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Derlord’s head felt as though it were being split in two. It was too much. Far too much for his mind to handle. He’d barely managed to get himself back to the mine. To hastily write his message and put it into the chest for someone he both did and did not know to find.
He stumbled out of the mine into the sickeningly bright day. He hated everything about this. He hated how he knew every minute detail about anything and everything to ever exist.
He hated how he could look at a tree and his mind would oh-so-helpfully tell him that it was 20 years old, had eight species of animals living on it presently, had 128 ants on it, its roots spanned 30 feet in each direction, and had a disease that was slowly rotting its core.
Because he needed to know that. For sure.
Derlord seemed to blink, then found himself in the middle of a flower field. Blue orchids, cyanicula amplexans, exactly 279 of them to be precise. Which he did not need to know. The pain in his skull flared and he ended up on the ground, clutching his head.
All of this was too much. Too much for a mortal mind to handle, to comprehend. To know all that was and is. Not quite what would be. He couldn’t see far past the present. Only a few moments. Enough to get near constant déjà vu, though.
Enough to see himself hacking up blood before he actually does. His throat burned from screaming that even with all of his knowledge, he couldn’t quite remember doing. One hand came up to his mouth, under his helmet. It pulled away sticky and wet with blood.
Everything hurt. He just wanted an end to this excruciating pain that felt like it was splitting every atom and molecule in his body. He remembered the stone sword on his hip. He thought about that option.
No one truly wanted to die. Derlord knew that, and almost hated that he did. No matter how far their mind was, there was always a small part of them, even if it was buried, that wanted them to survive. It was natural. Instinct, the same way as breathing. In fact, every other instinct led back to that. Staying alive. So no one truly wanted to die. They only thought they did. They convinced themselves they had to. But if they had an alternative, they would take it.
Derlord didn’t seem to have an alternative. Not one that was easy or painless, at least. He didn’t want to die. But pain for eternity didn’t seem like the better of the two evils. He took out the sword. He pointed it at his neck.
Then he heard footsteps approaching rapidly. And he knew they wouldn’t, but he still prayed to whatever gods there were to have mercy on him. How he wished he could be so lucky.
The sword was quickly taken from Derlord, discarded on the ground a safe distance away.
A figure dropped to their knees in front of him. “Woah, dude, hey, uh…I don’t know you, but are you good? No, stupid question, clearly not, attempting to stab yourself isn't ‘good’. Um…I’m-“
“Avery.” Derlord rasped out, not looking from where his gaze was fixed on the ground. He wished that was all he knew about the slime hybrid in front of him.
“…ookay…creepy,” Avery said after a pause. “Really creepy, but you’re still, you know, coughing blood, so…we can address the whole, ‘how the frick do you know my name’ situation later. Can you walk?”
Derlord shook his head, then clutched it again. He cried out a little as the pain intensified from that small movement.
“Okay…okay. I don’t think I’m strong enough to carry you, completely at least. So I’ll support your weight while we walk. Or, hobble, whatever. I don’t live far, so we can go to my place.” Avery helped Derlord stand, propping up his body weight with his own. Together they slowly walked east, towards Avery’s house.
Derlord closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the far too overwhelming stimuli. It hardly helped.
The second Avery mentioned his house, Derlord’s mind supplied him with the floor plan and history of the building, from when it was constructed to who did and why. Very helpful. Truly.
They arrived at Avery’s house in five minutes and forty three seconds. The door was swung open frantically and Derlord was led to a bed, a plain red one. He promptly collapsed on it face first. Avery went into a side room and hurried back with a few potions. He turned Derlord onto his back to empty first a health potion and secondly a regeneration potion into his mouth. He swallowed the bittersweet and thick liquids, his eyes still shut.
“Okay, uh, mystery knight…guy. You rest, I’ll…yeah.”
Derlord barely registered the words as his mind granted him the comfort of sleep.
Derlord woke up in a blanket. That was the first thing he noticed. The second thing he noticed was that he was in a bed. The third thing was that his armor was off, leaving him in his black undershirt and leggings. His helmet was also removed. He sat up quickly, causing his head to spin, but he didn’t care. Where was his-
“Hey! You’re finally awake.”
Derlord turned to see Avery stand up from a decently cluttered desk. There was a book on it. Derlord’s message. He tried to stand, but a translucent hand pushed him back so he was sitting again.
“Ey, no standing yet. You’re still hurt. I think. What’s your name, anyways? You know mine, somehow, so it’s only fair that I know yours, right? Oh, and did you write that book? Cause’ it had my name in it, and you know my name. Also, what’s the cross-“ Avery was cut off as Derlord’s hand shot out, grabbing his wrist.
