Chapter 34 (1/2)

Yay! 4000 views and 80 subscribers.  If you told me back in March that the response was going to be like this I would have called you crazy.  Thanks fo much for your loyalty and support through this. I debated whether or not to include this chapter as it is kind of filler, but it's keytae filler.  I originally did not write this chapter and and went back later to include it, which I have never done before because I always try to write my chapters linearly, but in the end I just really love the sentiment behind this chapter.  It is kind of a song-fic chapter.  The first fanfictions I ever wrote were Naruto song fics, so this is kind of harkening back to my roots in a way.  Anyway I hope you enjoy.  Chapter 34 Taemin hated needles.  It was about an hour into his third time awake in the hospital that he realized that there was an IV in his hand.  The bandaging didn’t fool him, there was a great big needle sticking out of his hand!  He became aware of this fact, because the nurses had come in to change out the needle, it had been in too long they said and they wanted it to switch it to his other hand so that the current hand could heal up. Intellectually he understood just how stupid his fear was, but it was a phobia – logic doesn’t come into play.  Key and Minho happened to be there at the time the nurses came in to switch the IV.  Taemin felt his breath hitching in his chest painfully.  “Mr. Lee, if you can’t calm down then we will need to sedate you again.” One of the dozens of nameless nurses who had paraded through his room over the last few days told him. Taemin shook his head, he didn’t want to be sedated again.  He only had so much energy to be awake these days and he didn’t want to have to sleep any more than his body already demanded.  “No, no please no.  I’ll calm down I promise, just give me a minute.” Taemin tried to slow his breathing and Minho tried to message the dancer’s shoulders which always calmed him down, but Taemin still was on the edge of panic and frustrated tears were starting to gather at the corners of his eyes. “Let me try.” Key’s calm voice said.  He laid his thin hands on either side of Taemin’s face and turned his head away from the waiting nurse and the IV and towards himself.  “Look at me yeobo, just look at me alright.” Taemin tried to loose himself in Key’s feline eyes, as he had done so many times before, but as the nurse shifted next to him he was drawn right back to the present and he clenched his eyes and whimpered.  The nurse released an exasperated sigh and left to get a sedative.  Taemin groaned, “No, no sedatives, please, no more.” “Taemin, if you panic it could hurt your injuries.” Minho said from the end of Taemin’s bed. “I know, but I can’t help it!  I don’t know why I am this way, I just can’t do it.  But I don’t want to be sedated again, I’m only awake so often lately…”  Taemin lost control of the tears and they started to fall.  “Ok Taemin,” Key said, still calm and wiping away the tears.  “Remember the first time I told you that I loved you?” Taemin nodded, “You took me to the park with all of the wildflowers and you sang to me…” Key smiled at Taemin, who was already starting to calm down.  “Close your eyes Taemin.” And as Taemin did as he was instructed, Key took a breath and sang: “There's some things I know to be true

Snow is white, and the ocean is blue

Rain is wet, when it falls from the sky

And the stars come out every night

“And just as sure as the sun will rise

This love is real, you see in my eyes

Plant a seed and it will grow

Some things I know” Minho watched at Key sang to Taemin and saw the muscle loosen in Taemin’s arms and shoulders as Taemin focused in on Key’s voice.  Minho watched the trust within that couple and found himself wishing that he had something like that, or that he would one day be lucky enough to find that on his own.  The nurse came in with the sedative, but stopped short seeing Taemin sitting calmly on the bed listening to Key’s voice as he softly sang the simple song.  Minho walked up to her and said, “Go quickly, Key’s got him calm, he won’t notice you if you don’t make too much noise I don’t think.” As the nurse quickly removed the original IV and putting a bandage on Taemin’s hand, Key still sang.

“There's some things in life I need

Water to drink, air to breathe

A place to rest when I need sleep

When I'm hungry, food to eat

“As just sure as the Lord is above

That's how much I need your love