It was a wild atmosphere at the Music Bank where SHINee was performing in only moments.  There was loud music playing and lots of flashing lights.  It would have been such a fun atmosphere for SHINee if not for one thing: Taemin being sick.

SHINee’s dance-machine maknae hadn’t been feeling all that well for a couple of days and having to perform today was not helping at all.  His head throbbed with each pulse of music and the flashing lights made his eyes hurt.  Taemin’s hyungs were well aware that their maknae wasn’t feeling well and had tried everything they could to get out of performing but in the end nothing had worked. 

Taemin stood close to the stage entrance and watched the current act while his hyungs stood a few feet behind him, observing their obviously sick maknae.

It was obvious to tell when Taemin wasn’t feeling well: he didn’t smile as much as usual, and when he did smile it was obviously forced, his dancing would be off and he got quite pale as well.

Key was in full-on Umma mode in worry over his “son”.  “He looks so pale!  What if he faints during the song?!  Oh, I never should have let him come!”

Onew, being the ever-calm leader, was trying to reassure the diva but was also very worried about their Taemin.  “Key, relax.  He’s a strong kid but we’ve all just got to keep an eye on him, you know how he tends to overwork himself.”

Jonghyun and Minho nodded in agreement, remembering the many times that Taemin had danced himself to the point of exhaustion during practice and had barely been able to move the next day.

Jonghyun decided to go to the maknae, whom was staring off into space by the stage entrance, and talk to him for a bit and see how he was feeling.

“Hey Taemin-ah!  How’re you feeling?”  He slung his arm around the maknae with a puppy-like enthusiasm and forced a grin, trying to hide his concern upon feeling the heat coming off of Taemin’s small body.

“Hyung I’m fine, I promise.”  Taemin smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes and he wormed his way out from under Jonghyun’s arm.

Jonghyun didn’t let it go though and followed Taemin as he turned away, noting how pale the maknae was and that his cheeks had started to become dark pink from the fever.

“Aish!  Taemin you’re really too sick to be here!  Maybe we should take you home?”

Taemin’s dark eyes grew wide in panic and he desperately clutched at his hyung’s arm. “Please don’t, Jonghyun-hyung!  Manager-hyung will be so mad and I don’t want to disappoint our fans and-” 

Due to his outburst Taemin started coughing harshly and clutched at his chest trying to quell the coughing fit to no avail.

A large hand was suddenly running up and down his back soothingly and for a moment Taemin thought it was Key-umma but when he finally managed a glance behind him it turned out to be Minho-hyung who was rubbing his back.

His large, dark eyes were full of concern but his face was calm and reassuring which helped to ease the maknae a little bit.  Taemin found himself automatically leaning into Minho who wrapped his arms around the sick maknae gently, never stopping his soothing motions.

“Thanks Minho-hyung.”  The maknae’s words were muffled slightly by Minho’s sweater but Minho could still hear him and smiled when he heard the quiet words.  Taemin was small and warm in his arms and Minho couldn’t resist resting his chin on top of the maknae’s soft black hair.

“Taemin-ah, just take it easy okay?  Don’t overdo it during the performance and if you can’t sing or dance anymore just tell me.  It doesn’t matter about Manager-hyung; if you’re too sick to continue then we’re leaving.”  Taemin could only nod at his hyung, enjoying the warmth of Minho’s arms too much to do anything else.

The rest of the members had come over when Taemin started coughing and stood around the maknae protectively.  Key-umma gently turned the maknae’s face from Minho’s shoulder and felt his forehead.

“You’re so warm, Tae-baby.  Are you sure you want to go on?  No one will be mad if you’re too sick to perform, I promise.”

Taemin snuggled a little more into Minho and leaned his face into Key’s comforting hands, feeling very loved and safe at the moment.  “It’s alright, Umma.  I’ll be fine; I just wanna get this over with and go home.”  He let out a few soft coughs but gave a small smile right after to not worry the members.

Even though they weren’t convinced, the hyungs nodded reluctantly and all of them patted the maknae’s head gently, ruffling his black hair.  Minho let go of Taemin slowly and the maknae unconsciously whimpered at the loss of the rapper’s arms around him.

“You okay, Taemin-ah?”  The worried look was back in Minho’s eyes.  Taemin blushed, embarrassed that Minho had heard him.  He had just been so comfortable in Minho’s arms and he wanted to stay in them for just a little bit longer.

Taemin really liked Minho.  Minho was tall and had lean muscles with a killer smile to boot and Taemin couldn’t deny that his hyung was very attractive.  Since SHINee had been formed Taemin had always been close with Minho and Minho had taken great care in looking after Taemin.  Besides Key-umma, Minho was the one Taemin spent most of time with.

When the members were doing things together Minho would often sit at the sidelines and watch because he didn’t really know how to join in on the fun.  Taemin would always be the one to notice and would sit with Minho and they would have fun and talk together.  It was in those conversations that Taemin learned about Minho’s likes and dislikes and discovered how much Minho truly cared for all the members and himself.  He could see that underneath Minho’s cool, silent side there was a caring and warm person who looked after the people he cared about.  Before he knew it Taemin had developed something of a crush on Minho.

“Yeah I’m fine, Minho-hyung.  Ah!  It’s our turn, we’d better get on stage.”

During the entire performance of “A.Mi.Go” Minho, Onew, Key and Jonghyun constantly kept casting worried glances at their maknae.  He was growing more and more pale as the song went on and his dancing was very sluggish.  He could barely sing and the hyungs often jumped in on his parts to cover for him, for which Taemin was very thankful.

The worst part was that he had a dance solo which had a lot of popping; it made his already aching body burn with pain as he forced his way through the dance.

Blissfully the song ended soon after and they made quick bows before leaving the stage.

Once they were out of the view of the fans the members converged on their Taemin.  He was white as a sheet, some of his dark hair clung to his face from sweat and he was visibly swaying.  Minho and Jonghyun both rushed to grab an arm and held up the maknae as Key gently smoothed his hair back and felt his overly hot forehead.

“That’s it; you’re burning up Tae-baby.  We’re going home right now.”

Onew mumbled something about telling Manager-hyung they were leaving and rushed away quickly. 

Jonghyun and Minho were trying hard to keep Taemin from falling as the maknae was very dizzy.  Minho huffed and just scooped Taemin up in his arms and held him against his chest.

“H-hyung?!”  The maknae opened his glazed brown eyes and stared up at Minho in shock.

“Shh Taeminnie, everything’s alright.  We’re going home now.”

Onew appeared at Key’s side and checked to make sure all his dongsaengs were accounted for before announcing that the car was ready to go and that they could leave.  The group quickly made their way to their car and Jonghyun, Onew and Key piled in first with Minho handing Taemin to Key and then getting in himself.

Taemin was flushed and whimpering and Key whispered soothingly to his Tae-baby to quiet him.  Onew gently patted the sick maknae’s head, frowning immediately at the heat he felt there.

“Let’s get him home.” 

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This will be a multi-chapter fic.  It'll have atleast 2 chapters but I may make it longer.