[ JJ's aware of Yusuke there, hovering and trying to help, not that JJ can acknowledge him. It's fear and pain both that have paralyzed him; scared that any movement he makes, even as slight as breathing, might make the situation worse. He can't even cry, even though he wants to, and he wants to ask whats even happening to the citizens of this city— if they're going to die from this disease— he'd rather just die.
His fingers dig deeper into his skin, drawing blood and looking almost like he'd rather rip the muscle out himself than deal with the steady build of tension. It's almost accurate, and pain can drive people to extreme lengths, but he's gotten banged up before. It's a natural byproduct of being an athlete: sprains, strains, and stress fractures, some injuries more excruciating than others, and all of them with the chilling fear that he's messed up too badly and won't be able to compete anymore.
But it always gets better. The memory of the hurt always fades, and the body always heals.
He breathes and there's a moment of respite where Yusuke can take his hand, red under the fingertips, but it's brief and the ache explodes back into his senses, and now he's gripping Yusuke's arm like it intends to break it, Yusuke's skin giving way under his nails too in a sharp spike that leaves him trembling for a second, ready to split apart.
And then its gone, the numbness exquisite in comparison to what preceded it, JJ's head falling forward with a deep gasp, forehead resting on the table as he gathers his breath. ]
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His fingers dig deeper into his skin, drawing blood and looking almost like he'd rather rip the muscle out himself than deal with the steady build of tension. It's almost accurate, and pain can drive people to extreme lengths, but he's gotten banged up before. It's a natural byproduct of being an athlete: sprains, strains, and stress fractures, some injuries more excruciating than others, and all of them with the chilling fear that he's messed up too badly and won't be able to compete anymore.
But it always gets better. The memory of the hurt always fades, and the body always heals.
He breathes and there's a moment of respite where Yusuke can take his hand, red under the fingertips, but it's brief and the ache explodes back into his senses, and now he's gripping Yusuke's arm like it intends to break it, Yusuke's skin giving way under his nails too in a sharp spike that leaves him trembling for a second, ready to split apart.
And then its gone, the numbness exquisite in comparison to what preceded it, JJ's head falling forward with a deep gasp, forehead resting on the table as he gathers his breath. ]