Once again, not really M'ed.  AFF is a now. 

“You are a real ,” Taemin said scathingly as soon as Minho walked through the door.  He had decided to take a longer route home, trying to clear his head after his run in with Onew in the locker room but he ended up more conflicted than ever before.  He couldn’t get the feeling of Onew standing so close to him out of his head.  He couldn’t forget the chills that went down his spine when his soft hands just barely brushed his abdomen.  He couldn’t shake that intoxicating scent that was uniquely Onew from his brain. 

“What?” he said, just a little bit shocked but Taemin’s rudeness as the sudden statement pulling him out of his deep conflicted thoughts. 

“What the hell did you do to hyung?”  Taemin shot back, anger simmering just under the surface, the tension tangible in the air. 

“I didn’t do anything to him,” Minho muttered, not even bothering to pretend like he didn’t know who they were talking about.

“Like hell you didn’t.  He is trying so hard to get close to you and you just keep pushing him away,” Taemin shot back.
 

“He isn’t interested in me anyway,” Minho retorted.

“You believe that?” Taemin questioned, disbelief clear in his tone.

"Minnie do you even understand how popular he is?  He has a different person waiting to say ‘hi’ to him every single day after class, beautiful people, guys and girls.  I'm just this quiet awkward kid that he feels obligated to be nice to," Minho argued, lying through his teeth. He knew how Onew felt about him.  The older by was hardly being subtle at this point.

"You can't honestly be that stupid," Taemin dead panned. "Onew hyung is popular yes, but that doesn't mean you are his charity case.  He likes you, a lot more than you seem to realize.  And he thinks you hate him now because you are being such an .  I have never seen him so depressed; all he will say anymore is how he wants to respect your decision to not talk to him.  You do realize how much you are hurting him don't you?  God, you are so selfish," Taemin exploding, his usually gentle voice loud and obviously angry.

"I'm selfish?" Minho questioned, his own temper flaring up.

"Yes!  You keep spouting about how this is supposed to protect everyone but you are just scared.  It isn't about me, it isn't about Onew hyung; it's about you.  You are so scared of what other people will think you are willing to torture yourself and you are dragging me and Onew hyung down as well.  He honestly thinks you don't like him.  He thinks he isn't good enough for you.  Onew hyung is fragile and you are tearing him apart with your indecisiveness.  He deserves better than that.  He deserves better than you," Taemin's tone harsh and unforgiving, his chest heaving as he screamed in his hyung's face.

"Don't you dare blame this on me!  You knew I didn’t want to date anyone and you knew why.  I have made it clear that I didn't want that.  You are the one who is forcing him on me," Minho shot back, all his repressed anger pouring out from Taemin's jabs.

"Right because going on a date and then not talking to him again is definitely being 'clear,'” Taemin scoffed, his eyes rolling exaggeratedly. 

"That isn't fair and you know it," Minho replied.

"No, what isn't fair is that I have to live with this suffocating guilt that because I got beat up by some s one ing time now it is all my fault that you are playing this righteous martyr role.  I'm the one who has to see Onew hyung cry over you.  I'm the one who has to see that fake smile as he pretends that he is completely unaffected every time you shun him.  Your actions affect all of us you jackass," Taemin yelled, hurt and anger pouring from his words.

Minho’s chest clinched painfully.  The though of Onew cry because of him made his heart ache in the worst way, but he pressed on, "Taemin, it isn't worth it.  You of all people should know that!  Yes, I like him.  Okay!  I said it!  But so what?  I'm not willing to take the risk.  It's just a crush.  I will get over it,” Minho tried to sound detached, dismissive even but his voice just sounded dead even to his out ears.  

"You know what?  You don't deserve someone like hyung.  He isn't some crush; he isn't something temporary.  He is the real deal hyung, and you are letting him pass you by,” Taemin responded simply, his words sounded more sad than angry this time. 

"Well that is my decision," Minho responded with an air of finality.

"You're right.  It is totally your decision to be miserable," Taemin shot back harshly before he visibly softened.  "Look, Onew hyung isn't going to wait forever.  Someday you will realize that sometimes, people are worth that risk.  I just hope you realize it before it is too late,” before Minho could argue Taemin left the room with a noticeable slam of the door, the sound ringing in his ears. 

Minho slid onto the floor, his defensive walls crumbling with Taemin's departure.

He was doing the right thing, right?

Onew was just a crush, right?

The more he questioned himself the more he doubted his reasoning.  Taemin had opened up Pandora's box of doubt in his mind and there was no closing it again.

Could he really be happy after all this?  He had been so driven by his determination to not spend time with Onew that he never quite stopped to think about the outcome.  When he thought about life when Onew was no longer interested, he felt hollow.  Empty.  Lonely.

Before he quite realized what was happening he was out the door, shoelaces slapping against the pavement as he sprinted like his life depended on it.

Awwww see I told you guys it would all be okay!  Minho isn't as dumb as we all thought... well maybe he is but at least he is going to go get himself some now... XD

Sorry this is short and not detailed and unedited.  It had been sitting on my phone forever and a day and then I had an "oh " moment when I realized I needed to get it queued before I left for vaca.  So... yeah.  Sorry.