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At last it was summer. You know, those late august nights where it’s neither too hot nor too cold? Those ones, where you’d laugh all night under the starry sky. One of those nights was in a restaurant, surrounded by his family. He hadn’t been able to spend New Year’s Eve with them due to school and… Other things. But it was the big holidays now and most importantly; His birthday! Avery was reaching his 22nd birthday. Of course, even if he spent it in Florida with his family - someone didn’t forget to send him a text. After they defeated the King In Yellow, they remained online friends for months. They played every weekend and texted each other everyday. Avery had mentioned a few times to meet but Derek brushed the idea away, saying he was quite busy with his mother. They grew really close, and even if a part of Avery didn’t want to admit it, he had fallen for that guy.
They facetimed, chatted, and played Minecraft. Hell, Avery teached bedwars and skywars to Derek even though from time to time they played regular vanilla because that remained Derek’s favorites and even if Avery wasn’t as entertained, it was still fun despite everything because they were together. In the morning where Avery hopped in the plane, he received a notification from a certain “Derek:D”
Derek:D - 10:14AM
Happy birthday, Avery! Enjoy the evening with your family. I know they aren’t next door.
The blonde haired boy couldn’t help but feel a warm tingle into his stomach as his cheeks were burning. He wanted to answer, but he didn’t exactly have time as the flight attendant asked for everyone to buckle up and put their phones in airplane mode. Avery complied, looking at the window. Luckily, he had taken the plane tickets in advance and had a peaceful window seat. He had a lot of time to waste since he was flying across the country to his family. He’d only arrive late and in the evening where he would be greeted at the airport with his whole family.
Avery spent most of the time sleeping, while he spent the others watching movies on the airplane tablet. After rewatching both Frozen movies for the 3rd time, the airplane announced they were finally close to their destination.
The rest of the evening went smoothly, Avery was greeted by his parents and his siblings at the airport, hugging everyone. They then immediately went to the restaurant. They all ate and asked here and there about Avery’s studies at college although there wasn’t much to say, some like his sisters would tease him about if he found love yet… That made Avery blush and brush it off. How could he exactly explain to his family, he fell in love with a guy he didn’t even meet?
“Pfft-! You guys…! I have a long way to go! I’m focusing on my studies, you know!” Avery said sheepishly, his reddened cheeks betraying his poor lie.
This made his entire family laugh at how unbelievable he was, after so many years… He didn’t change one bit, did he? He grew up to be pretty chaotic, kind, but also clueless, stubborn and very bad at lying. Seems like this part of his personality stayed along with those soft spots carefully painted by the sun on his face.
Finally, a waiter arrived with a chocolate cake and white whipped cream. There were also strawberries. There were exactly 22 candles lit up beautifully in the dark, all of each representing a year of Avery’s life. Those same sparks shone in the reflection of Avery’s irises, the same flames that kept him going through everything despite not fitting in, despite being different.
That flame that allowed him to go and run to save Derek - the only person who ever stood up, went out of his way to show the slightest hint of care.
The blonde haired boy chuckled as his family sang him happy birthday all together - some better than others, some others singing like dying birds. Even if they were all very busy adults now, they still cared about each other even if sometimes they couldn’t always show it. Avery wasn’t one to complain about his family, it may be chaotic, but he was still loved throughout his childhood. Besides, that’s the downsides of being a big family! It’s hard to keep track of everyone with so many siblings.
As they finished the song, Holly - the youngest sister smiled before shaking excitedly Avery hurrying him.
“C’mon, Aves! Make a wish and blow your candles dude!” The tooth-gapped blonde said overjoyed, gritting her teeth in blissfulness.
“Jeez! Calm down Holly! Let me think! Let me think!” He hollered before giving her a friendly little push to get her off him. His hands trailed off on his knees, grabbing the denim texture of his jeans. He thought for a minute, what did he wish for?
What did he want more than anything right now?
I wish Derek was here.
At that simple thought, Avery blew out his candles in a single breath under the cheers of his family, specifically Holly’s.
“What did you wish for, sweetie?” The elder woman, his mother asked with a small smile of tenderness seeing Avery so lively. As Avery even began to form a sentence he was cut off by Holly shoutings.
“Don’t tell her! If you say your wish outloud, then it won’t come true, nitwit.” Holly grinned at Avery who playfully rolled his eyes as a response. He didn’t exactly believe this would happen anyway.
“Pfft. It’s not like it’s gonna happen either way, Holly. It’s not a big deal.” He responded playfully with a hint of cheerlessness. He did want it to be true, but it’s okay. They’re gonna eventually meet someday right?
Seeing her own son’s slight distress, she took out her camera which was probably about as old as Holly and raised her voice loud enough to disrupt the family’s banter.
