T.V. Show/Anime Pairings {master list}

[ashkiryn]

The various pairings that I ship in TV shows, both live action and animated/cartoons, and anime. OTPs will be in bold.



S U P E R N A T U R A L

Dean/Castiel:

Obviously. Yeah, I sincerely believe that it is impossible to not ship these two. For Christ's sake, Castiel literally sacrifices absolutely everything for Dean. It's because of Dean that Castiel begins to feel and express emotions, so much so that Castiel's superiors get worried about how much of an influence that Dean's having on him, and thus demote him and then forcibly remove him from his vessel and then back into Heaven to punish him. And it turns out that they were right to be worried, because all it takes is for Dean to declare that "we're through" and for him to mean it that makes Castiel so distressed that he full on rebels against Heaven for Dean's sake. Castiel dies twice, loses his Grace, is forced to turn his back on his family and kill them, and everything he does, he does it all for Dean. Not to mention the whole mess with Purgatory in seasons 6 and 7, which all comes about because he tries to stick it all out on his own because he wants Dean to be at peace and feels he can't ask more of him. And as for Dean's side....well, let's face facts: Dean is really, really, really fucked the hell up. And it's not his fault, and I also suspect that it's not his fault that he's too far gone to try to open up to other people about it, but...there it is. But the fact is that no matter how hard he tries, he just can't have a normal relationship anymore. The poor thing needs someone to take care of him for a change, someone who's strong enough to shoulder his burden for a while, or to at least help him bear the weight. And really...Castiel is the only one that can do that. Cas is the only one who's literally seen Dean at his worst (torturing souls in Hell), and who has still always believed in his goodness, that he's worthy of salvation. The other relationships that Dean's tried to have just don't work out because, for one reason or another, they can't handle his lifestyle (not that I'm blaming them for that, but...), or else he just can't find it within himself to let them in. He doesn't have that problem with Cas, because again, Castiel's practically been through everything with him already. And Dean especially seemed to be cut up by Castiel's betrayal in season 6, plus....then there's the matter of Sam, Dean's brother. Fact: Sam is THE most important person in the world to Dean, the axis around which his universe revolves. Therefore, you do not hurt Sam, or Dean will end you. So I figure that Cas has got to be someone special to Dean, because he hurts Sam, and yet Dean still shows signs of still being willing to forgive him for the unforgiveable...not to mention the whole almost-destroying-the-world thing.

Basically, I love Dean Winchester so fucking hard that it hurts, and I just want this poor guy, who's suffered so much, to be happy, and Cas is literally the only chance at romantic happiness that he has, as all the others (Cassie, Jo, Lisa, Anna) do not turn out well. It also really helps that Dean and Castiel have chemistry that practically leak out of every pore, the epic amounts of eye-sex that the two have (seriously, 90% of the time that these two are on-screen together, they're staring soulfully into each other's eyes), the fact that Castiel has no sense of personal space when it comes to Dean (he just loves standing inches away from Dean), how they balance each other out, and how everyone and their dog lampshades it ("Castiel? He has this weakness. He likes you." -Uriel; "I'm sorry, you have me confused with the other angel. You know, the one in the dirty trenchcoat who's in love with you?" -Balthazar; then there's Cas stating to Sam that he and Dean "share a more profound bond", and on and on it goes....), and how Castiel is always referred to as "Dean's angel", how when Castiel's at his lowest point in season 5, he seeks comfort from Dean, but rebuffs Sam's efforts, how Dean carries Cas's trenchcoat with him everywhere in season 7 when he thinks Cas is dead, despite everything...not to mention how it's practically the collective fandom OTP...can I really be blamed for shipping these two?

