Stray Kids Sickfic

Jeongin - I'll Take Your Place

This is a request from @ryziii25 - I hope you like it! In your request, you said that Han wouldn't give up a valuable, so I decided that he wouldn't give up Jeongin :D

Okay, so serious WARNING on this one. Please don't read this if you don't want to - there will be plenty of other fanfics to come and you won't miss out if you skip this one (and I won't be offended). There's human trafficking in this (though it's not highly discussed or displayed). Please, just be mindful of yourself when reading this - it's a heavy topic.

But if you choose to continue, I hope you enjoy the Han and Jeongin friendship in store (they're so cute and I love them both so much).

Stay safe <3

------------------------------------

"I seriously don't think we needed all that ice cream, hyung." Jeongin laughed, holding up the grocery bags he was hauling. 

"Of course, we don't need all of it, Innie." Han answered, smiling. "But it certainly is nice to celebrate the end of promotions with a little treat, right?" 

"Little?" The maknae raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You bought out almost the entire store's supply of ice cream. I know we're idols but where'd you even get that kind of money?"

"I may or may not have taken Chan hyung's bag..." Han smirked nodding to the black backpack slung over his shoulder. "But to be fair, it was an accident. We have the same bag, and I didn't realize it was his until we reached the checkout and saw his laptop in it." 

"You better not lose it then, hyung." 

"I wouldn't. He'd probably kill me if I did." Han laughed, turning the corner before stopping in his tracks at the sight of six girls giggling over their phones. It didn't take the two members more than a second to see that their shirts said: 'Stray Kids'. "Dang, my luck is wearing thin today." 

"Most Stays aren't bad, hyung, you know that." 

"I know, I know, but with Channie's laptop I seriously don't want to risk the small chance that they're not the nicest." The rapper's head swiveled around before he nodded towards a nearby alley that passed through the buildings. "There. It'll get us to the other side of the block." 

Jeongin gulped, the alley looked a little less than safe. There were dumpsters lining the walls and graffiti on every surface. Litter cluttered the ground and there was a guy sitting on one of the steps in the doors of the alley. "Are you sure, hyung?" He whispered, hanging close to Han's side. 

"Yeah. It's just one guy. He looks harmless." 

"Those girls looked a heck of a ton less harmless though." 

Han shook his head and started his trek through the alley, so Jeongin had no choice but to follow. He wasn't about the leave his hyung alone and he certainly didn't want to be alone himself. It wasn't dark yet, but the sun was definitely below the horizon. Given ten to fifteen minutes it would be dark - but they'd be back at the dorm by then. 

Jeongin could practically feel the nervous energy radiating off of Han and he wanted to step up and say something but something he'd learned about Han from the very beginning was that if he felt the urge to protect, he wouldn't show any weakness. If he'd been walking down this alley with Chan, or Minho then he'd probably he clinging to their side in near tears. But he was with Jeongin, and the younger knew that the only evidence of fear he was going to see from Han was his quickened breathing. 

"Hey." The man on the steps said when they passed by, lifting the cigarette from his mouth and blowing the smoke towards them. 

Han clenched his jaw but managed a "Hello" and continued past. Jeongin stayed right by his side - far side, away from the man.