#period ask meme

[calliesmemes]

BRIDGERTON SEASON ONE (EPISODES 5-8)

DIALOGUE SENTENCE STARTERS PULLED FROM SEASON ONE OF NETFLIX’S SERIES BRIDGERTON, ADAPTED FROM NOVELS BY JULIA QUINN.

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

“   Are you feeling better, dearest? ”

“   You do not seem pleased. Whatever is wrong? ”

“   I knew there was something between you! ”

“   Well, tell me. Tell me everything! ”

“   You do not need to tell me anything. ”

“   You are getting what you always wanted. ”

“   It will be the grandest wedding of the year. ”

“   Has something happened? ”

“   I believe you will know what love feels like soon enough. ”

“   You think I am to follow in your footsteps? ”

“   Can there be a more dreadful fate? ”

“   The only thing I am grateful for is that I am not you, nor will I ever be. ”

“   I thought we shared an understanding with our discussions of the future. ”

“   My goodness! If anything, I am the one forcing him. ”

“   Love is surely the greatest force of all. ”

“   Nothing can stand between us. ”

“   It was a pleasure to know you. ”

“   I look forward to counting you as part of our family. ”

“   She does not owe me anything. ”

“   Have you not done enough? ”

“   I applaud you. I bring you flowers on each of my visits, and yet you still react with admirable surprise every time. ”

“   I shall need to bring you something unexpected. ”

“   Her happiness is your greatest concern. ”

“   I promise you will not be disappointed. ”

“   Oh, I do hope your wedding dress will be ready in time. ”

“   While you may be content to accept defeat, it is certainly not how I approach things. ”

“   I take that duty with the utmost seriousness. ”

“   You have always been a terrible shit. ”

“   Surely we must be able to do something? ”

“   Now, where is the dinner I was promised? ”

“   Please, come in. Make yourself at home. ”

“   Apologies. Have we met? ”

“   I see my reputation precedes me. ”

“   Feelings are irrelevant. Indeed, they're responsible for this mess. ”

“   You will seduce him? ”

“   He is not so little anymore. ”

“   After your meal, perhaps we could take a walk, like we used to do. ”

“   It is quite late for you to be up, too, is it not? ”

“   If you're nervous about the wedding, you need not worry. ”

“   I am not quite sure what you believe I am to do about it. ”

“   It was not love at first sight for either of us. ”

“   We found something far greater. We found friendship. ”

“   Her laughter brings me joy. ”

“   To meet a beautiful woman is one thing, but to meet your best friend in the most beautiful of women is something entirely apart. ”

“   I want her to be my wife. ”

“   Do you wish to marry this man? ”

“   I suppose congratulations are in order ”

“   I do hope you will remember my kindness in keeping secrets and repay me someday. ”

“   You can choose anyone but him. ”

“   Perhaps you would find it acceptable for me to live my life with a man who treats me like a mere beast? ”

“   I am beginning to feel a bit faint. ”

“   We should not be alone in here. ”

“   I know we have only known each other a short while, but… well, would you want to marry me? ”

“   You deserve a grand wedding. ”

“   I must say, I am honored and most grateful for your presence. ”

“   I hope you made the right choice. ”

“   You certainly enjoy spreading secrets, do you not? ”

“   Dear child, have you lost your wits? ”

“   I am flattered by your accusation, but it is simply not true. ”

“   What evidence have you gathered? ”

“   Tell me what you know. ”

“   What happened the other night? ”

“   I suppose I have put this conversation off for as long as I can. ”

“   Well, what do you recommend? ”

“   I'm sure you'll enjoy the peace and quiet. ”

“   I am going to miss all of you terribly. ”

“   I have a present for you. ”

“   I know we could not be any more different, but there is one thing we do share. ”

“   We need to rest before continuing on in the morning. ”

“   We should go down to dinner. ”

“   You have avoided my presence. ”

“   You have said all but a few words to me. ”

“   I could not bear witness to the misery I have caused you. ”

“   I cannot stop thinking of you. ”

“   From the mornings you ease, to the evenings you quiet, to the dreams you inhabit… my thoughts of you never end. ”

“   I am yours. I have always been yours. ”

“   You look angry and bothered. ”

“   It is you I cannot sacrifice. ”

“   I burn for you. ”

“   It has been so long since we have been blessed with your presence. ”

“   I am looking forward to making your acquaintance. ”

“   I'm no good at those things. I'll only make a fool of myself. ”

“   May I have everyone's attention? ”

“   Do you think this is a joke? ”

“   You are an ass. Do you know that? ”

“   I must make a good impression. ”

“   I am certain there is much left to see. ”

“   I found myself in continual awe of their beauty. ”

“   I knew you were flirting with her, but you flirt with plenty of young ladies. ”

“   I am not sure I have ever seen you so solemn and serious. ”

“   I was not prepared to let another of you fly the nest so soon. ”

“   It pains me you should think every compliment a mockery. ”

