#nobody move…

[hausofanya]

 ͏ ͏ ͏͏  ͏ ͏ ͏ 11:10 PM ͏ ͏ ͏͏  ͏ — ͏ ͏ ͏͏  ͏ new sentiments, old memories.

featuring cléo anya torell, bang chan, and the hsk ensemble. word count 1.3k ( 1347 ) notes from june 🙂 ( haunted ) + told thru chan’s pov.

“everyone get the fuck out.”

the room instantly chills. conversation and laughter are cut short, silence washing over the studio room. the staff startle at his crass language, immediately scrambling to get their things and leave, bowing hastily.

alexei and malani frown instantly as well, moniqa hovering a few feet away near a piano. cléo doesn’t look up from where she’s sitting.

“it’s okay.” her voice is calm, irritation flaring up in him. he watches as she turns to her friends and twin with a soft smile. “he doesn’t know. i didn’t tell him.”

“so everyone knew except for me? when were you going to tell me—”

“back up.” he blinks and alexei is between him and cléo, expressionless other than a blazing stare. a chill runs down his back but he stands his ground. “you’re a nice guy. don’t make me have to do something drastic.”

“alexei.” moniqa’s tone is warning, but she, too, throws a loaded look chan’s way.

chan watches as malani reaches out to squeeze cléo’s hand, the younger offering a timid smile in return. “it’s okay. we needed to talk anyway. you guys can go.”

the other three look reluctant, alexei more than all of them, but he’s the last to leave before cléo shuts the door behind them.

chan stares at the back of cléo’s head.

“i’m sorry you weren’t able to find out through me,” she eventually starts, turning around to face him in the now empty studio. “i didn’t expect word to travel so fast. that was my mistake.”

her formality sickens him. “we were supposed to get through this together.” his brows furrow in disbelief. “were we not helpful enough? i know—i know we’ve been busy, but the activities—but you’ve been practicing with me, with us, what—”

all his words leave him in a rush, stuttering as he tried to make sense through it all. was she giving up? after everything?

“i don’t understand, cléo.” he laughs incredulously as he runs a hand through already tousled hair. “do you not want to be in the group anymore? is that it?”

cléo frowns. something in his chest leaps at the change in emotion. “no. i mean—it’s not about you. or any of you. i did it because i wanted everyone else to have a career free of my mistakes.”

chan stares at her for a moment before sputtering out a laugh. her expression sours even further. “so you speak for everyone now? you should have talked to me! to us! none of us care about your scandal!”

“it’s not about the scandal—it’s about me,” cléo’s voice raises to meet his budding hysteria. “it’s about me constantly making mistakes, and fucking up, and—”

“bullshit.” cléo physically flinches at the word spat out with so much vitriol, her expression bordering on betrayed. a mirror image of his own shattered heart. “you are ours. ours! one of us. and we were going to get through this together!”

“chan, please—”

“do you really think any of us give a fuck about what anyone else thought?” his voice cracks on his anger, sadness, hurt. “you weren’t supposed to make this decision alone! what about me? or the group, or—”

“you said you wouldn’t blame me if i left!”

he freezes, eyes widening at her sudden blurt. confusion clouds his mind, still riddled with intense emotions. and then his remembers.

i’m just glad you stayed, honestly. there were times when i seriously though you were going to quit. i wouldn’t have blamed you, though. if you did leave.

“you said—that you wouldn’t blame me if i chose to leave. this is me leaving. i’m sorry i didn’t consult you, or—or tell anyone but the company, but i did it for you. for all of you. i don’t want to be selfish anymore and i'm so tired.”

she looks devastated. for the first time in the almost six years he’d known her, he was at a loss for genuine words. his hands twitch at his sides. out of frustration or despair, he didn’t know. it stung to even think about.

“there’s nothing you can say to change my mind. i’m moving to the other label. and you can wash your hands clean of me.”

“cléo, can you just—we can figure this out—”

“this is me figuring it out!” her eyes brim with unshed tears. his first instinct is to reach out and wipe them way the same way he’d done all those years ago. “i’m sorry it’s not the decision you wanted to hear. but it’s what i think is best for everyone.”

(this is what i think is best for you.)

“we would have fought with you.” his voice is stilted, stepping closer to her. hurt spears his chest again when she steps back. “we were fighting with you. don’t do this to us.”

(don’t do this to me.)

jokes aside, um. thanks for believing in me and what i could do. i’ll work hard to bring the best version of myself in all that i bring to not just stray kids, but to everything that i set out to accomplish. it’s more than just having a dream, i’ve realized. putting in the hard work to actually achieve it speaks more volume than just waxing poetic, so. here’s to letting myself go.

“i’m letting go, chan. jyp thinks i’ll be better under aura.” cléo sniffles, her tears finally spilling over. “miss kandi is actually pretty nice, and everyone i know is there, and—”

“i’m not part of that.”

cléo’s hand snaps up, fear and panic swirling in her eyes. “no! i mean—no, i’m doing this because i care about you!”

disgruntled, he just shakes his head. “it’s okay.” he sends her a pained smile and backs up when she starts to approach him, palms raised. “i get it now.”

you’re very brave, you know that, right?

