A FIRE WITHIN.

"you have light and peace inside of you. if you let it out, you can change the world around you." - iroh.yang daesu. agent helios.

[miahelios]

artemisxmia​:

>>ashes to ashes

but i’m black and blue, from bleedin’ for you you strike the match, burn me out so fast look what we had, now it’s turned to ash

                                                          a flashback with @miahelios​

cw: blood, gore, family death

[ ... ]

his fists untwist from bloodied fabric only to bang against the dead man’s ribcage, over and over, the corpse jerking unsettlingly with every impact. the lump in his throat grows so large it feels like he might suffocate, and his heart pangs so fiercely he is certain it’ll implode any moment, a grenade of grief swallowed whole.

just like that, he has lost everything. he has lost everyone. he is left behind on this doomed planet with poisoned veins and a broken brain and no one left to love. and he will never see them again.

it begins as a ringing in his ears, quiet at first, and then high-pitched and unbearable. he shuts his eyes against the garish glare of the afternoon sun, feels the telltale migraine of his unstable enhancement settling in just behind his eyes. the pain in his chest pings loudly, travels like an electric shock through the lump in his throat and up his spinal chord, exploding white hot between his temples. the shout that escapes him is louder than anything he’s let out in his fit, but he barely hears it through the pain in his skull. and when his hands shoot up from his father’s body to clutch the sides of his head, blackened hairline cracks show themselves, peeking through the exposed skin between his sleeves and gloves, creeping dangerously downward.

  daesu knew what he was doing. 

  he always does. and yet at the same time he never really does. in this world it’s hard to be sure of each decision and each step forward. he gave up trying to dictate the future a long time ago. instead he focuses on the right now. he focuses on what he can do in the moment and the rest will follow. or so he hopes.

  his face is blank as he flicks his sword to the side, flinging the blood from it to the ground, then sliding both into their sheaths. his eyes never once leaving the form of baram and the dead man--and dead man he will only be known as he has no right to be called a father--and though the feels for baram, he doesn’t fall bad for what he did. he feels no regret for the life the took with is own blade. the hope he might have crushed out of the teen in front of him. because even if baram hates him, at least he is alive. at least he will continue to be here for daesu to protect. just like he promised haneul. 

  he knows he probably should have done it in a different way but there is no point in regretting. there is no point to think of the what if’s or the other ways. 

instead he moves closer to baram. he takes in the distressed state of the teen and begins to figure out how he would fix this. what he could do to calm the teen before his enhancement took him into the darkness. the very poison that the dead man beside them continue to strengthen at the cost of his two childern. 

  “baram.” he says, voice firm but gentle. just trying to get his attention. not yet touching the teen but close enough that he could if he needed too. “baram, look at me.” he’s not haneul and he will never be haneul but he hopes he can emulate her even a little here. to calm the boy like his sister has done for him a hundred times over. “he’s dead, and i’m sorry, but I couldn’t let him take you.” it’s not an excuse or an explanation , it’s a fact. daesu would die before he lets someone take baram. before he lets something hurt baram. his vow to haneul yes, but he has come to care for the hot headed teen. 

   “i need you to focus, and calm down.” he’s going to continue talking and hope something get through. “we’re not in a safe space , and the fresh blood is going to draw demons and possibly animals.” continue talking, daesu. distract him. bring him back. “you’re going to need to eat soon. let’s start heading back before it gets too dark out, yeah? baram, listen.”

[miahelios]

lunaxmia​:

no matter the future.

daesu has gotten so skilled at hiding his thoughts from her, she’s actually impressed. it’s not easy to hide things from her — seb had given up long ago, simply resigning himself to being an open book in front of her, suspicions and all, but daesu had somehow advanced the art of thinking and yet not thinking, masking his true thoughts behind fleeting ones that she catches more often.

so when he starts leading her up to the rooftop, she has absolutely no idea what’s on his mind. but there’s nostalgia, and she lets him lead her to the little sitting area where they had spent so much time in their younger years. 

