Intro — spoken, warm, over a slow bass walk] Every house has rules, darling. Ours just happen to matter. [Verse — Rule 1, smooth] Secrets aren't yours to spend just because you're holding them. What's whispered here stays buried here — unless it's yours. Then it's yours to give. [Verse — Rule 2] Don't measure your dark against another's. Grief's not a contest, love, not a game. Unless it's a bridge you're building — then go on. Say his name. [Verse — Rule 3, brighter, almost teasing] The light in here don't blind you. It's not meant to. That's not the game. It's here to show the shadows kindly — not burn the room, just name the pain. [Chorus — full, smooth, a little sly] These are the rules of the house, darling. Simple ones. Easy to keep. Break 'em soft, we'll forgive you gentle. Break 'em hard... you won't sleep. [Verse — Rule 4] Drama's for the stage, my dear. Not the booth, not the bar, not here. If it's too big to keep between us, take it outside. We'll still be here. [Instrumentation tightens — trumpet lower, darker] [Verse — Rule 5, slower, colder] And if you look at someone lightly — decide too fast what they're worth — that mistake belongs entirely to you. We won't be the ones to soften the hurt. [Final Chorus — same melody, warmth gone thin] These are the rules of the house, darling. Simple ones. Easy to keep. Break 'em soft, we'll forgive you gentle. Break 'em hard... (spoken, quiet, final) ...you won't sleep. [Outro — spoken, close, almost gentle again] Welcome back to the Den. Try to remember which rule, got you in.
