Taemin's face was hot as he poured the hot water into two cups filled with tea leaves. To say he was nervous was an understatement but he had invited Minho over and he couldn’t just back out of it now and tell him to go home. Minho’s house was in the other direction anyway.

He placed the tea on the platter along with a few munchies, and schooled his face. He felt a feeling of resolution that he hadn’t felt in a long time. As if tonight was the night…for anything.

He sighed walking up the steps before entering into his bedroom. Minho stood with his broad back facing him staring at the books shelved on his wall. Taemin stared at the muscles that were hidden under the black fitting long sleeved shirt. He had a composed solid stature and planted footing. Minho’s black hair was now brushing past his ears, which appeared like the only soft thing about him.

Taemin swallowed before smiling, “I got us some tea, hyung.”

Minho turned around, “You didn’t have to make any. I’m not much of a tea drinker.”

Minho watched as Taemin’s face deflated. But Taemin was fast to hide it for he smiled, “Right.” Taemin settled with placing it on his desk.

Minho looked about his room, noticing that it was of average space. There was a white desk in the corner, near the window, a bed just good enough to fit a person and a half and a closet door near his bedroom door. There was hardwood floor cool under his socked feet. White walls on all four sides save for a small painting hung of a landscape dated from the seventies.

“So this is your room.”

Taemin nodded, now standing in the middle of his bedroom, “It’s nothing special. Did you expect something?”

Minho mused, now noticing a glass of water sitting on the window sill, “I expected more paintings.”

Taemin chuckled, “Out of respect of my grandmother I left them at school. She didn’t want the place of study and rest to be consumed by my imagination. All of my finished works are in the basement though.”

Minho picked up the glass of water and turned to him, eyes dark, “Now that you have me here. What do you want?”

Taemin had seen this before. Perhaps in a dream. A place somewhere distant, the walls so very far apart, the room dark but cold. But the question hung high in the air and Taemin instantly thought of all the things that could happen in a bedroom.

His face reddened. Betraying him.

“I-I wanted to talk about the book.” He went for his book bag pulling out the worn hardcover book that never left  his side these days. He presented it, “I wanted to talk to you about this from the very beginning.”

Minho eyes were wary, even a frown knitted his eyebrows together, “And why is that?”

Taemin sighed looking defeated, “Because I try to talk to Key-hyung about it but says he’s not interested. Something like,” Taemin scrunched up his face to mimic Key’s, “’What was in the past should stay in the past. Even if it is just a load of fairytale nonsense, Taeminnie.’”

Minho blinked before he roared with laughter. He placed the water on the night stand next to Taemin’s bed before sitting down on the floor. “Well, you’ve got the impression right.” There were tears in his eyes.

Taemin joined him facing Minho, still holding the book. Minho chuckled and smiled at Taemin expectantly, fist on cheek, “Well, let’s talk than.”

Taemin flushed before opening to a page he bookmarked. He and Minho talked about excerpts he didn’t understand. One liners that were confusing, settings that were abstract. And it wasn’t that Taemin was asking questions about the book and Minho were answering them. It was more, Taemin asked, and Minho coaxed the answers out of Taemin. Taemin ,the ever persistent researcher and Minho the quiet listener. Minho’s eyes were dark taking in the different expressions that Taemin had never really showed before.

It was two hours in that Taemin shut the book and stretched. He glanced at the clock before sighing, “Key-hyung will be back soon. Probably within the next hour?”

Taemin glanced at Minho whose eyes were half-lidded. He was staring at the wall in front of him. Taemin grinned, “Was the talk too much, hyung?”

Minho shook his head, “No, not really. You were talking for the most part. I was just thinking.”

Taemin had curled his knees to his chest, crossing his legs at the ankles, pale fingertips now tugging at his socks, his left cheek resting on one of his knees as he gazed at Minho’s profile. Taemin was staring and he couldn’t help it. The place next to Minho was always warm and it felt like he was complete. The moments when they would go separate ways for the day always made him feel lonely.

Why is it like this?