“   You think so little of me, I cannot bear it. ”

“   Please do not tell me you regret it. ”

“   I cannot condone your actions. ”

“   I am afraid that is not possible. ”

“   You have such a unique accent, and yet I have never asked where you're from. ”

“   I am not fooled by your little act. ”

“   I am sure we can find a solution to these difficulties, and I thank you for bringing them to our attention. ”

“   Oh, there, there, there, child. No need to cry. ”

“   I did not realize my absence would be felt this way. ”

“   You know, oddly enough, when I am actually in the presence of children, I forget all about my own concerns. They are the easiest company in the world. ”

“   I have all that I want just here. ”

“   I am very sorry. But this plan of yours, I find it wanting. ”

“   What were your favorite pastimes in the country? ”

“   Oh dear, what can the matter be? ”

“   You really are very good. You know that? ”

“   My own father does not want me. ”

“   Fool that I am, I truly thought that with your family, I might finally find acceptance. ”

“   We shall make our own family, you and me. ”

“   It is all I want. It is all I want in the world. ”

“   I wish we could be married this very minute. ”

“   We just have to make it to the border. ”

“   Are you missing home? ”

“   I will ensure everything is in order. I will ensure everything is done properly. ”

“   Should I have worn a different dress? ”

“   Perhaps I might ask your opinion on something? ”

“   I know I am new to the role, but I cannot imagine what I have done wrong so soon. ”

“   I will correct my mistake at once. I…I had no idea. ”

“   I am so very grateful for your guidance. ”

“   His childhood was not always easy. ”

“   Everyone talked as though it was her fault. ”

“   I thought you loved him. ”

“   Your love is an unrequited fantasy. ”

“   I should not have stayed away so long. ”

“   I'm at the end of the world with you ”

“   I trusted you more than anyone in this world, and you took advantage. ”

“   "Cannot" and "will not" are two entirely different things. ”

“   You chose this for yourself. ”

“   I thought you were prepared. ”

“   You took my future from me, the one thing I wanted more than anything. ”

“   I would have died for you! ”

“   Do you know — I even felt pity for you? ”

“   The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. ”

“   What thing is more fragile than the human heart? ”

“   I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot. ”

“   Should I really deliver the message? ”

“   You cannot believe I shall welcome you back into my bed after your lies and deception? ”

“   I would never dream of concealing the truth of such important matters. ”

“   I must return to my family immediately. ”

“   I will not let you out of my sight. ”

“   Hush, child, all will be well. ”

“   We are in just as perilous a position. ”

“   Perhaps if she can destroy a reputation… she can restore one too. ”

“   This is an emergency. ”

“   We do not require your assistance. ”

“   This may be the answer to all of our problems. ”

“   Pretending that nothing is amiss is the perfect way to lure the ignorant into submission. ”

“   I know you must think me a fool, but my heart pays no heed to mere logic. ”

“   When I think of her, I only want to be near her, to be with her… despite all reason otherwise. ”

“   Perhaps I can arrange a rendezvous. ”

“   It follows no reason or sense, does it? ”

“   Where have you been all night? ”

“   Do you understand me? That we no longer trust each other? ”

“   Thank you for joining us. ”

“   I did not come here to be shamed by you, nor anyone else. ”

“   You may think me a villain, but I did what I thought I must. ”

“   No one ever truly helped me, or guided me in a different direction. ”

“   You wish to know the cruelest part of your deception? ”

“   I see now that was all a lie. ”

“   We should tempt scandal more often. ”

“   Your duplicity comes so naturally. ”

“   Improvement is all a matter of practice. ”

“   How are you faring? ”

“   You have not heard what people have been saying. ”

“   All will be well again, I promise you. ”

“   I am sure you wish to avoid any further unpleasantness. ”

“   Judge not, lest we too be judged. ”

“   Something troubles you. ”

“   I know you are a grown woman now, but I am still your mother, and you can come to me when you need advice. ”

“   Well, then, share your thoughts. ”

“   I am merely trying to be of help. ”

“   For what it is worth, I am sorry. ”

“   I came here to apologize to you. ”

“   I wish it had not happened this way. ”

“   Why should he be the one to choose your future? ”

“   Do you really want to be alone? ”

“   I am quite capable of doing more than you think. ”

“   I have defeated the best, and I'm confident I shall continue to do so. ”

“   I think you would be wise to leave. ”

“   We shall teach you the rules. ”

“   Seems I have been blessed with some beginner's luck. ”

“   Would you just get to the point? ”

“   Do you not ever get tired of pretending to be so perfect? ”

“   We may not be perfect, but at least we keep our promises. ”

“   I'm trying to be a man of my word. ”

“   Well, you certainly make it look difficult. ”

“   Tell me why you are so adamant. ”

“   Your help is greatly appreciated, but there is nothing more you can do. ”

“   I’m not exactly in the mood for music and finery this evening. ”

“   I may have been a trifle harsh with you. And I'm sorry. ”

