Chapter Text
Dogs barked and snarled across the grass plain, chasing them as Avery and Derek ducks from a tree branch overhead. They ran like their lives are on the line, which to be fair, it kinda was.
It was either risking rabies and a nasty bite or have sore feet and bodies for days after they escape. Obviously, they chose the latter.
"Focus on the road, dude!" Avery shouts behind him, their hair looking like a birds nest after another bird invaded it, sweat clinging through every inch of his body. Damn, does he look hot while sweating...
Focus, Derek!! Holy shit, now's not the time for ogling Avery.
A feeling of immense disgust from... something, washed over Derek. Oh how fun, Hastur heard that. His luck just can't get any worse.
Just how did we get here!?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"It's so hot."
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tanned fingers tap continuously on to the table. A sweaty arm follows through, choosing to lay on the opposite side of the table.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"It's sooooo... hot."
Murmurs upon another set of murmurs can be heard through the room, delirium setting in as the heat continues to torture its welcomed guests.
Tap. Tap. Tap
It's 42° Celsius today, the thermometer that is hanged at the wall of his desk reads. A far cry from the cold, gloomy weather that had settled in last week. He honestly preferred the rain than the sun at this moment.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sun's rays sneaks through the half-heartedly opened blinders, casting upon its holiness to the room that would've been described as a shadow gremlin's lair. He'd rather live in the shadows like a bat, if he was being honest, but even then, he can't find himself to close it.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
It was too hot. He feels like melting— Temperatures must reach 170° to 200° Fahrenheit to melt most of the fat and connective tissue, liquifying them from the inside out— In a humanly way possible.
Tap..... Tap..... Tap.....
He ignores the annoying voice inside his head, opting instead to focus on his favourite activity after reemerging from his coma; pretending that the problem doesn't exist at all. Counterproductive? been there done that.
Tap...... Tap......
Yet no matter how much he tries to ignore it, the incessant heat and his pounding head protests in retaliation. Arguably speaking, ignoring it had worked 90% of the time, until it was simply too impossible to do so.
Counterpoint? he's always delirious when he decides to ignore his problems. This, he recognizes as much. Human bodies are so fragile... like glass shattering when stone is thrown.
He decidedly ignored the voice, again. Its amusement making itself known by another pounding in the head. He debated banging his head against the table, honestly. What would that do? perhaps a brain concussion (again), or yet another headache (again.) Neither choices are good, but to be for real? if it gets to shut up Hastur then he'll take anything.
Tap.....
His body has now followed with the heats' program, his temple? sweating. No parts of his body is spared. The air conditioner is already at its limit (or rather, their wallet's limit. The summer is really not giving any of their budget any mercy.)
Tap.
"I can't... do this anymore. It's TOO HOT!" Derek finally shouts out, admitting defeat.
Hastur quietly snickers, again, for the 4th? time. Bloody bastard. You humans complain so much, yet never do anything about it. Lazy, like that of Cthulhu.
"Shut up." His annoyance has reached its peak from Hastur's taunts. That, and the comparison of him and a cosmic entity that is labelled as 'lazy' by Hastur sets him off even more.
I speak the truth, and merely only the truth. You are aware of this.
"But a cosmic entity, specifically Cthulhu. Really? And stop reading my thoughts!"
Only the rumbles of a cosmic entity's laughter in Derek's head remained as evidence that the paraidiot— nickname coined by Avery— ever existed at that moment. This did not quell the pounding in his head. And the heat.
"Fuck..."
Derek couldn't take it anymore. It was simply too hot and the air conditioner is doing nothing to cool down the room. He stood up from his seat, his sweat marking its back. He begrudgingly went out of his shelter that seemed more of a sauna rather than a bedroom.
As he was walking, he passed hanged photos of his and his roommate slash situationship slash crush???
Derek pauses.
Are you serious right now, Derek? Of all things... you thought of your situationship?
Yes, it's not even a crush anymore. It evolved into love, an emotion that he still has a hard time to grasp and truly understand. Sure, he knows the definition, past renditions, phrases and many who had contributed to forming and defining the word the way it is today. Being blasted with infinite knowledge does that. It doesn't mean he understands it by heart however. Said heart is an unhelpful bastard, as it continues to thump, thump, thump fast when Avery is around.
He vividly remembers thinking back then if he was having a heart attack, until Hastur interjected unhelpfully that heart attacks do not happen around a specific person, nor does it sprout out even more unhelpful scenarios about their future together. How they would go on a gondola ride, under the moon and stars.... Bake together as Derek cleans the stray whip cream that ended up in Avery's cheek... Perhaps a one-on-one PVP training session for skywars, Avery mentoring him, guiding his arms as it slowly creeps down to his hands, Avery's breath feint as their lips gets near the junction of his neck...—
Must you think such unholy thoughts of my vessel, human?
He aggressively shakes his head in horror to will the thoughts away.
"Should've thought about that before getting in to my head." He retorts after two minutes.
Do you truly believe that my will wished to be with you? Such nonsense you argue. I was ensnared within the traps of your mind scape against my will. It shall be there still, for my being is bound to your soul forevermore until this vessel of yours withers away.
He simply rolled his eyes at the response. Finally reaching the living room, he cranked up all the electric fans they have available, let it still, opened all the windows, before sitting on their couch. He simply looked miserable, it was comedic.
He fetches his phone from his shorts' pocket after a minute, checking his phone, it reads 2:30 PM. Avery should be out by now.
Avery....
His love for Avery had been fleeting and sweet, then evolved to be dependent and obsessive. It wasn't healthy, he's aware, yet this is simply his truth. Not being around Avery is like a fish trying to breath on land. It simply became impossible for him. He can't survive— no, will not survive without Avery. It's a fucked up type of love, he'll admit, but what can you do in his situation? After miraculously living from a zero survival probability event just because your sweet, smart darling reacted fast, of course you'd end up sweeped away by love as well.
Hah...- He's getting more delirious, isn't he. Why is it so hot?!
Derek simply slumped over the couch, sweaty and miserable. As Hastur would always say these days; what a pathetic sight.
A jingling of keys alerted Derek to sit semi-properly before the front door opened, revealing Avery who is sweating as badly as he was.
"You look miserable, man." was what Avery said after getting inside, when he looked just as horrid as Derek was. He looks so hot when they're sweati- wait wait waitwaifwait! pull yourself together Derek!!
"Thanks for stating the obvious, genius."
"No problem, smartass."
Just their usual banter, a friendly—albeit sarcastic— banter between two friends. Right? Derek desperately wills himself to think.
Obviously, he failed.
Sigh... My life is so over, man.