“i’m doing this because i care about you,” she stresses again, voice wavering. “i’m going to fuck up again. i don’t know when, and i don’t know how, but if this is what it’s like to be associated with me—then i don’t want your name to be attached to it.”

“you care.” cléo’s expression crumples when he says such, nodding vigorously. “you’re very selfless. but i’m not thanking you for it.”

she looks distraught again. “chan—”

“i don’t know how else to put it for you, but when you care about someone, you suffer with them.” chan shrugs in the face of her denial. “it’s true. it’s what me and the other boys have been doing. or not suffering, exactly. but shouldering your pain. it shouldn’t be yours to hold on alone. that’s what having friends are for.”

he cuts her off when she attempts to explain herself again. “it’s fine. this is what you think is best, so i support you. we’ll support you. ‘cause that’s what friends do. but i wish you would have talked to me first.”

his (somewhat) strong façade cracks once more when she begins to cry again, finally stepping forward to wrap his arms around her. she falls apart in his arms just like she’d done before. only this time it feels like they’re worlds apart.

“i should have listened to you when you said you didn’t trust him.” cléo burrows deeper into his hold, her tears staining his shirt. i’m sorry.

“i wish we could have been more than enough for you,” he murmurs in response, resting his head atop hers. i’m sorry, too.

thank you for believing in me, too. ‘cause it’s not all one sided, you know? you chose this as much as we chose you. and it goes the same for the others, too. i think we’re very fortune to have you on our team, and stray kids wouldn’t be the same without you. so thank you for letting yourself go.

[wanologic]

sorry danny, sam will never think you’re cool

[codewitch]

The women’s gymnastics floor routine is always so funny because they’re clearly 1000% focused on their tumble routines aka the things they’ve trained their whole lives for and are being scored on, but in between those they gotta do their little mandated dance breaks. Go to your corner and mentally prepare to do 8 whole flips but first, mandatory 10 second dance break.

[thunderglade]

i got csp 🔥

[pangur-and-grim]

we’re moving forward with a publisher 😤 just gotta get all the terms worked out, and then it can be signed & we’ll do the whole announcement thing

[frownyalfred]

the thing is, if Bruce plays his cards right, he could get all of his kids in leadership and/or hereditary positions in all of the major superhero, vigilante, and business organizations in the world.

Damian - Head of the League of Assassins, hereditary title from his Mother and/or Grandfather.

Dick - Leader of the Titans, and then potentially the Justice League later. Head of WE’s fundraising arm briefly. Possible option for a politically appointed GCPD or BHPD position.

Tim - takes over as Leader of the Titans when Dick moves into the JL. Head of Wayne Industries/Enterprises/Etc. Influential person to Kon-El and Lex Luthor, by proxy.

Jason - Leader of various Gotham underground organizations, crime syndicates, anywhere in the Underworld that’s useful to Bruce.

[lotus-pear]

double black

[talesfromthecrypts]

Possession (1981) dir. Andrzej Żuławski

[chocodile]

Worldbuilding time! Let's talk about vehicular travel in modern day Amaranthine, using the snowmobiles from this recent comic as a jumping off point.

"Prowler" - Ironfrost patrol snowmobile - (year of manufacture: 1912)

These half-track all terrain vehicles are used by Ironfrost soldiers to travel long distances over the tundra. Originally adapted from older, four-wheeled automobiles, the half-track Prowler design became increasingly standardized over the years as eternal winter continued to creep southward. They are capable of operating in a wide variety of terrain conditions and are fairly modular. Common mods include removable skis, hardtop and softtop roofs, gun mounts, and towing attachments.

Like all vehicles, Prowlers are steam-powered. The external combustion engine runs on kerosene. In snowy conditions, feedwater can be obtained automatically through a scraper port on the underside of the vehicle, though manual feeding is required in muddy or dry conditions.

Though not as fast, reliable, or efficient as trains, their agile nature have made them an essential part of life in the far north… and, increasingly, in the middle country as well. The Rising Dawn have stolen several Prowlers for their own usage.

"Aspire" - Classic automobile (year of manufacture: 1890)

Four-wheeled vehicles are an unusual sight in the modern day. Ironfrost-made cars were in vogue among the southern rim upper class for many years, but the worsening climate has made them more and more niche as road conditions outside of major cities deteriorate. The majority of higher horsepower automobiles were converted directly into half tracks, while older, lower-end vehicles were generally scrapped for parts.

The Aspire was the last four-wheeled vehicle widely available to the public. Advertised as a stylish, powerful, modern vehicle for the elite on the go, it boasted a sleek, classy aesthetic, a removable softtop roof, and a powerful steam engine with a large kerosene tank suitable for travel between cities. Preorders were advertised to southern rim wealthy in local papers. However, a series of unusually bad winters soon after its debut scared off buyers, shutting down production early and ultimately spelling doom for the entire four-wheeled automobile industry.

