#I love when Gen-Z wants to claim one of us

[moku-youbi]

Okay, the comic is super cute, but Abigail is NOT Gen-Z by literally ANY metric you use. She is firmly a Millennial my dudes. Kacy was born in 91, the character of Abigail was born in 93 or maybe 94. Either way, that's well before the earliest birth year range of Gen-Z, which is 97.

saw this tweet n had to doodle it

also will n hannibal are goin out for a murder date :3

its worth noting that I, a gen z, had to learn several capital cursive letters (i know all the lowercase ones but cannot read cursive to save my life) for this.

[coco-loco-nut]

Gen Z

pairing: Max Verstappen x Reader

summary: everyone seems to forget that Max is 26

a/n: not my favorite, but it’s something i’ve been working on for a while there will be no part two

requests open masterlist

—————

Breaking up with Kelly was extremely difficult for Max to do. Despite not being in love with her anymore, he was very aware of what would happen to P. Max knew it was better to break up than stay just because of P, so he bit the bullet. The next few months were lonely, having to readjust to being alone in Monaco with just his cats.

That’s when you came barreling into his life. Only two years younger than Max, you were a breath of fresh air for him. He really didn’t expect to fall for you, not so quick anyway.

You knew a bit about Formula One, but it was more to the extent that your home hosted a race, some drivers lived in the city, and your hairdresser’s son was a driver. It didn’t phase you when Max told you about his career and fame, you just thought the Dutchman was cute.

“Men who own cats are major green flags,” you told him over text when you first started dating. That might’ve been what really made Max fall for you. You made him feel young, understandably so. He was 19 when he first met Kelly, and she was 28.

Max taught you about the races, you helped him connect with his inner Gen Z. He taught you Dutch and how to game, you taught him slang and pop culture. The two of you were sitting on the couch a month before the Monaco GP, watching Cars of course, when Max asked you to join him at the race.

“Of course, anything for Lightning McQueen,” you squeeze his hand. You knew from TikTok that Charles, your boyfriend’s work husband, was Lightning McQueen, but how could that not be Max.

“Kachow,” Max says causing you to laugh. He has been watching the TikToks and reels you send him, usually something formula one or cars related.

Max is watching Cars 2 with you when he points out each driver in the movie. You store the knowledge in the back of your mind for when you watch classic races and Max explains things to you. You feel sufficiently ready for Monaco.

“Lewis, this is my girlfriend, Y/n,” Max introduces you to the Mercedes driver. You look at him, star stuck.

“I loved you in Cars,” you blurt out, causing Lewis to laugh and Max to hide his face in embarrassment. Max isn’t surprised, but he can’t believe this is how your first interaction is going. Lewis is just happy you aren’t with Max because he is a driver.

“Thank you, how old are you?” Lewis asks, ready to feel old.

“24, two years younger than Maxie,” you smile lovingly at your boyfriend.

“I forgot how young you actually are,” Lewis’s unspoken words hang in the air between him and Max. Now that you are dating someone closer to your own age.

Lewis’s statement seemed to be the general consensus when everyone saw you with him. Max looked and acted like he was 26. He was using slang you taught him, he was making pop culture references that he likely wouldn’t have known otherwise. He was getting to experience his twenty’s like he should have been, not as if he was much older than he was.

Lando was the most excited to meet you, not only were you his age, but you brought out Max’s inner child that Lando never could.

“I’m stealing your girlfriend,” Lando tells Max, wanting to claim you as his best friend.

“No,” Max deadpans.

“What if Lando is my bestie?” you ask Max, who can’t say no to you.

“Then I guess that’s okay,” Max kisses your temple.

“OMG, McLaren is doing another hide and seek video, you two should join,” Lando proposes.

“That actually sounds fun,” Max says, looking at you for confirmation.

“I’m in,” you smile, letting Lando lead the way.

The video is a hit, the fans are loving this version of Max. Max is loving this version of him too, for once he doesn’t feel like he has to grow up faster than he should.

“Stay away from her, she’s no good for you. Act like a grown up,” you overhear Jos tell Max as you come back to the garage from hospitality. You have yet to meet Jos, Max made it very clear that he doesn’t want you near his dad. The memes the two of you send back and forth are a good enough reason why, so you hang back.

“What do you mean? I am. I’m 26, why should I act like I’m 40? I am happier with her than I was with Kelly,” Max argues back, you hold yourself back.

“World Champions are serious, mature. Quit acting like Lando Norris and more like an adult,” Jos is seething.

“Ask Max to come back here, say the team needs him or something,” you as an engineer when you notice Jos getting angrier.

“Then why am I leading by a heavy margin already. You just can’t handle that I am putting myself first. What would you even know about being a champion? You never won a race!” Max yells. The engineer quickly cuts in and leads Max to you.

“You gagged him, baby. Are you okay?” Max hugs you, you just rub his back as he regulates his breathing.

“He’s an opp, for real,” Max mutters into your shoulder, causing you to snort with laughter.

“God, I love you,” you can’t contain the laughter. Max joins in, your smile is infectious.

“I did use it right, no?” Max asks between the laughter.

“You did, I just wasn’t expecting it,” you take a deep breath, calming down.

“No cap?”

“Alright, you are using too much. Where is old man Max, this is freaky,” you take a step back, the smile that remains on your face betrays your words.

“You got me into my gen z era, you get the consequences,” Max pulls you back into him as you groan in annoyance.

“I love you too,” he laughs, peppering your face with kisses.

And when a journalist is brave enough to ask about the shift in Max? He’s always eager to talk about you.

“My girlfriend forced me to watch hours of YouTube compilations about formula one memes. We are always sending different memes to each other, she definitely helps me remember to laugh more,” Max gushes.

“I guess we all forget that you aren’t nearly forty,” the journalist nods. Max answers a few more questions before finding you in his drivers room. He lays down on the couch, his head on your lap.

“What’s on your mind?” you run your hand through Max’s hair.

“Have I changed that much?” he asks, his blue eyes looking up at you.

“I don’t think so, I think you’ve just started being yourself around more people. You are still the same Max that I first met and fell in love with, everyone else is just seeing that Max,” you are confused about the question, but answer him. Max doesn’t reply, he just nuzzles closer to you.

“I like this version of me,” he says into your shirt a few minutes later, you keep playing with his hair.

“I’m glad, but I like every version of you, Max. Even old man Max,” you smile as he sits up.

“Old man? How about I show you how far from true that is,” there is a look in his eye that tells you that you just started something.

“And how will you do that?” you decide to entertain him as he slips his hands under your shirt.

“I don’t think I need to tell you.”

[throwawayhero]

could you give more hcs or a drabble about bakugou with a crush on reader!! pls i feel like ur fics are the closest ive seen to canon... i need more

No problem, and thanks! I try to make them seem canon, but sometimes it's difficult T-T. Just realising now that a few of these sound stalker-y and I'm sorta regretting writing this but oh well. I hope this is satisfactory!! c/w; social media au, buzzfeed, eminem (idek), karaoke, not proof read

!Katsuki who unintentionally catches himself playing with his hair while talking to you. Not in an obvious way (that's what he thinks at least), but more so absentmindedly fiddling with his side burns and such. It's kinda funny when he accidentally curls them and leaves them like that for a while. He also has a habit of playing with his baby hairs on the back of his neck.

!Katsuki who "accidentally" managed to copy your handwriting style down stroke for stroke? He doesn't really know how it happened, to be honest. He just noticed it one day during a group project after Jirou pointed it out to the two of you. You found it funny, but he found it outrageous and claimed that you had been the one to copy his handwriting.

!Katsuki who allowed you to tag along on one of Kirishima's and his study sessions. He beat the shit out of Eijirou and was gentle with you, more or less. He wouldn't hit you of course, but he certainly wasn't scared to yell. At least the first time. The look you gave him made him writhe with guilt, so he shut the fuck up out of embarrassment.

!Katsuki who heard you talking about a band you loved and decided it was his god given right to go through their whole discography and criticise it in his own time. But turns out, you have good taste, so he keeps to himself about it. "Accidentally" bought a spare ticket to their next concert and offered the spot to you. No big deal, right?

