Loud snores escaped my mouth, as I rolled over, as light instantly beamed on my face. But I didn't care in the slightest, for whatever I was lying on smelled amazing and was warm — luring me to stay asleep. It felt as if I was snuggling a teddy bear, and a smile spread across my face in comfort.

Until it started to move and shift.

My eyes fluttered open, eyes meeting a handsome face sleeping peacefully next to me. His black hair was everywhere and mouth pouted slightly.

It took a few seconds for me to finally process that I wasn't sleeping on a pillow.

My eyes widened in embarrassment, backing away frantically at the realization.

I had been sleeping on his shoulder all fucking night.

Taehyung stirred, eyes opening slightly, as his forehead drew into a frown. He noticed my face and chuckled lightly, "what?"

"Why was I sleeping on your shoulder all night? Why didn't you move me away?" I responded, bringing my knees to my chest in disgust.

Taehyung rolled his eyes, "I sleep like a rock, so I have no idea whether or not you slept on my shoulder. And besides, I'm sure you enjoyed it." He smirked, propping his head on his arm arrogantly.

"If I did, I wouldn't be reacting like this," I narrowed my eyes at him.

Taehyung chuckled rolling over making his back face me. "Every girl reacts the same way, Juliana."

"How do you know? Have you slept with any girls?" I questioned with folded arms.

"No... but I've been around them enough to know they lie. Yet you... you are a terrible liar." Taehyung said, voice deeper than before. I could practically hear the smile in the way he spoke.

I grunted in irritation, picking up my pillow and swatting him on the head with it. "Whatever, now get up you ketchup pack." I said stepping past him and through the hall and toward the kitchen.

I sighed in relief at the fresh smell of food. I walked further down the hallway, and entered the kitchen where I noticed Lisa and Ryujin cooking.

I hopped to sit on the counter and smiled gently. I pulled a slice of apple from Lisa's cutting board.

"Hey!" Lisa chuckled.

I shrugged and smiled widely.

As they both continued making breakfast, I didn't even realize Taehyung come in until I heard his footsteps enter and he sat on the counter next to me. I rolled my eyes and scooted away from him, causing him to smirk.

"You're still angry at me, aren't you?"

"What do you think?" I responded with narrowed eyes, but he just chuckled smugly.

"If you guys are going to fight, please do it somewhere else," Lisa said while chopping more apple slices

Ryujin hushed her, looking back over to us. "C'mon don't spoil the fun, it's entertaining."

I rolled my eyes and jumped off the counter. "I'm gonna go shower,"

As Taehyung was about to open his mouth to speak, I stuck my hand up in his face. "Don't say anything, or I swear I will kick your horny ass back to Onavale." I stated firmly, eyes glaring into his.

He chuckled and zipped his mouth shut playfully.

I turned away and toward the shower, praying that the problems would just evaporate when I got out.

I was wrong. Very wrong.

Taehyung couldn't leave me alone after what happened this morning — h never missed the opportunity to torture me. He gave suggestive glances and wiggled his eyebrows, sometimes even allowing his hands to brush my waist every so often just to let it soak in.

My blood boiled. It bothered me beyond words, because he was so unbothered.

As I stabbed into the food and shoved it into my mouth, I ignored the playful stares Taehyung offered from across the table. My eyebrows raised and I looked away, meanwhile everyone else was blind to the interaction at hand.

I heard Taehyung sigh, before kicking my feet gently. My gaze shifted instantly to him, where he innocently ate a piece of food like nothing happened.

My eye twitched and I kicked him back. Taehyung smiled and kicked me again. I shook my head, a small smirk appearing on my face. It was surprising that our childish doings continued to remain unnoticed as the others proceeded with their conversations. Before I could kick him back, Taehyung wrapped his leg around mine, causing me to almost fall out my chair.

Clearly that grabbed everyone's attention.

"You okay?" Jimin asked gently, getting out of his chair to help me up.

That's when I saw a small eye-roll from Taehyung and he looked away bitterly. I looked back over at Jimin waving my hand in dismissal and standing on my own feet.

"I'm fine." I said with a small chuckle, directing it toward the culprit who avoided my gaze. "I just slipped," I finished, before giving the arrogant Taehyung a harsh kick in the shin and he grunted in pain, though he suppressed it.

As I gathered the dishes from the table, I headed back into the kitchen and cleaned them in the sink. That's when Taehyung walked in, and hopped to sit on the countertop beside me, watching my form with a small smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Stop following me."

"I'm not." He continued smiling at me, amused at me being so annoyed.

"Since when did you become so smiley?" I asked, not even sparing him a glance. "You're acting weird."

He shrugged, "I don't know I just feel... lighter." I smiled. "Why are you so grumpy?"