“   So you admit it now? You were acting a fool? ”

“   You may hurt now, but the pain will pass. ”

“   We live under constant threat of danger. ”

“   I risk my life every day for love. ”

“   It takes courage to live outside the traditional expectations of society. ”

“   I'm not bound by the rules of society. ”

“   You know not the future that awaits. ”

“   Don't you touch me. Stay away! Just leave me alone! ”

“   This time next week, our ruse will be well and truly over. ”

“   I shall begin practicing straightaway! ”

“   I would have expected this from anyone but you. ”

“   I am sorry for everything I have done and said. ”

“   I know I do not always say the right things, and then the things I do say, well… They are not always what you wish to hear. ”

“   However difficult forgiving someone may be, it is necessary to move forward. ”

“   However are we supposed to move forward from there? ”

“   I have come bearing grim news today. ”

“   I thought him a villain, but he was not. ”

“   We do not need to have this conversation. ”

“   You may not understand this now, but I am doing this for your own good. ”

“   You will be better off without me. ”

“   I cannot fight forever. ”

“   I merely showed him what he was capable of all along. ”

“   You still managed to put on quite a performance. “

“   What ever could be more honorable besides taking care of one's family? ”

“   You’re angry, but not with me. ”

“   What is this? And more importantly, how did you get it? ”

“   I believe I need a doctor. ”

“   This is preposterous and fantastical. ”

“   I want you there by my side. ”

“   For someone who hates ballgowns… you look exquisite in one. ”

“   I am merely glad you came. ”

“   I suppose I should thank you. ”

“   We did not expect to see you here. ”

“   Are you enjoying your evening? ”

“   I did not see it at first, but I know you were only trying to prevent me from heartache. ”

“   I wish to tell you something. ”

“   It was actually you who inspired me. ”

“   Oh, um… What was it you wished to say? ”

“   I need you to take me somewhere. ”

“   My imagination was the furthest I could allow myself to go. ”

“   I am looking out for myself. ”

“   What I know is that you are lost, and I cannot allow you to set me adrift as well. ”

“   It is a choice, dearest, one that is never too late to make. ”

“   I cannot tell you how much peace and comfort that brings to me. ”

“   There is nothing you cannot do. ”

“   I know that this is not what you had envisioned for the evening. ”

“   Just because something is not perfect does not make it any less worthy of love. ”

“   He made you believe that you needed to be without fault in order to be loved, but he was wrong. ”

“   I am tired of pretending. ”

“   I cannot continue acting as if I… as if I do not love you. ”

“   I love all of you, even the parts that you believe are too dark and too shameful. ”

“   You may think you are too damaged and too broken to ever allow yourself to be happy, but you can choose differently. You can choose to love me as much as I love you. ”

“   I do not want to be alone. ”

[waywardstation]

we all had our laughs and memes and everthing regarding Ingo's hairline. But wanna see a new approach:

In your au it comes mostly due to all the stress (different time, much different task his memory loss affecting his mental health) mixed with some Sneasel poison.

So what I like to see is post reunion that he recovers a little of his old hair. The stress level are now much lower, the familiarity of having his loved ones around eases stress and on top Elesa as a friend has probably a lot of solutions ready to help out.

Obviously it will never be like before but he recovers so much that stupid comments stop. Also in solidarity Emmet makes sure to shave off some of his hairline to match his brothers to make him feel better (which in return has resulted in the goatee being shaved off or something. A sacrifice for a sacrifice) and they are matching again

Both have been affected by stress, look much more tired and exhausted. Same hairline and the same joy to be together again at last.

I know it goes much against the narrative and memes but as someone who lost much hair due to stress and managed to grow most of it back it would make me so happy to imagine something similar for Ingo as well. The solidarity of Emmet matching his hair is just a cute addition and something to encourage Ingo a bit more.

YES YES characters making it through all the stress and the ache and finally relaxing and regaining themselves!!!!

In my AU of sorts that comprise all my fics, don’t remember if I’ve ever stated it but it’s like half stress and half genetics, I suppose. Ingo would otherwise say he’d always known it would probably happen someday, but no he wouldn’t cause of amnesia whoops. But to a degree it’s just like that and he’s ok with it either way.

But over time he does recover a little of it. I’d like to think after being back for a while Ingo doesn’t even notice any changes at first. In my own fics at least, Ingo wouldn’t care or think much about it. Partly because I think Emmet would be much the same way; all the stress of trying to figure out what happened to Ingo, and his own genetics got to him too. They still match!! (Except for the goatee. Emmet has a soul patch. They both hate their counterparts and agree to shave for the other’s sake lol.)

But I like to think there are physical signs of recovery and less stress for both Ingo and Emmet upon making it back to each other, and this could be one of them!!

I like it a lot anon, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!!

