Hello! I am back and alive with a new installment of Medium.I'm so sorry it took a long time, I wasn't thinking about the fic.

This is a RinxLen fanfiction. Not RinxPiko.

Chapter 12 recap

Piko was about to open his mouth, but I was quicker to the punch. "You better not do anything to annoy Len or I, got it? Now I'm going to finish cleaning, and you can just sit over there." I said, pointing towards the dining table while grabbing the mop.

"Why? I can help, you know. I'm not as useless as you think I am." He pointed out, leaning against the wall. I took a long look at him. Was he capable? Maybe.

"Are you sure you won't faint or anything?" I asked, a small smile playing on my lips. He smirked in response, striding over to me. He placed a hand on the mop, right above where my own hand was grasping it. His face was inching closely to mine, and for once I didn't feel disgusted or uncomfortable with his presence. His smirk still dancing over his pink lips, he gave out a short breath through his mouth, and chuckled.

"I promise." He whispered, tilting his head to the side slightly, his lashes fluttered down lower.

Something must've snapped inside me, because I suddenly came back to my senses. Pushing him away by the chest, I began to feel that feeling of disgust, not only with Piko but with myself.

...

"Someone missed a spot," I muttered, digging towards the back for a large towel. I felt the familiar rough patch of cloth, smiling as I pulled it back.

"Finally! I got-"

I froze.

The familiar scent of burning metal hit me, filling my nostrils. Curiously, I ducked to look inside the cabinet, but it was too dark to see anything. I began to then pull out the other towels, trying to find the source.

Then, something clanked to the ground.

A shriek escaped my lips.

A burning knife sat on the ground, covered in vividly green flames.

The exact same kind as Metarion used the night before.

۞~ мєđιυм ~۞

I hesitated before picking up Metarion's knife. As I touched the burning metal the flames immediately dissipated, and the metal turned cold. My breath began to escape in short puffs. I couldn't explain the fear coursing through my veins.

I couldn't hear my voice even when I called for Len.

The only thing I could hear was the loud ringing in my ears, before everything turned black.

When I woke up, I was in my room. Len sat beside me on my bed, and he was talking on my phone.

I groaned as I began to sit up. He turned to me and stood up, bidding a quick goodbye to whoever he was talking to.

"Minerva is in the other room with Piko ," He said, handing me a glass of water. I gratefully took it, holding it to my chapped lips. "We're having a meeting."

"Out there?" I asked.

"If you feel like you can get up."

I made a face at Len who smiled and walked out the door. I set down the glass and followed close behind.

"Sleeping Beauty awakens," Piko said. He was sitting on a couch with Miku, who looked a bit flustered. I wonder why?

"I told them about your dream, and what you found in the cabinet earlier." Len told me.

I felt my throat begin to burn.

"Okay," I croaked. What I'd do for a cup of tea.

"I'm going to make some tea for everyone," Miku said, getting up. I gave her a smile as she left the room.

There was a strange silence. You could also say it was awkward.

"I'm going to help her." Len said, and walked out a moment later.

What?

Oh, no. I'm alone with Piko again?

I sighed and sat on the couch opposite of where Piko made himself comfortable.

I looked to Piko, whose eyelids were drooping down, like he was trying his hardest not to fall asleep himself.

"And I'm Sleeping Beauty," I scoffed. His eyes fluttered open and he looked at me.

"I guess that's what I get for being this cool," He sighed, looking away again.

I did not understand this boy one bit. And yet, a strange emotion flickered through me, something similar to what I was feeling earlier today, with him and I.

Great, now my throat and cheeks are burning.

When Miku and Len came back, I was relieved, not only for the tea, because that strong feeling I had when I was alone with Piko disappeared.

Miku handed me a cup and I took a long drink of the sweet liquid. Raspberry.

"We need to figure out who this Metarion character is," Miku said as she smacked Piko on the leg. He groaned and sat up, taking his cup of tea. "She keeps showing up around us."

"Have you seen her too?" I asked.

"No," she admitted, "but Piko said he has."

All eyes fell on Piko, who kept an innocent act as he sipped from the cup.

"Once," he said, setting it down, "As I was travelling to this world. She showed up suddenly, and left just as quick."

"How do you know it was her?" Len asked, his voice gaining a subtle hint of acid.

"Seems to fit the description you gave of her." Piko shot back.

"Don't argue," I muttered.

"I could track her," Piko said, "but it won't be easy. Tracking is harder than hypnotizing, and I need a picture of her, or..." He stopped short. "Len, where's her weapon? Give it here."

Grudgingly, Len removed himself once again.

"Did everyone from your dimension have special powers?"

Miku spluttered, tea dripping from the corner of her mouth. Piko snickered, offering her a tissue from his pocket which she declined.

"Not everyone," Piko said, "Only some."

I grunted in response. Impressive.

Len came back, and he handed Piko Metarion's knife. Piko took it in his hand gingerly, turning it from side to side as if he was admiring it. He set it on the counter.

"I can't do it by myself without burning up."

"Good." Len smirked. I shot Len an evil look.

"We can all put our power together," Miku said.

"What if I don't want to?" Len asked.

"Well, think about it this way. Metarion is after Rin. If we don't find her and stop her, she could take Rin, and do God knows whatever with her. Would you rather do it my way, or yours?"

Piko's words stunned me, and from the look of it, Len too. His face went pale white.

"Fine," he said, not looking at all happy.

It was like they've done this before, because it was extremely coordinated, and they all seemed to know exactly what to do, even with no words passed between them. They all grabbed each others hands', their eyes shut, and suddenly I felt like the fourth wheel, that one awkward friend who always goes to parties with other people who is never spoken to.

