Archive of Our Own

There was something surreal about this place. The unnatural biome he found himself in seemed like a mix between a mangrove swamp and a flower forest. Red and orange tulips littered the ground by the gate.

I mean, all the places Derek had passed through so far weren’t the typical terrain you’d find courtesy of Minecraft’s world generation, but when compared with the others, this one stood out a bit more. It was the first one with any speck of life—excluding the one zombie he ran into at one point.

To be more specific, it was a land grazed only by baby slimes. They couldn’t attack him, just bounced around, huddled around his feet. With the slimes nearby approaching him, they’d formed a small clearing, allowing Derek to notice a path that winded deeper into the swamp.

They reminded him of the events that occurred several worlds back, the towering mountains that disappeared in accordance to the rules of Conway’s Game of Life. There, he saw a glimpse of Avery, but not the true Avery he knew he’d cross paths with in the future. Unfortunately, when that time did finally come, their long awaited meeting was cut devastatingly short.

He side-stepped around the little guys, seeing as there was no reason to harm them, and went about following the path laid before him. He could hear the noises of bouncing slowly fade away into a nice ambient silence.

Before long, the path ended as a towering palace came into view. Derek craned his neck upwards. It looked ethereal, with tall stained glass windows, a tall spire with an epic wizard-hat shaped roof, and what seems to be a large greenhouse in the palace’s grounds. If he had to guess, the slime blocks deliberately used as the build’s colour palette indicated that the leader of the slimes resided within its walls.

Avery. I mean, the signs were practically there. Slimes everywhere, and a suspiciously slimy palace. It wouldn’t surprise anyone that the slime guy himself was here. The chances of another one sent out to trick him felt especially high here. Unfortunately, in his trek, he’d noticed nothing too particularly interesting about this world. No weird things had occurred. Therefore, any potential clue to finding the exit gateway of this realm was inside the palace.

Between the castle gate and Derek, laid a lake. Not too far away was a boat with a chest, leashed to a fence. He got in, and crossed the gap.

Derek welcomed himself inside the grandiose palace. He explored halls and navigated to what seemed to be the quarters of the slime leader. He knocks thrice.

“Come in,” a voice he recognized commanded from beyond the wooden door.

Derek welcomed himself deeper into the palace, closer to—

“Avery?”

“At last, the knight has finally dropped the formalities with his prince, hm?”

Turning his chair, a familiar face emerged. A familiar face in unfamiliar attire. A gold crown shined atop the slime’s head, adorned with emeralds. It sat a bit crooked on his head, yet remained in place, probably due to the slightly sticky nature of slime.

“...Prince?” Derek questioned, silently deducing something was up with this particular realm.

Instead of the usual flower-patterned over-shirt Avery usually had on, a deep red velvety uniform was what had itself over the prince’s body. Derek couldn’t deny that the red complimented the slime quite well.

Avery sighs, face slightly disappointed, “Put your gear away and come here, my knight.”

Derek did not put anything down, instead, he just warily approached Avery. Once within arms reach, Avery pulls Derek into his lap. Derek felt his cheeks warming up at the sudden, yet not unwarranted action.

“You’ve been gone for a while, you know? I’ve missed you,” the prince said, with the knight’s back against his chest.

This… This is new. Derek felt his cheeks flushing deeper at how intimate he was getting treated.

“…How long have you been waiting?” Derek felt that it was an appropriate thing to ask, considering that a few hours ago, he had just axed Avery to his demise after falling through the floor of the library.

“Oh, you didn’t keep track? That’s rare for you,” the prince replied with genuine surprise, before scratching the side of his head.

“If I had to guess, I think nearly a week had passed since you embraced me last,” Avery gave his best attempt at recalling the amount of times the day cycled into night.

One week? He’s just making this up. Things aren’t adding up—

Avery interlocked his fingers with Derek’s left hand. “Tell me, how has your journey beyond the swamp been?”

“Did you find out what’s been causing some of my cute slimy subjects to leave the swamp?” Avery nuzzles into the crook of Derek’s neck.

What is going on, Derek questioned to no one in particular but himself.