[marzipanandminutiae]

Top 5 Historically-Inaccurate But Pretty Outfits

Mina's red dress (Bram Stoker's Dracula)

Acclaimed costume designer Eiko Ishioka, my beloved. And to be fair, this isn't so much inaccurate as out-of-place in the movie's 1890s setting. It's much more early 1870s, where it would be atypical but plausible. I want this dress for myself so badly. Maybe someday...

2. Everything in that show about the Ottoman Empire that keeps coming up on my dash.

Magnificent Century, I think it's called in English? I am reliably informed that this is not what Turkish clothing of the 16th century actually looked like. But damn, is it pretty.

3. Literally every costume from Jingle Jangle

It's a fantasy world; not actually our own history. They did not have to go this hard melding real 19th-century silhouettes and period details with inspiration from modern Black designers, hairstylists, etc. but they DID and I LOVE IT. The movie overall wasn't my absolute favorite- nor did I expect it to be; it's a children's movie and I'm 29 -but those costumes. Ye gods.

4. This blue dress from Br*dgerton

Yeah, I'm as surprised as you about this one, given my infamous hate-on for the Br*dgerton costumes. And I still stand by most of it (why do Regency if you don't actually like Regency, you should have made fewer costumes that actually fit the actors and didn't look tacky as hell rather than a couple thousand slapdash pieces, etc.). But. This dress looks incredible on the actress. That picture doesn't show it, but it has tons of tiny rhinestones winking all over the silk- which is a gorgeous shade for her, too. I still maintain some level of "are you kidding me?" when asked to accept it as Regency, but just as a dress in general...lovely; no notes.

5. Eliza's green pinafore dress from My Fair Lady

This bears very little resemblance to anything an adult woman would have worn in Vague 1910-ish Times(TM). But I loved it so much as a child that I still love it today. Maybe I should try designing and making a Historically Accurate Version of it sometime...

[tmmyhug]

i haven't checked in on this blog in a bit how is the meme calendar thing going

its chugging along! im gonna actually make it at the end of the year but heres what i got so far if anyone wants to pitch in. some of them im not sure about. like idk if girl dinner properly migrated from tik tok to tumblr. and i dont know what to call the surge of destiel breaking news memes in july bc that wasnt their origin, they just suddenly got more popular ? dunno

[princessyuwa]

I stan 2 dark haired kings unapologetically simping for their dark haired queens ✨️

[zebracakesarecopingmechanisms]

Me, every time without fail, during the days leading up to my period: ugh I can’t sleep I hate having skin my tummy hurts is it normal to have this many headaches I can feel my organs moving inside my body and it’s sickening i hate everyone do we have any popcorn in the kitchen

Me immediately after I actually start bleeding: false alarm guys im fine. I mean my organs are being ground into paste with a mortar and pestle but it’s chill I’m soo normal

[amaranthsynthesis]

Something about drow with sunglasses or growing up in Menzoberranzan idk

I'm responding specifically to the sunglasses because I think it's cute and charming if Ballard had to wear sunglasses for his first few years above ground to deal with the light levels! It's bright and overwhelming and coming from EVERYWHERE and reflecting a way that the soft bioluminescence of the Underdark just doesn't. Pupils that are able to expand enough to see well in such dim settings are going to take a long time to adjust to being in such a bright setting for so much of the day--and that's before we bring in the sensitivity of eyes low in melanin or absent it entirely, like the red/pink Lolth-sworn Drow have. And a hood only does so much, although Ballard does keep a cowl/shawl handy for the rest of his adult life as a result. I don't think we see any glasses in BG3 at all, let alone tinted glass, but we have glass elsewhere so we know they conceivably exist. We have the dark room in Baldur's Mouth, so we know glass exists with complexity!

So Ballard picks up some sunnies in the first settlement he finds, which runs a brisk trade being positioned as it along a common route into and out of the Underdark. He also has a panic attack about a week in about having caught some kind of plague--he's developing spots everywhere, and he has no idea what to do about it because he doesn't get sick, but a random traveller notices his panic and is able to soothe him through laughter. The guy is human, his own skin is dark brown and densely spotted, and he smiles very very warmly when he explains that Ballard is developing freckles.

"It's how some folks' skin reacts to the sun," he explains, letting Ballard run his hands over his broad forearm to trace the tiny marks. His skin is as warm as his voice. "They aren't bad, there's nothing wrong with 'em--just the sun kissin on you is all."

