#wontaek.

[sparedpart]

live laugh love, starring cha wontaek @psychdeath

he’s been sitting at the bar for the past half hour now, nursing his third glass of pinot. wonshik likes to mingle, but he’s done his part already - he’s caught up with friends, he’s chatted up colleagues. he’s made his rounds; the walk around the exhibition, admiring the art for sale and making idle comments on things he knows nothing about. he’s let the host talk him into donating. and now that all is done, he’s sitting here biding his time, because it’s definitely too early to leave, and the bar, at least, is open.

it doesn’t take long for someone else to approach him, some businesswoman wonshik faintly remembers from a launch party months back. the small talk is boring, but he gets strained smiles and compliments he doesn’t mean nonetheless. then, opportunity presents itself: a familiar face appears next to them, and wonshik gives the woman the sort of distracted look that really is a dismissal in itself, and turns in his seat.

“wontaek, man, it’s good to see you.” he doesn’t remember meeting in person before, but they must’ve; the circle is small, as evidenced by their shared history. wonshik isn’t sure that’s enough cause to strike up conversation, but he’s desperate, and he wouldn’t mind a good distraction. it’s not like wontaek looks particularly busy. “congrats on your relationship. you want a drink?”

[egobless]

there’s a story about a man who claimed the dark as his own and it swallowed him whole. 

there’s a story about a woman who made bedfellows with it and it drove her to a certain madness. 

there’s a story about another who quite fancied the shade and allowed him to break her open, the architecture of her curves underlined by the moon’s hue. wontaek relishes this particular one, all of its heated scenes and heavy smoke. he contemplates god in all his glory, and although he is not a pious man, he finds all of sumi's darkest spaces all too redeeming. 

he knows the darkness, though pardon him, he hates how trite that sounds. but it’s no different than what he presses onto canvas, how gunpowder black, all bleak and baltic, blends into ash grey. how it’s never really just negative space, instead it’s brimming, the overflow promising something askew. so why is it, pray tell, that he missed sumi’s own? the penumbra burning strange patterns into his walls, it moves as if colicky with greed. staggered and hungry in its need to destroy, wontaek watches as it launches his easel across the room, coming apart in an explosion of splinters. it sends his glasses flying, flings various vinyl records against the opposite wall, topples his record player over for good measure. ‘what the fuck?’ he hisses, near stumbling out of bed, his shame cutting shape into the night. ‘sumi, what the actual fuck?’ 

conjuring up his own demons, they melt from his shadow and ghost towards the beast but he sees them quickly thwarted and embarrassingly so. he’s not used to this; see, wontaek knows very little about defeat, has never felt the twinge of a battle lost, not really. ‘enough!’ he yells with a rage fit for his fury, cloaking the room in pitch. 

there’s a story about a man who took the first step on the moon and how he teetered towards the dark side’s edge. wontaek’s not so sure how it ends but i’m sure you get the gist.

when you come around w/ @13elmst

[sadfragilegirl]

So...I made a thing while I was making my own custom profile. 🤭

And yes, I'm a STARLIGHT who plays Project SEKAI.

[complete-in-ix]

E̴͏r͢r̴͜o̵r

Rated: T Warning(s): Major Character Death

Description: Wonshik becomes a cyborg to bring back his dead lover Taekwoon, focusing only on him even as their friends succumb to the same illness that took Taekwoon's life. He has become a cold machine, focusing on only Taekwoon and feeling only for Taekwoon. It's all for him, it always was.

(Read on Ao3)

Wonshik’s circuits whir to life in the brightly lit laboratory, his eyes blinking on as his body warms up. He sluggishly gets up and lifts his head, his eyes landing on the skeletal robot body in front of him.

Taekwoon is still as beautiful as the day Wonshik first laid eyes on him, even though his blue glass robotic eyes no longer carry the light that once illuminated his life and his cold metal face remains blank and expressionless, even more than it was when he was alive. Before, Wonshik was still able to tell what was on Taekwoon’s mind by reading the subtle signals of his face: A twitch of his jaw here, a slight eye-roll there. Now there was no expression to read, just a lifeless, mechanical husk.

It's been three months since the incident. Wonshik had returned home to find Taekwoon lying motionless and deathly cold on their shared bed, claimed by the sickness that had swept the nation. Since then, Wonshik had fully dedicated himself to bringing his lover back to life. His transformation from flesh to metal had been excruciating, having his organs and limbs slowly replaced with cold steel and wires until his body became a cold, almost completely unfeeling machine. The only thing he focused on after was bringing Taekwoon back. It was all for him. Even as Hakyeon, Jaehwan, Sanghyuk, and finally Hongbin had been taken by the sickness, Wonshik only set up empty frames for them. He would fix the others later. The only one who currently mattered was Taekwoon. He never became tired, only stopping to fix one of his own limbs or let himself recharge. Nothing else mattered. It was for Taekwoon. Just Taekwoon. Only for Taekwoon.

It would be another six months until Wonshik completed his work. Taekwoon’s eyes blinked to life, a soft hum emitting from his circuits as his systems booted up. But something was wrong.

“Hyung.” Wonshik murmurs, gently bringing a hand up to caress Taekwoon’s face. Taekwoon only follows Wonshik’s movements with his eyes, meeting his gaze with a blank expression. “Taekwoon-ah. Do you remember anything?” Wonshik continues, tucking Taekwoon’s unruly bangs out of his face. Taekwoon responds with silence, a shadow of confusion flicking through his eyes for a second. Before Wonshik can say anything, an ‘Error’ message appears on the computer that Taekwoon is connected to. Wonshik goes to check, his eyes not leaving Taekwoon, who doesn’t leave the platform and just watches Wonshik.

