Taemin's POV

I wake up to the scent of Minho wrapped around me, and the feeling of my own release crusting on my chest. I open my eyes and see Minho's sleeping face mirroring mine. I smile softly and touch his features. His eyes seem sculpted into his face, and his lips purse naturally, begging me to kiss them. I run my fingers over his soft skin, and I smile. I brush a few wisps of hair from his face and take his mouth under my own.

"Just couldn't wait, could you?" he murmurs as I pull my lips from his. He smiles and opens one eye. I giggle and blush, looking down at his chest as I remember our... activities last night.

"I guess not," I whisper. He kisses my forehead and leave ticklish kisses on my ear and neck, causing me to giggle more. I squirm and laugh as he gathers me up in his arms, all of my senses alert.

"You're so ticklish. It's adorable," he murmurs as he brushes his nose into my hair. I feel his hands assault my ribs, and I bite my lips to keep from laughing too loud. Then he stops and we lie there, breathing softly into the other's ear as our bodies press together. I realize how exposed we are and I try to push him away, which only causes him to hold me tighter.

"Minho, let's go and wake Yoogeun," I whine, but he resumes his kisses, causing me to squirm as the crawling sensation ades my skin. I finally manage to jerk away and we end up forehead-to-forehead, my face gradually getting hotter as he smirks.

"Morning, beautiful," he says in his low, irresistible voice. His expression is unbearably arrogant, but his eyes are soft and his grip is gentle. It's more of a caress than anything, and I smile back sweetly, trying to pour all of my love for him in one simple tilt of my mouth.

I know, wishful thinking.

"Morning," I respond. He rubs his nose against mine, causing me to giggle ad blush before I can stop myself.

"You know, I fell in love with your laugh first," he murmurs as his closes his eyes and his face takes on a savoring expression. I smile and look down at his collarbone, too embarrassed to say anything. He kisses me then, softly and sweetly and oh so perfectly. His every movement is filled with undeserved reverence, as if I'm something exquisite and unobtainable. It's a status that I don't deserve. I try to kiss him back with the same fervent desire, wrapping my arms around his neck. He climbs on top of my again, and I laugh between our lips as his tongue flicks at my mouth for entrance. I hold back a few moans as his hands resume their wanderings, touching places that he may have missed last night. Well, we have a few minutes...

"APPA!" The paper door slams open and I break from Minho as fast as I can, and he rolls to the side. I scoot far from him on the bed and push myself up on one arm, covering myself with the blanket. Yoogeun trots to the bed side and beams.

"Hey, buddy," Minho greets, reaching under my arm to ruffle Yoogeun's hair. I reach out and pat Yoogeun's cheek, feeling his cheeks turn up as he smiles.

"Good morning, appa! Good morning, appa!" Yoogeun says, giving no specification other than a simple tilt of his head. He trots over to our drawers and grabs a fistful of waistbands and shirt hems. He throws them at us and smiles proudly. This is, I suppose, his way of saying, "Get dressed and out of bed, lazy bums."

"Er... Thank you," I say hesitantly as I lean out of bed to pick up a pair of jeans that are just out of my reach. I feel someone press against me, hand on my and lips on my neck.

"Need help?" Minho murmurs ily, groping at my and thighs. I growl and kick his foot, trying to get him to withdraw his hand.

"No, I'm fine," I snarl. I snatch the jeans and pull them under the covers, opting not to wear underwear for the sake of getting away from this insatiable ert. I leap out from under the covers, feeling uncomfortably unrestricted in my nether regions, and grab a shirt, which I toss on hurriedly to deter any urgings he might have.

"Appa, dress!" Yoogeun demands. Now it's Minho's turn to blush as he looks to me for help. Grumpily, I kick a pair of sweats towards him, and he emerges with his chest and sculpted body exposed to the world. I look away, face red.

"It's not anything you haven't seen before," he teases softly as he passes me. My face heats up even more as his fingers trail against mine. He disappears into the bathroom, and I let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding.

"What were appa and appa doing last night?" Yoogeun asks, tugging on the hem of my shirt. I bite my lip and look around for anything resembling blessed underwear. I spy a pair just on the corner of the bed, and I make a dash for it.

"Tell you later," I promise Yoogeun, already making up some story - any story - and finally settling on a pillow fight as I wrestle my way under the sheets. I yank down my pants and quickly pull on the briefs, making a mental note to get Minho to back me up. Then, my elbow touches something almost foreign and I freeze, cheeks erupting with heat.

