mixminghao

[mixminghao]

It’s funny how the moments he felt truly like himself were with a person who knew absolutely next to nothing about it. But maybe it was easier that way to be truly Xu Minghao; with someone who didn’t care about his skills, his past, or his prerogatives. Instead he was free to joke and tease and smile without the weight of worry constantly pushing at his shoulders. Maybe he should have chosen Atlas as his cover name rather than the8, he thinks jokingly to himself and bites down the urge to smile around the straw he continues to play with and chew on. Wonwoo stands in front of him shuffling mugs around and Minghao wants to tease him about it but thinks against it. “You look parched, should I buy you a drink?” The question still comes out a pit playfully but he’s being honest when he says it. 

Some small part of him knows that their interactions are short lived and Wonwoo probably doesn’t care much for them. But Minghao likes to imagine that in another setting, another life perhaps they could have been close friends. He resists the urge to scoff though and glances again at his laptop. “You’ve cracked the code. My secret has been revealed. I really just sit here and draw up portraits of your smiling face in paint all day.” A grin trickles its way onto his face and he leans forward to cup his chin in his hands. “They go for billions online. Just like the customers would pay to watch you measure out milk online. I think you should get a youtube channel.”

duality.

[mixminghao]

Sorry my little disappearance act. Unfortunately I moved and the process took a lot longer than I thought. But I’m back and I’m really looking to writing and plotting for this smol child here. So please if you’re interested in plotting, like this post and I’ll appear in your inbox. I’m also offering to write the starter for everyone who takes advantage of plotting. 

[mixminghao]

❝ i’m not saying you’re an idiot, I’m just saying a smarter person would have seen that coming. ❞

Minghao wasn’t sure how they ended up in this situation. But he’s damned sure that he’ll never be in one like this again. He’s pressed up against a rather large shelving display of chips with his legs curled up against his chest. Some idiot decided today was a good day to rob a convenience store. And Minghao was just a lucky victim through the entire process. Honestly he was a bit flabbergasted at the words the man across from him spoke. In any other situation he might have retorted with a witty response or something with just anger. But he had no strong comeback this time. The entire situation was ridiculous. He had the means to take someone down, a few years of self-defense made sure of that, but he had no gun on him. And the bastard at the front of the store was toting around a shotgun with a maniacal grin on his face. “I’m not really sure how I should have seen this coming.”

[mixminghao]

Minghao leaned back into the plush cushion of the couch he had been splayed out on for the past few minutes. He idly played with his phone, turning it over and over in his hand. The night was quiet and he had a ton of things he should be doing but nothing he really wanted to do. Waiting for texts always seemed to make him both antsy and anxious. His eyes flickered to the screen every so often to see if there was a notification waiting for him. But the screen remained painfully blank as he continued to spin the flimsy black phone around.

In the dimly lit room and the silence, his mind began to wander from this to that and he was honestly a bit startled when his phone finally lit up in his hand. Sitting up, he rested the elbow of his free hand on his knee, chin cupped in his palm as he unlocked the screen and brought up the text. Working? Minghao let out a heavy sigh as he thought about the tasks that were waiting for him in his email, but before he could make a face another text was popping up in his inbox. A grin quickly made its way across his face and he was up and off the couch in a flash.

[el33tist] On my way ~

The drive to his favorite coffee shop was over before it really began. And at this time of night, the shop was perpetually empty save for the barista falling asleep behind the counter. She sleepily made her way through two complex coffee orders before handing him a carrier. A swipe of his card and Minghao was back in the car and on his way over to the warehouse. It wasn’t often that he ventured into this area and he wouldn’t ever admit it to anyone but he did get turned around more than once before finally parking the car. Spotting Hachi, Minghao quietly weaved his way through shipment boxes before stopping in front of the other.

victorious.

“Sure, by 3 am make sure the men are there to receive the delivery. I can’t say the guy will wait if no one’s there.” he pauses to chew on the mint gum in his mouth as he regarded one of Syndicate’s men “Treat my babies well,yeah?” he gives a soft pat to the crates full of daggers, guns were savvy and flashy but man his love for blades was just something else.

