#also can never persuade non snobs to like it either because they give them such a bad wrap

[box-dwelling]

I have once again interacted with theatre kids

Never again

Never again

[francesackerley]

Franemiah~

— SHIP QUESTIONS: Franemiah

also asked by @lucy-needham

PRE-RELATIONSHIP

How did they first meet?

They meet at Vauxhall, when Frances has grown tired of disguises and is trying to find her way home and Jeremiah is trying to make a home far away from what he’s known. They’re two wrong people who meet at the right time. 

What was their first impression of each other?

Jeremiah is rustic, overly candid and vexatious. No doubt he finds Frances vain, fussy and discourteous. Nevertheless, Frances walks away with roughly cut rose worth admiring. Jeremiah leaves with a fussy looking handkerchief, soft to the touch.

Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

Had anyone been aware they had met, the Fitzroys would be scandalized. Lucy would encourage it thinking Jeremiah is good for Frances (but only after laughing for a good five minutes at the irony). Archie wouldn’t necessarily be against them but he wouldn’t understand (then again, he’s never quite understood Frances.)

Who felt romantic feelings first?

Jeremiah. Frances was too busy looking elsewhere to think about him as a real prospect.

Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Both in their own way, though Frances wins the prize for trying harder. Jeremiah’s resistance was primarily motivated by skepticism that his feelings would lead anywhere. Frances resists because she’s scared of where her feelings will lead. 

If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

Frances doesn’t believe in soulmates, but she believes Jeremiah when he says he loves her. That’s better.

What would their lives be like if they had never met?

There would be a day many years from now where Frances would be lying alone in her separate bedroom in her large, opulent house and she would wonder, just for a moment, if this was all there was to life. 

Then she would go to sleep and begin the next day the same way she has all the others. How can there be anything else? This is all she’s known.  

GENERAL

Who initiated the relationship, and how did it go?

Jeremiah. They’re figuring it out. 

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

They’ve only interacted privately. If they ever do attempt a properly chaperoned excursion it’s likely to be painfully awkward as they try to conform to external expectations. 

What was their first kiss like?

“Like gambling it all and winning in the end.”

Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

Jeremiah is the first person Frances has been vulnerable with. 

What’s their height difference? Age difference?

He's taller by 2″ and she's older by a year. 

What’s their relationship with each other’s families?

Strained on both sides. Each family has qualities they dislike in the non-related spouse (Jeremiah: is American and poor, Frances: is posh and a snob). They make an effort with ther other’s family to please one another, but it doesn’t always go well (read: Frances is rude).

Frederica would have liked him.

Who takes the lead in social situations?

Frances. 

Who gets jealous easier?

Frances, but she’ll deny it.

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear?

Jeremiah does it more often. On the rare occasion Frances does participate she takes a unique pleasure in watching his ears go red. 

LOVE

Who said “I love you” first?

Jeremiah.

What are their primary love languages?

1. Words of affirmation.

2. Acts of service

3. Physical touch

Who uses cheesy pick-up lines?

Jeremiah, but they’re more awkward than cheesy (see: “I do wish for you to know that I’m–I–like this”). They’re always earnest, so in the end they get the job done. 

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

PDA: Not very often, but Frances enjoys absent touches. 

Cuddling: More often than she’ll admit to.

Who initiates kisses?

Jeremiah at first, but Frances does it more often the longer they’re together. 

Who’s the big and little spoon?

They take turns. Sometimes Frances likes to be able to hold Jeremiah without feeling self-conscious about the depth of feeling he might see on her face. Other times Jeremiah gets to marvel that the same rough hands that set snares and pull a trigger can hold something delicate, pretty and vicious as any predator he’s caught before. 

What are their favorite things to do together?

Surprising athletic pursuits: walking, riding, dancing. The early years of their relationship are spent figuring out how they can mesh together without compromising who they are. 

Who’s better at comforting the other?

Jeremiah. He’s persistent and patient beyond what Frances deserves. 

Who’s more protective?

Jeremiah overtly, Frances covertly. The proper fork always seems to appear by his hand at the proper dinners, his cravat is always neatly tied, Frances always has an extra handkerchief on hand. 

Also, if you thought you heard Frances share a nasty rumor about someone who was rude to Jeremiah last week, no you didn’t. 

Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

Frances is greedy: both. Jeremiah prefers physical affection, it’s reliable in a way words aren’t. 

What are some songs that apply to their relationship, in-universe or otherwise?

When they first met: bored like me by dodie

From Frances's perspective: For You by Lara Marling

Because there’s a Taylor Swift song for everything: King of My Heart

What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

Lord Ackerley when she's feeling fond, Jeremiah when they're alone, Jerry-miah when she wants to tease after hearing it from Aster.

Who remembers the little things?

Both, though people think it’s Frances which bothers her. Jeremiah is more perceptive than people give him credit for. 

DOMESTIC LIFE

If they get married, who proposes?

Jeremiah, but it’s not as romantic as one might think. Frances's aspirations for marriage aren't a secret between them. If they get married it’s because he finally decided it’s something he wants (or is willing to do to please her.) 

What’s the wedding like? Who attends?

Wedding planning is...unpleasant. It’s another life checkpoint where Frances has to reconcile the path she chose for herself with the expectations others had for her. She doesn’t end up with the wedding she always dreamed she would have, but it works out in the end. The act of publicly choosing one another carries more significance than she thought it would. 

Aster and Johann send their unapologetic regrets and a wedding gift. 

How many kids do they have, if any? What are they like?

If Jeremiah felt strongly enough about having children Frances could be persuaded to have them to make him happy. Otherwise, they're content as they are.

Do they have any pets?

A small pack of wolf/deerhounds, but only Sadie is allowed to freely roam. A small Pomeranian that thinks it’s a hunting dog (the wedding gift). Horses. A cat found in the stables (it's a stray and taciturn, but Jeremiah insists on feeding it after remarking it reminds him of someone. It takes to him. Frances allows it to stay.) 

Who’s the stricter parent?

Frances isn’t stricter per say, but parenting doesn’t come easy to her like it does for Jeremiah. It’s something she’s insecure about (again, she’ll deny it).

Who worries the most?

They worry about different things, both of which are immutable. Frances worries she’s too domineering and will eventually push Jeremiah’s patience to the point of no return. Jeremiah worries Frances will eventually wish she had married someone more traditional. They muddle through.

Who kills the bugs in the house?

Jeremiah. It's one of the perks of being with someone who grew up in the woods.

How do they celebrate holidays?

Another life checkpoint for Frances. Holidays are no longer marked by the large, extravagant parties that draw a prestigious assemblage of peers that she knew in childhood. There are still parties, but they’re smaller more intimate affairs. 

Jeremiah is responsible for cutting down their Christmas tree, Frances decorates it (he has an axe, she has taste).

Who’s more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the morning?

Frances.

Who’s the better cook?

Jeremiah. Frances has to repeatedly remind him that they have a cook, a fact he seems to forget whenever he’s peckish and defaults to making himself whatever he’s craving rather than ring for it. 

Who likes to dance?

Both (they’re especially partial to the waltz.)