#also for real mackenzie can you like

[javierpena-inatacvest]

Chapter 8- Something to Believe In

Summary: Frankie makes good on his promise to pick you up from work.

Word count: 3.7K

Pairing: Frankie Morales x f!reader (reader has a name/nickname, no use of y/n)

Warnings: Having a panic attack (cue Frankie to the rescue), mentions of death and grieving, angst, yearning, could we perhaps be ✨making progress✨?

A/N: Hi friends!! Thanks for bearing with me after no new chapter last week! This one's also on the shorter side, but that's not to say there aren't some BIG things happening 👀 My hope is to have another chapter done by next week, but with holiday business, it may have to be two weeks between chapters again (sorry sorry sorry!!) Thank you as always for your lovely and kind words, ily all so much MWAH

All The Things We Never Said Masterlist

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Frankie, Present 

“I’m done at ten.” 

By the time he gets back home at 6:43, he’s already counting down the hours until you’re finished with your shift. 

Three hours and seventeen minutes, to be exact. 

For as much as Frankie could easily spend the next three hours and seventeen minutes doing nothing but staring at the clock hanging adjacent to the TV in the living room, he knows he’ll drive himself out of his goddamn mind. He needs something to do. 

If he keeps himself busy, he can’t fester on the million and one ways he could manage to fuck this up. 

Frankie forces himself to eat some sort of half-assed dinner, despite his nervous nausea that’s got the best of him. He purposely uses as many dishes and utensils to make a sandwich as humanly possible- if he does, it gives him something to do after. 

He cleans out his entire truck, down to vacuuming every last crumb crunched between the driver’s seat and center console. He debates washing the car himself in the driveway, but if he drives it to the carwash three blocks down the road, it’ll kill more time. 

On his way home, he stops at Auto Zone to get you a new car battery and exchanges it for your old one, dead, under the hood of your car. 

Frankie takes a shower so long, he can feel in real time the water shift from boiling hot, to luke warm, to ice cold. He washes his hair twice. His body, three times. 

He unpacks just about every item of clothing from his suitcase, laying them out on his bed in multiple combinations of pants and shirts, debating whether you'll think he’s a psychopath for showing up in a different outfit only a few hours after dropping you off. Frankie settles on shorts and a t-shirt- nice enough he doesn’t look like a fool, but casual enough for you not to suspect he’s been staring at every article of clothes he owns for the past thirty minutes. 

And somehow, after all of that, he still ends up in the Parrot’s Nest parking lot at 9:23. 

Thirty-seven minutes worth of waiting is a lot more manageable than the better part of three hours. 

Unfortunately, the last thirty-seven minutes he spends sitting in the parking lot are the most agonizing of his whole endeavor. 

He throws the last few innings of the Tampa Bay Rays game on the radio in the background, unable to stand the sound of silence that haunts him when he’s alone with his thoughts. 

Frankie tries not to panic at the fact that it seems like he’s forgotten how to engage in basic human conversation, praying that no one can see the way he’s rehearsing his greeting to you upon your arrival into the passenger seat. 

“Hey, what’s up? No, fuck, that’s stupid.” Frankie mutters to himself, running his palm over his face, “Hey, MacKenzie, how was work? No, ‘cause what if work was fucking awful and I’m just gonna piss her off more. Jesus.” 

He takes a few more long, deep breaths, staring at the roof of his truck while he tries to concoct the perfect set of words to string together. 

“Hey, Kenz. Kenzie? MacKenzie? Does she even fucking go by Kenz anymore? Fuck. Hey, miss me?” He jokes by his lonesome, his fake smile quickly fading at the anticipation of your response, “She obviously didn’t miss you, idiot. You’re lucky you can barley get her to fucking talk to you. Fuck me.” 

His pained groan and scrunched shut face are enough cut off the awareness to his surroundings just long enough to leave him oblivious to the fact you’ve not only exited the Parrot’s Nest, but have made your way across the parking lot and have your hand wrapped around the passenger door, rattling the handle. 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Frankie shouts, nearly jumping out of his own skin at the way you’ve announced yourself by shaking at the locked door. 

So much for rehearsing. 

“F-fuck-” He stammers, taking a moment to catch his breath from your scare, praying he hasn’t managed to shit his pants from how badly you’ve startled him. Once his pulse settles to rate low enough he’s convinced he hasn’t died of a heart attack, he leans over to unlock your door, unable to make eye contact with you as he grimaces his face in embarrassment. 

“S-sorry.” you murmur, sheepishly climbing into the seat next to him, quietly clicking in your seatbelt. 

“Jesus Kenz, you scared the shit outta me.” Frankie gulps, still trying to compose himself. He runs his hand through the curls of his hair, taking one last slow inhale and exhale with his eyes peeled to the floor, hoping the pink drains from his cheeks before he looks over at you. 

“Sorry, I- I didn’t mean to. I thought maybe you fell asleep, or something. You shrug, trying to defend your reasoning. 

“I wouldn’t offer to come pick you up and then fall asleep on you, I’m not that big of an assho-” 

Frankie cuts himself off before he can finish the rest of his thought, feeling the “L” and “E” of “asshole” die off somewhere in the back of his throat, killed by the death glare you give in proclamation of his own self-righteousness.  

He starts the car without another word, pulling out of the parking lot and hoping that his silence begs enough forgiveness. 

The crackling static of the car radio fills the void between you, Andy Freed’s ecstatic voice capturing both of your attentions enough to let the current state of the Tampa Bay Rays game shift your focus. 

“What’s the score?” You ask, nonchalant, eyes wandering anywhere but Frankie’s direction. 

“Oh- uh, I- I think it was 1-3 last time I checked, but it sounds like someone on the Rays just hit a sac fly, so I’m guessing it’s 2-3, now.” 

There’s a moment of silence, Frankie assuming you’ve got it in you to at least make one question’s worth of small talk. You seem just as surprised as him that you don’t let the conversation die there. 

“Did you um- you watched the game when you got home?” 

Your gaze won’t lock with his, but now, it’ll at least travel in his general direction. 

“N-no, I just uh- I just turned it on while I was waiting in the car.” 

“How long were you waiting for?” 

“N-not that long.” He barely gives you enough time to breathe, let alone call him out on his bullshit before he’s changing the subject, “How uh- how was work?” 

“Oh- It was uh- it was fine. Went by really slow. B-because it wasn’t um, it wasn’t that busy.” 

Frankie’s no code breaker, but he hopes the way you’re so quick to give him a reason why your shift had dragged on is a secret way of saying you spent just as long thinking about him as he did about you. 

“Sorry it was so slow.” 

Frankie knows his apology doesn’t do anything for you, but the way he’s picking each word that comes out of his mouth has him feeling like he’s tiptoeing through a minefield, too scared to make any move besides the one that seems the safest. 

“It’s okay, not your fault. That’s honestly part of the reason I took this job- was to give myself something to do, so I don’t spend every last second that my dad is alive dwelling on the fact that pretty soon, he’s not gonna be alive. It’s stupid, but I guess if being preoccupied with serving middle aged couples mozzarella sticks and over-cooked steak tacos for a few hours helps, then so be it.”  

He knows better than anyone that your attempt at humor is your shield, but it’s not hard to see how weathered and worn it’s become, barely hanging on by a thread to protect you from the worst battle you still have yet to face. 

“N-no, it makes sense. Distractions help. I-It’s been hard, having to see him like this. I get it.” 

His last sentence makes your head snap up from the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Frankie hopes that maybe your attentiveness means he’s had a breakthrough, showing enough genuine empathy that you’ll cut him a little slack. 

When he turns enough to see the scowl plastered across your face, he realizes he’s stepped on a bomb, and he’s moments away from explosion. 

“Oh, you ‘get it’, huh?” You scoff, sadistic smile curling in the corner of your cheeks. 

Frankie can see the way your blood is beginning to boil, trying to backtrack as quickly as possible to find any way to save himself. 

“N-no- I mean, shit-  no, Kenz, you know what I mean.” Frankie pleads. 

“No, I don’t know what you mean, Frankie. Please, explain.” 

The way your arms are crossed and head is cocked tells him everything he needs to know. Against his better judgement, Frankie decides not to take cover. He goes headfirst into the warzone. 

“C’mon, Kenz, don’t be like this.” Frankie sighs, preemptively kicking himself that this is the route he’s chosen to take. 

“Like what?” You snap back, sharp and sarcastic. 

“Like it’s not hard for me, too. Like I can’t be sad about it. You’re not the only person who cares about him, MacKenzie. He was the closest thing I had to a dad, too.” 

“But he’s not your dad, is he? And if you were, that’d make you a pretty shitty son, wouldn’t it?” 

It hits him like a cold, hard slap to the face, the way you don’t dare to show him even an ounce of mercy. There’s something about the bitterness in the way you ask it that hurts even more than if you would have just screamed at him, cursed him out, punched and pushed him until he bruised. 

A stark silence falls over the car, tension so thick, it’s like a bag of bricks has been dropped from the sky, drowning him in a useless pile of cement. There’s no use in crying for help. He doesn’t dare to speak, simply out of fear that if he does, this won’t be the worst of what’s yet to come. 

Frankie stays trapped for what feels like hours, each second passing by more painfully slow than the last as you stare out your window, watching the shadows of street lights dance across your body, illuminating you just enough to see the way your chest trembles with short, frantic breaths as you unravel. Your sobs can’t hide behind the silence in the way your tears can in the darkness. 