[msmargaretmurry]

i've been on an ethel cain kick lately so mattdrai + long cold war

i feel like with a title like "long cold war" you gotta lean hard on the rivalry angle, right? i'm not sure if i have anything new to add to the battle of alberta-era canon at the moment, but i am interested in the dynamic if they were to pick the rivalry up again in a couple of years. like, say, leon hits free agency and signs in tampa.

i do feel like by the end of matthew's time in calgary, the level of personal vitriol had been dialed back a notable amount from, like, 2020 levels. i mean, come on, they were flirting in the faceoff circle before game one of that playoff series. maybe there was some flirting off the ice, too. at the 2022 asg, matthew wasn't selected for the game, but we all know he and robby thomas were there in vegas to party with brady — maybe that's where the flirting really started, after years of poking at each other on the ice. running into each other out on the town, the chirping turns into flirting turns into a furtive little hookup in the bathroom or something, and yeah okay obviously they're still rivals on the ice but now they also have this sexy flirty little text thread going. they don't text a lot, probably an average of a couple times a week, but there's definitely this undercurrent of — yeah, we're gonna hook up again. they're not gonna go out of their way to arrange it, but as soon as they're put in a situation where it's convenient, it's probably gonna happen. leading up to the playoffs there starts to be an undercurrent of, like, not quite explicitly making a bet about it but whoever wins gets to call the shots next time.

except then they actually play the playoff series, the flames win that first one and then the oilers take four straight, and matthew is devastated, and leon with his one working leg is in too much pain to have an ounce of sympathy for anyone, and then the oilers get swept by the avs and leon is sad and embarrassed and mad and secretly a little relieved because god he is in so much pain all the time, but no one is sending any sexy flirty little text messages during any of that. leon thinks later that maybe he could have sent a "good series, good luck next year" text but, you know, too late now, so whatever. they'll see each other in preseason next year and maybe they can pick where they left off.

but then, obviously, matthew signs in florida and they do not pick up where they left off. they play each other twice a year and kind of see each other at all-star games or other league events, but they have separate circles of friends, and that whole hookup/flirtation situation becomes just this kind of weird blip of a thing that happened, and leon — he feels like he shouldn't take it personally. it wasn't anything serious by a long shot. but they could have stayed friendly, right? but as soon as matthew went to florida it was like leon dropped off the face of the earth for him and that feels kind of shitty. maybe, leon decides, matthew tkachuk really is just out for himself. so whatever — back to just not knowing each other.

that's just the backstory, though; the actual fic would start when leon comes to tampa in free agency. so, matthew's been in florida for three years at this point. maybe the panthers and the lightning had a nasty playoff series the seasno before so the florida rivalry is going extra-strong right now. leon's in a very weird place, mentally; he chose tampa for a lot of reasons, and he's optimistic about being there, but it's weird not being in edmonton, weird not having connor by his side. he's secretly irrationally worried that he's going to find out now that connor was actually carrying him all those years, even though that's objectively silly. the point is he's not really thinking about matthew at all until before the first tbl/fla game of the season and a journalist asks a question like, hey, you're back to being regional rivals with matthew tkachuk, what do you think about that? leon really hadn't thought about it at all. he gives some nothingburger answer about how he's heard the florida rivalry games are fun and obviously matthew's been great for the panthers so it should be a good game. internally he's like, playing against matthew four times a year won't be that different from playing against him twice a year.

he is sorely underestimating how much these teams hate each other, though. the game is chippy from the start, and literally the first moment leon sees matthew do something annoying on this ice a flip switches in his brain and he's just like: fuck that guy. FUCK that guy. it's not rational, he's just filled with sudden, bone-deep annoyance and the desire to just flatten the guy. so he does. the game gets super messy, matthew and leon get into a few scuffles, matthew is extremely like wow what the FUCK is your damage about it but also like, the man lives for chaos, he gives as good as he gets. the panthers score the gwg while they're both in the box with matching roughing minors and just like that they are real rivals again.

so the fic is like, this first season for leon in tampa, him being way too preoccupied with his renewed rivalry with matthew and very insistently being like, it's because he's ANNOYING and a JACKASS, while both sorting through his feelings about leaving edmonton and slowly peeling back this backstory about the hooking up and text-flirting until it hits a point where it's like, oh okay. you're actually just mad because he doesn't want to fuck you. lmfao.

THEN, OF COURSE, to bring it all full circle, they're both selected to the all-star game, and once again they're on the same team, and there's a whole round of media about like, oooh, leon are you gonna be salty about playing with him again, what's gonna happen if you guys have to share the ice, all of which leon finds very stupid and annoying, especially since matthew is once again out here like ":) the rivalries are just on the ice, obvoiusly he's a great player to have on my side for once :)"

whoever the atlantic division coach for the asg is obviously understands the assignment and plays them together a bunch, and they score a bunch of goals together, which is very funny to everyone else and at a certain point starts to be funny to them, too. by the end of the second game, leon is having such a good time winning that he forgets to be mad for a little while. they all go out afterward and leon once again hooks up with matthew in a bathroom, and matthew laughs and says something like "okay next time we do this there's gotta be a bed involved," which on the surface sounds great but it also reminds leon that he's supposed to be mad, and instead of handling it with grace he just kind of abruptly takes off when they're finished. feels kind of like a dick about it, but also. whatever, he likes his little grudge. it keeps him warm at night.

cue the rest of the season, cue matthew starting to text leon again and leon being kind of a jerk about it. he's also, like — connor, back in edmonton, told leon he understood his choice to leave, but leon can tell he's kinda mad about it, and it's making leon feel like a jerk, especially because the lightning aren't doing as well as they should be doing this season. leon isn't lifting them up the way he's meant to be lifting them up. the oilers aren't doing too hot either. so he left one team and made them worse to go to another team and not make them better. he's got way more important things to deal with than another tkachuk situation.

the tkachuk situation, though, just won't take its claws out of him. they have a couple more games against each other, have some scuffles, have some texting, have some words in an arena hallway, maybe have a drunken phone call, and then is becomes clear that, oh. you're actually mad because you like him and he clearly doesn't take any of this stuff between the two of you seriously.

