#MATTHEW X MARY

[dogzcats]

[femininomen0n]

mary and matthew are to elizabeth and darcy as marian and larry are to jane and bingley

[dragonsrfire]

IN A WORLD OF BOYS HE'S A GENTLEMAN - PERIOD DRAMA EDITION

EDIT - PROLLY NOT PERIOD DRAMA EDITION CAUSE I INCLUDED ICONS FROM LOTR :)

[kehlana-wolhamonao3]

Reblogged a picture of Lavinia Swire and it got me thinking what makes a good love triangle and why I think Mary - Matthew - Lavinia were a very good one.

Basically, you have to be able to see both possible relationships as potentially working. If, as with Lavinia and Mary, it's believable to see the person in the middle building a relationship with either of them - if they are both likeable - so likeable that even if you're rooting for the other ship you end up feeling sorry for the character who ultimately loses - oh, it can be exquisite and, in my opinion, more true to life.

In Matthew's case especially I think him picking Lavinia as Mary's replacement was very realistic. He is a romantic. He wants to marry for love and scorns more materialistic considerations when choosing a partner, at a time when it was not an obvious position to take. Of course he wouldn't choose an awful girl to propose to, even if he did it on an impulse after a pretty short acquaintance. He needed to believe that he could love her. While I think that a big part of Lavinia's attraction to him at the time was that she was as different from Mary as possible - in looks, personality, background, views - she was also remarkably well suited to him. If you think about it, better suited than Mary in a lot of aspects. Lavinia and Matthew were from the same background and shared a lot of views and values. There definitely was less of tension and conflicts between them than between Matthew and Mary. There was friendship, tenderness, support and gentle, genuine affection. You could definitely believe that they could marry and be happy.

Except, of course, that in the end you couldn't because it soon became obvious that Matthew was still passionately in love with Mary. And this was one component which we never saw in his relationship with Lavinia - passion. At least not on his side, there are hints that Lavinia loved him passionately - but we never get such hints about him. He loved her, I think, but differently than Mary. There were no open mouthed stares at Lavinia or following her around the room either just with his eyes or literally, like a puppy. There were no heated glances exchanged over the dining table or through the length of the room. We never heard this kind of risky flirting as we get with Mary when he is finally engaged to her. And this is why it seems all too probable that if he went through with marrying Lavinia while still feeling all this for Mary it would end up in disaster of some kind for everyone concerned and when Lavinia finally gets the proof that this is the situation she is in, she immediately and wisely decides to cancel the wedding and break their engagement.

Matthew and Mary are so different from each other in so many ways - background, views, values, tempers - but they also are similar in some very important things. They are both principled and dutiful people in their own way, they are both sharply intelligent, they clearly have compatible sense of humour and common interests. Of course they are also madly in love with each other and have explosive chemistry, but it's those other things which makes them work as a couple in the end. There is a clear intellectual connection as well as physical attraction. There is respect on both sides. There is deep commitment to each other, even when they don't expect to be together.

There is a reason I remain obsessed with them and yet care for Lavinia very much.

[darling-winnie]

Thomas, Sybil & Matthew would've been such a powerful and chaotic friendship. Everyone's reaction to seeing the three of them together the first time. Matthew and Sybil defending Thomas. The three of them sitting down and chatting. Matthew and Sybil constantly pulling Thomas away from work or saying they need Thomas for something. All of them talking about their love lives after Thomas opens up to them. The angst of Thomas being the last one standing.

[w1zords]

mary/matthew AO3 has been poppin lately, and i am having the time of my life…

[autumnrose11]

also a separate mary/matthew question: what are their love languages? both to give and receive

Thank you for the ask!! Sorry it took a while, I was trying to get it perfect :D

SO. Matthew is a person who’s affectionate in visible, transparent ways. We’ve seen that so many times on the show. He kisses Mary’s cheek in greeting and goodbye. He likes a fair bit of PDA (the cricket match kiss..... he could NOT get back to the game without giving her a smooch!) not too over the top, but the way he does it leaves no doubt of how madly in love he is. He also LOVES cuddling - I’m taking that “I’ve held you in my arms....” scene as proof that this is a man who adores cuddles and snuggles. And he comes up with the SWEETEST verbal professions of love, too. They make my heart melt every time. - “I could never be happy with anyone else as long as you walk the earth." “I do love you so terribly much. “I will love you till the last breath leaves my body.” “I didn’t think it was possible to love as much as I love you.” “I fall more in love with you every day that passes." He’s such an adorable romantic! And he really likes doing things for and with Mary.... getting her necklaces because he knows she’s fond of them, giving her belly rubs during her pregnancies, dancing with her..... oh, he loves her too much.