!Katsuki who did extensive searching for your socials, scrolling through his friends friends following, mutuals, and genuinely just word of mouth. When he did find your accounts, he stalked the SHIT out of them. When you requested to follow him, he freaked out and accepted straight away. He didn't follow you back until a week later, "just to be safe".

!Katsuki who unironically took one of those "Do I have a crush on my friend?" quizzes when he started to feel things towards you. 100% went down a rabbit hole on buzzfeed. He wanted to call his "crush" ANYTHING other than what it was. Mentioned it to Kirishima once and was left even ore confused than what he had originally been.

Unrelated but he just looks like he would listen to Eminem. Probably gets a good chuckle out of the whole "You gonna cancel me, yeah? Gen Z me brah?!" thing. Don't ask me to explain why I think this, it just makes sense.

!Katsuki who more often than not is watching you out of the corner of his eye. Not in an overly-creepy way, he's just "aware of his surroundings". He says that to anyone that mentions it, which is literally just his paranoia.

!Katsuki who secretly loved the fact that you hung out with him and his friends almost daily. Because then he wouldn't have to initiate hangouts and look as desperate as he really was. It gave him a plausible excuse to absorb every single opinion you uttered. It gave him an excuse to get even closer to you.

!Katsuki who freaked the FUCK out when everyone (besides the two of you) got sick and couldn't do the bi-weekly hangout everyone had played a part in organising. The group had settled on doing karaoke, so you can imagine how it went down with just the two of you there. Although, the two of you did make an amazing duet. (No one was really sick, Mina just mentioned Katsuki's behaviour and put 2 and 2 together. She also wanted to see if he would take initiative for once.)

!Katsuki who went out of his way to make changes to his hero costume that he knew you would like. Small details here and there, for both style and practicality. While it was cold he would use the neck warmer to hide the smirk that creeped onto his face when he saw you checking out his new look. He also started to make himself look nicer in general, indulging in a bit of jewellery (stud earrings, a ring or two, and a silver necklace), nicer shoes, wearing the uniform properly and such.

!Katsuki who has your number pinned in his contacts, as well as giving you your own message & ring tone sound. He has everyone but you, Kirishima, and his parents on silenced. He also has your contact saved as a nickname he assigned you without you knowing with a heart emoji. It's simple, but endearing.

[paradiseismine]

Finn Wolfhard Headcanons

Pairing: Finn Wolfhard x f!reader

Warnings: a bit of fluff + lots of smut (but mostly soft smut, cause Finn is a gentleman)

Love note from Nina: I’ve just started this side blog due to the recent lack of new Finn smut content on here. Basically, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Requests are open and I’ll write for all of Finn’s characters (and Finn himself, duh), except for Richie. I hope you all like it, I can also take constructive criticism quite well (English is not my first language) :) anyways:

Fluff

- Finn Wolfhard was definitely born in the wrong era: you couldn’t believe that one of gen Z’s most prominent stars would simply love to show off some old timey chivalry.

- Whenever he’s going to drive you somewhere, he always gets out of his car, walks around it and opens the car door for you. When you reach the destination of each drive, he does the same thing, but also offers his hand to help you stand up.

- If he takes you to a restaurant, he’s also going to pull up your chair so you can sit - and, for God’s sake, you’re not even touching that bill. It’s always his treat. He just wants to make his girl happy, and you must let him, of course.

- Despite fame and all it includes, Finn is not hesitant in holding your hand or having his arm around your waist in public - as long as you’re okay with it. He loves to show you off, he’s so proud to have you as his girlfriend. Everyone around you must know that.

- Being a rising star, your schedules don’t always match perfectly, so he’s bound to spend a few weeks away every once in a while to film/direct something. That being said, one of his main love languages is gift giving: he loves to bring you little presents from all his work trips - mostly small dainty jewelry, beautifully knitted sweaters and well, basically anything that made him think of you while he was away.

Smut

- Whenever he gets back from a work trip, you already know what to expect: being showered in gifts and physical touch. He missed you a lot and you must know how much he did.

- Neck kisses are a must. Finn knows the exact spot that makes your knees buckle, and he’s not afraid to use that knowledge in his favor.

- There’s usually lots of whispering in your ear about how much he missed you, how good you smell, how smooth and perfect your skin is. Your earlobes are also getting plenty of nibbles and gentle sucking. He’s all about those pretty moans he gets out of your lips.

- When it comes to taking clothes off, Finn is always subtle and delicate. His fingers lightly trace your dress’ thin straps and pull them down slowly, giving you plenty of time to stop him if you want - but you’re always as hungry for him as he is for you.

- Each little piece of newly exposed skin gets its round of kisses and gentle touching. Finn worships your body and your soul more than anything else in the world. He wants you to know how much he appreciates you, he wants to make you feel safe in his arms at all times.

- When the time comes, Finn loves to eat your pussy. He loves the smell, the taste, the texture, everything. The way you shiver under his touch, hissing and squirming, always gets him hard in a split second. His big warm hands know their way both around and inside you: the perfect speed, pressure and angle. That boy is sure to make you cum and suck off his own fingers afterwards - you taste so good he can’t get enough.

- Finn’s a gentleman, of course, so he takes the “ladies first” thing quite seriously. If you haven’t already cum at least three times, your pussy is not soaking wet and you’re not begging him to enter you, you’re not ready for him yet. He takes his sweet time driving you crazy before claiming you.

- As he lines up with your sweet entrance, he always always always looks you in the eye and asks, his voice faint with lust “may I?” As desperate as he is to get engulfed by your delicious cunt, he still finds consent to be the hottest thing ever - and so do you.

- After he gets a verbal response (‘cause I swear that boy can be such a tease if you simply moan), he usually starts off gently, letting your body adjust to both his length and girth. His dick is so thick it still needs some patience and adjusting, even after all this time you’ve been together.

- He keeps his thrusts at a slow pace until you’re satisfied. Then, and only then, he speeds up and allows himself to release. Finn absolutely loves to spill into you, filling you up with warm ropes of his cum. You’re his and only his, and somehow, he feels as if cumming inside you is a way to show you that. To show you that he owns you.

- After you two come down from your highs, it’s all cuddles and pillow talk. Finn is mostly a big spoon, but won’t mind being a little spoon if you want him to.

- In the end, all he wants is to have you in his arms as long as possible, savoring the peace and the warmth he gets from feeling your heartbeat and your body touching his. You’re everything he’s ever wanted.

[nerdygaymormon]

Hey, I'm a member of the church and enby. It's been rough ever since I came out. I'm still a teen, but all the talk about being sealed in the temple and God only creating men and women has really been hard. Do you have any advice?

First I'm going to address the idea that God only created men & women and then I'll follow that with some advice.

————————————————————

The Bible states that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he them; male and female created he them.” (Gen 1:27)

God creates a person and calls it adam, which is Hebrew for “human” or “mankind.” Adam isn’t even necessarily male. 

That the first person created in this story is a ‘human’ or ‘mankind’ is a big clue that this story is allegorical and meant to represent all of us. Adam and Eve are there to teach us lessons about the purposes of life.

One way to think of “male and female” is that these are the two options, God made the male and God made the female and that’s it. However, another way to look at this is one end of a spectrum and the other end of a spectrum, and everything in between, like when we use the first & last letter of the alphabet to mean everything, A to Z, or Alpha & Omega.

Biologists say that the idea of 2 sexes is overly simplistic, that actually it is a spectrum. Whether you’re looking at X & Y chromosomes, at genes, at hormones, at internal or external reproductive organs, or secondary sex characteristics, the reality is not as simple as either M or F.  

Even the other parts of the creation which are presented as a binary are actually bimodal, meaning most incidences are concentrated around two ends of the spectrum but they aren’t the only option. For example, God made day & night, but there’s also sunrises and sunsets. God separated the sky from the water, but the sky has clouds which hold water. Separating the water from the dry land still includes marshes, bogs, & swamps where the water & land are mixed. 

The binaries presented in the creation story are not binaries but spectrums, and are pleasing unto God. Why would we not expand that lesson to include other parts of creation, including people, especially since that fits what we find is the reality? Gender is a spectrum, sexual orientation is a spectrum.

These thoughts are from a post I made, click here to read the rest of the post.

————————————————————

You are not alone, you are not the only one who faces this situation. Thank heavens we have the internet and ability to connect with others. It’s good to find friends who are nonbinary and Mormon because they’ll get you in a way that most others won’t. I’ve found interacting with other queer people really helps me feel better and normal about my own concerns and feelings.