(matthew likes him plenty, of course, he's just had his own shit going on.)

not sure how the last act of this would play out, but obviously matthew and leon have to sort their shit out. maybe they sort some of their shit out over that drunken phone call and agree to get together to talk before the last regular season game against each other, but of course talking turns into having sex, but in a bed this time, and they have time to take their time, and it's really good and kind of intense and, honestly, a little too much, so they part ways still not entirely sure what they're doing because leon turtles emotionally at the last moment. "look," matthew sighs on his way out the door, "just let me know if you decide what you want."

which, like. that's the whole thing, right? leon thought he know what he wanted coming to tampa and feels like it's biting him in the ass. so if he trusts what he thinks he wants with matthew, that's just gonna bite him in the ass, too, right? so he has to go through a whole character growth thing to get right with himself again, and get right in his friendship with connor again, and drag the lightning into a wildcard spot before the end of the season. (with some help, of course. there are other good players on the lightning. it really helps once he figures out he doesn't have to feel like he needs to carry half the team by himself.)

let's end on a tampa/florida first round where tampa gets a little bit trounced — which is what everyone expects, but it still stings. leon's not happy about losing, but for the first time in years he really feels like he knows what to do to make next year better besides just grinding away training all summer, and so it's not as bad as it could be. he and matthew haven't really spoken since they last time they slept together, unless you count getting into it on the ice, and those were all more shoving than talking, but as leon is changing and packing up after than last game, he has this feeling like, you know what? fuck it. he's spent his whole life grabbing for what he wants with both hands, it'd be stupid to stop now. so he goes over to the panthers' locker room and asks someone to get matthew for him, pulls matthew to somewhere relatively private, and kisses him soundly on the mouth.

matthew, slightly dazed, says, "what was that for?"

"for luck," leon says. kisses him again, with no less bite to it. "good luck. get your wins in now, because i'm going to kick your ass next season."

and also keep kissing him next season. obviously.

[irrigos]

i have got to see a snippet from the 2000s AU

"I'm on leave right now," Eliot said, "Bereavement."

That was the official story at work. Certainly better than the truth, that he showed up at the hospital drunk. They should have revoked his license, honestly, but everyone felt too bad for him after hearing about the whole "dead boyfriend" thing. He was humiliated by their pity, but more humiliated by how desperately he needed it.

"Did something happen?" asked his mother.

"You remember the guy I was seeing?" Eliot said, "He, uh. He died. A few weeks ago."

"Oh, Eliot, I'm so sorry," his mother said. Her voice dropped low, as if she was worried she might be overheard when she asked, "Was it... was it AIDS?"

"Jesus fucking Christ."

"Language!"

"It was not AIDS, Mother. He was in the army. He died fighting for your freedom."

He would say whatever it took to make his mother feel like an asshole, but if there was one thing everyone in Henry's orbit agreed on, it was that he had died for nothing.

[zeeph-containment-zone]

begging people to understand that explanation for actions =/= condoning them. You can say why something happened without defending it. People have gotten so caught up in calling people out that they just assume explanations are an automatic defense of the thing that somebody did, even when you explicitly say "just because that's why it happened doesn't make what happened good." I can do self destructive things because of my anxiety. That does not make those things good, but it doesn't change that I did them because I was anxious. Both of these statements can be true at once. People can start a conversation with malicious intent by parroting an edgy joke of the time period in 2008. Does not make the malicious intent good or excusable, but it sure does explain why op wasn't blocked on site and why the other person continued to talk to them before the malicious intent showed itself. Both of these statements can be true at once.

also begging people who DO think that people should get a pass due to these things to not do that either. Bad things are bad regardless of what caused them, whether it be lack of understanding, mental illness, or otherwise. both of these statements can be true at once.

