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Taemin discussed the issue with Leeteuk, who thought it was unusual, but didn't see any problem with he tutor change and only made a few edits on the students info.
Even after Onew became his tutor, they had barely talked at all.

When Taemin asked him stuff, Onew's answers were always short.
Onew wouldn't stay with him long, not even to make sure he understood. 

It all made him feel out of place.

But Taemin didn't blame Onew, because Leeteuk did tell him he wasn't very talkative. He just started feeling like he didn't come in the best time. GD got busy, maybe Jinki was busy too and he was nothing but a burden they had to deal with.

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The boy was staring at his ceiling one night. He couldn't sleep.
As a matter of fact, he barely slept at all since he got there. He was able to go through his day because he would look for Mir first thing in the morning.

Taemin found out what he could do and he kinda took advantage of it. He knew that if he said hi and talked with the energetic boy for a bit, he would eventually hug him, ruffle his hair or pat his arm and that injected Taemin with the energy he needed.


Tae felt a little bad for "using" him like that, but knew he could pass out any moment if he didn't.

It was just impossible for him to fall asleep in that place.


He was homesick.

Taemin missed his mother. He couldn't stop thinking about her, or his older brothers.
His whole night would fly away while he wondered how they were, if they were adjusting and if they missed him too. 

In the middle of his thoughts, Taemin got out of bed. There wasn't a lot for him to see there, thought. He would like to walk to the window and just stare to the dark gardens, but it was on Seungri's half of the room, and even when the other never expressed any estrict message to him, he didn't wanna invade.


Very silently, Taemin opended his door. He looked, and didn't see anyone in the obscure hallway.
He stepped outside and closed the door carefully.



As he started wandering, Taemin made himself invisible.
He just felt he wasn't really supposed to be walking aroud the school at such late hours.

The halls were only lit by the moonlight, and the only sound he could hear were his quiet breathing and the wind running through the trees in the garden.


Everyone was sleeping for sure, and there he was, alone in the night.
Looking for nothing.
Expecting something.


Taemin got to one of the many doors that lead outside, and it wasn't very hard for him to unlock it. He just concentrated enough to manipulate the mechanism and he was out.

The cool air felt good.

His own steps on the fresh grass relaxed him. He giggled a little to himself, thinking how if one of his classmates, Sulli, saw him, she would flip out for him walking on it "so carelessly" like he's seen her do with others. 

Truth is, he didn't regret coming here.
He just wished it was... better.


Tae walked towards and old bench near a big tree and sat down.
Hiding his hands in between his thighs like a little kid, he threw his head back.


The stars looked just like the ones he could see through his old bedroom's window at night.

Were they the same ones?
The ones he always tried to count until he fell asleep.

The stars looked so clear back then, unlike they usually so in the city.
They used lived far away from it, outside a little town, to keep Taemin's "secret" safe from others. 


But... now that he's gone...
What if his family moves? They have no reason to stay there anymore.
What if he comes back one day and the house is empty?

...What if they don't even tell him where they are?


Taemin's dark eyes got watery, and he blinked to make it go away...
He closed his eyes.

He's thoughts were too loud, but he tried to concentrate on the sound of the leaves moving, to calm himself down.
On the soft wind that made his hair move...


Everything was so soft...
Everything was so quiet...

...That Taemin didn't notice the stealth presence that was only a few steps behind him.


"The firsts nights are always hard" 

The voice startled Taemin, who unvoluntarily made himself visible again as he turned his head to look behind him. His cheeks were covered with a light blush, partly for being caught, partly for the embarrassment, but mostly... because of the gentle smile that followed the sentence.

"O-Onew!! I-I mean, hyung!!... t-tutor?? S-S-Sir??" Taemin nervously blurted out. Onew let a handsome chuckle out " 'Onew' is fine, Taemin"

"How... how did you know I was here?"

Onew poked the tip of his nose "I can smell you from the other side of this place" He laugh, then he shifted to sit down next to him.

Taemin stared at him for a few seconds. This had been the most he was ever spoke to him. He was even  laughing and smiling...

Maybe he likes night time.


"You're supposed to be in your room" Onew said. Taemin turned his body a little to the side to face him, and only stared at him, with nervous eyes. The other chuckled and added "Relax, I'm not gonna tell"
Tae nodded with a light smile, and asked "How did you know I was here?"

"Heh, I already told you" He responded, pointing at his nose again "N-No, I mean" Taemin said, shaking his hands "How did you... notice?"

"Oh! Well, I'm often in charge of the nocturne watch around here. Some of the other tutors do it too, but I do it the most because of my eyes" Onew explained, opening his eyes just a little wider. "Um, your... eyes...?" The student asked.
Onew nodded "I know you probably haven't noticed, I mean, it's very discreet. My gift consists on a combination of different aspects of wild animals..."

