02
itch
He itches. It's a side-effect of smoking, but he's inclined to call it a side-effect of living. After all, the itch seems to localize in his parietal lobe. Like the sensations of touch and spatial orientation are tangled and tingling, and what he wouldn't give for long nails to scratch the shit out of his brain.
The cameras click off. He shrugs into his coat, making his dimples appear in frustration at his brain-itch.
"You doin' okay?" Johnny asks, tucking his phone into his pocket.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
They start out the building, and Jaehyun immediately spots Sola in the crowd of staff and security. Even though she wears a mask, her hair screams in tones of pink and purple. She waves to both of them. Jaehyun nods while Johnny shoots her a wink.
Before Jaehyun dated Sola, he knew she was meant for Johnny. They aligned like moons finding their planet, and Jaehyun was a lone star. And so, Jaehyun ended things. When he did, he knew Johnny and Sola would gravitate to each other. He knew Sola would become a permanent sunspot in his life, because Jaehyun isn't about to give up Johnny and he knows Johnny isn't about to give up Sola.
But Sola and Johnny balance their planet's axis. And that's why it's only a little bit awkward to see Sola everywhere Johnny is.
"You sure?" Johnny pushes into the night air.
Rather than the smoke of a cigarette, it's the fog of Jaehyun's breath that billows from his mouth.
"Because you seem -- I don't know, worse than usual." Johnny quirks a brow.
He sighs and watches the cloud of his breath dissipate into the blackness of the night. "Everything itches."
Johnny laughs. "Sounds like a medical problem."
He dares a chuckle too. "I suppose it does."
"Knowing you though, this is a metaphorical itch."
"Yeah."
Johnny flings an arm over Jaehyun's shoulder. "Have you ever wondered what'd happen if you metaphorically scratched this itch of yours?"
"Catastrophe."
Johnny smiles. "Well, chaos theory, my friend: Only after catastrophe do order and perfection begin."
Now the itch in his brain burns, and his chest cavity constricts in a way that makes his ribs ache, and he knows Johnny's right -- that he's too afraid to sit long enough to scratch at his brain -- and he knows Johnny knows him better than anyone else because of time, and Johnny still loves him despite everything -- and Jaehyun knows he doesn't deserve Johnny's love -- and that's because of time too.
But after all this time of existence, Jaehyun is a bit tired of time. And this fucking itch.
;;
a/n: aight, so i know this chapter is crazy metaphorical and because of that, kinda confusing. so lemme summarize:
johnny's a good boy™