CHAPTER WARNING: The last bit of this chapter does describe ual abuse. However, nothing is too graphic since I don't like writing that kind of stuff but it is essential to the plot. 

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“Hyung, what are you doing?” He heard a certain tanned boy ask him as he knelt in front of the door of Taeyong’s room, trying his best to listen in on the mission meeting. So far, all Mark could hear was mumbles and boring commands that were repeats of past mission instructions even though he knew that it was just a negotiation with Stray Kids. 

“Shut it, Hyuck,” He whispered, motioning for the other to move away but only rolled his eyes when Donghyuck knelt beside him. “Don’t you have to do?”

“Hyung…you know I never do what I’m supposed to.” He heard Donghyuck whisper back, shaking his head with a fond smile playing on his lips. “Hey Mark-hyung, who does Jeno like?”

“That is your concern right now?” He hissed out, trying his best to eavesdrop (even though it was proving to be difficult at this point in time. 

“I want to know, okay?!” Donghyuck huffed back, glaring at him enough that he could feel the younger’s stare digging into his skull. “You know, don’t you?!”

“So do you,” He sighed out, side glancing at Donghyuck before focusing his attention back on hearing the words on the other side of the door. “I know you’re not dumb.”

“It can’t be…” He heard Donghyuck mumble, glancing in time to see the younger’s eyes slide to the floor. “There’s no way-“

“You heard his clues,” He interrupted, officially giving up on trying to eavesdrop and diverting all of his attention to the younger. “And I think you’ve given a few of your own too.”

“Jeno is going to end up doing something really stupid if you’re not there and the worst happens, isn’t he?” Donghyuck asked him and he sighed once more, the action alone being enough of an answer. “Mark-hyung, you’re going to go and stalk them, right?”

“It’s not stalking,” He insisted, glaring at the younger who raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, it’s stalking but it’s to make sure he’s safe!”

“Take me with you.” He heard Donghyuck state, determination igniting his pupils in the dim light of the room.

A few seconds passed but the determination in his eyes hadn’t faded out.

“No,” He replied almost immediately, standing up and walking away in hopes that the younger wouldn’t follow him. He should have known that Donghyuck would follow, regardless.

“Hyung, please,” Donghyuck pleaded from behind him, hand resting on his shoulder and spreading such welcomed warmth that Mark became afraid of what he would be reduced to if something were to happen to the younger. “You said he mattered, right?”

“Of course he does,” He answered, turning around slowly to see relief in Donghyuck’s face. “But that doesn’t mean that you are-“

“He matters to me too.” He heard Donghyuck blurt out, the younger’s cheeks slowly becoming a bright red as his eyes seemed glued to the floor. Well this is an interesting development. “So please, I want to make sure that he’s safe.”

“Just say you like him next time,” He mumbled to himself, slowly getting lost in his own happiness of knowing that Donghyuck did like Jeno the way he wanted him to. “Come on,” He said, grabbing Donghyuck’s wrist and squeezing it lightly in affection as he dragged the younger to the elevator. 

“Where are you taking me?!” Donghyuck shrieked as he was dragged down the hall, both of them halting in front of the elevator and ignoring the way that Donghyuck purposefully moved Mark’s hand to hold his own. 

“I’m not letting you come with me without knowing how to defend yourself,” He answered, smiling down at the younger who quickly looked away. 

He would have missed it if it weren’t for the elevator coming a fraction of a second earlier than what the younger had said. 

“…I’m not going to kill anyone…” 

Carefully entering the elevator with the younger, he squeezed Donghyuck’s hand to show that he was there for the younger and hoped that the younger would realise that Jeno would be there for him to. 

“You won’t have to kill anyone. We won’t let you kill anyone.”

~

“What the hell are you doing here?” He was asked when he exited the elevator into the basement, hand in hand with Donghyuck as he stared at the sight of a shirtless Kangmin in front of him. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” He fired back, hearing Donghyuck cough and knew that it was because of the youngest’s abs. “Shouldn’t you be in your captive quarters?”
“I’m training! Your leader chucked me out of the meeting at the beginning when I was asked why I had to babysit the Zhong kid!” He heard Kangmin complain and could already feel a headache c