Chapter Text
Contrary to whatever bullshit Johnny’s therapist would try to preach to him about depression.. The sunsets were the hardest. He would sit on his balcony for hours, drinking his life away, just wishing that Kenshi would go back to him. That’s when they met. The sun was setting, Cris was leaving, and he remembered the taste of the whiskey in his mouth when Lord Liu Kang knocked on his door with two ninjas, and the rest is history. Hah.
They separated months ago. They won. The world was saved. But.. for some reason, he couldn’t do this alone. Without Cris, yeah, but without Kenshi? The man who saved his life, his best friend- no. He couldn’t. He stood up abruptly, groaning at the headache, and started walking to his bed. It was nearby, thank god, so he could-
Fuck. oww. That hurted. He fell to the floor, wincing and grabbing his head. Everything hurted- the alcohol was supposed to numb the pain he felt in his heart, the pills were supposed to send him to bed early.. Why did he hurt so bad? Why couldn’t he stop the tears in his eyes from dripping the short distance to the floor? Why.. why was his phone ringing? No. Fuck that. It was probably Cris, checking in to make sure he wasn’t drinking himself to death. He rose up, groaning at the pain and trying to get to his bed. Everything hurt. He was shaking, his eyes couldn’t focus, and maybe it dawned on him he shouldn’t have combined those pills with all the liquor he’d drunk.
He turned to his phone, shaky hands pressing the little green button. He didn’t want to be alone right now. His head was pounding, and it was quiet for a while, save for the faint waves crashing on the beach beside his house. It took a few calls of his name for his eyes to look back from the ceiling to his phone, still blurry. “Hello?” He said, his own voice muffled in his ears. He tried to focus, he really did, but.. Everything was quiet. His brain was moving so fast but moving so slow at the same time, and he could hardly listen to the voice speaking, then- for a second, he heard his voice. His heart leapt in his chest as he tried to speak, listening to Kenshi ask him if he was okay, with so much worry in his voice, it almost made him feel bad.
“Johnny. Please, just-” He sighed, sounding all exasperated. “I need you to answer me. Cris told me you’ve been drinking more.” He said, his voice raw, as if he’d be crying. Hah. Crying for Johnny of all people. It almost made him laugh. Despite the tiredness in his own voice, the ache he felt in his throat and head, he managed to croak out a simple “I’m fine.” .
It was short, sweet, and didn’t leave much room to argue. If he said he was fine, Kenshi would believe him. It flew at the Wu Shi academy, and it’d fly now-
“Johnny.” Kenshi’s stern voice spoke. He was really in it now. Felt like he was dying, the love of his life and/or best friend pissed at him- and he didn’t shave that morning. He really was done for.
“Don’t you understand?” Kenshi’s- voice cracked? “She’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.” He said, rustling heard on his end. “You’re not fine. I’m begging you, please just tell me what’s wrong.” …Kenshi was definitely crying right now. It broke Johnny’s heart to hear, but- there was nothing more he could do. He was dying.
“I’m sorry, Kendoll, I-” He said, his voice barely audible through his own ears. “..I’m not gonna make it.” He said finally, looking at the phone as if it was Kenshi sitting next to him. “What?” Kenshi said, and Johnny could almost hear the way his ears perked up and his head shot up. “What are you talking about.” Kenshi said through gritted teeth, and that made Johnny wince more than the pain in his head.
The.. pain in his head. It went away. He didn’t feel it anymore. He didn’t feel anything. Everything coming out of him now was just slow breathing. “Johnny.” Kenshi spoke again. “Whatever you’re doing, just stop it. Please.” He said, but his voice fell on deaf ears. Johnny heard Kenshi continue speaking, heard rustling from Kenshi’s line, and then he hung up. Haha. Even in the end, Kenshi left him.
As his eyes slowly closed, and he heard the familiar wailing of sirens in the distance, he felt like a kid again. Like a little boy, being stuffed into cabinets by his older brother with his hands on his ears and heart beating fast, hidden away so their father wouldn’t find him. It was almost funny. ..He missed him. His brother, his father.. But they are all gone now.
And soon, he would be too.