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To even his own surprise, Derek had decided to go out today.
(Go out. For—groceries.)
Like many other (albeit rare) grocery runs, it happens at a grocery store. Being mid-day outing, a modest amount of people from families to students are milling around with shopping carts. Derek is lingering in an aisle of processed food, ruminating what kind of instant noodles he wants. You know, to shake things up a little. Have something to eat that isn't Soylent. Maybe he should get back on those little chicken and broccoli bowls, who knows. (He quite liked those, actually.)
The Smart & Final is medium-sized, so not too big or too small of a store—but the space is just enough so that when a man enters the store so desperately and loudly, everyone turns their heads. Everyone except Derek, who is so engrossed in selecting his meals for the next month, only vaguely hears it when the man's gaze locks onto him.
"Derek?" The name fell out of the man's mouth and landed in the embrace of the store's sudden attention.
Meanwhile, Derek is wondering HOW spicy "Extra Spicy" could supposedly be. He shrugged, deciding to play it safe and go for the chicken flavor instead. But then—
"D3rlord?"
Okay, THAT got his attention. His immediate reaction was to cringe, shoulders instinctively hunching. Who is saying his gamertag here, out loud, in this public area—
Footsteps. Rushing, rapid footsteps are bulleting towards him. Derek barely has the mind to look in that direction, his mouth hanging open as he's about to question what this guy wants. Then, then, then—without a warning! (Well, perhaps you could call the callings of his name a warning—but Derek refused to count that.) Ahem, without a warning—Derek is being wrapped into a bone-crushing hug. Where Derek is skin and bones, the absolutely random guy hugging him is weight and warmth and power. He's chubby and stocky and his arms—which Derek has suddenly found himself acquainted with—are toned.
He smells like—smells? Really? Derek's brain supplied unhelpfully, damn that observant thing. Well, he smells like the boardwalk, like he just stepped out of the ocean and took a run through the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, only stopping for funnel cake. He had this air of sun and sea salt and wind and… fun. Debatably things that Derek lacked? Who knows. (He knows.)
"I—I found you," said the mysterious man, with his head hooked over Derek's shoulder and his arms squeezing his torso. It's been so long since Derek has been hugged like this.
"…Me????????" Derek replied, baffled and confused and—well, he knows this guy has to be referring to him. He said his name, twice, and—who else? Well, just because he said his name doesn't mean that he's the right person, but—logically, it—ugh! The processes of Derek's brain conflict with each other. The existence of this man is highly illogical, but he's—right here, right in front of Derek, and these sensations are very real—he's making it make sense. So that it wouldn't make sense for this guy to not exist. Because… he was here. It would be illogical to deny that. Yet everything this man was doing was illogical. His existence was logical, but his actions weren't?
Instead of his head hurting due to brain activity, his stomach was the one churning with a feeling.
…Derek considers that maybe he should try eating more properly. Whatever.
A bright (broken...?) laugh cut through his racing thoughts. "Yes, you."
Strange—it was strange. The man had spoken to him with such… he hesitated to use this word, but it was the most appropriate—he spoke to him with such awe, much more than Derek thought he warranted. And he laughed, as if seeing Derek brought him joy.
"Do—um, do I know you?" Derek didn't want to sound rude. Even if it was kind of rude for a stranger to just go up to him and claim all of his personal space.
"—No," the man answered, this swell of emotion bubbling up in the word. "No, you don't."
"Uhhhhhh. Okay."
All eyes were on them. The man finally let Derek go. Derek felt a little awkward during the whole hug (despite being so forced, it was the realest embrace he had in so long), but he felt the most awkward during this transition of letting go.
"Sorry," the man sniffled, his eyes a little watery.
"It's fine," Derek reassured him, despite it objectively not being fine and actually quite strange. The mysterious man shuffled around, obviously trying to be respectful of Derek's space—but much like gravity, he was pulled back to him regardless of any attempted resistance. His eyes were searching and glimmering and reverant as he circled Derek, checking his arms and shoulders and hands. Everybody watching them went back to shopping at this point, concluding everything was fine. I am being felt up in the middle of the store and everyone is watching it happen, Derek thought.
"Uh," said Derek, as warm, calloused hands turned his face with a gentle urgency. The way that he looked at him was… intense. "What's your name?"