“...No, I haven’t,” Derek replied, slight confusion laced in his voice.

“Hm, did you at least manage to see which horizons they were headed towards…?” Avery crept his free hand a bit higher on Derek's torso, and hugged him.

Okay, this is not my Avery— not the Avery I just met, at the very least. There’s no way the real Avery is this handsy, right?

Despite all the knowledge he had come to acquire, it seemed this world was right at the border of what he knew, because he had nothing to draw from. All he was able to affirm was that nothing about this made sense.

“...No. I… I didn’t notice. I’m sorry… Your highness,” Derek, thought that that was a suitable response to whatever alternate reality this Avery seemed to be from.

“How many times do I have to say this, Der? When will you finally get it…” Avery said in a resigned tone, flipped Derek around and stared him in the eye.

“What do you mea—” Avery pushed Derek against his study, and smiled sheepishly at him.

Derek’s face was caged by Avery’s arms, forcing his gaze forward.

“Y-your highness..?”

“Not my naaaame,” Avery sing-songed.

“Avery…? Avery, just what are we doing?”

“You had gotten struck by a rock to the head, hadn’t you? It’s like you’ve forgotten all about what we have going on,” Avery’s hands moved, opting to try removing Derek’s gloves and cape.

“Tell me, Der, did something else happen on your expedition?” Before long, the helmet had been finagled off as well. It was placed nicely on the desk.

“I… don’t know,” Derek broke the eye contact he had with Avery.

“So it seems something did,” with his helmet out of the way, Avery tilted his knight’s head back towards him and made the choice to attack Derek’s face with kisses.

Derek figured that he should probably do something, I mean, he’s not complaining, but he should do something… To put a stop to whatever is happening—

Wait, this is a trap, isn’t it? This Avery is the trap.

“Did you meet someone else out there?” This princely version of Avery, rather unprincely slid his thigh between Derek’s legs.

“Wha— no, ngh,” Derek could only groan. God, this was hot but he should really get back on track, and focus—

“Did you know how badly it hurt, not knowing how you were doing for so long? Okay, I mean, in the grand scheme of things a week isn’t that long but still, I think the last time we were apart, it was only for 3 days? So maybe we both go crazy if we’re separated for too long,” Avery half joked and chuckled, while the position of his leg was still eliciting a clear positive reaction from the knight.

“...Sooo, what’s with you going back to calling me Your Highness, hm? You thought really hard about the social status gap we have during your little trip, huh?” Derek let out a small whine while Avery moved his thigh back and forth.

“The prince, and his loyal, dutiful, personal knight.”

“Avery– There’s something you– Ah, should know—” Avery had moved onto kissing Derek’s neck.

“Hm? Do enlighten me,” Avery struck again.

“You’re not– not, the Avery I know,” Derek managed to say.

“Ooh, am I not satisfying you enough? Feeling bratty today, aren’t you?”

“N-no– I mean I’m not who you think I am— and there’s something wrong about thi—”

The assault on Derek’s upper torso paused, Avery straightened his back and loosened his grip on Derek.

“…What are you saying? Are you…like, not into this, anymore?”

“I— I think you’re real,” Derek breathed out.

“I mean, I’m pretty sure I always was but I don’t get your point—”

“I think we’re both real, Avery, but we’re not the versions of each other we’ve come to know.”

A moment of confusion.

“What do you mean?” Avery frowned.

“You really remembered when I left to go beyond this… swamp?”

“Yeah, you had me tied up the night before cause you wanted to leave me with something to keep my mind busy while you were gone on your silly expedition, which for your information, worked wonderfully,“ Derek flared red at Avery’s explanation, “and you also heavily insisted I didn’t come along.”

“Uh,” Derek cleared his throat, “The thing is, uh, I don’t recall any of that,” he managed, his head-wings pointed downwards.

“The narrative I know is that I just killed you a few hours ago after we fell through a hole in a library, and that this is my first time being here in this swamp and this palace.”

“So, you’re not my knight…?”

“I don’t think so.”

