No one’s POV

Taemin ran into his apartment. Tears pouring profusely down his cheeks. He slammed the door shut. Taemin had the day off from work. Key was there, he didn’t have to go to work until later. He was in the shower getting ready for the day.

Taemin ran all the way to his room and shut his door. He stood there in front of his bed. All his decorations and gifts for Jinki hyung were strewn across his bed. He slumped down beside his bed leaning his head against it, his blanket becoming wet from his tears. He clutched his stomach and fell sideways, sobbing uncontrollably. He started having a panic attack.

Key turned off the shower. He thought he heard something. He peaked his head out of the shower door. “Taemin? Are you home?” He stepped on the little rug, water dripping off of him, soaking into the bathroom rug. He heard a loud cry. “Oh god Taemin!” He snatched his towel off the bar and wrapped it around himself quickly and raced to Taemin’s room.

 “Taemin! Taemin!” Key immediately kneeled on the floor next to him and scooped him up into his arms.

Taemin was breathing heavily. “Stay with me Taemin, don’t black out. What happened?”

Taemin couldn’t talk. He tried to calm down. He took a deep breath but he ended up choking on his sobs. Key hugged him tightly. “shh, baby, shh.” He rocked him back and forth.

Just then Jinki came storming into their apartment, slamming the door open wide. He didn’t bother knocking he was afraid Key would hit him with a broom and keep him from Taemin again, and he wasn’t about to let anything or anyone ever get in his way again!

Jinki burst into his room and saw the distraught Taemin laying in Key’s arms choking on his tears. His eyes went wide.  “Taemin!” He knelt down facing Taemin; he almost hesitated to touch him. Taemin’s eyes closed and his sounds quitted. Jinki turned to Key “What’s happening to him!?”

“What the hell did you do to him Lee Jinki? He hasn’t had a panic attack in awhile.”

“I-I… Get out of my way!” Jinki grabbed Taemin away from Key. He cradled him into his arms. “Taemin, can you hear me?” He his arm and then turned his head to Key and shot him a deathly glare.  “Key don’t just sit there get him some water!”

Key ran out of the room. Jinki felt a strong need for Taemin to be ok so he could confess right here on the spot. Jinki started crying into Taemin’s hair. “It’s not what it looked like. Oh god, please believe me.” His voice was laced with melancholy from unintentionally hurting Taemin.

Taemin hadn’t passed out he only closed his eyes to hide from Jinki, he was embarrassed he saw what he thought he saw and felt like a fool for thinking Jinki loved him in the same way. But when he heard Jinki say those words he opened his eyes slowly. “Then why was she there hyung?” He said weakly. But then was afraid of the answer so he turned his head away. “Sorry it’s none of my business.” His lip quivered, he tried not to cry.

Key came back with a cold class of water and a cold damp wash cloth. He remained silent. He held the items out for Jinki to take when he was ready.

Jinki placed his finger on Taemin’s chin turning him so he could face him. Jinki took the cloth and placed it on Taemin’s forehead. The sad look in Taemin’s eyes pierced his heart, it was painful to see. He patted the cloth down the side of his temple to his cheek, then wiped under his eyes wiping his tears away. Jinki looked up at Key, with a look in his eyes that said, Please get the hell out of here. Key bowed and walked out of the room.

“I don’t know that woman.” He answered now since Key was gone.

Taemin blinked and a tear fell from his eye without his permission. That he didn’t even know this woman hurt even more. “Please Jinki; I want my nerdy gamer Jinki back, not this player you’ve become.” Another tear fell.

Jinki wiped it away softly. “I drank a lot and she got me a taxi cab and we both feel asleep we did not do anything.” He said very softly.

Taemin sighed in relief. Jinki picked up the water and placed it to his lips. Taemin wrapped his hands around the cup his hands were over Jinki’s hand. He looked up into Jinki’s eyes. He could tell he wasn’t lying. He sighed again.

Jinki took the cup away.

“Hyung, I need to tell you something.”

“Taemin, I have something I really have to tell you.”