“Time to take a picture everyone! Get in place next to Avery!” She exclaimed as she got up and walked a few steps back to frame everyone correctly as Holly scrambled to get in position, the others posed for the picture as well. Avery felt a warm hand rest on his shoulder - which he assumed was Holly.
“Say ‘Surprise!’” She cheered as everyone repeated, including Avery a little confused - but before he could wonder about it, he was blinded by the flash of the camera for half a second.
As the picture was taken, everyone finally took their seats back, Avery’s mother looked at the photo seemingly very satisfied with the result, she looked at Avery.
“Aves, you wanna see the photo?” She always asked with this tender tone of hers, even though it betrayed a sense of excitement that the blonde haired boy couldn’t quite place his finger on.
“Yeah man, you don’t wanna see last minute you have a big salad piece on your teeth.” Ashlyn - his older brother declared with a smirk. For some reason, he learned that his siblings loved to always tease him. Was it a middle child thing? Maybe.
Avery just laughed and reached out for the device, he glanced at his mom with a chuckle raising his eyebrow.
“Also, mom… Why did you ask us to say ‘Surprise’?” He grinned as he said that, his eyes finally drifted to the result of the picture on the camera. He paused immediately. That tanned hand on his shoulder, that wasn’t Holly.
Nobody in his family was tanned in fact.
There was only one person he knew that had tanned skin. Avery immediately tossed the device on the table jumping out of his seat, his eyes darting everywhere to just spot a glimpse of that familiar red hoodie. Avery’s heart was racing, he was practically shaking as his family all stared at him with a smile or smirks. They were all in on it, weren’t they?
That’s when Avery locked eyes with him, at that instant, he felt his heart spike immediately and his breath cutting off.
“Hey.” The taller man with glasses said - barely had he finished his sentence - that the blonde haired boy shouted his name and jumped into his arms. The tanned man barely caught him with a grunt of effort. He laughed, returning the tight embrace of the freckled smaller man in utter disbelief. He had so many questions.
“HOW?! What?! When?!” Avery questioned as he barely took a step back, just to meet Derek’s gaze as he spoke. He however didn’t make any move to break the embrace he’d started.
“Haha. Lots of planning with your family…” He retorted with a calm chuckle, somehow he couldn’t take his eyes off the person he held. Even if he tried not to smile, he couldn’t.
“Is this… Why you have been brushing off my requests to meet up?!” The blonde asked in disbelief and almost a hint of frustration to have been kept in the dark for so long. Derek couldn’t help but laugh as he nodded his head in response. A very let out a scandalized gasp before he laughed along with Derek.
In reality, he was grateful. For Derek, and his family that he really loved no matter how sometimes they barely interacted. The two made no move at first to retract from each other’s embrace. Avery was at peace. Except for the tingly feeling in his stomach around Derek, he was truly happy. He wasn’t having any second thought about anything at the moment.
“Well lovebirds, I don't want to ruin your moment but you two should go catch up in the park next to the restaurant.” The elder sister, who happened to look like the genderbend version of Ashlyn, said, with a small lopsided smile.
“Wh-?! It’s- It’s not like that Ivory! And… Is it really okay? I mean what about you guys?” Avery firstly shouted, his reddened cheeks once again betraying his poor attempt at lying before he settled and looked at Derek then back at them.
“Don’t worry Aves. It was planned. We’re gonna keep you guys slices of cake. Just be here in at least an hour, yeah?” The blonde’s mother continued, nodding and hinting at Avery to go with Derek for their much needed intimacy.
Avery finally smiled and nodded, he didn’t need to say it out loud for his mother to be able to know how thankful and grateful he was.
Time passed, the smallest wind passed through Avery’s blonde hair. The dark starry night was somewhat lit up with the street lights of the park. Derek and Avery both walked next to the other. It was a little awkward and clearly, Derek wasn’t gonna be the one to start the conversation. Avery, figuring that out, finally spoke.
“So uhm… How long are you staying?” He asked in a small voice that betrayed his nervousness, walking next to the man he always wanted to meet for so long and now there he was.
“As long as you’ll have me. Your mother said she was okay, it was just up to you.” He responded quietly, his hands diving into his sweater pockets. He glanced at Avery a little before looking back forward, scared of making it more awkward than it needs to be.
“...Well I'm going back to Seattle in 3 days… You know… College and everything.” The blonde haired boy answered a little sad at the idea of already leaving back for college.
“We could go back together… If… You want to, that is.” Derek requested shyly, clearly not sure about Avery’s response to this sudden plan.
“You live in Seattle?!” Avery shouted once again in shock like it was everything he expected, Derek blinked and looked dumbfounded like it was the most obvious thing.
“...Avery, you found my old computer in a storage locker. We had to live in the same city for this to happen.” He blinked, smiling a bit at the confusion which was the least he expected - but then again… It was Avery. Avery’s cluelessness always made him laugh, it was so typical of himself.