Sam/Jessica:

I suppose that this is why Supernatural is practially tailored to appeal to me...so much tragedy, so little time. It's actually kind of surprising, how much depth the show's managed to get out of this relationship, considering that Jess is killed off in the very first episode, and most decidedly does not end up coming back from the dead. But yeah. I think Sam's life could have gone so much better, if he'd been allowed to keep her in it. There's just so much what could have been in this relationship, and the show definitely milks it for all it's worth...like how it's revealed that Sam had been planning to ask her to marry him and all, and how it's clear that even though Sam's practically lived through several lifetimes, he still loves her, and that a part of him will always love her. It's just....this was the healthiest relationship that Sam's ever had on the show (though I guess that's what you get when your other two biggest love interests are a werewolf and a demon (who, as it happens, is mostly interested in using you to unwittingly bust out Lucifer)), and it's pretty much been made really, really clear that what he had with her is something that he's never going to have again. And wow, does that really suck for poor Sam. Anyway, I genuinely liked Jess, and think fondly of how things could have gone....and when it all gets to be too depressing, well...that's what AUs are for, right? ;)

Dean/Lisa:

Jesus Christ, these two....all the freaking tears, man. I loved their relationship so damn much, and Lisa really deserves an Awesome of the Year award, because bless her for trying. Bless her for trying to handle and put up with all of Dean's bullshit and trying to be fair to him, and yet keeping enough self-respect to know when to tell him to shove it up his ass and that he's crossed the line. And while I want there to be ONE FREAKING PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE THAT DOESN'T END UP LEAVING DEAN AND THUS RAMPING UP HIS ABANDONMENT ISSUES, I also can't blame her for finally calling it quits, because she is 100% right. She's right in that Dean needs to let someone in, that he needs someone to confide in, that no matter how much he wants to, he can't keep the supernatural out of his life, and that if he can't let her in on that aspect of his life, then they can't make a relationship work. Lisa completely hits his nail on the head. But unfortunately, Dean can't/won't open up to her, and thus Lisa's right to tell him to let her move on with her life, because he won't let her really help him. In any case, even though their falling out makes me want to scream and rage, becaue DAMN IT UNIVERSE WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET DEAN BE HAPPY, it makes sense, and I completely respect it. And I adore the platonic aspect of it too, and how Lisa's the one that's there for Dean when he thinks he's lost Sam forever. And if there's a canon romance in the show that makes me cry, it's this one. How Dean tells her that when he pictures being happy, it's with her and her son, how he ultimately ends up saying goodbye to them in season 6...again, ALL THE TEARS IN THE WORLD ARE NOT ENOUGH. So, yeah, Dean/Cas may be my OTP, but I love the Dean/Lisa relationship.

Sam/Sarah:

Sam, darling? Please take Dean's advice on this one, and marry this girl. Because damn is she just about perfect for you. Seriously, I adore Sarah; she's totally empathetic and sympathetic to Sam's feelings and situation, but at the same time, she does not put up with his bullshit, and especially in later seasons, this is something that Sam desperately, desperately needs. I mean, the guy has good intentions and all, but...well, he doesn't do much to steer his road away from Hell, shall we say. Let's face it: Sam, especially at the end of season 4, is an arrogant dick, and Pride is definitely the most prominent of his sins. And in looking back, even in season 1, the seeds of this problem are already planted. And Sarah's really one of the only people who's been successful on calling Sam out on his shit, so I feel that she could only have been a good influence in the long run. Plus, she is fierce, handled herself pretty damn well in a terrifying supernatural situation (because fuck, but that ghost threw her over a desk or something), and she didn't run off screaming into the night. I feel that Sarah could definitely have gone places as a character, and that these two would ultimately have done each other a world of good if they'd have gotten together for a long haul.

Dean/Castiel/Jimmy:

*headdesk* The fact that I ship this pairing is completely the fault of a fic called "Take The Wheel" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7859423/1/Take_The_Wheel). I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to not feel sorry for poor Jimmy Novak, and his entire character arc in canon just makes me so deeply uncomfortable. I mean, it's so easy to forget that that is not Castiel's body that he's cruising around in, and then it'll just hit me all over again that, oh, yeah, that body actually belongs to this guy named Jimmy, who in canon has a wife and a young daughter that are never going to see him again, who gave up his entire life to be an angel's meatsuit in the service of Heaven, WHICH BY THE WAY would originally have probably been rewarded with the deaths of his family, as the Apocalypse would have wiped out most of the planet. And on top of all the shit that Cas has put that body through? God, I kind of hope that Jimmy still isn't in there in canon, the poor thing. ANYWAY, I ship this because I want Jimmy to have some semblance of happiness, damn it, and the way it plays out in that fic is about the only way that I can see it going for him at this point. But seriously, this guy has earned it a thousand times over, so as for the other two participants in this ship....Cas, move over, it's Jimmy's body for fuck's sake, and Dean's a pretty generous lover (either romantically or platonically), so I don't see him having much hardship in helping Jimmy out for once. And in any case, this is technically going on if you've got a Dean/Cas ship anyway.

