Vengeance

nine

The door closed softly as Jinyoung stepped into the shared room, pausing to lean against it.

"How'd it go?"

Jackson had been planning to be seated when Jinyoung finally got back but his anxiety had set him to pacing, leaving him standing in the middle of the room.

Jinyoung smiled, seeing his nervous form.

"It was fine, sit down. Remember, I'm Park Jinyoung. The cool one, as I learned today from the juniors," he chuckled, moving to sit on the end of the bed, motioning for Jackson to join him.

The other sighed, following and resting his head on Jinyoung's shoulder.

"Is that so? I wonder what they call the other guy."

Jinyoung smiled, reaching a hand up to play with Jackson's hair.

"Let's just say it's a good thing their contract is sending soon."

The two chuckled momentarily before settling in silence at the thought of something like companies and contracts during a zombie apocalypse.

"Is it bad that I'm really grateful we stopped touring? Even though so many fans were still waiting to see us?" Jackson said quietly, looking down at Jinyoung's lap as he played with his free hand.

"Of course not, Jax. And you had your solo tour in the works. You would've gone if all of this hadn't happened."

"I was supposed to fly home a week ago. I should be with my family in China. I know they're worried sick with me running around on all these rescue operations."

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave," Jinyoung said softly, his fingers stopping as they twirled a long strand around in circles.

"But I can't. I know the government's doing everything they can but it's not enough. And they don't have the connections I have with companies and venues. There's still so many sites we haven't heard from yet. I feel sick not going to check on them but I can't afford to risk anyone else's lives without some sort of concrete evidence of survivors."

"It's not your job to save everyone, Jax. You've already saved hundreds. When you get back from this mission, you should go home. You've done more than enough. And you know operations can continue here without you. Once we've got the cure, we won't need to worry so much."

"If we find the cure. We don't know the medical team is up for it. Not to question their skills but I don't want to put that kind of pressure on them. We can't bank on the easy fix."

Jinyoung sighed, scooting Jackson's head to the mattress as he stood to change into comfier clothes.

"You worry too much, Jax. I've worked with the researchers every day for the past week. They know their stuff. They've been asking for any temporary antidotes every time a new set of survivors gets back and now they finally have it. Things are finally starting to look up."

Jackson turned over, laying on his back.

"Once we let ourselves be hopeful, we stop questioning the little things. I don't want to miss anything because I'm blinded by possibilities. I'll calm down once we've got a cure."

Jinyoung tugged his white t-shirt over his head, laughing.

"As soon as we've got the cure, you'll start panicking about how we'll distribute it ethically and where we'll get the necessary supplies to make thousands of them. You'll never relax."

Jackson sat up on his elbows, sticking his tongue out. Jinyoung copied him and a series of childish taunting followed until Jackson gave in, admitting he was right.

"Well, someone has to worry. Or the infection might spread to other countries."

"I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be you, Jax. You did your part," Jinyoung said calmly, pushing him aside as he laid down next to him on the bed.

"If not me, then who?"

They were silent a moment. It wasn't like others weren't doing their fair share to help survivors. But no one else had managed to set up a medical team and four successful rescue operations. And he had more than enough money to keep going.

"Let's just get some rest, okay? We can talk about this when you get back. I'm stressed enough knowing you're going in this time. You know we had a deal."

Jackson looked away.

"That was before there was any chance of a cure. And everyone else that's going is a survivor. They volunteered to go back to the place it all started. It doesn't seem right if I can't even go in and fight once."

"Again with this right and wrong bullshit. No one would think you're a bad person for staying on the plane, Jax."

"But I would."

Jinyoung sighed, rolling over to turn off the light as he slid under the covers. Jackson followed, rolling closer to him and pulling him close as they laid in the dark.

"I'll be careful, I promise. And we already decided that anyone who gets bitten comes back with the other zombies. So either way, I'll come back to you."

Jinyoung reached a hand out to slap his arm, scooting away.

"That's not the kind of thing you say to your worried boyfriend! 'Either way I'll come back to you'!? You better come back here with your brain intact or I'll finish you off myself!"

"Babe, that doesn't even make any sense."

Jinyoung scoffed, his face turned away from the other.

"Promise me you won't pull anything heroic? You're the team leader. You're the most important person going so it's your job to come back sane. You owe that to your team."

"Okay, okay. I promise. Now can we please snuggle? It'll give me the strength I need to kick some zombie ass tomorrow," Jackson pleaded sweetly as Jinyoung turned his head.

Jinyoung's resolve crumbled as he nodded and Jackson latched back on and they drifted off to sleep.