The man stilled for a moment, a faraway look in his eyes. Faraway, yet directed right at him. "Right, right—you—haha, for a moment I forgot that—nevermind. My name is Avery."
"Avery," Derek tested. "Nice to meet you?"
Avery laughed, and though it was only his second time hearing it, Derek already thought that it was a familiar sound. "Nice to meet you too."
"I don't know you," stated Derek. Dangerous, he thought. This man could be dangerous. "But—apparently—I'm guessing you somehow know me."
"Not really," Avery sighed. "As much I hate that, but—I want to! Believe me, I want to."
"You're…" Derek frowned and scrunched his nose. "A stalker?"
Derek couldn't imagine why anyone would want to stalk him. All he did was play Minecraft, work on commissions, and tinker at his desk. Recalling the one time he played Minesweeper non-stop for six hours, he actually started to feel BAD for this stalker of his. Just a little bit.
He must be weird, Derek concluded. Weird, but so, so interesting… and that's from only knowing him in this moment!
"No!!" Avery burst out, frantically waving his arms. "I'm not—okay, maybe I had to do some…research. But!! I met you before, I swear."
"…You are aware of how suspicious this sounds, right?"
"I—it's…" Avery had the gall to look a little sheepish. "It's a lot to explain."
"I'm… sure."
"Whatever," said Avery. A sudden seriousness passed over his face. Avery looked down as he reached into his pocket and retrieved a small item. "Put this on."
Alarm shot through Derek as he gaped at the ring resting in the palm of Avery's hand. His eyes widened. "What?"
Avery sighed, solemnly and diligently launching into an explanation. "It's—" Then he startled, flushing as if he just realized the implications of gifting Derek a ring. "—it's for you," he said helplessly instead, as if lost for something to say. Avery tried again. "It's to protect you!"
Derek took a step back, wary and doubtful. "Protect me from what?"
"From—can I explain after you put it on? Please, Derek, this is—this is really important, you have to believe me."
"I…" Derek shook his head, speechless. "I don't—I don't even know you."
Even though it was true, Derek couldn't help but feel guilty at the way Avery deflated, the sentence shooting straight through his chest.
"Derek, we don't have time," Avery pleaded, taking a step forward. "It's gonna find us any moment, I—please, you have to trust me." Derek stepped backwards—Avery closed the gap again, then grabbed Derek's hands with astounding desparation. "I just—I have it all under control, I just need you to do this for me. Please, Derek—please. I, I knew you before we met... um, are meeting. Well, I guess I don't really know you yet either. But I know you, and you are amazing, and someone so worth protecting. And I promise that I will protect you. I don't want to lose you all over again. You have to believe me!"
Derek couldn't understand what was so urgent about this; he was backed up against the glass wall of the store fridges now, a coldness seeping through the cloth of his hoodie; the chill tickling the back of his neck traveled down his spine. "What do you mean, again??"
Whispers kicked up like the outskirts of a tornado as the other people in the store murmured, watching them between aisles and shelves. Derek glanced behind him—hell, there might even be an employee back there watching whatever was happening through the gaps from fridge backroom… Jesus.
Avery's face—his brown eyes were pried wide and open, vulnerable, heartbroken—
"I'm sorry, Derek."
It was the last thing Derek saw before the power went out. Avery pulled away; Derek did not take the ring. The world had become so eerie, so suddenly.
A monster loomed at the entrance of the store. With the darkness as its cloak, it cast everything in shadow.
In the few moments that Derek had looked at it, he had felt an uneasy fear seep into him, constricting his heart—he ran. He didn't know where. Everything was dark. He forgot everything for a moment, only feeling and remembering an overwhelming fear. He ran and ran and ran, but he could feel the tendrils of darkness moving behind him, steadily catching up, choking him—
Derek collapsed. His cheek was pressed to the cold, dark floor. An awful, yellow color twisted into his mind, making him frantic.
He tried to look back one more time, to see what beast could do such a thing to him.
But there was only darkness.
Only… darkness…
"Hey, moron!"
…Light?
A deep breath in the distance. "I stand and reject your acid tears…"
The spark of light steadied from a flicker to a glow.
"One by one, from sunlit shore…"
The glow elongated into a band of light—
"We run, to you I show—"
No, not a band—a streak.
