The night after Taemin took care of me, I felt restless. I was completely better, and I knew I could continue my schedule with no problem, but I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned unable to get comfortable.

Something was missing.

Someone was missing.

Taemin wasn't in my arms.

All I wanted to do is go to his and Jonghyun's room and bring him back with me. I don't think I could sleep any other way.

The faint light of the moon illuminated my room and I just looked up at the ceiling, thinking of Taemin.

He's just down the hall, why don't you just go get him? I think to myself.

I throw the covers away from me and rush out the door. I go to the kitchen and I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and walk back to my room.

What would I even say to him? What would I say to Jonghyun if he woke up? 'Oh, I'm just stealing Taemin because I need him in my arms to sleep. Or on my chest, that's nice too. Basically, I just need him.'

The fact that Tae has a crush on me, maybe even more, has not left my mind. That's part of the reason I can't sleep.

Damn that maknae and the way he makes me feel... 
 

At six thirty in the morning, I wake up to the horrible sound of my alarm clock.

I don't even remember falling asleep, but it was well past four in the morning.

Dance practice at eight. Great.

I force myself out of bed and drag myself to the kitchen. I hope Key has coffee stronger than Onew's love for chicken. 
 

Dance practice was hell for two reasons:

1. My sleep deprived state.

2. Taemin.

Taemin was more of a problem than my sleep deprivation. He looked as tired as I did, but he seemed to put it aside for the dancing.

He moved fluidly, not missing a single beat of the song. While he was paying attention to the beat of the music, I was paying attention to the frantic beat of my heart.

His flushed cheeks and loose clothes, which showed bits of milky skin every so often, were not helping me one bit either. I hardly registered Onew, Jonghyun, and Key were in the same room as us.

After practice, we headed back to the dorm. None of us had anything to do for the rest of the day, and because of the sudden cold weather, none of us really wanted to go anywhere even though it was barely past noon.

During the car ride home Key asked Jonghyun for help practicing some lines for one of his upcoming musicals, and, like always, Jonghyun readily agreed. He seemed to be eager to spend more time with Key, and I couldn't help but smile a little at how happy he looked.

They were so obviously in love with each other, it was almost too painful to watch sometimes. I was positive that one day they'd finally get together. They just had to, it was like they were made for each other.

Even though I wanted them to be together, I sure as hell wouldn't stop teasing them. With Onew asleep and snoring in the front passenger seat, I took the opportunity to annoy Jonghyun and Key without getting scolded.

"You two have been lacking in the JongKey department lately, if you get good at this, maybe you should let the fans see a bit." I chuckle waiting for them to blush and get flustered at my somewhat out of line comment.

"Oh please, do 2min shippers even exist anymore? If anyone needs to step up their game, it's you and Taemin." Jonghyun glares at me, but the blush on his cheeks doesn't lie. Key just laughs, looking completely at ease, unphased by my previous comment.

"Don't worry, Hyung. Minho and I will give fans exactly what they want." Taemin says, meeting my eyes and giggling. My cheeks suddenly feel hot and I look away from him, unable to meet his eyes. 
 

When we got back to the dorm, I went to my room and locked myself in there.

That maknae... He was confusing me. I knew he liked me, but it was still too hard to believe. He spoke about 2min so easily, not flustered at all. It's like he didn't even take us seriously. I get that we were all just joking around, having fun like usual, but why did he have to say it like that? Like it was just fanservice?

How was I being such an idiot?

He had no idea how I felt about him...

I have to make my feelings clear to him, but I don't want an overly dramatic confession. That's not how we are, nothing is sudden... I have to test out the water, see if he's comfortable with me. Not just as a friend or a band mate, but as something more.

I had been in my room a good while when there was a soft nock at the door. I say up on my bed, swinging my legs over the side and telling whoever it was to come in.

Taemin peeked around the door, dark hair falling into his eyes. He really did need to get a haircut soon...

"Hyung, do you wanna watch a movie with me? I made hot chocolate!" He said happily, then grumbling, "The other hyungs don't want to do anything." He pouted a little and said, "Jonghyun and Key umma are in my room already practicing lines, and Onew hyung is taking a nap in his."

Perfect.

Exactly what I needed.

Time to test the water, I thought, getting up and walking around the spare bed in my room towards the door of my room.

"Sure, Minnie! What movie?" 
 

Tae sipped his hot chocolate happily, watching the gore filled screen of the T.V. It was another one of those horror movies he liked. Full of dismembered limbs and blood. I couldn't even force myself to take a sip from my mug. The sweet smell and the fluffy marshmallows in the mug did not seen too appetizing to my nauseated stomach.

How the hell am I supposed to do anything with that horrid movie playing? I thought as a splatter of blood made it's way across the television screen.

