Once the Spheres entered the sky mankind lost its luster; ambitions halted, emotions became a memory, and survival was the only thing left on anyone's mind. Little fires of rebellion rose here and there only to be snuffed out as quickly as they had come. Resistance became compliance and the human race drifted through the years without any further inklings of freedom.
Eight particular men found themselves drawn to the snuffed embers almost by an invisible tether (or perhaps a noose.) They were special for more than just their lust for freedom; each of them touched with abilities almost beyond belief if each of them hadn't witnessed it themselves. Hope brought them together, ambition drove them forward, and commitment kept them close. They were a unit, eight broken pieces coming together to form a mosaic of love, devotion, and a promise of a better future.
This is how eight men promised to reclaim humanity and learned the truth of mankind along the way.
Chapter Preview:
“We just want to talk to you! We’ve heard about you–”
“I don’t give a shit what you’ve heard. Get out!” The flames rose with his voice, licking at the vines clinging to the fragile ceiling above him.
“Shit, be careful!” One of the voices shouted and he couldn’t help but scoff. They dared to tell him how to use his curse?
“For the love of Hala just shut up, go, get out of here.” He exclaimed though swallowed the nervous flood of spit gathering beneath his tongue. He was feeling that tingle, that itch that meant he was beginning to lose control. He’d never lost control encased like this, trapped in a deadly web of his own making.
“We just want to talk, to help you.” The same one replied, the one with the broad shoulders. It was hard to see them through the flames and he could only grasp the basic shape of each interloper.
He bit back a growl as he pressed himself behind a fallen piece of rubble to try and keep himself safe from the fire he no longer controlled. “I didn’t ask for your fucking help. Seriously, go. This is out of my control now.” He didn’t like to admit it, least of all to strangers, but Wooyoung never actually wanted to hurt anyone.
He couldn’t hear their words beyond the roar of the flames, barely able to hear the cadence of speech at all. He opened his mouth to shout again but it instead came out as a startled squeak as the ruined wall behind him shifted and rose, tossed aside like nothing more than a river stone. The broad one stood in its place with a cocky, insufferable, dimpled smile on his lips.
Wooyoung lifted his hand to flick open his lighter in the hope that he could cut himself off again. He never expected to be tackled to the ground, arms pinned above his head and strong thighs pinning down his own.
“What the fuck?!” He snarled and he was sure he looked every bit the wild animal he felt he was inside.
“Shit, he’s cute.” Broad asshole spoke over his shoulder as the others approached. Wooyoung struggled fruitlessly. He figured as much when the man on top of him could move stone fucking walls like they were paper partitions.
“Focus, Sannie.” Wooyoung couldn’t help but snort as Sannie received a firm slap to the back of his head. Good. Fuck him.
The shortest one knelt beside him, eyes careful and calculating. He saw those eyes in his own reflection. Wooyoung wondered if he’d been alone too, if he had been wild and wandering just like him. “We just want to talk, Wooyoung. We want to offer you a home.”
“Whatever. Maybe not here? I can’t stop the flames anymore.” He replied, relaxing against the calloused shackles around his wrists and the tempting press of thighs.
“Let him up, San.” Blondie commanded. Ugh, there were too many of them to keep straight.
San turned his head to wink in his direction and he couldn’t help but try to lunge at him with teeth bared. “Fine but I’m holding onto him the whole way.”
“Fuck you, Sannie.” Wooyoung wanted to bite out his throat.
“San please.” Shortie sighed and dragged a hand down his face. It reminded Wooyoung of a parent (despite the fact that his parents had never given a single shit about him.) Whatever. He could hear what they had to say but that was it.
from the moment the metal spheres entered the sky mankind began to lose its luster; ambitions halted, emotions became a distant memory, and survival was the only thing left on anyone's mind. little fires of rebellion rose here and there only to be snuffed out as quickly as they had come. resistance became compliance and the human race drifted through the years without any further inklings of freedom.
{continued beneath read more, with character teasers}
change was never instant, instead it seeped slowly like a leaky tap. with each drop a new one appeared - a person with hopes, dreams, passion, desire. you could always find them by the sparkle in their eyes where their soul reflected outward. a leak became a trickle and those with the spark for life flocked together to stoke the embers again.
eight particular men found themselves drawn to the flames almost by an invisible tether (or a noose.) they were special for more than just their lust for freedom, each of them touched with abilities almost beyond belief if each of them hadn't witnessed it themselves. hope brought them together, ambition drove them forward, and care kept them close. they were a unit, eight broken pieces coming together to form a mosaic of love, devotion, and a promise of a better future.
this is how eight men promised to reclaim humanity and learned the truth of love and mankind along the way.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 ►
hongjoong could barely remember a time before the other seven were part of his life and frankly, he didn't want to. he remembers shying away at every touch, closing his eyes tight against an onslaught of thoughts that weren't his own, and pulling in ragged breaths until the buzzing pain stopped and the nausea settled. there was always a mark left behind, mottled red and blue against the canvas of his skin.
