in a way, Derek was grateful for the king-
If he hadn’t tried to make sure Derek’s death was a slow one, he’d never have gotten to see Avery in person.
Someone had kicked in the door to his apartment
Someone was rushing in, calling for Derek.
Someone found him laying on the floor, barely conscious.
Someone cried and screamed and begged for him to hold on- at least until help arrived.
Derek couldn’t help but smile, ear pressed against Avery’s chest- able to hear how the other’s heart raced.
Maybe it’d been his final bit of strength, maybe it’d been the last thing he was able to do.
But when Derek put his hand to Avery’s cheek, he found he could still speak, though his voice was weaker than it had even been before.
“I know how much you love me… and I love you the same”
As his hand fell down again, Derek’s last thought were… pleasant.
He got to die telling the person who loved him the most just how much they themselves were loved.