“I need memories.” Wonshik murmurs to himself, realizing his mistake. Taekwoon remains unresponsive because there are no memories for his AI to go off of. Wonshik curses himself for making such a foolish mistake. He had been able to function just fine because he had made his transition while he was alive, and he could remember everything just fine. But there is no way to retrieve memories from a dead man, and even if there were, Taekwoon had been dead for far too long to attempt anything like that. There was another option, although it should only be a last resort as it would surely mean the authorities would come crashing through the door. That option would be for Wonshik to implant his own memories of Taekwoon into him and leave the AI to sort out the rest. Wonshik grapples with the idea for a moment as he holds Taekwoon’s body in his arms, a body that is now alive but not alive. All he wants is to have his Taekwoon back, and for that, he’d do anything.

He makes up his mind as he releases Taekwoon and walks over the computer, which still has his memories implanted in it from before he became robotic. He pulls up the tab and types in the command to insert the memories, guiding Taekwoon to sit down in front of the device that would give him the memories needed to be truly alive again. The machine beeps to signal that it is ready for the memory implant. Wonshik pulls the machine over Taekwoon’s head and presses the button, waiting with bated breath that he doesn't need as the images flash in front of Taekwoon’s eyes.

Wonshik cautiously lifts up the machine when it beeps again, nervous energy making his hands shake slightly as he puts it down. His electronic heart leaps in his chest when Taekwoon looks up to meet his gaze. His eyes are now filled with the light that Wonshik loves so much, and his heart soars in relief when Taekwoon all but leaps out of the chair to hug him.

“Taekwoon… You're back…” Wonshik murmurs, forgetting about honorifics in his ecstatic relief. He holds Taekwoon tight as if he might lose him again. He fears he might, as the authorities are connected to his computer and can tell when he's used his own memories more than once. He gazes at the door, all sorts of horrible scenarios paying out in his mind.

“Wonshik. Relax.” Taekwoon’s soft voice cuts through Wonshik’s thoughts, bringing his attention back to reality. “Even after we've come back from the dead, I can still tell if something’s on your mind.” Wonshik smiles at those words. Taekwoon had always been able to read him so easily.

“You’re right. You’re back, and that’s all that matters.” Wonshik replies, pulling back from the hug to hold Taekwoon’s face and pull him into a tender kiss. Taekwoon’s lips move against his own in a way that he sorely missed, reigniting feelings that Wonshik thought had been long buried. He breaks the kiss after a long moment, resting his head against Taekwoon’s. “I missed you.” He whispers, gazing into Taekwoon’s enchanting ice blue eyes. Taekwoon holds his gaze with a soft smile until his eyes flick over to the four empty frames hanging against the far wall.

“Where are the others?” Taekwoon asks, pulling back from Wonshik’s embrace to investigate the frames.

“They’re gone… After you died, they all went soon after…” Wonshik says, his gaze dropping to hide his grief. “I promised I would bring them all back too, but I had to get you back first.” He continues, watching Taekwoon’s face change from grief to cautious hope. “I promised I would make it so we’d all be able to see each other again.” Taekwoon smiles at this and gladly accepts Wonshik’s embrace, burying his face in Wonshik’s collar. There is no need for words, as their embrace tells all the words that they need to express.

“I’m home.” “I missed you.” “I’m sorry it took so long.” “I love you.”

Before either of them can do anything else, there is a harsh knocking on the door followed by five agents in black bursting through. Wonshik pulls Taekwoon tight to his chest to protect him, but four of the agents forcefully pull them apart, two restraining each of them while the fifth pulls out a three-inch-long needle connected to a small monitor.

Wonshik watches as the agent drives the needle into the back of Taekwoon’s neck with enough force to disable his movements and cause his entire system to trip for a split second, shown in the rapid flashing of his eyes.

“Stop! Let go of him!” Wonshik shouts, struggling against the agents holding him. He doesn’t dare do anything while the needle is still buried in Taekwoon’s neck lest the agent twist it the wrong way and break anything, but the sight of Taekwoon being held motionless while the monitor scans through his systems is a sight that Wonshik can hardly bear. The agent pulls out the needle after a minute that feels like an eternity, staring at the monitor that blares an angry tone throughout the laboratory. The noise alone is enough to let Wonshik know that his efforts have been for naught, as the agent signals for the two holding Taekwoon to take him away with a disapproving glare sent in Wonshik’s direction.

The agent’s rough handling jolts Taekwoon back to reality, and he looks back at Wonshik in desperation as he is being dragged away, still too weak to fight back. Something snaps inside Wonshik at the sight, and he throws the agents holding him aside with enough force to knock over his desk and one of the empty frames hanging from the wall behind him. He sprints at the remaining agents, tearing them away from Taekwoon and throwing the lead agent into the far wall. He grabs Taekwoon’s wrist and takes off further into the laboratory, hastily punching in a code in a hidden panel in the wall.

“Wonshik, what-” Taekwoon starts, but is cut off by Wonshik.

“I had to bring you back. I used my own memories.” Wonshik admits, refusing to meet Taekwoon’s gaze as he pulls him into the secret passage that opens up next to them. “Come on!”

“Wonshik, that’s-”

“Illegal, I know. It doesn’t matter, it was for you.” Wonshik says, closing the door behind them and guiding Taekwoon to another large machine with six gigantic wires resembling power cords attached to it. “I made a promise. I intend to keep it.”

“You didn’t have to do all that for me… Surely you could have found someone else, right?” Taekwoon asks, his voice barely above a whisper as he sinks to the ground against the machine.

“No, I never could. I only love you.” Wonshik murmurs, rushing to Taekwoon’s side. He caresses Taekwoon’s cheek, guiding him to look up at him. “I did this because I wanted to be with you again. Screw the consequences.” He says, leaning in to kiss Taekwoon when he doesn’t get a response.

“But you’ve been found out. What are we going to do now?” Taekwoon asks, glancing at the door as if the agents would come bursting in any second.

“I promised we would all be able to see each other again, right? I can still keep that promise.” Wonshik replies, picking up one of the wires from the ground and driving the prongs into his neck. The electricity surges through him and causes him to bite back a cry of pain. Taekwoon’s face falls when he realizes the implications of Wonshik’s actions.

“You can’t possibly mean…” He whispers in shock, although he already knows the answer.