They stared at each other. Neither went first. Both a bit afraid the other would reject the other. When Jinki went to open his mouth Taemin sat up and scooted out of Jinki’s lap.

“Hyung, before I tell you, please don’t leave.”

“I’ll never leave.”

Taemin took a deep breath preparing to confess.

“I’m sorry I’m such an !” Jinki blurted out before Taemin could say anything and confess. “Taemin, you’re my friend, I mean I care about you, a lot, I care about you a lot. And I can’t live without you. Please don’t ever stop being with me, by my side. I only wanted to impress you. I wanted to be y for you. I was upset that morning when I shoved my games in the closet. I lied. I was not ok. I was so confused but I didn’t want to worry you. I tried to change thinking it’d help, but I got lost.” Jinki started crying, he held his face in his hands.

Taemin smiled and took Jinki’s hands down. “Don’t hide from me Jinki, you can always be yourself around me.” If only he looked up at the moment he would have see Taemin smiling.

Taemin’s kindness made him feel so ashamed of the past month but he did feel comfortable enough because he loved him so he sniffed in his tears and continued. He kept looking down; he felt he couldn’t face him eye to eye just yet. He felt so small all over again. “I wanted to be worthy of you Taemin. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t mean for it to come off as bragging. I am so embarrassed by my behavior. I only pray that you forgive me. I meant to impress you. I thought that I could be...that I could be... Something more… I wanted to show you I could be cool just like you, handsome like you, so I wouldn’t embarrass you. I wanted to be good looking so I could be worthy of you, walk next to you and you’d be proud that I was the one next to you. I wanted to show you I could do this on my own without Key. I didn’t want to be the of anyone’s jokes, I didn’t want to get hurt and in the end I hurt myself and all of you.” He looked up slowly ready to face him. He looked into Taemin’s eyes. “Especially you. I never meant to hurt you Taemin. I’m sorry.” He hugged him and cried into Taemin’s shoulder.

Taemin put his hand on his shoulders and pulled him away so he could look him in the eyes.

“You don’t need to look hot for anyone or for me. I think you are naturally attractive. Always were. I told you this before. But you don’t understand. You are worthy to be with me, you don’t have to dress up to be with me.” Taemin wiped his own tears. “It’d be my honor to walk with you at my side even if you looked dumpy. I want to stay up all night and play games with you and eat junk food. I want to hear you ramble on and on about quests I don’t understand anything about. I want to cook you breakfast I want to be with you forever.”

Jinki wiped his own tear soaked cheeks really fast and hard. Now he was tearing up because he was so happy Taemin was there for him. Jinki was about to confess but Taemin spoke again “If you were lost when you walked in here, well, so was I, and when you leave we will both be found.” Taemin said with determination. “Because I am about to get my answer to my quest.” Taemin knew for sure now that Jinki loved him too. But he wanted to say it first.

“Quest?” Jinki was puzzled.

“Yep.” Taemin smiled at his own usage of the word quest. "15 minutes ago I almost gave up my quest; I thought I had run out of lives. But you came in and I got a 1up.” He smiled again. Taemin stood up before Jinki could respond. Taemin looked at his bed; he picked the card up and sat back down sitting in front of him so close that their crossed legs touched at the knees. Taemin handed it to him. He took a deep breath. This is not how he envisioned his confession but it was now or never. “I love you Lee Jinki. Will you be my butter to my bread, the rice to my soup, the chop to my sticks?”

Jinki felt like a weight lifted off his shoulders. He lunged forward and hugged him. They both started crying all over again. “I love you Taemin!”

“I love you” After a moment of hugging, Taemin wiped at his nose and eyes. He couldn’t stop smiling. “Open the card.”

Jinki opened the heart shaped card that was outlined in glitter with Taemin’s poem written on the inside. “Plumbers are Red, Hedgehogs are blue, Press Start to Join, and be my player Two.” On the other page opposite of the poem, was Taemin’s drawing of Mario and Luigi from Super Mario, playing a video game. Jinki started laughing,

“I don’t know if you can tell but, Mario and Luigi are playing a little Onew and little Taemin inside of their TV, can you see it?” Taemin pointed at the little Onew and little Taemin. “I’m not good at drawing though.”