Mary, though.... she’s more complex, and her love language is a little more subtle. The thing with Mary is... she’s not a person who will gush about how much she loves you. It’s hard for her to express herself verbally. But when someone has deeply cemented themselves in her heart, they can never for a moment doubt how much she loves them. She uses her “I love you”s more sparingly. Actions speak louder than words where she’s concerned. Her beauty lies in the things she does for Matthew that demonstrate how much he means to her. When he’s working late in the library, she lays on the settee to keep him company. She distracts him when she knows he's thinking about the war (especially in early November when Remembrance Day draws nearer). She calms him down when he has nightmares, simply by holding him and kissing him and reassuring him that everything’s all right and he’s perfectly safe with her. She gives him endless massages with warm, scented oil when his back hurts him. When he’s ill, she devotes herself to him body and soul. She doesn’t leave Matthew for a moment, unless she really has to. She gives him a rub between the shoulders when he’s hunched from sitting at the desk too long (in 3x04). AND SHE LOVES KISSING HIM. Yes. She likes their snog sessions, kissing him and being kissed. Mary uses kisses to convince him that she’s on his side (“There.... will that convince you?”), she uses it to apologise after they’ve had a tiff, she uses it to reassure him and support him. And she plays with Matthew’s ears quite often - if you notice, during most of their kisses, she's touching his earlobes..... oh, and she likes running her fingers through his hair. HIS THICK SOFT BEAUTIFUL HAIR. Her touch, her loving gaze, her tiny caresses..... Matthew treasures her gestures of affection, because they perfectly complement his.

[planetsstarsandmoons]

Mars trine/sextile moon

What I like about synastry is that all ‘aspects’ make for such different experiences depending on the role of which heavenly body you’re filling, but each aspect makes such sense and is so recognisable in the way of ‘oh so that’s what I’m feeling’, ‘that’s the way other couples vibe differently than the other’ or ‘that’s why I think her valid emotions are irrational, but am on the exact emotional wavelength as hers’. It makes me think that in other universes, relationships must be so different, and funnily enough in a way that would also make sense.

I love the herb that mars aspecting moon adds to a romantic relationship. I’ll try to formulate it as well as I can: Mars is basically energy, passion, confrontation, drive. It’s something people can find brash, but also like to compete with and people find quite sexy. Mars is a ‘do-er’ and doesn’t trigger thinking in a person unless that person is confronted with his martian nature in relation to something that is so plainly deep and worthwhile, like the ideas of a mercury person or the softness of the moon. The moon is a forceful heavenly body that centers around peace, safety and sensitivity for intuition. Whatever bond they have with planets, especially other powerful ones, is a strong one because the way moon is easily impressed by all compassing force due to her sensitive nature as well, planets are easily affected by moon because she intuitively touches the places where they are most sensitive and tries first and foremost to make them feel safe. Her relationship with mars is a funny one because mars 1. A force that couldn’t care less about how others are feeling, it’s all about their desire 2. Is a force that doesn’t need safety or a connection to express themselves or come forward, what they need is a trigger. Whatever an aspect may be, a line is a line and because mars’ power has no nuance, every energy that’s felt through an aspect is channelled and filtered in the same way. It just depends on the amount of energy that flows through a synastry aspect and in what way. If martian energy becomes rough and bolt-y, it will create conflict if the mars person isn’t someone with a ‘healthy’ natal mars to begin with. So in a way, mars aspecting moon can be dangerous, but otherwise there’s always a person behind the planet that is forced to develop and take a look at themselves and why they feel the way they do.

