Rin stood, his full body suit illuminating his face. It was dark and cold and weird. So familiar yet nothing he had ever seen before. It was like home but it wasn't. It was different version of home. A bad version.
They'd finally put the pieces of the puzzle together and realised that Nitori was trapped here, in the upside down. The question was where.
The distant squeals and snarls of the monster could be heard. Making this place seem even more daunting than it already was. Rin's eyes were wide. The thought of Nitori being here alone for days on end made him feel sick.
First he went to Nitori's house. It was cold and gooey and disgusting. Also empty. He wasn't there. He called out a couple of times but was trying not to pull attention to himself. Nothing.
After realising Nitori's house was not the answer, he stepped out onto the street. The weird twisted dark version of the street. He sighed and looked around. Rin was still on high alert. Understanding this place was not something that came quickly to him.
Then suddenly it dawned on him. The lab. The lab where this horrible place had erupted from.
Rin began to walk down the street, heading towards the research facility a couple blocks away. He made it without any major difficulty. He walked inside and made his way through the maze of corridors, finally entering the dreaded lab.
"Oh my god" Rin uttered in shock.
Nitori was attached to the wall, something going down his throat. Almost like a tentacle? Something to do with the monster? Whatever it was, it was pinning him there. It was gripping on to him, fighting to keep him here in this horrid hell.
But Rin wasn't about to let it win. Nitori didn't belong here. Didn't belong to it.
Rin forcefully grabbed onto the tentacle snake-like thing and began pulling it firmly out of Nitori. He pulled and pulled until it finally was released, chucking it to the ground. Rin pulled Nitori from the wall and into his arms.
Nitori was carried and laid down on the floor.
Breathing. Where was his breathing.
Rin put his ear against Nitori's mouth and then chest. Nothing.
Panic began to overtake Rin as he found himself shaking his head.
"No, no not today Nitori. You're not doing this" He said firmly.
He began to attempt resuscitation, pushing Nitori's chest up and down and up and down.
"Come on, come on! Respond Nitori!" Rin said frustratedly.
He leant down to listen for breathing again, but still nothing.
"Please" Rin whispered, trying not to cry.
He took a second then held open Nitori's mouth before breathing in. Then taking a second and repeating.
"Nitori please" Rin whispered again.
He was about to take another breath and suddenly Nitori began coughing. Rin's eyes widened.
"Nitori....NITORI!" Rin almost shouted, giving Nitori a second to breathe before wrapping his arms around him.
Nitori weakly returned the hug, slowly wrapping his arms round the taller boy.
"R-Rin.." He spoke quietly, clearly still very weak.
"Don't ever do that to me again. I love you so so much. So so so much" Rin spoke quickly, rocking the smaller boy slowly in his arms.
Rin couldn't help but cry a little. He'd never given up hope when Nitori had vanished. He was so glad.
Slowly Rin lifted Nitori up, carrying him.
"We're going home"