“Do you know how fucking lonely it is, Frankie? How lonely it is when everyone you’ve ever cared about leaves you? It’s like I’m fucking Midas, but everything I touch, eventually, I lose. A life before cancer, my soccer career, an engagement, a future, my dad, you? You don’t get to tell me how hard it is for you, because you get to let go of what you want on your terms, when it’s convenient for you, don’t you? I’m so sick of losing, Frankie. I’m so sick of it.” 

He watches in real time how something inside you snaps, like a bottle of soda that’s erupted after someone’s violently shaken shaken it, the twist of the cap releasing all the pressure and tension that’s been stored up and compounded upon with each rattle of their wrist. 

Frankie knows he’s not responsible for all of it, but he's the last bump you can take before you have no other choice but to overflow, leaving every ounce of you to seep out, vulnerable and exposed. 

What starts off as softs sobs, quickly shifts to heart wrenching heaves of your chest, every word you’re trying to get out lodged in your throat. He sees how your eyes fill with fear at the way you suddenly can’t catch your breath, body shaking as you shrink into your seat, fingers wrapping around your seatbelt with an iron grip around the worn fabric. 

“Kenz? Kenzie, are you okay?” It only seems fair he’s completely disregarded everything you’d had to say, beginning to panic at your tremoring figure crumpled next to him, speaking in nothing but violent wails you can’t control. 

“I- I- f-fuck, f-f- Frankie, fuck, n- no, no, I-” 

He won’t let you finish your thought- he only lets you stammer out the few words you can manage before he’s pulled off on the nearest neighborhood side street he can find. He blames it on military habit, how quick he is to react in the face of your panic, but he knows damn well it’s nothing but instinct the way he’s all but throwing off his seatbelt so he can reach across the center console and wrap you in his arms. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here. Just try and breathe, okay?” Frankie whispers, squeezing you so tightly in his arms you just might break. 

“I c-can’t, I can’t, fuck, i-it- it, it f-feels like I can’t breathe.” You sob, feeling your tear stains pool in the fabric of his shirt covering, face buried against his chest. 

“I know. I know it’s scary. I promise you’re okay, it’ll pass. Just try and breathe with me, okay?” 

He hopes you don’t notice how shaky his own breaths are, trying his best to stay calm with each long inhale and exhale he takes. The wave of grief that washes over him is different than the one you’re drowning in, the kind that makes his heart break at the type of panic he’s known all too well- he’d give every bone in his body to absorb your pain and make it his, but the best he can do is hold you until it subsides. He’ll hold you all night, if that’s what it takes. 

It’s a few minutes before he can finally feel your heart rate starting to slow, the stiffness of your muscles beginning to ease in his grasp as you come back down to earth with him. Your tears haven’t stopped, but at least your chest starts to rise and fall with his. It’s a baby step, but he’ll take any steps he can get in the right direction. 

“There ya go. Just like that. It’s okay. Worst of it’s over, I promise.” 

With the way one thumb is gently stroking your back and the other is carefully brushing the back of your head, it’s safe to say every inhibition Frankie could have has flown out the window. He hates how there’s a selfish part of him that can’t describe the way it feels to hold you again, even if it’s like this, but that’s a battle of his own he’s not willing to face today. For now, he’ll accept the sweet bliss of his self-indulgence while you’re curled against him. 

“You’re okay, Kenz. I’m here. I promise, you’re okay.” 

Enough time passes that his t-shirt isn’t getting any wetter, finally brave enough to peek your head up from the crook of his neck to wipe your tear stained cheeks with the back of your hand. Frankie’s grip only loosens enough to let you sit up, arms still engulfing your frame, tight enough to make sure you don’t float away on him again. 

“I- I’m s-sorry.” 

It’s so soft as it leaves your lips, if he wasn’t waiting on your every word, Frankie just might have missed it. Little do you know, he’s hanging on your every breath. 

“Hey,” he pauses, your eyes locking with his, softly pouting at the way your panic has made your face red and puffy, carefully swiping his thumb across your cheek to catch the wetness still streaming down the corners of your eyes, “you have nothing to apologize about, okay?” 

He waits in the silence again, letting you softly nod your head in agreement, watching the gears turn in your head as you process everything that’s just happened. You’ve come to enough to notice the way his hand still sits on the small of your back- he’s just as surprised as you when you let him keep it there for another moment before subtly shifting back in your seat. 

Your face scrunches shut, wincing with the last few deep breaths you take, like you're trying to push the rest of it out of your system for good. Frankie runs his hand through his messy hair and down the nape of his neck as he takes you in, still riding his melancholy high of the weight of your body pressed into his. 

“Thank you. For um- just, t-thank you.” You mutter, too sheepish to look him in the eye again now that full blown embarrassment has set in. 

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” 

Frankie nods, trying his best to let you know that he means it- really, truly means it. It’s the way he won’t take his eyes off you that must let you know he understands, watching you shift just enough in your seat for him to notice how your body turns ever so slightly to face him. 

“They’ve uh- fuck, it just comes out of nowhere sometimes. It’s um- it’s happened before, but these past few weeks, it just- it’s been a lot, I guess.”  

“It’s been a while since I’ve had one, but I um- I got ‘em all the time after I came home. Feels like you’re dying. It sucks.” 

It’s not graceful, but it’s genuine. Vulnerable. Honest. Frankie knows it’s the most truth he’s given you in more years than he’d like to admit. It’s not much, but it’s enough to see you scale the top of the wall you’ve built between you and him and kick down one of the bricks that’s holding it together. It’s not much, but it’s one less brick than that wall has had for a very, very long time. 

“What are you talking about? That was so much fun.” 

In the shared moment of soft, sympathetic laughter, it’s that he realizes the softest smile that’s stretched in the corner of your lips. Frankie tries not to stare, but when he sees it, he remembers how much he’s hated living without it. He takes it in for as long as he can, memorizing every crease and crinkle in your face, no matter how subtle. He’ll soak in every second he can. He’s thankful he does, because it’s only a matter of time before it starts to shift, corners of your cheeks shifting as you pick at the skin around your nails. 

“I- um- I’m sorry- a-about what I said earlier.  I- I didn’t mean it.” 

Frankie lets out a huff of confusion, convinced you must be playing a joke on him with your unprompted apology. He’s almost tempted to laugh again, but the way your jaw shifts back and forth, anxiously grinding on your teeth while your eyes stay peeled to the fingers working away at your skin reminds him of every other apology you’ve ever offered. The same look when you accidentally popped the brand new basketball he got for his 13th birthday, the same fidgeting of your fingers when overreacted to the dent you thought he put in your brand new car backing out of your driveway, the same tick of your jaw when you had told him why you hadn’t written him more while he overseas on his last tour of duty. 

You really do mean it. 

“It’s okay. I deserve it.” Frankie admits. As hurtful as it was, he knows you weren’t completely unjustified in what you said. He also knows if you’re offering him an olive branch, he’ll offer you nothing short of a whole olive tree back. 

“No- well, I mean, maybe a little-” your sarcastic self correction makes him laugh again, something long forgotten warming in his heart at the way your hidden grin reappears in the corners of your cheeks, “No- I just- that was shitty of me to say. I’m sorry. It’s- it’s just a lot right now. Not totally fair to take it all out on you.” 

“I know. It’s okay.” Frankie pauses, captivated by the way your eyes flicker up to meet his, still wet and sparkling from the last of your tears, shimmering in the warm glow of the streetlights. He wants to reach out, to grab you, hold you, press you against his chest again and tell you that everything will be okay, but he won’t risk burning the bridge of the progress he’s built. Not yet. The best he can do is keep building, nail by nail, plank by plank. 

“If you um- if you ever need someone to- to talk to, or whatever, I’m always-” 

“I know.” 

There’s a different kind of silence that fills the empty spaces of his truck the last ten minutes of the ride home. It’s no longer heavy, burdened by pain and fear with every breath that enters its void. It’s the quiet kind of reassurance that doesn’t need any words. The kind that says everything it needs to from stolen glances back and forth, accompanied by the warmth of pink cheeks hidden in the black of the night sky. 

The last thing that’s said after he’s pulled into your driveway is a simple “thank you”. It’s only two words, but something about those 8 letters put together seems like enough to fill a book with how much it says. 

The only thing that says more is the way you look over your shoulder when you make it to your porch, so brief that if he wasn’t looking for it, he surely would have missed it. 

Because in that moment you look back at him, he swears there’s a smile straining against the line of your lips that you’re trying desperately to fight. 

Maybe he’s imagining it. Maybe he’s truly lost his mind. Maybe he’s crazy. Whatever he may be, Frankie Morales knows he won’t sleep a wink tonight at the thought that he’s finally the reason for the smile on your face again. 

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@javierpena-inatacvestnotifs

[margareth-lv]

⛓️ When art and life become one ⛓️

I believe fairy tales have a great deal of therapeutic power. And there's nothing quite like a good story.

As I’ve written here a few times before, I first started watching Outlander in 2020 – a challenging year for us all. At that time, we all needed a good story to take our minds off reality. And to move into the catharsis that art offers. You can imagine my excitement when I realised that two actors (who were so obviously in love) playing the characters in the story were born around the same time as the characters they were playing.

James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, born on 1 May. Sam Roland Heughan, born on 30 April. Both Taurus, just like me. Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser, born on 20 October. Caitríona Mary Balfe, born on 4 October. Both Libra.

And, as you might expect, in both the play and real life, she is older than he is. Isn't it wonderful how things just fall into place sometimes? There’s always something to ponder, think about and enjoy.

