Taemin splashed water on his flushed face. The steam from the shower had made him feel refreshed and… okay, he had to admit it. He felt damn y. Even he couldn’t deny that his skin was seriously smooth and white right now.His brown hair was half wet , half dry and it created a tousled look that screamed . His body had never had an ounce of fat on it originally, and he had grown out of his awkwardly skinny stage to one that showed off his toned and lean muscles that was a result of hours of dancing.

Once again, he had to thank the God of dance for his body amongst other things.

He looked at himself at the mirror, the water dripping off his face, trailing down his neck and down his chest, panting from the steam, wearing only a towel as he leaned over the sink. He quirked up a side of his mouth.

Should he walk out like this?

For all his self praising thoughts, he still felt a bit shy. Minho sometimes walked around with a shirt off, and Key always scolded him for it. He had never been the sort of guy who casually took his shirt off even when it was really hot.

Maybe today was the day?

Taylor Swift blasted suddenly in the bathroom and Taemin quickly rushed to where he had tossed his jeans, digging in the pockets.

“Yo-yobosaeyo?” he said, feeling awkward when he saw his mother’s name and banished all his dirty thoughts about himself.

“How is my Minnie??” sang her voice over the receiver.

“Good,” he sang back. He couldn’t help being such an umma’s boy.

“Taemin, I totally forgot that you called me the other day until now. Key answered your phone the last time I called.”

“Really?” said Taemin, interested. “What did he say?”

“Oh, he just said he couldn’t help taking care of you. That boy can’t resist you, honey!”

“Really, now,” Taemin smirked.

“Anyway, how are you? Did you want to talk to me about something?”

“Ani,” said Taemin. “I just felt like calling the other day. I was feeling a bit down, but I’m okay now.”

“Aw, honey, you were upset?” said his mother, sounding concerned. “I knew I should have kept talking to you. I felt so uncomfortable after your call, like something was wrong. I was so worried for some reason! What were you upset about?”

“It was.. it was nothing really. I was just feeling.. ignored,” confessed Taemin, grimacing at the memory of that day.

“Lee Taemin, if someone ignores you and you feel upset about it, make them see you okay? Even if it means waving it in front of their faces. Some people are blind until you force them to see what you want to see. “

“Yes umma,” he said obediently. “Look, I have to go now.”

“Alright, I’ll let you go. Saranghae my Taemin!”

“Saranghaeyo umma,” he said back, smiling as he ended the call.

He pushed his hair back with his hand, and he made a y face into the mirror and laughed at what he had just done.

“Key,  there’s no way you can’t unsee this!” he said out loud.

He strolled to the kitchen, where he heard the rest of the members chattering.

y y y he chanted to himself as he walked toward the room.

Onew was sitting on the dining table eating cereal as he read the newspaper.

“Did you know Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are getting a divorce?” he said to no one in particular.

“Really hyung?”

“Yeah, it says here-“ Onew looked up at the voice who answered him and choked when he saw who it was.

Taemin stood there, all smooth milky skin. He looked like he had just come out of the shower, with only a towel hanging haphazardly off his skinny hips. And Onew could not stop staring at Taemin’s chest, how smooth and flat it was and noted that it actually looked dry. He followed a drip of water that started from the centre of Taemin’s chest that slowly ran toward Taemin’s bellybutton and down that v-line and into that towel…

Onew snapped his head up, coughing again and turning bright red. Oh my god I’m checking out Taemin I’m checking out Taemin.

He glanced at Key who had his mouth comically hanging open, and it looked like he was riveted by the sight of a half- Taemin too.

Minho, who had had his head down on the table, still groggy from sleep was wide awake now, looking like a spellbound schoolboy as he had a view of what Onew would imagine was Taemin’s smooth, unblemished back and maybe since Taemin’s towel looked loose, maybe a little hint of Taemin’s… oh my god Onew had to stop now.

He didn’t realise that the room had gotten silent until Jonghyun broke the silence.

“Wow Taemin, you’ve got a really good body,” Jonghyun said, looking like he was going to start drooling.

“Thanks, hyung,” Taemin said, smiling widely.

“No, Taemin, your body is seriously y now. I understand you Key, I finally understand you now. Wow. Wow,” he repeated, shaking his head.

“Um, are you feeling better now Taemin?” said Minho, who to his credit was looking straight into Taemin’s eyes. Onew didn’t know how he did it.