“Oh my god this is sooooo cute Taemin. Thank you, thank you!! I love you so much I don’t know what to say. I love the card, it’s so me. You understand me. I’m so so sorry, Taemin.”

“Taemin touched the tip of his nose. “Beep” The younger said. “It’s ok, because I just hit your reset button and every time I need you to knock it off with a stupid stuck up jerk moment, pardon my language but I have to get his out, idiotic cool moment then I am just going to poke you in the nose to restart you. You got it? Let me take care of you.” Taemin did it again “Beep. Just have to make sure it works.” He giggled.

Jinki laughed and hugged him. “Thank you Taemin for waiting for me.”

“I love you Jinki.”

Taemin was feeling bold now. “I have a reset button too you know?”

“You do? Where? Show me.” Jinki tickled his side “Is it here? Or is it here” he tickled his belly.

Taemin giggled “No hyung, it’s here.” Taemin had a face of angel; he leaned in slowly and kissed him on the lips. It was a soft closed mouthed kiss, sweet and pure like the both of them.

They both turned 50 shades of pink.

In the background they heard a faint “EEEEEE” high pitched sound.

“What was that sound?” Taemin asked pulling away from their first kiss, still blushing.

“I don’t know.” Jinki crawled to the door and opened it a bit more so he could see down the hall. He saw Key. Key had his arms in the air, doing a happy dance. Obviously Key had been spying and listening in, the entire time as he got dressed for work outside their door. The sound they heard was him squealing with joy, Jinki saw him running towards the living room away from Taemin’s bedroom door, shaking his with excitement.

Jinki and Taemin blushed. Jinki shut the door. They heard Key leave for work.

Jinki sat next to Taemin with their backs against the bed. Taemin cuddled into Jinki’s shoulder and the older hugged him making him closer if that was possible. He rubbed down Taemin's arm.

Jinki chose not to go to work today. The two of them talked about everything that had happened. They sat there for 2 hours talking about everything. Taemin told him about how depressed he had gotten, Jinki told him he was going through the same thing at the same time and how Key hit him with a broom. Taemin laughed at that. “If only we talked that night, we’d be together already for 2days, but everything happens for a reason and you just needed more time.” Taemin told him about the bunny cookie and how funny Key looked with the ears crammed in his mouth. Jinki told him about his shirt and how they all laughed at him the other night. After they were both caught up on everything that had happened and cleared up all their issues. Taemin had an idea.

“Hyung, go get that shirt and wear it today, and pick out one of your shirts for me to wear.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah.”

Jinki smiled and got up and left. Taemin hurried and got the stuff off his bed. They had been on the floor this whole time so Jinki never noticed the things Taemin made for him.

Taemin held all the stuff and went over to Jinki’s. Jinki was in his closet looking for a shirt for Taemin when he entered.

Taemin put his stuff down on the couch. He started decorating his living room like he had planned to do when Jinki went to work, but since he didn’t go to work today, he had to make him stay out of the way a little longer. He heard Jinki coming “Hyung stay in there a moment.”

“Why?”

“Trust me. I’ll tell you when you can come out.”

He had made little signs each with different sayings. The 1^st said “Quest: remember who you are.” He stuck it on his computer. It was shaped like a heart.

He got on his belly and reached under the TV trying to pull his game consoles out from under there, he stuck another sign on it. “Quest: Teach Taemin how to play a game.” That sign had a photo of Taemin on it, The Taemin in the photo was smiling holding a sign that had his user name on it “Onew14”

…He went to the fridge and stuck one on there too. “Quest: Remember to eat and stay healthy.” That sign was shaped like a chicken drumstick.

He walked over to the closet and yanked the big bag of games out. He grabbed one game out and stuck another sign on the box. “Quest: Please play me!” It had a drawing of a sad Mario on it; the Mario had a frown and a tear on his cheek.