I’m going to talk about mars aspecting the moon more often but for now I’m staying with the trine and sextile: the peaceful, harmonious and dare I say friendly one:

In the case of mars trine moon, that ‘confrontation’ that mars has with moon drives through in the form of a comfortable carriage with a thick blanket in a Swiss village, instead of an army range rover through a wet night like the harsher aspects give. So in this case, mars is emotionally aroused by the moon person. Have you ever had or were you a SO in which you adored their emotional softness in a way that made you want to have them? Was this a theme? Chances are this aspect was here. Luckily in the flowing aspect, mars decides to be nice to her. The moon person gets butterflies from mars, especially when he is being affectionate to her because to them, they’re such a wild thing that could have gone everywhere and settled with her. They’re like a teenager in how they swoon and get butterflies from mars’ affections and chances are that every single contemporary YA romance you’ve read is based around this aspect, without the writers of course realising it.

The mars sextile moon basically plays out the same as the trine, except the trine is way more physical in their expression. In the sextile, the aspect flowing energy manifests itself in conversation and actions, whatever they may be. It adds colour to the overall dynamic and it’s a very good aspect to have. Just make sure that you realise that although there is a nice air of passion added to the relationship, we are still talking about a mars and a moon here, aka roles. This should not be a conflict, because the mars sextile moon famously almost ensures harmony between these two forces.

[alannacouture]

It’s a Multifandom Holiday Celebration! 🎄☃️🎁

[mmfan1]

My favorite couple

Happy V day to my favorite fictional couple Matthew and Mary Crawley!

How are MM spending the day? In my headcanon:

season 1 - Matthew has sent Mary an anonymous valentine. She suspects it is from him because it is very book smart and not at all country sport like :). At dinner the following weekend Matthew is nervous that he has been found out when Mary makes directed comments to him. He does not admit to it.

season 2 - In the war years Mary writes a valentine card to Matthew in 1915 and 1916, where she expresses her undying love, she hides them, unsent.

season 3 - engaged Mary and Matthew - Matthew sends Mary an openly flirtatious valentine, constantly referring to all sorts of things. She gives his a valentine that refers to Andomeda and Perseus.

what do you guys think? Please offer your own headcanons on how MM spend Valentine’s Day every year ,

[dogzcats]

I wanted to give you this. It’s my lucky charm. I’ve had it always. So you must promise to bring it back, without a scratch.

[katherineholmes]

So which Taylor Swift's songs do you associate with Mary and Matthew?

Oooh, I have a few!

Stay, Stay, Stay - We all know that a lot of people view Mary as scary and heartless, even though she isn't always. I feel like this song fits that because Matthew stays, no matter what, because he knows there's more to her. Not to mention, Mary doesn't think he could love every part of her, but he does.

Sad, Beautiful, Tragic - It feels like the song for that period after Matthew's failed proposal when he's gone for the war and they haven't made up yet.

Exile - When Mary's engaged to Carlisle and Matthew to Lavinia. This is definitely what was going on, hidden jealousy, but also the hopelessness of it. How neither of them think the other still loves them.

Champagne Problems - God, this song is perfect. Her being unable to say 'yes' to him even though she wanted to!?! And then him bringing Lavinia who does say yes. Who's uncomplicated. It's just...ugh, the angst.

'Tis The Damn Season - The perfection of this song for when Mary and Matthew kiss in season 2 is beyond me. The pain and the longing. Wanting to escape reality but not being able to. It's just....peak angst.

Evermore - I don't know why but I see Mary as so....depressed. I mean, it's never explicitly said or acknowledged, but Pamuk rapes her, and then instead of getting help, all she gets are taunts. That she's 'slut' for inviting him (when she didn't even) and then loses Matthew for it. Gets blackmailed by Carlisle into agreeing to marry him (which is just another attack on her ability to consent) so that news of said rape doesn't get sold as a sensationalised affair. And this song kinda captures that depression while she sees hope in the form of Matthew but can't quite reach out to him. It's just sad.

Back To December - Again, the failed proposal and then the first episode of s2. If only she could go back and change things.

The Great War - Literally. Both the one that was going on between them and the first world war that Matthew was off fighting. The pain and the angst, and once it was over, they were each others.

Sweet Nothing - Alright, taking a break from the angst, this song is so....sweet. It's just beautiful. All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing. While Mary is beautiful, and as Henry says - la belle dame sans merci - most people wanted to marry her for her dowry or for her estate (the duke comes to mind), or because they wanted to possess her (like Carlisle and Tony), but Matthew really just wants her. He's awed by her and struck by her and wounded by her. He loves her even though she hurts him, and his love never dies. It's just so beautiful.