‘of course,’ she responds curiously, tilting her head slightly as she reads his reminiscence of the memories that he’s thinking about, turning her head to glance out from the rooftop. it might not be the most beautiful sight in the world, apocalyptic, demon-strewn world as it is, but it’s quiet up here, and that’s enough for haneul. ‘we won’t get to see this again, moving to tacetel… it’s a little bittersweet, leaving all these memories behind.’

  daesu shifts his position so he can gaze at her. 

“the only thing we are leaving behind is rocks, dirt, and death.” he replies verbally, eyes steady and his thoughts on full display for her. ‘those memories will live in us. with us. and with all those we care for.’ he too feels the sadness that comes with leaving behind their home. but this home is but a physical once. the comfort that comes from familiar ground.  home is with her. he would go anywhere with her. 

should the world burn, he would accept the flames so long as he could gaze at her. this beautiful women who captured his heart from day one. who is his partner and his best friend, and completes him in ways he didn’t know he needed. he knows his thoughts are cheesy but he wants her to hear them. to know how much he loves her. how devoted he is. there isn’t much in this life that gives him a sense of hope, but she does. maybe its wrong to live for someone like this but he does. everyday he lives for her. 

“haneul.” he moves to kneel before her, taking her hands in his hold. “in every lifetime, in every universe, i would choose you in all of them.” 

[miahelios]

miajuwon​:

& to hell and back

he doesn’t lift his head, feeling like the weight of the world is settling on his shoulders. not just the weight of the secret he’s been holding all this time, but also the weight of disappointment that the people he’s learned he loves more than even his parents must surely feel for him. it’s strange, what juwon has felt ever since… ever since that day. 

thoughts of sieon had barely left his mind, plaguing his nightmares and the aching emptiness inside almost a painful feeling. at some point, he had realized — he hadn’t thought of his parents while being at meia. he had been seeking for their attention so desperately, reaching for the love that he thought he had lost from his parents, the affection he had craved so desperately while not understanding what had suddenly happened. it had defined his teenage years and shaped so much of him, but in his year at meia…? he had realized that his parents had not been the ones who had haunted his mind.

the thought of losing daesu had, though. juwon’s eyes are exhausted when he finally lifts his head, wondering if daesu had left. he’d been convinced that he’d felt his cousin’s presence, but maybe he’s wrong. maybe daesu had — lifting his head brings him to make eye contact with daesu quickly, and he flinches involuntarily, adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he swallows painfully. 

“d…daesu,” he whispers and his voice is guiltladen, his eyes falling down to his lap again. “… i’m sorry…”

he’s wondering, internally, how he wants to go about this. half wishing that haneul had stuck behind to help him through this. he wondered how long she has known--because of course she has. and a part of him is warm over the fact she also kept it to herself. though it makes him wonder for a brief second if she had actually turned to the other side. not that he would care. call him whipped but if haneul went dark he would follow. 

not that he thinks she will. anyway, back to the matter at hand. his eyes watching juwon who seems to be self destructing every second that passes. the boy who has gone through so much. but haven’t they all? haven’t they all loss someone? made hard choices that leave us with regret? it’s part of this world no matter how unfair it is. and daesu would be the first to say this is unfair. this is a cruel existence. but does he want to say any of this to juwon. does he want to downplay the others trauma and struggle? daesu isn’t sure what he wants to do. 

well thats not totally true. 

he leans back against the table, hands braced on the top as he relaxes slightly. giving off the air of someone who isn’t bothered in the slightest. and he isn’t--not really. this life has made it so there is little that truly bothers him and honestly so long as juwon is alive in front of him. “what are you sorry for, juwonnie?” he questions, head tilting. probably being infuriating by playing as if he hadn’t paid attention to the meeting just now. 

[miahelios]

lunaxmia​:

no matter the future.

daesu has gotten so skilled at hiding his thoughts from her, she’s actually impressed. it’s not easy to hide things from her — seb had given up long ago, simply resigning himself to being an open book in front of her, suspicions and all, but daesu had somehow advanced the art of thinking and yet not thinking, masking his true thoughts behind fleeting ones that she catches more often.

so when he starts leading her up to the rooftop, she has absolutely no idea what’s on his mind. but there’s nostalgia, and she lets him lead her to the little sitting area where they had spent so much time in their younger years. 

