CHANGE OF RULES

ALL IN

Yoongi was right.
The play was eating his time up with the daily rehearsals that sometimes went on late into the night. It was absolutely hectic and chaotic which he would have enjoyed normally – but it took away from the time he could spend with Namjoon.
And his priorities changed.
But everyone went out of their way to help him and Jin, taking care of their dinners and much needed coffee breaks.
What surprised Taehyung more was that Namjoon, who usually stayed out of the actors' chaotic life, went out of his way to take care of them, of him.
His hyung would wait up late to walk him back to the dorms – him only, because Jin mastered his disappearing act in less then a day- and he would sometimes take him out to eat or just sat down with him to help in his acting, calling him a workaholic and a hardcore masochist.
Both were probably right.

Taehyung knew that something shifted in their relationship since that night in the Room, but he couldn't tell what exactly.
And it didn't really help the fact that he had a small heart attack every time his hyung acted on his new habit of randomly holding his hand, saying that he'd promised to share his warmth.
And nothing ever warmed his hands up quite like Namjoon's strong fingers...
Taehyung also felt his hyung's sharp gaze on him more often, knowing that Namjoon was indeed looking out for him – probably taking extra notice of every shift in his mood.
He developed the habit to smile at him whenever he left his gaze on him.

And April began to slowly climb by him like that.

'Tomorrow we are going out to picnic under the cherry blossoms.' Jin announced after another long rehearsal as the two of them walked back together, Namjoon not having time that night to wait up for him.
'If you want to ask me out be a bit more refined, please.' Taehyung teased with a smile, because his hyung was probably just as tired as him but still wanted to make time for his dongsaeng.
'Oh, you saw right through me.' Jin grinned, pushing at his shoulder playfully. 'But you have to fight my girl first.'
'How could I? We would all lose.' Taehyung chuckled.
'True, then I guess our love remains unfulfilled...' Jin laughed. 'Help me cook anyway.'
'Are you sure about that?' Taehyung grinned.
'You can't be as bad as Namjoon.' Jin grimaced, seemingly offended by even the idea of Namjoon in a kitchen.
'Then sure.' Taehyung laughed as Jin locked arms with him and they sang the rest of the way back to the dorms.

'Yo.'
He should have known.
'Be glad, I had to use my magic powers to rope him into this.' Jin whispered to him with a cheeky grin. 'Or was it your name?'
'Hi, hyung.' Taehyung smiled bashfully then hit Jin's back when Namjoon turned away to find a place for them to sit. 'You shouldn't be here, then I would be glad.' he whispered back.
Or at least told Namjoon not to come in glasses...
'As if I could have let you go out alone, much less leave you, my dearest kid, alone with Namjoon!' Jin teased loudly.
'What are you talking about now?' Namjoon chuckled, shaking his head. 'I always take care of my dongsaengs.'
'You, mister, are irresponsible. You would not take care of my baby properly.' Jin accused, hugging Taehyung to himself.
Jin was really embarrassing sometimes.
Namjoon just awarded that with a flat look then glanced at Taehyung with a smile. 'Wanna ditch him?'
'Sure.' Taehyung smiled back and when Namjoon smiled at him like that, wide and cheeky, it left him slightly breathless.
'I have the food.' Jin interrupted, seemingly pouting but his eyes were glinting with mischief.
'That can be arranged, hyung.' Namjoon grinned.
'Well Taehyung is right, you are rude.'
'Not you too, hyung!' Namjoon laughed, swatting in their way with the blanket.
With Jin's constant teasing he could forget about the unsure edges of their relationship and properly enjoyed their afternoon. Because nothing ever beat playing around with Namjoon and the way he laughed at his silly antics.
'Guys I have another date to attend so play nice!' Jin said, glancing at his phone. 'And bring back the containers.'
'Okay, Mom!' Taehyung beamed.
'I promise to bring your baby back as well.' Namjoon smiled, ruffling Taehyung's hair up.
'That goes without saying.' Jin winked, leaving them under the cherry blossoms.
Taehyung stifled a yawn, feeling exhausted from all the late-nighters but still absolutely content.
'You tired?' Namjoon asked, brushing his bangs away from his eyes and Taehyung leaned against the touch, closing his eyes with a sigh.
'Yeah... Technical rehearsals are killing me. I probably got motion-sickness from the revolving stage.'
'Come here then.' Namjoon smiled, leaning back on the blanket and patted his stomach. 'Sleep a bit. I'll wake you up for the sunset.'
Taehyung could just stare dumfounded at his hyung. '... won't you be bored and everything?' he blurted out.
'You are probably entertaining even while asleep. Come on.' Namjoon grinned and Taehyung obeyed the request, leaning his head back carefully against his hyung's stomach.
He thought he might be dreaming as he gazed up at the vibrantly blue sky through the soft hues of the flowers, blinking heavily as the wind blew the fallen petals in slow circles over them.
'Hey Tae?'
'Hmm?'
'When do you have time for me?' Namjoon asked.
Anytime.
'That's a stupid question, hyung.' Taehyung mumbled as he pulled his coat around himself tightly, feeling more then hearing Namjoon's quiet chuckle.
'I know you are busy.' Namjoon said, absentmindedly running his fingers through Taehyung's hair – he couldn't help the satisfied mewl that escaped him.
'I mean when do you have a free night?' Namjoon asked but it was really hard to think when he was on the brink of sleep and the word date dominated the rest of his working thoughts.
'Don't you have projects to work on?' he asked instead of voicing any of those thoughts.
'Afraid I won't have time for you anymore?' Namjoon teased.
Yes.
'Yes.' Taehyung pouted, closing his eyes.
'Not a chance.'
'Next week probably, before the premiere...' Taehyung mumbled with a smile, sleep consuming him slowly.
'Great.'
Namjoon made good on his promise and even brought him hot chocolate as they waited for the sun to set.
'Are you cold?' Namjoon asked, automatically reaching for his hand.
'No.' Taehyung smiled, his fingers fitting into Namjoon's hold perfectly. 'I slept well too, your one-pack is truly exquisite.'
'My what?' Namjoon asked with an offended raise of his brows, but a smile was tugging at his lips.
'Jin-hyung said you were skipping out on your training so... Hey!' he exclaimed as Namjoon pulled his hoodie over his eyes.
'Just who is the rude one now?' Namjoon laughed, his hold on Taehyung's hoodie firm and he struggled a bit to be released, chuckling as Namjoon flicked his nose.
'You are.' Taehyung smiled and he felt as Namjoon's grip slackened.
He was about to reach up to free his eyes when a finger brushed against the side of his mouth in a soft caress, the sensation stunning him motionless.
Then his breath hitched as that finger continued to draw a trail on his lips.
A moment of absolute silence.
Breathless and charged.
Then it disappeared.
'There was something on your lips.' Namjoon said softly, pulling Taehyung's hoodie back and off his eyes and Taehyung could just stare, mouth-hanging open slightly as the sun began to set.
Namjoon's gaze was warm in the soft light of the spring sunset but faraway as if he was deep in thought.
And he could just stare, color returning to his cheeks as he got lost in that gaze and that nothing, but everything that happened between them.
'Is there something on my face too?' Namjoon asked with a soft smile.
Thoughts.
Thoughts that he couldn't catch or name.
'No.' Taehyung whispered, blinking himself back to the present.
'Okay.' Namjoon said, breaking the eye contact to catch the last glimpse of the sunset as the warm tones got washed away by the cold blues of the night.
Taehyung watched the change of colors on his hyung's profile.
'Let's head back.' Namjoon said, standing up to gather their stuff.
'Yeah.'
It was a quiet ride back home.