But it's been a while since we've seen joy in "enjoy." The Taylor Swift concert is the exception that proves the rule, here.

I'm getting tired of the low-level storytelling we've been presented with for a while now. This story is the worst of the worst. It’s a pretty poor selection of C, D, and E cinema.

And it's pretty sad how two people, who literally built their relative public recognisability on being the 'hottest couple on the screen', are now pathetically role-playing their supposed 'real love lives'. And neither of them succeeds. They're also pretty weak actors in their roles of romantic lovers (I'm thinking mainly of Sam here). Let me just say that they're not pathetic only when they're together. *** *** *** When I saw the blurry, embarrassing footage from this weekend's Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic (tagged #ad on Sam's Instagram), my first thought was that it was a spectacle for us, our Tumblr fandom. There's no one else who would be interested in something you have to look for with a magnifying glass, zooming in, spending long minutes stopping frames of film. Then I got reminded about the Wimbledon Tennis Championships back in July 2019 and another poor performances by 'bride' and her 'groom' a month before their 'wedding'.

Do you remember those pictures?

First wife, second wife, Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser and Laoghaire MacKenzie, I mean, Evie Greenwood, a primary teacher.

You know, realism and art all blend together.

We first saw this kind of kissing being reduced to sucking on the partner's upper lip in what we were forced to think was Sam’s ‘real life’, and then we saw the same thing on screen.

And what about Sam's somewhat embarrassing performance in The Couple Next Door? Which other actor in that film has exposed themselves so much (and so pointlessly), in a literal sense?

How many of us thought Sam's performance in the erotic scenes in TCND was not sexy at all, but disgusting?

I did.

Wasn't that display of Sam's rhythmically moving buttocks as distasteful as his other performance a few weeks ago?

Seriously, I would never want my husband/partner/father of my children to behave like this. There's no money worth it. But maybe there is.

Sometimes I feel sorry for them, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I remind myself of how jealous Cait can be.

How on earth do they manage to live like that?

[3 July, 2024]

[tapintorealities]

*Edit to note: my concept of reality and the terms I use to try to explain the vastness of, y'know, Everything, is evolving. I also don't claim to have The Answers; you're the only one who can find those for yourself just as I'm the only one who can find them for myself. I'm here to share my journey through all its fascinating turns as I discover Myself; feel free to follow along but remember we're all on our own journeys. ♥️

I may make a more detailed post about each Reality later for those curious, but I decided that since I have multiple Senses of Self as a Reality Shifter (and overall Freak 😜 /j), I'll give a basic intro.

"The God State": 0

My way of conceptualizing my Core, the I AM, the infinite possibilities that Exist whether I am actively Aware of them or not at any given moment.

It's the state of being Everything, Everyone, Everywhere, Everywhen... And so on and so forth.

It's Source, it's Creation, it's God... I call it Zero.

When I feel more "tapped into" that Energy than anything else, I'll tag posts with #from 0.

"Home Base": 🐿️

I don't like putting too much weight on the terms "Current Reality" / "Desired Reality", because it implies that my "Desired" Realities aren't already mine, here and now. But this is what you might think of as my "Current Reality".

I call it my Home Base, because it's the one I primarily shift from and come back to, and where I record all my experiences with shifting and manifestation. I won't call it my Original Reality, because, to my other Selves, they have their own Original Realities! This is just the one I use to get ideas for shifts and to shift to/from, while retaining memory from each shift (if I choose to).

Age Range: Late 20s

Gender: Nonbinary, he/they pronouns

Orientation: Aegosexual

If I'm speaking primarily as my Home Base Self, I'll tag posts with #from 🐿️.

Reality One: 🌇

My primary "DR". My highest priority in terms of how often I shift there and how long I stay. It's the 1980s in Los Angeles, and I am living a lavish life after a stressful youth. I have a love story playing out with my longtime friend, and I'm going to get a cozy beach house with him in a couple years.

I've chosen to not retain any memory of my Home Base (or any other realities) while in Reality One. All I know is the life I live in that moment. I stay for several months at a time, and shift back in my sleep so I can record details and update this blog and whatnot.

Code Name: Lindsey

Age Range: Mid 30s

Gender: Cis Guy, he/him pronouns

Orientation: Bisexual

Often, I'm "tapped into" this Self even if my 3D "reality" doesn't reflect it. Part of this is the manifestation concept of Living In The End, but part of it is also that 🐿️ is autistic and latches onto characters so hard they assimilate into their very Being.

If I'm posting primarily about (or am "tapped into") this version of Reality/my Self, I'll tag posts as #from Lindsey 🌇.

Reality Two: 🦆

This is almost exactly the same as Reality One, but I am a different Self. Uh, to be exact, I'm Lindsey's partner.

Because why wouldn't you wanna see your own love story from the other side? And because our Souls are very close to 🐿️'s (they're like a combo of both of us), so it makes them real happy to explore all these different worlds where we're safe 'n happy 'n fulfilled 'n all that.

I'm also pretty into the Oddity of the Universe, so I might go on a few alternate reality trips myself. But usually, 🐿️ shifts here and back. Sometimes I'm aware of the shift, sometimes not. I think it's all a bunch of wild fun! 🤠

Code Name: Mackenzie

Age Range: Mid 30s

Gender: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (he/him but any pronouns are fine)

Orientation: Queer

I (Mackenzie) often pop up in Home Base's psyche, too. If I'm talkin' or reblogging, you'll see my code name like #from Mackenzie 🦆. (Code names are so fun. 😁)

Home Base 2: 👻

This "DR" is actually more like an alternate "CR".

I am basically 🐿️ (with a few adjustments), but I'm from a reality where, among other things, my friends and I experiment with "other dimensions". (That is to say, we're scientifically studying reality shifting, though we haven't been using the same lingo as this reality does.)

It's 1989 in New York City, and my friends and I all work together in handling various "paranormal activities".

I volunteered to explore another Reality first, because I have one of the strongest imaginations among my friends, but I guess my imagination was too strong 'cause they've been having trouble getting my consciousness back to my body. 🤪

But I know I'll be home soon. And from there, we can refine our shifting techniques and I can come back here (or go anywhere else) with much more ease than this "first shift" has taken. But really, Home Base 2 is my true Home Base, where I explore worlds from. I just got caught up in this one because it was so much more immersive than I thought it'd be. 😅

Code Name: Grayson

Age Range: Early 30s

Gender: Gender Nonconforming Trans Guy, he/they pronouns

Orientation: Gay

I'll tag any relevant posts with #Home Base 2 👻.

There are other Realities in the works that I want to actively explore someday, especially since 🐿️ is an author and has many original characters they want to experience. But these are my main focuses at this point in the 3D concept of "Time". 😛

DMs/Ask Box: Open 💌

[meeravandaseera]

According to folklore, using an "artificial" mermaid tail is still considered to be part of a true mermaid.

Edited "Sea Weeds" painting by Arthur Prince Spear, public domain, 1927.

If anyone doubts whether they're a "real" mermaid with just a fabric or a silicone tail, (at least I did when I used to swim with one) it actually could be considered to be a true tail of a mermaid if you look at the good ol' folklore!

Take the fin-wives of the Orcadian finfolk from the Orkney Islands. According to Orknejar, some say their tails were part of their body. Anyhow, others related that their fishtails are said to be a garment that only gathered together to form a tail-like end and that covered the entirety of their legs. On land, a fin-maiden's tail skirt would turn into a "beautiful embroidered petticoat".

Of course, remember the selkies who wore their sealskins in the sea and came on land to take them off.

According to the folk-tale "The-maid-of-the-wave", collected by Donald A. Mackenzie in his "Scottish Wonder Tales from Myth and Legend", the Scottish half-grilse (young salmon) mermaid called maid-of-the-wave, maid-of-the-sea or ceasg also had a large, bright salmon skin covering that she discarded ashore and wore only in the sea again. As it's mentioned in the tale, the maidens-of-the-waves also wore sea-blue garments ashore instead of their salmon skins.

The "Penguin Book of Mermaids" shares the lore of the karukayn, a mermaid from the belief of the Gurindji people in the Northern Territory of Australia. Those freshwater-maidens also have fishtails that they can take off and wear again once they go back into the waters.

According to "Water-beings in Shetlandic Folk-Lore, as remembered by Shetlanders in British Columbia" by James Teit, the mar-folk from the Shetland islands also had fish-like coverings for their legs which they discarded in their homes and when they went ashore.

The most common motif is that a mortal steals a waterperson's skin or hat (as found in the Irish merrows) to return back to the water. Without their skin or whatever they need, they cannot go back to the water, obviously. Mar-folk of the Shetland islands could not travel the seas without their fish-like covering, too. The aforementioned water-wife motif is even present in Australia, far away from Europe. In the legend related in the Penguin Book of Mermaids, a karukayn is taken by a man to be his wife as she had her tail smoked off. Like almost all folk-tales of the selkies etc, the karukayn returned back to the water later on.

Bloop, that shell-tacular lore is shrimply as vast as our oceans...

This only included some of the waterpeople who were capable of removing their tails. Obviously, there happen to be more in the sea.

I had originally published this on reddit via r/mermaid: https://www.reddit.com/r/mermaid/comments/1emp4ay/according_to_folklore_using_an_artificial_mermaid/

[landorris4]

── ☆ airplane memories

☆ Lando Norris loves creating memories with his girlfriend, Mackenzie Prescott.

warnings: none

words count: 1.1k

Lando's POV

── Mackenzie, you are the worst human being who has ever set foot on planet Earth! ── I accuse the girl.