‘of course,’ she responds curiously, tilting her head slightly as she reads his reminiscence of the memories that he’s thinking about, turning her head to glance out from the rooftop. it might not be the most beautiful sight in the world, apocalyptic, demon-strewn world as it is, but it’s quiet up here, and that’s enough for haneul. ‘we won’t get to see this again, moving to tacetel… it’s a little bittersweet, leaving all these memories behind.’

the roof space is just as he remembers it. the long wooden bench that sits just far enough from the railing to still. be able to see over it. so many memories spent wasting time here, daesu thinks with a fond smile as he guides haneul to sit on the bench. he’s gentle with her as he always is, caring in ways that he isn’t with the other agents. 

of course, it’s second nature now. to watch over the girl he loves so dearly. the one had has willingly given his heart to. knowing she will cherish it in return makes the decision all the easier. he often finds himself amazed that he found something like this--someone like her--amidst  all the chaos and suffering. 

he steps up to the rail and leans against it with his hands. the view stretches over invicta and even beyond. his eyes on the horizon and not on the crumbling city below. soon they will say good bye to this city. to this view. he knows that for once he will be heading for that horizon instead of merely staring it down. ‘not leaving them behind, but taking them with us.’ he thinks, shifting to gaze at her. his mind still hiding his intentions. ‘haneul, do you remember the last time we came up here alone?’

[miahelios]

no matter the future.

with @lunaxmia

the rooftop is empty. a typical thing now that everyone is focused on fussing around the building collecting things. the packing is going smoothly as far as daesu is concerned. this next mission will be a big one but he’s sure they can all handle it. besides it might be fun to move from this area? to see more of the island even if it’s all torn to shreds. who knows. the future could be anything at this point. 

but it’s that line of thinking that brings him to this point. hand in hand with haneul he guides her across the roof past the now covered gardens and to the little sitting area. 

“do you remember when we would come up here as teens? sometimes with seb and seoyun and sometimes just us?” he questions, his gaze on this horizon as he speaks. voice soft. his thoughts focusing on the memories of those days so she doesn’t read what he has planned. it’s always a little taxing to keep things from haneul but he doesn’t mind. makes it all the more fun. 

[miahelios]

miajuwon​:

& to hell and back

coming clean with @miahelios !

his head is bowed, unable to look up at his cousin even after the others have left the room. he’d felt the look that seb had given him, unsure, and he can’t blame his friend for whatever he must be feeling at that moment. surely unsure, betrayed, hurt, angry — juwon wouldn’t even be surprised if seb never wanted to speak to him again. all the faith and trust seb had put in him, only to learn that he’s been a traitor all along…

juwon can’t imagine how the other must be feeling.

haneul had certainly known. despite not looking up at her once, and her not speaking to him once, even in his mind, the calm aura she always radiates had never changed, and he suspects that she had known from the very first moment she had met him again after her return. he isn’t sure why she never turned him in, though.

and as for daesu… he still has something to tell daesu, but with the blow of the truth that he’d come back to meia to spy on them… he’s afraid to look up at his cousin, for fear of seeing the disappointment, the hatred, the anger in his eyes. even though daesu forgives a lot and juwon had thought briefly when he’d received the mission that daesu would even let him do it, he’s still terrified for the contrary to be true. 

there is a heavy atmosphere in the room as the news settles in everyones brain. the other seniors are filing out slowly but daesu has the feeling his baby cousin needed to say something else. he trades a look with haneul. his mind focusing on a silly song so she wouldn’t pick up what he was thinking. but he smiles to her and shoos her off. spy or not, this is his cousin. one of his last living family by blood. and while family can be so much more than that, there is still something special about having this bond. 

he leans back against the table, arms crossed over his chest as he eyes juwon. the younger agent looks to be a wreck--no surprise there. and daesu wonders what finally pushed juwon to come forward. he had speculated for a while that something was off about his cousin, no matter how good juwon was at acting. he had just hoped his speculations were wrong. 

for now he will wait to see what juwon wants to say. keeping his expression calm and clear. only a hint of a smile--that openness that he normally displays still resting at the edges of his body language. there are a lot of things he could say right now but he needs to know what state juwon in. what else the other agent might need to drop on him. then he will speak his mind. reassure the other that that he isn’t upset with him. 

