CHANGE OF RULES

PLAYING GAMES

'You are still not planning to tell me what happened?' Namjoon asked as they stood side by side in the rehearsal room of the theater department.
'Nothing happened.' Taehyung smiled as their director began to explain their schedules.
Namjoon just a raised a brow skeptically, but he was called away and Taehyung was free to take a long, calming breath before he had to act again.
But this time acting was only meant for the stage.

Run-throughs and rehearsals were hectic, tiring, fun and balanced Taehyung out when everything else seemed to turn upside down around him.
Like his self control.
Or his carefully practiced façade.
His cool.
His everything.
Because he was slowly revealing his heart.
And it was a game much more taxing then any he played before...

'No?'
'Hyung.'
'Still not?' Namjoon grinned.
'Now you are just doing this to annoy me.' Taehyung huffed as he gulped down water.
Hoseok was put in charge of choreography, and he was ready to work them to their bones - and Namjoon, being in charge of music, felt the need to be present most of the time.
If Taehyung wanted to be honest it was both thrilling and nerve wrecking to dance in front of him. Especially when he considered that he was acting the part of a stripper.
'Maybe.' Namjoon laughed and reached out to gently tug on a tuff of hair that'd flopped over his temple. 'I can't have you worrying Jin-hyung, than denying everything... I don't think I believe you.'
His lips were halfway tilted up in a smile and Taehyung felt his neck growing warm as he tried to maintain his nonchalant eye contact.
Because he also had to accept the fact that since his big fall out with his common sense, he'd became more aware of Namjoon. He didn't even know how that was possible, when he'd always been sensitive to anything that Namjoon did...
But he was.
Aware of his gaze, his closeness, his everything... How it filled parts of the void in him.
Conspiracy. he thought.
I'm so screwed. he thought.
I'm back to square one, acting like an idiot around him again. he thought.
You haven't said anything in almost thirty seconds since he touched you and it will get incredibly weird if you don't hurry up. the most useful part of him thought.
Right.
'Rude! You are really rude.' he pouted, cutting his open-mouthed staring short. 'Someday you will be sorry that you've ever doubted me!'
'No matter what, I can promise you that I'll never be sorry for doubting you.' Namjoon laughed.
'...hyung, I'm hurt.' Taehyung continued to pout miserably, but Namjoon just grinned at him widely leaning closer to poke his forehead.
'Go back to practice, I'm still not sure about your song.'
Taehyung huffed, hiding his blush into his towel. 'Absolutely rude...The least you can do to make up to me is helping with my lines.'
'Whatever you say.'
It was a taxing game without the barriers of his carefully crafted acts.
But he wanted to play it just like that.

And had every chance to do that because being single in their group of friends sometimes forced them together.
Or maybe the others were just eager to help him out anyway they could. And the early stages of the rehearsals just made it easier to have the best excuses.