“This is our only way now… You still want to see them all again, right?” Wonshik asks, his voice strained as the machine begins to delete the intricate coding and memories from Wonshik’s body.

“I do. You’ll be there too after this.” Taekwoon murmurs after what seems like an eternity, picking up another wire and hesitating for a split second before jamming the prongs into his neck.

“Once it beeps and we pull out the wires, we’ll be able to see them again,” Wonshik says, embracing Taekwoon the best he can with the wires hindering his movement.

“We’ll be free,” Taekwoon adds, pulling Wonshik in for one last kiss before the machine beeps. Wonshik hums in agreement, slowly pulling his arms away from Taekwoon and gripping the wire attached to his neck. Taekwoon does the same, gazing into Wonshik’s eyes with more emotion than words can express.

“I love you.” Those are the last words Wonshik hears from Taekwoon before he tears out the wire, his expression strikingly peaceful as the light dies from his eyes and he collapses to his knees.

“I love you too.” Wonshik chokes out, ripping out his wire not a second later and collapsing beside Taekwoon.

The agents burst in five minutes later, only to find the two lovers facing each other, kneeling lifeless and still reaching towards each other even in death.

[sangvislunae]

@4thsabbath

how was one supposed to broach the subject of potential impending death? neither sunhwa or wontaek were the type for superfluous words or cliches, as niceties didn't help you survive or watch your six. the two understood exactly what the mission for division four could mean and had no illusions that this trip would be easy. both knew what they had to do despite this. both were spurred by similar morals and hopes, something that had drawn them together all those years ago. it felt like a lifetime ago when they had first met, when sunhwa believed the kdr could do something good in the world. what a fool she had been.

she had been a fool about many things. creating connections and allowing people in had been one of those things. it didn't take her long to learn that was a mistake. missing, dead-- did it matter? if they disappeared it was safe to assume they were dead and it was something she came to terms with after wontaek had suddenly disappeared with no notice or note left behind. she knew he was savvy and strong enough to survive but better men than either of them had been taken by surprise by an infected or betrayed by humans. could he be alive? yes but the chances of her ever seeing him again even if he was was slim to none.

imagine her shock when a familiar face was introduced as the leader of division four. her first instinct, a residual instinct left from another time, was to pull him into a hug and refuse to let go despite his protest and upset. her second, and stronger, instinct was to smack him so hard he forgot his family name but she supposed that would be bad for moral. making a mental inventory of both thoughts she decided she'd catch up with him later that night, still unsure what foot she'd lead with once she saw him.

deciding you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, sunhwa walked to his quarters with a bottle of whiskey in hand. an olive branch of sorts that she hoped would say the things she refused to say aloud. she was no longer the bleeding heart she was when he departed and though she was glad he was alive and well, saying too much would be dangerous and she wasn't willing to get that close to the flame again.

"knock knock." she announced herself, holding up the bottle with a rueful smile. "got any spare time for an old friend?"

[officialrovix]

160501 Leo & Ravi @ ‘Depend On’ Japan Live Tour | © 006

[babieken]

do yall ever read a really old fave fanfic of yours that you haven’t read in ages and it’s been long enough that you’ve forgotten most of it so it’s like you’re reading it again for the first time? isn’t that just the best feeling?

[notkitsune]

🎁🌿🍒🥀

🎁 - christmas gifts.

what the hell do you buy for someone who has all of the material possessions he could want? he had thought to splurge on some nice art materials, but that didn't seem good enough, special enough. so why does he find himself in the campus bookstore now, perusing the art history and theory shelves instead? he's not quite sure. dropping a shocking amount of money on his personal favorite book on color theory seemed fitting in some ways, but silly in many others. it's a book after all, and not even one with a riveting plot. but wonjae thinks to his own copy at home; a book that has been through hell, that he still consults frequently. that his mother had gifted him. that he's horrified will fall apart if he opens it too aggressively these days. it's not the most typical gift, nor is it the most popular book on color theory, but it's wonjae's favorite—and something about that makes it feel like a meaningful gift. even if wontaek never uses it, hell, it makes an interesting conversation starter. he slides the last copy off of the shelf, decided.

🌿🍒 - last text sent.

< to: wontaek. > sms: i'm about to lose my damn mind sms: if i buy you a coffee, will you meet me at the cafe so i can complain sms: because i'm about to lose it on one of my professors and ranting might make me feel better sms: i'll even throw in a pastry

🌿🥀 - 3 am drunk text.

< to: wontaek. > sms: do yoy remember that time we both fell asleep in the campus art studio sms: cause i snuck in a flask and we were painting drunk sms: i thinka bout that a lot sms: why don't we do that kind of shit anymore sms: too old?

[psychdeath]

cha wontaek. 3d environment artist @ orbit gaming. penned by ares (21+, s/h, gmt)

hey hi hello. it's me again after shamefully changing muses. like if you wanna plot, y'know the drill.

tw family death

NOBODY TO SOMEBODY

what sort of parents sign up for a kid only to abandon him and sign him over to the state? cha daehyun and lee bitna, a celebrity couple. thought that their relationship could stand the test of time and fandom. what the public didn't know was that they had plans to get pregnant, to start a family.

papers were signed and a baby was on its way. only, once news of their marriage broke, daehyun's rating started to plummet and the cowardice began to show. he promptly ditched and like a contagion, bitna's fear of losing her spot in the limelight became all too consuming. so she signed wontaek over to the state, giving him nothing but his life and a name.

life in the orphanage wasn't too bad, for the most part wontaek's needs were met. he didn't have to ask for much. but the sting of not being wanted even after the trouble of applying for him in the first place did not miss him. and where do all those feelings go?

he was a terror to all of those who knew him, volatile in personality with a short fuse to boot. pain has a way as masking itself as anger and wontaek donned his mask at too young of an age.

he's eight when a man comes to the orphanage to claim him. he introduces himself has his grandfather, the one responsible for his worthless son who had abandoned him.