“Um, sort of,” he said. “I was wondering whether I could have breakfast with you guys.”

“Of course,” said Jonghyun. “You don’t even need to ask! I’m glad you’re becoming your old self again.”

Taemin gave a huge smile at that comment and looked over at Onew.

“Onew-hyung, are you okay? What are you looking at?” asked Taemin with a concerned expression.

“s,” blurted out Onew.

An awkward silence descended into the room and Onew wanted to shoot himself. He was bright red and started coughing again.

“Oh dear hyung,” sighed Jonghyun as Key’s face started to darken.

Key grabbed Taemin’s hand roughly and pulled him into the kitchen after him as Taemin’s smile increased in wattage. Onew would have felt bad for looking at Taemin’s if Jonghyun and Minho’s eyes weren’t concentrated there too.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” hissed Key. When he had seen Taemin this morning it was like all the blood had rushed… down there. But he had started getting pissed off when he saw that Jonghyun, Minho and even Onew of all people were staring hungrily at Taemin like a piece of meat.

He was startled when Taemin grabbed his arms.

“My shower was too hot, so I’m just trying to cool down,” Taemin said in a deep voice, looking right into Key’s eyes. Key had never thought Taemin had gotten this tall until he realised that Taemin needed to tilt his head down to look back at him. He could smell the fresh, warm scent of a shower and that deodorant Taemin used rising from Taemin’s skin.

“See? Feel.”

Key was jolted out his thoughts when Taemin’s hands softly but firmly gripped his and bought them to his chest, forcing him to trail his hands down his chest and sides.

Taemin’s skin was impossibly soft but firm, and true to Taemin’s word, hot and still slightly damp.

Taemin rested Key’s hands on his own waist as he leaned forward until their lips were nearly touching.

“Taemin, what the ?” blubbered Key as he pulled his hands away.

He grimaced as Taemin wrapped his arms around him and pressed that skinny frame into his body.

“I just felt like being close to you,” said Taemin, closing his eyes and burying his head into Key.

Key’s heart was pounding as he prayed. Please don’t let him notice, please don’t let him notice.

“Put..put some clothes on, please.” Key managed to say.

Taemin chuckled and Key could feel it vibrating through his body. He hadn’t been so close to Taemin like this in forever and that soft skin forcibly crushed to his, that scent and just Taemin..

“Fine,” Taemin said, breaking apart from Key.

Key had to fight the urge to reach out and pull Taemin back to him and feel that heat again and trail his hands down that smooth skin once more.

Taemin turned around to leave but twisted his head back and winked at Key. “I don’t want to get you too excited before breakfast and the other hyungs noticing. Maybe you can pass it off as morning wood.”

Key was mortified. So Taemin had noticed! He was mentally punching himself up as Taemin left.

Taemin ran to his room to change his clothes, giddy and embarrassed at what had happened. Key had definitely been by what he had done- that hard hot object against his thigh was no joke. But since when had he winked? Taemin couldn’t believe how brave he was. He rummaged around in his wardrobe until he found his ultra skinny jeans that he had not worn because they were too tight and he had been too shy to wear them, and a fitted singlet with a lowest cut neck he owned.

It had only just begun!

Taemin sat at the table, and although he had clothes on, it was only a slight improvement. Onew still couldn’t look Taemin in the eye after what he had said, but Jonghyun and Minho openly joked with Taemin and stole unconscious glances down Taemin’s shirt as Key sat there with a sour expression on his face.

Taemin looked like he was struggling with his chopsticks.

“Want me to get you a spoon?” asked Jonghyun.

“No,” responded Taemin crossly.

They all mentally sighed. Taemin hated being seen as a baby, particularly in front of them.

“Taemin, just use a spoon. You’ll eat quicker, and you need all the strength you can get,” said Key in what Onew recognised as his bossy voice.

“I can use chopsticks!” said Taemin, looking offended.

Just when he said that, his fingers fumbled and the chopsticks tumbled onto the floor.

They expected Taemin to be upset, so they all got ready to console him. After all, he was still weak from his ordeal.

Instead, Taemin looked put off for only a second before brightening up with an evil glint in his eye and standing up. “Sorry,” he announced happily.

