The ride to the airport was fairly enjoyable, with Taemin constantly craning out his neck for a better look at the city he had left years ago; shouting greetings at incredulous passers-by and Minho swearing intermittently as he swerved and frowned his way through the monstrous traffic that marred their path. It seemed a while before the airport came to view, and when it did, Taemin felt a sudden wave of coldness wash over him. He stared at that desolately white building, with its modern architecture and geometric stiffness. Somehow, he had never liked airports; they always symbolized partition for him, separation from people he loved. And as Taemin glanced at the huge, noisy aeroplanes soaring their ways off to countries unknown, he couldn’t help but frown. It seemed wrong to uproot individuals from the lives they had lived.

           Minho leaned out of the car-window while the soft breeze caressed his brown, long strands of hair in synchronization with music only angels could hear. He plucked out a ticket from the spitting machine and rammed the car successfully into a small lot of a parking space. The two of them walked out together, with Taemin’s eyes trained on Minho’s converse. Somehow, that’s as high as he could compel his eyes to wander.

            A silence, comforting and companionable, accompanied their easy strides. Taemin gazed straight ahead, refusing to even glance at the figure walking beside him with so much apparent nonchalance. While Minho, occasionally stole covert glances at the little being ambling along by his side. The air was stifling; with words unsaid, and caresses untouched. Even so, there was a certain truth, a certain verity in the silence. The two understood the other like none ever had.

“Do you want me to come with you to the counter?” Minho asked slowly, huskily, measuring out each word with a beautiful line of care. The words struck Taemin’s ears in all their beauty and revelling in them, Taemin blissfully replied, “It’s fine, really. I got it. I don’t have much luggage anyway!” A bright, almost radiant smile accompanied the vivacious reply.

Minho smiled almost involuntarily and lightly touched Taemin’s shoulder, “Okay then, I’ll be waiting right here. Come back fast, yes?”

         Taemin nodded and waved a cheery goodbye, walking down the concrete pavement to the little counter where he had entrusted his luggage. Minho stared silently at his retreating silhouette that seemed to glow in the rays of the morning sun. His slender frame swayed ever so gently almost as though he was enjoying a silent dance with the flurried wind that only he could experience. Minho felt a thrill arise in him as he observed that being striding with motions so fluid. He felt a heat envelope the expanse of his body and a sudden emotion that excited him like a caress. There was no use hiding the truth. It was glaring in the light of the morning sun and glistening like a fresh dewdrop. His heart knew it, but his mind smothered it. He was in love with Taemin. And he knew it.

He just wished he could come to terms with him.

He just wished he could accept it.

       Minho felt a little tug on his jeans that interrupted his musings and hastened to turn back. As he did, his eyes fell upon the object causing the interference – a cute little darling dressed in a pretty pink frock and a humongous bow. Minho instantly went down on his knee and keeping his face in level with the girl asked, almost automatically, “Where’s your Mother, sweetheart?”

        A wonderful giggle that trilled through the air met his question. The little girl jumped up and down for a little while before coming to rest on his knee. She stared at him with an impudent little gaze and determinedly, her thumb, said, “Eunnie want piggyback!”

“That’s your name, is it, little rascal?” Minho laughed, “You want a ride, eh? Well, hop on!” And saying so, he placed his lithe, small little frame on his back and stood up gripping her tightly, lest she should fall. A thrilled, excited laughter amply rewarded his efforts and the little girl, threw her head back and forth like a little devil. She bubbled with excitement and screamed with rapturous delight every time he took a step forward. Minho laughed along too, and shared her thrill; something he had hardly done before. He lifted one arm and pulled the little darling’s cheeks before bending down and then rapidly shooting up, giving her the ride of her life. She laughed harder and Minho smiled too. Wider.

            Taemin pulled along on the fairly small suitcase trailing behind him and heaved the heavy bag hung on his shoulders. His eyes anxiously scanned the crowd, searching for Minho. His arm ached from carrying the bag and his eyes hurt from the constant glare of the sun. He dropped his bag down for a moment, regaining his breath when a rapturous little giggle involuntarily made him turn around. The sight that greeted him could hardly have been more astonishing!

             There was Minho, laughing, smiling, joyfully carrying a little girl and giving her the thrill of her life. He seemed almost oblivious to the surroundings as he moved around following the girl’s wishes, making her yell in utmost delight, making her cower with happy fright and making her hug him with all she could. Taemin stared for a few seconds at the scene playing before him, then his lips curled into a smile so rich, it reflected everything he felt about Minho. Watching him there, playing with a little girl, laughing along, having not a care in the world; it made Taemin realise how much he loved Minho. Just how much he did. He gazed in a kind of reverent stupor at the winsome sight before him, his heart melting with every passing second. There was Minho; there was his Minho, finally beneath all the sufferings he had undergone. There he was.