Before he knew Minho, when it was just him and his grandmother, and Key nothing else really mattered. He acknowledged the fact that he would paint his way through school and life and eventually death. That he might meet someone who would love him, and they would get married and have children. That he would die knowing that the life that he lived was a good one. Nothing too grandiose and extravagant just humble, just  living.

But now he wasn’t so sure anymore. Minho seemed to change that for him. And if it there was one thing that he could confirm with himself was that Minho was perhaps that person he would fall in love with. That person he could spend the rest of his life with. But that was only if Minho accepted him.

Taemin decided that this was now or never. That the feeling of apprehension and the wind of change that he felt earlier was going to happen now.

“Hyung?”

Minho blinked and turned his head to look at Taemin. His black hair framed his face so well, and made Taemin focus on his eyes. Those dark pools that he easily would get lost in.

“Is it alright if I ask you something? A request even?”

Minho chuckled, his body now fully turned to him, arm propped on the bed, hand pressed against his hair, “Anything.”

Taemin looked down pressing his lips together and twiddling his thumbs. He felt the blood flow to his cheeks and even to the tips of his hair.

“I know this may sound selfish. And even childish but…I,” Taemin swallowed the lump in his throat, “Can you stay with me? I mean forever. I mean…can you stay by my side forever? Because I l-like you and I need you.”

His heart thundered in his ears along with the rush of blood flowing through him. Oh he felt it, the feeling of being exposed and left raw for the other to see. It was embarrassing and unnecessary and Taemin wanted to curl up into a ball but he stayed still determined to hear an answer.  Taemin saw, at the corner of his eye, Minho’s hand raise up. He flinched, only to feel a gentle pat on his head. Taemin’s heart dropped to his stomach and he could feel tears now collecting at the corner of his eyes.

“Please,” he mumbled, “don’t reject me.”

Minho’s voice was so very close, “I could never reject you, Taemin. Never.”

Taemin looked up only to be face to face with Minho. The tears were making his vision blurry and he tried but failed to blink away the tears that now streamed down his face. Taemin blubbered, “What are you trying to say?”

Minho smiled, and it was perhaps the most beautiful thing Taemin could ever lay eyes on. “I’m saying Taemin that it’s not selfish or childish. I will always, always, stay by your side.”

Taemin felt his whole body tremble before he jumped into Minho’s arms holding onto him in a tight hug, his face pressed against Minho’s neck as the tears continued to fall and he was filled with happiness that he had never felt before.

Minho smelled good, and was so warm like always. But now that he could hold him, cling to him without pause or explanation the warmth could seep into him and get rid of all the cold. All the loneliness. All this sadness. Minho’s hand ran through his hair as he smiled into Taemin’s ear, lips brushing against it. Taemin’s fingertips tingled along with his toes but Taemin ignore it, pressing himself closer into Minho’s body, not realizing that the water on the night stand had shot out and formed ragged icicle within the glass behind him.

Minho, however, did not fail to see this.

-*-

Key walked out the building of his seminar, his classmates filing out in variety. His cellphone jingled and he wrinkled his nose when he saw it read: Jonghyun.

Key sighed before answering it, “Yes?”

“Key, my love, where have you been all night? I’ve been looking for you.” Jonghyun’s voice sounded balmy.

Key crossed his arms as he walked unhurriedly towards the campus’ parking lot, “I told you before, Jonghyun, that I was going to be at a seminar tonight. You always seem to forget about these things.”

There was a pause before Jonghyung mumbled, “There are far more important things going on right now than you’re seminar, Key.”

Key felt a vein bulge in his forehead, “I heard that Jonghyun. Just because you don't find my seminars nearly as important as I know they are does not mean you can bash them like that. I really don't have time for this. What do you want?”

Jonghyun chuckled, “Well don’t get mad, but give me a ride will ya?”

Key frowned pulling out his car keys from his bag, “A ride? Where are you?”

“Look to the left .”

Key squinted his eyes when they traveled to the left of the parking lot seeing no one. He frowned, “Ha ha very funny, Jonghyun. Did you hone-!”