Ah yes, what were we doing?

Minho's POV

I stretch as I follow Taemin and Yoogeun down the street, a few paces behind them as I swing my arms. The white polo I'm wearing is a little restricting, but I'll deal with it because it outlines little parts of me nicely, and it is ever so fun to see Taemin squirm.

I love him, I realize as I watch the healthy hue on his face glow while he talks to our son. I smile and put my arms behind my back, adopting an innocent pose as I hop to his blind side. I kiss his cheek quickly and he blushes instantly, turning quickly enough for me to kiss him again, lips on lips in the middle of noise and people and absolutely nothing at all.

"When will appa and appa have a baby?" Yoogeun asks inquisitively. We break apart immediately and Taemin turns a deep scarlet color. I stammer for an answer.

"Um... Yoogeun-ah... Appa is a boy, and boys can't have babies," I say slowly, lowering myself down to his level. Yoogeun tilts his head curiously.

"Really? So Minho appa can't have a baby either?" he asks. Taemin giggles behind me, and quickly rescues me by picking Yoogeun up and swinging him in a circle.

"Come on, let's get some candy!" he announces. Yoogeun claps wildly, forgetting all about babies for a moment. Taemin winks at me and grins as he trots off, Yoogeun secure and happy in his arms. We walk into a small, dusty candy shop run by an elderly couple, who, of course, remember Taemin.

"Young master Lee!" the man exclaims. Taemin flushes and looks down. The woman totters over, her old clothing matching her joyful, wizened face as she touches Taemin's cheek. He smiles and blushes softly.

"Hello Granny," he murmurs. Yoogeun claps his hands together and laughs.

"Granny looks funny!" he exclaims. The old man chuckles and Yoogeun's cheeks.

"Such a radiant boy," he coos. Yoogeun smiles happily. I hang back, watching the scene with a grin on my face. My family looks so happy right now. I wonder if they know that their happiness is all I want. Then Granny turns to me and she waddles over on her stout legs. She barely comes up to my chest, and I have to look down to see her grin.

"Is this your new friend that I've heard so much about?" she asks, pinching my cheek. I cringe and wince from the pain of her calloused fingers and long nails, but I bear with it and smile.

"I'm Minho," I say as brightly as I can manage. The old couple circle me like vultures, looking me up and down.

"He's skinny," the old man complains. Granny hums in agreement, and I feel like I'm being prepared for a slaughterhouse or something. I look to Taemin for assistance, but he's chuckling while bouncing Yoogeun in his arms.

"Granny, stop scaring him," Taemin giggles. Immediately, Granny smiles and looks absolutely harmless. Even the old man grin and claps a had on my shoulder. I glare half-heartedly at my evil boyfriend, but he winks at me and I can't say anything.

"You better treat young master Lee nicely," the old man warns. Taemin chuckles and comes to my side, hooking my arm in his. He kisses my cheek and rests his head on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. He won't mistreat me," Taemin coos, nuzzling his face into my neck. I smile as best as I can as Granny shuffles away inconspicuously. Grandpa raises an eyebrow.

"How can you be sure of that?" he asks skeptically. I clear my throat quietly and all attention shifts to me.

"I love him, sir. You don't need to worry about him. I'll definitely take care of him. He's in good hands," I say assertively. Grandpa raises his eyebrow higher, until I'm pretty sure it'll jump off of his face. That would be disgusting.

"Yeah, Minho appa is big and strong and can do anything!" Yoogeun announces, throwing his hands into the air. I chuckle as Taemin laughs at our son's b confidence. Yoogeun trills happily.

"Well, if you're sure," he murmurs, turning away and heading back behind his counter. He starts reading some papers, clearly ignoring us now. I let out a sigh of relief as Taemin snuggles into my side and nuzzles my neck.

"Will you really take care of me?" he asks. I look at him and see him blinking those eyes of his, and I feel myself heat up just from the sight of it. His face is so perfect... So ing perfect. How could I ever have hate him? I close my eyes and kiss him tenderly. He kisses me back, nudging my lips with his as Yoogeun no doubt watches with wide eyes.

"Young master Lee!" Granny calls out, and I open my eyes and snap my face away to look at her. She's carrying two small, tied bags. The bags are made from a reddish gauze with some string forming flowers. I can see the faint outline of wrapped candies inside. Taemin gives out a little gasp.

"Granny, you didn't have to!" he protests hastily, trying to push them away, but she forces them into Yoogeun's hands.