He turned around and bent. Four eyes zero-ed in onto Taemin’s . Key had been right opposite Taemin and obviously had the best view. Onew wondered for a moment if Taemin had planned it because Taemin had dove for his seat once Key had sat down. But only for a moment, because he was too busy looking at Taemin’s again. He could see a sliver of the red waistband of Taemin’s Bond’s briefs that peeked out.

The moment disappeared when Taemin popped up again and sat down. They all pretended they were looking at random objects while Key glared at Taemin.

“I have the same underwear,” Onew said before wishing he could have stuffed the words back into his mouth. He had wanted to break the bad atmosphere and that had been the first thing that had popped into his mind.

He wanted to sink into the ground now.

“Cool hyung,” said Taemin awkwardly while Key aimed his glare at Onew.

They all resumed eating but it was obvious that for all his bravado, Taemin was still struggling to use his chopsticks. They had all nearly finished their bowls of rice, while Taemin hadn’t eaten his way through a third and he was looking tired and frustrated. Minho wordlessly slid Taemin a spoon and Taemin picked it up like it was a snake.

Onew didn’t know whether to wait for Taemin to finish or to get up because he obviously had, and he could see the other members hesitating with the same dilemma.

Taemin obviously noticed and threw his spoon down onto the table.

“You can just leave you know,” he said angrily, not looking at them.

“It’s okay Taemin-“ started Minho before Taemin interrupted.

“Please hyung, you think I’m comfortable with you all sitting here and watching me eat when you have finished?” said Taemin tensely.

They all sat in a silence.

“Key hyung,” said Taemin sadly, his soft voice making it sound sweet. “Hyung, please.. help me.”

Key got up immediately and Onew knew Taemin had taken advantage of Key’s caring side. Even he was getting pangs of paternity.

Jonghyun, Minho and Onew got up and made their way to the couch, feeling like they were intruding as Key pulled his chair up to Taemin and Taemin looked distraught and about to cry. Onew wanted to give Taemin a big hug when he saw that, but Key had beaten him to it, making little reassuring sounds. Key was an absolute pro at this.

“I guess Key’s given up on avoiding him anymore,” said Jonghyun as they watched Key feed Taemin like a baby bird.

“Key-umma’s back,” sighed Minho.

That touching moment did not last for long. Minho had tried not to be uncomfortable but it was impossible as the day wore on. Taemin was forever dropping stuff conveniently in front of Key and everyone had already figured why when Taemin decided it was a good time to hunt for things under the couch.

Taemin was also always trying to press against Key too. In unnecessary moments as well. When Minho had been sitting with Key watching TV, Taemin had wedged himself in between them.

“Key-umma!” said Taemin cutely, using the nickname that Taemin had not uttered for several years.

Now Taemin was trying to worm his way into Key’s lap.

But what disgusted Minho the most was that Key was responding in his umma mode that was just plain wrong for two teenage boys. He definitely preferred it when Key and Taemin had been a couple and had just always seemed to be at each other’s side. This was sickening.

“Aigoo my son,” cooed Key back as he pulled Taemin into his lap which made Minho want to throw up.

Key knew his umma mode was on and oddly, it felt natural. He couldn’t keep his hands off Taemin and this was just a good excuse to touch him. It’s not wrong, Taemin needs comfort and now I can touch him. A little bit of him wondered if he was leading Taemin on.

He glanced at Taemin’s face, which looked tired. No. He just wants to be taken care of.

“Do you want to have a rest?” he asked.

Taemin nodded, his eyes fluttering as he tried to keep them open.

Key held him tighter and felt Taemin nestle into his neck.

“My poor baby,” he whispered into Taemin’s hair.

Minho got up from beside him, looking strangely ill.

He heard the click of Minho’s door and yelped when he felt little teeth bite into his shoulder gently.

“Did you just bite me?” asked Key, shocked as Taemin looked up at him smugly.

“Yup,” he said, smiling deviously.

“I thought you were tired!” he accused, as Taemin continued to smirk and rested his head on Key’s shoulder and stretched out his legs in Minho’s absence.

“I was waiting for Minho to leave,” he said leisurely, and Key cursed his inability to not being able to see through people’s acting. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Well spit it out,” said Key, slightly angry that he had been tricked.

He gulped when a hand started to his chest through his shirt.