Jonghyun jumped out from behind one of the cars on Key’s right, earning a squeak from Key. Jonghyun ducked before Key's bag could hit him square in the face. Jonghyun was laughing. Key looked flustered and downright angry.

Key fixed himself, ending the phone call before glaring at Jonghyun who was wiping tears away, “You’re an , you know that?”

Jonghyun was holding his stomach as he nodded, “Yeah,” he caught his breath face flushed, “I know. A even. But oh my god, if you only you saw your face!"

Key glared before asserting himself and proceeding to walk to his car. Jonghyun followed giggling behind his hand.

“I swear to God, Jonghyun if you snicker once more I’m not giving you a ing ride.”

Jonghyun straightened up, his lopsided smile now in full bloom before he agreed, “Okay, I got it. No need for threats.”

They entered the car, Key the ignition with a push of a button. He began fixing his hair in the rear view mirror, adjusting his square black glasses and asked, “So where are you headed?”

“Your house.”

Key paused before adjusting the bangs some more, “Why my house?”

Jonghyun shrugged, “Other than the fact that I miss you and that we really need to start going out again. Let's just say there are other reasons out there.”

Key adjusted the rear view mirror before fully turning his attention to Jonghyun, “Are you serious?”

Jonghyun smile was mischievous, “What? The fact that I miss you or the fact that I want to go out with you again?”

“Neither. One: you know that I’m with Onew. Two:  you saw me earlier this morning. Three: I’m shocked that you're literally rushing me with this bull, Jong.”

Jonghyun stared at Key, who stared right back at him. Jonghyun’s eyes began to wander about Key's face before he murmured, “You know, you’re really beautiful when you look at me like that.”

Key mouth open in disbelief for a moment before asking, his eyes wary, “Are you trying to get into my pants? Because it’s not working.”

Jonghyun seemed to sober up, all mischievous going away, “I was being serious. Recently, I feel like a whole new me. And I’ve been reflecting on my choices and realized I shouldn’t have let you go like that.”

Key’s bangs cast shadows on his eyes from the moon hanging high into the sky. Jonghyun was staring down at his hands. The sudden brought up of their fallout relationship now hanging in the air causing the atmosphere to tense.

“Right well, that’s all in the past, right? I’ll take you to my house. Just don’t do anything weird." The atmosphere lightened up a little.

Jonghyun looked up all wide eyed and puppysh, “I can’t promise you anything but thank you!”

 Key groaned before driving out.

=-=

Taemin lay on the floor of his bedroom. He could say he was on cloud nine. The world seemed a little bit brighter and his qualms, insecurities just seemed to float out the window never to be seen again. He was smiling and a sweet giggle escaped him before he felt himself blush. He closed his eyes and pressed his hands against his face.

‘You can always just stay a little longer.” Taemin suggested as Minho slipped into his shoes, fully dressed now for departure. Taemin looked small in the doorway and the anxiety seemed to fill him up. Minho held his hands before he stepped forward and pressed his forehead against Taemin's, “You’ll see me tomorrow. Don’t worry about it too much.”

Taemin was staring into his eyes, and his head was still reeling with the fact that they were so close. He sighed before squeezing Minho hands, “You’re right.”

Minho pulled back their hands still connected, and they merely stared at eachother before Minho smiled, the slow kind and murmured, “I love you.”

Taemin face lit up before he could process the words, and Minho was out the door with a wave before Taemin could  even say anything back.

Taemin bit his lip before running his hand through his hair and rolling over on his stomach. His finger touched the smooth surface of the hardwood floor before he murmured, red hair falling into his eyes, “I love you too.”

“Taemin-ah! Are you up?”

Taemin opened his eyes with a soft moan. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand as he sat up scratching his head. It was 1130. He must have taken a nap for an hour. His eyes wander to the  ice structure glittering precariously next to his clock. It was an icicle shooting out from the glass as if it had been frozen mid movement.

“Taemin-ah?”

Key’s voice called him from downstairs. Taemin stood up and responded back, “I’m here. I’ll be down in a minute.”