Dean/Jamie:

Oh God, but I just love Jamie so much. She is just....so incredibly sassy and fierce and full-stop awesome, and in the episode she appeared in, SHE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY SAVED DEAN AND SAM AND SLAYED THE MONSTER. Seriously, the change up in the usual dynamics of the show is so incredibly refreshing, especially when it's a complete flip of the usual gender roles that unfortunately seems to happen. And maybe it's because at this point Dean is not so jaded, but she actually gets him to open up and talk a little bit, and is a sort of impetus for maintaining a more positive outlook on his life (or for a while anyway, more's the pity). Apart from Lisa (and perhaps, in some ways, even more so than Lisa), this is the only relationship that Dean has with a woman that I can see working at all. Plus, it's nice that she finds out about his real job, and that while she doesn't run screaming out into the night, she still spots the utter suckage and unfairness of his life. Not to mention that in the episode Jamie seemed to be quite happy to help Dean out with his state of being "re-hymenated".

Lucifer/Sam:

I swear that hallucination!Lucifer (or 'Hallucifer') is simply THE BEST EVER. Funnily enough, depending on how the rest of season 7 goes, he may wind up into my top favorite character list (and what I've seen so far looks very promising). Seriously, even as it's horrifically depressing, Sam's brain is a truly genius thing, especially when you consider the fact that Sam spent over 180 YEARS IN THE CAGE with Lucifer, and so he HAD to have gotten to know him well, or enough so that Sam has trouble distinguishing what's reality. And the best line ever by Hallucifer: that he made Sam his bitch in every sense of the word. Not to say that I want Sam to run off to Lucifer and there'll be puppies and rainbows and sunshine or anything, because, no. I just think that this twisted, dark pairing is completely canon, from the way that Lucifer was practically treating Sam like his unhappy bride in "Swan Song", to the fact that the first interaction Lucifer has with Sam is when he's impersonating Jessica and makes out with Sam, to all this Stockholm Syndrome-y stuff that happened in the Cage (in this last case, it's kind of like Dean with Alastair---there's no way that those kinds of things didn't happen. I just like Lucifer/Hallucifer way better than Alastair, and Dean's pain hurts too much for it to be fascinating to me, whereas I really don't have that problem with Sam (not that I don't feel for the poor guy)). I just can't help but find the dynamic interesting, because really, Sam has spent more time with Lucifer than he has with anybody (with the possible exceptions of Michael and Adam, but Sam doesn't seem to be dwelling on them too much). There is just so much to explore in this relationship, you know?

Sam/Gabriel:

I can read this just fine as a side pairing in fics. I would prefer said fics to be AU, because unless if it's developed in a specific way, I really can't see Sam ever coming to feel that way about Gabriel in a canon 'verse setting. I mean, Gabriel's the one who murdered Dean in front of Sam over a hundred times, and unhinged the poor guy by making him live without Dean for six months. How could Sam ever get over that? Now, in canon, I can see the argument that Gabriel has a fascination with Sam, because otherwise, why bother trying to teach Sam any lesson at all? Yes, Gabriel had to have known that Dean and Sam were the Vessels of his brothers, but Gabriel's trying to stay out of his family's conflicts. So why take an interest in Sam when it practically goes directly against his goals? Now, in AUs (so long as Gabriel doesn't pull a canon and kill Dean), Sam's free to like Gabriel back, and I think the two kind of weirdly work well together, personality-wise. I mean, Sam needs someone sassy, bold, and outgoing like Gabriel to get him to take breaks from studying and such, and a person who wouldn't be afraid to call him out on his moments of being an asshole. Gabriel needs someone to rein him in and calm him down, who wouldn't be afraid to tell him that he's out of line at times either. Gabriel can keep Sam from starving to death on his diet of salads, and Sam can keep Gabriel from rotting all his teeth out. It just sort of works. Again, I mostly read this as a side pairing, typically accompanying Dean/Cas, but I can read the occasional oneshot focused on them.