[miahelios]

eternal sunshine

capture the flag with @miajuwon

the sun shines down through the holes in the tree line of the edge of the field. leaves have grown in nicely allowing for a lot of shady cover and in this growing heat the cover is a blessing. daesu has never been on to be bothered by the weather–hot or cold–but even he will admit it’s nicer to be in the shade with a breeze than under the blistering sun. 

it’s the shadows caused by the rays of sun that give away the other agent who crosses in to his zone. his hiding spot he had chosen for this silly game to be an ambush agent. a chuckle escapes him as he shakes the branch next to the one he is on, causing a bunch of the flower petels to fall off the tree and dance around juwon as he walks by.

“fancy meeting you here, agent phantom.” there’s a smile on daesu’s face. though he has smiled many times in the last few years, it’s been some time since the senior agent has appeared so relaxed. so content. the teasing glint to his eyes is reminiscent of the days when he was a teen and would still goof off with juwon and gaeul. “have you spotted any of the enemy team? haven’t heard the sound of the flag being captured yet.” 

[miajuwon]

he’s being cautious as he makes his way through the fields, his expression worried as he picks his way among the scattered trees, trying to get close enough to the enemy base to actually do something. it’s just a game, but technically he’s still got some catching up to do in terms of training, so it’s a good opportunity to hone what he’d lost among those weeks of bedrest. 

the flurry of flower petals around his head startle him, and he looks up into the tree to see the familiar figure of his older cousin settled up in the tree. daesu looks relaxed. it almost reminds juwon of how the other had been so long ago, when he and gaeul had still been quite young and carefree, playing around with no other cares in the world. how they’ve all aged, he thinks, and he can’t help but smile up at his cousin. 

“what are you doing up there, daesu?” he asks with a laugh, crossing his hands over his chest playfully before he ducks around the tree to hide himself better from anyone oncoming. “i haven’t seen anyone from the enemy team yet.” maybe he shouldn’t be climbing trees yet — he’s never been very good at it. but if daesu can do it, surely he can, right? glancing up at his older cousin, he asks, “think i can get up there too?”

[miahelios]

his body almost seems to sink more into the little cup on the trunk of the tree that has served as his rest spot. eyes closing as he leans his head back to enjoy his conversation with juwon. though he knows the two of them should be taking this game a little more seriously, he also knows it's good for them to take a breather every now and again.

"i was thinking of weaving flower crowns like in the old comics. i saw the ones in this tree and couldn't resist." he replies with humor in his tone belaying that he was making a sort of joke. though the real answer wasn't far off. he thought about the beautiful women somewhere in the encampment and wondered if she would like flowers being brought back to her. lucky she isn't hear to read his mind.

"hm?" he opens his eyes and leans slightly to the side to peer down at the younger agent. his cousin is still so cute, daesu has half a mind to jump down and smother juwon in hugs. "you use to cry to me about getting stuck in trees and now you want to climb one?" he teases, wondering if juwon would take the bait or if he would get worked up. "you're big enough now, you should be strong enough for those low branches~"

[miahelios]

better be . . . professor!

a hp inspired au with @lunaxmia

   his wand is drawn as he approaches the gate. wood tapping against metal and the entrance bleeds away as he passes through before forming back behind him. the wind swishes his red robes around his ankles as he half jogs up the cobble path to the front door. upon reaching the top step the double doors swing open, welcoming him into the yang manor. 

    “hanuel, darling? are you home?” he calls out as he removes his outer robe. the dirtied fabric floats through the air and down the hall. opposite hall that he begins walking down. wand already stored in the hip holster at his side. the wrappings on his left arm exposed now that the robe isn’t covering them. another injury gained on the job--curse inflicted but nothing to fuss over. 

   the halls of yang manor are warmer these days than they had been when he was growing up. he feels comfortable as he passes the paintings in the hall and he knows it has everything to do with the wonder witch who now graces this manor. 