from orphan to future heir, life really hit wontaek FAST. his grandpa being from a long line of simulation tech investors, wontaek was shuttled from the belt to the the gated districts where he would come to call the sprawling cha estate home.

generational wealth wasn't something he could put words to but the magnitude of change was. he became more confident and less angry, more talkative, made more of a presence in the rooms he walked into. it was almost if wontaek came into himself.

as he grew older he fostered a connection to the arts, painting being his preferred medium. he went to art school and came out the other side as a 3d environment artist (don't you just love nepotism?). he's done a lot of jobs, his resume spanning from designing simulation environments for coach to orbit gaming, working currently on the iron fists games.

he's twenty seven when the news of his grandpa's degenerative illness breaks and although he still has a few years on him, there are talks of the inheritance and who the cha assets should be passed on to. wontaek is his grandfather's likely pick but as of recent daehyun has been rearing his ugly head to claim what should be his. risking revealing to the world a near thirty year old misdemeanour, he has come for the cha inheritance and he won't go down without a fight.

terse conversations before family lawyers become a standard routine these days and daehyun's return to the cha estate has seen wontaek having to confront the ugly trauma of his early childhood.

but right now? he's just trying to make good with what he's got and the very little time he has left with grandpa.

PERSONALITY

leo sun, pisces moon and leo rising.

if you thought he was a cocky bastard, then you’re right. 

has always been here for a good time not a long time but as of late he's been roped into doing a lot of family stuff and Stepping Up To The Plate now that his gramps is sick.

his upbringing and estranged relo with his parents makes him cerebral and prone to moodiness, and rather than causing trouble nowadays he airs out his shit on the canvas.

when he’s in that place he’s selfish (more than usual), callous, and self critical.

otherwise he’s good vibes on a good day. if you can get past the entitlement.

[egobless]

i'll keep my ting brief! - ares (she/her) here bringing you cha wontaek, a muse i've worked with a while back. for some light reading, head on down below the cut. otherwise take a gander at his power, profile & bio. if you want to get some plotting going you can find me on *scord ( gcntlemonster ) but defo hit this with a like and i'll swing by your dms for now

tw loss of family member

lore

seoul born and perhaps not so happily bred, he hails from a disgustingly rich family although the prejudice runs rife within this one.

suspicions were had when the oldest cha married a woman of lower class but imagine the chaos when they find that their child was born an anomaly.

hotheaded and prone to tempers that sent shadows and apparitions flitting around empty rooms, wontaek was more or less a living nightmare. if he didn't get his way, he would send a blight of darkness to obscure his nanny's vision or frighten his mother with moving shadows. there were times where he would get stuck in a wall and frighten his father into a near heart attack.

his aunts and uncles kept his cousins at bay, worried that somehow his predilection would rub off onto them. they all saw him as liability but to everyone's surprise, grandpa cha, founder of a mega conglomerate saw him as a gift.

where the rest of the family had their reservations about him he was undoubtedly spoiled by his grandfather. when wontaek acted up as a teen, he defended him and said he had a warrior spirit and needed an outlet. when his mother decided parenting a demon was no longer feasible, grandfather cha called her weak and invited wontaek to live with him. there he was given the finest tutors, his interests in the arts cultivated and he lived mostly free from any prejudice for being an anomaly.

art became a happy medium for his troubled disposition, and his grandfather's embrace kept him in line. he won art competitions for his sprawling paintings and profound sketches.

life's good for a while but then grandfather is struck by a degenerative illness. the vultures come out to play and wontaek sees his family scramble for that fat inheritance.

university becomes a place he can build more of a name for himself and keep him on the straight and narrow. grandfather always stressed the importance of an education so his days at sua mean something.

campus life

absolutely hates wearing the patch but will admit it helps temper the darkness on those harder days when his moods take over (c.f his personality below)

studied fine arts as a bachelors and went on to study a masters after a break of travelling and twenty-something debauchery. currently in the 2nd year of his masters and working his way through his disso in the form as an art exhibition.

yin member of house gangcheori, joined the sporting rallies for a little slice of the campus celebrity pie.

has really adopted the frat boy personality but make it art boy coded?

outside of practicing and being a bro, you'll find him in the postgrad art studio or in his dorm (blue hall represent!) sketching or painting. his fingers are perpetually stained with dried paint or charcoal. his works feature reimaginings of famous european renaissance paintings and he favours working on large canvases.

personality

leo sun, pisces moon and leo rising.

if you thought he was a cocky bastard, then you're right. he thinks the world was made for him and he is a god amongst men. hasn't got the memo that other people have interesting abiltiies too.

as mentioned before since being in uni he has really adopted this frat boy persona and stays fiending for a good time. live fast, die pretty.

his upbringing and estranged relo with his parents makes him cerebral and prone to moodiness, and rather than causing trouble nowadays he airs out his shit on the canvas.

i should also mention that the more he uses his ability the more he gets stuck in a dark place, mentally and emotionally.

when he's in that place he's selfish (more than usual), callous, and critical. his paintings take on a sinister tone and his shadow animations behave erratically too.

otherwise he's good vibes on a good day. if you can get past the entitlement.

[1eos]

not weird girl wanting mons x to interact with him at mc*untdown because they both have songs called beautiful liar (her wontaek shipper self showing but also she likes hy*ngw*n and thinks they’re alike I think like wow they both drink coffee lmaooooo) like the 3 of them probably will not stay around till then. they had an early recording and have probably already left. they don’t need to be there during the main show?? and her tweeting @ them all to interact saying the fans want it …LOLLLL the fucking entitlement

ENOUGH!!!!!! ENOUGH ENOUGHHHHHHHHHH!! im not playing if i have to see a leo x FUCKING HYUNGWON ship tweet im going to start my villain arc. but i did see her once before say leo and hyungwon are like practically the same person and that's when i realized she just don't pay attention to leo 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 they're both just tall and like kinda goofy. leo's silence had ppl terrified of him hyungwon was giving victorian ghost......

plus it is insane to think that a 12 year long veteran idol group vixx is gonna stick around to???????????? hang out??????????? with monsta x????? leo didnt even extend piano man promotions to see xiumin and they drink wine together LET LEO GO HOME AND EAT DAMN like plssssssssssss stop treating these idols like dolls they don't need to hang out for our entertainment. leo's too thicc to be dealing with this

[complete-in-ix]

Only Eternity

Rated: G Warning(s): None

Description: Lee Jaehwan, a lonely time god, wanders the city looking for something. He doesn't even know what he's searching for, but he'll know he's found it when he does.