he'd nearly lashed out the first time one of them touched him, hwa reaching out a gentle hand to check a wound. he had meant to growl but instead he had whimpered like an injured dog, unable to lash out at one of the few people he truly cared for. to his surprise the touch was gentle and the thoughts that flowed alongside his own were quiet, soothing, and welcome.
with time, he came in contact with the others and experienced the same; no painful touch, no mark left behind, and no deafening thoughts that threatened to bring him to his knees. to call it fate felt far too convenient but any answers were not forthcoming.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫 ►
he knew he was known as something of figurehead among the rebellion and seonghwa did not care to stop the rumors. if he was the face the people needed to follow he was happy to fill that role for them, happy to tend to the flock of free thinkers overwhelmed by the 'new' world around them now that their eyes were open. as much as he wished to take away their confusion and pain there were some ailments even he could not heal
it was something he'd had to come to terms with quickly after meeting the other seven. as badly as he had wanted, he could not mend all of their hurt and one haunted him day in and day out. his eyes followed broad shoulders, traced over a dimpled smile, soaked in the sight of his most formidable and yet most delicate lover
he only wished someone could heal away his own worry.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜 ►
the amount of comfort yunho found around the other seven was almost unfathomable. he had always felt othered for his abilities, strange in a way no one understood, and then one day he met seven other men that could see him in a way he'd never expected. they didn't mock his fear of heights, the way he woke up with a jolt almost every night, nor did they ask him for an explanation. they simply held him close, knowing smiles on their faces as they sheltered both him and themselves from their inner demons.
he loved them, deeply and intensely, and for once he was all too happy to utilize his ability to keep them safe. he wasn't strong like san, couldn't read minds like hongjoong, and he wasn't a healer like hwa. what he could do, however, was move the world around him.
pebbles became bullets, metal sheets became shields, glass shards became lethal arrows. the violence would have bothered him once but he found he no longer cared when it came to protecting his sanctuary, for each of them was a brick that formed his home.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞 ►
he knew he should listen to hwa's cautionary words but it was nothing he hadn't heard before. it was a dance they performed routinely; he hurt himself, flayed himself open for the greater good, and seonghwa pieced him back together again.
he remembered a late night spent together, freshly bandaged and with hwa holding him close, pressing a kiss to his birthmark before asking, "can you even feel it?"
he hadn't meant to make him cry with his response but he had never been a liar. "the pain? not anymore."
it was hard to feel pain the same way as others when it was so intrinsically part of you. he was built for it after all, born to endure and redirect. he sank a knife into his own gut only to watch a member of the imperial watch sink to his knees across from him, free of any blood or wound and yet still writhing in an agony yeosang only felt somewhere in his periphery.
the others hated it, hated watching the lengths he would go to to secure a victory and often worried that one day he would go too far. he would argue that there was no such thing when it came to his family.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 ►
the first time his chest felt as if it was collapsing on itself he was alone, muscles straining as he moved a concrete slab aside to crawl through the doorway of what would make the perfect hideout. he'd collapsed just inside the threshold, hand clutching over his heart and eyes shut tight in pain. he still didn't know if the tears that slid down his face had been from pain or sorrow. if he died there he would have died alone; no one to ever remember he had existed. somehow he'd survived to pull in slow, measured breaths, though the fear of another attack lingered.
the second time his chest felt as if it was collapsing on itself was when five gazes turned towards him, cautious but deep. san felt like he was drowning but he found he didn't mind dying here, not with such bright eyes to witness him, to remember he had lived.
he doesn't tell them even after five becomes seven. he doesn't want them to worry. he pretends not to hear seonghwa crying himself to sleep beside him some nights.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐫 ►
mingi was the eighth, slotting in to complete the puzzle. he'd come to them with relief on his face, head tilted to the sky and eyelids fluttering closed.
"finally, i found you."
he'd seen them for as long as he could remember; seven men with hearts of gold, eyes full of love, and a thirst for life he felt mirrored in his own chest. he'd learned early on not to mention them, only ever met with either firm denials or total dismissal. he tucked them in his heart like a secret, vowing to find them as soon as he built up enough supplies and enough life experience to survive the journey.
he knew they would change his life, had seen it nearly every night when he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. he couldn't wait to see where they led him.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨 ►
wooyoung had always been too much; too loud, too excitable, too full of all these emotions he couldn't put words to for the longest time. it only made sense that his power burned as brightly and felt as destructive as he felt sometimes. he felt like he destroyed everything he touched, every connection burned away with apathy or outright scorn. he wished loneliness didn't sit in his chest like a stone, wished he could sit alone with his thoughts instead of run from them.
restlessness drove him to travel, aimless and desperate to find someone, anyone that understood. at least he never spent his nights cold, though the flames were never as comforting as he imagined another person's warmth to be. he never imagined he'd find himself cradled between seven others, warm and safe and loved with an incandescence that rivaled his own fire.