Anna/Ruby:

Mostly, this is here because I like to have some femslash pairings to even things out a little bit, damn it. But seriously....Anna came around fairly quickly about Ruby. At first, she screams bloody murder if Ruby goes anywhere near here, and then the next time the Winchesters see her, she trades a look with Ruby, and says that Ruby isn't like other demons? Like, really now, Anna? For the most part, I liked Anna much better as a neurotic human, before she gets her angel mojo back, and I infinitely prefer season 3!Ruby over the season 4 version. But still, I think these two could work together (and I suppose they've got the whole angel/demon Foe Yay going on). I can easily imagine the two of them bonding before they met up with Dean and Sam again, and Ruby isn't one to pussyfoot around anyone, and I can see Anna as appreciating that, especially as she's spent the last few months as being thought of as crazy. And at least before she gets brainwashed, Anna's all about forgiveness and such...plus, I don't think Ruby was really lying about remembering her humanity, which is something that Anna coveted, got and loved, and then lost again. I could picture Anna coming to Ruby in all that downtime the demon apparently has, since she's really the only person that Anna knows and could semi-trust, besides the Winchesters, who could help her remember humanity. I dunno, they just fit, in my mind.

M E R L I N   ( B B C )

Merlin/Arthur:

This pairing is kind of inevitable. Hell, what with the Great 'Slash' Dragon (as he's been nicknamed by the fandom) going on and on about how Arthur is Merlin's 'destiny', and how they're two sides of the same coin, and telling Merlin (after Merlin basically declared that he hates Arthur and wouldn't care if the prat died) that "A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole,", and then with Merlin's mother getting onto the "two sides, same coin" bandwagon, and then both of them consistently going long out of their ways to save each other's lives, and how Merlin always sticks with Arthur no matter what tragedy or temptation befalls him, and that Merlin believes that Arthur's more important than anything, and how Arthur tells Merlin that he's the only one that Arthur can trust (notice how Arthur doesn't say anything about Gwen, his actual love interest here), and then there's this gem from Arthur in 4.13, when he was worried about Merlin, "I came back because you are the only friend I have and I can't bear to lose you," ....I mean, good Lord above. And for the pure pinnacle of it all, there's a scene where Merlin licks his lips before he uses magic to pull down Arthur's pants, and then wrestles with him while he's half-naked. Repeat: licks his lips. Seriously. What do you all expect from me, how can I not ship this? And if it hadn't been for fucking Gwaine, this would have been my OTP of the show. As it is, Merlin and Arthur are...well. They're two sides of the same coin. Yin and Yang, balancing each other out. Merlin's the only one who truly, consistently calls Arthur out on his bullshit (even though Arthur doesn't listen to him a lot of the time...the poor thing's a victim of Plot Advancement; hopefully he'll have learned his lesson in season 5, but we'll come back to this topic in a bit). As for Merlin...Arthur is his Reason, the one who gives his life a purpose, a way use all of his Specialness to its full potential. Arthur grounds Merlin, I suppose you could say...the Reason he has to keep going through all of the sucker-punches that life cruelly throws at him. I don't think Arthur is nearly supportive enough for poor Merlin, but since the writers have been doing their best to keep him out of the loop, re: Merlin's magic, it's kind of not his fault. But still, some more compassion on your part would be deeply appreciated, Arthur. You need to get over a few masculine pride issues, hon.

Morgana/Gwen:

You know, back in season 1 when canon practically had them as girlfriends; season 2 also counts. Basically, before Morgana turned evil. And I am not kidding you: they totally acted exactly like my lesbian sister and her girlfriend do. The two share an awful lot of lingering glances and contact, Morgana often strokes Gwen's clothes when she's nervous, Gwen is constantly bringing Morgana bouquets of flowers....and then there's the fact that Gwen, before season 3, is a major influence in tipping Morgana back and forth over whether to hate Uther or not. They're both cut very deeply whenever they lose each other, and Morgana seems to feel particularly betrayed when she finds out Gwen's true loyalties in the end of season 3. But before Morgana's dark side conversion, the loyalty between her and Gwen rivals that of Arthur and Merlin (which, see above). Arthur and Morgana care about their servants way beyond the ordinary, and Merlin and Gwen go far beyond the call of their duty as well.