You have claim to two great histories and legacies–LDS & LGBT+. Both the queer community and LDS church, in different ways, teach me about being kind and accepting others.

This church teaches that we’re each entitled to pray and seek revelation and confirmation. You can pray to ask if God loves you, all of you. You can seek confirmation for decisions on your path. Your Heavenly Parents love you as you are and for who you are. You are precious to them. Jesus loves you and offers the blessings of the gospel to you. His ministry elevates those who are on the margins.

We are that we might have joy! That is a beautiful teaching. Find joy. Take steps towards it.

Go slowly, or rather, I mean, at your own pace. You don’t have to run faster than you want as you’re figuring things out. In fact, I hope you can think of this as an opportunity for deeper happiness and more joy and meaning in your life. People who fit the binary have handed to them in what ways they should seek meaning & happiness, but you get to explore and learn much of this on your own.

Mormons have a lot of expectations regarding dress and appearance, but it’s okay to do things your own way. Want a short haircut, fine. Want to dye your hair blue, terrific. Want to wear pants, okay. Want to wear colorful shirts, do it. Want to wear bow ties & suspenders, perfect. Clothes are an example that much of gender is a social construct, clothes are not inherently gendered. If you don't fit the gender norms don't feel obligated to stick to the gender constructs.

I suspect 2nd hour is most troubling as it’s when Mormons segregate by gender. It’s okay to skip and spend time on the couch or take a walk around the building. If Sunday School is about a topic that is causing you stress, I don’t think forcing yourself to sit there uncomfortable is going to yield a lot of benefit. Don’t let the good you could be getting be swamped by the negative, find ways to remove or minimize those things that cause you trouble. Recognize it’s going to be complicated and frustrating.

Even things in the gospel that seem simple to others can be difficult for queer people. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore that feeling. In those situations I ask myself these 3 questions — “Does that sound like me, do I resemble that remark?” — “Does this sound like the God that I know?” — “Does this fit with the great commandment to love one another?”

Being a nonbinary Latter-day Saint often means hungering, aching to the depths of your soul, just to be acknowledged, to have any of our theology reference you at all. One small thing you can do at church is simply saying 'a child of God' instead of 'a son or daughter of God.' Instead of praying, “Dear Heavenly Father,” try saying “Dear God” as a gender-neutral title.

When someone figures out they're nonbinary, things shift in ways they may not have anticipated. Be curious about yourself. For example, maybe you hated shopping for clothes, but actually maybe you just hated shopping only in the men's or the women's section because that's very limiting. Now the whole store is open, perhaps clothes shopping can be enjoyable as you get to express your gender in what you wear.

None of us comes forth from the womb fully-formed—we all grow, transform, and become. Those who are nonbinary get to do it in unique ways and I hope you, and those around you, appreciate the wonderful journey it is. Being nonbinary is not a mistake, it is not good or bad, it just is. You choose whether it’ll be a blessing or a curse in your life.

I wish you much joy in your journey of self discovery!

[tvwebs]

Spideypoolx SpiderVariant!Reader headcanons

Warnings: establised relationships, implied selfcest technically(?), the use of Y/N, might be ooc

original source of the idea

Keypoints (basically filler):

> You and Peter never got along at first, it was a sudden rivalrly that happened

> But when you two became friends, you started feeling this weird warm feeling, wouldn't recommend it.

>4/10 for the awkward moments.

• Wade and Peter were already a couple before you got added into the mix

• "two spideys?! I can't choose! Ok fine- I'll settle for both!" Said by Wade.

• When you were introduced to Wade, he joked about "Spidey, you have problems- before you know it were on a date with them."

• "Deadpool!"

• he was correct. He is marvel Jesus after all (never doubt his abilities)

HEADCANONS

Wade had called Peter a freak (in a comical non bullying way) for wanting to add another spider person into the mix but hey, Wade isnt against it.

When you guys play something like UNO- it gives Peter a headache

× not because he keeps losing, it's because you and Wade can't keep track of the game y'all are playing

"Gold fish!" You say confidentally "(Y/N) This is uno.." He explains to you. "I thought it was poker?" Wade is confused now

a pure headache.

Whenever they get back injured, which is most of the time you have to bandage them up "pookies our personal doctor? Oh yes!"

"Wade, shut up.." and then after you treat them..

"That was such a slay, bestie."

"Wade stop it"

"It gives off my kenergry? F.r?" Peter just face-palms meaning you just stare at Wade. "What? It's what my fellow gen z-ers are saying! Just let me cook-"

He wasn't allowed to talk for a week after.

but overall you love them, yeah sure, they are both two losers but it's not your not one as well.

there was only 1 bed in y'all's apartment but you already claimed the bed and Peter and Wade bicker about who will be the one to sleep with you, they make you decide... it's noone, they are both sleeping in the floor.

What do they think of your spider powers?

WADE WILSON

He like you having the same powers as Peter, for Wade its a buy one get one free.

He would probably crack some jokes and vaguely mentions you sometimes whenever he teams up with Spidey

"sorry guys I have two beautiful bugs waiting for me so I need to do this quick.." are spiders even bugs?

"since the both of you can make webs..how about we test that in bed~" he wiggles his now nonexistent eyebrows

"Wade, sometimes you just need to hit the breaks man."

"is this selfcest Peter?" He asked when Peter introduced you to Wade, okay but is it?

PETER PARKER

He is actually glad to have someone to relate to about his powers

The struggles, benefits- you understand them!

But he is eternally grateful that you're not trying to kill him anymore.

You guys WOULD swing together around the city but Peter worries that you might become a target if you guys do

Better to be safe then sorry.

But overall..he thinks your powers are great (not in an ego boost way)

[majaloveschris]

Hi Maja.

First of all, your blog is one of the only ones I’ve always felt was sincere, on point, respectful, and not toxic. I’ve always had a good feeling about you and how you are kind despite all the toxicity on here.

That feeling has never wavered and there is a big part of me that wants you to be right and win against these ridiculous anons that seem to want to put you down.

An opinion (which I don’t claim to be fact, just some thoughts here): I see a lot of takes on here popping up from blogs that claim they have PR knowledge and claim to be experts and read and follow along the gossip, but I think nobody really knows and they can only hypothesize on what they think is the truth.

I think CE being married (by public knowledge and Wikipedia) was the main goal here. I’ve always sort of felt this, which is why I ultimately was not surprised after he did his SMA spread that he went public with Fish girl and then later on “got married.”

The reason I say this is because HW and society is very judgmental and superficial. Being single or unmarried at a certain age always raises questions whether or not it is valid to do so. I disagree with this sentiment but unfortunately the world is how it is. It happens to regular people, so why wouldn’t it apply to celebs? Especially the ones who have basically become a pop culture icon of being an eligible bachelor/desirable.

Let’s think about this. After 2019, CE was no longer under the marvel umbrella. He had to start defining his post marvel career, and then Covid hit. So many things derailed. He randomly got an IG in 2020 but people found out it had existed as an account since 2019. Perhaps it was always the plan or it was a plan hatched by his PR team to keep him in the public eye. He became relatable internet BF with a Prince Charming storyline of when will he find the one? It was almost overkill from 2020-2022.

Now it’s 2024 and he’s supposedly been with this woman since 2021. It shows longevity and then eventual commitment. He now wears a ring in public so they see him as “settled down.” That’s the image he is now portraying for the public who doesn’t dig or care to deeper in his life.

I don’t think it’s about rebranding to attract a younger audience - if so, his pr team would have realized that gen Z actually does not fare well to age gaps and the subject of grooming and etc always comes up for this hypersensitive on PC/wokeness generation. Then add on the racism and weird ass crap from her/her friends. Definitely not boding well for a generation that lives on the internet and knows how to deep dive. His PR team would have looked at how the public reacted to other relationships like this and I feel, if it was simply he was in love with her and it was real real, would have told him to keep it on the DL DL until it was absolutely certain they had walked down the aisle. At that point, there would be no turning back.

But they marketed this before that happened. They wanted to portray her as the one similar to how in movies, they want to portray a main character and love interest as meant to be even if the audience may or may not receive it that way. How many times do we hear “this movie tanked because the leads had no chemistry and the relationship they wanted us to believe was not believable?”