── Lando, love, I literally had nothing to do! ── She tries to explain herself, making me even angrier.

── Didn't you?! Didn't you have another piece to move, Mackenzie Prescott?! Spare me!

── Lando is just a game.

── A GAME? ── My voice crackles as I speak in a louder tone ── If you betray me like that in the game, imagine what it's like in real life!

── I just ate your little piece at ludo, Lando. It's not the end of the world! ── she exclaims indignantly.

Well, it was true that it wasn't the end of the world. But clearly it had affected my whole game and I would have to grind three times harder to beat her at this point in the championship. We were tied in the best-of-three, so losing wasn't an option.

── What's yours is kept, Prescott. ── I threatened.

My girlfriend just laughed, she was used to my competitive side and also knew that as much as I had made all this scandal and threat, I wouldn't do anything worse to fight back, just eat her piece back so that we would be even.

We usually carry some games in our carry-on bag when we travel together, it helps to pass the time, it's fun and we create good memories together, so it's our favorite pastime. The jet crew didn't even care about it anymore, they were used to sudden shouting and absurd accusations of theft during the game. Of course, when we're on commercial planes we're a little less... intense, but never less competitive.

While my teammate, Oscar, would watch a movie with his girlfriend on the other side of the jet, Kenzie and I would fight over a +4 card or fight over a property card in the monopoly bid. That's how we work and we're doing very well being different from the "normal" couples in love.

── You're despicable, Lando Norris. ── Mack utters the words angrily when I win the game ── I don't want to play anymore.

── But of course you don't want to, you lost better than 3 to me! ── I scoffed. The girl looked at me with her eyes closed and a sketch of a smile wanting to appear.

── I'm serious, I'm tired, Lano. Can we go lie down for a while? ── She softens her voice and looks at me with her bright eyes. Those eyes that, fortunately, I have the privilege of seeing light up almost every day by some action of mine or her excitement about something. Those eyes I'd do anything to keep them alive, colorful, and bright. Which I fell in love with months ago. The eyes that made me sure she was the woman of my life.

── Babe, the day I deny you an opportunity to hug, caress and kiss you for hours, you can admit me to a psychiatric clinic because I've gone crazy.

The girl smiles at my speech and gives me a brief kiss, grabbing my hand and then separating her mouth from mine to take me to the back of the jet, where there was a bigger sofa that served as a bed. The iPad on which we played the ludo remained in my hand until I found a place to leave it, at the head of the sofa bed.

── You can use your phone or watch a movie if you want, I just want to be quiet for a while because I have a headache ── the girl says as she enters the room. It had a partition so that those who were here could rest without the others who are in the armchairs disturbing them to relax. I stopped her in the middle of the room and held her face with my two hands, the girl raised her slightly confused eyes to me, I gave her a simple kiss before speaking.

── My love, I want to be with you completely. But do you know what that headache is? Didn't eat anything this morning! ── I caressed her right cheek. ── I'll order you a fruit salad, okay? I know you don't eat anything heavy on trips.

── Thank you, Lano. For taking care of me.

── Don't thank me for that. I'm the one who thanks you for letting me take care of you. I love you so much, beautiful. Very much so ── I declare, tilting my head and looking at her in the most loving way possible, as she described herself.

── I love you, Lano ── she whispers quietly, knowing that the only person who needs to hear that statement is me. The girl smiles during the kiss that follows and hugs me before guiding us to the upholstery.

Me and Mackenzie have been dating for 7 months and it has been the best months of my life in particular. I had a smart, charismatic, kind and lovely girlfriend as I pursued my dream of being a Formula 1 driver. Right now there's nothing that would make me happier than having this combo.

Watching her lie on my chest with her eyes closed and sighing every 3 minutes (she doesn't realize she does that) only made me love her more. I didn't think it was possible to love someone as much as I loved her, but every day she proved to me that yes, it was possible to love so much, because my love for her grew more every day, with every action of her.

My love grew when she woke up next to me, grew when she smiled at me, grew when her eyes sparkled after catching me watching her with devotion. My love grew when she kissed me before every race, when at the end she kissed my helmet, when every day of qualifying she reminded me to kiss the lightning pendant she wore around her neck on a gold cord, because she said it made me lucky. My love grew with each smile, each time the little hole below her right eye appeared when she smiled, almost like an extra dimple, it grew when she offered to spend the night taking care of Mila, not because she wanted to give my brother and sister-in-law a break, but because she loves children. My love grew with his every action and I don't think it will ever stop.

When I fell in love with her I feared it would be something temporary, it was summer and soon we would have to separate to return to real life, however, I didn't expect her to live in the same environment as me. Getting into a relationship with the Australian woman was the best thing that happened to me.

[brian-in-finance]

Inside A Hundredweight of Stones • Part 3

🧵Outlander Starz: You may have noticed in this episode that Claire has a new medical box. This was actually the first time the Set Decoration team, led by Stuart Bryce, created one from scratch versus sourcing one.

Bryce designed the shape then the team went to work on the mechanics. Outlander's talented team of prop makers put on the finishing touches with brass inlays, mother-of-pearl inlays, and marquetry. Said Bryce, "It was a huge amount of work... but I was delighted with the finished product."

🧵 Outlander Starz: Now let's time travel to the 1980s kitchen fight scene!

Making a soft prop of the pan to look realistically heavy was one of the most challenging props made for Season 7, Part 2. It needed to have the heft and look of an old iron pan, but also be suitably "soft", so as not to crack Chris Fulton's head open. If only the writers had been as soft on my emotions this episode...

I really like that scene-it's got a lot of action which I do like doing. It was one we really had to choreograph. My brain is a bit like Brianna's. I think in the book it says Brianna's brain is like a spider's web and when the web comes together she feels elated. That's how some of those scenes feel. They're so bitty and difficult. They look so simple on paper but when you do them, they're messy. So when it all comes together and everyone is pleased, it's a great feeling.

And Chris is always very in the scene with you. It really feels like it's happening. He's a very generous actor. — SOPHIE SKELTON, BRIANNA MACKENZIE

Sophie had obviously done so much thinking and work before we got on set and came with this incredible performance. It was about finding the dance between the two of them. Sophie and I worked hard on making it feel in the moment.

Brianna's having to deal with what's in front of her but she's not giving up. Like Jamie, she can keep her head in a tough situation. — LISA CLARKE, DIRECTOR

🧵 Outlander_Starz: When life gives you lemons, in TV, you work them into the script.

When Sophie Skelton broke her finger in real life, the injury had to be reflected on screen so that she could wear a brace and heal properly. So the writers introduced a short scene in this episode where a frustrated Bree slams her fingers in the broken kitchen drawer.

🧵Outlander_Starz: That's all for this week, but don't miss even more behind-the-scenes scoop direct from our cast and creative team over on YouTube.

📹 YouTube

Inside A Hundredweight of Stones • Part 3 of 3

Threads 🧵

Remember Claire’s new medicine box? 💊⚕️💉

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Hate and love that whenever I see a new pathetic image of Ben Affleck I'm like "hope mackenzie saw this and added it to their repertoire"

You are your own person but unfortunately sometimes you are also just the most pathetic images of ben affleck. It's a penance for being so cool sometimes the only thing that can effectively represent you is that sad man

I don't think that part is unfortunate! I've spent years using pictures of ol' Ben having a bad and stupid time to portray myself online, it's only natural that you'd come to associate him with me. the real tragedy is that his comically over the top suffering never stops being a reasonable portrayal of my experience on tumblr dot edu.

[youkaiyume]

Someone pointed out the kid and Mackenzie both have bent ears

lol I'm sorry I'm making a bit of fun. (relax, I drew bluekenzie art, of course I'm on his side) Yes, while that is a point in Mackenzie's favor, I don't think it's very concrete in saying that's definitely Mackenzie's kid, because let's not forget all of puppy's features including the bent ear, are found in Bluey's family.

Stripe has a bent ear. All of puppy's colors including the "lavender" color everyone is so keen to call Jean Luc's color I personally don't buy because that is Bluey's shade of dark spots and can also be found in Stripe and Nana/Bluey's patrenal side of the family. All of Puppy's color shades favor the blue heelers.

Do I still think it's Mackenzie's--well optimistically yes. Not just cuz puppy does look like it can be a fluffy border heeler mix, but narratively as well as character wise I think Bluey and Mackenzie are better and more realistically suited (and suspiciously they played Barky Boats right after airing Surprise! But I can take that with a grain of salt)

But for real for real, I think Puppy's features are way too ambiguous and generically blue heeler to draw any actual conclusions unless we get confirmation from the creators themselves--which I highly doubt we'll ever get anthing. And that's fine, cuz you can have your own headcanons about it however you want and that's great.

[fluideli123]

Watching the Paw Patrol movies is actually a really interesting phenomenon between looking at cute puppies experience found family and seeing dog camps and eugenics just casually thrown into the plot so well that you have to spot and point while your jaw drops.

Like, what do you mean Chase was abandoned by his original owners in Adventure City? Shows Megalophobia and even Agoraphobia because of it? What do you mean this CHILD was nearly ran over? Near death? Like did we truly just brush past that?

And not to mention Skye? Girl was born different from everyone else and faced dog ableism for being "small and weak." She faced worth issues because of how she was born and so it caused her to believe she needed to "fix" or "enhance" herself in order to be worth a damn? Also she ALSO nearly died in a blizzard?