“Taemin, what are you doing?” asked Key and was stunned when Taemin threw him down on the couch and hovered over him, his brown eyes travelling over him. Key had to bite back a moan when Taemin started to kiss his neck, nipping softly at his jawbone,

“What do you think you’re doing? You promised no more of this!” Key said, catching Taemin’s wrists.

Taemin stopped and looked at Key. Key could see his reflection in his pupils.

“I have found a solution,” he announced. “Since I know you’re , and I want someone to snuggle too, I have decided that we should be friends.”

“Friends don’t do this-“ Key interrupted.

“With benefits.”

Key was shocked.

“You’re not serious, Tae.”

“I am.”

“Taemin, those only work when the people involved have no romantic feelings for each other.”

“So you still love me then?” asked Taemin, eyes probing.

Key didn’t know what to say.

 “Taemin…”

“What?”

“I can’t do this.”

“Why not?” retorted Taemin. “You are obviously still attracted to me anyway. And I’m sick of being an inexperienced fumbling boy. And I still trust you. Who else can I practise on?”

Key stiffened. He had not thought about that. The thought of Taemin experimenting with some ugly boy who would probably not look after Taemin made his skin crawl. And if he was talking about other guys it meant that he was thinking about moving on. Jealousy reared in Key.

“….okay.”

“Okay?” Taemin sounded surprised.

“Okay.”

Taemin smiled and kissed Key deeply.

Key couldn’t help but respond and groaned as Taemin kissed his way down his neck to the skin there as well.

“Just a little mark to show that you’re mine,” whispered Taemin harshly, the words that Key himself had said to Taemin countless times after giving him hickeys.

Someone was walking into the living room and they bolted upright, Taemin burying his head into Key’s shoulder again and relaxed his body so it looked like he was sleeping.

“Is he out?” asked Jonghyun.

“Um… yeah,” stuttered Key, who had never been good at lying.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Key could feel Taemin sigh against his shoulder and had to stop himself from smiling because he knew that he was thinking about how long he would have to pretend to be asleep.

“When I said you weren’t good for Taemin…” Jonghyun began.

Key frowned and his heart throbbed. He didn’t want to hear another lecture again.

“I was wrong. Key, you are the only one who he wants. I really do think you make him the happiest. He obviously loves being around you.”

Jonghyun sighed.

“And it’s obvious that you only have eyes for him. I really do think you two should be together again. You love him.”

Key digested this.

“I don’t love him like that,” he said angrily. “You were the one who made me realise this. I’m so damn guilty Jonghyun. It’s my fault. Him getting upset and going to the ing river was my doing. I can’t even look him in the eye when I remember that. If I loved him properly I wouldn’t put him in such danger.”

“I’m sorry Key for making you think that way, but I was wrong.. and what you are saying doesn’t make sense. You still love him Key, why else would you still be holding onto him now? You love him. And he’s been trying to seduce you all day. He wants you back Key.”

Key shook his head, feeling tears forming. “But I don’t want to go back Jonghyun hyung. I don’t want to do that relationship again. I couldn’t save him and it makes me so guilty!”

Key felt like the worst person on earth when Taemin shuffled in his arms, obviously having heard.

Jonghyun sighed. “Do whatever you think is right. I’m not going to poke my nose into your relationship anymore. I’m sorry.” He got up and patted Key’s back and ruffled Taemin’s hair and shuffled away.

Key bought his hand up quickly to wipe away some tears that had escaped but hit Taemin by accident.

“Ow!” yelped Taemin before he burst into tears.

“Sorry… I’m sorry, does it hurt?” he said, hugging Taemin as Taemin cried and rocking them both, apologising repeatedly. They both knew that Key wasn’t apologising because he had hit Taemin accidentally, and Taemin wasn’t crying because of that- in truth, they knew that Key had only bumped Taemin lightly and it couldn’t hurt that much.  They both knew Key had just hurt Taemin’s feelings horribly. But they pretended that they didn’t.

A/N Ahhh, even I have to admit myself that this chapter is like a roller coaster ride! I really like twisting the plot, don’t I?

Originally, I wanted the next chapter to be with this one but I thought it was too long to be one chapter.

And Onew Sangtae! I'm sorry for the self praise but I love how i made him say s. I am hilarious. I crack myself up! I don't care if you didn't find it funny, for me it was the best thing I've written in the whole story hahaha! s! ahahaha!

:) Please comment and tell me what you thought of this chapter! :)