Bad Alive | Jenle

|22| MIA

9 days since the accident

2 days since Jeno's disappearance

Taeyong paced in front of Doyoung, hands aggressively pushing through his red hair. The wedding band on his ring finger weakly blinking against the lamp light coming from the small desk lamp sat atop his paper covered desk. His handgun acting as a paperweight to files of their current missing member.

His stress ate away at his body, sleep coming less and less, the past two days mounted upon his ever-building responsibility as boss of NCT. The boys relied on him for leadership, for someone to take care of them and watch over them. As of right now Taeyong has officially labeled himself as the worst leader.

"Tae." Velvet laced with the crackle of embers pulled him from suffocating thoughts. Doyoung. His pillar that held him up when he felt the world crashing down around him, the destroyed pieces of his world clawing at his soul in attempts to drag him under.

He only gave a small hum on acknowledgement with tightly shut eyes. The leather chair at Taeyong's desk creaked when Doyoung rose to his feet. Without opening his eyes he heard almost silent footsteps approach him before strong arms enveloped his waist. It was silent, not the uncomfortable silence, but serene. The loud and raging storm of doubt and worry became but gentle rainfall against closed windows when Doyoung hugged him.

The latter hooked his chin over Taeyong's shoulder, humming with a gentle sway. "We'll find him. I know I shouldn't have let him leave, but he'd refuse to listen like he always does."

That pulled a warm laugh from his husband, body shaking with the delightful noise. "You sound like a parent."

"Perhaps we are parents. Jeno's a smart boy, he'll come home soon." Doyoung pressed a small kiss to Taeyong's temple, squeezing him in reassurance.

-/-/-

With his owner missing and Chenle in a coma, Tamo stayed by the latter's side, guarding him.

The sight of a massive white dog lying near the comatose male drew concern. Tamo was never far from Jeno, with that pressing sight the Techies set off on their digital journey.

Their only goal: Find Lee Jeno.

This was easier said than done; Jisung and Yangyang took shifts to take quick power naps before continuing their search. They hacked cameras all around the city and surrounding areas looking for him. No sign or trace of him. They, however, did catch an image of someone of his stature and build. It had to have been him considering the figure had a rifle on their person.

Quick to follow the figure they eventually lost track of him, the trail going cold.

Frustration bubbled inside each member, a mixture of anger at Jeno for running off and worry for being unable to find said boy. Fear's hands slowly enclosed them all, pin prickling at the back of their necks as time fell away. Each minute turned to hours to days without his return.

Meanwhile Chenle recovered smoothly, the wounds spread across his body slowly knitting themselves back together with the help of medical attention. Kun hovered around him, practiced hands reapplying bandages.

At this moment he sat quietly next to the young man, a wet washcloth in hand. Water-worn and calloused hands swipes the fabric across Chenle's features — a simple yet kind way of cleaning the boy up without invading his privacy. The kind gesture wasn't only to clean him but to also help cool his fever.

Kun chewed at his lower lip, body buzzing with the chill of trepidation.

Would he have all of his memories when he awakes? Will he wake up? What do I do if he doesn't wake up? What if he dies in my care?

Mentally fighting off the worrying wonders he placed the damp towel in the bowl of water on the rolling table near him. Sleep tugged at his consciousness like an owner jerking the chain of their pets leash. Another battle to be fought, his sword chipped by the events swirling about.

"You've got to wake up sometime Chenle. When you do, we'll be here. Just come back to us." Kun's words escaped his mouth in a barely audible whisper.

-/-/-

Long legs strides through the hallways, well more a sleepy stumble. The cool blue glow of his tablet casted icy shadows across Jisung's face. Fuzzy sock clad feet carried the boy to Taeyong's office, slipping across the sleek hardwood floor. When the green haired techie reached the office he knocked with a sleeve covered hand.

"Come in." Taeyong's wood dampened voice graced Jisung's ear.

Opening the door he peered at his boss around the edge of the door, blinking slowly upon seeing Doyoung and Taeyong together. He silently watched as their dull eyes began to twinkle with life, a hint of exhaustion was thinly layered behind them.

Slipping into the room he pressed the door shut, the door clicking in affirmation of being closed. Tablet in hand he strode over to the dark wood desk conscious of the two sets of eyes following him. "Think we found some tips to where he went."

Taeyong dragged Doyoung by the wrist to the desk. Steely eyes peering down at the shots of a familiar frame and weapon the red haired man cursed. The latter of the two eldest hissed when Taeyong's fingers tightened around his wrist to which he gently pried his arm from the older's hold.

Jisung's eyes shot down to watch Doyoung's gentle loving hands take hold of Taeyongs. Clearing his throat the sleepy techie looked away, fingers tapping across the tablet screen acting as if he hadn't seen that.

"Any other tips on his whereabouts? A video perhaps?" If the elder men noticed the sudden shift in Jisung's behavior neither said anything.

"Ah yeah, here. Yangyang found this clip of him walking towards an alleyway but there wasn't any sign of him anywhere after that. He just vanished." An exasperated sigh left Jisung's mouth, the desire to find his hyung and sleep fueled his search. The sooner her found his hyung the sooner he'd let himself sleep.

Swaying towards the desk the green haired boy quickly grabbed the edge of the wooden object. He stabilized himself and ignored Taeyong and Doyoungs worried expressions.

He kept his eyes trained on the tablet playing a clip of Jeno walking down the alleyway rifle in hand. The trio watched as he turned the corner and disappeared. Jisung pointed to the top of his motorcycle that popped out of the corner of the screen. The young boy was quick to note how it hadn't moved since Jeno stopped there.

This was their first lead on Jeno's trail. Just where could he be?

———
Yeah okay, so uh I'm back! Happy New Year bbys. I apologize if this chapter isn't really put together at all or even remotely coherent. It's really just a filler chapter.