I need more movies, because what the fuck happened to the rest of the pups? Like jesus christ how can the lore get even darker????

Also I can and WILL analyze Ryder for HOURS! That boy obviously went through some shit to always be pulling his lil dog children away from danger and thinking completely side lining them in okay without a proper discussion. Like! Sure! I get you, but, sir you could do so much better what held you back??? What happened in your life that you would know how to get your hands on high tech and merchandise like it's your passion?

Also, my live reactions to the movie so ya'll understand how far the illness goes:

[IMAGE ID: The following images are messages between myself (A), dakota (D), and pyro (P). I start the conversation:

A: ...I'm sorry dog camps? Chase can you stop being relatable

D: Dog camps?

A: Humdinger literally is rounding up all the dogs in the ity and putting them into a "reformed" obedience school and it's- it's giving dog camps

D: Oh. /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: PLEASE! Okay but humdinger is the embodiment of capitalism and ecological terrorist

P: oh he is /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: GIGGLES! Also I think Ryder is a blunt guy but his intentions aren't ever mean. He also is so one to explain after an event is over [why] he chose a decision but it's not what the pups agree with because they're impatient and because Ryder has a flaw in it

P: Amen

A: Headcanon that Ryder grew up in a strict household so his pup parenting is affected. Not that it excuses it but it just explains his tone and such

P: Truth

A: I am so invested in Paw Patrol lore I regret nothing /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Me when- me when Chase is believed in, told he is brave and deadass jumps an entire broken off building just to get to his dad Ryder

P sends a crying cat emoji

A: I am so not okay, something about the second movie makes me think [Ryder] learned from Chase about "we do it together" and "giving second changes and not putting people on the side lines easily"

P sends mant crying cat emojis along with: The silly dog movie made me feel so much /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: P: Rocky I love you so much oh my GOD. Diagnosing him with the 'tism

A: Please do PLEASE! Chase is giving MacKenzie from Bluey about abandonment

D: God why do you inflict this damage upon us-

A: Because it's the truth and I only speak the truth /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Something about the scene with Rocky and Chase sleeping and her shaking her head [and in the second movie wanting to] constantly prove her abilities gives me Trans Vibes I don't know /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: I agree!! Plus, it fits into the eugenic themes in the second movie and [Skye's] story. Still hung up on doggy camps gotta be honest. That shit was a weird click in my brain

D: Well, camps do have a certain history for the world so, makes sense

A: Yeah, no I agree, which is why I keep thinking about it. Like collecting mass groups of beings you despise and think are lowly into a confined and horrible area to be dealt with?? Yeah, man, I don't know

P: That sure was something

A: For real, like, I don't know, it's definitely Chase lore and if we're gonna connect that to something than that's a can to spill /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Mhm mhm!! Also something about Rumble knowing science is my favorite thing ever. Boom!Knuckles and Movie!Rumble need an entire series dedicated to them being them(tm) /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A series of images on the same topic read:

A: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! I also believe Zuma gives biracial vibes, don't ask me why

P: YOURE RIGHT! Zuma keeps being forgotten i think that should be fixed

A sends a gif of Zuma dancing while stating: I agree I could never forget that sweet pea. I headcanon him as afro-latino Asian, the pup gods told me so

P: I'm the pup gods

A sends a gif of Marshall filling a kiddie pool with Chase, Skye, Rumble and Zuma, stating: WHEEZE! Chase gets to be white passing Latino. Skye gives Cajuns decent. Marshall is the only white boy. Rumble is only half white and I don't know what the other half is

D: Filipino, why? Because you couldn't decided and I'm a whore for Filipino representation

A: YES! I AGREE WITH THIS! Chase is Latino, Skye is Cajun, Zuma is Asian Afro-Latino, Rumble is White and Filipino, Marshall is White! "Why are you giving dogs race and ancestory" BECAUSE I CAN AND I WILL

D: Because it feels right /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Something Something Liberty trying to define herself by others around her and not herself. ALSO! "Amplify things about us" and it's about Skye flying and being strong, something something, she was always strong and deserving of her title and position she was just the only one who thought she had to be more /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: Two images on the same topic that state:

A: Also Liberty always enhancing or being a double example of the main lesson and theme and even plot is something that is important to me

P: Liberty is very important to me. She's also the oldest trust, I'm the dog nerd

A: In the first [movie Liberty] wanted to join something she admired and wanted to serve something bigger than herself which enhanced Chase's story about worth, that fear is something to overcome and not stop you, to get back up again and fight for what you want.

A: Also Liberty pushing Lil kids to get their potential reflecting and enhancing the theme of how much Skye pushes herself because she has something she wants and always thinks she has to prove it by pushing and doing things on her own [when she] shouldn't have to /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Also to add into the eugenics themes, Skye believing she has to be "enhanced" (made better) to have her full worth and power to display just because she was born differently than everyone else

D sends a deeply concerned emoji

A: Chase's story being about bravery and Skye's about Bodily Worth /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: P: Ryder actually makes me so mad. I'm sorry I try hard to love him but he makes me SO MAD

A: Ryder when he took Chase to when he nearly got ran over, Ryder not letting Chase or Liberty or Skye join when they're having a hard time, always putting even pups he doesn't know very well first about their will being by ending a program and it makes me think so AGGRESSIVELY that he's afraid of losing them and so he keeps thinking leaving them in safe places is what is best when it's NOT

A: NO SAME! Ryder "to ensure everyone's safety I have to leave people behind" Papa. I need to analyze him so bad. What happened to you to make you like this bro

P: I see where he's coming from but oh my god he makes me so mad /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: No, I agree, in the next movie I need [Ryder] to learn, man. [Skye is taking all [the crystals] SKYE DON'T! Don't over compensate for something you don't even need to :(((. The eugenics hit her hard. Also they're so found family coded, Ryder saw all these kids and adopted them and helped them find themselves and their purpose and supports them so heavily and I need to bash my head in about how much they mean to me /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Skye's movie is also about how accessibility and community is important but putting her worth in your "incapabilities" because you were born different. Also ableism [from Victoria saying] "need me to slow down Lil pup" /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Also Victoria's parallel to Skye using her "madness" aka mental instability and personality disorder and Skye's physical disabilities. I am right give me my Paw Patrol award /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: Token girl [Skye] becomes an actual fucking character I adore and love and need more of

P: Token girl proves she's not just a diversity hire

A: With her own movie too! Oh, this scene, this scene makes me GO INSANE. Ryder "I need you safe my daughter please come back to me." No pups too small go girl go! Skye against ableism- Ryder thinking he lost his daughter and her brothers thinking the same thing! Trans girl power! "How can a puppy be trans" Because I said so!

P: And you are right!

A: Doesn't she have trans vibes?! Like I cannot explain it [she is] Trans because she was Born That Way(tm)

P: She does! She does! /END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A: "Protect all those who need our help!" Skye against ableism! I love her so much! She's healing! 10/10 movies, man. Also something something the pups cars and armor being symbolism for disability accessibility

D: Okay now make an essay about it right now/j

P: /srs /END ID]

All in all, if there's one thing to take away from this post it's the following screenshots

[IMAGE ID: A: I need to start making Paw Patrol fics now

A: I am about to feed the paw patrol fandom /END ID]

[mermaidsirennikita]

Hi there! I was just curious do you happen to know of any romance novels where the heroine is Scottish instead of the love interest? I’m Scottish and would love to like them but tbh a lot of the Scottish romances written by Americans give me the ick because of the trend of Scottish women being shunted to the side and portrayed as petty jealous bitches in comparison to the usually english or american heroine

Thanks for your help!

Yes, for sure! And I totally get what you're talking about. I'd love to have more Scottish heroines, personally. I don't really get why so many American writers do the "jealous Scottish witch" thing, because like...

A) we have no skin in the game as Americans for the English

B) if anything, a lot of Americans are of Scottish heritage lmao

Sooo I'd immediately recommend A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught if you're open to an old school. This one is kinda famous for its heroine, Jennifer, known as "the Merrick bitch". She's defiant and outspoken and never goes quietly, and I love her. You can definitely see the new ground she broke at the time. Her hero, Royce, is English—it's a medieval Scottish/English conflict book. So so good.

Jennifer Ashley's Mackenzie and McBrides series has a LOT of Scottish heroines, and I adore them. In this case, the heroes are also Scottish (a lot of these have Scottish heroes and heroines—I hope those might work too, so I'm including them for the sake of variety). In particular, I recommend:

The Many Sins of Lord Cameron—Ainsley is a Scottish heroine with a Scottish hero. She's a widow who had a brief encounter with the slutty, slutty widowed father to a teenager Lord Cameron, and now they're sort of brought together due to this zany plot where Queen Victoria is getting blackmailed and Ainsley (a lady in waiting to Victoria) sort of has to cover for her? The lady in waiting to Vicky thing can be a turnoff, but she's not on the page much and is presented in a very ambivalent manner (as opposed to a lot of historicals which present her positivel). She's basically there to give Cameron and Ainsley a reason to orbit around each other. They're HOOOOOT.

The Duke's Perfect Wife—One of my all time favorites. Hart is SCOOOOOOTTTIIIIIIIISH in her terms of his identity, but not in a traditional way? The Mackenzie have their title and are very Englishified on the surface, and Hart is actually planning on running for PM... IN ORDER TO DISMANTLE THE ENGLISH FROM THE INSIDE AND GET A FREE AND INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND. It's insane. But for real, I don't think Hart could deal with ending up with an Englishwoman and it's a part of his character lol. Fortunately, he never got over his very Scottish ex Eleanor, who dumped him and broke off their engagement years ago and is now back in his life as a roving girl reporter (by girl I mean she's def late twenties/early thirties and I love it) because someone is sending her nude photographs taken of Hart lol. This is a fabulous book and I have nooooo notes.