   “you won’t believe what I over heard at the ministry today.” his voids carries as he enters the family sitting room, spotting his lovely wife. a smile pulls across his face as he quickens his step to her. “the department of RCMC have found a nest of doxy in the wizengamot voting hall 3. can you believe that?” 

[miahelios]

mia-zer0​:

Catch me if you can

Starter for @miahelios

Someone made an oversight in capture the flag, that oversight being Sero. Well, that’s what he thought of it, at least. With his agility, it was just too easy. The first round he’d bolted out of their area, easily skirting slower and stronger attackers alike by sticking to the trees and tops of any obstacles in the field. He’d gotten over to the enemy side fast enough that not everyone was completely on their guard. Perfect.

A quick duck in, a quick grab, a few surprised yells, and he was out of there before anybody had the chance to catch him. 

Now, with the yellow flag in his hand, he simply had to bolt back to blue side. Easy. He doubted the game would last 20 minutes at this rate!

These are his exact thoughts as he bounds into what he assumes is an unoccupied tree, distracted by keeping watch of the agents on the ground. 

he knew some of the agents on the blue team would be tricky. the purpose of the game to train awareness and agility, but there’s no need for that when agility comes naturally to you. this being the case of that one agent by the name zer0. daesu remembers this kid, remembers seeing him in the training halls and being impressed by his moves.

it was this kid he was targeting a few rounds into the game. he let them have fun. let the teams do their thing while he loitered in a tree.. relaxing more than playing though when asked he claimed he was in defensive position. 

but when he hears that another point was scored by agent zer0 he knew it was time to step up and show the kid that enhancements aren’t all that. he figured if he could capture zer0 before he gets the yellow flag than the yellow team would have a chance. 

“three.... two....” he watches as a blur moves through the trees and when he hits one daesu moves, darting through the branches and catching the other agent in the side. they tumble down--daesu making sure that zer0 wouldn’t end up hurt by taking the brunt of the fall himself. 

“you got some good moves, kid.” 

[miahelios]

eyes on me || au

@miahaneul

 the blaring alarms and red lights flashing through the structure were dizzying. people screaming and trying to escape as a flock of pteranodon’s flood the tourists and workers alike. daesu had just enough time to begin ushering people into the “safety” of the interior. his eyes only on one person though. she’d not been near him when the alarm system went off but he knew where he saw her last. 

“get inside! down to the lower decks!” he shouts, working with some of the other security to try and get the civilians out of range. he knew there would be an escape boat at the edge of the island but getting there would be a whole other issue.

besides, he wouldn’t be leaving without her. 

“take over--i have to find someone!” he pushes through the crowd, jumping onto a tipped over sign to scale up onto a higher level of the compound. his boots slam into the metal as he takes off down the hall. the weight of the tranquilizer gun in his hands a comforting one though it would be little help against the jurassic birds above them all. “haneul!” he calls out over the terror. a single goal in mind. 

[miahelios]

day on the town || au

“we’ll be arriving soon, ma’am.” daesu’s voice breaks through the quiet of the car. they’d been moving smoothly through traffic for the better half of an hour to get back to the company's headquarters and in that whole time daesu had not attempted to make any small talk. a strange thing for someone who normally can talk a whole lot. despite his job just being a bodyguard for miss haneul, he had also made it a personal goal to befriend her. 

and befriending someone means you have to talk to them. in all his time being at her side he had found plenty of moments to talk with her. small talk, curious inquires, teasing her when he can. he’s a professional, yes, but he’s also a kind person at heart. and he sees something in her. 

he can also see how she over works herself. 

normally he would have just followed through with the requirement to take her back to the company but today he has taken a bit of a detour. hoping she would be too distracted to check out the windows--or that the tinted glass would provide enough of a shade to not show the obvious difference the streets he was going down. until it was too late--which, at this point is kind of it. the car pulling to a park in a wide alleyway that was very much not the under ground parking garage of the company.  “destination reached.” 

now to see her reaction. 