But ultimately, the endgoal of if CE and his wife are a good couple or not doesn’t really matter. They have achieved their goal of he is now settled down and no longer on the market. If you choose to continue to follow him, stay for his career and not his personal life. Meanwhile, her - well, they’ll keep trying to make her happen because her end of the deal was getting more visibility and breaking into the American market. That much has been clear.

But you can lead a horse to water, you can’t make it drink.

What she chooses to do with the opportunities given to her are left to be seen. Also, how the public and CE/her fanbases chooses to receive them are also left to be seen.

Will this marriage last forever? I have doubts. But I do think they considered many options and this is what they came up with. I also don’t believe CE’s actions show he is very happy with the arrangement, even less so than fish is. Because even from the subtle clues from photos and “videos” - body language does not lie.

To be fair to fish, I doubt she’s in love with him either. I think she’s getting more benefits from this because most of the negativity is being directed towards him, not her. His fans hating and harassing her are just a pinnacle of what he’s receiving from his own fanbase. Some people will disagree with me but he’s the one getting the P and G and disgusting comments and being called the worst person on earth because he married her. His own fans are turning on him and her fans can also blame him but victimize her. The general public doesn’t care too much but will say how he looks because he got with her. She remains “innocent” of any blame because at the end, she is young and he is older so he should know better. Do you see what I mean?

Meanwhile, her fans are just happy she’s getting attention and somebody to fund her poor attempts at becoming a fashion icon. She lacks in talent and work ethic but it’s an easy way for her to get engagement by being attached to him.

The day this ends and she no longer has his name will be interesting and that’s what I think his fans (remaining) are hoping for. They don’t want to reward laziness and clout chasing opportunist and I too support this. They want HIM to be better and find success and love himself more so he doesn’t continue to end up in these shitty situations. But again, he has to want that for himself. He has to want to deserve better so he can work on actually deserving of better.

I hope I didn’t offend anyone with this opinion. Just my thoughts and I support YOU. I hope things work out in the end in your favor because you are a great person and I selfishly want you to be right (haha). ❤️

I completely agree with everything that you wrote down. 

I remember seeing people criticize him for saying he wants to get married and have a family, yet he is still single and childless. As you said, it's stupid that people are being bullied and judged because they haven't already settled down, even if they wanted to. Finding a partner is hard, and finding a partner in his shoes is even harder. I obviously don't know whether he actually wants all of that, but saying he must not want all of that because he didn't do so is not right. A lot of people struggle with finding a good partner. 

I never agreed with people calling him by the P and G words. I guess these people either don't know what those words mean or are simply that mad as Chris that they feel the need to spread lies. He is not those things and never was. Yeah, 16 years is a lot, but she was a grownup when they allegedly met, and I think people exaggerate when they say she looks like a child. 

I think the reason most people are hateful towards him is because they are disappointed in him. I think most people had an idea about the person he is based on the information we had, and him being married to someone like her or even dating someone like her doesn't really fit into that. People aren't disappointed in her because most didn't even know who she was before Chris. We were just presented with her actual self, and we didn't have any expectations from her. But we had for him. 

I doubt either of them is in love with each other. Alba doesn't seem that happy or comfortable around him either. I think this is just business for both of them.

I still think he is a good man who made a terrible mistake. I just hope the best for him, to be honest, which I know is an unpopular opinion now because it seems like wanting the worst for him is what is trendy nowadays. Maybe I'm naive; maybe I'm just holding onto an image, but I don't think the last 20+ years were a lie. I hope he will prove me right. 

Thanks for writing this down and for being there. ♥

[stars-n-spice]

The Dad Batch™ as things my dad has said/done:

Hunter:

asks questions about things and immediately answers himself like he knew the answer already or someone suddenly possessed him to answer himself

the only Korean movies he's ever shown us are war movies that are depressing as FUCK

had a Temu phase and for Christmas bought EVERYONE a blanket from them

explained his relationship with my mom to a coworker as "I live with her"

Mixed up my name with the dog

Had nice, long, beautiful hair but recently got it cut so short that he was depressed and moping for like a day about it even though HE wanted to cut it short

changes his age every time he tells us about when he came to America (he was either 14, 15, or 16)

Echo:

always sings "A Whole New World" for his karaoke song

apparently lied to the Korean embassy about going to America to "study" (has not been back since outside of visits to family)

my mom sent him a grocery list and he responded with "asking too much"

does not understand the words "bruh" or "huzzah" - along with all the other Gen Z slang (that even I don't understand sometimes)

would let me play Candy Crush on his phone but would take it away because I wasn't able to finish the levels and he didn't like me wasting his lives

calls my mom's cat "the baby"

got a PhD in his second language

Wrecker:

snores like a motherfucking freight train and sneezes like he's trying to break the sound barrier

learned how to cook/grill via YouTube (and is actually REALLY good at it)

wanted to show off his taekwondo skills (of which he has NONE) in elementary to a girl and said he'll kick a water bottle off her head - instead he ended up kicking the girl right in the face

Is married to a Mexican and thinks Taco Bell is the best (for some reason???)

Loves opening up presents more than the actual present itself (he'll always say that he doesn't need anything around Fathers Day, his birthday, or Christmas but then when he DOESN'T get anything, he gets upset)

takes a selfie and sends it to the family group chat every time my sister's cat comes to sit with him

Tech:

after his first date with my mom, he bought her a whole case of bottle water and left it at her dorm room door with no note or anything because he noted that she "drank a lot of water" during the date and thought she really liked water

was excused from mandatory Korean military service because his eyesight was so fucking awful, just absolute dogshit (and this was AFTER surgery)

asked if anyone needed to use the restroom on a road trip right before the exit and my younger brother said he needed to and my dad responded with "too bad" and kept driving

While we were watching Lord of the Rings every time I gasped or something during battle scenes or when Legolas did something cool, he went, "Don't worry. I think it's all CGI. That's all computers. It's not real."

Somehow knew his way around Texas the first time he was there after he was sent on a grocery run by my Tíos for a party they were having - y'know, before gps and google maps and shit

Crosshair:

frequently forgets my name and birthday but remembers that my favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip

when my mom asked him where her birthday gift to her from him was one year all he did was cover his face and then did like a "peek-a-boo" motion to claim he was the gift

as a kid he got so upset at dinner once that he flipped the table over and got into so much trouble (claims he doesn't remember why he was so upset)

will ask the cats about their day before asking my mom or my siblings and I about our days

sits in the dark and plays COD on his phone at full volume as a way of unwinding

[ciera-richez]

So I talk about Rob and whorehouse to my coworkers all the time. They’re all so tolerant (although one is an idiot that claims she’s amazing but he’s Gen Z so kinda stupid lol) and when I suggest/HOPE TO EVER LOVING GOD that the kid somehow isn’t his they always say either 2 things. 1) that he would probably be really hurt by that and 2) he’d probably want to stay in the kids life either way. cause he sounds like a “good guy”. That’s not being a good guy. Or that’s being a good guy without considering the message they’re sending.

If it turns out not to be his I hope to God he just gets up and leaves. Yeah the kid is innocent but that doesn’t mean Rob should have to stick around. what kind of message would that send flat backers like whorehouse? Use a guy and he’ll stick around anyway cause of a kid? No offense to those with children but no child should have that much power over anyone

Okay, I'm going to start this off just by saying...IMO there is no baby, so him being her baby daddy is moot.

If there were a baby, IMO I don't believe it's his. No way would he act the way he has with fauxmance if she had been pregnant with his child. He wasn't there for the alleged pregnancy. There was no announcement together. He was completely disconnected and stayed away from her every chance he got. He was angry whenever she was around. No announcement of the birth, or a cute parents hands, child's feet photo like a lot of new parents tend to do these days.

On his end, there was just nothing.

Those of us who have followed Rob for a long time and have a good idea of who he is and how he thinks know that he'd never treat the mother of his child negatively. He loves kids and talked about wanting to be a young dad, so you'd think he would have been an excited father-to-be. But we saw ZERO of that from him.

