just lean on time - quietly (iu/jonghyun)
just lean on time - quietly
iu/jonghyun - g - 712 words
Jonghyun turned to the clock - it read 4:30 am -, stomach churning as the the writing flashed red, almost as if to taunt.
A sigh escaped his lips as he curled back into himself, sheets tangling around his legs. The paddle of rain drizzling against his window sill relaxed him enough to help his eyes close, but his thoughts fought against him.
There was so much to do, so much to accomplish, and so many people who depended on him - it was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. It was great to be wanted - it felt great to be wanted, but what if what he had to give wasn’t enough?
The thought alone made Jonghyun’s breath catch in his throat, constricting him until he had no choice but to sit back up, tucking his knees under his chin. “Breathe in - breathe out,” he instructed himself, fingers digging into a tender area of his shin.
“You’re fine, go to sleep,” he mumbled, repeating the mantra two, three, four times, fingernails scratching against the surface of his bed side table while in search of his phone. As he finally gripped onto the cool plastic, Jonghyun tapped to unlock the screen almost frantically before getting to where he needed to be and bringing the receiver up to his ear.
He felt like a complete asshole for calling anyone at this time of night, but he knew that they’d understand. They always did.
“You should get some sleep, you know,” came the voice on the other end, soft but clear. Jonghyun laughed weakly, acid stirring at the base of his throat, breathing still uneven.
“And miss out on a weather like this? No way.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Jonghyun pursed his lips together, dropping back onto the pillow behind him, bones cracking tiredly as he stretched out himself. It was as if his entire body was screaming at him - to get the rest he needed, but it wasn’t like sleep had been his friend as of late.
“I didn’t really call to talk about anything,” Jonghyun admitted, placing the phone under his ear as he sunk further into the soft cushioning. “No offense, I love talking to you and all, but -”
“We don’t have to talk, I get it.”
Jonghyun’s lips curved into the makings of a smile. “You’re too good to me.” The wispy chuckle he received in response warmed him in a way he couldn’t exactly place his finger on - or maybe he could, but that’d require more thinking and he didn’t have the energy to invest in that sort of thing right then. “Hey,” he paused a beat. “Jieun?”
She hummed simply in acknowledgment, embarrassment bubbling in Jonghyun’s stomach as the question slid up his throat. “This is probably imposing and ridiculous, but could you maybe… play something for me? It might help me sl-...”
“You want me to sing you to sleep?” The simplicity of the rearranging of the question made it all the more embarrassing to Jonghyun, a hot red flush spreading across the apples of his cheeks as he was met with rustling on the other end, followed by a faint clicking sound. “Anything for you.”
He sighed at the soft strumming of fingers across a fretboard, feeling a little less ridiculous about his question as Jieun begun to sing.
It was with a flourish of the bridge that Jonghyun felt his body begin to settle, and by the chorus, his breath was evening out, eyelids closing firmly.
----
“Thank you,” Jonghyun started, gazing up from the mound of sheet music placed between them.
Jieun raised an eyebrow, taking a small sip of her coffee. “For?”
“For last night. He turned down toward the sheets, averting his gaze.
“You don’t need to thank me - I know you’d do the same for me, anyway.” And it was the truth - he would have. “Anyway, let’s take a look at what you’ve got here - another song? You’re really on a roll lately with these.”
Jonghyun smiled meekly. “I find inspiration on a whim, what can I say.”
iu/jonghyun - g - 712 words
Jonghyun turned to the clock - it read 4:30 am -, stomach churning as the the writing flashed red, almost as if to taunt.
A sigh escaped his lips as he curled back into himself, sheets tangling around his legs. The paddle of rain drizzling against his window sill relaxed him enough to help his eyes close, but his thoughts fought against him.
There was so much to do, so much to accomplish, and so many people who depended on him - it was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. It was great to be wanted - it felt great to be wanted, but what if what he had to give wasn’t enough?
The thought alone made Jonghyun’s breath catch in his throat, constricting him until he had no choice but to sit back up, tucking his knees under his chin. “Breathe in - breathe out,” he instructed himself, fingers digging into a tender area of his shin.
“You’re fine, go to sleep,” he mumbled, repeating the mantra two, three, four times, fingernails scratching against the surface of his bed side table while in search of his phone. As he finally gripped onto the cool plastic, Jonghyun tapped to unlock the screen almost frantically before getting to where he needed to be and bringing the receiver up to his ear.
He felt like a complete asshole for calling anyone at this time of night, but he knew that they’d understand. They always did.
“You should get some sleep, you know,” came the voice on the other end, soft but clear. Jonghyun laughed weakly, acid stirring at the base of his throat, breathing still uneven.
“And miss out on a weather like this? No way.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Jonghyun pursed his lips together, dropping back onto the pillow behind him, bones cracking tiredly as he stretched out himself. It was as if his entire body was screaming at him - to get the rest he needed, but it wasn’t like sleep had been his friend as of late.
“I didn’t really call to talk about anything,” Jonghyun admitted, placing the phone under his ear as he sunk further into the soft cushioning. “No offense, I love talking to you and all, but -”
“We don’t have to talk, I get it.”
Jonghyun’s lips curved into the makings of a smile. “You’re too good to me.” The wispy chuckle he received in response warmed him in a way he couldn’t exactly place his finger on - or maybe he could, but that’d require more thinking and he didn’t have the energy to invest in that sort of thing right then. “Hey,” he paused a beat. “Jieun?”
She hummed simply in acknowledgment, embarrassment bubbling in Jonghyun’s stomach as the question slid up his throat. “This is probably imposing and ridiculous, but could you maybe… play something for me? It might help me sl-...”
“You want me to sing you to sleep?” The simplicity of the rearranging of the question made it all the more embarrassing to Jonghyun, a hot red flush spreading across the apples of his cheeks as he was met with rustling on the other end, followed by a faint clicking sound. “Anything for you.”
He sighed at the soft strumming of fingers across a fretboard, feeling a little less ridiculous about his question as Jieun begun to sing.
It was with a flourish of the bridge that Jonghyun felt his body begin to settle, and by the chorus, his breath was evening out, eyelids closing firmly.
----
“Thank you,” Jonghyun started, gazing up from the mound of sheet music placed between them.
Jieun raised an eyebrow, taking a small sip of her coffee. “For?”
“For last night. He turned down toward the sheets, averting his gaze.
“You don’t need to thank me - I know you’d do the same for me, anyway.” And it was the truth - he would have. “Anyway, let’s take a look at what you’ve got here - another song? You’re really on a roll lately with these.”
Jonghyun smiled meekly. “I find inspiration on a whim, what can I say.”