That....was more than a few songs, and honestly, there's so many more, both Taylor's and others, but I'll stop before I start crying over them and their tragic end.

(P.S. - Jenny Of Oldstones by Florence is such a fitting song after Matthew dies.)

Thank you so much for the ask!

[steve-needs-a-hug]

The Chosen ask game

Who's your favourite character?

Which character do you relate to most?

Rank your top 3 favourite Disciples

Favourite miracle scene?

Favourite duo?

Most underrated character (in your opinion)

Favourite ship(s)?

Name of a character + your headcanons about them

Something you're excited about/hoping to see in future episodes?

Line from the show that you quote the most?

[kehlana-wolhamonao3]

I would loooove to hear more about your Downton not published wips!

I answered already about the one in which Matthew finds about Pamuk a day after his death, so here is the premise of Crawley & Crawley :)

It's 1920 and women in England were suddenly allowed to become solicitors. Matthew Crawley, a widowed partner at Swire, Weatherby and Crawley, posts an ad for an articled clerk. He is rather astonished when it's answered by the most beautiful woman he's ever met.

“Mr Crawley,” Lady Mary says in a smooth voice with perfect diction. “Let me first state several facts to save time. First of all, I am not here to seek a position as a secretary; I want to be your articled clerk to become a solicitor, which the Sex Disqualification Act does allow me to attempt if I find a qualified solicitor willing to be my supervisor. Yes, my title is real and my father is an earl, but it has no bearing on the fact that I want to become a solicitor. No, I won’t leave your firm halfway through my apprenticeship to get married since I already am. No, I won’t be missing work all the time to take care of my children, since I don’t have any. No, I won’t quit halfway through the apprenticeship to have a baby, since it’s highly unlikely I’m going to get pregnant any time soon. Yes, I am very sure of that. No, I am not just here to waste your time, assuming your ad in the jobs section of The Times is genuine and you’re really looking for an apprentice. If it’s not, you’re wasting my time.”

Matthew looks at her, both amused and impressed.

“Should I assume that you’ve actually been asked all those questions in other firms you’ve tried before mine?”

“Yes,” she says and she looks like she would like to roll her eyes but has reminded herself at the last moment that she’s at a job interview. “All of them. The ones about trying for a secretary instead and quitting to get married or have children at most of them.”

“And how many firms have you tried?”

“This is my fifth,” answers Lady Mary calmly.

“And you haven’t managed to convince any of them to give you a chance?”

“Obviously,” answers Lady Mary and now she does roll her eyes, apparently unable to resist. “If any of them did, I would not have applied to yours.”

“Is it the first job you are applying for?” he asks curiously and fancies that for a fleeting moment he can see a shadow of uncertainty in Lady Mary’s eyes. It’s gone before he can be sure though.

“Yes,” she admits after some hesitation. “I’ve never needed to work before and I have not expected it to change. But times are changing, Mr Crawley, and like many people I had to adjust my expectations.”

“Why a solicitor though? You must know that as a pioneer for women in this field you will be met with resistance at every corner. There are more traditionally feminine paths open for you.”

“Because,” says Lady Mary with a fire in her eyes which forces him to swallow. “I believe I’m going to be really good at it.”

He believes her.

[sxnyarostova]

matthew and mary are actually new year’s day by taylor swift

[ohtobealady]

Mary and Matthew, + peaches! <3 (Something a lil' different!)

Yesss!!! Okay, and this is also 120 words, but I couldn’t trim it anymore. I loved it too much. Thank you, wifey.

-//-//-//-//-// — PEACHES — //-//-//-//-//-

He couldn’t help but laugh at her as juice ran down to her elbow. And then as she wiped that elbow against the growing hill of her abdomen.

He knew his expression — bemused adoration — was what made Mary roll her eyes.

“You can laugh all you’d like,” she said. “But this is your fault.”

Matthew loved that. He loved the way she took another bite; the way the sun cast dappled light on her rounder cheeks; the way she ran her sticky fingers over her belly.

“A fault which I will happily own.”

Mary’s dark eyes brightened when she grinned. “And for your penance, another peach.”

He laughed and twisted back to the basket to find her the perfect one.