And if he wanted to stay in a child's life, even after finding out it's not his, has nothing to do with the child having power over an adult. It's about having empathy, being a stand-up person and knowing that disappearing after bonding with a child can be hurtful for them, and could make them wonder what they did to chase that person away, when they did nothing at all. Not to mention that bond - if it were to exist - would still be there. It doesn't just go away, and you can't flip it on and off like a light switch.

[mariacallous]

Earlier this month I complimented a friend on her new Bottega Jodie bag. She had recently got a promotion at work, and is now a senior manager at a respectable record label earning six figures. The bag was a celebratory gift, she told me, only it wasn’t Bottega—it was a dupe.

As someone who has a closet full of designer labels—and who could certainly afford to buy the real thing—her admission surprised me. My face must have given that away. “It’s real Italian leather,” she quickly followed up, “and their website says they manufacture in the same factories as some luxury brands. You couldn’t tell the difference, so why would I spend thousands more for basically the same thing?”

It’s a question many have been asking since dupe culture went supernova over the last few years. A shorthand for duplicate, dupes are cheaper alternatives that are basically the same as the real thing. Think of it as a cousin to counterfeit culture, but instead of being a cheap knock-off that infringes on a brand’s trademark, they’re uncannily similar imitations—promising the same qualities of the product at a fraction of the cost.

It’s not just my friend who loves them either. Roughly one-third of all US adults have intentionally bought a dupe, according to Morning Consult, with that figure rising to almost half for Gen Z shoppers and 44% for millennials. In the UK, research by Mintel shows 47% of consumers are now open to buying luxury lookalikes in 2024, compared to just 12% in 2016.

“The shame of buying these things has gone,” says Alice Sherwood, author of Authenticity: Reclaiming Reality in a Counterfeit Culture. “Luxury prices have skyrocketed while the trend cycle has rapidly accelerated. People no longer want to spend upwards of £4000 on the latest ‘It’ bag that might be out of vogue within a year.”

Add their proliferation on social media into that mix, and the dupe culture has been normalised in ways that “knock-offs” from Canal Street never were, she says.

Just one scroll on TikTok would affirm this. At the time of writing over 260,000 posts have been made under the #dupes hashtag, with the majority featuring creators sharing their best dupe finds across fashion, beauty, lifestyle and homeware. Most of the time they’re from fast fashion retailers like Shein, Amazon and Temu, but more recently, a new crop of companies have been dominating dupe culture by offering quite a different proposition.

Low-Price Luxury

Take my friend’s new favourite brand, Quince. According to their website their mission is “to create products of equal or greater quality than the leading luxury brands at a much lower price”. To do so they’ve sourced factories used by “well-known luxury brands” to manufacture their goods, but by cutting out the middlemen and hefty markup, they can sell them at far more affordable prices.

They’re not the only ones. Leather goods manufacturer Sitoy Group Holdings regularly uploads videos on social media showcasing how the quality of its $100 handbags is almost identical to those sold for upwards of $1000, all the while advertising that they use the same production lines used by Prada, Tumi and Michael Kors. Then there's Chicjoc, one of the largest Chinese fashion apparel brands on Taobao and Tmall, claiming it uses the same fabric manufacturers as those used by the likes of Chanel, Valentino and Louis Vuitton.

This shift towards high-quality dupes puts luxury brands in a difficult position. For decades, they’ve justified their high prices with the promise of superior craftsmanship and materials. They've even poked fun at these imitations. But when brands are offering near-identical goods allegedly manufactured in the same factory as luxury brands for much, much less, that justification starts to crumble.

Another brand that has gained significant traction online this year is Los Angeles-based premium basics brand, Italic, with many consumers on Reddit expressing their satisfaction with the quality of the products. “Most of our products take 5–10 sample runs and 6–18 months, sometimes even longer,” says Italic CEO Jeremy Cai. “Our sourcing process involves rigorous vetting and ongoing quality controls, including factory certifications, samples, and production quality.”

This meticulous approach stands in stark contrast to what many might expect. Italic contacts 20-30 potential suppliers, evaluates 5-7 factories, and ultimately works with just 1-2 of them for any given product category, visiting each factory on-site.

The key difference between Italic and the high-profile brands using the same factories, Cai explains, is in the pricing: “Most of our factories' clients sell for 2-4x more than our SRPs (Suggested Retail Prices), often much higher.” By cutting out the markup typically associated with luxury goods, Italic offers high-quality products at a more accessible price point.

Cai is quick to point out that Italic does not market itself as a “dupe” brand. However, that hasn’t stopped consumers from drawing comparisons to more expensive luxury labels. In contrast, competitor Quince leans into dupe culture, positioning itself more overtly as a challenger to high-end brands. On Quince's website, woven intrecciato handbags, which resemble Bottega Veneta's iconic designs, are showcased alongside price comparisons to their luxury counterparts.

Quince also frequently analyses luxury competitors’ best-selling items to identify opportunities for replication. “Data collection is crucial in our product development process,” says a Quince spokesperson. “Our team uses a variety of sources, including Google Trends, social media, and customer feedback, to understand the market and ensure we’re delivering what people want.”

Quince’s strategy is built on the belief that luxury can—and should—be more accessible. “Our founding team, with years of experience in luxury and DTC (direct-to-consumer) retail, knew that competitors add a 40–60% markup on similar products,” continues the spokesperson. “As costs in the luxury market become more transparent, consumers are less willing to accept these inflated prices.”

To that end, Quince works globally to source manufacturing partners that share their commitment to transparency, while innovating to keep costs down. Every product page on their site includes detailed information about materials, country of origin, and certifications for working conditions along the supply chain.

Luxury brands, on the other hand, have traditionally kept their manufacturing processes shrouded in secrecy. William Lasry, founder of Glass Factory, is working to change that.

Lasry travels the globe, visiting and spotlighting factories with superior craftsmanship and ethical practices across his social media platforms. While not all brands are doing their very best, he is sceptical about some companies' supposed connections to luxury factories, pointing out that these dupe brands frequently exploit this ambiguity for marketing purposes.

“There are many instances where a factory will produce a sample for a luxury brand,” Lasry explains. “Luxury brands often request samples from hundreds of factories, but in many cases, nothing materialises beyond the sample stage. The factory might then turn around and claim, ‘We’ve made samples for Gucci,’ even though no production deal was ever finalised.”

Petros Analytis, head of research at Glass Factory, agrees that it’s hard to draw the line. “Unless they let us come into the factories and see for ourselves, it’s hard to ascertain.”

Premium Tax

While transparency might be slowly improving, one thing the luxury market has always clung onto is its appeal. Conglomerates like LVMH and Kering built empires on the foundation of an alluring narrative—one that combines centuries of heritage with modern-day prestige. By blending Old World craftsmanship with the new-age glamour of celebrity culture, they made handbags, shoes, and clothing a gateway to an elite, exclusive world.

For a long time consumers were happy to pay big bucks to belong in this world. Perhaps unknowingly, they were buying not just a product but an experience. The true value of a designer label wasn't simply measured by the stitching or material, but by the feeling it evoked—the confidence boost, the social status, the feeling of exclusivity. “It’s a real skill to make a handbag into an object desired by millions of women, one that has so much meaning and can do so much for your self-confidence,” notes Sherwood.

Yet, behind the curtain of glamour, the reality of some products was very different. While consumers believed they were buying the pinnacle of luxury, what they were often getting was a product only marginally superior to midrange alternatives—and occasionally no better at all. The excessively high margins were less a reflection of quality and more a tax on the brands' appeal.

“They are the architects of their own problems,” continues Sherwood. “By making so much of their products not about the tangible product, but about the intangible aspects of the brands - those sexy ads, the celebs who carry your products, the stores, the glossy ads, the slogans, the heritage backstory, all that stuff that isn’t actually the product itself.”

In turn they’ve created an enormous gap between what consumers are actually paying for and the real value of the product. As these companies have increasingly pursued the ultra-wealthy, they’ve left a gap in the market that other brands, eager to capitalise, are starting to fill. “They know that the prices at the very top of luxury are too high to reflect the actual value,” Sherwood says. “But have turned these notable silhouettes and styles into desirable items that a dupe brand can free ride off of.”

Then, recently, the veneer began to crack even further. In March, Italian luxury brand Loro Piana became embroiled in scandal after an investigation revealed the material behind their $9,000 sweaters was sourced by low-paid workers in Peru. Just a few months later, in July, Italian prosecutors alleged sweatshop-like conditions in factories supplying certain products for high-end labels such as Dior and Armani. The revelations triggered outrage among consumers, many of whom had long trusted these brands to uphold the highest standards of craftsmanship and ethics.