The vibration against his thigh had him sighing in slight irritation, a controlled frowned appears as he excused himself from the person he was instructing about the weapons and walked a couple of steps into the warehouse. It was quiet and dimly lit, just the way he liked it. Fingers dipped into the pocket ot retrieve the sleek black phone in time to see a notification of a new text message sent by a certain someone.

He was about to ignore it and slip the phone back into his pocket when the echoing sound of thuds had him whipping around. Hachi shouted uncharacteristically loud when he saw the crates labeled ‘ FRAGILE ‘ on the floor with a couple of clumsy looking men trying to get it loaded on the truck “Retards–” he hisses, jaw clenching he restrained himself and distractedly opened the text message in his now increased annoyance 

His narrowed eyes get painted silver from the glow of the screen as they trailed over the words and he not so kindly punches out a reply

[text; Hao] Working. So should you.

He hit send and then from some whimsical corner of his heart a soft voice whispered almost yearning…well it was going to be a long night getting the trucks of weapons loaded. So he types another text.

[text; Hao] Grab one for me. Meet at xxx warehouse.

[mixminghao]

Minghao sighed a bit disdainfully as he eyed up the laptop resting just near the crook of his elbow, its screen was dimmed black but he still hated the sight of it. His laptop was a constant reminder of the work that loomed over his shoulders not only from his commitments to the part he had been given but also his duty to the force. It seemed most nights he slept in binary. His thoughts a constant flow of numbers and data set to goals and ideals. Some part of him lived for the feel of the power beneath his fingers, the simple idea that with a few keystrokes he could do almost anything he wanted. But then the other, the other was terrified that it was only a matter of days, of moments before the truth of his identity was revealed.

Shaking his head, he took another sip of the coffee before gently placing it on the counter. His grin still proudly evident. “You do make the best iced coffee in the world. Or at least I can attest for China and a small portion of South Korea.” His tone was gently teasing as his eyes softened and turned slightly upwards. These moments were precious to him, in his own way. They were simple and possibly meant nothing to the surly barista behind the counter but to Minghao they allowed a brief reprieve, a tiny moment where he could breathe again.

Another glance toward his laptop and Minghao doesn’t hesitate to lean over and close the lid gently with his hand. “What work?” He asked playfully before turning his attention back to Wonwoo. “Also this job seems both not so bad but also a shit job. I busted tables a handful of time for some extra cash. But I imagine this is much worse than picking up a few empty plates and cups."

duality.

[mixminghao]

canyon moon;

Minghao pushed himself into a fully sitting position and tried not to wince as his back cracked in a handful of places. His shoulders and neck protested at the movement and it took him a series of minutes before he was able to push away from the desk and to lift himself out of the computer chair. His body felt so sore and his hands ached deeply from hours of putting them to work, the words of other syndicate members running through his head. Minghao had a lot to do but he was hungry and a bit bleary-eyed. Honestly he knew if he didn’t stretch his legs and breathe something more than the stale air of his apartment, he’d get nowhere fast.

Quickly changing from sweats to a simple t-shirt and jeans, Minghao donned a well worn and loved snapback and headphones. A quick jog to the conveience store a few blocks down and he’d be set. He’d grab some food and get his blood flowing through some exercise, surely a win for everyone. Locating his phone and his wallet, Minghao left the apartment with a sure click of his front door. The spring evening was warm and inviting. There was not a cloud in sight and the moon acted like a large beacon as it casted its white light over everything beneath it. The store was a few blocks away and it would take him probably 20 minutes to get there. But a soft breeze enticed him to take his time, a soft smile spread over his face as Minghao gently popped a pair of headphones into his ears.

A night like this, even with a moon brighter than usual, there were still shadows that lurked around corners and backalleys. Relaxed and unsuspecting made a man a fool and Minghao could arguably be seen as the biggest fool of them all. With music to soundtrack his every move, he left himself open to anything prowling in the darkness.

[mixminghao]

sentence starters!

Hi everyone! We’re back with more sentence starters, after a long time without some. From now on, we’ll be posting them on the main so everyone can easily access them (and so that we admins don’t build up a huge conglomerate of answered memes in our characters’ inboxes) You’ll be able to reblog this meme for seven days starting today, but feel free to continue answering memes after that, if need be. Go wild with them and have fun! (Feel free to use this for sentence starters or drabbles; the most important thing is to get everyone writing. Hopefully it’ll spark some new plot ideas and interactions too!)