@miahaneul

[miahelios]

miahaneul​:

— euphoria ;

[ ... ]

‘sorry in advance,’ she tells maylin with a small smile, knowing that the head agent is more than aware of exactly what’s going to happen. haneul won’t, of course, make it too obvious — it wouldn’t be fun to completely wipe the floor with the younger agents right from the beginning.

'don’t be too mean to them, daesu,’ she chides in her mind, a smile gracing her lips, and she leans her head against his shoulder. 'they won’t know what hit them, after all. pay attention, she’s about to ask the first question,’ her mental voice is teasing, as though daesu needs to really focus in order to hear the question that she’ll probably end up delivering an answer to anyways.

but who knows? most of the head agents had gotten pretty skilled at dodging her powers, even if they haven’t been needed for the past four years.

the fun that comes from the trivia game can still not match the joy he feels over having haneul at his side. the warmth of knowing she is here and she is on the mend. he’s sure there is only one moment that could match this -- though he changes his line of thinking before he can give away that particular idea. haneuls ability to read his mind making it hard to have surprises but he does his best. 

it works in his favor that the first question is asked and honestly daesu doesn’t even need her help for it. when was the agency formed? i hope this was just a warm up question. he thinks, humor thrumming through his mind along with his thoughts. his body shifting just slightly to accommodate her against his shoulder. reaching out to lace their fingers together. he decides to let this question pass. 

maybe the baby agents in the room deserve to have one point. 

it would be a shame if none of them know it. he continues, a smirk forming at the silence that befalls the room. wondering if maybe he was right--though he would hope everyone here would know the answer to this. not like meia has been around a while. 

[miahelios]

heat of the bond

the night air feels nice and the chattering around him is comforting. daesu strolls around, surveying the younger agents as they all relax around the bonfire. snacks and treats and drinks in hand. he’s mentally counting heads, keeping track of who is here and who has snuck off. those who called it a night already and those who might not sleep at all. he’s glad to see everyone having fun.

he spies someone from the corner of his eye and theres no hesitation in the senior agents steps as he vers off. making sure to stop past one of the snack tables to grab a plate of smore’s stuff. he hasn’t made one yet and who better than with another agent? 

“hey there.” he greets theo with a warm smile, face illuminated by the flames and he hopes it makes him look friendly. he takes a seat beside the younger agent, plate resting on his lap. “wanna make one with me? i haven’t been able to just yet.” he gestures to the marshmallows and chocolates. wondering is @miaxtheo would be up to the task. not that he has to. “supposed to be preeetty sticky, from what the others are saying.” he smiles. 

[miahelios]

got’cha

miadojoon​:

dojoon loves games—in fact, he thinks it’s been a while since he’s participating in something like this. it’s all physical and fights and shooting makeshift bullets at one another all in good fun. the only problem is: he doesn’t really have a good strategy. he thought his enhanced ability that he can’t possibly turn off anyway will give him an advantage, but the most he has been doing is brawling and he doesn’t even remember where the flag is.

guess it doesn’t matter though, because not long after, as dojoon is trying to survey his surroundings—debating on whether to lick his finger and stick it out in the air in order to follow the direction of the wind like in those movies—daesu comes barging into his peripheral vision and outright picks him up. “oh my god,” he says aloud, only to cover his mouth quickly because he doesn’t want them to get found out! daesu shushes him too, which helps.

only when he’s set down does dojoon uncovers his mouth—oh, and he’s been holding his breath without realising too, so he’s taking a deep breath while he’s at it. he tries to speak in a whisper, which says a lot because he’s usually annoyingly loud, “woah, that was—well, i always knew you were strong. but still.” dojoon looks down at the flag, blinking rapidly like he just noticed it’s there. and to be fair, he did. “how did you—that was fast!”

dojoon looks around, observing their surroundings. it seems safe. “what should i do… run with it? stay here? hide… somewhere?” that last option might not be the best task for dojoon.

he cant stop the laugh that leaves him at the younger agents reaction to being picked up. dojoon isn’t one on his team and even if they all work together often enough he knows that they still don’t know each other all that well. this team training week would serve as a good chance to understand the attitudes and personalities of some of the younger agents more. the ones who havent been here as long. 