(Read on AO3)

Jaehwan wanders aimlessly about the city in an attempt to alleviate the heavy feeling in his chest.

Being a god of time had its perks, what with being immortal and having the ability to stop, turn back, or speed up time at will with no repercussions. The immortality could get to be a drag sometimes though, as Jaehwan had to watch as everything he loved eventually wither away, and even if he froze time to preserve them, they would just remain frozen until Jaehwan lets time move again. There are other time gods around, but he hasn’t encountered any in his long life, and even if he did, he wasn’t sure how he’d interact with them.

Jaehwan sighs deeply as he approaches the entrance to a park, deciding that maybe a change of scenery from the cold gray buildings would be enough to cheer him up. Despite it being a rather dark and cloudy day, the flowers in the park are still bright and cheerful with all their happy colors. Jaehwan glances up as he turns in to the entrance and is instantly met with the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.

Perhaps it’s just Jaehwan being hopeful, but he swears he sees the man give him a knowing smile before he passes by. Jaehwan turns to look, but the man has already disappeared. He bites back a disappointed sigh as he continues into the park. That man was probably mortal anyway, and even if Jaehwan had been able to get his attention, he would live as if nothing changed while the man continued to age and eventually died, leaving Jaehwan lonely all over again.

“I guess there’s really nothing I can do,” Jaehwan mutters to himself, sitting down on a bench in the center of the park. The flowers around him are certainly beautiful, but they simply cannot compare to the image of that man’s smile which remains in Jaehwan’s mind. He leans his head back in frustration, closing his eyes so tightly that he sees stars in an attempt to get that man out of his head.

When he opens his eyes again, he instantly feels as if something is wrong. He no longer feels the wind in his hair, the sweet scent of the flowers has disappeared, and all the sounds of the surrounding city no longer ring in his ears. He straightens up and looks around the park. Everything has stopped in its tracks, and no one seems to be aware of this. Time has stopped. Jaehwan blinks in confusion; this wasn’t his doing.

“Another time god?” Jaehwan murmurs to himself, standing up and walking out of the park. Every person he passes is completely frozen, and Jaehwan begins to doubt he’ll be able to find the other time god who did this as he reaches the top of a bridge close to the city center. His thoughts are stopped when he sees another man crossing the bridge towards him.

“Oh, I didn’t expect to see another one of us here! I’m Lee Jaehwan, what’s your name?” Jaehwan says in a cheerful tone as the man approaches. “Taekwoon.” The man replies, his high voice taking Jaehwan by surprise. “I thought I was the only time god in this city.” Taekwoon continues, leaning on the edge of the bridge’s railing to look out at the river beneath them.

“Did you do this?” Jaehwan asks, mirroring Taekwoon’s gesture.

“I did. Something’s missing from my life and I’m tired of waiting for it to come to me, so I intend on finding it.” Taekwoon replies, not meeting Jaehwan’s gaze as he pushes himself upright and starts walking down the bridge.

“Mind if I tag along? I’m looking for something too, and I could use some company from another one of us.” Jaehwan asks, following Taekwoon like a lost puppy.

“I don’t mind. Maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for as well.” Taekwoon replies. His words bring images of that mysterious man to Jaehwan’s mind, and he falters for a second before agreeing.

The two of them continue down the bridge in silence, both watching their surroundings for movement. Jaehwan breaks the silence after a few minutes, his voice echoing slightly as they enter a narrow alley.

“What exactly are you looking for, if it isn’t too much to ask?” He asks, pressing a little closer to Taekwoon as the walls of the alley close in on the two of them. Taekwoon remains silent for a moment, his expression guarded as he gathers his response.

“I’ve just been feeling... Empty these days. I feel like I’ve just been drifting around with no purpose, and no one has been able to stay with me for long. Well, until now I guess, but I still feel as if something’s missing.” Taekwoon replies.

“Funny, that’s just how I’ve been feeling,” Jaehwan says, his lips curling into a sad smile. “It’s lonely, being like this. Even someone as cute as me can’t have someone for long.” He adds with an exaggerated pout.

Taekwoon rolls his eyes at Jaehwan’s childishness, but he still smiles in agreement. “That’s why I’ve decided to find this missing piece. I have all the time in the world to look, after all.” He says, stopping short when he spots movement at the other end of the alley. “Something’s moving? Who’s there?” Jaehwan asks, hiding behind Taekwoon. “Hey Binnie-hyung, I think we found more time gods!” A loud voice calls from the stranger at the other end.

“More? How many time gods are even in this city?” Another voice replies. This one is a little softer, but still had the same amount of energy as the first. Taekwoon starts off towards the pair, Jaehwan following behind him.

“Hey! Did either of you freeze the city?” The first man calls, waving to Jaehwan and Taekwoon.

“I did,” Taekwoon replies softly, eyeing the two with a strange interest. Jaehwan sees a hint of an emotion flash across Taekwoon’s eyes when he notices the two stranger’s entwined hands, but he is unable to determine what it is.

“Well I’ve got to thank you for that, you helped me meet Binnie-hyung here!” The first stranger continues, gesturing to the man beside him.

The man is young, Jaehwan notes, barely out of his teenage years, it would seem. Jaehwan turns his attention to the stranger’s partner, the one he called “Binnie-hyung”. He seems a little older than the first man but younger than Jaehwan. He smiles brightly at Jaehwan and Taekwoon, exposing adorable dimples that made Jaehwan just want to squish his cheeks. Something in his soft doe eyes makes Jaehwan restrain himself, however, as they have a glint in them that reminds him of a fox; cute yet plotting.