Onew took a pause to let Taemin laugh along with him. "kekeke, discreet" Tae giggled, feeling comfortable. The older then continued "and well, keke, I have a very good sense of sight at night and in dark places"

"Really?" 
"Yes. Everything looks so clear to me. In fact, I think *you* are the first thing I'm unable to see"
"What do you mean?" Taemin asked playfuly, turning himself invisible, but coming back in a blink. They both laugh at their silly gift-jokes. 
"THAT" Onew replied "But, I can detect you anyways. Your scent really stands out"
"Is that bad?" Taemin asked, scrunching up his nose.
"No!" Onew chuckled "I like it"

Taemin tried to supress the blood rushing to his cheek by asking "Is it weird that I don't know how my own scent is? How is it?"

"You want me to describe it?"
"Yeah!"

Onew then barely mumbled a "well..." as he moved closer to Taemin.  The student saw Onew's hand reaching out, and he thought he was about to touch his face, but it went to the back of his head. Grabbing him very gently, Onew slowly moved his face closer and closer, until his nose was against Taemin's neck.

Taemin wasn't ready for that contact, and this time his cheeks turned red in a second, even more after feeling his tutor's soft sniffing. Onew's cute kitty ears were also tickling his face.

The beast man sat back with a handsome smile on his face "Is like..." Onew looked up to the stars, trying to decode Taemin's scent... "Cherry, cherry lipstick" 
"I-I don't wear lipstick!" Taemin quickly said.
Onew chuckled "I didn't said you do. And I'm not finish yet, haha. There's also a bit of... humidity in it"
"Humidity?... like dirt?" Taemin asked, half laughing. 
"N-No! Like... that smell the grass has in the morning"

The student was about to let out an "Aww", when Onew added "There also something else... like... old paper. Do you like reading?" He innocently asked, but the question made Taemin embarrassed as hundreds of different manga pages floated in his mind. 

"I-I... maybe..." Taemin mumbled. Onew smiled.

They shared a few moments of silence, feeling the nice freeze.
"So..." Onew said, looking at Tae "Are you gonna tell me why are you here?"
Taemin mumbled "Oh" looking down, feeling embarrassed remembering how he was literally crying for his mama before Onew came.

"I couldn't sleep" He responded, which was actually true.
"Ahh" Onew nodded, understanding "I know, like I said, the firsts nights are always hard. I remember MY firsts nights" he chuckled and continued "I couldn't even BE on my bed. It felt so weird to me, heh. At first, Leeteuk let me sleep outside, here on the gardens. It was way easier for me to fall asleep, but... I started feeling kinda guilty, because he wouldn't leave me alone, so he slept here too" Onew stopped for a second, and then laugh as he said "I still remember the looks KangIn-hyung would throw at me, because he found all kinds of marks on Leeteuk, like, bug bites and rocks and a few scratches!! God... I just wasn't used to sleep on a bed!!"


"What? Why?" Taemin asked.
"Oh... right, you don't know, sorry. I, um..." Onew's smile faded. He wasn't sad or mad, but he thought it was an important topic.
"You see... before I came and started living here, I... I lived alone in a forest for years..."

Taemin's eyes widened, but he just didn't know what to say.

"...that's where Leeteuk found me. And then he... well, he raised me" Onew said with a nod. Taemin blinked in surprise "He...raised you? Hyung... how old were you?"
"Um, we really aren't sure, but we calculated that I was around twelve years old. I'm 22 now... well, at least, that's what I believe" Onew said chuckling.


"I..." Taemin mumbled, looking at him and picturing a younger, little Onew. Alone. Sleeping under the rain. Shivering while trying to find cover. Without someone to talk to. "I had no idea... wow, you... that must've been so hard" Taemin bit his own lip softly and continued "I've been feeling very... sad, hyung" 


Onew's kitty ears bent down as he pay all attention to Tae and what he wanted to say.
"I think I feel... alone, and so... homesick" Taemin said softly, staring down at the ground and not believing he was actually telling this to someone, even more, to his tutor "But now that I hear what *you* went through, I see... God, I'm such a whiny baby" Tae spurted out, his voice cracking a bit. One of his hands rushed to cover his eyes, and don't let Onew see the tears forming in them, and trying to laugh them off. He was so ashamed to be so pathetic in front of someone else.