◄ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 ►
paranoia and caution were a slippery slope, jongho knew, but it was a tightrope he couldn't stop walking. the feeling of being watched itched at his skin constantly, prickled the back of his neck and clenched the pit of his gut. he knew he'd wandered into someone's territory, knew they were keeping a close eye on him. he just wanted somewhere to exist, somewhere to hide away alone and secure.
curiosity eventually got the best of him, the sounds of life drawing him in like a siren's song. he knew it was dangerous, knew he was putting himself at risk, and yet he couldn't help but peer beyond the walls that separated him from them. four glowing masses illuminated his vision, seemingly talking amongst themselves before turning in his direction. his breath caught, vision fading to sightless black as he staggered backwards and stumbled against a half-broken wall.
he swallowed the spit gathering in his mouth, certain he would die here for his hubris. he never expected the gentle hands that cradled his elbows and deep, warm voice that instantly relaxed his shoulders.
"it's okay. you're okay." and maybe it wouldn't be so bad to believe those words for once in his life.
🌸 if you've read this far i'm kissing you on the forehead, please feel free to jump in my ask and tell me all your thoughts. i'm SO excited to work on this fic, i'm already so in love with these boys and this world.
“It’s okay, Hongjoong.” Mingi’s low gravelly tone murmured just behind his ear, and maybe those three words were all Hongjoong had needed to hear. The suffocating guilt eased up on his chest and allowed him to finally pull in one steady breath after another. One by one his fingers loosened their rigid hold on Wooyoung’s skin, soothing over where he had no doubt carved future bruises.
He exhaled slowly as Wooyoung took his face between his hands, guiding their lips back together in a gentler version of their earlier kiss. It was a kiss that embodied the whole of Wooyoung himself; warm, passionate, and so very full of love. Hongjoong found endless comfort in both it and the presence of Mingi beside them, who rearranged himself carefully until Wooyoung’s head rested in his lap.
Hongjoong separated himself from Wooyoung for a moment, sitting back on his heels and arranging his spitfire’s legs on either side of his thighs. In his peripheral he could see Mingi, eyes puffy and rimmed red, brushing Wooyoung’s bangs away from his forehead before leaning down to press a soft kiss there. It was such a tender gesture, his fingertips lightly tracing across the subtle creases of Wooyoung’s forehead, and Hongjoong felt his heart throb in his chest as he absorbed the moment, storing it away to remember fondly.
all i want is for someone to read up to the current update in afterimage and tell me all their thoughts and theories bc i'm genuinely so curious what it feels like from a readers perspective rn
ooh okay ground was the only one that had anything good.
from chapter 3 of my ATEEZ Halazia inspired fanfic Afterimage
Unconsciously, he broke into a wide grin as a marble-perfect, dust covered face emerged from the clouds.
“Sangie! We did it!” Mingi threw himself at his lover, nearly knocking them both to the ground in his elation. The dual tones of their laughter bounced off the crumbled streets and walls around them while smoke billowed to the sky like a beacon of their success.
They'd downed a Watcher. Not by themselves, no. With the help of nearly every member of the resistance they’d managed to pull the metal demon down until it crashed into the Earth. A palpable release was in the air, an oppressive sort of gravity lifted off the shoulders of every outlier in a wide radius.
Freedom.
good lil anon asked: hiiii I'm loving ur halazia fic, it's already been set up so well and im excited to see where it goes! I was just wondering if it's going to be more gov ship focused? I know the tag is ot8 but is it still going to centre around gov ships?
aww thank you so much!! 🥹 I wanted to include nods to gov ships in the intro but the main theme of the ot8 is "I don't love you more, I love you different." Everyone's relationships are different and each relationship has something different to offer each other. So tldr; no, you'll see a lot of different ship combos (scnhwc in particular is going to be a little special)
lately i've really been enjoying writing characters that are just disgustingly in love with each other; just absolute worship and adoration and warmth. i almost never do established relationship fics but i've started 2 of them now so i guess there's a trend forming lmao
🌸 If an artist drew a scene from one of your fics which scene would you want to see illustrated?
god there are SO many i would love to see done for Afterimage - my Halazia inspired fic coming soon. honestly if i had the ability myself i'd make Afterimage a webcomic but alas, i do not have the time nor skill lol. i think i'd love to see one or all of Mingi's visions illustrated, as heartwrenching as they're going to be
Rating: M for adult situations and coarse language
Summary: Breathless, she moves by Santana into the room and relishes the way the bright lights heat her flesh. Because there are hundreds—no, thousands of silver-sheen glass panes, all containing the universe and forever. Brittany, staring into one of the many sets of chocolate eyes understands, finally: this is what it means to be infinite. #DUBSPOOK ONESHOT
Note: I present to you the start of: THE BRITTANA FANDOM’S SPOOKTACULAR TOUCH-A TOUCH ME DIRTY FICTION DOUBLE FEATURE!!
Be sure to follow the #dubspook tag to get the updates!