Prince Avery pulled out a chair, and nudged for Derek to take a seat. They were in the palace’s courtyard, a wider variety of flowers littered the garden, but most abundant of all were yellow dandelions.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“Need I remind you how you kept interpreting my confusion as roleplay?” Derek glared at the prince, laughing away, while his own face was still blushing red.

“Still, you didn’t press further. If anything I’d believe you enjoyed what you were experiencing,” Prince Avery giggled, a teasing tone all too intentional.

Derek still had questions.

“Uh, is the kissing stuff all normal between you and this, personal knight of yours?”

“Is it not between you and the version of me you know?”

“…No.” Derek looked away, pretty sure the air had warmed further.

“You two are missing out,” Prince Avery had the cheekiest grin you'd never find on a more serious prince.

“Hey, I’ve only met the guy once! We’re in no way… At whatever level you two are at,” Derek bored a hole straight into this so-called prince’s goopy eyes.

“It’s quite the prideful month of the year, you know.”

“What, do you want us to like, have a gay talk or something? What.“

Prince Avery could only chuckle.

Derek took another sip of the tea Prince Avery had commanded another one of his servants to prepare. “Say, have you seen any kind of golden gateway around here?”

“Aw, leaving already?” The prince cooed.

“Have you or have you not seen a gateway?” Derek glared.

“Haven’t seen one for myself, but I’ve heard tales, in fact, I think my knight had been researching it himself.” Derek was having a bit of a debate with himself in his head. If this Avery was a trap, why would he willingly help him find the way out?

Prince Avery stretched his arms. Before leaving to go outside, he had opted to change for a white dress shirt, and had rolled up his sleeves. Derek noticed he was staring for a bit too long.

“Okay, uh, could you show me the research he's done?”

“I think that would be an invasion of privacy.”

“Right, that's... That’s fair.” Fine, maybe not so willingly, but he was sure there had to be a way to get the prince’s help.

“In fact, how do I know you’re not an evil alternate, hm?” Prince Avery tilted his head with feigned innocence.

“I guess, I don’t have a way to prove that, but I’ll do whatever it takes to find some hint out of here,” Derek affirmed, “…and if I wanted to harm you, you’d think I’d be a bit more resistant against your… actions from earlier.” 

“I don’t know, you could be merely playing into the act. Maybe all versions across all universes of you enjoy the same things, and they soften across every version of me all the same, evil or not,” Prince Avery walked over to Derek, took his hand in his own. A light kiss was placed upon it. Derek’s face reddened behind the privacy of his helmet.

He’s playing dirty. Derek can’t believe this. Okay, he can to some degree, but either way a plan had solidified itself in his head.

“Would an evil version of your loyal knight be willing to beg?”

“If it brings him closer to his goal, I guess. The knight I know is a very determined man,” Prince Avery hummed, “therefore, I suppose I understand the degree of how badly you need to leave, and I’ll grant you a hint,” the prince spun around and smiled.

“It’s within the outdoor grounds of this palace. I’m sure you'll know what to do with that information.”

Derek looked around, he always liked the idea of a treehouse as a base, having an awesome balcony to peer from, figured his alternate self would be like-minded, so he looked at the trees nearby. Sure enough, there it was. In fact, he might’ve been stupid for not noticing the string connecting the prince’s quarters and the treehouse any sooner.

“Although I am quite enticed by your offer to beg, think of this as a thank you, for allowing me the opportunity of witnessing my knight, because I am not sure when I’ll get to see him next,” Prince Avery showed Derek a small clearing between the tall grass, a path to the base of the treehouse.

“You mentioned him not allowing you to follow along on this expedition, right? Do you know why?”

“He mentioned that it would be a long and arduous journey, far more complicated than any we’d been on before, so I was to stay, to be there for my slimy subjects that still remain.”

“Did he go alone?” Derek asked, climbing the ladder up the treehouse.

“He was really adamant about going alone.”

“Have you been through the gates yourself?”

“Ah, curiosity has been plaguing me, but alas, my knight had barred me from even heading in the general direction of the gate, and I trust his word.”

“Good, keep listening to him.”

They made it inside actually-a-knight Derek’s treehouse and took a look at the maps and paper scattered about the space.