“Don’t ask questions that I promise you do not want the answers to.”
“Woah! Okay! Yeah, sure, no questions about that, hear you loud and clear!” Avery pried his wrist away from Derlord’s death grip. “So, do I get to know your name now, mysterious german, I think, sounding knight?”
“…Derlord.”
Avery blinked. “Cool. Yeah. Cool. Um…how did you know my name?”
“…you won’t believe me.” Derlord’s pupilless eyes searched for his armor, more specifically his helmet. He wasn’t lying, in any case. He literally knew Avery wouldn’t believe him, not without hard proof.
“Try me, Der.” Avery challenged, the nickname flowing like water out of his lips.
“…I quite literally have infinite knowledge about everything there is and was, and though I can’t see the future I can see a few seconds ahead enough to get near constant déjà vu. That's how I knew your name and to leave the book for you.”
Avery was silent for a moment. Then he laughed. “Tha-that’s a pretty good story, but like, there’s no way…” He trailed off at Derlord’s serious gaze. “…prove it. That’s insane, prove it. Like…say something you couldn’t possibly know about me.”
“You were dropped twice as a baby, you hate fish, your favorite color is an eye burning neon green, you have a twenty eight kill streak in Sky wars, your favorite smell is vanilla candles, your house was made by your grandparents on your mom’s side who passed away eight years ago and you moved in four years ago. The only friends you really have are the villagers in a village two hundred and forty eight blocks south, and you always enjoyed fantasy books with knights and princes falling in love.” Derlord reveled for a moment in Avery’s expression. “Do I need to continue?”
“No!” Avery yelped. “Nope, uh, that’s good, fine, yeah, proved enough for me! That…was kind of creepy. And weird. But also weirdly cool! Maybe?”
Derlord winced internally. “Cool is not exactly the term I would use to describe it. Also, you were right earlier.” Avery blinked at him in confusion for a moment. “I- german. I’m german. My father’s side.”
“Oh.” Avery decided to study his shoes. His goopy catlike tail flicked. “Can you read minds?”
“What? No.” Derlord tilted his head, confused.
“Cool. Great. Um…” Avery shuffled where he stood. “I’m gonna go make soup. You stay. Rest. Yeah. Don’t move,” Avery began to make his way towards the kitchen before Derlord stopped him.
“Where’s my armor?”
Avery stopped at the door, turning to face him “Oh. Armor stand in the closet. Please don’t move yet, though. I’ll be back. Soon.” He then left quickly for the kitchen, muttering to himself something that Derlord couldn’t quite catch.
He looked at the closet that Avery had said his armor was in. He considered that for a moment, then shook his head and laid down again. He knew his limits and getting his helmet back on wasn’t quite worth it. Avery had already seen his face anyway. No point in hiding it again.
After around 10 minutes (and 28.26 seconds) Avery returned with a steaming bowl. He sat it down along with a spoon on the bedside table. It smelled good.
“I’m kinda bad at cooking, so it might not be good. I’m learning though! There’s a villager who’s helping me get better so I don’t have to trade for as much food.” Avery rambled a little as Derlord sat up and took the bowl and spoon, then noticed Avery intently watching him.
He raised an eyebrow in question. “Sorry! Sorry, uh…is it good?”
Derlord watched the smile for a moment before nodding. “It’s good. Good for still learning, at least.”
Avery visibly relaxed. “Great. I’m glad it’s good. The first few times I made it, even the dogs at the village wouldn’t eat it and it’s gotta be like, borderline poison for them to not eat something, y’know? But I kept experimenting, and now it’s like, actually edible! Which is excellent progress, actually, so that’s…”
Avery kept rambling and Derlord subconsciously began tuning him out without meaning to. His head still hurt. Not as bad as…was it yesterday? Yes. Better than yesterday, but his kind still seemed to be adjusting to all the information. It was adjusting, though. So that was good.
The soup tasted mediocre, not horrible, not outstanding. It tasted like chicken broth and pepper. And slightly too much salt. But good still. Edible, at the very least. And Avery was proud of it, so Derlord liked it.
What. Why was that- that doesn’t make sense. He hardly knew the guy, why… but he did know Avery. Everything about him, actually. From his favorite color to how he liked his chicken cooked.
It was an odd feeling.
To simultaneously not know someone while also knowing every single aspect of their life. He knew Avery. He understood him in a way that quite literally no one else ever could. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
“Der?”
