Idr who requested it BUT HERE IS THE THEATRE RIVALS AU 

The echo of feet on a wooden stage, the heavy curtains that hummed and shimmered as they opened, the blinding lights and rows and rows of seats that slowly faded into the darkness, the relentless warmth of equipment running all around them... There was nothing about theatre that Youngjae didn't love.

“Why are you just standing there?”

His brow twitched. Okay. There was one thing he didn't love. He turned his head to see Daehyun stood off side, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his dumb lips.

“Forgot the lines? Maybe you shouldn't audition for the main role if you can't handle being up front.”

Youngjae clicked his tongue. “If I didn't audition then there'd be no point putting the show on at all. After all, no one pays to see mediocre performances.”

Daehyun frowned. “You're so self-absorbed, you'll never improve if you keep thinking you're the best.”

He rolled his eyes. “Please. I don't need to think about improving when I'm a hundred miles ahead of you.”

“A hundred miles, huh? That's when you get those 'honey vocals'? Question, does that nickname refer to when the honey has gone all dry and crunchy?”

“Cheap shot coming from a guy who wails like a dying cat.”

“At least I can hit a note. You can't even save your voice with emotion. Your acting is like watching milk go sour.”

“You watch milk go sour? That would explain why your line delivery is so bland.”

“All right, break it up you two,” Himchan's voice cut through the two of them. The older man was the show director, and their careers rested in his hands. “You two seriously need to learn to work together as a team. A performance is made of multiple people, not just the lead role.”

Daehyun laughed. “Yeah, Jaejae, learn to be a team player.”

Youngjae bristled at the humiliating nickname. “Well, I'll make the effort to learn when you're cast as my understudy,” he said in a bitterly sweet tone.

“Go take a walk you two. No more arguing before auditions,” Himchan snapped. “Go on, shoo!”

Youngjae didn't listen to anyone else's audition. It would just throw him off. He'd never let anyone know, but in the moments when he was on his own he found himself getting desperately insecure. He swallowed another mouthful of water, desperate to make sure his throat was clear and hydrated. The 'honey vocals' comment had struck a nerve deeper in him than he was expecting.

Himchan loudly called his name from the seats and he took a deep breath before stepping out onto the stage.

He stared at the script, heartbroken. He knew his voice had wobbled, but putting him as a secondary character was somehow much worse than refusing to cast him all together – especially since he only sang in duets with someone else. He grumbled, knowing he was going to receive an earful from a smug Daehyun.

“So.”

There he was.

“I suppose you're proud of yourself?”

Youngjae looked up from the script to give him a firm glare. “Don't try me, I suppose you screeched at Himchan like a broken harmonica until he relented?”

Daehyun huffed. “Don't waste time making fun of me. Just get it over with.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“The boasting. Go on. Just get it all done now so I don't have to deal with it later.”

“Boasting? For a side character? Really, your standards must be low. Did they not even cast you?”

Daehyun blinked. “You didn't get lead?”

Youngjae flinched a little. “No. I didn't. Obviously.” He squinted. “Didn't you?”

Daehyun pursed his lips. “No.”

“Neither of you got it,” Himchan chimed in brightly. “Youngjae, your voice was unsteady. Daehyun, your line delivery was a mess. What happened to you two?” He sighed and shook his head. “I gave the role to Jongup.”

“Jongup!?” Daehyun nearly shouted.

“But he's nowhere near good enough! I've seen him express one emotion in his entire career and that was mild surprise!” Youngjae complained.

“He's worked hard and improved a lot. Whereas you two have gone downhill. Being at the top made you both lazy, and even your petty rivalry didn't inspire you to improve. Maybe being paired up will help things hm?” He pat them both encouragingly on the shoulders before walking off.

The two stared at each other, filled with dismay.

“If you drag my performance down, I will kill you,” Youngjae threatened.
“It can't get any worse,” Daehyun hissed back.

“Why are you saying your lines so weirdly?” Youngjae huffed, a week into rehersals and thoroughly frustrated with his partner, “Have you forgotten how to act?”

Daehyun bristled. “I'm sorry. You were the one who said my line delivery was bland. I'm just trying to spruce it up!”