I sighed, not being able to do anything but watch as Piko began to chant quietly in another language. Latin? Perhaps Romanian?

That's when the most peculiar thing happened. All around him, Piko began to burn, a bright mass of color seemingly tingling off his skin. Len and Miku seemed to have noticed too, as they both dropped their hands from his.

"That's...beautiful." Miku said, looking at him with such wonder that could, perhaps, be mistaken for adoration.

I couldn't help but to agree. Seeing him like this, totally focused on the task at hand, and quite literally, burning so bright was quite refreshing from how he normally acts.

"Is he okay?" I asked, watching a bead of sweat travel down his forehead.

"He'll be fine," Miku answered, with a dismissive wave of her hand to silence me. I huffed, crossing my legs.

Piko's eyes shot open, his whites bloodshot, pupils so large you could only see a thin layer of his irises. He gasped, his breaths coming out in short puffs. I remember jumping up, feeling the urge to take care of him, to find some way to make it stop.

"Rin, stop!" Len grabbed onto my wrist, trying to pull back down to the couch. "If you stop him now, we won't be able to find Metarion!"

I shot a glance at Len, rage building up in my chest. "Don't you see he's in pain?!" I demanded. Len's eyes widened, and he released my wrist, his arm dropping back down. I rushed over to Piko, kneeling in front of him. "Piko, what's wrong?" I reached up to touch his shoulder, and quickly retreated. His skin was burning, and not like it would with a fever.

"Rin, there's nothing we can do," Miku said, standing.

"What do you mean there's nothing we can do?" My voice comes out sharp. My throat feels constricted, similar to the feeling of when I've been crying a long while.

Miku just looks at me sadly and turns away.

Piko suddenly slumps forward, his eyelids drooping closed. He falls right into my arms, and I wince at the surprisingly frail body against mine.

I look over to Len, who is already up, and he props Piko against the couch.

"He's in a sort of hibernation mode," Len told me, "It's like a defence mechanism." Len cursed under his breath. "Damn fool knew he still wasn't going to have enough power to successfully track her."

I nodded, standing up from my kneeling position. "So how long do you think he'll be like this?"

"Hard to say. It could be a few days, or even a few weeks."

"Do we have enough time?" Miku exclaimed, her eyebrows raising in surprise. I couldn't help but notice the panic in her voice, and think that maybe it wasn't just for fear of me or Len.

"Who knows," Len said quietly. We all looked at each other in silence. The air was thick with anticipation, and I looked from Len, whose face was void of emotion, to Piko, who was stuck in a peaceful sleep.

۞~ мєđιυм ~۞

That night, I couldn't go to sleep. I felt like the minute I closed my eyes, I would be once again enveloped in my recurring nightmares. Instead, I thought of Miku, who helped move Piko to our guest bedroom, the look on her face when she asked for a minute alone with him, like she was so delicate if you as much laid a finger on her she would shatter into a million tiny pieces. I thought of Piko, the way he looked so peaceful in his hibernation, and sometimes his eyebrows would ruffle together like he was worried, and how unexplainable feelings arose inside me when I was alone with him. What does it feel like to like someone? I wasn't sure if I did, because when I think about liking him, I don't feel anything. My heart doesn't race, my face doesn't feel warm like it does when it's just us.

Then, I thought of Len. Len, who seemed so haunted (how ironic) by his past, like a broken toy who needed fixing. My cheeks felt warm when I thought of when Piko first came into my house, and when Len grabbed Piko by his shirt, upset by the fact that Piko had initially asked me out to be able to get near him.

"You always seem to come and take things away from me!"

His words vibrated through my head. What does that mean? Surely he was speaking of Diana, but take me away from him? I couldn't help but feel a bit miffed at that. I am not something people can give away or take for themselves. I belong to myself and myself only. But still, the words made me happy in ways I can't explain.

I rolled onto my side in bed. As tired as I was, I was too scared to sleep.
"Len?" I whispered, gripping onto the blanket with one hand. I waited for him to appear, but what felt like forever passed and there was no answer.

A tear rolled down my cheek. When did I start crying? I wiped it away hastily, covering my head with the blanket.

"Rin?"

I gasped and uncovered my head, and surely, it was Len, kneeling in front of me. It was too dark to know for sure, but I swear there was a faint blush covering his pale face.
I sat up quickly, roughly grabbed onto him and cried into his shoulder.

"Rin, what's wrong?" He asked, holding me, stroking my hair. "Rin, please tell me."
"I'm scared," I whispered, holding him closer so our bodies were touching. "I know if I go to sleep, she'll show up again and haunt me, and even if I don't-" I didn't finish my sentence as another sob rolled through me.

"That's not going to happen. I promise Rin, if she tries to hurt you I will kill her." He pulled away from me, to look me directly in the eyes. "I promise. I'll protect you."

I sniffed, quickly wiping tears away. "Really?"
He smiled. "Really."

I smiled, though there were still a few tears running down my face, before asking one more thing. "Can you sleep with me tonight?"

He sucked air in, even when he didn't need it, and nodded slowly. I laid back down as Len moved to the opposite side of the bed, getting under the covers with me. We were a short distance apart, but that didn't stop me as I snaked my hand to his, gripping it softly under the covers.

"Goodnight," I whispered tiredly, and as I blacked out I could feel his thumb rub comfortingly over my knuckles.

Question: Is everyone still enjoying this fic? How do you feel about Len & Rin's relationship? And, what's going on with Rin's feelings towards Piko?

I'm continuing with the next chapter tonight. Thank you for reading, I love everyone who faves/follows/reviews! *kiss kiss*