Out of all SHINee members, Jonghyun wouldn’t say he and Taemin were the closest. It wasn’t that they weren’t close; they were just not as close as the other members. He didn’t find Taemin a fun playmate like their immature leader, nor did he dote on Taemin’s every move like Minho, and he was never…ever…ever going to nag like Key.

So imagine his surprise when Taemin slipped into his bed and proclaimed the thunder storm outside was scaring him and asked if he could sleep in Jonghyun’s bed.

“Ah, sure, Taeminie.” He scooted over so his dongsaeng could have more room, but Taemin inched closer to him.

“Hyung, can I hold your hand?” Taemin asked with a wobbly smile.

No one denied Lee Taemin when he smiled, no one. Jonghyun was no exception. So he let their youngest and lead dancer joined their hands together. It felt odd to sleep with someone’s hand entwined with yours. It was a nice oddness, though, so he smiled and listened to the sound of Taemin’s shallow breathing. The rain outside pounded mercilessly against the windows. Lighting streaked across the sky in angry protest, and the thunder cracked endlessly, shaking their bed.

In that moment, Jonghyun felt like a hero. So he slept with a grin on his face.

-----

Jonghyun woke to the sun streaming through the slits in the blinds. Taemin was still asleep next to him, their bodies were plastered together. For a moment, he couldn’t really think straight. Then his hand automatically went to caress Taemin’s hair, it was soft. He smiled though he didn’t know why. Hadn’t he always known that Taemin’s hair was soft? He must have touched it at some point in all the years they’ve known each other.

He couldn’t really say what changed. It was a subtle feeling, like he could go on hugging Taemin forever. Now he was sounding crazy like Minho. He wasn’t the member to cuddle and spoil, even if he did like skinship display of affections. He always teased and played around, jokes upon jokes. He was also firm, downright mean, if he needed to be since Onew was always so soft on the younger members.

But for right now, he just wanted to hug SHINee’s magnae to him and go on protecting him from the rest of the world. He had never felt like this, not even when they had Yoogeun.

----

With a happy whistle, Jonghyun walked to the kitchen. Key was sitting at their dining table, munching happily on cereal. Their eyes met and Jonghyun broke out into a grin.

“Good morning.”

Key studied him oddly, “hey. It’s noon, but good morning to you, too.”

“Where are the other members?”

“Schedules.”

Jonghyun laughed, “oh.”

“What’s so funny?” Key demanded.

“What? Nothing.”

“Then why did you laugh?”

“Because I am happy.”

“What?” Their resident diva asked, clearly confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Taemin came to me yesterday,” Jonghyun grinned, “not you. Not that alien Minho. Not that Lee Onew. He came to me yesterday because he was scared. Me. Kim Jonghyun.”

Key broke into a fit of laughter, which dampened Jonghyun’s new found sense of happiness. His best friend choked on something but kept on laughing. It was several minutes before Key sobered up enough to speak, “that’s because no one else was home, stupid. We all just got back a few hours ago. Manager hyung picked up Taemin and left with Onew hyung and Minho.”

“Oh.”

“Did you really think Taemin would pick you over us?” Key rolled his eyes. “You who never did anything more than give him a couple of singing lessons over Minho who practically kisses the ground he walks on? Or Onew who carries him around on his shoulder and lets Taemin uses him as a chair? But above all, did you think he’d pick you over me? I raised that kid.

“But anyway,” Key finished his long speech and ended with, “don’t you think Minho and Onew hyung work too much? Jonghyun? Why are you on the floor weeping?”

-----

That night Jonghyun was in a considerably worse mood than that morning. It was storming again outside. Minho’s bed was empty which meant the alien was probably out with a schedule again, but he knew for sure that Onew and Key were home. He saw them go into their shared room with Taemin. Their happy little family.

Jonghyun punched the stupid pillow and sighed. Taemin didn’t need him to keep away scary storms when his favorite plaything and umma were there in the room with him.

A knock came, soft but insistent. Then someone slipped into the room but Jonghyun was too busy moping to notice.

“Hyung,” Taemin’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. “Can I sleep with you?”

“What? What about Key and Onew hyung?”

Taemin shook his head, “they’re asleep. And I’d rather sleep here.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you?”

It probably didn’t mean anything more than the love Taemin felt for all their members, but Jonghyun found himself breaking out of his funk anyways. He pulled back the blanket so Taemin could get in and hugged the youngest member to him.

“Okay, Taeminie, I’ll protect you.” Jonghyun said.

"Thanks, hyung. You're my hero." 

"It's not because you have no one else to go to, right? I'm your favorite hyung right?"

Taemin nodded, "of course!" 

There was really no point in mentioning how Onew took up the whole bed and was so tired that Taemin couldn't shake him awake. Or that Key had threatened to disown him if he didn't grow up. There was nothing scary about thunderstorms, Key had pointed out, so man up. The youngest shrugged, after all, it was sort of true. He loved all his SHINee hyung-deuls equally, which made them all his favorite.