Lightning lit up the room like a candle and the thunder that came a split second after, woke Choi Minho from his much-needed sleep.

He groaned, frustrated that he had been woken up, and rolled onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow.

He heard his band mates snoring. Occasionally he would hear Jonghyun sing from Love Like Oxygen and then, oddly enough, Onew would echo him. Minho began to suspect that their leader was awake as well after a while of this. Key was silent beside him, mumbling quietly occasionally and turning in his sleep but otherwise calm. Taemin was lying next to him as well, completely quiet except for his gentle breathing.

He was almost asleep again when he felt a hand accidentally smack his back.

Minho lifted his head, opened his eyes and glared at the body next to him.

Taemin bit his lip sheepishly.

"Sorry hyung…"

Minho rolled his eyes but couldn't help but grin slightly.

"The storm is keeping you up too, huh?" Minho mumbled, laying his head back on his pillow and turning around to where he and Taemin were face to face.

Taemin sighed.

"Yeah…"

They laid there in silence for a little bit before Minho spoke.

"You know…I used to be afraid of storms. The loud noise of the thunder scared me. But now…even when it wakes me up, I find the beauty in it."

"Beauty?" Taemin asked quietly, gazing at his hyung in confusion.

Minho chuckled lightly.

"I know what you're thinking, how can that be beautiful? But…if you look at it…really look at it…you'll see what I'm talking about."

Minho pushed himself up from the floor and slipped out of his sleeping bag.

He walked over to the window and gazed out, watching the rain drip down.

He turned around and motioned for Taemin to come over.

"Come 'ere Tae…"

Taemin, curious, crawled out of his sleeping bag, stretched and yawned, then walked over to Minho.

He stood beside him, their shoulder's touching and their foreheads pressed up against the cold window.

"What am I looking for, hyung?" Taemin asked, watching the rain fall down and not seeing anything beautiful about it.

Minho smiled.

"Wait for the lightning again, you'll see what I mean."

Taemin waited patiently, gazing intently out the window.

He jumped back in surprise when thunder rolled overhead.

Minho laughed lightly and pulled Taemin into a hug.

"Don't worry…I've got you." Minho whispered.

The maknae relaxed immediately and wrapped his arms around Minho's waist, clasping his hands together. He laid his head on his hyung's shoulder.

When the lightning flashed again, Taemin didn't see anything. He pointed that out to Minho and the older boy laughed.

"Look harder, silly." He said and gently flicked Taemin on the forehead.

Taemin smiled, snuggling into Minho.

He wished they could stay like this all night.

He felt safe in Minho's arms and now that he had gotten up and walked around, he wasn't tired.

The lightning flashed again and this time Taemin paid close attention.

He gasped when he saw, for that second the lightning stayed around, the light reflecting off the rain drops and making them look like crystals. They sparkled and shined different colors. Time itself seemed to have stopped as Taemin stared at them.

Minho grinned.

"See?"

Taemin nodded as the night outside went dark again.

The two of them stood and watched the display of lightning for a long while, long enough for Taemin, who hadn't been tired thirty minutes before, to now feel his eyelids starting to close.

Minho noticed and gently assisted Taemin to their sleeping bags, the whole while Taemin protesting that he wasn't tired and wanted to stay up with him and watch the storm. Minho ignored him with a smile.

Minho curled up in his own sleeping bag and continued to watch the storm from his place on the floor.

He heard a rustling to his right and turned around to face Taemin, who was climbing out of his sleeping bag.

"Where are you going, Tae?" He mumbled.

Taemin said nothing but Minho soon understood when the younger boy climbed into Minho's sleeping bag and snuggled up against his chest.

Minho smiled and gently kissed his forehead.

"Go to sleep my little maknae…" He closed his eyes, grinning. Taemin hated being called little.

Taemin grinned up at him, then yawned and pulled Minho closer.

"I'll let that go, just once." He promised, then he yawned again. "Goodnight, Minho-ah. " He whispered.

Minho felt Taemin's body begin to go limp in his arms after a minute or two and felt the boy's breathing slow.

"Goodnight, Taeminnie." He sighed.

He laid his head on Teamin's, the younger boy's breath misting on Minho's cheek.

He smiled when Taemin began to softly snore and hugged him tighter.