He had one more sign that said “Quest: Go to sleep.”It had a drawing of a pillow that had arms and legs, its face had a frown and it was holding a sign that said “I missed you.” He was going to place this on Jinki’s pillow but he was in the room. So he folded it up and stuck it in his pocket.

“Ok, come on out.”

Jinki walked out. “So this is my shirt” He held the ends of it stretching it out so Taemin could see it.

“I like it.”

“And you can wear this one.” He handed him the shirt.

“Can I keep it?”

“Sure.” Jinki smiled.

“Thank you.” He smiled. “Ok now we are going to play a game. I have put little cards all around your house. I made them myself. You have to find them all.”

Jinki smiled and started walking around the house. He spotted the one on his computer right way. He smiled as he collected them all. He returned to Taemin who was waiting for him on the couch. Jinki sat down and read them all one more time. “Remember who you are”

“You have passed that Quest. So you get a kiss.” Taemin kissed his cheek. “But just always remember ok. AND remember I will always love you for your true self.”

“I will, I promise.”

Jinki read another one. “You want me to teach you how to play a game?”

“Yes, any of them. I think we should play together at least once a week and we can wear these shirts.”

“Deal.”

“I have to pick out a cool user name too.”

“We can write down a list of potential names. That could be fun.”

“Yeah.” He laughed. “That does sound cool.”

“God, I love you.” He kissed Taemin’s nose. Jinki couldn’t believe how he had let things get out of hand. But as long as Taemin forgave him he could forgive himself too for hurting Taemin since they had trust and understanding now. A small happy tear of relief dripped from his eye.

“I love you too. Now don’t cry or I’m going to cry again and if we cry to much we’ll get a headache.” He chuckled and wiped his eye that threatened to tear up as well and then wiped Jinki’s tear away with his thumb.

“Thank you for getting my bag out of the closet. We should play that game tonight that had this one on it. You draw really cute, look he is all sad.” He laughed.

“Hey, don’t laugh.” Taemin pouted playfully.

They both started laughing at Taemin’s little drawings.

They sat there for awhile joking and laughing, until Taemin’s tummy grumbled. “Hyung I’m hungry.”

“Well we should eat when we get hungry like the quest says we have to do.” He smiled. “What should I cook us?”

“Oh! I got an idea. I almost forgot. I’ll be right back.”

Taemin left and got his ingredients for the sugar cookies. He changed his shirt to the one Jinki gave him. He raced back over. “Ok, so we are going to have cookies for lunch.” He looked over to his new boyfriend. “Junk food for lunch, but just this once.” He giggled.

“Hey sugar cookies are NOT junk” Jinki laughed. “I like your shirt Tae.” He winked.

“Thank you Onew.” They giggled.

They made cookies together. When they were done Taemin and Jinki ate them in the living room as they watched TV. It was a movie Taemin really liked and Jinki had never seen it before. They snuggled up together and watched it as they ate.

The rest of the day was perfect. They both felt so much better and the happiest they had ever felt in their lives. At one point Jinki his CD player and asked Taemin to dance with him. Taemin loved their first dance as a couple. Taemin felt satisfied Jinki made this up to him too.

.........…

It was 10pm and they were watching TV again and Taemin started to yawn. “Tae, do you need to sleep?”

“No, I’m fine." Taemin started dozing off, his head fell on Jinki’s shoulder.

“Tae, come on sleepy head”

He mumbled and snuggled closer never wanting to let go EVER. “I want to stay here.”

Jinki picked him up and placed him down in his bed. He lay down beside him. He stared at Taemin for a moment as he thought of how to say what he wanted to say. Taemin sleepily pulled the blanket over himself. Taemin smiled and snuggled the blanket under his arm. “Why do you have the world’s softest blankets?” He sighed and smiled as he closed his heavy eyelids.

Jinki smiled. You’re so cute. He thought. He figured he’d just come right out and say what he wanted to say. “Taemin, you don’t need Key as your umma to take care of you. I’m your man let me take care of you for now on. We’ll you move in with me?” he rubbed the side of Taemin’s cheek.

“Taemin opened his eyes. “What?” His voice was soft, almost a whisper.

