Chapter Text
[TheMostMayo] >?wdaswadd
[TheMostMayo] WAIT
“WAIT!” avery screams the word as he types it, jumping out of his gaming chair toward his monitor, as if trying to reach out and grab back onto the platform through the screen.
his hands tremble, tears quickly brewing and streaming down his cheeks. with a bit of effort, he gets the cursor over to the respawn button and tries to click it, again, again, over and over, but it doesn’t work. avery sobs out loud.
avery has never even met this guy. d3rlord— or derek, but… he cared enough to try and warn him. derek cared enough about him to leave him a book, a warning, even when he was in such immense pain. he cared about avery.
and avery can’t let that go.
his brain is spinning, but even though it, avery had a realisation. he originally found this computer in a university locker. maybe… just maybe, the original owner attended too.
so he stands on shaky legs, nearly stumbling but managing to catch himself. reaching out, he pulls out a book from the shelf next to his bed. avery drops to his knees and starts frantically flipping through the pages.
avery was the organiser of the photo book club of his university, putting together pages about different faculties, their achievements and members. it works for his photography course, and he enjoys it.
if he was right, there’s a chance he can find derek. they really didn’t get to talk much, and avery doesn’t know what subject’s section to start in, so he nervously flicks through every page, scanning each student and their name.
david… dylan… dante… derek— derek. avery’s heart shoots up, almost feeling it get caught in his throat as he wills back another wave of tears.
derek hutchins
computer science and cyber security
somewhere in the back of his mind, avery knows he’s onto something. he has a lead, but… what now.
avery stands back up, grabbing his tote bag from the back of his chair and shoving the yearbook and his phone in. he takes a few seconds to take a deep, shaky inhale, before turning off his monitor, slipping on his sneakers and barging out of his dorm.
it’s hard to figure out exactly where he’s going through his jumbled and panicked thoughts, along with the tears in his eyes clouding his vision. but eventually, he ends up in the campus library.
avery’s hands are on the mouse and keyboard before he’s even sat down, forcing back his sobs and wiping his eyes and logging in. he’s not supposed to access student info unless it’s for the photo books, but… he thinks this is a valid situation.
the cursor shakes and he curses under his breath as he tries to click on the right buttons, scrolling through the spreadsheet of information, students names, classes, contact info and form numbers.
finally, he finds what he’s after. derek hutchins, dorm number 112.
avery’s feet start working before he can even think. sprinting to the dorm building, very nearly barreling into the glass sliding door before it opens. once he’s in, he rockets up the first flight of stairs and to the door labeled 112.
“DEREK!” avery calls, voice trembling, fist pounding against the wooden door. no response. who is he kidding, obviously there’s no response.
he frantically shakes the door handle, its locked.
avery doesn’t want to do this, he hates that he even can (turns out going to scouts as a kid taught him more than he thought), but he rips a bobby pin from his half up-half down hairstyle, fumbling a few times before jabbing it into the door lock and desperately trying to pick it open.
the bobby pin nearly slips from his hand as he sobs and his whole body shakes, but he grips it so hard his fingers turn white, pressing himself into the door. finally, he hears the little click and the door gives way, letting avery stumble inside.
derek’s bedroom is completely dark, aside from the yellow glow emitting from his computer monitor. the dark haired man is splayed out, head against his desk, slumped in his chair.
blood steadily drips from his nose, his face lit by the golden glow from his eyes, now fully taken over by the colour.
“DEREK!” avery chokes out a scream as he sees the man, stumbling over.
his hand is trembling so badly he drops his phone as he pulls it from his pocket, scrambling to pick it back up and call for help. avery’s voice shakes, but eventually he gets the message across and the operator says she’s sending help.
in the meantime, avery drapes himself over derek and sobs. his hands gently claw at the deep red fabric of his hoodie, trying to just get close. derek is so cold.
“i’m so sorry, derek. i’m so sorry, i’m so so sorry,” avery wails, over and over, the only words he can get out of his mouth. he should’ve done more. he shouldn’t have opened his inventory, he should’ve found him sooner, he should’ve tried harder.
“derek, please, i’m so sorry. just, hang on, help is coming, im so sorry,” the brunette cries, entire body shaking with his sobs.
why can’t he just wake up and find out this was all just a bad dream? why did this have to happen? finally, someone cares about him, and then… this. it’s not fair. it’s not fair!