As stated in the rules, any sort of meme should be posted/reblogged by somebody on the staff team first, but here we are on the main with these, so reblog away!

Remember to reblog this if you’re interested receiving a meme, and to send some to everyone that reblogs it too! Feel free to skip over this if you’d like too; it’s by no means mandatory to reblog and participate. Most importantly though, have fun!!

Keep reading

[mixminghao]

© Infinity || do not edit/crop photo. [☆]

[mixminghao]

Minghao’s eyes swept over the cafe again as he eyed the inhabitants. A young couple in the corner were chatting quietly but holding hands under the table. And some small part of him softened at the sight of their tangled fingers. He was teased often as a child and a teenager for being something of a softy when it came to love and acts of affection. Maybe it was the memory of his parents and the affection they had for each other. But something like that was normal for Minghao and it made his chest ache in realization that in his line of work, especially now, it wasn’t even good for him to think about feelings or anything like that.

Instead he simple turned his gaze away and back to counter in front of him. A piece of paper intended for work was set out before him but instead it was covered in nothing but doodles and water droplets from his iced coffee. Sipping at the straw, Minghao looked up at the barista behind the counter and was surprised to make eye contact with the other. His faced softened into a smile and he tilted his head curiously as he chewed on his straw. He resisted the urge to chuckle a bit in amusement or maybe fully grin. But Minghao had learned early on that Wonwoo, as the name tag stated in a messy sprawl, didn’t really seem to like people all that much. It was easy to spot from the way he spoke to some of the other customers and handled their orders. Not that Minghao could really blame him. People were way too demanding and felt like they were entitled to anything and everything.

When the question was posed though, he thought back to his week and fought the urge to shake his head in disbelief. Rather, Minghao set his drink down and leaned his chin on the open palm of his hand. “To be honest, shitty doesn’t even begin to cover it. This iced coffee makes it better though.” The soft smile that had been painting his face slowly began to grow into a lazy but still rather soft grin. “How about yourself?”

duality.

[mixminghao]

you've only just joined and i love you and your muse already. though i haven't had the pleasure of speaking to you just yet, i have read what you've done so far and you're absolutely perfect. i love your writing and you seem like such a wonderful person. i'm so glad that you've joined us with him, because you're both a great addition to this directory!! ♥

Can I just say this is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me? I probably tried to answer this a million times but thank you anon so much. I really love writing but lately I’ve been feeling rather down and out when it comes to it. And I was really nervous and anxious to join with Minghao. But honestly, you came in at the right time and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to fully convey my thanks. I know you say we haven’t had the pleasure of speaking just yet, but please please come plot and chat with me soon okay? 

[mixminghao]

victorious.

@mixhachi

Navigating through the Syndicate territory can be a dangerous venture. Minghao knew this going into the mission but he never really could have prepared himself for what he was getting into. There was honestly no way of knowing. The few members he's encountered have their own distinct personality to match their well-honed skillsets. While Minghao possessed his own level of intellect and abilities, he knew that he was nowhere close to even matching any of the other members.

There have been many nights spent tossing and turning, plagued by thoughts of self-doubt and the fear of getting caught constantly creeping at the back of his mind. He knew he wouldn’t be of any use if he only continued to keep to himself. And honestly although quiet Minghao has always been a bit of a social creature. His time as the8 during his teenage years all he did was make friends and run with the same group through thick and thin. 

He’s not sure whether he would attribute it to a deep sense of loneliness, his dedication to his job, or maybe even nostalgia that blooms deep within his heart, but Minghao didn’t wait long before trying to reach out to members of Syndicate. He’s not sure what’s looking for whether its information or friendship but either way he can’t do his job properly the way he’d been headed. It was probably natural for him to try and latch onto Hachi. 

[el33tist]  Hey ~ what are you up to? Want to go and get some coffee?

Hachi was nothing like anyone else Minghao had ever tried to befriend before. There was a bit of a push and pull kind of relationship between them and as much as Minghao pushed, Hachi tended to pull back in himself. Minghao watched the message send and wondered if the other would answer.