He turned his attention back to the glass and pressed his fingertip against it. The water liquefied falling back into the glass. Taemin didn’t remember when he had did that. He frowned.Iit must have been after Minho left. Probably when he was asleep? He stretched a yawn escaping him as he ventured down the hallway and onto the stairs. He was having such a nice dream too.

 Taemin paused at the foot of the stairs and looked to his left, noticing the extra pair of shoes sitting near the door. He heard the voices than, near the kitchen and walked towards it. Another yawn escaped him.

“Taeminnie! It’s nice to see you again!”

Taemin’s eyes widen before he was tackled into a hug. The sudden contact felt like an electric shock and he winced. Jonghyun pulled back, as if he had felt it too. His eyes now watching Taemin, gears turning. Key’s voice broke the moment, “Please do not make out with my cousin, Jonghyun.”

Jonghyun's smile blossomed on his face before he pulled away entirely and patted Taemin’s head. “Sorry about that. You okay? Did I hug you too hard?”

Taemin rubbed his arm, the electric feeling prickling down his arms before they went away, “Uh no. It’s fine. You just caught me off guard.”

Jonghyun grinned.

Taemin glanced at Key who was busy making tea. He cleared his throat before turning his attention back to Jonghyun who was watching him with a cheery look on his face, “So hyung, what brings you here?”

Jonghyun chuckled before leaning close and winking, “If I told you, Key would have to kill me.”

Taemin didn’t know why but he felt the blood rush to his face. He glanced at the clock before murmuring, “Well than, um, I have early classes tomorrow. I’ll tuck in first.”

Key’s lack of response and Jonghyun’s sugary attitude unnerved him. The atmosphere was tense and Taemin wasn’t stupid to not know that there was something going on. He excused himself earning a little wave from Jonghyun before he jogged up the stairs.

That was when he heard Key’s voice call him. He glanced back pausing at the top of the stairs to see Key looking back at him. Taemin took a step down, “Hyung?”

Key glanced back at the kitchen before he bit his lip. Than he looked back at Taemin, “Have lunch with me tomorrow.”

Taemin nodded, “Sure, hyung. If that’s what you want.”

“Yes. That’s what I want.” The smile that Key manage to make did not quite reach his eyes. It was more like a grimace before he murmured, “Goodnight.”

Taemin waved with his fingers, “Goodnight, hyung.”

Key walked away.

Taemin paused at the stairs before he ventured back to his room. He threw himself onto the bed a good feeling making it's way through his body. He could conclude that today was an eventful one. Taemin had confessed and Minho’s feelings were mutual, and now he can die happy. He went over each event that had happened. Frowning at that weird tingly sensation that he felt from Jonghyun. It felt like a severe case of static electricity. And he had heard that static ran rampant during the winter. With that thought, he disregarded it, closing his eyes and thinking of Minho.

A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! As a gift I give you this chapter that has been overdue for quite sometime. Haha, sorry ^^;;

I have to say that this chapter was perhaps the hardest one to write. Along with having the least satisfaction when it was finished. I've never had to write a chapter with such frustration before. I've been working on the beginning parts of this chapter for about a week. Taemin didn't want to do what I wanted him to do, neither did Minho and goddammit Jonghyun. I mean there are seriously three different versions of this chapter. I have one all in Minho's view, and Jonghyun's. And the other was in Onew's view and asoiufagsdf. Anyway, the frustration caused me to take a break for a few days to just get rid of these rather negative feelings I had for this fic. Not to mention the other frustration that was finals. Eventually I just had Taemin and Minho have their way and the events following just kind of flowed out of me. No resistance or friction between me and the characters was a godsend.  But anyway, now it's winter break and I have nothing else to do other than work, so no worries ^^

Anyway, as usual, thank you for reading. Please comment! & stay warm and awesome during the break \(^0^)/

(P.S. omg, it snowed on christmas eve at my house and i have to say i finally had a white christmas. you know the one that all those christmas songs sing about. hehe, i feel like im five years old again ^^)