you will always be my baby // A Flashfic Set for Lee Taemin {4/4}
Y.O.U. *
Taemin felt it from the moment they met.
When they were still gangly-limbed and wide-eyed (with some who were less awkward than others, some more grown up than others physically, and others able to grow into their roles faster than others), Taemin approached him during their breaks during dance lessons. First, it was just to talk; then, it was to get to know each other better; and soon enough, it was to have someone to pass the time away with, someone whose company Taemin came to enjoy the most of all.
Minho was the only person he could spend hours at a time with in comfortable silence.
Taemin felt it during their debut days together, too. While Jonghyun spoke more than enough for the five of them, Kibum had enough to say to fill in the empty spaces between conversations, and Jinki was still learning how to be a leader for their ragtag team, Minho barely spoke even when prompted - and his voice was rough, audible only above a murmur, and only served to make his stage persona all the more mysterious. But Taemin only saw Minho’s determination and his stalwart nature; and it was only self-consciousness and the fear of rejection that kept him from telling Minho he was beautiful.
Minho was the only person he could tell all of his secrets to.
Whenever they went overseas for promotions (new languages heavy on his tongue, exhaustion heavy on his eyelids, and doubt too heavy a burden to carry), Taemin liked to huddle close to Minho. His shadow was big enough to hide his too-slender frame; his arms were wide enough to fall into completely; and soon enough, it was Minho himself that calmed Taemin’s nerves every time the stakes were raised and his anxieties even more so, gentle eyes and firm pats to his shoulder coupled with warm reassurances pressed into the inside of his palm.
Minho was his favorite hyung, though he’d never say this to the other three.
Taemin felt it most in the smallest moments of intimacy. When they were at SM Town with all their senior artists, Taemin preferred to let them chase after him-but when Minho was around, he purposely slowed his pace so the older boy could catch up. When they topped the Music Bank charts the week they came back with Juliette, Taemin hovered around Minho on stage just so he would later find him and pull him into a tight embrace. When they were practicing their choreography; when they were sitting around just talking about everything, from tomorrow’s schedule to what they would do if they were girls; when they were energized post-performance and shoving each other around - those were the times that Taemin could happily say he was Minho’s favorite dongsaeng.
Minho shone the brightest when he was alone.
Taemin would stay up late to watch episodes of Dream Team off of Jonghyun’s laptop sometimes, while the others had prior engagements and he and Minho were the only ones home. Minho would complain it was “embarrassing” to watch himself, but Taemin insisted on watching it together. Minho would make commentary on what the others were doing onset while he was busy, but then Taemin would miss Minho’s jump because he was too busy marveling over the real thing. Minho would start to move over to Taemin’s corner and wrap an arm around his shoulder, but Taemin would eventually flop over Minho’s lap and they would forget all about it, fits of silent laughter erasing their earlier disagreement.
Taemin loved that the most about them - the implicit understanding, the quiet companionship - but he loved Minho enough to believe in forever.
Taemin felt it from the moment they met.
When they were still gangly-limbed and wide-eyed (with some who were less awkward than others, some more grown up than others physically, and others able to grow into their roles faster than others), Taemin approached him during their breaks during dance lessons. First, it was just to talk; then, it was to get to know each other better; and soon enough, it was to have someone to pass the time away with, someone whose company Taemin came to enjoy the most of all.
Minho was the only person he could spend hours at a time with in comfortable silence.
Taemin felt it during their debut days together, too. While Jonghyun spoke more than enough for the five of them, Kibum had enough to say to fill in the empty spaces between conversations, and Jinki was still learning how to be a leader for their ragtag team, Minho barely spoke even when prompted - and his voice was rough, audible only above a murmur, and only served to make his stage persona all the more mysterious. But Taemin only saw Minho’s determination and his stalwart nature; and it was only self-consciousness and the fear of rejection that kept him from telling Minho he was beautiful.
Minho was the only person he could tell all of his secrets to.
Whenever they went overseas for promotions (new languages heavy on his tongue, exhaustion heavy on his eyelids, and doubt too heavy a burden to carry), Taemin liked to huddle close to Minho. His shadow was big enough to hide his too-slender frame; his arms were wide enough to fall into completely; and soon enough, it was Minho himself that calmed Taemin’s nerves every time the stakes were raised and his anxieties even more so, gentle eyes and firm pats to his shoulder coupled with warm reassurances pressed into the inside of his palm.
Minho was his favorite hyung, though he’d never say this to the other three.
Taemin felt it most in the smallest moments of intimacy. When they were at SM Town with all their senior artists, Taemin preferred to let them chase after him-but when Minho was around, he purposely slowed his pace so the older boy could catch up. When they topped the Music Bank charts the week they came back with Juliette, Taemin hovered around Minho on stage just so he would later find him and pull him into a tight embrace. When they were practicing their choreography; when they were sitting around just talking about everything, from tomorrow’s schedule to what they would do if they were girls; when they were energized post-performance and shoving each other around - those were the times that Taemin could happily say he was Minho’s favorite dongsaeng.
Minho shone the brightest when he was alone.
Taemin would stay up late to watch episodes of Dream Team off of Jonghyun’s laptop sometimes, while the others had prior engagements and he and Minho were the only ones home. Minho would complain it was “embarrassing” to watch himself, but Taemin insisted on watching it together. Minho would make commentary on what the others were doing onset while he was busy, but then Taemin would miss Minho’s jump because he was too busy marveling over the real thing. Minho would start to move over to Taemin’s corner and wrap an arm around his shoulder, but Taemin would eventually flop over Minho’s lap and they would forget all about it, fits of silent laughter erasing their earlier disagreement.
Taemin loved that the most about them - the implicit understanding, the quiet companionship - but he loved Minho enough to believe in forever.