Silencing Butterflies ~ Taekey
Author: cr187
Pairing: Taekey
Rating: PG
Summary: Taemin creates a cure for his nerves.
When Taemin first met Key there weren't sparks, or fire - there was only a numbness brought on by the sudden separation from his family. He kept his head low, his thoughts silenced, occasionally nodding when a question was directed his way while staring blindly at papers that barely made sense.
The older boy watched him warily from across the table, neither listening to what their future manager had to say. Key's thoughts were focused on a boy who looked sick to his stomach, and Taemin on a future alone. Though it was only a table that divided them Taemin and Key were a world apart.
~*~*~*~
When Key first heard of Taemin there was a sense of disbelief which only increased after his initial meeting with the future maknae. When his roommate Jonghyun told him to give the boy a chance, Key would roll his eyes.How could a boy, a child, become an idol when he could barely meet the eye of someone not two years older?
There was no feeling of contempt within Key, but rather a sense of unease. How young was too young?
~*~*~*~*~
When Minho came he immediately took care of Taemin - looking out for the younger boy as if he was a long lost brother. Taemin felt appreciative simply because he missed his own brother and had yet to break free from his shy disposition. Minho was warm and friendly - a savior from a dreaded future alone. He was all that Taemin needed at that moment.
Key watched their exchanges with mild irritation, ignoring Jonghyun's snide comments about jealousy. It wasn't jealousy but an early case of possessiveness. Key respected Minho for filling the void in Taemin's heart, but Key had already decided that he would be the one to do so.
He was biding his time until he became indispensable to the maknae.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Onew was the factor that pulled them all together. Key ignored the pricks of jealousy when he saw how Jonghyun became obsessed over their leader. There was a gentleness that was absent before in his obnoxious friend, as though Jinki was fragile and it was Jonghyun's job to keep him together.
In Key's mind he was standing in the background of a group that would one day shine - isolated from Taemin and Minho, a third-wheel to Jonghyun and Onew. Vocally he couldn't match the latter pair; he could dance, but not like Taemin; he was capable of rapping but Minho had filled that job. There was no niche left for him to fill.
In life and industry Key was useless.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When SHINee debuted Taemin thought he was going to throw up. He could hear the fans screaming, the possible executioners of his group, but nothing compared to the roar inside his mind. It was overwhelming and try as he might to silence it, the sound only grew until it was deafening.
Minho smiled and nodded in his confident way; Onew spoke words of wisdom and encouragement; Jonghyun even cracked jokes, but nothing could calm him down. A staff member told them that there was only one performance to go before their performance and suddenly he wasn't the only one looking sick to his stomach.
Standing near the stage watching as veteran idols returned to stage Taemin saw Key, eyes trained on the crowd. There was a look of wonder, of desire, on his hyung's face. In the dim lighting Key stood out in a way that was inexplicable to Taemin. His face was serene in a fast paced world, and he felt himself calming as he watched the silent boy.
As though sensing Taemin's eyes, Key turned to meet the maknae's with an unreadable look. Then the corners of his lips turned up and he was smiling. In later years Taemin was never able to convey the relief that washed over him simply from that one look from Key - he'd become a ray of hope, a drink of water that saved him from an unbearable thirst.
Key approached him quickly, grabbing the maknaes hands and shaking them while carrying the same smile on his face.
"Taemin let's do well." Taemin could only smile in return, but Key's brows furrowed in worry. "Are you feeling alright? Do you feel sick?"
Tears of joy sprung into his eyes and he was as shocked as Key was when they fell. It was all he wanted - someone who cared for him, who knew that he wasn't alright even when his exterior said otherwise. He leaned into the hand that rose to his face, thumbs gently brushing his tears away. He stared at Key and began to laugh as the other continued to wipe the salty trails from his face.
Leaning forward he kissed him lightly on the lips enjoying the slightly blank expression on the others face.
"Thank you." Those two words held more meaning than he would ever be able to express. "Hyung let's shine."
Key's face, slightly flushed, cracked into a smile as they laughed at the younger boy's pun.
"That was terrible."
"Well, we are SHINee!"
"That was worse."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(Present Day)
Taemin would never get over the feeling of throwing up before performances. He watched from backstage as others performed before them - groups new and old alike - and observed the crowds reactions. He wondered if there were many SHAWOLS there that day to support them, or if other groups with established fan bases were dominant in the crowd. Did the fans genuinely like their performance? Would he mess up a dance step? Lines?
It always escalated out of control for him.
"Hey," Key suddenly snapped next to him. "It's good to be nervous, but the look on your face makes me want to throw up."
Taemin felt the smile grow on his face, the butterflies in his stomach settling lightly. "Wouldn't want that to happen."
Key made a move to hit the younger boy before deciding better. "Yah, don't test me today. I couldn't sleep last night because of you."
"What did I do?"
"You wouldn't stop moving! Those bunk beds are getting old - they creak all night long." The older boy crossed his arms, leaning against a pole lightly.
A wicked smile crossed Taemin's face and he leaned in toward his hyung, lips brushing his ear. "Rock the boat, don't rock the boat baby."
Key started laughing, the sound warm and familiar to Taemin's ears. Meeting the older boys eyes he found he couldn't look away. There was a small, knowing smile on Key's face.
"What are we doing?" Key's eyes were warm.
"Silencing butterflies."
Taemin could taste the smile on Key's lips when he claimed them with his own.
Some habits were hard to break.