“please just hold on, please derek. i can’t loose you. i want to know you, i want to talk with you, learn about what you enjoy, what you don’t,” avery rambles shakily, not daring to stop talking lest he start sobbing all over again.
“i want to hold you, i want you to hold me, please. i want to take care of you when you’re sick, i want to hold your hand and drag you around with me, i want you to be there for me, i want you,”
avery really isn’t sure how long he rambles on for. long enough that he hears sirens outside the dorms, then footsteps and voices.
the next few hours are a blur. emergency workers come in and rush derek out, others stopping to block avery from chasing after, asking him questions he doesn’t know how to answer.
they allow him into a second ambulance, letting him follow behind, a kind paramedic comforting him the whole ride.
the next thing avery can remember is sitting on a chair next to derek’s hospital bed, curled up into himself, expression blank as he listens to the beeping filling the background.
“he will most likely remain in this state for a few days at the least. however he is stable, and we will be monitoring him the whole time.”
avery had been asked by the nurses how he knew derek, he wasn’t sure how to answer, so he just said they were friends.
avery visited derek every day, sometimes staying through his classes, or through meals, opting to either eat hospital food or not eat all together.
it’d been four days when avery makes his way back into derek’s room, tote bag over his shoulder with everything he’d need to spend the night.
that is until he processes what he’s seeing. derek is— awake. his eyes are open and he’s sat up in the hospital bed, holding out his arm for a nurse to check his blood pressure.
he’s awake.
“derek!” avery squeals, slapping his hands over his mouth and wincing at how loud that was.
the dark haired man laughs gently, turning his head to face the door.
“hi, avery.”
“you’re- you’re awake!”
“that i am,”
avery shivers, dropping his tote bag by the door. he speaks exactly the same way in person as he does through minecraft chat. this is when avery really processes just how attractive derek is, his cheeks flush the slightest bit, but he pushes that thought back for later.
“a-are you okay?”
derek sighs, reclining back against the pillows as the nurse finishes taking his blood pressure.
“certainly better than i was. i mean, here i am, not looking at my monitor.” he says, scoffing a small laugh. the way his eyes crinkle is nearly hypnotic.
“i’m- i’m so sorry derek. i’m so sorry, i should’ve done more, i-“
“avery.”
“-should’ve found you faster, i should’ve-“
“avery.”
“-stayed with you, i-“
“avery!” derek calls again, gentle, but stern enough to get through avery’s nervous rambling. the brunette pauses, looking at derek and tilting his head.
“it wasn’t your fault, none of this was. you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“but, i-“
“avery. this wasn’t your fault.”
he sighs shakily, wiping at his eyes, walking over to sit next to derek’s bed.
“it wasn’t your fault,” derek repeats.
“o-okay. um- so, are you.. okay? i know i asked, but like— long term… effects.. wise.” avery says, rubbing the back of his neck as he stammers.
“i’ll be okay. they said i’ll be more prone to migraines, and i might need to use a crutch sometimes if im in a lot of pain.” derek explains. “but the, uh, infinite knowledge is probably what you want to know about,”
avery nods. derek continues,
“a majority of it is gone. i don’t know how they fixed it,” the fact that he can say he doesn’t know something brings a wave of relief over himself, “i don’t think they really know either. it’s not like this has ever happened to anyone before. but from what i’ve gathered, if im talking to somebody sometimes i’ll get flashes of their thoughts.”
derek has already seen some of the nurses and doctors thoughts. most along the lines of confusion, doubt, fear, or sometimes he’ll get to see their families, thinking about going home to their kids, pets, spouses, and derek thinks that’s sweet.
“huh. that’s pretty neat,” avery hums, then pauses, “or- maybe it’s not. you have the thoughts after all, not me,” he apologises and waves his hands.
derek chuckles, “it’s okay. anything is better than knowing everything, anyway.” he smiles softly.
“i guess that’s true,” avery agrees with a smile of his own, having grown brighter as they spoke. with that, he lifts his legs up to his chest and wraps his arms around his knees, almost immediately starting to talk away, derek listening to it all with a soft smile.
———————— their designs!
