“I’m here- I’m here, now”
meme.
it was dark and dry and he couldn’t see out of his left eye, his right was fixed on his knees. eliot could taste blood in his mouth. every inch of him hurt, a throbbing, consistent pain that failed to deviate or lessen. the constant drip from some broken pipe kept him occupied in the quiet night. at least this time it was quiet. it didn’t have to be. it hadn’t been, his mangled fingers were evidence of that. eliot’s jaw was tired, sore from clenching against the pain. no point in giving any sort of satisfaction to the people doing this to him. it wasn’t even the worst he’d been through. different, yes, worst, no. it wasn’t as though he’d never been tortured before. because he had. on multiple occasions. what he hadn’t expected was to hear john’s voice, the way it resonated in the room, lifting his heart with it. he stirred, rustling against the restraints (ones he’d tried many times to get out of when he was alone, to no avail). eliot lifted his heavy head, eyeing the near angelic light that framed him. a small smile flickered across his lips. “john.” he hadn’t expected him to come like this. hell he rather wished he hadn’t, putting himself in danger like that but... he’d never been so happy to see him in his entire life. he sagged against his chair as john’s footsteps echoed through the room. “’s... real, real good t’ see you.” and part of him was worried it was some sort of hallucination. it wouldn’t be the first time. a trick of the light or... something. but the relief that flooded his entire body was something he wasn’t wanting to let go of just yet. when he spoke again, his voice was scratchy and hoarse and his good eye fixed on john intently. “how’d you find me?” it didn’t matter. not really. what mattered was that john had found him. and that he’d come to get him. and the answer, no doubt, would be something magical that eliot didn’t quite understand.
