House of Cards & Other Shakespearean Retellings

Act 3 Scene 3

"Jungkook...what are you doing here?" Taehyung quietly murmurs, his eyes flickering around his room as he tries to spot the man in the shadows. Taehyung makes a dash for his lamp, wanting to bring some light into the dark room, yet an arm wraps around his torso and another wraps around his chest, holding him in place, "Jungkook, let me go!" Taehyung gasps, not wanting to shout and draw attention from the other family members in the house.

"I can't..." Jungkook growls, his voice so deep that it sends tremors through Taehyung's body, "I know you hate me--you hate Capulets--but I can't just let you go," each word is filled with Jungkook's pain. His rage and frustration and heartbreak...but also his determination. He's determined to not let Taehyung go.

"You have to," Taehyung hisses, struggling in Jungkook's arms, "I can't be with you anymore, don't you understand that?" Taehyung's breath catches in his throat when Jungkook spins him in his grasp, the faint light of the moon streaking across Jungkook's chiseled features. There's a powerful determination in Jungkook's eyes that has Taehyung weak in his grip.

"You only say that because of your family. You don't actually mean it..." Jungkook says, and Taehyung can't stop the rage in his veins.

"Of course I mean it!" he snaps, shoving against Jungkook's chest until he manages to break out of his arms, "I don't want to be with you anymore. I can't be with--"

"A Capulet. Is that all this is about? A bloody name?" Jungkook interrupts, towering over Taehyung as the blond holds his ground. He's not going to back away from him now.

"It is more than just a name...your cousin--"

"I know," Jungkook whispers, his hand coming up to stroke Taehyung's cheek, "Tybalt murdered Mercutio. But Romeo killed Tybalt. The cycle has to end or there is going to be more Montague and Capulet deaths," Taehyung shivers at Jungkook's prophetic words. He knows the dark-haired male isn't wrong. Jungkook's gentle touch on Taehyung's cheek has the blond boy sighing, "I don't want to see your pretty face get ruined in this stupid feud," Jungkook adds, and Taehyung bitterly laughs.

"Just worried about my face, huh?" Taehyung snips, rolling his eyes, "Are you only here because you want my body, Jungkook?" Taehyung's question has Jungkook's brows furrowed with confusion. Why would Taehyung think like that? How could he assume this is all for a warm body and a romp.

"Of course not. I'm here because I love you, and I'm not going to let some petty feud get between us," Jungkook murmurs before Taehyung sighs again and steps away from Jungkook, the bitter tears burning his eyes again.

"It isn't petty. This is my family. I can't just abandon them for you. That makes me no better than Romeo!" Taehyung cries and Jungkook's jaw clenches as he tries to control his exasperation.

"You are better than Romeo. You've never let this feud corrupt your senses or make you a bad person,"

"I let love keep me from my familial duties! If I wasn't with you, I would have been at the duel with Mercutio. I could've stopped his death!" Taehyung shouts, freezing as he worries someone might hear him. The two of them stay silent for a moment; the only sound in Taehyung's ears is the pounding of his heart and his ragged breathing as he tries so hard not to cry. He's done crying.

"It wasn't your fault that Mercutio died," Jungkook calmly says when it is obvious no one is coming to interrupt them, "Being at the death doesn't change anything. Trust me..." Taehyung's eyes widen when he realizes what he means.

"You...you were there...when Tybalt died...?" he stammers and Jungkook nods his head, hiding his emotions behind a cold mask.

"I tried to stop it and failed...I can't blame myself though when Tybalt was the one who jumped in front of Romeo's sword," Jungkook mumbles before sighing, "I can blame the feud for all that has happened. And I don't want to see how the rest of this is going to play out,"