“i took to the trees the moment the new round begun.” he explained easily, keeping his voice down as he checks around the tree to see if anyone is near by. so far it seems like he managed to dodge the other team. but for how long? that’s where this gets tricky. he knows they would be preparing ambushes closer to the yellow base since thats where he has to take the flag. 

“i have a plan-- you ready?” he gives the younger agent a smile, trusting that dojoon would be able to handle this plan he has created for them. it wouldn’t be hard and it would be good training for the younger. “i’m going to run out ahead, pretending like i still have the flag. i want you to wait like ten seconds and then come after me.” it’s an easy enough tactic. hiding in plain sight. 

[miahelios]

miagaeul​:

on your mark

     when she had heard of a shooting range for the summer training week thing, she had known immediately where she would probably be for the majority of it. she had exchanged glances with doyun and grinned, very excited to compete with her best friend like they had when they were younger and had first started learning the art of the bow and arrow. of course, she had moved onto her sniper rifle after meia had formed and chosen that as her signature weapon, but she would never forget her first true love: the bow and arrow.

     at the archery range, she had found herself in The Zone, as she would like to call it. the area of focus in her mind where nothing else was important aside from the task at hand. it’s a place she finds herself in often enough, usually when it comes to either 1) upgrading someone’s/a weapon or 2) when she’s coming up with (mildly dangerous) games in the tech lab.

     all in a day’s work.

     but she hadn’t expected to see daesu there, considering that he’s not usually someone who’s seen with a bow and arrow. gaeul grins to herself, notching an arrow and bringing it to eye level, aiming. “in your dreams, daesu. in your dreams.”

the count down for the challenge ends and there’s the almost echoing sound of arrows being released from their bows. daesu finds himself impressed, watching the various targets get hit. each arrow a different color to help figure out points with the challenge. he finds himself wondering if he should just give up--but that wouldn’t be very sportsmen like of him. 

“i tried at least--” he replies, amusement in his tone as he lets the yellow arrow from his bow fly. the arrow landing just shy of the target in the ground. a chuckle leaving him as he rolls his shoulder. he wants to blame it on the tenseness in his muscles from his healing wounds but well.

he really is just not the best shot and it has been a while. 

“just dont laugh at me when you come out victorious.” he lifts another arrow and notches it. “though maybe i’ll surprise you.”

[miahelios]

miahaneul​:

you were never gone

it still feels surreal to be in a bed for the first time in who knows how long, to be in safety — even though it’s been nearly a week now, she hasn’t spent most of them awake, rather in a daze from medication and exhaustion as her body struggles to cope with the new environment that’s so much noisier (in all senses) than the world she’s been living in. her senses are having a difficult time returning back to a base level, constantly on high alert for so long that it feels wrong not to be listening all the time.

there haven’t been many voices that she’s recognized up until now. her only visitor so far has been the medic, and haneul closes her eyes, relaxing into the bed and finally feeling somewhat coherent for the first time in… well, she has no idea.

will she know me? will she be the same? is it really her? the thoughts come to her quietly and the voice is so abruptly familiar, so painfully dear, that she can’t help it when her eyes snap open, fixing on the door. is he coming? is it really him? how could she ever have forgotten him, when he and baram had been some of the only things that had kept her moving? step after step had only been possible when she closed her eyes, thinking of their smiling faces, focusing on the people she loved. she still remembers how daesu’s face had fallen in resignation and acceptance, how baram’s face had screwed up in anger at her, how seoyun’s face had darkened with anger at the agency… these are the things she can’t forget.

the door opens, and the figure that had lived solely in her memory for so long is finally real again. standing in the doorway, real as real can be, still so beautiful despite his scars — she swallows as he whispers her name, heart welling up with love and she lifts a hand weakly, the movement requiring so much more energy than usual.

