The next morning, still clad in pyjamas of a baggy shirt and his favored rubber ducky-patterned sleeper pants, Key shuffled out of his bedroom. His eyes lowered and he rubbed at the tension that suddenly bloomed in the back of his neck when he saw Taemin at the tiny corner table, sipping at a cup of tea. He glanced up from the glossy magazine he'd been idly leafing through, his body going slightly rigid as he straightened uncomfortably in his chair upon seeing Key. There was a ringing silence, and the air was thick with awkwardness as the angry words from the previous night loomed over them.

Taemin nervously cleared his throat. "Um, Key-hyung, about last night, mian--"

"Ani." Key held up a hand and ambled over to the table, shaking his head as he took a seat. "You're not the one that should be apologizing, Taemin-gun. I felt pretty ty once I got to thinking about it last night." He ran a hand through his tousled hair before resting his temple on it. "You were totally right, and I was in the wrong. Minho's company seems to make you very happy, and it was -ish of me to speak ill of him that way just because I had a bad time of things with his best friend.

"I'm still not sure what I think of Minho, but, as it stands, he's not guilty by association. And, you know, you're an adult. Barely, but an adult, all the same. You can make your own decisions. So, chwesonghamnida?"

"Hyung..." Taemin's head tilted as the word fell from his mouth. His eyes were wrought with a melancholy sort of sympathy. "Of course I forgive you. I know we were angry last night, but you've done too much for me to hold a grudge over so petty an argument."

Key sighed through his nose, his smile serene and akin to the melancholic sympathy that had been on the younger's face just before. Resting his cheek in one hand, he reached out with the other and carded his fingers through Taemin's hair, letting his hand linger on the cheek, that was still just slightly rounded with lingering baby fat, when it drifted down. "I thought I was looking out for you. I don't know, I guess... I guess I kind of see you as my stray kitten. You're young, you were lost, and I took you in and cared--still care--for you. Makes me feel like your umma."

Taemin leaned into the hand.  "It's kinda funny, how many times I've almost called you 'Key-umma.'"

Key chuckled.   "I wouldn't mind you calling me that."  There was a moment of pensive silence before Key calmly got up to make himself some coffee.  

"Um, Key-umma..."  The term of endearment felt a little strange when he actually spoke it aloud, but there was still something comforting in it.  

"Neh?"

"Minho-hyung, when I told him that you seemed down, lately, said it was Jonghyun's fault, but he never actually told me what happened.  Do you... do you want to talk about it?"

Key grimaced, his lips twisting to the side a little as he added creamer to his mug.  "It's pretty simple, really, but... it was also really weird..."  He made his way back to the table, took a seat and crossed his legs.  When he spoke, it was slow, quiet, and sad.  "Everything started off great.  We went to dinner, had some drinks, and, against my better judgement, I went back to his apartment with him."

"Did you guys, um--"

"Yes, Taemin, we ed."  Then he laughed at the way his crass wording made Taemin blush.  But as soon as he continued the story, he reverted to the somberness.  "The next morning, he... he was so sweet to me.  He kissed me.  He gave me aspirin for my hangover, and drew me a bath with epsom salts because I was achy.  While I was still in the tub, he comes in and, out of the blue, asks me if I'm 'clean'--and he wasn't referring to the bath."

Taemin's eyes scrunched in confusion for a moment before it dawned on him.  "Oh, no.  Please tell me he didn't accuse you of being riddled with--"

"More or less.  He didn't outright accuse me, but it was close enough."

"Why would he even think that?"  Taemin was incredulous.  "I mean, I haven't known you very long, but you certainly don't come off as being... easy."

"That's not why he asked; it had nothing to do with how I look or dress.  He asked because I'm a stripper."  The words tasted bitter on his tongue, and still burned in his heart.  "That sort of assumption isn't uncommon, but I let him know I'd been celibate for three years because of people like him."

"Jjinja?!"  Taemin's eyes rounded out.  Key nodded.  "What did he say when you told him that?"

"Don't know," Key shrugged.  "I was too busy slamming the door and walking out."

"Wow.  I figured he'd said something obtuse, but I didn't imagine it had been that bad."

"Yeah, well, it's over now."  Key took his empty coffee cup to the sink.

After a few minutes, Taemin noticed that Key was still washing his cup, but Key had clearly walked off the map.  His hands were going through the motions, and while those cat-like eyes of his were pointed at his hands and cup, it was plain he wasn't even seeing them.  He looked pensive and distant, with his brows furrowed.  More than likely, Taemin assumed, Key was replaying that day in his head.    "Hyung, I have an idea," he suddenly piped up.