[mixminghao]

Somebody somewhere Will clean out your wounds We’ll bury the lie Bury the lie

[mixminghao]

duality.

@wonwoomi

Most days Minghao felt like there were two different people living inside the same body. Both of them struggled but from different things, they threatened to buckle under the enormous weight from expectations and stress that were constantly heaped onto their shoulders.

Xu Minghao was messy. He was quiet and a bit reserved at times. He hid easily behind soft smiles and even softer words. He struggled trying to organize his thoughts as he bounced back and forth between two languages while hoping that his intentions were understood without offending someone. He worried about his aunt's health and had grown up a rather troubled youth with something to prove. He was young, much younger than he is now, when he had gotten himself into trouble and decided to turn his life around by joining the police force. He thought he might spend his life behind a desk pushing papers or writing traffic tickets. Never did Minghao think he might shuffle off his familiar skin and instead take up a whole other identity.

The8 was born many years ago. It was a persona that he had fallen into when his fingers were much sharper than his mind; and his tongue still struggled to piece together half formed sentences in a mixture of Korean and Mandarin in front of classrooms full of bored students. Instead binary was a much easier concept for him to understand his fingers had no trouble writing script much like a poet would dedicate sonnets to his lover. It was this skill that got him into trouble in the first place. A few quick keystrokes and suddenly he was making friends with grinning kids with arms full of stolen electronics. It was a high he rode for several months as Minghao took down defenses with ease and reaped the rewards. But it was only a matter of time before he was caught and suddenly he was no longer the8. Instead that persona was buried away deep inside of himself.

Imagine his surprise when he was called to the office and told to dig it back up. They needed his skill they said, they wanted him to blend and sink down deep into the darkness to see what kind of monsters lie in waiting. At first Minghao had been excited to do a bit more than write reports but he didn't really understand what he was getting himself into.

Instead Minghao left the office that day, someone a bit more rambunctious and curious. He spoke out more and worried less. He was meticulous and fueled, driven by the need to do good again but mostly by that familiar feeling that gripped his gut. The want, no need, to see what kind of level his skills lay. Was he rusty? Would he even be able to do the things he could as a simple high school student? Given the chance, Minghao found himself favoring the side of chaos a little bit more.

That's probably why he took to hiding occasionally. He had found his little oasis in the desert, a nameless coffee shop that had become his sanctuary from the outside world. At the front door he was able to shed both identities and just sink into himself. Minghao was just another nameless customer with a complicated order and addiction to sweets. He took up residence at the counter with computer or book in hand. And sometimes he just sat there for hours on end watching people and sketching on a napkin absentmindedly. Imagine his surprise though to find a rather familiar face among his mindless wandering. Instead he found himself chattering at the poor man behind the counter as he created one drink after the other, a human assembly line handling cinnamon and syrups with ease.

Perhaps it was his relaxed nature or the types of things he said, but Minghao was forever surprised when the other man began to openly converse with him on occasion. It became a habit for him to visit later in the evening when the business in the shop had slowed to a crawl and it allowed Minghao to take up the other's time without feeling as guilty.

Tonight was no exception. Although the weather was nice enough to sit outside at one of the free tables. He instead was in his favorite seat at the counter. His computer was open with a few programs up and running on the screen but actually sitting untouched. Instead Minghao was sipping at an iced coffee as he swung his feet mindlessly and simply took stock of the groups of strangers spread out around the cafe.

[mixminghao]

Hello and thank you for all of your warm welcomes! I'm really excited to be here and plot with all of you! Minghao is a really quiet kind of kid who really loves to smile and generally is a good person. I'm hoping to put him through a lot of trials and tribulations as an undercover officer and I have no trigger warnings. So if there's a plot you'd like to do that's maybe a bit out there, please let me know. I'd really like to push my writing and my character. I don't currently have any plots up for him yet but those should be coming momentarily.

I really mean it when I say I'd like to plot with all of you. So please don't hesitate to like this post or come into my inbox.

[mixminghao]

[mixminghao]

부질없는 착한 마음은 이 세상에선 결함이니까, 어서. A kind heart is useless, it’s a flaw in this world.

Tablo (via koreyan)