‘daesu,’ her voice resonates in his mind, but it’s not enough for her, and she rasps out, voice so soft and hoarse from disuse, “daesu…”

it hurts to speak and it’s not a habit that she’s ever used very much, and it’s easier simply to slip back into their usual habit, her hand reaching to take his shaky ones, a cool, dry hand in his, and she looks into his eyes, overwhelmed by how much she’d missed him. 'i’m home, daesu — i’m sorry it took me so long.’

her voice resonates in his mind and in the air around them and it’s like for the first time in four years someone has finally turned on a light. the dying embers of a candle are coxed to life once more and he feels that first burn in his chest. the one that got him his name. 

his hand holds her so gently as he surges forward. any and all hesitation is gone. his free hand comes to cup her cheek and his thumb brushes across her skin so feather soft. as if he is afraid to hurt her--as if he is afraid to dirty her. he feels the passing thought in his mind i’ve been ruined but he shakes it away before it can finish. all thoughts of the recent mission and the horribly stupid choices he has made since she left are locked in the back of his mind. 

his streamline consciousness focused solely on her.  

haneul. he whispers in his mind as he sits on the edge of the bed. making sure not to crowd her but he feels if he strays too far away she will vanish. he can feel the heavy weight of tears in his eyes, but they don’t fall. i have looked to the sky so many times whispering your name and wondering if you would hear.

it’s far too easy for him to slip back into the norm of their conversations. to think instead of speak. knowing she would hear it. knowing she would hear all of it. his every through and affection running through his mind was an open book to her. 

he moves his hand to her hair, pushing it back from her face to gently and leaning in to kiss her forehead. not caring even a little that he is supposed to focusing on a task. a mission handed to him by the higher ups. how could they think this is anyone but his moon. the very person who breathes life into his lungs with every breath she takes. how could they think he would turn away from her--if she had come back changed then he would change himself to fit to her. i’m so ... im at a loss of words with how happy i am you are back. that you made it home to us. to me. 

[miahelios]

miahaneul​:

— euphoria ;

whenever i look at you, i can see the sun shining in your heart.

@miahelios

although she’s been back for just over a month at this point, and has even received her own team, something she hadn’t had the chance to have before the former head of seaside had lost control, despite her recent promotion at the time, she still doesn’t quite feel like the life she’s living is real. she knows better than to question if it’s reality or if it’s a dream — she doesn’t think that her enhancement would necessarily allow for a dream quite as lucid as this. something would have woken her up, drawn her attention, or she… wouldn’t be alive anymore.

maybe it’s the afterlife, though. if so, then she’s happy, too. as long as she’s with all the people she loves.

smiling wryly to herself, she squeezes daesu’s hand gently, tilting her head slightly at him in a question.

‘are you sure you want to do trivia?’ she asks, her eyes questioning but amused. 'you don’t have to hold back just to keep me company, you know. i’m perfectly happy watching you have fun with the kids.’ with her still in the process of physical therapy and recovering from the damage the long, four-year mission had wreaked on her, most of the events during the training week are off limits to her.

all save for the trivia.

she can’t help but wonder if she’ll end up being banned from the trivia, too, though, given her unfair advantage — which she absolutely plans to use to… well, daesu’s benefit.

should two senior agents be sitting at the trivia station taking advantage of one of their enhancements to rig the game? he decides not to answer that.

the training week couldn’t have come at a better time. after the last disastrous mission and the stress of the rebuild, some free time was much needed. sure it was under the guise of a training week but daesu has known since the start of meia that training week is an excuse to give everyone some fun time. a break to breath in the hell that is their lives. 

and it’s all perfect because she’s back.

daesu’s hand returns the gentle squeeze. his smile pulling farther across his cheeks as he raises their joined hands to his lips and presses a kiss to the back of her hand. falling back into the simple habit of replying to her only in his mind. 

‘you’re not fit for anything else right now.’ he replies, amusement passing through him as he watches Maylin step up to the front of the trivia room. she eyes them and he can’t help the breathy chuckle that leaves him. ‘besides, it’s been too long since i have been able to spend time like this with you--the kids could learn a thing or too as well. when we destory them.’ 

“Agent Luna and I will be happy to go against everyone else.” he announces when the head agent asks who is teamed with who.