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This round has closed. It remains open for fills, comments and remixes, but prompts are no longer accepted.
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"Someone will remember us, I say, even in another time."
"How inconvenient to be made of desire."
"It's me, hi, I'm the problem its me."
Calling all readers, lovers of poetry and music, screen and stage. Quote collecters and lyric hoarders, unleash your archive. For this round, every prompt must contain a quote - you can combine them, add commentary, link to articles, do whatever. Steal from a literary classic, or copy WeVerse drama.
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be gentle
(Anonymous) 2022-12-25 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)Major Tags: N/A
Additional Tags: apocalypse vibes, some weird sense of solace and security in the end of the world ie: we are no longer struggling
Do Not Wants: None
Prompt:
— Paul Guest, from My Index Of Slightly Horrifying Knowledge, "Oblivion: Letter Home 2"
[FILL] blue hour
Major Tags: Read A/N
Additional Tags: sci-fi; a gentle apocalypse; what becomes of the hero who loses their war, what becomes of the saviour who needs saving?
Permission to remix: Yes
A/N: please be advised that character death is up to interpretation, it depends on where you sit on the spectrum of optimism (haha.) if you have read "the ones we're meant to find" by joan he, the environmental catastrophe & corresponding solution are loosely inspired by the book!
dearest mods, entry for 3P rarepair pls <3
OFFICIAL MISSION COMMUNIQUE
CLEARANCE LEVEL: POSITIVE VETTING
LOCATION SENT: 37° 31′ 57.3600″ N and 127° 1′ 28.6032″ E (GEOGRAPHIC)
LOCATION RECEIVED: 11h 08m 08.0950s, −15° 00′ 43.213″ (EQUATORIAL J200)
General Choi,
I am writing to inform you that the Committee has unanimously approved Researcher Chwe Hansol's proposal. The Earth is due for another mass extinction event, a ball that had started rolling long before human civilisation set up camp. We may not stand a chance to stop it, but we may be able to fool the ball into thinking it has reached its destination.
Large-scale manufacturing begins tomorrow, with the latest estimated duration for complete rehabilitation being 526 years. We continue to hold out hope, though I suppose half a millennium of deep sleep is preferable to learning how to farm on extraterrestrial soil.
Cordially,
Jeon Wonwoo
New Eden Lab Director
At 0100 hours, Jihoon punched in the code to Seungcheol's cabin. The muted lighting that embraced him as he opened the door was reminiscent of the wintry landscape of Halmeoni's seaside town. He closed the door carefully and sought out Seungcheol’s whereabouts, finding him in seconds. His heartbeat was steady and strong, unmistakable.
“I must have looked awful, huh,” Seungcheol chuckled as Jihoon lay down behind him. “It usually takes a crisis to draw you away from your post, Lieutenant Lee."
Jihoon closed his eyes. The flashes visited him again, in their usual non-chronological fashion.
Seungcheol embracing Jeonghan in their training room. “Do you think I would ever let you fail?” Him telling Jihoon some months later: "I have Jeonghan and Joshua, they're enough." Joshua placing his packed bags between himself and Seungcheol; a barricade. His fingers intertwining with Jeonghan’s. “I need to go, Seungcheol. They're assigning me to one of the hospitals—I can do more down there.” Seungcheol nodding and turning to Jeonghan. “And you?” Jeonghan smiling. “I go where Joshuji goes.”
Wonwoo clasping Seungcheol’s shoulder so tightly his knuckles were ivory, an apology shining through his eyes. Seungcheol not saying I forgive you, but rather, “Be happier than everyone else down there.” Wonwoo joking, “I doubt tedious research would make me happy.” Seungcheol’s empty laugh. “It better, or I’ll take you back up myself. Take care of Hansol for me.” Wonwoo promising to do so.