Across online forums like the r/handbag subreddit, once-loyal customers voiced their disillusionment. For many, these scandals revealed that the luxury brands they idolised were not living up to their promises. Both Loro Piana and Dior have denied the allegations. However, The Business of Fashion revealed that Milan's public prosecutor said in a court document that they had found “an illegal practice so entrenched and proven [that it could] be considered part of a broader business policy exclusively aimed at increasing profit.” Neither company has been charged in relation to the probe.

Such reputational damage couldn’t have come at a worse time for luxury brands. Coupled with the rise of dupe culture, these scandals are forcing consumers to rethink their relationship with high-end goods. If craftsmanship is no longer exceptional, and ethical practices are called into question, what exactly are people paying for when they buy luxury?

Rebuilding the Dream

Recent sales figures underline just how far demand for luxury mega-brands has fallen from its post-pandemic highs. In July, some of the industry’s biggest players reported disappointing revenues for the second consecutive quarter. LVMH, the world’s leading luxury conglomerate, missed sales estimates, while Gucci’s parent company Kering, experienced a decline of 11%. Other major brands like Richemont and Burberry also reported disappointing figures, with first-quarter sales plummeting by a staggering 20%.

At the heart of luxury’s current struggles is the erosion of the very dream that once propelled the industry. The disconnect between the marketing mythology and the reality of production has left consumers feeling disillusioned, meaning the days of blindly paying a premium for a logo may be at risk.

The democratisation of information and consumer power through social media has played a huge part in this. Platforms like TikTok and Reddit are filled with conversations that challenge the industry's value proposition, which has made it so much harder for luxury brands to control their narrative.

To regain their position, Brittany Steiger, principal analyst of retail & eCommerce at Mintel says they will need to focus on what once made them so desirable—authenticity, superior craftsmanship, and a narrative of prestige that feels both aspirational and attainable. Some experts suggest that embracing more transparent practices and truly living up to their ethical and quality promises could also be the way forward. Brands that fail to do so, may find themselves increasingly irrelevant in a world where high-quality dupes continue to gain ground.

It’s clear that the old model of luxury has been disrupted, and it’s no longer just about price anymore. In the battle between heritage and value, consumers are asking more questions—and luxury brands must have better answers. And if they don’t, there’s a whole industry on the sidelines who do.

[olderthannetfic]

Seeing my fandom fight with each other regarding if a Turkish character described as "dark, rich bronze-brown" in skintone is or is not a POC kind of shows how flawed fandom's understanding of race is. He's discriminated against within the story in a way that his coworker, a white Muslim, is not, so it's plainly obvious to me that he is being impacted by racism and is not intended by the text to solely be impacted by Islamophobia, as some people in fandom have claimed. Regardless of whether or not people online think he's white or not, think Turkey is a white or nonwhite nation, etc., in reality, people don't stop and ask you about your ethnicity, nationality, etc. before they decide how to treat you. A man with dark bronze skin is not going to be treated as white by the world. Racists do not pause and ask themselves if he might be X, Y or Z. They see his skin and react.

Fandom doesn't understand that race is a construct and racists will rearrange the construct. You can argue Turkey is in Europe all you want, they'll just change the construct's rules from 'European' to 'European and not brown'. In a discord I'm in right now, I had to explain to some well-meaning and otherwise not unintelligent Gen Z kids about how segregation worked. One of them asked, quite earnestly, what would happen to him, someone who is mixed race, and I had to explain that it very much boiled down to if you were light skinned and capable of passing for white or not. Multiple people brought up blood quantums because USAmericans love us some fractions, but no bus driver, I explained, had ever asked for a person's stats before making a decision. The decision was made purely on a visual basis, usually coming down to skin color. (Although even if you were light enough that you could bullshit your way into saying "I'm Italian!" like my dad's boyfriend managed to do growing up, that only worked when my dad's boyfriend had his hair chemically relaxed and treated to make it the texture of a white person's hair, and it worked best when he was nicely dressed. It was still visuals based. Being 3/4ths white by the math meant nothing.)

Honestly the issue we have underneath it all isn't the terms POC, BIPOC, non-white, etc. The problem we have is that people don't understand what race is. Race is not math and race is not determined by where you're from on a map. It's a social construct. It's not real geographically, biologically or mathematically. To look at it from this very detached psuedo-science POV is to not understand the reality that social constructs are enforced by society via individual experiences.

If a brown man is experiencing bigotry from racists due to his skin color, he isn't white. It doesn't matter where he's from.

--

This is tumblr, so you know what I'm going to reply:

[thisaintascenereviews]

Eminem - The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)

Millennials seem to love rapper Eminem, don’t they? A lot of people my age, or just a bit older, grew up with the music of Marshall Mathers, and they’re nostalgic for his brand of offensive, edgy, and offbeat humor and bars. Eminem had some hits back in the day, but you really could make an argument that he’s washed up. Hell, I’d make that argument, but I’ve also never been a fan of his work. Millennials love it, though, and every now and again, you’ll see videos from millenials that claim Gen Z is trying to “cancel” him, and it’s so painful to watch. The funny thing is, no one is trying to cancel him, when it’s really that Gen Z just doesn’t care about him.

I’m in the same boat, despite being of the age that should love his music. I suppose I’ve just never seen the hype for it, despite being able to acknowledge that Em has talent as a rapper. He’s got a solid flow, and he has the ability to spit pretty fast, but I’ve always said that rapping fast doesn’t equal being good. You can rap fast, but if you’re not saying anything worthwhile, who cares? That’s how I’ve felt about most of his work. I listened to the Marshal Mathers LP II back a decade ago, and thought that way about “Rap God.” An impressive flow, but spoke almost gibberish.

Saying Eminem sucks won’t win me any friends, and I might be in the minority when I say that, but his “2edgy4u” shtick never struck a chord with me. There are better rappers out there, so why people want to listen to Eminem baffles me, but he’s back with a new album — The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace). I’ve ignored his music in the last decade, but I figured I’d check this out because this album is supposedly the final appearance of his character Slim Shady. Shady is basically his justification for using slurs and offensive language, but I guess Em wants to grow up, despite being 51-years-old, so does this album succeed in that?

No, not really, because despite this album being called The Death Of Slim Shady, most of this album has Em making a profit off the character he’s claiming to want to move on from. This album is told through some skits where Slim kidnaps Em, and they have a back and forth on a lot of tracks, only for Em to finally kill Slim Shady at the two-thirds mark. The last third is Em being himself finally, but he proves he has nothing to say outside of his edgy Slim Shady persona. It’s also easily in the top three of the worst albums I’ve heard all year, and only a couple of other albums this year have pissed me off to this same level, maybe even more.

This record employs a lot of typical Slim Shady tropes, such as using slurs and offensive language to sound edgy and cool, as well as insulting various groups of people to be relevant. Relevant to who? I can’t say for sure, but probably his immature fanbase of conservative white dudes that think saying slurs is funny, especially insulting trans people. Em is weirdly obsessed with three things on this LP — insulting trans people, mentioning Caitlyn Jenner, and wanting Gen Z to cancel him. It makes for some of the corniest and most awful music you’ll hear all year, especially coming from a grown man, and it makes me cringe and makes me angry.

There are some awful transphobic bars on this record that aren’t even funny, but he insults other people, too, and there’s no rhyme or reason for it. He keeps begging Gen Z to cancel him, too, but they’re not, though, so he sounds really desperate. It’s almost funny, but in a sad way, like he’s begging for relevance. When he isn’t being edgy and corny, he’s got songs that are titled, and I kid you not, “Lucifer,” “Antichrist,” and “Evil,” where he talks about how he’s evil, the antichrist, and the devil, and all that corny ass stuff. Maybe a few clever bars show up here and there, but it’s bad.

When he has to be himself, he talks about his daughter, making two songs about her on this album for some reason, and they’re as bland as you can get. Eminem is just trying to make a 90s / 00s Em album in 2024, despite not being young and relevant anymore. Sure, the album has some solid production, and some of the guests are good, but Eminem’s just being Eminem, and it feels dated and cringy now. Who is this for? The transphobic and offensive bars are corny, lame, and unfunny, and everything else is nothing new, so why bother?

