“Hey, you alright?” He asked Jaemin who looked like he wanted to die with his pale face and slightly trembling lip. “It’s just a negotiation, you’ll be fine.”

“What if they shoot my leg again?” Renjun let out a breath of relief that Jaemin wasn’t thinking anything similar to his own thoughts of ‘what if they can’t get the bomb out of me?’. “I just got better!”

“If they do, then we’ll just use the same healing steroids,” He replied, smiling softly and reaching out to hold both of Jaemin’s hands that were focused on tangling the other’s fingers together. “You’re safe with me.”

“But Renjun,” Jaemin started, looking at him worriedly in the eyes. “Why am I even here? I’m not a gang member, I’m not here for back-up and I at negotiations so…why am I here?” He thought for a moment, looking away for a quick second before laying his head on the younger’s shoulder and ignoring all of the looks that the others in the van gave him. 

He hadn’t given it much thought before since he focused on being glad that he could be there to protect the younger. However, now that he thought about it…the arrangement did seem odd. They wouldn’t benefit from having Jaemin around - at best, he would be holding Renjun’s hand through the surgery but…

“I don’t know Jaemin, I really don’t,” He answered honestly before snuggling more into the younger’s shoulder and holding his hands tighter. “But I do know that I won’t let anyone touch you,” He hissed out, remembering the panic that had settled within him when Jaemin had been shot in the thigh. 

“You should be more worried about yourself.” He heard the younger mumble and tried his best to refrain his chuckles. “I’m being serious!”

“Jaemin, I have more experienced with a gun than you ever will,” He replied, amused out of his mind and staring up at the younger fondly. “I think I’ll be fine. I have my duals today!”

“Isn’t it harder to control two guns than one?” Jaemin asked, eyebrows furrowing and slight pout forming. Renjun couldn’t resist smiling and leaning up to press a short but lingering kiss to Jaemin’s lips. 

“It’s easier if I know I’m protecting precious cargo,” He answered lightly, trying his best to ignore all of the concerns of what could happen when he was in surgery - if he would be getting surgery. 

“Can you two quit flirting when I’m behind you?” He heard the annoyed voice of his literal partner in crime say when Jaemin had taken a few seconds to process what he had said. “I’m literally right here!”

“Oh sorry, I forgot that you’re ually frustrated,” He teased, siting up properly just to look over his shoulder in the small van and being met with Jeno scowling and Johnny shaking his head. 

“Kids don’t fight.” He heard Taeil say softly from where he was in the passenger seat beside Doyoung, Taeyong scoffing after.

“Just focus on making sure Doyoung drives straight,” His leader commanded from his single seat near the door, causing Yuta to laugh loudly. 

“Like anything about Doyoung is straight,” Yuta commented, earning a small snort from Winwin who was beside him in the back seat and a slap from Johnny who was on his other side. “Ow, that hurt!”

“Serves you right, you aren’t that straight either,” Johnny replied, causing Renjun to smile at the antics in the van before his attention was stolen by Jeno his hands through Jaemin’s hair. 

“I’ll take care of you when he’s in surgery, Min.” He heard Jeno tell his best friend and found himself smiling since he knew he could trust Jeno with anything. “Just don’t make any more theories, yeah?”

“I thought we agreed to let those go!” Jaemin whined, turning around to glare at Jeno who laughed openly at him. 

“Oh, Renjun, you have to know some of his theories!” He heard Jeno wheeze out from in between his laughs, curiosity instantly rising when he realised that Jaemin still hadn’t answered his question from all those weeks ago. “My favourite one was when he thought you were an alien and-“ Renjun raised his eyebrow at Jaemin who had suddenly covered Jeno’s mouth with his palm, the younger looking at him sheepishly as Jeno continued to laugh. 

“I swear I didn’t-“

“Oh he so did!”

“Shut up, Nono!”

“Your fault for telling me, Nana!”

“We’re here.” He heard Doyoung state, effectively interrupting the joking atmosphere and causing all of them to enter their serious personas all over again. “Let’s head out.”

~

Renjun would have been more impressed with Stray Kids if their base wasn’t an underground shed with so many stairs. 

“Welcome!” He observed the stranger thoroughly, taking in his bright eyes and big smile that didn’t seem to belong in the underworld. “I’m Chan and this is us!”

“NCT. Let’s get started,” Taeyong introduced coldly, making Renjun notice how everyone had instinctively sli