“The name’s Han Sanghyuk, it’s nice to meet you!” The first man’s voice cuts through Jaehwan’s thoughts and he looks back to see Sanghyuk extending a hand to him and Taekwoon.

“Taekwoon,” Taekwoon mutters, shaking Sanghyuk’s hand. Perhaps Jaehwan is seeing things, but he swears there is a hint of bitterness in Taekwoon’s voice when he looks at Sanghyuk’s partner.

“I’m Lee Jaehwan! Are you guys looking for something too?” Jaehwan asks as he shakes Sanghyuk’s hand. “Well, we were, but I think we might have found it already.” Sanghyuk’s partner says, glancing at Sanghyuk with a fond expression. “I’m Lee Hongbin by the way.” “Aw man, you guys are lucky! Taekwoon and I are still looking. For what, I have no idea, but we’ve been running around all over the place looking for it.” Jaehwan exclaims, whining as he speaks the last sentence. “Maybe we can help you look. Besides, it’s not every day that you find three other time gods in the same city as you.” Sanghyuk suggests. “Sure! The more the merrier, right?” Jaehwan says, looking to Taekwoon for approval. Taekwoon eyes Sanghyuk and Hongbin for an excruciatingly long moment, his expression unreadable. If time hadn’t already been frozen, Jaehwan would have thought it had as he waits for Taekwoon’s answer. Jaehwan begins to worry that Taekwoon might refuse since Taekwoon seems to be a very quiet and introverted person, while Sanghyuk, Hongbin, and himself are... Quite the opposite. “I don’t see why not. Come on.” Taekwoon finally murmurs, walking ahead of the group through the alley. “Alright! The party’s officially started!” Jaehwan cheers, hopping around in excitement. “Sweet! It’ll be like a treasure hunt!” Sanghyuk adds, grabbing Hongbin’s arm and jumping along next to Jaehwan. Hongbin shoots both of them a judgemental look, his eyes meeting Taekwoon’s. They seem to have a moment of “I can’t believe I’m stuck with these two” before Jaehwan and Sanghyuk calm down.

A few hours later, the group stops at the pier to rest.

“Man, we haven’t found anyone else here! Are we even looking for other time gods or is are you guys just looking for some hidden item here?” Sanghyuk complains, dramatically flopping down on a bench. “We’ll know what it is when we find it. Finding other time gods was just a bonus.” Taekwoon murmurs, looking out at the water.

“Should we all just split up then?” Hongbin suggests, sitting down next to Sanghyuk. “We can all meet up somewhere when you find what you’re looking for or something.” “That actually sounds like a good idea. Where should we meet up?” Jaehwan asks, perking up at Hongbin’s suggestion. “There’s a fountain close to the center of the city. We can all meet up there and then just go on with our lives or something.” Hongbin says with a shrug. “What say you, o fearless leader?” Jaehwan asks, looking to Taekwoon. “Sure. I won’t have to deal with you all if we split up.” Taekwoon murmurs, his eyes alight with dry humor. “Yah! You’re so mean, hyung!” Sanghyuk exclaims, much like a petulant child.

“Well, I’d best get going. I’ll meet you all later.” Taekwoon says, acting as if Sanghyuk had never said anything. Jaehwan waves to him as he walks off along the docks, turning back to Hongbin and Sanghyuk with a sigh as soon as Taekwoon is out of earshot.

“Don’t worry about him. He seems like a grouchy grandpa cat, but he’s really just a little hamster.” Jaehwan says reassuringly. He hasn’t really known Taekwoon for that long, but he has gotten quite good at reading people in his lifetime, and he is confident that he knows Taekwoon well enough to say these kinds of things.

“A hamster with a nasty bite, that’s for sure.” Sanghyuk jokes. “Yeah, you have to watch your fingers around him. He might bite them off.” Jaehwan adds with a laugh. “Well, I should get going too. I promise I won’t keep you waiting for long!” He says, getting up to leave after a moment. “See you later hyung!” Sanghyuk calls after him, and Jaehwan waves in response. He takes off in the opposite direction Taekwoon went, deciding to make his way back into the city towards the park he was in earlier. He hopes to see that beautiful man from before, even going so far to think that he may be a time god as well considering how his day had gone so far. He swears up and down that the man had given him a smile before disappearing, and the glint in his eye suggested that the man had known exactly what Jaehwan was. Of course, Jaehwan might just have been imagining things, but he thought it couldn’t hurt to dream a little.

As he approaches the park, Jaehwan can pick up the faint sound of someone singing. His heart picks up slightly because that voice must surely belong to an angel. He is too far away to make out any lyrics, but the song sounds soft and sweet, like something one would use to serenade their lover while standing under their window at night to lull them to sleep. Jaehwan finds himself mesmerized, drawing closer to the source of the angelic voice until he steps into the center of the park and stops dead in his tracks. Standing in front of him is the man from before who has now completely captured Jaehwan’s heart as he continues to sing, oblivious to Jaehwan’s presence.

“Saying ‘I love you’ with words might not be enough, but I still want to confess to you today.” The words slip from the man’s mouth, pulling Jaehwan’s heartstrings with every syllable. “I wanna be with you, always a step behind you. Don’t forget there’s a person who will protect you.”