'Could you love someone again?'
'There is no room in here.' Namjoon said, pointing at his heart.
'And wouldn't I do?' Taehyung asked quietly.
'What are you talking about?'
'Me, right here, would I do? I could be anyone by your side... if only you could let me in.' Taehyung pleaded, eyes brimming with tears.
'And she freezes as she realizes the confession, cue revolving stage.' Namjoon read the next part, eying the page. 'Wow, this is good. I never knew the writers could come up with such solid characters.'
Taehyung nodded, blinking his tears away.
He was probably masochistic to practice such parts with Namjoon, but Yoongi just told him that it was bravery training – or that he'd really gone crazy.
'Ah, don't cry.' Namjoon said, seeming embarrassed to see Taehyung like that. 'I'm not even an actor – how can you respond so emotionally to my lame reading?' he asked, scratching the back of his neck.
'I'm good like that.' Taehyung smiled, though his smile was watery.
'And cut!' Hoseok grinned as he zoomed past them with coffee orders and a wink. 'Fantastic, we'll keep that.'
'It's still very far from keeping.' Taehyung called after him, but Hoseok just sent him thumbs up in answer.
'No, I agree with Hoseok.' Namjoon smiled, reaching for his coffee. 'It seems like you finally understood your character perfectly.'
'Yeah, you can say that.' Taehyung nodded, gazing at his lines absentmindedly. 'I understand his choices completely.'
'And will you tell me about them?' Namjoon asked, glancing at him with eyes that meant he clearly suspected that this was also part of the something they were not telling him.
Taehyung thought that maybe he shouldn't, that maybe it would expose too much of himself – but then he remembered that it was exactly what he wanted.
He never wanted to hide behind facades again.
'You know how this is a story about 8 people and their entwining lives, right?' Taehyung asked, turning towards Namjoon completely as he pulled his legs up on the couch. '8 people and their personal nightmares they have to tackle in order to find happiness.'
Namjoon nodded, sipping on his coffee.
'Let's forget that the setting is a strip club.' Taehyung grinned. 'It's just for your visual pleasure.'
Namjoon coughed a laugh into his cup. 'Okay, fine. What is yours then?'
'Emptiness.' Taehyung answered. 'Being trapped in a meaningless cycle.'
'And now you understand that feeling? That emptiness?' Namjoon asked carefully, and Taehyung knew that the question was aimed more at him then any fictional character.
He glanced away, gaze trailing after Hoseok as he stepped behind the counter to hug an unsuspecting Yoongi – paper cups flying as laughter mixed with loud curses.
'Yeah. I understand.' Taehyung said softly. 'I would throw away that life-style too to escape it.'
Yoongi was in the middle of beating Hoseok up, but the dancer only used this chance to steal kisses. Taehyung smiled at the silly display, longing tainting it ever so slightly.
'I would run for unsure happiness too, to at least feel something.' he finished his explanation and glanced back at Namjoon.
He was unsure how to describe Namjoon's gaze, but he knew it did amazingly awful things to his heart, especially when his hyung's seriousness melted into a lazy smile.
'What?' Taehyung asked, embarrassed blush dusting his cheeks.
'I'm just happy we can talk like this.' Namjoon said. 'You usually joke away anything too serious. I'm glad you didn't this time around.'
'I'm always serious, hyung.' Taehyung said, slightly dumbfounded by that statement.
Namjoon just raised a brow at that.
'Having fun is a serious business.' Taehyung nodded and Namjoon smirked in return, reaching over to push his head down.
'Seriously...' Namjoon said, ruffling his hair up.
'Hyung, stop that!' Taehyung exclaimed, grabbing Namjoon's hand as he laughed.
'But really, I want to talk like this with you more often.' he smiled. 'Because it seems like I don't really know you at all, even though we are friends.'
Taehyung could only stare, because Namjoon wanted to know him more.
Then he realized that he was still holding his hand.
Then he was sure he would die prematurely from embarrassment.
'Okay.' he squeaked in an entirely ridiculous voice, releasing Namjoon's hand abruptly, then he coughed awkwardly to hide it and he might had a heart failure because of all the blushing.
Just kill him now!
'Taehyung!' came a shrill cry and he was engulfed in a back hug.
Jimin was his savior, officially.
'Party. You. Me. Tonight.'
Or maybe not.
'No.'
'Idiot.'
'.'
'You are too damn noisy.' Yoongi grumbled, hitting their heads with his pad as he passed by.
'Tonight.'
'No.' Taehyung hissed, turning towards Jimin.
Namjoon-hyung will be there too. he mouthed and Jimin had the gall to smirk at him.
'You don't want to go?' Namjoon asked in surprise - because it was that uncharacteristic.
But he really didn't, not while being this vulnerable and definitely not in the vicinity of any alcohol and Namjoon.
'You tell me, hyung.' Jimin sighed. 'I think he might have finally lost it.'
Taehyung tried to beat sense into Jimin via sheer eye contact – it didn't seem to work at all.
'Still not planning to go?' that was Jungkook who walked up to them with cups of coffee for himself and Jimin, placing them down as he quirked a brow at Taehyung.
'This idiot is acting all lame and depressed here.' Jimin nodded, pinching Taehyung's cheek as Namjoon looked on with sharp eyes. 'I'm thoroughly embarrassed to call him my friend.'
'Probably all excuses.' Jungkook waved a dismissive hand, hugging Jimin from behind while stealing a kiss, then joined forces with their very pleased looking dancer to stare down at Taehyung.
'I feel double teamed here...' Taehyung noted, blinking up at the duo. Couldn't they let him be?
'You should.' Jungkook answered with a cheeky grin.
'I still don't understand how the two of you can even get out of each other's bed... Much less waste time teasing me.' Taehyung mumbled, shaking his head as Namjoon laughed next to him.
They both ignored his spectacular change of subject.
'Well I guess I just have to tell everyone that the King of Parties won't hold court today – your fans will be absolutely devastated though.' Jimin sighed dramatically.
'Yoongi-hyung will be utterly sad that you won't entertain him too.' Jungkook nodded solemnly.
'And Jin-hyung will cry again.' Jimin countered.
'Then Namjoon-hyung will be angry at you... Right, hyung?' Jungkook smirked.
'Oh absolutely.' Namjoon said easily and Taehyung turned to him with wide eyes.
'Not you too hyung...'
'Why? You seem to be a bit out of yourself, a little partying could just help you.' Namjoon reasoned with a smirk – and how could he ever say no to that.
Especially when it was true. He'd shut himself away from his usual social circles, rejected invitations and been an all-around no fun person. And if he continued to act weirdly like that, Namjoon might ask some real uncomfortable questions ahead of time...
Unacceptable.
Taehyung jumped up, startling them all.
'It will be a cold day in Hell, when I'm not attending a college party!' he shouted, shaking himself. 'Slap some sense into me, I'm out of myself.'
He opened his arms wide to accept whatever.
Because it didn't matter that he was facing an impossible situation, with impossible feelings. He was Kim ing Taehyung, impossible was nothing to him.
Jimin and Jungkook glanced at each other then slapped his cheeks from both sides as Namjoon laughed at the sheer craziness of the situation.
'Okay that's enough. Get the out of here.' Yoongi deadpanned and was glad to slap some sense into all of them as Hoseok tried to maintain peace and relative safety.
Unsuccessfully.

