Angsty TaeKey friendship, with semi-graphic references to Key's "specialty," set near the end of Hope

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“I don’t know what to do,” Key said, walking unannounced into Minho’s apartment, interrupting Taemin and Minho’s conversation. Taemin stared at him, his mouth open mid-word.

“Minho, could you give us a minute?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Taemin waited until Minho disappeared into the back of the apartment. “Okay. What are you talking about?”

“Jinki.”

Taemin felt his stomach sink. “Did you two fight? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I mean, no, we didn’t fight. Everything’s fine. I just… I don’t know what I’m doing. What if he doesn’t… What if I scare him off? What if he doesn’t want me? He probably just wants me because I’m a and then he’ll be done with me. I don’t know what to do.”

“You really think that Jinki wants you because you were a ? You did that job just as long as I did and you never learned to read people any better than that?”

“No, it’s just that--”

“Do you think he’s going to start hurting you, too? One day he’s going to roll over and say, ‘Huh, this nice guy thing I’ve been doing my entire life isn’t really doing it for me. I’m going to start--’”

Key threw his hands up. “Okay! Okay, I get it. Geez.”

Taemin put his hands on Key’s shoulders. “I get it, Key, I really do, but Jinki’s not going to hurt you. Not on purpose.”

“How do you know?” Key asked, his voice almost a whisper.

“I don’t, really,” Taemin said with a shrug, “but if you’d ended up with someone I thought could hurt you, I’d never let it happen, all right? Jinki will be good for you. He’s the kind of person you need. He’ll take care of you until you heal more.”

“I’m healed fine.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

“I know, I know.” Key sighed. “I keep acting like I know what I’m doing, but what happens when he wants ? Taemin, I don’t think I can.”

Taemin was silent, looking Key in the eyes. He knew that despite everything, Key had it so much worse, at least when it came to the job. Makoto had rules, and anyone who hadn’t followed them had been reprimanded, often in a fairly lasting way, but the rules themselves had made Taemin sick.

Rule 1: Bruises cannot be made above the collar of the shirt.

Rule 2: Scars can be left only on chest and back. Stomach is expressly forbidden.

Rule 3: If the injuries sustained are severe enough to put the e out of work for more than two weeks, additional charges will be applied.

Rule 4: If the injuries prove to be fatal, the customer will be required to pay full value of the e’s life, as judged by owner and based on price per visit and age.

Rule 5: Major bones will not be broken.

Rule 6: There will be no branding, although burning can be acceptable, but must be negotiated in advance.

Rule 7: Any further services are based on e’s personal specialties and must be chosen prior to the appointment.

Rule 8: Any action made by the customer to purposely kill or severely maim the e will be dealt with severely.

There was one rule for the es.

Rule 1: It is not your body.

He’d left plenty of space for other rules, but had never needed to fill them in.

Taemin pulled Key in for a tight hug. Key had always been the stronger one, the one who had managed to keep them both alive, but now that they were safe, Taemin could see that crumbling.

“I don’t know what to do, Taeminnie.”

“I’m sorry.” Taemin rubbed soothing circles into Key’s back until his grip on Taemin’s shirt eased and he pulled away, wiping at his eyes. Taemin couldn’t tell if he’d actually cried, but this was the closest he’d seen him come in all the years he’d known him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t even try to be in a relationship,” Key said. “I don’t even know what one is and how am I supposed to be in one if I’m so royally ed up?”

“You’re not ed up,” Taemin said. “You’re not. If you feel like you can’t be in a relationship, then don’t be in one. If you’re turning him down because you’re afraid of what could happen, don’t be an idiot. I don’t think you could find anyone better for you than Jinki. You’ll figure it out, okay?”

“Okay,” Key said. He gave Taemin a weak smile and squeezed his shoulder. “When did you get so smart, kid?”

“I had a good person making sure I grew up right.”