Archive of Our Own

Taehyung looks around at the remaining members, knowing full well he should wait until Yoongi’s awake, but he’s too impatient, too eager. “I dare you—all of you—to keep the game going. Indefinitely.”

The room is silent for a long moment, and then everyone is speaking at once, desperate to be heard over one another.

“How would that even work?”

“You haven’t asked ‘truth or dare’!”

“You can’t dare all of us!...can you?”

Taehyung ignores the chaos and keeps talking, stumbling a bit over his words in his enthusiasm. “C’mon, we had fun last night, didn’t we? When else do we get to just...let go like that?”

“There’s a reason for that, Taehyung,” Namjoon reminds him gently. “It’s one thing when we’re away on our own, but…”

“He has a point, Namjoon-ah,” Seokjin says, and everyone turns to stare at him. His cheeks go pink but he continues, undeterred, “Something like this...it could keep things interesting. A game that’s just for us, not for the cameras. We’ve been doing this long enough that I’m pretty sure we know what not to do,” and even as he says it he’s not sure it’s true but he thinks— "We’ve figured everything else out along the way. We could navigate this too.”

To his surprise, Hoseok is nodding, a distant look in his eyes like he’s choosing his words carefully as he speaks. “Considering what else we’ve managed to keep out of the public eye...this doesn’t seem like it’s asking much more.” He pauses, then: “And last night was fun.”

Jimin’s eyes are bright, Jungkook looking more alert than he has all morning as the two of them turn to Namjoon, expressions expectant, hopeful. Five against one, and Namjoon knows when he’s lost, but he doesn’t give in right away, determined to consider all the options first. He sits down heavily at the kitchen table, staring into his coffee as he runs through the pros and cons in his mind. Both lists are endless.

But last night was fun.

He looks back up at the others. “If we’re going to do this,” he says, and Taehyung’s eyes light up, “We need rules. Nothing that interferes with work, or sabotages anyone’s image, to start.”

“Obviously, Joon,” Hoseok says. “That’s always been rule number one.”

“The reminder never hurts,” Namjoon says, and Hoseok can’t disagree.

“Everyone has to be involved in the game,” Seokjin pipes up. “Not all at once, obviously, but it can’t just be the same three people truth-or-daring back and forth.” He gives Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung a reproachful look; Taehyung, at least, has the grace to look mildly ashamed before another thought occurs to him.

“The game can’t be stuck on one person for too long,” he says. “If it’s your turn, you have to ask someone within…" He thinks for a long moment, then settles on, "A week."

“Or what?” Jimin asks. Tae tilts his head, considering, but it’s Jungkook who speaks up next. “Or your turn is forfeited to the person younger than you?”

“Yah!” Seokjin says, and Jungkook eyes him in exasperation, adding, “If it’s me, then it defaults to you. But don’t get your hopes up that I’m gonna forget, hyung.” Then: “What happens if someone refuses a dare? Or a truth, I guess?”

Jimin is ready with an answer. “How about the other members—not including the one who came up with the original dare—choose a penalty?”

“Oh, shit,” Taehyung says, grinning. “Who’s gonna risk that?”

Jimin shrugs and settles back in his chair as the others make noises of assent, moving on to the next suggestion.

“I think…you need a majority present to be able to challenge someone,” Hoseok offers. “Levels the playing field a little if it's not just the two involved."

“A quorum of four,” Namjoon murmurs, half to himself, and nods. “Alright. Anything else?”

“Can we—can we keep it open-ended?” Jungkook asks. “Like, the rules can change at any time if we all discuss it.” His gaze falls upon Namjoon. “Except for the first rule, I know.”

“As long as we all agree, that seems fair,” Seokjin says, looking a little guilty as he adds, “Speaking of all...should we be having this conversation without Yoongi?”

“If Yoongi disagrees with this, the whole thing’s off,” Hoseok warns, but Taehyung doesn’t look concerned. “Hyung won’t disagree,” Jungkook murmurs, and everyone knows he’s right. “He might be pissed that we came up with the rules without him,” Jimin comments mildly, but Taehyung just shrugs. “Rules can change at any point, right?”

“One last thing,” Namjoon says, and the others turn to face him. “Let’s keep it in the band. Nothing involving ARMY, or other groups, or…” He seems to be turning the rule over in his mind even as he speaks. “Or the staff, I think.” He glances at Hoseok and Seokjin, seeking their opinions, and Seokjin is the first to speak up. “Like you said...keep it in the band. If we’re doing it right, there’s no reason the staff need to know.” Hoseok nods, satisfied, and Joon follows suit a moment later. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

They look around at each other, at a bit of a loss—and then they’re all speaking at once again, trying to determine where to begin.

“Whose turn is it?”

“Are we starting now?”

“Why not?”

“I’m the oldest, so—”

“That doesn’t automatically make it your turn, hyung!”

“Well, do you have a better idea?”

"Guys."

Namjoon's voice cuts through the commotion, and for once they listen, turning to him expectantly. He's looking back at them like they've lost their minds. "How do we ever solve anything? C'mon."

The realization hits them all at once, and they stare around at one another, unsure how it hadn't occurred to them from the start. Hoseok lays his head on the table, grumbling something about needing more coffee; he raises his voice just enough for the others to hear as he says, “When Yoongi hyung wakes up, we’ll start.”

---

Yoongi stumbles out of his room a few hours later, still yawning, hair a mess, barely looking at the members sprawled in the living room as he makes his way to the kitchen. He returns a few minutes later, bowl of food in hand, and finally notices the six pairs of eyes following his every move. He chews, swallows, asks, “What’d I miss?”

Ten minutes later he’s curled up in his armchair from the night before, bowl set aside, looking around at them in disbelief. “Don’t let me sleep through important band decisions!” His tone is scandalized, scolding, but he's not fooling anyone, himself included; he's grinning, and Taehyung grins right back. “So you’re in?” he asks, and Yoongi nods as if that should be obvious. “Hell yes. Let’s do this.” He pauses. “So whose turn is it?”

“Well...I kind of dared everyone, so…”

"Rock paper scissors?"

"Rock paper scissors." 

In sync as ever, they all lean in, holding out their fists. Jimin is the first to speak, tone lilting as he starts: "If you don't play, you lose: rock, paper, scissors!"