When Onew found him, Taemin was sitting in the corner by the bar, taking a shot. Relief filled Onew, and he rushed towards the boy, not caring who he ran into, and pulled him into a big hug.

"Yah, get off me you-Onew?" Taemin looked at the elder in shock, eyes slightly hazy. "What are you doing here?" He slurred.

Onew couldn't answer at first, too happy to see Taemin alive and unharmed to care about anything else. He did, however, step back from Taemin, giving the boy some space.

"Taemin, are you okay? No one hurt you right?"

Taemin narrowed his eyes.

"Just-just you." He hiccuped. Onew wasn't sure what the boy meant, but now wasn't the time for questions. He figured what Taemin needed now was to get out of the club and back to his house, where he could rest peacefully.

While Onew was busy making plans, it seemed Taemin had come up with a plan of his own. Only, his didn't involve going to sleep. Although it did include a bed, and Onew.

"Hyuuung~" Taemin purred, moving closer to Onew and placing a hand on his chest. "You know, you look really, really good."

Onew stiffened in surprise, not liking the way Taemin said "good".

"Uh Taemin, maybe we should go home now."

Taemin let his hand trail down Onew's chest, feeling the abs beneath his thin shirt. "Mmm yeah hyung, let's go home."

At this point, Onew was pretty sure his idea of going home and Taemin's idea of going home were two very different things. Taking a hold of Taemin's hand, he moved it back to Taemin's side, doing his best to remain calm.

"Hyung!" Taemin whined. "Why do you always be that way?" Taemin's sentences were starting to make less and less sense, and Onew was certain it was time for the dancer to go home.

"Come on Taemin, Jongin's probably waiting for you." Taemin's attention immediately shifted.

"Jongin. That bastard. He and Jonghyun both left me. Hyung! Why do people keep leaving me?"

Onew didn't know how to answer that, but it turned out he didn't have to, for moments later the boy's attention shifted again, this time focusing on the writhing mass of bodies on the dance floor.

"Hyungie, lets dance." Taemin said, pulling Onew to the dance floor with more strength than he ever thought Taemin to possess. Blinded by the bright lights, Onew wasn't sure what was happening until he felt something, or more likely, someone, press against him. It didn't take long for him to realize it was Taemin, hips moving to the beat, his pert little grinding on his crotch.

Taemin grabbed Onew's hands and placed them upon his hips, which Onew left there, even after Taemin dropped his own. Taemin used his own hands to run down the older man's thighs, sending shivers down Onew's spine.

"Hyung~" Taemin moaned, the sound sending blood straight south.

"Um, Taemin, I don't- ahh..." Onew bit back the moans that threatened to pour from his mouth, refusing to let himself be affected by the younger. He wouldn't, he couldn't.

Pushing Taemin away from himself, he took a deep breath, calming himself. Taemin came towards him again, hands slipping beneath his shirt.

"Taemin, stop-stop it." Onew's voice cracked; he was beginning to lose it. "Lets just- lets go home.

"But hyuuuung." Taemin whined, pressing up against the barista who was very quickly losing his sanity. Onew grabbed Taemin and pulled him towards the door and outside to where the car was parked, ignoring the boy's protests.

At the car, Onew saw Jonghyun had crawled into the back seat and was currently passed out and singing in his sleep, curled up on the seats like a child. Rolling his eyes at the singer, he opened the passenger door for Taemin and helped him in. Once he was situated in the driver's seat, he turned to ask Taemin directions, only to find the younger centimeters from his face.

"Hyungie~ ppo ppo." Taemin stuck out his lips.

"Ah..no Taemin." Onew said, finding it harder and harder to say no to the younger. He needed to get the younger home. Quick.

"Taemin, I need you tell me where you live."

"No." Taemin shook his head childishly.

"Please, Taemin, I need to get you home."

"N-no, you can't-hic-can't see my ho-home." Taemin mumbled incoherently.

"What? Taemin? Whatever it is, I won't judge you, you know that don't you?"

Taemin shook his head, and Onew sighed in frustration. He couldn't leave Taemin here, and he sure as hell wasn't taking him back to his house in this state. Even as he was thinking, Taemin began crawling onto his lap, hands moving towards his pants. Onew caught the small hands with one of his own, pinning them against the seat.

"Taemin. Listen to me. I need to get you home. You have to tell me."

Taemin pouted, amazing Onew with how quickly drunk Taemin could go from ty to cute. "Fine. Meanie." After a couple backtracks and repeating of numbers, Taemin told him his address, and Onew was on his way, one hand on the way, another still holding back Taemin's persistent hands, in case the younger tried anything else and Onew ended up crashing the car.

Arriving at the house, which turned out to be a small apartment complex, Onew could see why Taemin was hesitant. The building was run down and looked almost unoccupied. With a frown, turned to admin to find the boy fast asleep. Groaning inwardly, he got out and went around to the other side, cautiously removing Taemin from the car and lifting him into his arms bridal-style.

It scared Onew a bit at how light the younger was; he'd always thought the younger was a little on the skinny side, but he'd never realized just how tiny the boy really was.

Shifting Taemin so he was more tightly wrapped in Onew's arms, Onew headed into the building and up the stairs, to number 206. At the door, he used his foot to knock on the door, praying that Jongin hadn't gone to bed yet. After a moment, the sound of footsteps invaded Onew's ears, and soon after, the clicking of a lock, and the door swung open, revealing a confused Jongin.

