A/N: Okay, so. Originally, this was on FF.net, however...after going back and reading through it with a lot of cringing and wanting to toss myself out the window over just how flat out bad some of it was, along with the lack of being read lately, I decided to give this fic a serious facelift and then put it here, where it might be appreciated. Keyword being might. I dunno yet. ; - ; Some of it is copied directly from how I originally wrote it, however, the rest is, of course, rewritten so it doesn't seem like a twelve year old wrote it. >< I don't understand why I was using Hyung and then suddenly it was Oppa instead. How. Logic. What was it? Anyways, fixing mistakes as I go. Please enjoy, and comment if you can.

Disclaimer; I do not own SHINee, SM Entertainment, or any of the works cited/mentioned herewithin this work of fiction. The storyline is all that is my own.

"Taemin-ah?" The maknae glanced up from his book momentarily to see a somewhat tired-looking and pale-faced Minho leaning on the doorframe of the room that Taemin occupied. "Minho-hyung. What's wrong? You don't look so good," Taemin said, setting his book aside and letting the pages close, his bookmark lying forgotten as it fluttered to the floor when Taemin jumped up to support his weary-looking hyung. "That's…an understatement, Taemin-ah. I…feel absolutely horrid," he whispered. Taemin's eyes went wide. Minho was always in the best of health. Yes, they were all a little tired and pale from being slightly overworked. They were on tour right now. But this never happened. "Hyung-" Taemin's sentence was cut off as Minho's knees more or less turned to jelly beneath him, and Taemin had to hold him up to keep him from falling to the floor. "Hyung, this sounds pointless, but I think maybe you should sit down," Taemin stated. "Here…is fine…I think," Minho muttered. "No, no, it's not, hyung," Taemin replied, carefully pulling his hyung over to the single twin bed that sat on the far side of the room. SHINee's maknae helped his hyung sit on the edge of the bed, silently pushing his forgotten book aside and out of the way. Taemin then stood in from of Minho and gently set his hands on the older band member's shoulders to provide him at least a little support. "Now tell me, Minho-hyung, what's happened to you? You're whiter than a sheet. Do need to get umma to take you to the hospital?" he asked quietly. Minho shook his head. Taemin narrowed his eyes in concern for his hyung. "Hyung…it's okay. Tell me," he said. Minho muttered something. "Hmm? Say that again, hyung. I didn't hear you. You talk quiet," Taemin murmured, bending down a little to see Minho's face.

Minho repeated himself, speaking louder this time, but still whispering. "I…had a nightmare, Taemin-ah." Taemin squeezed his hyung's shoulders slightly, encouraging him silently to continue. "I-I don't…remember the majority of it…I wouldn't tell it even if I did…but…but…." Minho stopped speaking as quiet sobs began to wrack his frame. "Hyung?" Taemin prompted gently. Minho glanced up at him for a second, before taking interest in the floor again. "In it…my nightmare...you…you were killed, Taemin-ah. And…it was my fault. I couldn't do anything to stop it from happening. All I did was watch. I stood by and watched you die. I…had to make sure it was just a dream, but…it still feels so real…and…" Minho's voice faded, and he closed his eyes. He felt the gentle pressure of Taemin's hands disappear from his shoulders, the feel of the mattress beneath him shift as more weight was added to it, and the feel of Taemin pull him into his slim, strong arms and embrace him. Minho clung to Taemin, almost helplessly, acting quite unlike himself. Taemin rubbed his back reassuringly and held him tighter as the older band member continued to sob. "Sshhh, Minho-hyung…I'm here…I'm okay. Everything's alright. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, okay? It's alright," Taemin murmured, trying to get his hyung to calm down. Eventually, Minho's sobs quieted, and he pulled away from Taemin slowly. The maknae looked at him solemnly, his concern for Minho still lingering in his brown eyes. "Ah…thank you…Taemin-ah. I'm sorry. I just-" Taemin silenced him by shaking his head. Minho sighed, rubbing one of his eyes. "Can…can I stay with you the rest of the night, Taemin-ah? Is that…okay?" Minho asked, sounding scared of the maknae's ungiven answer. However, Taemin smiled and nodded. "Of course you can, Minho-hyung. Why wouldn't it be okay?" he asked, slightly confused. Minho just shook his head.

Taemin stood, looking inquiringly at Minho. Minho stood, shakily, to allow Taemin to fix the covers on his bed. When he finished, the maknae looked silently from his bed to Minho, telling him to go first. Minho slid under the covers and situated himself, facing the wall and away from Taemin, then felt the mattress shift beneath him again as Taemin lay down behind him. This he expected. But what he didn't expect was Taemin wrapping his arms around Minho's slim waist and pulling him back until Minho was safely tucked right next to Taemin's body, so close that Minho could feel the quick beat of Taemin's heart on his back. "…Taemin-ah?" he questioned quietly. Taemin only pulled his hyung closer, if that was possible. "Sshhh. You're always trying to protect me, hyung. It's my turn to protect you. This way…you'll know I'm here even if you're asleep. So, no more nightmares for my hyung," he whispered. Minho sighed and closed his eyes, moving a hand to rest over Taemin's, which were clasped tightly around his waist. Silence enshrouded them for a time, before Minho whispered the maknae's name. "Hmm?" Was the sleepy reply from behind him. "You…won't ever…leave me, will you? I don't want you to leave, Taemin-ah. I wouldn't have anyone to support me, let alone do this for me. You won't leave…right?" he asked quietly. Taemin slowly unclasped his hands and twined the fingers of one hand with the one Minho had moved. "Never, hyung. I promise," Taemin whispered quietly into Minho's ear.

It was only the beginning.