I belieeeeeve Rules for a Proper Governess has a Scottish heroine as well, Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage has an English heroine, and I'm not 100% sure where The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is. Could go either way. Isabella being English is mentioned a lot, so I'm not sure if Beth is as well.

Monica McCarty's medieval Highland Guard series (aka: what if Robert the Bruce had a suicide squad?) has a lot of Scottish heroines! Even the ones who aren't on Robert the Bruce's side lol.

For sure Scottish:

The Chief—Very alpha leader hero, virgin heroine who's coerced by her father into trapping him into marriage, classic "cold man learns how to love" book.

The Ranger—Quiet hero with freakish sixth sense is behind enemy lines and undercover, but the enemy is another Scottish lord who's basically defected to work with the English (and he killed the hero's father). The heroine is that guy's daughter. Dun dun DUN.

The Viper—Sorta/kinda second chance between a dickish bitter hero who doesn't trust anyone and the woman he escorted as a part of the initial rebellion years ago, only for her to end up in the hands of the enemy in a CAGE for years. Now they're back in each other's orbits, and the beef is SO REAL and so is their desire to SMASH REAL HARD.

The Recruit—My favorite Highland Guard, a super slutty rakish one has a one night thing with a widow Robert actually wanted him to marry... But through a sequence of events, he didn't know it was her, he said something stupid, now she doesn't want to marry him, but ooooops about 4-5 months later they run into each other and he finds out she's pregnant and was totally planning on having the baby and hiding it from him, lmao. FORCED MARRIAGE A-GO!

They're all good, but of the ones I've read these are the top picks. Except for The Hawk, which I'd also highly recommend. However, that one has an Irish heroine.

Elisa Braden's Midnight in Scotland series has a couple Scottish heroines!

The Making of a Highlander—This has a Scottish heroine and an English hero. Everyone thinks she's crazy, and tbh she does talk to a ghost child a lot so... fair. But the ghost tells her to marry a lord so that he can be reincarnated as her baby, a lord's son (I'm serious) and she basically decides to use the English guy to My Fair Lady her while she prepares him for the Highland Games. It's so normal.

The Wickedness of a Highlander—The Scottish heroine was the sister of a previous big time villain (you don't have to read the previous book—they're good, but the two in between the above one and this one have English heroines) and she thinks the big, burly hero haaates her. And he kinda does? But he also wants her sO bad (the heroes in this book have a preternatural ability to immediately recognize their women, it's a Fated Mates vibe). She's in need of cash, so he takes her on as his "temporary" maid. But he has no intention of letting her go. It's very charming, very funny, and very OTT. This is one of my favorite Elisa Braden heroines, tbh. She's always like "Perhaps... I should have... dick....?" whenever there's a vague issue going on in her life.

The next book in the series is also clearly being set up, and whenever that happens the heroine is going to be Scottish.

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks is a medieval with a Scottish hero and a Scottish heroine. They're sorta forced to marry to resolve a feud between their clans, but she doesn't speak and he thinks she has an intellectual disability and can't consent, so he assumes it'll be a marriage in name only. However, she's actually deaf and very much WANTS to consent lol. It's actually a very sweet, lovely romance (and I think it should be noted that the author's spouse is/was deaf, and she took his deafness into account when writing.

[allwaswell16]

One Direction friends to lovers fics where one of the characters is having a sexuality crisis as requested in this ask. You can find all my other fic recs here. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! Happy reading!

—Harry/Louis—

⊹ Learning to Breathe by youcomecrash / @drunkharrystyles-blog

(E, 110k, uni au) He’s playing football at one of the top universities in England and he should love everything about his life right now, but instead he’s moving backwards. 

⊹ Heading for Limbo by @kingsofeverything

(E, 100k, famous/not famous) When Harry discovers some life-changing things about himself, Louis is there for him, however he needs. But it’s all temporary because Louis has plans that will move his life from New York all the way to L.A. and the distance isn’t the only thing between them.

⊹ Follow Your Arrow by Anonymous

(E, 78k, high school) It's senior year and everything is about to change.

⊹Passing By by Larry_you_know / @larryyouknow

(E, 48k, vacation) the one where Harry doesn't even know he's into guys until he meets Louis on a boat trip. There's something more to their friendship but it ain't gonna be smooth sailing.

That's What I'm Here For by @taggiecb

(E, 46k, farm au) Louis needs help running his business but has no idea where to even start looking.

⊹ And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train / @runaway-train-works

(E, 35k, roommates) The one where Harry and Louis agree to be each other's New Year's kiss and it ends up being a lot more than they bargained for.

⊹ Follow Your Heart by dimpled_halo / @comebackassholes

(E, 32k, fake relationship) “We think it would be best to market you guys as a couple,” Simon tells them. The tone in his voice makes Louis think there’s no wiggle room to even try to argue about it.

⊹ others i've seen might never be mean (but they would never do) by @cherrylouvol6

(M, 20k, girl direction) a When Harry Met Sally AU in which Louis says all the wrong things and Harry always feels one step behind.

⊹ Supposed to Be by kikikryslee / @flamboyantommo

(M, 26k, high school au) the Geek Charming AU where Harry's a film geek, Louis' a popular jock, and they both need each other to get what they want.

⊹ Blush by orphan_account

(M, 15k, girl direction) the Christmas FxF Larry fic in which Louis is 99.5% sure she's straight and Harry likes to walk around shirtless and watch lesbian films

⊹ Waiting for Wonderful by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(M, 13k, pining) Harry is willing to wait as long as he needs to for his best friend to realise that they're supposed to be together, but it kills him to watch Louis struggle in his relationship with Mackenzie.

⊹ Nobody compares to you by fallenflowercrowns / @headband-husbands

(T, 10k, tumblr au) the one where Harry falls in love twice, Louis is just incredibly sweet and supportive, and Al from tumblr is super nice but also really secretive about his identity - not that Harry can blame him, considering his own blog is run under false pretences, too.

⊹ Elle Me Dit by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(M, 3k, girl direction) On the night of her bachelorette party she and her best friend/Maid of Honor, Harry, get drunk and wonder what they're missing out on.

—Rare Pairs—

⊹ You Don't Care About Me (One More Night) by @lululawrence

(NR, 60k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the one where Louis pines for Harry and Nick helps ease his way into figuring himself out through a friends with benefits sort of arrangement. Things quickly turn complicated.

⊹ we're still the kings of the Friday nights by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(T, 22k, Zayn/Louis) Zayn’s been everything, for so long now. His moral compass, his partner in crime, his ride or die. And as of tonight, the first boy Louis has ever kissed.

⊹ The Stories They're Not In by abrighteryellow / @a-brighter-yellow

(E, 10k, Niall/Shawn Mendes) An AU inspired by Niall Horan's "San Francisco," the movie Rocketman, and Elton John and Bernie Taupin's real-life relationship (except more gay).

[milocholy]

I honestly wish there was going to be more than five episodes of wintermute for the long dark. It still feels like we're at the beginning of the story.

SPOILERS FOR WINTERMUTE

-

For the first three episodes you have an average of two characters to interact with. You get three in episode one, two in episode two (along with your possible brief interaction with the forest talker). One of episode twos characters is from episode one so you only get to properly talk with one character the whole time. In episode three you're technically around more people, but you only have real conversations with two of them. Finally in episode four you get five new characters, three of whom are criminals that teeter between multi/dimensional and evil bad guys who do crime because fun.

The most variety we get of people is in episode four. I don't think this would be a problem if we got some more time with all the characters. I know wintermute is meant to serve as a kind of tutorial for survival mode, but I think it's narrative should be a bit more important considering no super new survival mechanics are introduced. At least in episode three you have to learn about timberwolves and experiment with some different weapons.

It feels like everything's going to be crammed into the last episode. We get hints of a narrative in the first two, but we don't get a whole lot of elaboration in the third and fourth. The only character you meet that seems to have any idea what's going on is completely absent from anything beyond episode two. Methuselah doesn't show up at all for Astrid, which I can think up some kind of explanation for. But he's nowhere to be seen in four when we're back with Mackenzie again.

There's also the player choices featured in the first two episodes. One is easily missable if you're just trying to follow the main plot. The other is commented on by another character as if it was one of many tests of your morals. They didn't have to include player choice in the narrative, but I feel like it opens up a lot of missed opportunities for how the survivors may be changing in this new kind of world.

I hope this long post doesn't sound like I'm complaining to much, but I genuinely care about the story hinterland is trying to tell in wintermute. It nowhere near as popular as survival mode but it's something I (and others I believe) are genuinely interesting. I hope episode five isn't the last that we're going to get of these characters and this story, because I think we'd be missing out on a lot of potential that way.

I love the long darks wintermute but it feels really cobbled together sometimes. I hope at some point in the future we get some edits to previous episodes to help fix some of the issues.

I don't think a whole lot of people are going to read this long post, but please talk with me and others about wintermute because I love to see peoples in depth takes on the story.

[parachutingkitten]

I have no idea why people get so up and arms about the fictional children thing, expectably since how different fandoms act with them. I don’t know if Ninjago has any instances of this but I’m guessing what is troubling you is Ducktales 2017? Who’s characters seem to be 12 which doesn’t seem that outrageous for shipping. Expectably since in comparison Phineas from Phineas and Ferb is about 10 and him and Isabella are very heavily shipped, and yes Isabella has a very obvious canon crush on Phineas so perhaps that’s why?

