House of Cards & Other Shakespearean Retellings

Act 1 Scene 2

(Above is how Taehyung looks in this story)

Just a little background info going in: to call a man 'effeminate' in this time period is basically to call him gay. They didn't really have terms for gay or lesbian back in Shakespearean time. Also, they refer to women/maidens as "flowers". You'll see what I mean. 

Anyways, enjoy!

...

"Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"For the last time, Benvolio, it'll be fine!" Mercutio shouts as the small group walk down a deserted road on their way to the Capulet's house, "We'll be in disguises and masks, so they won't be able to recognize us,"

"What about Taehyung? He's easily recognizable!" Benvolio retorts and Taehyung frowns. He had tried to flatten his naturally wavy blond locks, and went out of his way to wear simple clothes so he wouldn't be a problem. He could've stayed home...but then he wouldn't be able to see Jungkook.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me..." Taehyung mumbles.

"What if Rosaline can't recognize me? What should I do then?" Romeo pines and soon Mercutio is mercilessly teasing him for his fickle heart. Which is true. Before Rosaline, Romeo was swooning over another girl. And another. And then another...he is easily swayed by the prospect of feminine beauty.

"Taehyung?" Mercutio's voice drags him from the dregs of his mind, and he instantly looks up at him.

"What?"

"What about you?"

"What about me...what?" Taehyung mumbles thoroughly confused by the turn in conversation.

"Are you planning on finding a flower to pluck tonight?" Mercutio questions, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Taehyung tries to keep a straight face even though his whole body tenses at the thought. He doesn't want to worry about women and marriage. He's not that young, but he's not that old either...he has time to figure all of that out. Right now, he just wants to keep everything as it is. To stay around Jungkook as long as he can...

"I wasn't really planning—"

"Taehyung, you must know the rumors going around...?" Romeo interjects and Taehyung lightly shakes his head no, "People are beginning to talk about you..."

"What about me?"

"They say you prefer men, Tae," Benvolio exclaims when he notices Romeo hesitate.

"That's just slander. I don't. I just haven't found anyone that catches my attention," Taehyung says quickly. Almost too quickly.

"For your sake, you should find a flower tonight and pluck it," Romeo says before Mercutio goes into a long tirade about the joys of female company, and all is forgotten. Taehyung bites his lip, trying desperately to forget the rumors that are going around, and instead to focus on having a good time at the ball. Once they get close enough, the group put on their masks, and slide into another, much larger, group of attendees. It is almost too easy to break into this party.

As soon as they are inside, they split ways, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. Romeo wanders off to find Rosaline, Mercutio to find a willing female companion, Benvolio to find something to eat, and Taehyung to find Jungkook. Discreetly, of course. He wanders the perimeter of the ballroom with a glass of wine in hand, eyes travelling from dancers to clusters of people and back again. He sees Romeo with a girl who is NOT Rosaline—she is over at the dining table with Benvolio—and Mercutio sneaking off with some loose woman out to the gardens.