Derlord jumped slightly, almost spilling the soup. He looked up at Avery.
“You, uh, looked pretty zoned out for a second there. You good?” The slime asked him, a questioning look on his face.
The knight nodded. “Yes. I’m fine. Just…thinking.”
“Infinite knowledge stuff?”
Derlord hesitated but Avery pretended not to notice. “Yes. Something like that.”
“…okay. You done eating?” Avery asked, to which Derlord nodded. “Cool. I’ll clean up stuff, then we can sleep. It’s getting late anyways.”
Derlord glanced out the window. It was indeed getting late. It was 8:48 pm to be precise. Not generally late for most people, but he knew that Avery slept early. He didn’t mind. He did the same and at this time of year it got dark out earlier.
Avery took his bowl and left Derlord alone with his thoughts once more.
This was so odd. Why does he care so much about Avery’s preferences? He had an entire dictionary in his mind, but he couldn’t place a word for how he felt. Maybe he could blame it on his knowledge of Avery’s life.
That could be it. Unless…no. It was that. For sure.
Avery came back in a couple more minutes, in more sleep appropriate clothes. He placed down a plain white bed, freshly crafted then, a few blocks away from the bed Derlord was in.
(It dawned on Derlord that Avery had given up his own bed for the knight.)
Avery settled in under the covers, then offered Derlord a bright smile.
“Night, Der!” Avery said cheerfully, then blew out the candle, the only light source at the moment and the room plunged into darkness.
Derlord could hear the slime’s breathing slow and could pinpoint exactly when he fell asleep.
The enderian laid on his back, watching the ceiling. He had never been particularly scared of the dark. But that was before he had seen him. Now the darkness held the possibility of suffering. The possibility of him-
Don’t you miss me, my Knight?
Derlord tensed at the voice and the coldness that rushed over his body, effectively paralyzing him. He felt a cold, invisible hand settle on his neck. Not choking. Just there as a silent threat. What do you want?
The ghost hand tightened a little. Still not choking, but firmer. I do not want anything at the moment. Well…now that you ask, Knight, there is one thing.
The hand trailed to his left shoulder, the one closest to Avery. There was still a pressure on his throat though, a second hand.
No. I will not allow you to hurt him.
The hand on Derlord’s shoulder disappeared and the one at his neck tightened, almost cutting off his air. Enough to make his body begin to panic.
You are in no position to speak to me that way. And in any case, you don’t have much of a choice, do you? Your body is mine, as much as your mind is. I can do with it as I please.
As if to demonstrate this, Derlord abruptly sat up, but not of his own accord. He felt as though there were strings attached to his limbs, pulling him this way and that without his consent.
The puppeteer didn’t care what he wanted.
At Derlord’s abrupt movement, Avery jolted awake, blinking up at him.
“Der?” He mumbled sleepily. “What-“
“Stop.” Derlord whispered harshly, his eyes squeezed shut. “I don’t want to-“ He was cut off as the strings jerked him towards Avery’s bed.
He hit the edge of it with a thud and Avery sat up, yelping.
“Der?” Avery asked fearfully. Fearfully. Derlord was scaring him. He didn’t want to do that. Ever. “What are you-“
“Stop! Stop, please, I don’t-“ Derlord yelled as his body, no longer his own, climbed onto Avery’s bed, holding slime down by his neck, choking him.
Tears streamed down Derlord’s cheeks as Avery grasped desperately at his arms, his expression terrified. It wasn’t long before the slime’s eyes closed and he went still. But the hold didn’t loosen, not until there was zero movement from his body at all.
Only then, did Derlord collapse on top of him, sagging forward like a puppet with its strings cut.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He sobbed into Avery’s shirt, dampening the fabric. A hand touched his shoulder and he instinctively flinched away.
But this hand wasn’t cold, nor was it ghostly.
It was warm and solid and it was shaking him.
“…-r? Der? Der!”
Derlord jolted awake, taking in large gasps of air. Avery was staring down at him worriedly, a hand on his shoulder. He was still in his own bed.
A nightmare.
It was just a nightmare. Avery was okay. He didn’t hurt him. He almost sobbed in relief. As a matter of fact, he did sob, which caused Avery to sit him up and pull him close.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You just had a nightmare, that’s all. You’re good. Okay?” Avery said softly as he ran a hand through Derlord’s dark black hair.
Derlord clutched a fistful of Avery’s shirt as he sobbed into the smaller man’s chest.
