Lennon🦦🌕

The nature of cosmic love just deeply calls to my soul… I’m calling specifically to Avery and Derek from SFAWTDE/DAWTDE under the context that the two protagonists were in love. I think particularly the nature of falling in love for the two. Derek was the first, because all at one he was struck with all that was and all that is and all that will be.

But mind you, he could not see all that was in the “world that didn’t exist,” or in other words, all the things that transpire to us. He knew aspects of what was ahead, but not really even details or generalities at all.

What is so beautiful to me is that Derek saw Avery, and imagining that he fell deeply in love is wonderful. And in my own perspective, I think Derek fell in love with Avery not only for the features he found beautiful, admirable, or attractive, but also that he did not know all that would transpire. Even if he had a general idea and could predict and know other things like how Avery was going to stumble into his trap, he could not know the intrinsic details of what it would be like to know Avery. Derek knew of ALL people. Theoretically, he would know even know the person reading this, and he would know the darkest secrets of politicians and he would know so much. But not Avery. And is it not exciting for so many people at the beginning of a crush or relationship in general to be clueless to something? Imagine Derek’s position: After gaining all of the knowledge in the external universe, there is one person that he doesn’t know in finality. Of course Derek would know A LOT, and practically most of the things about Avery. And yet, he didn’t know what rest ahead for him and Avery. Avery, who was a complete standout individual to Derek. Avery, the chance for Derek to indulge himself in an adventure so great, something beyond him, and beyond all else. Of course Derek would fall in love with Avery.

And as for Avery, he would return his feelings in a different way. At first it started as some intriguing rabbit hole to go down. Think about the times you yourself have learned something that caught your entire attention. Maybe it was true crime, an urban legend, a cartoon, an ARG. And for Avery, it was as such, but also incredibly personal because it had everything to do with HIM too. Avery was suddenly part of this rabbit hole and he could not remove himself from it. Naturally, he would pursue Derek in an admired way. Maybe it was even semi-parasocial. I’m sure many people have found they are closer mutuals with someone they admired than expected, and became determined to befriend them. But regardless, it became evident as Avery progressed that this was serious. And so think of all the time Avery spent dedicating himself to one person, and imagine the emotional bond created to someone he hadn’t even met himself. In this way, he was cosmically bound to Derek.

And then, Derek indirectly saved Avery, pulling him out of his numb, sullen trance. You could argue Derek also indirectly professed his love for Avery, much in the way that when you are in love with someone, you remind them that they are special, spectacular, and all things amazing.

There was absolutely no stopping their eventual meeting. Fate was predetermined. Now imagine again how it felt for the both of them. A jarring moment for the two, and an unspoken prophecy fulfilled. They have met, and there is no turning back.

Avery likely was floored, and Derek likely felt he saw an old friend return to him at last.

Avery’s head was so full with finding and saving Derek, and Derek’s head was so full with protecting and cherishing Avery.

Think again to how Derek sees Avery. All that is good. Special.

Now remember that Derek knows everything. He knows what is good, he knows what is bad. He hypothetically also knew what the universe was truly composed of, and maybe it defied every philosophy down to the most existentialist of ideas. And after all of this? Avery is the most special anyways.

And to Avery, Derek is the most important.

So I guess I’ll just finish this with… what came first? When did their love begin? Was it predetermined? Maybe there was a catalyst?

Regardless, I believe that forces beyond them, beyond the King in Yellow, set them into place. King in Yellow is a god, but perhaps the true god is everything that is, and everything else, and everything that is unseen. King in Yellow might be fraudulent— as even if he is incomprehensible, he is still a communicative, motivated being. And I think that motivation is still too understandable by the human mind.. And of course, the King in Yellow should have been able to see that Avery and Derek were too great a link.

Really sad that I coloured in the top bit of his armour manually for each different frame and then it all gets covered by the cape 🥀

The hardest bit IMO was trying to combine the different flowing loops from part 1 (Der looking to the side) and part 2 (Der writing in his book) it took SO LONG because they just looked so choppy and wrong. Even now the cape looks really choppy in the transition but I can't fix it 😭