"How could I not, when you've finally come back to us?" she says with a tearful smile. Taemin hands me Yoogeun and rushes into Granny's arms. She hugs him back, and they both shake with sobs. Behind the counter, Grandpa wipes a few tears away. I watch with Yoogeun sniffling in my arms, and a few salty trails run down my cheeks.

"I missed you," Taemin whispers. Granny nods and rubs his back before straightening him up and wiping his cheeks.

"Now now, enough of that," she chastises softy, even though she's still sniffling. Taemin let's out a little sob as she herds him back to me. I hold him to my chest and his hands fist in my shirt. I bow, low and respectful.

"Thank you," I say solemnly before straightening up and wrapping my arm around Taemin's waist. He sniffs and walks to Granny slowly, as if he's uncertain about the decision to be near someone that had such a profound effect on him.

"I promise, I'll come back again," I hear him whisper. He kisses her forehead and goes over to Grandpa, who grabs the back of Taemin's neck, roughly but affectionately. He gazes at Taemin with a look of pride and elation.

"You've grown," he says, his voice choking with tears. Taemin nods an hugs the old man. I wait for him to pull away and rush back to me. I look into his large, wet eyes and take his trembling hand. I give one last respectful nod to the old couple, who wave at me with soft smiles.

"Thank you," I say again.

"Bye bye!" Yoogeun calls out, waving as I lead Taemin away. My boyfriend's head is low as he follows with small shuddering sobs. Yoogeun pats Taemin's head sullenly.

"Thank you," Taemin mutters, leaning his head on my shoulder as we head for the mansion. Quietly, we share a moment where he's hurt, and I can't help him.

And I've never felt so useless.

Taemin's POV

"Are you sure you're okay?" Minho asks, my hair as Yoogeun sits on the ground and fiddles with his bags of candy. I know that my attitude since we came home has been horrible, but I can't help it. I can't help wanting to go back in time, but knowing that it's impossible. I can't help feeling hurt and cheated for all of the people that I left behind here, where they had looked after me and protected me.

It's just not fair.

"Hey, appa," Yoogeun says to Minho, crawling over with one bag. He offers it up to Minho as I watch bitterly, my temper edging into the realm of fury. Minho opens the little bag and I explode.

"Stop it!" I yell, jumping to my feet and slapping the bag away. It skids across the floor and Minho and Yoogeun both widen their eyes in horror.

"Tae, calm down," Minho says slowly.

"Appa, you're scaring me," Yoogeun whimpers, and some part of me hurts for making him shake and quiver like this, but some part of me needs this release. I close my eyes and take a deep, shuddering breath.

"Don't eat that candy," I snarl softly, feeling like a bomb about to explode, because how dare they eat Granny's candy. She'd given it to us out of the goodness of her heart. How dare they eat it? How dare they?

"But why?" Yoogeun asks, and I snap.

"For no reason! For no ing reason at all! Damn it, do you just have to question everything? Maybe there isn't a reason, alright?" I roar. Minho immediately gets up and stands between me and Yoogeun, like he always ing does. Always choosing Yoogeun over me. He's never cared about me. Never.

"Taemin, calm down," he snarls softly. I beat at his chest as Yoogeun starts crying. Damn it, he's always crying. It's so damn annoying!

"I don't want to be calm, and don't think that you're the ing boss of me!" I shriek. Yoogeun crawls into a corner as Minho grabs my shoulders and shakes me, not bothering to be gentle because, hey, it's just me, right? No one important. Not like those girls he's slept with or Onew or anyone else he actually gives a about.

"What's gotten into you?" he demands. I slap him across the face and push him away, because he doesn't really ing love me. Why would he? He can have any girl out there. Why the would he love me?

"No one ing understands me! No one ing cares about me! Face it, if it weren't for Yoogeun's ing crying, you wouldn't give a damn about me! You'd just dump me and look for some to bang!" I scream, the blood pounding in my ears.

He slaps me.

I don't feel the pain at first. Just the softness of his hand turning hard as he strikes me across the face. I feel my head snap to the side, and my view changes from his infuriated face to the flooring, counting the patterns as my brain swirls in my skull.

"Shut up," he hisses, and I hear him walk away, pick up Yoogeun, and walk out of the door. I stay standing, my cheek red hot where he'd hit me and my cheat heaving for a breath that won't ever come.