Youngjae groaned. “Dude I was just insulting you for the fun of it. Your line delivery is fine, Jesus, stop over-doing it.”

Daehyun blinked. “You think that?”

“Yeah, of course, otherwise you wouldn't be where you are. I mean, sometimes your lines are a bit flat but it's hardly dull.”

Daehyun's face had gone a bit pink. “Oh.”

Youngjae suddenly felt an overwhelming wash of guilt for making the other so insecure about his own art. “Hey... Just... Tone it down on the sprucing and you'll be perfect, okay?”

“Perfect?”

“Oh shut up and run through the script again.”

Three days before the show and Youngjae was nearly inhaling cup after cup of lemon tea and honey. Rehearsals with Daehyun had been... surprisingly successful. After the first few bumps and hurdles had been tackled with vicious rows and sullen silences, once they'd knuckled down to work they'd actually got a lot done. He'd even openly admit to Daehyun that his high notes were impressive. Of course he'd always thought that, but had never admit it to himself.

“If you keep drinking tea like that you'll make yourself ill,” Daehyun commented with a frown.

“No. It's good for your throat.”

“Uh, yeah, like one every day or so. Not eight cups in three hours. Since when do you chug lemon and honey like this?”

Youngjae didn't answer, instead draining the last of his drink.

“Seriously, I'm pretty sure it'll mess with your blood or something.”

He huffed. “Well I want my vocals to be clear. Not dry or whatever it was you said before.”

“Before...?” Daehyun blinked, then realised. “What? No, Youngjae, I was being an . Your voice is so smooth. You don't have to do all this.”

“Clearly it's not good enough or I would have got the lead role.”

“Well... You did turn down vocal practice a bunch of times... But your voice has improved mad amounts since we started rehearsing. If you'd practised before like you do now, you'd probably have the part.”

He felt his face heat up with anger and shame. He didn't respond, knowing Daehyun was right. He'd been lazy and the fact he'd only just started picking up his game was humiliating.

Daehyun pat his arm gently. “You'll get the next big role, I'm sure of it.”

He looked over at him and blinked. “What, you won't be auditioning?”

“Of course I will! But if you keep this up you might actually be a hundred miles ahead of me!”

He grinned, glad to finally have Daehyun on his side.

“That's a wrap!” Himchan shouted from backstage, calling all the exhausted performers over. “You did fantastic out there. The audience loved you. Jongup – you were incredible and you blew us all away. Daehyun, Youngjae – brilliant teamwork there. Everyone else, wonderful. Go get yourself a drink and take a break. Well done!” He clapped, delighted, before sending them all back to their dressing rooms.

“Hey, Youngjae,” Daehyun called as the cast dispersed themselves.

“Hey, nice work. I'm going to take one hell of a nap,” Youngjae said as the older jogged over to him.

“Yeah, you definitely deserve it.” Daehyun chuckled. “Um. Are you free this weekend?”

Youngjae looked at him, stretching his arms out. “Uh, I guess?”

“Do you... Um. Would you like to meet up?”

“Sure. Okay. For vocal practice or reading the script or-”

“Coffe.”

He blinked. “Huh?”

“You know. Go out and get coffee and chill somewhere..” Daehyun's face was an interesting shade of pink. “We don't really talk much at the theatre and I realised I don't know a lot about you so... Lets...Get coffee and..Talk.”

“You want to hang out with me?”

“Um. Yeah. Kinda.”

“Kinda?”

“Um... I mean, we can just hang out. I'm happy to do that but I was thinking maybe we could do this maybe more as a uh...” His face went a shade darker as he fumbled under Youngjae's baffled stare. “Date.”

Youngjae felt his cheeks tingle. “Oh. Um. Yeah. Okay. I'm...Sure. Let's do that. Lets go on a date. A coffee date.”

A relieved grin broke out across Daehyun's face. “Ah! Great. I'll... I'll sort out a time and, um, call you.”

“Sure. I'll wait!” Youngjae replied, trying to ignore the way his stomach flipped at the sight of that smile.

“I'm going to change now. See you in a bit!” The older boy bounded off to his dressing room, beaming.

Youngjae watched him and felt a smile cross his own face. He loved everything about the theatre.