Key's brows raised in acknowledgment as he finally finished rinsing the cup and setting it to dry.  "Mm?  What's your idea?"

"I think we should get out of here," Taemin said with a confident nod.  "We don't work till late; why not go do something fun today?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Key's lips.  "You know what?  That actually sounds great, and if you don't have any specific ideas, I do."



At Key's suggestion, the pair decided to have a spa day, and they went all-out.  The works.  Both men spent all their time working hard and saving what money they could after bills and rent, and it wasn't like they were the ones that paid for the dates with Minho and Jonghyun.  They could afford to, and more importantly, deserved a day of frivolity.

Both groaned with felicity during their hour-long massages.  They sighed and sometimes giggled from ticklishness while a technician rubbed them down with an oily, scented, grainy bodyscrub that left their skin all glowing and soft and supple.  And even after all of that, they decided to add one more splurge...


With relaxed bodies, softened skin, and refreshed spirits Key and Taemin arrived at work for their shifts.  They both felt so wonderful and light, they were nearly floating as they made their way back to the employee locker room.  Taemin changed into his work clothes while Key slected an attire and headed off to the vanity area to do his makeup.

Once on the floor, his little notepad in his back pocket and a pen behind his ear, Taemin scanned his section--and spotted Minho and Jonghyun.  He sighed, shaking his head a little as he sauntered up to their table.  "Evening, guys."

Both men swivelled their heads in his direction, at which point Minho began salivating and Jonghyun's eyes widened.  Gone was Taemin's long-ish, auburn mushroom-cut.  He was now sporting a shorter, more modern cut in a rich, vibrant, unnatural shade of red.  It made him look far less innocent, and far more edible.  

"Holy Jesus, Taemin-ah, you look great!"  From Jonghyun.

"I... god damn."  From Minho.

Taemin smiled at them both, flushing a little from the praise.  "Thanks, guys.  So... can I get you anything to drink?"

"Besides you?"  Minho purred quietly, winking and adding a seductive little smile.

Taemin couldn't suppress his own little smile as he threw a surreptitious wink back at Minho.  "I'm off the menu until I'm off the clock," was his reply, which was followed up with blushing at his own brazenness, especially when Jonghyun's and Minho's eyes and mouths fell open.  He recovered quickly.  "So, what'll it be?"

Minho picked his jaw up off the floor before anyone tripped on it.  "Bottle of Kirin, please."

"Same for me," Jonghun seconded with a gesture of his hand.

Taemin penned the orders onto his notepad, then looked around.  When he saw that no one was paying attention, he leaned close to Jonghyun and spoke in an even tone with measured words.  "Tread carefully, Jonghyun-ssi.  I care a lot about Key-hyung, and I don't want you hurting or upsetting him again.  So you better be good, because I won't be so nice if it happens again."

He was so composed when he left their table, that Jonghyun and Minho would never have guessed that Taemin's stomach was jumping with nervous adrenaline from what he'd just said.  They might not guess that he'd never threatened anyone before, or that he didn't actually know what he would do to make good on that threat.  But it didn't really matter, because they knew he meant it, and Jonghyun certainly didn't want to find out what the redhead was capable of.  After all, it was always the nicest, most tolerant of people that had the nastiest of tempers.

As Jonghyun nervously shifted in his seat, Minho smiled to himself.  He'd been right. Taemin really did underestimate himself.  Maybe he couldn't see it yet, but Minho could:

There was certainly some steel woven into that spine.

** A/N:

This chapter was such a production to write, guh. >.<  But I'm glad it's done.  Since I hadn't been updating as weekly as I'd hoped, I decided to try and fit two updates into this week, and I've accomplished it. :)

I loved writing the TaeKey moment in the beginning, and I really loved the 2MinJong at the end.  Hope you all did, too!

I've noticed, lately, that traffic on AFF has slowed.  I hear it's because of two other sites that are gaining more popularity, so, at some point, I'll be putting my stories up on those sites, as well.  When I do, I'll share links.  But it does make me sad that comments have gone down to a trickle, because comments are my fuel.  Comments and feedback are what keep me motivated and wanting to write.  Comments are food, and I am hungry.  

Also, I apologize if this chapter ends up being formatted weird, or if things come up in italics that shouldn't be.  Errors like that tend to happen when I have to transfer things.

So, please, comment away!  **