“...Oh yeah. That makes sense… That means we’ve been in the same city for years?! We even maybe met each other before without knowing?!” The freckled man seemed to question his entire past memories in Seattle for the past years.
“Most likely, yes. Which means we could go back together.” He affirmed, confident in his answer which made Avery’s jaw drop in shock at the possible course of events that may have occurred if they accidentally bumped into each other back there.
Avery then wondered something that just didn’t make sense to him.
“If we lived in the city why would you fly across the country just to see me instead of just… Going to my apartment that’s in the same city?” He asked, completely confused at Derek’s choice of meeting.
“Because I wanted to surprise you for your birthday. Besides, you would have never expected me to show up when you’re with your family. Especially if they all were in on it.” He chuckled a little fading into a patient smile that betrayed how much he cared for the blonde next to him.
“...Oh.” Avery suddenly found his shoes really interesting to be looking at them this way, trying to hide desperately how he was blushing at the idea of Derek caring this much to just travel across the country for him even though he didn’t have to.
“...You know Avery… You’re not a very great liar.” Derek tilted his head towards Avery that shyly looked up at Derek. Avery stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at Derek nervously.
“W-what do you mean?” He shakily asked, looking at Derek in the eyes trying to figure out or decipher whatever cipher Derek was trying to make him decode.
“You’re not subtle. I can tell how much you… Like me Avery.” He stopped as well, a little further from Avery. He softly answered with no hint of malice but simply patience and care for the other. He finally removed his hands from his pockets. Avery felt his heart racing, like it was going to explode at any moment. Suddenly, Avery was very aware of the soft wind blowing around them and the fact they were alone. Derek took a step towards Avery and finally continued as the blonde man was too flustered or stunned to speak.
“If that’s of any help… I really like you too.” He scratched the back of his neck nervously, his eyes finally darting somewhere else for the first time as well. Derek was just as nervous if not more – as Avery.
He just knew how to hide it better.
“...What?” Avery muttered, barely above a whisper. He misheard, HE HAD to have misheard, right? But all these doubts all vanished one by one as Derek took more steps towards him.
“I love you, Avery. Ever since I got to know you.” Derek gently placed his hands on Avery’s cheeks, allowing him to push him away if he wanted to.
Avery was speechless, he couldn’t believe it. Not only did his wish come true, but now Derek - the guy he liked for the past few months - is confessing his love to him after he figured he liked him. He felt the tip of his tongue burn with all the things he wanted to say, his cheeks reddens probably not far from fresh red paint. Yet, he only managed to stammer an answer.
“...I-I love you too.” He spoke almost like a whisper in the wind, it was shy and soft. He was now a little quiet as Derek held him, they both lost in each other’s eyes. Surely, that was very cheesy, wasn’t it? I mean for Avery he’s always been a huge fan of cheesy romcoms, surprisingly that wasn’t Derek’s case despite the situation at hand that would suggest it.
Avery watches enough romcoms to know this is usually when the lovebirds kiss and they start dating. The idea of this made his stomach flip upside down. He was sure if he listened to any metal song right now, his heart would probably match the beats per minute.
“Can I kiss you?” Derek softly asked, a hint of awkwardness and shyness slipping into his words. His voice almost wavered for a second, betraying how nervous he really is.
The blonde boy could only give a sheepish nod in response, that Derek clearly didn’t miss out on. Derek tilted his head slightly and leaned in, pressing his warm lips against Avery’s. Avery could feel his eyes widen at the new sensation despite expecting it. After a second of disbelief he found himself melting in the kiss, kissing back lovingly. It wasn’t heated or yearning. It was slightly shy and especially loving.
After a bit, Derek finally broke the kiss, retracting himself. Both of them looked at each other with their burning cheeks. They both slightly gasped out for air. Avery's eyes darted at the ground as he finally managed to question what he wanted.
“Are… Are we dating now?” The smaller man asked, clearly trying to not stumble over his words. He fidgeted slightly with his fingers.
Derek giggled in response in which he’d simply smile and give a forehead kiss to Avery. - “Do you want us to?” He asked, in which Avery blushed and simply gave another shy awkward nod. Derek smiled and slightly played with Avery’s blonde hair with one of the hands that was cupping his cheeks. - “Then yes, we are dating.” He affirmed confidently, which made Avery’s heart probably skip a beat.
Derek finally took a step back, retracting completely letting Avery free. He put his hands back in his pockets before looking at the blonde haired boy with a slight smug. - “Aves? What kind of name is Aves?”
“Hey! It’s a… Family nickname. It’s just always stuck since I was little. It’s embarrassing!” Avery said with a smile that betrayed how happy he was.
“Sure thing, Aves.” Derek retorted, clearly trying to tease Avery in which Avery playfully rolled his eyes.
“Really, you too?”