Jaehwan finds himself softly harmonizing with the beautiful stranger, who remains unaware of his secret admirer. The song ends far too soon for Jaehwan, and he finds himself wishing that he could let this moment replay forever. It wouldn’t work, however, as the stranger turns around to see Jaehwan standing stunned like a deer in the headlights. “Oh! I didn’t realize you were there! How was my little performance?” The stranger asks in a flirtatious tone, picking up on the fact that Jaehwan is just standing there in a lovestruck daze. “It was absolutely stunning. I would ask if you were a time god as well, but I think you’re more of an angel.” Jaehwan replies, only half aware of what he’s saying as he’s too busy staring at the man in front of him. The man who had stolen his heart then noticed him, then finally also happened to be a time god as well. Jaehwan believed himself to be the luckiest man on earth as a smile spreads across the man’s face, a smile so dazzling that the sun and stars seemed to hide in shame. “Why thank you, handsome stranger. I do happen to be a time god, I thought I was the only one here.” The man says, starting to approach Jaehwan. “My name is Cha Hakyeon. May I be so blessed as to hear yours?” He asks, and Jaehwan feels as if he may collapse. “L-Lee Jaehwan. Your name is beautiful. It suits you. I mean, of course, it does since it’s your name, but it’s just a pretty name. Just as pretty as you.” Jaehwan stutters out, a hot blush creeping up his face. ‘I must look like such an idiot.’ He thinks to himself as Hakyeon laughs. He suddenly doesn’t mind, as he would do anything to hear Hakyeon’s laugh again. “You have a beautiful name as well. It’s just as cute as you.” Hakyeon says, and Jaehwan feels himself go weak in the knees. “I must ask, are you the one who froze this city? I don’t mind since I got to practice this song, but I just want to know.” Hakyeon continues. “No, someone else did. They were looking for something, just like I was.” Jaehwan says, snapping back to attention. “Looking for something? May I ask what?” Hakyeon asks, tilting his head in curiosity.

“I’m not quite sure. Something to fill this lonely feeling that we both have,” Jaehwan says, stopping to correct himself. “Well, this feeling that I used to have. I think I’ve found what I’m looking for,” He says, smiling up at Hayeon.

Hakyeon takes a moment to process Jaehwan’s words before a blush slowly creeps up his face. “Have you been looking for... Me?” He asks, staring at Jaehwan in disbelief. “Well, kind of. I’ve been looking for something or someone to get rid of this lonely feeling, and I think I’ve found that someone.” Jaehwan says, shyly looking away. “I’ll be honest, I was kind of hoping it would be you. I saw you smile at me earlier, or at least I think you did, and then I couldn’t stop thinking about you even though I thought you were just a normal human and I was trying not to get my hopes up but then here you are, and I’m rambling aren’t I...” He can feel a blush creeping up his face as he continues talking despite his mind screaming at him to stop.

Hakyeon is silent for a moment that seems to stretch on forever as he processes Jaehwan’s almost unnaturally fast rambling. Jaehwan nervously scratches the back of his neck, waiting for Hakyeon to answer.

“You just described all my feelings in one ramble.” Hakyeon finally says. “And I don’t mind your rambling, I think it’s cute. Just like the rest of you.” He continues.

“I- wait, you seriously- you feel-“ Jaehwan stammers, unable to form his thoughts into a coherent sentence. “Yes, I think you’re my missing piece. It would be safe to say that I’m your missing piece, so it would only make sense.” Hakyeon explains, his lips parting with a soft laugh.

“Am I in heaven?” Jaehwan mutters, mostly to himself. Hakyeon laughs at this and Jaehwan nearly tackles him in a hug. “I must be if the most beautiful man in the world actually feels the same way as I do!” He squeals, jumping around in circles while clinging to Hakyeon.

Hakyeon breathlessly joins Jaehwan in his frantic jumping around, laughing and holding him tight. “The same could be said for you, you’re so cute I could mistake you for a precious puppy.” He coos as Jaehwan calms down.

“Of course you could, I’m just the cutest time god to ever exist!” Jaehwan boasts jokingly. “I can’t wait to have you meet the others, I promised I wouldn’t keep them waiting!” He gushes, hugging Hakyeon tight to his chest.

“Wait, the others? There are even more time gods here?” Hakyeon asks, pulling back from Jaehwan’s embrace to look him in the eye. “Yeah, I met like three more others before I met you. It’s crazy, you’d think this city is just populated by time gods or something!” Jaehwan says, releasing Hakyeon and taking his hands in his own. “I agreed to meet them at the center of the city when I found what I was looking for. Will you come with me?” He asks, looking into Hakyeon’s eyes with a hopeful puppy dog look.

Hakyeon visibly melts at Jaehwan’s expression, getting lost in Jaehwan’s puppy eyes for a second before he agrees.

Taekwoon is nowhere to be found when Jaehwan and Hakyeon arrive at the fountain, and it is obvious that Hongbin and Sanghyuk have been waiting for a long time judging by Sanghyuk’s dramatic whining.

“Yah, you took forever hyung! I thought you promised not to keep us waiting!” Sanghyuk whines, sprawled on top of the fountain’s wall.

“Another time god? How many are there in this city!” Hongbin exclaims, taking notice of Hakyeon.

“A lot, apparently. Jaehwannie tells me you all have another companion?” Hakyeon asks. “Yeah, but he’s been gone for who knows how long. He’s the one who froze this city in the first place.” Sanghyuk explains.

“I see. He’ll come here once he’s found whoever or whatever he’s looking for, right?” Hakyeon asks. “That’s what we agreed on. He’s the one who froze the city, so he has to keep his promise either way.” Hongbin says with a shrug. “Anyway, this is Cha Hakyeon! He’s my missing piece.” Jaehwan coos, clinging to Hakyeon’s arm and resting his head on his shoulder. “Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Hongbin. This is Han Sanghyuk, my missing piece if we’re referring to each other like that.” Hongbin says, extending a hand to Hakyeon. “My pleasure. So we all met through this one person’s time-freeze?” Hakyeon asks.

“Pretty much, yeah. I’ve got to remember to thank him for that.” Jaehwan says, nuzzling into Hakyeon’s side.

It would be another three hours before Taekwoon finally returned with yet another time god by the name of Kim Wonshik at his side.

“How many time gods even live in this city!?” Wonshik had exclaimed upon meeting the others. “It really is a small world. At this point, we might as well just stick with each other now that we’ve all found each other.” Hakyeon suggests. “That’s a great idea! We can probably form a band or something!” Sanghyuk jokes. “Nothing’s really stopping us. I think Vixx would be a cool name.” Hongbin adds. “Yeah! Vixx for the win!” Jaehwan exclaims excitedly as Taekwoon lets time flow again.