Minghao’s radiation shield failing on a routine EVA, pushing him over the lifetime exposure limit in under a minute. The Committee refusing to send him back up ever again. Seokmin seething, tongue becoming a vicious lash, wielded in outrage. “You took everything away, with nothing to give in return.” His badge leaving a dent on the console. Agony tearing through Seungcheol, another limb ripped apart from his body.
When they first explored space in search of a new home, there were 13 of them. A decade and countless failed missions later, only half remained, barely a quarter of their initial determination. Most of it was Seungcheol’s.
"Tell me about Haeundae beach," Seungcheol requested gently.
He loved these anecdotes about the home he never knew, the home he never got a chance to experience. Unlike the others, Seungcheol had grown up inside the walls of the academy, born and raised to do one thing and one thing only. All he ever had, before they surrendered themselves to him, was the mission.
Jihoon had acquired important survival skills throughout his career, but refusing Choi Seungcheol wasn't one of them. Shifting closer, he began to describe Busan summers to the best of his recollection. The last time he went, his father had to park behind the perimeter set by the local council. The heavy metal ions concentration had exceeded category II of acute toxicity, the news warned. It was hard to believe those bleak reports when the waves' calming shade remained unchanging.
Seungcheol listened, attentiveness second to none. He'd cling to Soonyoung's story of the bunggeopang ahjussi the same way. Soonyoung's description of how the red bean filling would melt in his mouth always ended with Seungcheol kissing him deeply, as though doing so would allow him to taste what Soonyoung did.
"I’ll take you there," Jihoon promised. "When we wake up, the water will be clear and we can go for a swim."
He kissed Jihoon too. Not for a taste. For a victory in defeat.
OFFICIAL MISSION COMMUNIQUE
CLEARANCE LEVEL: POSITIVE VETTING
LOCATION SENT: 37° 31′ 57.3600″ N and 127° 1′ 28.6032″ E (GEOGRAPHIC)
LOCATION RECEIVED: 07h 15m 06.0960s, −20° 00′ 15.342″ (EQUATORIAL J200)
General Choi,
Two out of three pods in the pilot batch have failed to open on simulated release. The engineers haven’t been able to find the root cause and we have no time or resources to replace them at this stage. The Committee has decided to proceed with the existing limitations.
Please be advised of the next steps.
Travel safe,
Jeon Wonwoo
New Eden Lab Director
Like any other cadet, Soonyoung had a perpetual longing for home when he first started. He craved the feeling of his dobok against his bare skin. Wanted to have dirt under his fingernails again and feel the wind in his hair. Hell, Soonyoung even missed fighting for the TV remote with his noona.
Seungcheol’s spots were prime-time broadcast in the years leading up to Soonyoung's recruitment. The exact words used had since become a faded memory, but he recalled the visuals with perfect clarity. The spots showed Serenity first, the spaceship meant to take a highly-trained crew on a journey of finding Earth 2.0. Then they showed Seungcheol, its future captain. Bright-eyed and broad-shouldered, the poster child for hope.
The boy Soonyoung saw on the TV became a man, and the man his true north.
"1 hour to morning briefing," Soonyoung jostled Jihoon gently. He held his amusement at bay when Jihoon’s eyes immediately took to his perfected glare the moment they opened. "I'll ready the crew.”
Seungcheol's gravelly voice stopped him from leaving. "Soonyoung."
"Yes, General."
"If I wanted you to respond formally, I would have called you Lieutenant Kwon."
Seungcheol said nothing else, but Jihoon made an impatient sound as though Soonyoung was disobeying a direct order. “How much longer until you notice the space we made for you?” Soonyoung stared at their tangled limbs, a source of warmth in a numbing cluster. “We don’t have much time, Young-ah.”
That did it. Soonyoung walked over to the other side, seeking refuge under the covers Seungcheol raised to accommodate him. His fingers naturally found Jihoon’s, linked over Seungcheol’s hip. Soonyoung exhaled slowly.
They were allowed some momentary reprieves. The ozone layer started repairing itself. University researchers found a way to remove microplastics from the ocean using magnets. Tigers were taken off the endangered species list.