[boxwinebaddie]

did kyle cry when he found out raven was stan

yes...A Lot.

which is kind of a big deal, because jersey kyle...

never cries.

ever.

so its a large part of the Why Can't Jersey Say I Love You ask meme, that, ik, is taking me forever -- i have so many asks rn haha -- but for the sake of context/lore, i will summarize part of it here. ( badly )

in essence, kyle, who is the least okay/mentally fortified person ever, is under the false pretense that everything in his life is fine...bc he refuses to process that it isn't. because to him, as long as everything is going to plan, w/ no detours or distractions...Everything Is Perfect.

see, kyle...likes to plan. kyle likes order. kyle does not like chaos.

he does not like to deal with messy, complex human emotions, fussy things, upsetting things, dramatic things, any kind of touchy feelings. its inefficient, makes you vulnerable, its embarrassing, its impractical. most of all...its unpleasant/upsetting. kyle doesn’t do unpleasant and upsetting...kyle Is unpleasant and upsetting.

and after stan died...kyle wept inconsolably. he cried rivers, lakes and oceans, day in and day out, only to realize that all the puffy eyed, red cheeked, blubbering and snot...were for naught, because kyle could cry until he died of dehydration, sob until his chest was swollen, scream until his throat was raw & bloody; it didn't matter.

because it wouldn't bring stan back.

...that no matter what he did, how hard he begged, bartered or pleaded...at the end of the day, his sweet, precious stanley marsh was still Dead and kyle was still the same sad little boy he always was, drowning in his sorrows & his dead super best friend's jacket, weak and whimpering, eyes warbling. a waste. a weakling. a worm.

so one day...he just...Stopped.

he just stopped feeling things.

completely.

as a coping mechanism ( aka not-coping ) he just decided to compartmentalize all those uncomfortable, intense feelings, anything that wasn't useful to him and ignored them all together. pretended like they didn't exist. will not humor them. which makes sense bc in addition to not crying, kyle also doesn't laugh.

this, i think, is interesting because, to keep himself 'safe' and in working order at all times, kyle doesn't think about unpleasant things, he also is outwardly abhorrent to prevent things from getting to close to him, anything he could get attached to or might get sentimental about because he doesn't like to be vulnerable at all.

conversely, stan feels things extremely deeply and all the time. so he is constantly in distress and disarray because at all times, he is aware of how Sad he is and can't compartmentalize things like kyle can.

( can we see why it might be super easy for ravenstan to tell someone he loves them and why it would be really hard for jerseykyle? fML )

but back to kyle who count on both hands...maybe one hand...the amount of times he's cried.

he cried the morning after the sadie hawkins dance in sixth grade when all the news crews and ambulances and firetrucks were at stans old house, watching them put shelley in a body bag, and telling him like, in stans jacket, that they couldn't find him and that the flames were so hot that he probably got incinerated in the blaze.

he cried when he found out raven was stan. it was...a lot.

he also cried...

...when they broke up during the ravesey divorce. </3

like it was....Oooooof. it was so sad and fucked up. like when i tell you jersey kyle, like scary ass jerseykyle, who never bends to Anyone, was literally on his hands and knees begging ravenstan to stay I'MMM :(

he was clinging onto the hem of stan's shorts, absolutely devastated, lip quivering, fucking hyperventilating like nononono--stan, don't go! please, Please don't go! please, please, please don't go! :(( don't leave!! don't leave!! waitwaitwait!!! i do! please just--just Wait!!! :(( i do, baby! i Really do! so, so much and -- i! FUCK!!! i can--i can Say it! please just give me one second! i can--NO!!! NONONO sTAN, PLEA

sigh....*narrator vc* He Could Not Say It.

it was sooooo goddamn AWFUL!!! like literally the one thing that kyle fears the most in the world is losing stanley marsh which had already happened once and was now happening AGAIN??? oh my Godddd

his abandonment issues are so gnarly :'(

aStandonment more like

he also held it together while stan was there, however, the second that door closed, kyle wept BROKENLY into stans big shirt, full body shaking, knees to his chest, loud, open mouth sobbing, the knees of his pajama pants drenched, desperately trying to reach stan, to try and explain himself with words that wouldn't come, only to find that stan had blocked him...On Everything.

it was AAAaaAAa ;-;

uUuUuGh!!! plus it's sooooo sad and Scary when jerseykyle cries because it basically triggers a massive, full-blown Panic Attack!! because he's like oh god why am i suddenly feeling every bad thing ive ever repressed? why can't i breathe? why does my Chest Hurt??

:(( jErSey

hell is a PLACE, bitch!

anyways...tldr: yes, kyle did cry when he found out raven was stan. he cried when he lost stan, found stan...and then lost stan again.

fun! :)

-uncle nina, jojo posing at the gates of gay boy angst hell

[sharpth1ng]

How would the trans version of debaser go if Stu was the trans one and Billy was the cis one?

Honestly depends on when he finds out? If he knows from childhood I think he would probably be fine.

He can be kind of defensive of Stu in the right circumstance (think the Casey/Steve cheating reveal) so I think that would come out some. He’s probably still going to be a bit of a dumb cis dude about it sometimes though, but with the way I see trans Stu I don’t think it would bother him that much.

I think that’s the most likely outcome, I’ve HC’d Stu’s parents as rich southerners and I don’t think they would be as supportive of Stu as Nancy is of trans Billy. But also I don’t think trans Stu would need as much physical transition as Billy does. I see him as a possibly not getting top surgery, low dose T kind of guy who gets lucky being naturally tall.

