Garnet | KTH

17. Eyes of a Deer

All ten of us dropped our bag of clothes with a loud thud before the boys crashed into the dusty couches. It was a disgusting smell that emitted from the dust and stench hovering in the air like a cloud.

But none of us cared.

We woke up way too early, displayed through the large bags under our eyes, and Jungkook already fast asleep.

Even worse, we drove miles out into the country, so remote no one would find us without getting lost. For four hours, we all sat in a car that smelled like piss and a driver who was awkwardly silent and dry as fuck. It was bad enough to sit couped up with seven boys who didn't want me there, but clearly, I was wrong.

Once we arrived, I noticed how the house could be easily mistaken for a small cabin since it was small, cozy, and predominantly made of carved wood. Though it seemed unsafe, from how old it was - the house was substantial to hold at least seven people - with nine beds and a somewhat large sitting area.

I before turning to gaze at the old architecture of the place; it's decorated walls and iconic arches that reminded me of medieval times. The cupboards were a midnight black, and the floors were dark auburn wood.

My eyes then flickered over to the wall behind the couch, with a painting of a beautiful blue tree. It glowed in the dark atmosphere, its illuminating petals falling down like snow. That's when I noticed the small signature in the corner, in bold red letters:

Coré.

My eyebrows lowered, realizing it was the same painter from before the attack. He must have been a famous painter for the Order - his style was laced within each painting throughout headquarters.

What is his significance?

I bit my lip before seeing Hoseok's loud voice from the opposite side of the room, his eyes widened with confusion.

"What is this?" He asked, gesturing to what seemed to be a large can in his hand.

My face softened slightly from noticing its similarity to a spray can, which is what the humans used to create graffiti. I gulped, remembering the slurs the humans used towards the Gems and the dark paint dripping down the wall like blood.

I quickly walked over to him, and he hesitated before gingerly placing the can in my hand, eyes asking me to determine what it was.

"Black hair dye?" I tilted my head to side, my eyes narrowed at the label. "Why would they give this to us?"

I turned to face the six couch potatoes and two girls off to side, who gazed at me with tired eyes like cows, and their hair ruffled and messy.

That's when it hit me. "They gave this to us as a disguise," I whispered. "It's so that no one recognizes you."

Seokjin groaned, face meeting Taehyung's shoulder. "So we have to become human?"

I shrugged, "yes, but it's for your protection," I said eyebrows tying together with worry, "you can't go out with coloured hair, the humans wouldn't hesitate to shoot you."

They all groamed is protest, but simultaneously nodding in agreement, not moving from their position.

"Who's first?"

***

I thought teenage boys were bad...but I quickly realized that men in their early twenties were far worse. Perhaps the abrupt transition into adulthood left them mentally behind - convinced they were still twelve, for each of them whined like babies as they complained about the sting from the dye.

The whiniest was surely Seokjin and Hoseok.

Tears spilled out of their eyes, and Seokjin complained about his precious face having stains on it. Hoseok's yellow hair took the longest, the bright yellow refusing to darken under the black color, making him wince and let out whines of pain. I rolled my eyes at their immaturity, happy that this situation with seven irritating boys was only temporary.