"How can you watch this so calmly, Tae?" I said cringing away from the screen. This movie was ridiculously long, two hours, two very long hours, I had sat on the couch with the maknae not knowing what to do with myself.

"I dunno, the effects are kind of funny, so it just doesn't seem too realistic." he said, taking another sip from his now almost empty mug.

I had watched movies like this with Taemin, I never minded them much, but today I have a purpose, a purpose that can't be fulfilled while watching a never ending horror movie!

Taemin had obviously noticed how uncomfortable I was, and he shut of of the T.V. I was waiting for the chance, but now that it was presented, I was nervous. I could feel my palms get sweaty and I shifted in my seat, trying to avoid looking at Tae.

"Are you alright, Hyung? You seem a little pale... I'm sorry about the movie, really. I should have asked you first..." Tae said, a little dejected.

"No, Minnie, it's not that. I've just been a little tense lately, that's it." I sighed, getting up. The plan would have to wait, nothing seemed like it was going to happen today.

"Hold on, Hyung," he said, grabbing onto my hand, "come here a minute."

I let myself be guided back down to my previous spot on the couch by Taemin's hands. I was powerless to those hands, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere if he kept his hands on me.

"Minnie?" I asked, and he just smiled to himself. There was a glint of something in his eyes: clear, bright, mischievous.

"Turn around, Hyung." I looked at him in surprise, wondering what he was up to. When I didn't follow his orders, he pushed my shoulders until my back was facing him.

I shivered when he placed his hands on my shoulders despite his heat. He started kneading the muscles in my back and, with everything I had, I fought the urge to moan when he reached a particularly sore spot in the middle of my back.

What the hell is he doing to me?

I couldn't think straight anymore, I let out contented sigh as he moved his hands up and down my back. My thoughts were a jumbled mess and they didn't get any better as Taemin pressed his fingers into my lower back.

Does he even know what he is doing to me?

In a moment of confused weakness, his name came out like a breath from my lips.

"Taemin..."

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" He said, undeniable smug tone in his voice.

That evil maknae! He knows exactly what he's doing to me!

"No, no, Taemin-ah! It felt good, you hit a sore spot!" I say, turning around to smile at him.

Two can play at this game.

"How about you, Tae, are you sore? Do you want me to give you a back rub too?" I say, watching him as his cheeks turn pink. I stand up and sit back down so that my leg is under me and my whole body is facing him.

"No! I- I mean- I'm fine, Hyung. No need." he mumbles softly obviously flustered, all the confidence he had gone.

"C'mon, Taeminnie!" I grab his shoulders and move him so his back is facing me, just as he did to me.

Payback, Minnie.

He still mumbles protests as I move my fingers on his shoulders, but he quiets down as I work my way down to his lower back. He sighs and leans back slightly into my arms, what seems like an unconscious action.

With that simple ation, he didn't leave much space between my chest and his back. Sliding my hands around his waist and wrapping them around his torso, I place my chin on his shoulder.

"Minnie? Why are you so quiet?" I mumbled into his ear, hoping for a nervous reaction.

I was slightly upset when I realized he had fallen asleep. I wanted to make him squirm and say my name like I had said his.

I thought about the plan, realizing it was going perfectly, but with a sleeping Taemin, there wasn't much I could do. I was a little tired too and I wanted to catch up on my sleep.

I thought about going back to my room, but I was comfortable on the couch.

How could I not be?

Taemin was in my arms.

Thinking of how awkward it would be if anyone strolled into the living room and saw us all cuddled up with each other, I unwrapped my arms from the sleeping maknae. I was going to slide out from my spot carefully and lay him against the high armrest of the couch.

As I made the move to leave, unwrapping my arms from his waist, the sleeping Taemin didn't seem to like it. He shifted in his sleep and pressed his back fully on my chest, forcing me to fall back into the armrest.

Was he a mind reader? He had me exactly where I wanted him.

Even in his sleep he liked to torture me.

I was so very tempted to wrap my arms around him and pull him even closer, and there want much else I could do, so I gave in.

I wrapped my arms around him once again, feeling greedy. I moved my already cramped up right leg so it was between Taemin and the couch, my left leg hanging off the side of the couch on the other side of him.

Those simple movements were so exhausting when trying not to wake him up. I felt surprisingly comfortable, eyes already sliding shut. My heart fluttered when he slid himself up on me slightly so that his head rested on my chest, near my left shoulder.

"Minho," he mumbled in his sleep, snuggling closer to me.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my rapid heart beat, which turned out to be a huge mistake.

I breathed in his scent, making me light headed, until I was unable to keep my eyes open.

The last thing I remember before my eyes shut and unconsciousness took over was the smell of Taemin, chocolate, and marshmallows.