~

I wake up from a fitfully sleep that I wasn't even aware of falling into. I feel a soft hand on my head, and my eyelids flutter open to see Minho above me in the darkness. He's sitting on my bed, patting down my hair and looking at me with hard eyes. Not gazing, not glaring. Just looking. For a minute, with his face obscured by the shadows, he doesn't even look human. My cheek still stings from where he slapped me.

"How's Yoogeun?" I ask finally, my throat tight and my body quivering.

"He's alright. I calmed him down," Minho says equivocally

"Oh," I say softly, looking down. He doesn't say anything for a long time as he keeps my hair. His motions aren't angry, but they aren't loving either. Finally, he speaks.

"What was all of that about?" he asks coldly. I tense up at the edge in his voice and I don't dare to look up.

"I... I was just mad, and I guess I took it out on you guys. I'm sorry," I whisper. Minho sighs and his hand leaves my head. I look up to see him pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Will you tell me what's really going on, then?" he asks, his voice an angry growl. I reach up to touch his arm, but he shrugs me off, his face growing angrier as the silence drags on.

"I just... I was thinking about how unfair it was that I had to leave Granny and Grandpa behind, and I just... I lost control," I murmur, noticing how stupid it sounds out loud. Minho sighs harshly.

"And that warranted cursing and yelling in front if Yoogeun?" he demands, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I... I'll apologize in the morning," I say softly. Minho nods, but still doesn't look at me.

"Good," he says firmly. I whimper as he continues, "And how could you say that?"

"What?" I ask squeakily. He clenched his jaw.

"How could you say that I don't care about you?" he demands, his voice on the edge of exploding. His whole body is stiff and bristling with fury. I feel tears sting at my eyelids, and I swallow the lump in my throat.

"I-I didn't mean it," I whisper.

"Yes you did," he says sharply. He turns now and glares at me. "Face it, Taemin. You've always seen me as some rich playboy who can't possibly love you and will always chase after the nearest girl."

"I..." I can't completely deny it, and it hurts to know that he knows it too. I shake my head, closing my eyes and feeling so so so horrible for what I said and what I did.

"Forget it," he snarls, starting to get up. He walks to the doorway, and I feel my heart stop beating.

"Wait! Minho!" I call out. He looks over his shoulder with hard, hurt, angry eyes.

"What?" he snaps. I whimper and shrink under my covers at the way that he's so blatantly furious at me.

"Stay," I whisper, and that one word sets him off.

"Why the should I?" he demands, storming over to my bedside and glaring down at me. "It I really don't care, and if I'd really dump you and just find another , then why the should I stay with you now? Why don't I just get up and walk away from you? Answer me, Taemin. Why should I stay?" His voice is quiet, but so mad and so hurt that it would've been better if he'd yelled at me.

"I... I need you, Minho," I whisper. His eyes take on an even more hurt glint than before.

"And do you think that I don't need you too?" he asks, his voice a hiss in the frigid air.

"I... Please don't leave," I beg, and he sighs before crawling into bed with me. His arm wraps around me as his other hand pulls the covers over us. He holds me, but I can feel the anger in every touch as he turns me to face him. He leans our foreheads together.

"Listen up, Tae, and don't you ever forget this," he snarls as he grips my shoulders tightly. "I've never cared for anyone as much as I care for you now. I love you, Lee Taemin."

"I love you too," I whisper, my voice cracking as his eyes close, the muscles tightening on his face.

"How could you ever think that I don't love you? Am I not doing enough to prove that you're different from everyone else?" he asks furiously. I feel the breath catch in my throat as he says that, and I hastily take his face into my hands and his cheek tenderly, desperate to mitigate his pain.

"No, Minho, it's not that," I whisper. "I'm just an idiot, Minho. I'm just so stupid. I love you so much. I won't doubt you, I promise. I love you." I feel tears pool at the corners of my eyes and the pain clench at my heart as his arms pull me to him.

"I love you. I care about you so much it hurts. Taemin, you're my ing world," he whispers into my ear. I nod and hug him tightly, swearing to myself that I'll never hurt him like this again.

"I love you too, Minho. I'm so sorry," I sob into his shoulder. He my hair and kisses my ear and cheek, and in his embrace and in his forgiveness, I finally sleep.

A/N- Sorry for the delay. I'm having problems settling into my SAT class (600+ WORDS A WEEK. THIS WOMAN IS EVIL!) Plus, I'm sort of recovering from being in an emotional rut, but hopefully I'm back for the long haul now! ^^

Anyway, more to come, comments are love!