I sighed in irritation. "I think we're experiencing the leftovers of last night, everyone is a little moody." I replied, placing another dish on the towel, and dabbing it dry.

Silence filled the room before he spoke.

"I just want to thank you, Annie."

I froze for a moment at the nickname, but went on with what I was doing. Yet the small tug at my heart didn't go unnoticed with how my name rolled off his tongue so kindly. It was unlike the first time he said my name; bitter and harsh.

Now, it was warm and kind.

"For what?" I asked turning to gaze at him.

"What you did last night..." he said eyes flickering to meet mine as well. "I really needed that."

I felt like I couldn't breathe. His words, the softness of his voice, those eyes. It caught me so off guard, like the flick of a switch when you've been hidden in the darkness for so long. And all I was capable of doing was staring at him, as if the world crumbled away. We gazed at each other, waiting for something - but neither of us knew.

I cleared my throat, breaking the silence to pick up another dish and clean it. "No problem," I said, glancing over at him kindly.

I watched as his fingertips tapped on the counter top rhythmically. My gaze immediately drew to the ring that still remained on his finger, the one I knocked over the first day we met. It was crazy to think that it was over a month ago already.

I noticed how the red glittered under the sunlight so beautifully, it was almost hypnotizing. "What's that ring? I always see you wearing it." I said, trying to redirect the conversation.

Taehyung looked down at the ring and pulled it off his finger to play with it. "It's my mother's." He said softly. "It was passed down from generations of Garnets, all the way back to the original guy."

"Did he create it?" I questioned curiously. "Or did he get it from someone else?"

Taehyung shrugged, "too far back. So I have no clue."

I scoffed, going back to what I was initially doing, before I glanced back at the ring again. The images of Taehyung's face at the gala and the dress I wore raged through my mind all over again.

I let out a shaky breath. "What happened to her? Your mother, I mean." I asked as gently as I could, not wanting to start more issues.

I hear Taehyung shift uncomfortably, taking a moment to think. "She... umm... died." He said hesitantly, words stuttering over the next.

I realized his discomfort, and tried to change the topic. "You know, it's okay if you-"

"No, no it's fine." Taehyung interrupted. "I just... haven't talked about it in a while." He said quietly, as if he was about to curl up into a small ball.

He exhaled deeply, as I placed the dish off to the side and offered him my full attention. "She was killed — by humans. Not just killed, but brutally murdered." Taehyung gulped. "I was eight, but I still remember it like it was yesterday — when I heard a scream, and people rushing into her bedroom."

I bit my lip, watching as Taehyung fought back the emotion.

"She was bruised all over from being thrown around the room... her head bashed. But they never shot her... they tortured her instead." Taehyung breathed shakily, tears beading at the corner of his eyes.

My immediate reaction was to say something, but instead I reached over and placed my hand on top of his gloved one, offering him a sense of comfort. I realized what I was doing, on the verge of pulling my hand away. I could hear the sirens in my head, trying to remind me what Taehyung had done earlier, but the way his face displayed that of pure pain, my heart ached to help him.

That's when I realized his bitterness toward me all this time, and why he was so awful to me. Ryujin's words rung through my head.

Garnets hated the humans most.

Taehyung wasn't an asshole toward me because he was a horrible person at heart... he was afraid and angry. He lost his mother to a group of humans, and I couldn't even imagine what that would've been like to see her afterward. Someone you loved so much tortured to their death.

But worse, another human walking in on his life must've felt like history repeating. Not only might he have been fearful for himself, but for his friends whom he viewed as brothers.

It all made sense now, as I stepped slightly closer to him. However, Taehyung didn't back away from me, but instead let me in.

"I'm not one of them, Taehyung." I whispered.

Taehyung's eyes flickered from one to the other, eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "I know, and I feel bad for assuming you were." He said quietly, it appeared like he would break.

"What was she like?" I asked gently, playing with the ring on his finger.

"The greatest being alive — strong, confident, selfless and kind." He smiled, "I felt happy around her, and... free."

I continued playing with his ring, and Taehyung shifted his finger to allow me. "You remind me of her."

"Really?" I chuckled. "She seems much more special than my blabber mouth self."

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Shut up. You're sometimes irritating, true, but everyone has flaws, and honestly, it's not even that bad of a flaw."

I couldn't help but smile at his attempt at a compliment. Taehyung could simply make anyone forget his irritating behaviour with a few words.

"Thanks?" I tilt my head. "You're just as annoying, by the way."

"Is that a return of my compliment?" He smirked, eyes alight with mischief.

"Sure." I rolled my eyes playfully, stepping away from him to clean the rest of the dishes.

[A/N]

Unedited.

Hi guys! Another update. What did you think? :3

Btw I'll be on hiatus until September 4th. I feel bad, so hopefully this update makes up for it <3