              He rolled his suitcase up to the two of them. Minho greeted him with a smiling eye. “You got everything then?” He asked, swinging the little girl up high.

          Taemin nodded and eying the vivacious little girl, said in a mischievous tone, “Oh, not bad! You can lift that girl up pretty well! But did you know that when we were kids, I was always the one giving you a piggyback ride? You could barely lift me up!” Taemin laughed as he buried himself in his reminiscence. He remembered how vainly Minho would try to hoist Taemin up on his shoulders, while Taemin could give Minho a piggyback ride with perfect ease. He remembered Minho’s angry little face and his own happy one that made peace. Oh, the innocence of childhood!

Minho stopped suddenly and stared deep into Taemin’s brown orbs, “Is that right? I really couldn’t?”

“Nope! And boy, did you get pissed off when you couldn’t!” Taemin smiled.

           “Oh,” Minho frowned. He suddenly bent down and placed the little girl on the ground before nudging her away and saying to her, “Go to your Mother okay? Bye, kid!” And the little girl ran a little away on her plump little legs. Minho turned to Taemin and gazed at him, almost as though taking him in, looking his over, trying to learn his every feature. Taemin squirmed a little beneath a gaze and was about to utter a word, when he saw Minho come towards him with a sudden quickness. Almost instantly, he felt a strong pair of hands grip his legs and suddenly lift him up and hoist him upward. And the next second, there he was, his body pressed to Minho’s back, his arms wrapped around Minho’s torso and his chin safely ensconced in Minho’s shoulder.

“Are you crazy?” Taemin said panting, even as he tried to get over his heart that seemed to beat furiously.

“Not really, I’m making up for those childhood years when you gave me a ride and I didn’t give you one back.” Minho smiled, turning his head a little.

“Oh God, you egotistical ! I don’t want a repayment of my services!” Taemin said, almost comically. Truth be told, he could hardly fathom the words that were leaving his lips, because the reality of the situation had benumbed him. He realised that he was in an embrace so intimate with Minho, that his heart beat against the other’s flesh. He became conscious of his arms that surrounded his love, feeling his sinewy arms, grazing his bare skin. He became aware of a deep red colour mounting up his pale neck and he groaned inwardly. Oh, he loved this feeling, this closeness he shared with Minho. But he hated how he could barely think right whenever Minho was concerned.

“I know you don’t need repayment, Taemin,” Minho said softly, hoisting him up more firmly, gripping his legs with a gentle grasp, touching, through the sneaky rips of his jeans, the smooth, pure skin that covered his lissom frame. “But what can I say?” He continued, “I want to.” The words were uttered musically, huskily; they seemed to float about in the air and echo in Taemin’s ears. He smiled uncertainly and rested his head on Minho’s broad back. Minho felt the sudden pressure and felt his heart leap with wild joy.

         He walked ahead, treasuring the being rested atop his shoulders. Taemin sculpted into Minho’s arched back, almost flawlessly. His arms were just the right length to go right around Minho’s torso, exciting him with their touch. His chin was of the perfect curve to rest peacefully enough in the crook of Minho’s shoulder. Their bodies seemed to be moulded for the other. They fitted each other perfectly, in more ways than one. Taemin pressed gently into Minho’s back, with every meeting of their bare skin evoking a fire in each of their hearts. Their hearts chimed together, as one.

They seemed to merge together as one.

        Minho walked leisurely up to the car, going so far as to even push his suitcase forward with one hand. “Show off,” Taemin had muttered when Minho first proposed to do so and Minho had smiled. They moved ahead, not heeding the incredulous looks directed their way. Taemin had never been one to care for the world’s opinion. And Minho now, seemed no more worried about it than Taemin. Minho strode along, finally stopping before the automobile. He went so far as to extract the keys from his pocket, still holding up Taemin, which earned him a sly pinch from the other. He opened the passenger door and only then did he gently stoop low, relaxing his grip and letting Taemin fluidly step onto the floor.

Taemin laughed suddenly and then nimbly got into the car, hardly believing the intimacy he had just experienced. Minho paused to put the luggage in the compartment, before getting behind the wheel. He turned the key in the engine and said, “I made up for the piggyback rides you lost, didn’t I?”

“Yes you did. Beautifully.” Taemin replied tranquilly. And neither felt the need to utter another word.

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I'm so sorry for taking such a long time to update. I struggled with this chapter really, I wrote it, deleted it, thought like hell, hated airports and finally wrote up something. Umm...Yeah. 

Hugs to the new subbies and I hope you tell me how I'm going! <33