"A golden, windswept destiny…"
Streaks of light—brightness, hope, devotion.
Derek's eyes widened. He jolted upright, the pieces of understanding clicking together as he realized—
—Avery!
"—LET'S PLAY AND HAVE FUN!!"
…That was his battle cry?
Derek could only see a part of Avery's face, as he was turned to face the looming darkness that was the monster—but Avery was grinning and glowing and shining. Derek's jaw dropped. He was so bright. Aaaand his outfit had completely changed, somehow. His locs, which had been dark brown and tied up earlier, were now free and a green ombre; a golden hibiscus flower was stuck in his hair. He was wearing a shirt with puffy white sleeves and frills, and a light green vest over that. It had multicolored buttons, matching the stack of bracelets on his right wrist. The brooch at his neck was a red flower, and the cropped, sleeveless black jacket also matched the long coattails trailing at his shorts.
In his gloved hands, there was also a sword. A netherite sword. Like from—you know. It glimmered purple with enchantment.
"You wanna 1v1 a Skywars GOD? Then let's go," Avery declared, and Derek couldn't help the bemused huff of a laugh that escaped him. Avery was saving him. Avery was boasting about his apparent Skywars ability, while saving him.
Saving him, Derek echoed his thought internally. Not trying to save me. Intrinsically, I… already believe that he will save me. That he will save us all.
…Fascinating.
As Avery launched himself at the beast of darkness, Derek scrambled to stand up. Were there still people here? Maybe they could all hide in the back of the store. He glanced around frantically—he understood now, how the illusion of darkness isolated people. But there was Avery now, and there was light—and the store seemed so much brighter already, as Avery shimmered with each movement, hacking and slashing the shadowy tendrils that tried to close in on him.
People could be found in dark corners of the store, in scared little clumps, shaking with hopelessness and fear. When Derek looked at them, he didn't think they could see him—but he reached out anyway, guiding them to the backroom of the store, hoping that the tinges of Avery's light could reach them here. Steadily, he had managed to accumulate a roomful of people in the back. It would be better if they could evacuate, but the doors were strangely sealed, and the front entrance wasn't safe. He was returning with a little girl clutching his hand and had to gently urge her to let go once in the backroom. He did not know if he had found her family yet—but he hoped.
When he stepped back into the store, he felt a draining presence.
The fight had been moving around the area—Derek had made sure to maneuver around the clashing as he did his fetch quests. He'd see flashes then, Avery jumping and dodging and taunting as the beast reached for him. But this time something, was off and he couldn't ignore it.
Avery's light was… flickering.
Derek found himself plunged in worry. Was it possible for Avery's light to be overwhelmed and—god forbid, extinguished? In the low illumination of the surrounding objects, he ran past cereal shelves and fruit displays, desperate to find that fading light.
He saw him then, standing atop a shelf as he fought, and he understood.
The darkness was overwhelming, Avery's sword struggled against a shadow pushing at him. He was grimacing, sweat running down the hard line of his jaw as he held his stance through sheer determination. Derek pushed aside the feeling fuzzy of despair—Avery was losing. Avery was losing, and he still tried to smile, using his remaining strength to hold off the shadow.
Avery needed help. Avery needed his help, but—Derek didn't know what he could do. If he could do anything.
"Avery—"
But if he didn't do anything, Avery would die.
"Avery, I—" he called out again. Loudly. Desperately. "I trust you!" Please. Please tell me how I can help you. Who are you? Thank you. I want to know. I want to help.
"D-Derek!" Avery turned around in surprise. When he saw Derek's worried, pleading expression, his mouth turned into a firm line—and he nodded. In an already familiar motion, Avery reached into his pocket, and tossed it at Derek.
It being the ring, of course.
Derek flustered as he caught it, but shook his head. Obviously this wasn't the time for… the implications. Clearly, the ring had a use, and he had decided to trust Avery anyway. He slipped it onto his ring finger, assuming that it belonged there due to the name, and it fit perfectly.
Absolutely nothing happened. Derek frowned. "What do I—"
In a flash of light, Avery had leaped off the shelf and scooped Derek up from where he was standing, and oh okay they were running now and Avery was carrying him. Although he was absolutely blinding, Derek couldn't help but be comforted by the warmth he radiated—being enveloped in such intense light after being in the dark for so long, it was like… safety.