One of those Aspire preorders went to Baroness Jocosa North. Though she has since passed away, her son, Theopolis North, still maintains the now wildly impractical car in near mint condition. It is almost never seen outside of its garage.

"'Icebreaker' Class E 250" - Northern cross-country train (year of manufacture: 1903)

The majority of modern-day overland travel is accomplished via train. Massive long-distance rail lines, laid before the world became quite so cold, connect the remaining cities, allowing (relatively) safe travel and trade across vast expanses of tundra.

Southerly locomotives typically operate with only a basic wedge plow attachment. However, trains that run further north must be fitted with gigantic rotary snowplows. These complex machines require significant maintenance. Though they can and will chew up most things that get in the train's way, encounters with particularly large and bony beasts have been known to jam them.

Ironfrost's line terminates in a massive, sprawling rail yard where Icebreakers are fitted and maintained. Those who have visited it tell of a dark, dreary wasteland of twisted scrap metal and ice where coal dust and smoke have turned both the sky and ground black. All northern trains must pass through that place eventually.

"Chariot of the Dawn" - One-of-a-kind luxury automobile (year of manufacture: 1920)

The only place where four-wheeled automobiles still thrive is the City of the Sun. The eternal summers and paved roads are well-suited to cars and trolleys, though they are, of course, still something of a luxury good. Licenses for ownership and operation are ultimately controlled by the church, with His Radiance having the final say. (His most devout followers, of course, tend to get preferential treatment here.)

The City of the Sun manufactures its own vehicles, adapted from Ironfrost designs in a sort of divergent evolution. Freed from the road and weather concerns of the outside world, their automobiles favor sleek, swoopy body shapes, ornamental trim, low-slung bodies with limited ground clearance, and pastel paintjobs. Additionally, the engines are far less powerful and far more finicky, requiring regular maintenance.

His Radiance himself owns several custom automobiles, all of which are egregiously bedazzled to a degree that would look grotesque to anyone who wasn't used to it. Some are open-top, allowing his loyal followers an audience with his beautiful face and glittering halo, while others feature tinted windows. You know, in case he wants subtlety.

[616witch]

how can i know a word without having ever heard it? how can it beat in my chest so powerfully without knowing what it means? say the word diana–say it, and know what you are. amazon.

[wishchip106]

just thinking about erik making his house accessible on genosha

all the other mutants wondering why this tall guy made all his furniture low to the ground

they express their concerns about his back

then it all makes sense when he brings charles to live on genosha

“Oh he was just down bad this whole time”

bro looks like an egg. smooth ass dome

[baby-xemnas]

law is hyper vigilant that strangers don't touch bepo on their commute

[mikeyrrevenge]

good morning??????

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

[through gritted teeth, with fists clenched]

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS, NAME THEM ONE BY ONE, AND IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE-

[yuwuta]

roommate katsuki lore time: 

your job isn’t as physically demanding as that of a pro-hero, but it is equally, if not more time intensive. your friends often comment you seem dead on your feet way more often than they do, and you have to agree. so when you decide to scrounge up some extra money and hire a private chef, you think it’s the best decision you’ve made in a while. 

your friends would seem to agree—and some tease that maybe you should ask your guy if he can cater to izuku, too. except for katsuki, who seems appalled, betrayed, and disgruntled. it takes all but one week about you gushing over the meals your chef has prepped for you for katsuki to show up to your apartment in the middle of the day, while you’re at work, and the chef is in your kitchen, kindly ask him to leave forever, and get to work himself. when you come home, you’re confused and pissed when you realize katsuki has fired your saving grace, but the anger falls flat on your tongue when you’re interrupted by the blonde spoon-feeding you the most delicious bite of steak that you’ve ever had in your entire life. he’s way too smug watching you physically melt about the food, and ordering you to sit down and have a proper meal. 

he tries not to be endeared by your stuffed cheeks, but there’s a satisfaction brewing in him that he can’t quite place. all he knows is it won’t be taken away from him again; that’s why he flicks your forehead, throws a dish towel over his shoulder, and says, “make room for my shit here by the end of the week. and don’t complain when i put all your spoons together in one drawer,” before heading over to the sink to wash up. 

you don’t even get until the end of the week before katsuki is barreling into your apartment with boxes and clothes and, “this is what we call a stainless steel pan in the wild. ever seen one before?” prompting you to reach up and pinch his ear even as he cackles all the way to the kitchen. you suppose, in the end you can’t complain. you get to live with your best friend, you get free catering, free cleaning, and it takes you two months of living together to find out katsuki’s paid off your rent for the rest of the year, too. you know, what friends are for. 

[thaempo]

Ao Ruipeng as Fan Yue Moonlight Mystique 白月梵星, dir. Chu Yui Bun & Gu Zhi Wei