For being called The Death Of Slim Shady, he really milked that character for most the album’s hour-long runtime. This album sucks, plain and simple. It’s one of the worst albums of the year, and it’s a shame, because he can do better. He’s got technical skill, but instead of actually honing his craft, he sounds like a 12-year-old who learned a new cuss word, and won’t shut up about it. I’m not even “triggered,” either, because most people who love Em think that anyone who doesn’t like him can’t handle his offensive bars, when it’s really that he sucks, and his shtick is for edgy teenagers, or Millennials that have their rose-colored glasses on.

[tytarax]

gen z, or just any reader, looks like they were picked up on the street like a wet garbage puppy and left nearby because at first it was a pity, and then they got used to and attached to the creature in their space (I feel this energy from Zeno and the Grand Priest)

Any humor and jokes are inappropriate, the person is extremely annoying, but as long as it's fun for Zeno and directs his energy in the right direction, is everything okay? At least when a person goes home, everything is quiet and peaceful in the House of God.

It's like another toy for Zenon, who would lose interest even in Goku. I guess?

And then probably Zenon (And Daishinkan!) start wanting interaction with the reader, they start to like their presence, it's tolerated.(I'm not sure, but let's pretend they genuinely want to)

Lmao maybe Both Zeno and Daishinkan are starting to understand the damn memes and communicate on them

And imagine how that will change. The gods, accustomed to the background human noise, discover the silence that destroys the "vibes atmosphere"

(no, no, I don't mean the person's rapid old age and death!)

I couldn't help it, I love memes, enjoy this shit

The Grand Priest sighed as he glanced at the human sprawled on the pristine steps of Zeno’s palace, their odd human device glowing with shifting images. The mortal had been unceremoniously “picked up” by Zeno during a routine inspection of Universe 7. At first, they had been just another curiosity—like a kitten too scrawny to leave behind. Now, weeks later, their persistent chatter filled the once-silent halls.

Zeno perched on his floating throne, his childlike face bright with curiosity. “What’s this one mean again?” he asked, pointing at the glowing screen.

The human, unfazed by addressing the Omni-King, lazily waved their hand. “It’s a meme. This one’s ‘me when I stub my toe at 3 a.m.’” They made a pained face for emphasis.

Zeno clapped his hands. “So funny! Show me another!”

The Grand Priest, ever composed, tilted his head. “Lord Zeno, perhaps it’s time for today’s council session—”

Zeno cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Later. Show me the ‘cat screaming at salad’ again!”

The human complied with a theatrical sigh, muttering about how they needed a nap and a snack. Somehow, the Grand Priest found himself glancing over their shoulder. He didn’t quite understand the humor but felt something shift in his perception of the human. They weren’t just noise anymore.

The turning point came when the human left for the day.

Zeno tapped his fingers against his throne. “It’s quiet,” he said, frowning. “Too quiet.”

The Grand Priest, for the first time in millennia, found himself unsettled. The silence he had once cherished now felt oppressively vast. The palace was too orderly, the air too still.

“Shall I summon them back, Lord Zeno?” he asked, his voice measured but laced with an unfamiliar edge of yearning.

“Yes!” Zeno exclaimed. “And make sure they bring more ‘memes.’”

The Grand Priest hesitated. He couldn’t admit it, but he missed the mortal, too. Their chaos had woven itself into the very fabric of the palace. “As you wish,” he said, hiding his relief.

When the human returned, munching on some snack they claimed was “essential,” Zeno lit up like a supernova.

“I brought new memes,” they declared, holding up their device.

The Grand Priest offered a rare smile. “Welcome back.”

And with that, the palace hummed with life once more, the silence banished, replaced by the absurdity of human existence—and the unexpected comfort it brought.

@ultimate-percussionist

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Just curiousity if sdra2 is in Pokémon au what Pokémon the sdra2 cast have and their role is? Man i can already imagine syobai and sora be catching legendary Pokémon lmao.

OH I've been waiting for an ask like this for a while so grab a seat!

Note I couldn't think of any for Yoruko, Setsuka, or Syobai sorry--

...

Shinji

Definitely has a Blastoise who can Mega Evolve. Ever since he was a kid and it was a Squirtle, they dreamed of being firefighters.

He'd also have a strong fighting type like Machamp that could help lift debris from ruined buildings and a ground type like Rhyhorn that can pull heavy equipment.

He wouldn't really battle much, instead using his Pokémon for search and rescue operations.

Yuri

He'd have psychic types with space themes (Solrock, Lunatone, Cosmog, Elygem, etc.), and maybe a steel type like Klinklang since he's an inventor.

One of his lifelong dreams is to witness a Deoxys in the wild, which is the main reason why he does space training.

Would always be chivalrous to the Pokecenter nurses and never pass up a battle with a lady if she wishes to have one (even if he loses, he'll praise them).

Yuki

I think it's confirmed that he'd have a Charmander as a starter and evolve an Eevee into Flareon, so definitely lots of fire-types.

He's kinda average at battling, knowing general type strengths and weaknesses.

But he couldn't tell you what's super effective against poison even if his life depended on it.

Oh, and he's not great at setting up Pokémon stats, either. Every time he does, his team gets knocked out anyways.

Shinji keeps encouraging him to get a fighting-type and train with it.

Teruya

His father owned a shiny Klefki who kept the keys to his home, office, and the Otori Mart secured.

Since his passing, Teruya has kept Klefki under his care, having it safeguard security keys for the Kisaragi Foundation.

Had a Meowth and Cubone who helped him with the business, but after DRA's events the latter has evolved into Marowak (due to sympathizing with him over the traumatic losses he experienced and inspiring him to keep going).

Meowth stays the same but is very smart and helps him with financial department stuff.

Hibiki & Kanade

They'd have Pokémon that share themes of duality (ie Doduo and Scovillain) and music-themed ones like the Toxtricity variants or Loudred.

They're best known for hosting concerts where their Pokémon are band members, providing extra music or background vocals that get the audience pumped.

Funny enough, their individual Pokémon teams have natures that match their owners (ie Hibiki's being feisty).

Hibiki's dream is to catch a Meloetta but is forever jealous that Kanade claimed to have seen a shiny one in the wild but failed to catch it.

Hajime

A native to Alola who has a Machoke and Incineroar that both use Fightnium Z crystals in-battle.

As a Machop and Litten, they came to the hospital where he was sick and formed a close bond with him right away when everybody else abandoned him.

After being healed by Divine Luck, Hajime has trained with the duo ever since, winning lots of matches and making a name for himself across many regions.

He dreams of opening his own fighting-type gym.

Emma

Probably owns "cute" Pokémon that pack a punch, like Sylveon, Primarina, and Galarian Rapidash.

Also has a Ditto who helps her in the movie biz by transforming into a stunt double or an extra character if needed. It actually loves being a star alongside her.

Has definitely gone to Hoenn to participate in beauty contests.

Not crazy about battles but if you cross her, her team can and will destroy you.

Nikei

Would most likely be a Pokémon researcher, writing articles on mythical/legendary sightings and theories.

Wants to catch one himself but he feels ill-prepared for the journey.

I can see him owning some Fossil Pokémon (pre-gen 8), and normal types like Furret, Linoone, and Eevee.

If he had to choose a legendary to catch, he'd probably pick Wo-Chein since he learned it has the tablets of ruin, wondering how much history is recorded on it.

Hates Mikado for somehow getting an Ultra Beast and refusing to let him study it.

Iroha

She'd have a Smeargle 100%.

They've been childhood friends and the only Pokémon companion she's ever had, making art together and inspiring each other with their works.

She took a trip to Paldea in the summer, wanting to expand her team to prove she's not a weak trainer.

There, she caught a Tinkatuff and a Shroodle that became a sassy Grafaiai who likes to mess with Smeargle's artwork.

She doesn't have the heart to force them into any battles.

Mikado

Definitely has Meowscarada. It just makes sense.

I can also see him owning a Blacephalon, Murkrow, Delphox, and Alakazam to help him with crime performances.

He just taught all his Pokémon how to be petty thieves, stealing things from the audience when they least expect it.