Examples, SpyxFamily has a paring with two characters, Damian and Anya, who are about 5-6 years old, and seemingly are going to be canon since Damian has a canon crush on her. The fandom loves this ship a ton.

Then for another example there’s Bluey. While there is no canon ships but because fandoms ship there is a few ships. Some with Bluey herself and some of her classmates, primarily Mackenzie and one of her friends Jean Luc. Bluey and her friends are 6-7 years old. And people have complained a lot about these ships. There’s also Bingo who is sometimes shipped with her friend Lila and they are both 4-5 years old. And although people usually say they ship them as teenagers or adults, it seems to have a lot of push back. Though to note it seems that a lot of this pushback for Bingo and Lila may be because they are both girls, some headcannons such as trans Bluey have pushback because “Bluey is too young to even be trans”. So it may also have to factor for ships if it’s queer or not.

Of course those two examples are probably some of the most youngest but the difference between how they are treated due to them being canon or not. If the problem was how old they are then why aren’t they both agreed on or disagreed on if they are good or bad? Sure different fandoms have different vibes which could be why they are so different but it being inconsistent between many fandoms is why we are comparing the closest in this spot.

Ninjago (Main 4 Ninja) character age headcannons can go from anywhere from teenagers to young adults for season 1. And no one has any complaints of them being too young. DreamZzz characters who seem to be in Middle School don’t have any issues with shipping. And Phineas and Isabella who are in Elementary and again they’re not complained about. And Anya and Damian are again not complained about. Theses all have canon ships and they are not complained on. While non canon ships seem to be tossed around often.

Perhaps it’s due to it being non canon, perhaps it’s due the character ages (even if there is canon ships who are the same age), perhaps it due to homophobia (depending on the ship), or perhaps there’s something I’m missing. The point is though it’s definitely confusing and messy.

Another thing that strikes me as weird is like, it's a kids show. A lot of the fans are kids. I was 16 when ducktales 2017 came out. I knew people in the fandom who were younger than me. Like... we were kids. Shipping the kids which you're meant specifically to relate to seems entirely normal. It feels wrong to even try and shame people for that.

Like, I understand that adults pushing romance on kids in real life is weird, you should never be pushy with real life people, especially kids, but like... this isn't real life? It's fiction? Adults have the right to use fiction to explore childhood romance. It's an experience most kids have, every adult was once a kid, so I do not find it strange to use fiction to depict childhood romance. Like, as long as the romance people are depicting is age appropriate stuff, I don't see a problem with it. Ever.

If you're weirded out by fandom shipping kids, I don't know how you don't also get mad at any media which has canon child ships. The creators are shipping children, they just have the power to make it canon. That's the only difference.

[p-redux]

Just a question, a serious one, for you or anyone else here. Sorry, this is a long post.

If you are totally okay with whoever S wants to date and you are just happy for him, then why do you allow people on your blog to trash these women? I know a couple of the women he's supposed to have dated have done some things to and/or said some things about Sam that were bad. But most of them still follow him (if they did before) and most of them have said nothing bad about him. Why not defend them? We don't know for sure which of them he dated casually, more seriously, or at all. It's mostly conjecture. Why are the women always attacked?

If we all do really love Sam and his work AND support whatever type of love life he chooses, then why do we look for every bad trait about the women associated with him? I do think a couple of them maybe wanted him for his money or fame, but all of them didn't do that. Sam is a grown-ass man, and while I do think he is a nice and sweet people pleaser, I don't think he is gullible enough to only go out with women who want to use him or who are trashy. It's terrible for women to attack other women when the only reason they do it is based on conjecture.

I know many here won't agree with me, but when I look at Katie , Abbie, and Mackenzie I don't see fake, plastic , bougie women. There are others we have seen him with who also don't look that way. Why would we assume he's attracted to those types? Just because he looks at or follows women who might fit that type, doesn't mean that's the type of woman he really wants a relationship with. The women I see on IG often just remind me of what has always appeared in men's' magazines, it's just easier now to post your own photos. Much of that is fantasy and men are really visual.

Personally, I just don't believe he has dated every woman associated with him in the last 10 years. I just don't. I also don't believe he has dated someone if we have no actual proof. Being around someone, friends with someone, hanging out with someone, having a meal with someone doesn't always mean dating them. Everyone jumps to conclusions EVERY SINGLE TIME he is rumored to be connected to a woman. I have even read where Sam said there are numerous scenarios about who he has dated or is dating and many of them aren't true.

Sure, it's fun to speculate. But when it moves to attacking these women, that's too far. We don't know Sam or any of these women personally- at least most of us don't. We only know what they may share on SM. I find it appalling the ugly, hateful things I have seen written about Karina Elle and Monika Clarke in the last year or so, for example. Unless someone here has more proof than I have seen - real proof- we don't know IF or how long he actually dated either of them. We don't know if he dated one, but not the other. We don't know if he dated them both at the same time. Only Sam and the women know for sure. Without irrefutable proof, we don't know what happened between them. Someone dropping an anon that he was at a football game with his hands on KE's ass, or that he was spotted in Brooklyn with a tall, beautiful brunette shopping but with NO photos just isn't proof. I'm sorry, but if you can hang around a location long enough to KNOW it's Sam and KNOW the identity of the woman, you can get a photo. I know many say they didn't take a photo because they didn't want to invade their privacy. Well if that's true, then why post about it on a fan blog???? I would guess that any fan who may have seen him with a date and asked for a photo with him- who genuinely likes and respects Sam-- probably knows who he was with and has chosen not to post it anywhere out of respect for Sam and the woman.

I fan over him too. Sometimes I love the speculation too. But these women are real human beings and we need to remember that. And if we love and respect Sam, we need to respect his own choices. He doesn't need my permission to date or care about any woman. But if I respect him, I shouldn't trash a woman he chooses to spend time with.

Anon, you've mistaken me for some other blogs. This is PURV, one of my number one rules for my blog is that I don't allow any hate toward Sam or Cait OR Tony OR any woman Sam dates. I delete hate comments other people may have left on my posts, and I warn the person that if they do it again, I'll block them. Sometimes, people will reblog a post and leave a hate comment, but there's nothing I can do there because I can't delete a reblog. But the person will automatically get blocked.

So, please pay better attention or realize you're mistaking me for other blogs, I don't tolerate hate for the women Sam dates at all. If anything, out of respect for him. If he picks a woman to date, then he must find qualities in her he likes, and that's good enough for me. Whatever and whoever makes him happy, I'm happy for him. Simple as that.

As for your specific comment about not knowing whether Karina or Monika dated Sam. Um, the sighting at the football game was not an Anon. It was an identifiable real person who was at the game and saw them together and their interactions. A source I directly talked to. She has no horse in this race, no reason to lie. I got the info from her directly and I know her full identity. So, there is NO doubt her sighting was real. As for Monika, there are PICS of Sam and Monika KISSING at a restaurant in New York. And I also DMed with the photographer who TOOK the pics. He confirmed neither Sam or Monika's people called him. He's a photographer active in New York and gets around a lot. The pics are real and the kiss was real.

So, while you're right that there are some women associated with Sam where it's only speculation with no proof...the two you mentioned there IS proof. And plenty of others as well. Simply search my blog or do a Google Search. There's more proof for Karina and Monika than the two instances I mentioned. And he didn't date them at the same time.

And to reiterate: I, Purv, DO NOT allow any hate on my blog toward ANY woman Sam dates. And certainly no hate for Cait's husband, Tony. Apparently that wasn't clear to you. I hope it is now. Sorry to be pissy, but it's annoying seeing this first thing in the morning, when I've literally made it my blog's work to NOT hate on any of Sam or Cait's significant others. I'm one of the few blogs who sets this boundary.

Have a nice day, Anon, but please, if you're going to take the time to write such a long Ask, do your research first before accusing someone of something FALSE. Thank you.

Happy Monday, everyone! 🙄🙃

[imogenkol]

— OCS AS HISTORICAL ROMANCE HERO ARCHETYPES

tagged by @corvosattano @jackiesarch @inafieldofdaisies to do this uquiz and I found it way too entertaining to do it for my she/her fuckbois (+ a token Boy boy) thank you lovelies 💕💕💕

tagging: @jillvalentinesday @marivenah @kyber-infinitygems @chuckhansen @adelaidedrubman @voidika @queennymeria @shegetsburned @risingsh0t @shellibisshe @indorilnerevarine @socially-awkward-skeleton @florbelles @aceghosts @simonxriley @v0idbuggy @unholymilf @roofgeese @shallow-gravy

GENTLEMAN IN THE STREETS, FREAK IN THE SHEETS

He's a GENTLEMAN. He has STANDARDS. He will not abide by a single WRINKLE in his trousers. But he willlllll fuck you from behind while fish-hooking your mouth and leaving bruises. That's just how he rolls. A coveted type, this gentleman puts on a stern facade and doesn't have a lot of patience for nonsense--but he's also solicitous, polite, and seemingly respectful. Until you give him a bit of lip in the garden. Never go with him to the garden. Or DEFINITELY go with him to the garden, if you want to get defiled. Which, let's be real, you absolutely do. This hero will wipe cum off your tits with the most expensive handkerchief known to man, fold it and place it in his pocket, and be like, "I apologize; I was quite overwhelmed by your charms. Gentleman recs: "The Duke Gets Even" by Joanna Shupe, "The Duke Who Knew Too Much" by Grace Callaway, "Waking Up with the Duke" by Lorraine Heath, "The Earl I Ruined" by Scarlett Peckham, "The Truth About Cads and Dukes" by Elisa Braden