He really needed this, because one-sided love or not, life changing decisions or not, fun was still his element.
So he went wild, danced and drank and Yoongi just shook his head at him from the bar, saluting him with a glass.
He teased Jimin, interrogated Jungkook about his future plans and stole Jin away to have an acting competition with their team, that involved more drinking then acting – but Namjoon was rooting for him, so everything was an acceptable sacrifice.
'Tae!' Hoseok grinned, twirling him around. 'You fine?'
'Better.' Taehyung grinned, handing his drink off so he could dance with Hoseok.
'Good.' Hoseok smiled, leaning closer to be heard over the music. 'Because I might have been spreading dirty secrets about you.' he giggled.
'You are awful, hyung!' Taehyung answered with a drunken whine. 'I hope you told Namjoon-hyung nothing.' he pouted, letting Hoseok twirl him again.
'Oh, but he was asking about you!' his hyung grinned.
'And what did you tell him?' Taehyung asked, the dizzying rush of alcohol keeping the sense of worry at bay.
'I won't tell!' Hoseok sang.
'Meanie.'
'You love me like that.'
'True.' he laughed, hugging Hoseok tightly. 'I love your drunken .'
He absolutely needed this.

Taehyung wobbled outside well after any reasonable hour, accepting a cigarette as he greeted semi-familiar people.
He was fumbling with a lighter as he noticed something interesting, cigarette forgotten as he recognized the two figures.
It was Jimin and Jungkook and he smiled knowingly as he observed the exchange. He grilled their poor maknae for hours as Jimin's official bestest bud – he had an absolutely sure idea of what was happening and refrained from squealing as Jungkook whispered something into Jimin's ear, then got a hold of his hand and seemed to mouth something against his palm.
And Jimin seemed to catch on as well as his very self lit up after a slight shock. Then he pulled Jungkook down against his lips so fiercely that their maknae could barely keep his balance, gripping Jimin's hips with desperation that spoke more then words could.
Taehyung sighed, leaving the two alone as he wandered back towards the club on unstable feet, hoping that his case would go just half that well...
'There you were!' came the alcohol roughened voice he loved so much.
'Hyung!' he grinned.
'Stop right there! Yoongi-hyung warned that you started wandering and that only ever meant trouble.' he smiled, hair tasseled wonderfully from the party.
Taehyung was glad to stop and stare as his hyung came closer.
'That's a no.' Namjoon said, plucking the unlit cigarette out of his mouth. 'Now let's get you home.'
'Hyuuuung, I don' wanna.' Taehyung whined. I want to stay with you right here.
'Oh god, you are whining. It's too late.' Namjoon laughed.
'What are you talking about, I'm completely fine... Wait. Okay, no. Bring me back home.' he pouted reaching for Namjoon's arm, suddenly recognizing the symptoms of the last level of his inebriation.
His hyung was right, he was about ready to pass out.
'Okay, come here you over-sized baby.' Namjoon said, steadying Taehyung.
'Rude.'
'Only to you.' Namjoon teased, getting Taehyung on his back.
'Wha...? What are you doing?' Taehyung asked, drowsy as he fought his inevitable black out.
'Getting you back.' Namjoon shrugged, adjusting his grip and Taehyung tightened his hold around Namjoon's neck slightly. 'It's easier then dragging you back by your legs.'
'Funny, hyung.' he mumbled as he turned his face, inhaling his scent - it was absolutely intoxicating. And Namjoon began to talk about everything and nothing, knowing that he would not respond in his current state.
And not knowing that his voice was better then any lullaby.
'Tae?' Namjoon asked after a while, jostling him slightly.
'Hmm.' Taehyung hummed, nuzzling Namjoon's neck without opening his eyes.
'Say, do you love someone?'
___________________________
Namjoon is putting a puzzle together, but is it the right one? We'll see~

The boys are winning~ I'm so happy~ <3
Also it's getting cold, well here anyway, so dress up warmly! Don't catch a cold! And if you are living somewhere warm, send me some please~ :D