All of this is to say Stu probably didn’t pass or get gendered properly much as a kid so Billy might have actually been one of the first people he told & one of the first people to gender him properly.

If Billy doesn’t find out until later though it’s probably not great at first? Billy fucking sucks as a teenager, between the misogyny and his response to his own queerness I think he would probably say some really dumb, ignorant shit (remember the bisexuality doesn’t exist comment). Billy is so scared of being found out for his queerness it would be a reflex to police it in other people.

But also I think he’s in love with Stu and has been for a long time, even if he won’t admit that to himself. He would get past his own weirdness, and he would be fine. Beyond the coming out moment I don’t think this would change their dynamic all that much.

This is the only other difference:

[tarraxahum]

Oh I thought interacting with your first ever hyperfixation was bad.

Apparently bumping into your longest one that came with an active and extensive fandom experience attached is even worse. 'Cause not only do you miss these characters terribly, you also miss being around so many people all the time, online or offline. Being known. Somewhat appreciated (sue me for liking it when my ideas and creations elicit a wide reaction and/or have an impact). That ish even got me a job and I felt like the most special motherfucker in the world who had her life figured out (and for a hot second there I think I was).

Now I'm post-severe-burnout, broke, my favorite characters are mostly dead, my 'generation' of said fandom all moved on (me included, usually) and if I ever draw anything again I wouldn't know where to post it 'cause I purged all my socials. The only thing I managed to keep intact is a few friendships, which, THANK FUCK (thank fuck they didn't give up on my ass either). The rest of the connections? Blew it, burnt it.

It's like. They're just characters. But they're also a big and better chunk of my life when I last felt I was someone. Does that make any sense.

[monsoon-of-art]

You’re a super super super cool artist and writer that I admire very much!! I seriously love your art sm and you’re an awesome writer on top of it! It’s so cool! You’re definitely one of my top favorite artists :D

<333333

.

[thisbluespirit]

Top 5 ( or 10) period dramas

Thank you! Also so tough! Classic Lit adaptations, general period drama, which period, films, tv series.... /flails about.

OK, so for the purposes of this ask, I'm going for 20th C Brit TV period drama series, so with the caveat that you need to be prepared for the style, pace and other hazards of 1960s-70s TV, I think these five are still unbeatable:

Upstairs Downstairs (ITV 1970s)

Upstairs Downstairs is a brilliant, compelling original drama about one upper class London house and its family and servants, and often a surprisingly hard-hitting examination of the class system, made in an era when they could still make use of living memory to recreate the Edwardian era. (Despite my gif, it is a colour production - a handful of s1 eps were hit by a strike at Thames TV and had to be made in b&w!)

2. The Forsyte Saga (BBC 1967)

The Forsyte Saga is an epic adaptation of Galsworthy's series of novels (covering the story of one middle class family from the late 19thC to the 1920s). It has a truly amazing cast and was a sensation worldwide back in the 60s - and a true passion project for its producer. It's complex, in depth and full of theatrical nuance and was the last hurrah of the Beeb's classic drama in black and white.

These two are probably the biggest Brit TV period dramas of all time. Purely because of the way TV is watched now, you will never get those audiences again - both were popular enough to get remade in the 21st C, but while both of those series are fine, neither can quite match the originals in terms of depth or cultural impact). Definitely not overrated - and the same is true of this next entry:

3. Elizabeth R (BBC 1970)

Glenda Jackson is awesome as Elizabeth I - what more needs to be said? This is another all-time famous BBC production that's stood the test of time.

4. Poldark (BBC 1975-1977)

Even if this weren't purely 20th C shows, I confess I'd have to plump for this adaptation rather than the more recent every time - while s1 makes a few changes to the novels, it consistently 'gets' the books and what Graham is saying in them in a way the 21st C one seems to be deliberately refusing to engage with (despite a very nice cast!) Plus, give me Angharad Rees and Robin Ellis together, Ralph Bates, Judy Geeson in fabulous outfits, Ross's fighter pilot leather jacket (see above re. getting it - even the costume designer got it), actually, everybody's colourful jackets, excellent treatment of class issues involved, Francis generally, and just that bit more fire and bite somehow. (Er. Literally in the case of S1, lol! Watch the 1970s burn down buildings that shouldn't be burnt!)

5. Enemy at the Door (ITV 1978-1980)

A less obvious choice, but this WWII drama set during the Occupation of the Channel Islands is just so well written, with complexity and compassion, exploring all the issues of the situation, with finely drawn regulars on both sides. I've come back to it so many times, and I know that other people who've taken the time to watch it have loved it, too, so it's not just me. It's not an action-drama, like a lot of WWII things - it's a show about people trapped in a situation where action is often limited - but if you like thoughtful and painful exploration of the greyer areas of humanity, it's sadly unfinished, but it's one of the best.

(And, I know, I know, where's I, Claudius? But it gave me nightmares about Brian Blessed dying, so it's not on my personal list!! ;-p)

[doodlboy]

Every year