THE SCOT

"Get on your (yer) hands and knees lass" is something you have a 60% chance of reading in a Scottish historical, and honestly? Bless. These heroes are from Scotland, which is in historical romances, "England but with an autumnal vibe" or "England but they do manual labor while also being rich and titled". They're usually (always) FUCKIN' GIGANTIC, a bit rougher around the edges, and more down to earth. Is this all stereotyping? Yes. Are they probably going to deliver a baby animal, go "look at its wee legs" and then fuck you in a stable? Yeah for sure. Scot recs: "When A Scot Ties the Knot" by Tessa Dare, "When A Girl Loves an Earl" by Elisa Braden ("put yer filthy Scot inside ye"), "The Taming a Highlander" by Elisa Braden, the entire Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty, "The Madness of Lord lan Mackenzie" by Jennifer Ashley, "When A Girl Loves an Earl" by Stacy Reid

THE TORTURED HERO

Look--he just doesn't wanna talk about it. The tortured hero has a dark past, which probably involves his childhood, may involve one or both of his parents dying (or a dead wife), and will be withheld from you for at least the first half of the book. He fucks like an absolute demon (usually to make you forget about the questions you asked regarding his scars; it's effective), he may have nightmares where he says what you think is his old lover's name so you steam about it for 20-50 pages and he's like "no, that's my childhood dog, which I had to eat when food became scarce", maybe his dad didn't love him, and he is more likely to be self made than some other heroes. Though he may also be a duke whose actions had consequences. There's a *distinct* possibility that he's mentally unwell, but everyone needs love. Your one big issue is that he... may not think he's worthy of touching you with his filthy hands. Somehow, you must overcome this. Tortured recs: "My Darling Duke" by Stacy Reid, "Dreaming of You" by Lisa Kleypas, "A Lady for a Duke" by Alexis Hall, "Pippa and the Prince of Secrets" by Grace Callaway, "Duke of Midnight" by Elizabeth Hoyt, "The Duke I Tempted" by Scarlett Peckham, "A Rogue by Any Other Name" by Sarah MacLean

THE GOOD GUY

Isn't that great for you? The good guy isn't a NICE guy. He doesn't expect sexual favors because he's nice to you; and he's so charming, he can probably get laid elsewhere. He may have a tragic backstory and a fatal flaw, but that's not going to get him down. He doesn't play at alpha male bullshit, and he may not be a duke, or a lord, or the owner of the world's first department store. But he's a Solid Guy. He will love, honor, and obey, and he will NOT! Do a nonsense. He will, however, eat pussy. He's a good guy. Good guy recs: "Unclaimed" by Courtney Milan, "Scandal in Spring" by Lisa Kleypas, "My Fake Rake" by Eva Leigh, "Unmasked by the Marquess" by Cat Sebastian

[amphibious-thing]

Do you have any advice for historical fiction authors who want to try harder to use historical queer language without confusing the average reader? It's something that has been a challenge for me and I've been finding your posts helpful, but I was wondering if you had specific tips on how an author could write better queer histfic for the modern reader.

It can be difficult because it is a balance. You probably don't want to just dump a whole heap of molly slang on your reader all at once. But you also don't want your characters to feel disconnected from the real history of the period.

In regards to molly slang you do have to remember that it was somewhat unique to the subculture. Only people involved in the subculture would be familiar with a lot of the slang. So if you wanted to include a character that uses molly slang you could aways have a character who is not part of the subculture, or new to it, who would serve as and stand in for the audience. This way the explanation of slang words can be weaved into the story in a more organic way.

Of course 18th century queer language is much more than just molly slang. It's good to know what the words mean but also what kind of people would be using them and in what context. For example legal writings will talk about sodomy and sodomites while a casual conversation might be more likely to talk about mollies.

While you don't want to overwhelm the reader you also don't want to underestimate them. If you pepper in historical terminology most readers will be able to pick up on the meaning form context. I think the Montague Sibling series actually does a pretty good job of this and it's a YA historical fantasy adventure novel. If Mackenzi Lee can trust her teenage target demo to pick up what a molly is from context then you can certainly trust an adult audience to.

It's also important to remember that it doesn't have to be perfect. Historical fiction is first and foremost fiction. The most important thing in my opinion is to create the feeling of a full fleshed out world. And for queer historical fiction that should be a world that includes queer people and thus have at least some queer language. You don't have to fill a novel with molly slang to do this, just give a bit here and there where it makes sense in context. The best advice I can give is to do the research and understand the history. If you understand it you will be better equipped to figure out when it makes sense to use historical language and when it makes sense not to. If you understand the rules you will better understand when to break them.

I think this is one of the reasons I like the Montague Sibling series so much. Mackenzi Lee has studied history and while her books are historical fantasy that strong base of historical knowledge really helps bring the world of the books to life. Also I just like that she actually used the word mollies in her YA book!

[Spoilers for the Montague Sibling series ahead]

Though it's not perfectly historically accurate the following scene form The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue feels very grounded in the period. The conversation is between the protagonist Monty and his little sister Felicity. Felicity largely represents the perspective of the popular rhetoric of the day.

"Honestly, Monty, I've never quite understood who's really got a hold on you." "Do you want to know if I'm a bugger?" She winces at the crass word, but then says, "It seems a fair question, considering I've seen your hands all over Richard Peele and Theodosia Fitzroy." "Oh, dear Theodosia, my girl." I collapse backward into the sofa cushions. "I remain inconsolable over losing her." I do not want to talk about this. Especially with my little sister. I came down here for the sole purpose of getting drunk enough to sleep and avoid venturing anywhere near this subject, but Felicity goes on staring at me like she's waiting for an answer. I take an uncivilized swipe at my mouth with my sleeve, which would have earned me a cuff from Father had we been at home. "Why does it matter who I run around with?" "Well, one is illegal. And a sin. And the other is also a sin, if you aren't married to her." "Are you going to give me the fornication without the intention of procreation is of the devil and a crime lecture? I believe could recite it from memory by now." "Monty—" "Perhaps I am trying to procreate with all these lads and I'm just very misinformed about the whole process. If only Eton hadn't thrown me out." "You're avoiding the question." "What was the question?" "Are you—" "Oh yes, am I a sodomite. Well, I've been with lads, so ... yes." She purses her lips, and I wish I hadn't been so forthright. "If you'd stop, Father might not be so rough on you, you know." "Oh my, thank you for that earth-shattering wisdom. Can't believe I didn't think of that myself." "I'm simply suggesting—" "Don't bother." "—he might ease up." "Well, I haven't much choice." "Really?" She crosses her arms. "You haven't a choice in who you bed?" "No, I mean I haven't much choice in who it is I want to bed." "Of course you do. Sodomy's a vice—same as drinking or gambling." "Not really. I mean, yes, I enjoy it. And I have certainly abstained form abstinence. But I'm also rather attracted to all the men I kiss. And the ladies as well." She laughs, like I've made a joke. I don't. "Sodomy has nothing to do with attraction. It's an act. A sin." "Not for me." "But humans are made to be attracted to the opposite sex. Not the same one. That's now nature operates." "Does that make me unnatural?" When she doesn't reply, I say, "Have you ever fancied anyone?" "No. But I believe I understand the basic principles of it." "I don't think you really can until it's happened to you."

The conversation then goes into Monty feelings for Percy which leads to this exchange:

"What are your expectations, exactly? If Percy did feel the same way about you, what would happen? You can't be together. Not like that—you could be killed for it if you were found out. They've been sentencing mollies by the score since the Clap Raid." "Doesn't matter, does it? Percy's good and natural and probably only fancies women and I am ... not."

While its perhaps a bit of an exaggeration to say that they've "been sentencing mollies by the score since the Clap Raid". It works the word mollies, a word most readers probably aren't familiar with, into the story in such a way that the context makes the meaning pretty clear. While Clap Raid might go over some readers heads they will still get the gist of the meaning behind the conversation and perhaps even inspired some readers to look it up and learn some real history.

This scene also takes advantage of words a modern reader would know like sin, vice and natural. They're talking about queerness in a more-or-less historically accurate way without using too many unfamiliar terms.

The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucy then gives us this fantastic scene that uses an 18th century euphemism:

He licks his lips, then nods. I reach for the buttons on his trousers, but he cries, "Wait! And I freeze, panicked I've done something else to muck this up, but then he says, "Just ... slowly, yes? Maybe not ... a full game of backgammon just yet." And then every inch of him goes red. "Percy Newton." I sit up over top of him and cross my arms. When he looks back at me with his eyes wide and innocent, I parrot, "A full game of backgammon? What erotic leaflet did you pick up that filthy vocabulary from?" "None!" he protests, but his mouth twitches. "Some." "Some?" Impossibly, he goes redder. "Some erotic leaflets." "May I have their titles? For purely academic purposes, I assure you."

Again the context allows for the readers to gather what is being talked about even if they've never heard the euphemism before.

And in The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy they even go to a molly house!

It is our only topic of conversation as the three of us walk to the pub in Shadwell called the Minced Nancy, which from the name alone brands itself a place where mollies like my brother and his beau can be together openly.

Tho I have to point out that while minced is 18th century language the earliest use of Nancy in this sense isn't until the 19th century.