But those moments never lasted. Earth’s every attempt to sustain its existence was overthrown when humans continued to take at a faster rate than they replenished. None of these was Seungcheol’s fault, and yet—
“I’m sorry.”
“Never say that to me again,” Soonyoung chided. “Just take me home, will you? I want to see the others.”
Heartache claimed Seungcheol’s body, weary soul unravelling in between his last strongholds. “Jihoon—“
“Ironically, our first mission was also the last time I wanted to save the world.” Oh, what a grievous sin Jihoon just confessed. Breaking their investiture oath was a crime punishable by death. But Soonyoung understood; this, too, he would not hold against him. “From then on, I just wanted more time with you. I wanted more time with everyone—to keep going, doing what we’ve been doing. You gave me that.”
Jihoon stroked Seungcheol’s hair until the tidal waves retreated from shore. “Let's make the best of our final sunrise up here," he said softly. Seungcheol's dark, damp lashes swept over the purplish ring under his eyes. "What do you want to do?”
“Me?” pondered Soonyoung. “Go to sleep.”
His displeased punches were hard to take to heart when Jihoon was visibly smiling against the nape of Seungcheol’s neck. Shaking his head, Seungcheol covered their joined hands with his. They stilled, only moving again when he did; the moons orbiting around him.
“I love you." Seungcheol set his cheek against Soonyoung's. "I will love you," his fingers framed Jihoon's jaw reverently, "until the beginning reunites us.”
OFFICIAL MISSION COMMUNIQUE
CLEARANCE LEVEL: POSITIVE VETTING
LOCATION SENT: 37° 31′ 57.3600″ N and 127° 1′ 28.6032″ E (GEOGRAPHIC)
LOCATION RECEIVED: 17h 45m 40.0409s, −29° 00′ 28.118″ (EQUATORIAL J200)
Seungcheol-hyung,
You must've heard by now: Project Dangun has reached its final execution stage. Our preliminary data showed promising results, that full rehabilitation is feasible once we remove ourselves from the equation. But hope is a tiny spark, so easily extinguished. 526 years is a long time. The pods' failure rate remains an unsolved problem.
Seokmin took me to our old barracks to clear my head. He’s been taking care of the olive tree you planted behind the mess hall; it has grown almost as tall as Mingyu. Even now, time and space apart, you still give us the best gift of all: reassurance.
Per your request, we have prepared three model IX pods at the Seoul facility. When, if ever, the probes decide the Earth is inhabitable once more, these pods have been assigned to open first, and together.
It is time to come home. We will be waiting.
Your dongsaeng,
Jeon Wonwoo
Re: [FILL] blue hour
secondly: this was my prompt. (paul guest poems really give me so much Something) so i can be crazy about this
one thing that ive always treasured about your writing is your way to just. say things without saying them but in a way which you can feel it in the atmosphere... it is really amazing how (When, if ever, the probes decide the Earth is inhabitable once more, these pods have been assigned to open first, and together.) tells a person so much: the idea that csc wants them to be together at the end of the world, that is together and safe... as usual, i will lose it. "I will love you," his fingers framed Jihoon's jaw reverently, "until the beginning reunites us.”
your imagery is breathtaking. (Jihoon stroked Seungcheol’s hair until the tidal waves retreated from shore.) i feel like i just got punched in the stomach... also (He'd cling to Soonyoung's story of the bunggeopang ahjussi the same way. Soonyoung's description of how the red bean filling would melt in his mouth always ended with Seungcheol kissing him deeply, as though doing so would allow him to taste what Soonyoung did.) broke me.
lastly. i also really love wonwoo's character in this: general choi in the first two letters and "seungcheol-hyung" + "your dongsaeng" in the last.. like he knows how personal this is to csc. a personal request. a personal message... god. i swear, your storytelling is brilliant. thank you for this <3
Re: [FILL] blue hour