“Here, something about a towering gold door,” Prince Avery pointed out. A weathered map, showing up until the edges of the swamp, and had a faint dotted line drawn in red. At the end of it, was a crude attempt at redrawing the gateway.

Derek figured his alternate self had set off to venture through the gate. He worries. Nothing but confusion lies beyond the gates. He figures that he’s also been granted the curse of infinite knowledge with him knowing it’d be best for his Avery to stay away. Sigh, if only his Avery heeded his warning to never turn left. Everything would be so much less complicated.

Regardless of the flow of events that did transpire, he had to keep searching.

“Thank you kindly, Your Highness,” Derek said, moving to thoroughly study the information gathered by his knight-ier self, before getting interrupted by a—

“Nuh uh, even if you’re not really him, you don’t get to call me that,” Prince Avery pressed Derek up against the desk from behind.

Oh, this freak. Fine, searching for an exit could be put on hold for just a while longer, if it meant he could indulge himself in a pleasure he can’t guarantee he’ll ever experience once he leaves.

“I think we’ve established enough to know that we’re both yearning for this.” He wasn’t wrong.

“You’re not wrong, Prince,” Derek smiled, more prepared than last time for the events he can foresee taking place, and he embraced it all.

“Ah, so you do truly enjoy the social status gap, hm?” Prince Avery goes to remove Derek’s helmet once again. Gently setting it on the desk.

“What if I do?”

“Then I pray you’ll accept your position beneath me, both literally and figuratively, and heed my demands, knight,” Prince Avery smiled, and caged Derek’s head once more.

“What if I… don’t want to?”

“Both you and my knight ask way too many questions.” The displacement of their mouths reached a net value of zero.

Prince Avery placed his hands on Derek’s chest. Derek knowing his armorpiece was in the way, went to rid himself of the garment. The prince hummed in delight as he now had access to his undershirt, and fisted his hands in the soft cotton.

Derek groaned as the handsy prince brushed his fingers against his nipple. “I’ll speak for your Avery out there and let you know that your voice is extremely hot,” the prince attacked Derek’s neck, intending to leave a reminder.

“Please don’t hide, and let loose for me, okay?”

Derek whined, and whined, and whimpered and whined some more, and continued to do so for the next fraction of a millenia, until their make out session came to a close. (I’m so sorry, I am incapable of writing this.)

They panted, ending up in a position where Derek was straddling Prince Avery. Utterly disheveled. Yet the prince’s crown still sat atop his head.

Derek internally chuckled at that.

“You’re a great prince, Avery,” Derek looked into the prince’s eyes. Hoping one day, he’ll get to reenact these actions to a similar degree with his Avery.

“And you’re a great knight as well, Derek. Thank you for your company. Know that I’ll miss you,” Prince Avery wraps his arms around the man on top, hugging him tightly. The hug is returned.

“I’ll miss you too, and thank you once again, for all this intel, it means a lot to me,” Derek loosened the hug.

“It means more to me that I’m able to help you and my other self, as I’ve not much left to do in this world but pray and wait,” the prince’s eyes darted off to the side. Derek wished he could grant this Avery happiness, the fulfilling life he deserves, but as he neared the gateway, he felt the knowledge of the future where that happens, begin to plague his mind. It was gross, in a really bad and horrifying way. It’s a future he wished no one could even comprehend.

The vision he got as he considered walking through the gateway alone, was nicer, yet it didn’t stop the guilt in his heart from dooming this poor Avery. Why was he being so soft, he wondered. He doesn’t deserve to feel bad when he’s trying to save the world from the wrath of the King. An alternate Avery sacrificed is necessary if it means the original Avery gets saved, right? Agh, his head space is so messy right now.

Prince Avery seemed to notice, and placed a kiss on Derek’s forehead, before sliding his helmet on, and tussled his plume till he thought it looked nice. That broke Derek out of his existential spiral, and it made him focus on the present.

“Take care of yourself, Derek,” the prince got up, outstretching a hand to the knight.

Derek took it, and pulled himself up.

“Until you meet your knight again.”

“Until you meet your slime as well.”