"Taemin" Onew said, looking at him with worried eyes. "Taemin you're not whiny, okay?" Onew wrapped an arm around the student's little body, and gently pulled Tae's hand away from his face. 
The boy's nose was red, his cheeks were a little wet. Ironically, the physical contact only provoke him to cry more, and a bit harder. Even a couple of clear whines escaped the boy's lips.

The tutor was startled at first, but tried not to make Taemin feel worse. 
Onew wiped the light tears off "You're not a baby for missing your home, Taemin. It's completely understandable and normal. I mean, it has happened to everyone! It's hard to disconnect from your home just like that" Onew said, attempting to comfort him. "Please don't cry..." He patted his little back lightly "...tell me about your home" Jinki asked smiling warmly.

Taemin looked up at him. He looked so innocent "You wanna hear about it?" He asked with an unintentional cute and weak voice.
"Yes!"

The student took air to relax, and felt a little weak, but better "I-I'm sorry... you must think I'm lame" He chuckled. 
"Of course I don't" Jinki replied softly "...c'mon, tell me about your home, your family" he encouraged.


"Well, because of my... "thing", we lived outside the city. It was safer for me. My p-powers..." Taemin said, unsure if it was the right word "...they got really strong when I was around 9, and that's when my mom decided to live far from others. She was afraid they were gonna... attack me or something. My mom educated me and my brothers at home"

"What about your dad, Taemin?" Onew asked. "Um" Tae mumbled, clenching his hands on the edge of the bench a little "My mother is a single mom..."

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"
"It's okay" Taemin smiled weakly "But I always felt guilty, you know?... Even when she took care of us on her own, and never really struggled about money so much... I feel like I gave her another burden she didn't need..."

Onew stayed silent, staring at the boy nibbling his own lip.
"Taemin" He said with a firm, but gentle voice "For what you say, I can tell she loved you very much, don't think like that..."

The younger looked at him "Yeah... Yes, I think you're right"
The smile Onew sent him was so big and warm "Are you sleepy yet?" He asked. Taemin chuckled "Not really..."


Hearing that Onew looked around. He stood up and leaned, offering his hand to Taemin.

"Come with me"

With slightly bigger eyes, Tae slowly reached out and placed his palm on top of Onew's. 



Taemin followed him while holding his hand. Onew checked every corner before continuing their way.
He took Tae to a section of the school on the highest floor he didn't know yet. That hallway looked kinda dusty and empty, so Taemin figured not so many people go around there a lot.

Onew guided him all the way to a one of the big windows, and peeked outside, then looked back at his student.

...for a moment, Taemin only stared at him, but didn't understand anything Onew said. He was too lost on the way the silver moonlight reflected on his wavy and wild hair, and on his dazzling puffy tail and his soft looking kitty ears.

Magnificent. 


"--okay? So, I go first" Taemin heard him say, already with a leg outside the window. His eyes widened "Wait, what??" 

Onew chuckled handsomely, and signed him to come closer. Taemin did and the older man placed his hand softly on his little back, as he peeked outside the window like he did "Look, what you're gonna do is, walk very carefully alond this frame" Onew said, tapping the window's edge, that wasn't too small "...and then you need to hold onto that as tight as you can, so you can walk on the roof. You gotta be careful, cause it isn't made for walking on it and its leaned..."
"What??" Taemin gasped. "Don't worry! I'm gonna go first and I'm gonna hold you okay? I have a very good grasp" Onew smiled, opening and closing his fist. 


The next thing Taemin saw was Onew standing on the window's edge, and moving quite fast. He even gad a grace Taemin only recognized on felines.
The tutor disappeared from his sight, but he heard his voice soon after "Your turn Taemin!"

Apparently he didn't have a problem with raising his voice now, being in a secluded area.

Taemin was afraid, but his gut told him to trust Onew.

He shakily climbed on the edge, on all fours, before slowly standing, facing the wall, holding onto the it in any way he could. 

"Come over here Tae!"
"I-I..." He mumbled with his eyes closed. 
"Don't worry, I'm ready to hold you!"
"O-Okay!..."


Taemin shyly placed a foot on the roof, and peeked to the side, hoping to see Onew close. 
The tutor was already reaching out for Taemin's hand, holding a metalic bar that looked like some kind of anthena.

With his cheek pressed against the wall, Taemin shakily reached out, as his other hand was almost scratching the wall.
Onew moved as close as he could, until it was easy for the student to place his palm on his.
"Okay, I've got you!" He said, holding Taemin's tightly "Now you can let go of the wall" Onew told him, calmly. 

"U-Um"

"C'mon. I won't let you go" Onew added with a chuckle "I-I..." Taemin mumbled, but then he barely nodded.
A cold shiver ran his whole body when his other hand stopped holding onto the wall. Onew's grasp felt safe enough for him to move more and start taking little steps up the roof.
The tip of his fingers slided across the wall.