“If this is sudden after all that has happened, I’ll understand but today was so perfect..I just can’t see myself without you here.” He smiled. His eyes were soft as his smile and filled with hope.

Taemin dug in his pocket and stuck the small sign on Jinki’s forehead. “Good night Jinki.” Taemin rolled over facing away and smirked. “Only if you finish this request 1^st.”

Jinki was confused, was that a yes or a no? He took the sign off his head and read it. “Quest: Go to sleep.”

Taemin rolled over to face him again. Jinki flung himself down onto the pillow and slammed his eyes shut. Taemin started laughing so hard a tear rolled out the corner of his eye. “Achievement unlocked” Taemin said.

“I like when you talk nerdy to me.” He said with his eyes closed because he was “sleeping”

“Hey I’ll take back that Achievement.” Taemin teased.

“Can’t once you have one, it stays in your XBOX profile…”

“Oh lord be quiet, I thought you were “sleeping”” he giggled.

Jinki opened one eye to look at Taemin. “Sorry.” He giggled and shut his eye really quick.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m so happy you’re back.” Taemin kissed his nose. Jinki held him in his arms. Taemin hugged him around this chest. They stayed hugging all night in their peaceful slumber.

Jinki finally felt whole, he was cool, y, and confident. He had friends that really cared about him and the love of his life with him at his side. Taemin had healed all his broken pieces.

That night Jinki had a dream…it was the same one from the other day when the sound of his phone had woken him up. The dream was able to finish this time. If Taemin was awake he would have seen Jinki smile in his sleep when Taemin said “I love you” in the dream.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

1 month later.

 Jinki and Taemin now lived together. Onew had won the gaming tournament with his friend and won the XBOX360 that looked like R2D2. He invited Key and Jonghyun over that night, Taemin made a huge meal to celebrate Jinki’s win.

Jonghyun moved in with Key since Taemin moved out. His mom came over all the time to chat with Key. Jinki even got to know Jonghyun’s parents really well.

Jinki dressed nice but whenever he wanted to “geek it up” he would. He figured out how to have balance between games and a relationship with Taemin and the world. He took Taemin out every Friday night, it became their date night. They dressed up really handsome and they’d take turns picking out the place they wanted to go. Sunday’s they spent with Key and Jonghyun and had a “family dinner” together.

<3<3<3<3<3

It was Friday afternoon. Taemin was at work getting ready to leave when the door opened, the little bell over the door tinkled. Taemin turned towards the door. Jinki walked in and sat at Taemin’s station. “I need a trim, make sure I look pretty. I got a hot date tonight” He smiled.

“Yes, sir.” He giggled.

“Maybe I should take you out instead. You’re pretty cute.” Jinki winked.

Taemin blushed. “I don’t know, my boyfriend would get jealous, and I already have a date tonight.”

“Oh really?” Jinki raised his brow and smirked.

“Yes, with the most fashionable nerd on the planet.” He kissed Jinki on the nose.

“Oh god, get a room!” Key slapped the back of Taemin’s head. “Dorks”

Taemin’s forehead hit Jinki’s forehead. Jinki and Taemin laughed. Key rolled his eyes. “Jinki hyung take him home please. Every Friday he is so giddy, its making me want to puke.” Key ushered them out the door.

Taemin and Jinki held hands and walked out the door.  

“I love you Onew”

“I love you Mushroom”

They lived happily ever after playing the game of life together. (Ok that was cheesy, but I’m just as dorky as OnTae…man, I love my #1 OTP.)

This was a long chapter, from sad to happy to super fluffy to dorky ontae goodness. ...Comments??? Fav parts???

Hope you all liked and enjoyed the entire fic.

Do you like Taemin’s gamer name? I pictured in my head that Jinki made him an account and they picked that name because of Taemin’s big plush mushroom pillow he sleeps with. kekeke.

Thank you Phiiee for picking me to write the rest of this for you. I love you. *hugs*

Thank you readers/subscribers/those of you that commented and even you silent readers that stalk this fic. Thank you, for sticking with me as I finished Gamer To Player for her.  Thank you for supporting her fic. *hugs*