Taemin and Jonghyun were in the owlery, Taemin stared up at the hundreds of owls and hummed to himself quietly while Jonghyun tried his best to track down his family owl, Comme des. "So why are we here?" Taemin came up behind his boyfriend and rested his head on his shoulder, Jonghyun fell back into him but didn't look back "I'm expecting a letter from home" "Didn't you get a letter this morning?" Taemin distinctly remembers Jonghyun's owl dropping an envelope into his lap. Jonghyun shrugged when he answered "mother just told me that I should expect another one later in the day. You don't mind do you?" Taemin took the opportunity to be sarcastic "I really wanted to be in library reading" but Jonghyun had developed quick wit "then you should go read" Taemin pouted and pretended to look hurt "but I don't like reading without you" "you don't like reading in general"

The flapping of an owl arriving caught both of their attention. Jonghyun recognised it as his own and saw a second envelope within its talons, no doubt addressed to him and his twin. Taemin untangled himself from Jonghyun as he saw him hastily whistle for his bird. Jonghyun smiled to himself as he ripped open the letter, they were pictures, a mixture of muggle and magical. They were from Christmas and New Years, two months late but Jonghyun still appreciated the sentiment. He laughed at a particular magical photograph, no doubt from Christmas morning, Jonghyun was waving at the camera while Roo frantically ran around his feet, excited by the scraps of wrapping paper littered on the floor.

The laughter caught Taemin's attention and he was soon behind Jonghyun again, wrapping his arms around Jonghyun's thin waist. He smiled at the sight but his face became stoic when Jonghyun started flicking through the photos and he caught glimpses of the Kim family. He knew how normal families were around the festive season but seeing the abnormal scene made his blood run cold.

The Lee "family" had grand portraits painted every year and they would be hung in the foyer, to show their power, wealth and superior genes but this small muggle photograph in Jonghyun's hands couldn't possibly show that. Taemin and the rest of his family would never smile because smiling showed weakness, it was hard for Taemin to ever smile in parents company anyway; then there was Jonghyun and his family, dressed in ridiculous Christmas jumpers but smiling ear to ear. He looked so happy. Kibum had his arms around him in a brotherly hug and his father (who he assumed was Jonghyun's father) had his hand on his shoulder and then there was a woman who was no doubt Jonghyun's mother.

She was everything Taemin imagined a real mother would look like, kind and soft unlike his own mother. She was lovingly combing her sons hair, all while smiling straight at the camera; a toothy smile identical to Jonghyun's. Taemin couldn't even remember the last time his mother smiled at him if she ever did.

"What's wrong?" Jonghyun spun around and held Taemin's troubled face in his hand. Taemin shook his head and smiled, trying to fool both himself and Jonghyun but his boyfriend wasn't buying it and he frowned; Taemin quickly diverted the attention from himself. "You seem really close to your parents" Jonghyun smiled again and nodded eagerly "I love my family! Who doesn't" That was a blow; It wasn't that Taemin didn't love his family it was the constant reminder that they didn't love him. Jinki was all he had but he couldn't blame Jonghyun for the innocent comment, he wasn't raised in a loveless household and he was glad. Jonghyun wouldn't be Jonghyun if he wasn't raised the way he was.

He leaned into Jonghyun who automatically clung to him, photos in hand. Taemin forced himself to leave the thoughts of his parents and concentrate on the boy in front of him as he connected their lips in a far from chaste kiss.

He knew it wasn't healthy to keep such feelings to himself but that never crossed his mind; he didn't know he was so close to self destruction.

*

Taemin was lost.

He ran and ran but didn't seem to get anywhere.

He looked all around and saw he was in the hedge maze at the Lee manor but it was different, the lush green bushes were made from thorns.

It was the nightmarish version of his childhood safe place.

He was a child again.

He could tell from his short legs and stubby arms.

He heard familiar laughter and rushed towards the sound.

The source of the laughter came from a clearing where a long dining table was.

A couple was seated at the table and Taemin knew they were his parents.

They were laughing amongst themselves and sipped at their champagne flutes ever so often.

He called out to them eagerly but as his voice echoed his parents glared at him as if he was the scum of the earth.

It scared Taemin. He felt even smaller under their gaze.

His mother huffed and threw her glass at him, he shielded himself but the glass disintegrated before it reached him.

His father then got up and held out his hand for his mother.

The two left the table and Taemin desperately tried to follow.

While they elegantly stalked away, the younger Taemin ran in place, not being able to move.

He cried

And screamed

But nothing he did caught their attention.

He finally gave up and collapsed onto the floor and continued to sob.

When he looked up in front of him there were two paths.

One was a path with thorns but the path was lined with bricks of gold.

A couple stood at the end.

The next was the beautiful green he remembered, it was a dirt path.

And he saw a group of people at the end of it. He couldn't see them clearly, as if it was a mirage.

A tall figure. A splash of red and pink. A small blonde boy.

The faint sound of singing rung in his ears.

It was obvious which path he would choose and he made a move to walk towards the green.

To his distress the path began closing in on itself.

The hedges were growing to form a barrier to keep him from his loved ones.

He cried, pleaded and tired to push himself through the solid wall of green.

He screamed as he felt a force pull him towards the other path.

He didn't want to go there

He wanted to choose his own path

Not one he was forced to walk.

He continued to scream and call out for help.

Jinki

Kai

Krystal

Jonghyun

But none of them heard him.

*

Jonghyun woke up in cold sweat. He immediately woke Minho while sobbing about needing to find Taemin. "Jjong? Are you serious? I get that you're scared but it's just a nightmare, I can comfort you, I'm sure he's sleeping" Jonghyun was hysteric and he woke up all his dorm mates. Minho needed Chanyeol's help to get Jonghyun back on his bed. "You don't understand! I need to find him-" Jonghyun was silenced by a vile pressed against his lips.

He made the mistake of letting it get in his mouth and he was immediately calmed. Minho then made sure Jonghyun drank the entire sleeping draught and held his body when he went limp. "I'm sorry guys, it's the insomnia, makes him on edge" Minho apologised but none of the Gryfinndors were bitter about being woken up. They were worried about Jonghyun but Minho assured them he'd be fine in the morning. He tucked Jonghyun into bed and kissed his forehead as he slept. Not knowing that in the dungeons Taemin woke from a night terror.