As the city resumes life as if nothing happened, a friendship to last for eternity bloomed to life at its heart.

[sangvislunae]

SITUATION #01-02b

YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO GO RIGHT.  as you wander further into the tunnel, you notice a source of light that seems to be coming from a fire. you also hear the echo of quiet chatter. these are people. you catch the sight of three civilians as you near the fire, and they quickly raise their hands in surrender. “don’t shoot!” in the light, you notice the spray-painted fireflies logo above where they have chosen to set up camp. when you’re lost in the darkness… do you honour the fireflies’ code and bring them back?

EXECUTION

TASK 1b  it seems that wontaek and sunhwa's decision has led them to a civilian camp, and they're all eager to join the fireflies! these are playable characters that may be added to division four’s roster. choosing to bring them back to camp will trigger a voting event. please message the main once you have plotted with your partner and made your decision.

please post this prompt once you have received it. you can incorporate this into a thread with your night watch partner, headcanon what happens during the watch, or write a solo about the aftermath if you wish!

[alterimaige]

POINT BLANK @4thsabbath

protractors, dotted lines, and a compass rose—they're back to the basics here. sprawled out on the table is a map of the southern bit of the peninsula, blown up for ease of view. circled in red is ground base. starting here, you follow the penciled in path from zero, it trails up north before it snakes to the east. X marks the spot, dead center of the landmass: muju. duration? a mere three minutes if you're microdosing travel through cartography; hours if you're thinking to make the trip in real time. throw in the post-apoc factor, and suddenly you're looking at days to get from point A to Z.

wren's eyes trail the line north-south to south-north, fingers tapping out a lazy 3/4 as she contemplates the journey ahead of them. if there's anything her past life has taught her, a map tells you only as much as you want it to—beyond the legend and symbols, the marked elevation points. which is to say: yeah, why wouldn't they annotate the shit out of this?

her gaze flits up from the table to wontaek. "you think that's all there is to it?" the question isn't accusatory in the least, words laced with pure, genuine curiosity. after all, her job here is to only take the wheel and steer.

[fireflieshq]

agent LEE WONTAEK has volunteered as a LEADER in division four. they are 33 years old and resemble WOO DOHWAN of the good ol’ days. think they used to be a UDT SOLDIER back then, too. pity those days are over now. they’re a little PENSIVE, but with their PRAGMATISM, they’re sure to make a fine addition to the unit. good luck and godspeed, soldier.

he’s always called busan home. the sort to rabble-rouse, to howl at the moon besotted into the dawn, make his mother cry. he’d sooner throw sand in the eyes before he admit defeat, find him with his fists curled on songdo beach. the constant talk of their town, they said he would amount to nothing, their condemnation dripping in dialect and spittle. he needed discipline, but in a broken home, nothing is as guaranteed as a broken bone.

so as soon as the last graduation picture was snapped, wontaek comes home to a single plastic chequered laundry bag and a locked front door. the key doesn’t work and mother doesn’t answer to his threats to break the door down.

enlisting in the army hadn’t been part of his vision board, the thumbtacks holding up a surefire destiny of deprivation and criminal activity. but he needed shelter and a warm meal so after a couple of weeks of slumming it, he’s running drills in jinhae with a bunch of other misfits and hopefuls. he looks at the latter with derision, that so-called discipline oozing from their pores.

bloody noses and black eyes, they should have kicked him out. but the brig. gen. saw right through him and took him under his wing. he climbs the ranks, gets accepted into surface war officer school and graduates into a UDT boat team as assistant leader. he’s an inspiration to the future conscripts, and when he finally visits home he gets the brand of a good man. but the nomenclature feels less like a blessing and more like a curse.

he’s in his mother’s good books and the girl next door, former classmate now nurse, looks at him as if she’s catching stars in those deep brown eyes of hers. quite quickly they fall in love and wontaek thinks he could be good for her. maybe.

seohee, with her fire and verve, with her million won smile and her clearwater laugh. wontaek isn’t sure how he could possibly love her more but when she gives him the news of her pregnancy, for certain his heart renews. from a good man to a good dad, behind the throes of euphoria are tendrils of trepidation. he never had a father to look up to, no figure to take up the role but seohee promises him she won’t let him fail. t’is a shame he never had the chance to return the promise.

he blames himself repeatedly, he blames her too. if she hadn’t have been too forgiving, too accommodating, for a neighbour they didn’t give a shit about then maybe, just maybe she would be alive. but this neighbour had a mean bite and so did the guy he had just made a meal of, and the teen who lived down the hall, and elderly mrs. hwang who lived a few doors down. they all rushed the pair and even between the jaws of death, seohee was still thinking about others. he promises her he won’t leave her, that they would have to kill him first… so she pushes him over the ledge of their 6th floor apartment.

he arrives at busan qz with a broken leg and a broken heart, a torn acl and torn resolution. what’s in being good? he questions the cruel god he never really believed in. why not fuck it all? as soon as he’s on the mend, they shove the kdrt uniform in his arms and order him around. not like his fiance hadn’t just died, not like the fucking world has ended.

seeing his fellow officers get high off of the power trip this new regime gives them makes him sick to his stomach. there are times when even his disability, although slight over the years, makes him a small fish in a big pond but they forget that this good man didn’t simply start off as a good man.

they come to him with whispers of revolution, a resistance that doesn’t back away from anarchy. it doesn’t take too much to convince the man, in fact he’s one of the first, and wontaek, for a second, hopes that somehow this makes him closer to the man seohee envisioned.

the fireflies makes it so that he carries a little bit of her in his everyday. everytime he opens his eyes, he thinks about the dying light of hers as he plummeted into timeline without her. a double edged sword. when they ask him to lead division four, he swears he hears her shriek on a forlorn wind. he promises her he’ll do it his way and he’ll make sure that they all survive.

[seokjins-wings]