“…sorry. M’ sorry.” He mumbled between heaves of breath. “I- I didn’t…”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s fine. You’re okay, you’re safe, yeah? I’m not mad at you for this. I’ll never be mad at you for something like this, okay?” Avery’s tail wrapped loosely around Derlord’s leg.
(Derlord chose to ignore how the words implied this would not be the last time this happened.)
“…okay.” Derlord whispered after a moment. They were quiet for a minute or two as he stopped crying slowly. Then, Derlord looked up at Avery, who looked down at him.
The slime was beautiful up close.
What? Why did he… actually, no, screw it.
Avery was beautiful. Every part of him. From his eyes to his tail, his laugh, his smile, everything. Derlord didn’t know how he didn’t see it before.
Hah. Ironic, isn’t it?
All the knowledge in the universe and he missed what was staring him in the face.
Speaking of staring him in the face, Avery was currently doing just that. “…Der?”
“Yes, Avery?”
“…I like you. I- a lot. Which is why I think I’ve been acting weird. I-…I’ve never done this before, so I don’t…”
Oh.
Oh.
That explained quite a bit, actually.
“…I like you as well, Avery.” Derlord said after a moment. The slime turned a darker shade of green.
“You- you do?” Avery asked unsurely. “Like, you’re not just-“
“I’m not. I do. I l-…I love you, Avery.” Derlord uttered softly.
That made Avery freeze entirely before he stuttered out, “O-oh. So then, can- can I-…?”
“Yes.” Derlord said as he smiled. He already knew what Avery was asking. The knight turned so he could face the slime better. “Go ahead.”
Avery wanted no time.
He leaned forward and pressed their lips together.
It was almost painfully obvious this was Avery’s first time kissing someone. Derlord hadn’t done it much, but he at least knew that you didn’t just sit there like you were paralyzed. So he helped Avery along.
One of his hands went to the back of the slime’s neck while the other rested on his hip, rubbing circles into the fabric of his shirt. He opened his mouth in a silent invitation.
He paused when Avery went still.
“Too far?” Derlord asked, only pulling awake a centimeter.
“No. I mean, it’s fine, you can keep going, it’s just…I’ve only ever read about this stuff, you know?” Avery let out a small breath of laughter and Derlord smiled.
“Mm.” He hummed. “I bet you’re an expert on how to make out with knights, huh?”
Avery blushed furiously, his face turning a dark shade of green. “Sh-shut up.”
Derlord only smiled. “As you wish.”
Then he moved forward again, kissing Avery with careful intent. If this truly was Avery’s first time, (it was) then Derlord wanted it to be something he enjoyed and remembered fondly.
After a moment, he opened his mouth once more. But this time, Avery was ready and accepted the invitation. His own mouth opened.
Derlord pressed closer, pushing Avery down into the pillows. It felt amazing. Better than Derlord had ever had before. It was warm and close and joyful and every good thing. Best of all, it was Avery.
Avery hummed into the kiss, into Derlord’s mouth. They felt intertwined in a way neither had felt before. Derlord’s tongue traced the map of Avery’s mouth, learning every groove and line, and he loved it all. It was Avery, of course he loved it.
Derlord’s hands roamed Avery’s body, under his shirt. Avery pressed into the warm contact. His hands mapped a plain of smooth skin (or as close it skin as a slime could get), but he froze at the feeling of scars. Scars around the smaller man’s pecs.
Avery pressed up into Derlord’s mouth, but his breathing had gone a little stagnant.
The enderian continued, tracing the scars reverently.
Avery was still beautiful. Handsome. Stunning. Breathtaking. Every good word for what he was, and had chosen to be. He didn’t care what he was before, only what he was now. And now was beautiful.
When they finally broke apart for air, Avery gave Derlord a stupid looking grin. Then yawned, which reminded them both how late it was. (1:48 am)
“Sleep time?” Avery mumbled after he finished yawning.
“Sleep time.” Derlord agreed then settled next to Avery on the bed. He wrapped his arms around the slime’s middle, pulling him close so the smaller man’s back was pressed against his chest. He pressed a few lazy chaste kisses to Avery’s collarbone before lying still. “Goodnight, Avery…you’re so handsome, so you know that?”
Avery blushed and smiled at Derlord. “…thank you. G’night, Der.” Avery yawned again before he went quiet, his breaths evening out in sleep.
Derlord kissed Avery’s neck one last time before letting his own eyes shut.
He was still decently afraid of what lurked in the darkness.
But he wouldn’t face it alone. And he would give his life before he let Avery get hurt.