"Onew? What are you doing here?" Jongin said, sounding shocked but not quite looking it. "Omo, Taemin hyung?" Now Jongin really looked shocked, upon noticing the unconscious boy in Onew's arms.

"Where's his bedroom? Let me put him to bed, and then we have some talking to do." Onew looked dead serious, something unfamiliar to Jongin who only knew Onew as he was around Taemin- smiley and a bit awkward. Silently, he pointed Onew to the door on the left. Onew nodded and strode swiftly across the living room and opened the door.

He quickly noticed two beds and figured the two must share a room. It made sense, the apartment was quite small and didn't seem to have enough space for two bedrooms. Looking between the two beds, Onew was able to easily decipher which one was Taemin's and placed him on it gently, pulling the blanket over his body. Straightening back up, Onew finally got a good look at the sleeping boy.

His eyes were surrounded by thick, slightly smudged eyeliner, his once light brown hair had been dyed black, standing out against his pale skin, cheeks still flushed from having one too many drinks.

"I'm sorry Taemin." Onew said softly, looking down at the peaceful dancer. "I think I know what you want, but I'm not the one who can give that to you. Please, find someone better. That's what you deserve." Onew turned to walk away, but a small noise from behind stopped him. Looking back, he saw Taemin laying there, eyes half lidded and foggy, but nevertheless focused on Onew.

"I understand hyung." He whispered, so softly Onew thought he misheard.

"What did you say?"

"I understand hyung." He repeated, his eyes closing soon after as sleep took over. This time, when Onew turned around, a single tear dripped down his face, but he wiped it away instantly, telling himself he had made the right decision. He cared for the younger too much, he couldn't let the boy continue with this one-sided love anymore. Onew didn't want to let the younger go, wanted to keep him for himself, but he knew he couldn't be selfish. Taemin needed to find someone who he could love that would love him back unconditionally, without fear.

And that was something Onew just couldn't do.

The next day, things were back to normal, normal being before the incident a few days earlier. Just like he had for weeks, Taemin was sitting in his place by the door, chatting away with Joon as if nothing had happened. Onew didn't know whether to be shocked or not, but decided not to question the younger. It was better this way, pretending nothing happened.

Of course, the first few minutes had been awkward and full of apologies. Although most of the apologies consisted of Taemin apologizing for anything he might have done, since he remembered next to nothing of the night before. Onew assumed that fact contributed to how easily the two fell back into their routine afterwards.

It amazed Onew how just the boy's presence brightened up his day. Every once in a while, he snuck a glance towards the table by the door, watching Taemin's expressions, his heart fluttering whenever he laughed, a smile appearing on his own when that easy smile graced the dancer's face.

Yes, everything was back to normal. It hurt, but at the same time, Onew knew he had made the right decision. Taemin will be happier this way, he tells himself repeatedly, whenever uncertainty creeps in.

Just as that day passes, so do the next two, and Onew was finally starting to convince himself that everything was better this way. Taemin is happy, and Onew is safe, although still selfishly holding onto the boy who could really do without the elder. Onew won't let him completely leave; he needs the boy too much. It's unfair to Taemin, and Onew knows it.

I'm sorry Taemin. Please let me have this. Onew silently apologizes every time he sees the younger's smile slip for even a second.

Day fades into night, and Onew watches as the number of customers slowly drops, until only a couple of ahjummas in the corner, along with Taemin and Joon, are left. Eventually, even Joon gets up with a yawn, patting Onew on the shoulder as he passes him on the way up to the apartment. Onew sets down the rag he had been using to clean the countertop for the past hour and made his way over to Taemin.

"Hey hyung." Taemin smiled up at the barista, seemingly over what had happened a week before. Maybe he was. Onew didn't know.

"Hi Taemin. How was practice?" At the mention of practice, Taemin lit up like a Christmas tree. If there was one thing Taemin liked talking about more than anything else it was dancing.

"It's great hyung! You wouldn't believe some of the artists I get to work with. So many great legends, and I get to stand onstage with them! Dancing! The choreography is a little difficult for some of the songs, but what do you expect when people like Boa are part of this."

Onew nodded along, paying more attention to Taemin's lips than his words.

No. Stop. Snap out of it.

"That's great Taemin. I know you can do it."

If it was possible, Taemin's smile got even bigger. "Thanks hyung. You will-" Onew never learned what we would do, because suddenly, the sound of "I'm y and I know it" filled the small shop. Taemin groaned and fished his phone out of his pocket. Onew laughed.

"Did Jongin change it again?"

"I don't know how he does it!" Taemin exclaimed. "I change my password every other day! How does he keep getting in?" Taemin glared accusingly at his phone.

"Just answer it Taemin. I'll still be here when you're done talking."

Taemin smiled sheepishly. "Sorry hyung. I swear, every time we talk, someone feels the need to call me." Taemin raised his phone to his ear and snapped out an irritated "what?"

What annoying thing did Jongin call him about this time?

"Taemin, don't come home." Even through the phone, Taemin could clearly sense the fear in Jongin's voice. What was going on? What could have made the younger so scared?

"Why, what's going on?"

Jongin's next words made his blood run cold. "They're here. Your parents- they found us."

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Jeez, I just keep giving you these cliff hangers dont I....oh well. I can't help it, I'm just naturally evil I guess :P

You don't think I rushed the entrance of his parents to this story, do you? I mean, I know Taemin just revealed his past to Onew and all, but I think this was a good time...or maybe not. Ah I don't know! I have so much written for this and I just don't know where this is going. Somewhere good hopefully.