"Now, I'm gonna pull you, you're gonna give me your other hand too, and you're gonna take a big step, okay? As big as you can"

Taemin didn't hesitated this time. He looked up at Onew and moved his other arm towards him. The tutor let go of the metalic bar he was holding, but kept perfect balance, with a little help of his tail.
As he held both of Taemin's hands, he smiled at him, making him feel safe.

Taemin smiled back, although part was because he couldn't believe what they were doing. As the student walked with wide steps, Onew stepped back, intending to guide him to the safe part of the roof. 

Taemin's eyes widened and he froze when his foot slipped a little. But Onew had him. Onew kept pulling him back, all the way until their chests were almost touching. 


"Was it too hard?" Onew laugh, then finally freed Taemin's hands.
"...shut up" the boy mumbled, making his tutor laugh more. 

Taemin smiled to himself, still amazed of just how comfortable he felt with Onew, barely knowing him.
"Come" Onew said, patting his back. He walked to the center of the roof.


Without saying anything, they stared deeply into the pretty surroundings. The stars looked so bright, the wind cleared Taemin's troubled mind with soft whistling.

The student breathed out with a soft smile. He felt lighter. The company, and the sight were too beautiful to take in quickly.

"Thank you for this, Onew-hyung"
"Do you feel better now?" The older asked with a smile. 
"Yeah, this is really calming" Taemin responded, looking around at the view, then turning to his tutor "You're... so kind"

Onew smiled "A-Anii..." He said, in a charming and shy way. "You're a good boy, Taemin. You deserve to feel good" 
The words made Tae react in the same shy manner "Aigoo"



The mood was so light, some time went on with them just talking and being together before Onew realized. As a good tutor would do, he walked with Taemin, all the way to his bedroom door.

"Alright, Taemin. Time to sleep"
"Yeah" the student chuckled. He turned the doorknob, but didn't open the door all the way, he turned to the wild man and said  "...again, thank you a lot, hyung. I really feel a lot better now"

"I'm happy to help, Min. Go get in bed, it's a school night!"
"Aren't all nights school nights here?" Tae comented, making his tutor laugh.
"You're right. But, seriously. It's late, I think some might even be waking up soon" the older half-whispered "Do you wanna get me in trouble?"
"mmmm, maybe~" Taemin joked, biting his tongue in a playful way. 

"Oh is that so?" Onew smirked "No way, sir" 

To his surprise, Onew picked Taemin up over his shoulder, as easy as if he was just a pillow. "W-What are you doing??" the boy exclaimed without raising his voice much. 

"Taking a naughty baby to bed" 

Onew pushed the door open with a soft kick, and walked into the room, just a few steps to Taemin's bed, while Seungri slept deeply in the next one. He dumped Taemin on the mattress, and as he bounced he stared at Onew with shocked eyes. "Now, sleep boy" The tutor patted his thigh a couple times. "I don't care if you still have lots of eneegy, save it for tomorrow. If you're good, we'll play" Onew winked in a gentle, yet confusing way. Taemin only kept staring until the man closed the door behind him.


God, what was that man playing?
Taemin put a hand over his chest, slowly trying to calm down his racing heartbeat and breathing. To think about that majestic man was one thing, but having him handle him like that was a whole different deal....

Taemin was feeling a kind of chills and he knew what that was... but hey, a little crush won't hurt anybody.


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When Onew got to his own bedroom, he was greeted with Joon's shocked face, pointing at various pieces of chipped wood on their carpet. "You! I get up to pee and I find this??What the hell is this!?"

Unaffected, Onew responded as he walked to his bed "uh, *was*. That was my nightstand"

"Why would you destroy it??"

"Well...." It was what Onew had to do, before he went to Taemin. He had to let out some animalistic urges, to hold on without doubting, next to his new protegé. And to actually serve his funtion as Taemin's tutor "Don't pay attention to it Joon! Is late. I'm gonna sleep, finally. Because in case you don't remember, I had the nocturne watch tonight, and I think I deserve some rest" He said, as he took his shoes off and laid on his bed, covering himself with his soft blanket

Onew closed his eyes and listened to Joon mumble "Ugh fine" and go back to bed. 
The only thing that worried Onew now, is how many pieces of furniture is he gonna have to use to discharge his energy and urges, in order to just be *near* Taemin. 

Because, Lord, it wasn't easy. Those delicate features under the moonlight. The tight grip of his hand. That playful voice and pink cheeks.

Taemin's scent had penetrated him like no other. 


Only God knows how long will he be able to hold back the ferocity of the beast inside.