Is still on the run from the Foundation, but his Pokémon are good at making getaways.

You would think he's a champion, but he doesn't really care to become one.

Kokoro

Owns psychic types who are in tune to people's natures/personalities and can make predictions, such as Indeedee, Espeon, Gardevoir, Xatu, Abra , and/or Hatenna.

Similar to Nikei, she's just a researcher. But she prefers studying the interactions between humans and Pokémon.

Is willing to battle, but only just to observe the kind of bond her opponent shares with their team.

Winning or losing is of no concern to her.

Sora

Owns a single Shiny Eevee who for some reason cannot evolve no matter the time of day, friendship level, or evolution stone given.

She believes that, like herself, it's just struggling to find its identity and purpose.

So the two just go on adventures together, seeking out legendary/mythical Pokémon.

Would probably have a Cinccino on her team as a friend for Eevee.

BONUS:

Utsuro

Would have a team of Pok��mon deemed difficult to capture and ones that only evolve with high friendship, succeeding at both thanks to his luck.

Not only that, but his 'mons would have the perfect nature, stats, and IVs.

I can see him owning a Mewtwo, Lucario, Jirachi, Silvally, Clefable (who only knows Metronome, yet always gets the exact moves she needs to win the battle), and an Absol with the ability Super Luck.

He'd rise to the champion ranks really quick, but get bored of it just as fast and pawn it off to someone else.

Even shiny hunting becomes ridiculously easy for him, as he'd trade them away to people just because he can.

[melis-writes]

Why you don’t like Apollonia? (I get this vibe from u, but correct me if I’m wrong)

You're 100% correct about the vibes. 🤣🤣 I don't like Apollonia at all, whatsoever and it's because the Godfather fandom completely ruined her character for me. 🥰

It's not just the new Godfather enjoyers, like gen z or millennials but also the boomers. Apollonia is sadly a vessel for misogyny in the Godfather from Apollonia stans alone. I can't look past it even if I tried; I get Apollonia stans commenting nasty shit on my gifsets of Kay (that's how annoying + bothered they are) and trying to start discourse over any post that highlights a miniscule positive thing about Kay Adams.

It's disgusting to see how Apollonia is glorified for being the quiet, submissive and obedient housewife. She's what Michael "needs" and is the "perfect wife" and the ones that put Apollonia on a pedestal like this are misogynists, vehemently sprout the nastiest shit about Kay and women like Kay that you'll ever hear, talk about how Apollonia could have "changed" and "fixed" Michael (dude is beyond redemption and is almost a sociopath) and could have birthed him "lots of babies". Literally, that's all Apollonia is "known" for and loved for, it's pathetically sad. The bar really is in hell.

So while Apollonia is praised for all of these hypothetical scenarios, Kay and women like Kay are shit on, ridiculed and picked apart to pieces. It's disgusting and whether it's a boomer enjoyer or someone my age, they'll be saying the exact same shit like it's scripted or clockwork or something about Apollonia every single time.

Apollonia's young age is also glorified even though she's a minor/child, and don't even get me started on the scene of her undressing in front of Michael--I know it's a little off topic and more about Simonetta as an actress but the fact that there's grown ass men fawning over a minor's breasts makes me want to actually vomit.

Putting aside the misogynistic culture some Godfather fans have placed upon Apollonia here, I don't like the character itself. To me, it's obvious she was a filler, empty character Mario Puzo wrote and used to develop Michael's character development because she's literally never mentioned again unless you want to count Michael confessing to Kay he "slept with someone" in the book while he was abroad.

Apollonia was never in love with Michael and Michael wasn't in love with her. Apollonia's father got giddy at the idea of his daughter's beauty bringing in a rich, powerful and influential man who was the son of a Vito Corleone. Nobody cared what else Michael had to offer the Vitelli family besides reputation, wealth and physical protection. Nothing even mentions if anyone cared how Michael would treat Apollonia but oh boy, Michael showed it well. He literally refused to let her leave home for a week and all he did was have sex with her over and over again. And every single time, Apollonia would just get up, shower, fuck off and do something and Michael would just lay there. She would just do whatever he wanted and yet somehow, the Godfather fandom is screaming "true love" and "soulmate" when it's literally just Michael being horny. I need y'all to understand this man was thinking with his dick only.

I don't care who likes/stans Apollonia, all I want is for people to be respectful about the whole Apollonia and Kay thing. If Apollonia's as amazing as some people claim, then I'd sure hope she can brought up without the mention of Michael being in a relationship with her and without dissing Kay in the same sentence (IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE EDITION).

Apollonia and the whole Sicily arc is so far gone and damaged to me that I just skip that scene when watching the movie and pretend it didn't happen because of all the bullshit that went out in the fandom and is still ongoing today. 😐

[greatwyrmgold]

I saw Anna and the Apocalypse. It was...mediocre.

I like what it was trying to do. It's a zombie apocalypse musical which, as far as I can tell, was made by someone who likes both zombies and musicals. It's lighthearted, clearly trying to be Christmas Zombieland with songs. But it feels flat.

The most interesting problem is that most of the songs are barely related to the story. Most of them are basically pop songs where characters express generic emotions that prior scenes established they were feeling.

The worst is "Human Voice," a song which expresses isolation when the characters feel isolated, but it's the wrong kind of isolation. The lyrics express a digital kind of isolation, where you only interact with people through social media or messaging apps or whatever.

The cinematography tries to support this, but it's undermined by the fact that that is not happening in the actual story. The characters say they're lost in the machine, that they need something to hold onto in the static, that they need a human voice, but—they have human voices. The main characters are in a building with four living humans, and the others are in a building with at least a dozen. The problem is that there are zombies outside those buildings, separating them from the people they love, who may or may not be alive. That's a very different kind of isolation from millennial malaise!

The next two and a half songs come the closest to interacting with the story. "Soldier at War" is an I Am song for the jock bully guy, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" is an I Want song for the evil headmaster, "Give Them a Show" is kind of about the confrontation between Anna and the evil headmaster. The problem is that "Soldier at War" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" are wrong about what the characters are and want.

"Soldier at War" characterizes the jock strongly as someone who does not quite register this as real. He calls it an arcade and talks about getting high scores, for zombie christ's sake. It's not the kind of song you'd expect to hear from someone who—for instance—had to bash his own father's head in with a baseball bat when said father got bitten.

NGSMN characterizes the headmaster as someone driven primarily by spite towards millennials/early Gen Z, "a wasted generation". He claims he's had to bite his tongue as they waste their youths and spread diseases and whatnot, even though at no point in the movie has he actually concealed his disdain for anyone. For the first two acts of the movie, he seemed driven by a lust for petty power—power over students and the school. At the end of act two, he struggles to convince the B-plot survivors to stay in the school where he can claim some power over them. And by the start of act three, he has let zombies into the school and starts acting like a murderous maniac, because...

Well, that's the second problem. The script is bad. The best characters are two-dimensional, the worst are incomprehensible. What character beats I could distinguish were weak. The jock's stands out as the worst. He spends the movie sort of hovering between neutral and dickish; one of the few things he does before the apocalypse is throw something at a girl Anna's talking to and then hit on her.

But we get one scene where he tells us that he had to kill his dad. Then he does what's framed as a heroic sacrifice, distracting a bunch of zombies who are there now while telling Anna to run. But he shows up later, and...he's Anna's love interest now, I think? I don't know how he survived, but I don't know why he sacrificed himself either. The dead dad thing never comes up again, and it didn't influence his actions before he mentioned it, so...??

Props to Anna and the Apocalypse, that's the only fake-out death that happened. And the zombies randomly showing up didn't bother me much either, because they've been doing that all movie. Sometimes the zombies are oblivious to the survivors, even as they crawl between the zombies' legs. Sometimes a whole crowd of them bursts through a door. Zombie threats appear or vanish on a whim.

Zombieland was very silly, but its threats came from somewhere and had to be resolved. And its characters were consistent, clear, with time spent establishing who they were and why they were that way and resolving some of their baggage. Anna and the Apocalypse doesn't have that; it feels less like Zombieland and more like Dead Rising. Specifically a game of Dead Rising played by someone who's finished the normal campaign a couple of times, and just wants to smack some zombies around with comical Christmas ornaments. Which is fine, I guess, but I was hoping for something a bit more substantial.