But as brilliant as he was, Derek could tell—Avery was getting weaker.
Avery carried him to the other side of the store and set him down carefully, before taking Derek's hand—the one with the ring with it—and pressing it to his chest.
"…What??" Derek was uncomfortable feeling so unknowledgeable and confused, and felt like he was mischaracterizing himself to Avery. He found himself preferring that Avery know he was smart and trustable, more than his usual desire to understand things… for some reason. But to be fair, everything that was going on was way beyond his understanding right now.
There was definitely that too, though—Derek wanted to understand.
Still confused, Derek searched for Avery's gaze and was met with confidence, before a ball of light formed where Derek's hand was on Avery's chest. Avery gave him a nod before letting himself fall back. A handle poked out from the light, and Derek's fingers wrapped around it. Oh, okay, he thought as he carefully pulled a crimson longsword from the light at Avery's chest. Sure.
Wow, that thing was heavy. When Avery was standing up again (he had been magically suspended in the air—floating), Derek presented the blade to him.
"Am I crazy, or is this redstone?" he asked.
Avery smirked. "It's totally redstone."
"That's not even in the game," Derek replied, totally awed.
"I know, right?!" Avery replied gleefully. He took in a deep breath, a content smile gracing his features—his glow, now nurtured, was already getting brighter. "Alright," Avery exhaled. "It's time to end this thing!"
"Oh boy," said Derek. "Here it comes."
Avery cleared his throat and pointed a finger gun at the yellow-tinged shadow. "I am the Loyal Guardian who fights for love and for justice! In the name of Derek, I'll enlighten you!"
"In the name of—why me??" hissed Derek.
As Avery held up the sword, charging up his final attack, he laughed again. Derek frowned, disregarding the heat the clung to his cheeks. Avery was just so weird and confusing (and... magical).
"You said something like that before," remarked Avery. "You said, why Avery?"
"I said that?" That doesn't tell me anything at all, does it? Derek tucked the clue away for later. Whatever alternate Derek that Avery knew, he really had to be something impressive… Derek wondered how much this version of him deviated from himself.
The sword was now at a maximum capacity of redstone glow. "You are real," Avery said, turning back to face the shadow. "You are special."
Then, with a grand leap into the air, coattails fluttering behind him, and the sword poised to strike through the shade—
"Remember who you are."
In an explosion of color, the beast of shadows is vanquished.
…
..
.
Derek was roused awake by the combination of the mid-day sun and the fluorescent store lights. Blearily, he blinked a few times—just in time to catch Avery gently picking up a skull, dust settling around them as the shadows vanished, being tucked away to their proper containers.
Avery examined the skull, lifting it up to face him.
"Rest well, brother." He tapped his brooch then, giving the skull a touch that made it evaporate into light. Promptly after that, the magical battle attire (including the sword at his hip) faded away into a glimmer, leaving Avery back in his normal clothes in their beautiful Hawaiian shirt-cargo shorts-sandals glory.
Avery fell to his knees, exhausted.
"Shit," Derek cursed, scrambling to stand and catch Avery before he could properly fall. "Ohhhhhh," said Derek, glancing around at the gaping hole in the ceiling before looping Avery's arm around his neck, "my god. Ohhhhh-kay."
"Are you okay?" Avery asked as his consciousness faded, however he was actively fighting against it to hear Derek's answer.
"Am I—are YOU okay?? I—" Derek bit the inside of his cheek. God, he felt so out of his depth. "You can rest now, Avery. You're gonna be fine. I'll—I'll make sure of it. You saved everyone, you—you saved me. We're going home now."
Then that smile, again—but tired, now. "Good," said Avery, and there was something so devastating about that. "That's good."
With a man he just met today collapsed in his bed, Derek was at his computer, frantically deciding whether to look up random man approaches me at smart and final seems to know me and magically saves day OR why does my heart hurt looking at someone i dont know slash literally just met today, before realizing how insane those things sounded. Fuck, he didn't even have anything to feed Avery when he woke… up…—FUCK HE TOTALLY FORGOT TO BUY ANYTHING FROM THE STORE.
Derek let out a frustrated groan before opening up his phone instead. It only rang twice before the call was picked up.
"…Hi, mom," Derek said hesitantly, sending a glance over to Avery. "I… need your help."