And hey---back in Relatively Happy Fun Times, you can throw the whole lot of them together for an OT4 of awesomeness: Merlin/Arthur/Gwen/Morgana.

Merlin/Freya:

As portrayed in canon, in the first love kind of way. Had Freya actually lived, I probably wouldn't have liked it at all, not in the least because for most of the episode she appeared in, I was mentally screaming about how much of an idiot Merlin was being, what with him wanting to abandon everything to run away with Freya (thank heavens she had more sense than him on that count). In hindsight, I think it's rather brilliant that Merlin was acting that way, because the first love you have often makes you think and do incredibly stupid things, and it's often intense and slightly obsessive, and a part of you will never forget that first love, even when it doesn't last. In this case, Freya's kind of far more useful to Merlin dead than alive, sadly. In the long term, I don't think they could have worked out, because Freya is unfortunately needy, and Merlin already spends too much of his time worrying over everything. Merlin needs someone who could take the weight off of his shoulders; someone who could take care of him and be the support for a while, and Freya's just not it. Still, the solace she gave him for a short while was sweet.

Gwen/Lancelot:

These two make for an excellent side ship. In canon, I am thoroughly ignoring the farce that was their 'affair' in season 4, because I think that ended up being a total cop-out to what could have been a very interesting dynamic in the character relationship....but then, I keep forgetting that this is apparently ultimately a 'family show', so I suppose such complexity is considered unsuitable. Anyway, it's the 'what could have been' that attracts me to this pairing; not to mention the, in my opinion, unreasonable amount of hate that Lancelot gets in the fandom. I mean seriously---that whole so-called affair wasn't poor Lancelot's fault AT ALL, seeing as he was a fucking BRAINWASHED SHADE. aka NOT REALLY LANCELOT. So, I'm sticking with the underdog pairing that totally had way more chemistry than Arthur/Gwen has ever had. Besides, no matter what the Arwen shippers say, Lancelot DEFINITELY deserves some genuine happiness.

Gwaine/Merlin:

And here it is, my dearest OTP. I sincerely love Gwaine so fucking hard that it hurts a little. Now, before Gwaine came along in the show, my OTP used to be Merlin/Arthur. But then....Gwaine completely ruined me on that front, because he did something for Merlin, something that precious few have ever done for him (and 98% of which are now dead), and it was something that Arthur has not yet managed to do in all of 4 seasons, really. See, Gwaine supports Merlin. Yeah. Gwaine's the one that's there for Merlin, the one who Merlin always goes to for help on impossible quests, the one who supports Merlin when no one else does, and who checks up on how Merlin's feeling. Gwaine makes Merlin smile and laugh, and Gwaine's loyalty is to Merlin above everyone and anything else; Merlin, who is Gwaine's best friend. Not to mention the glorious, and adorable, hugs that the two share. But seriously---right after they've first met, Gwaine gets banished from Camelot because he beat up two knights in Merlin's defense. And don't forget that before that, Gwaine actually sat and helped Merlin, the servant, clean all of those freaking boots, even though he didn't have to. In the end, it's really down to Merlin that Gwaine's actually settling, instead of carrying on with his previous lifestyle. Poor Merlin has lost so many of the people who supported him over the course of the series, but I'm grateful that he's still got Gwaine, whose support of Merlin is really second only to Lancelot's, and that's mostly due to the knowledge that Lancelot has over Gwaine. But yeah, Gwaine thoroughly stole my heart away from Merthur, and now I can never unsee the Gwaine/Merlin goodness.

Morgause/Morgana:

Yes, I am very much aware of the fact that they're half-sisters. But it's not like incest was uncommon in the Arthurian legends themselves, and if Arthur can shack up with Morgause and Morgana, then they can as well. Besides, I really just can't ignore the amount of...vibes that I get off of them. Mostly Stockholm Syndrome vibes, but in Morgause's quest to make Morgana happy and to feel accepted and loved...yeah. I can see the potential for some lines to be blurred here. Not to mention that Morgana is totally Morgause's Morality Pet; you can tell that the two genuinely care about each other. I suppose that I'm happy on some level that Morgana's found the acceptance that she was looking for with Morgause...I just wish that she didn't have to become a fucking snake in the grass in the process. :/

Merlin/Arthur/Gwen (OT3) :

Balance for the win! Seriously, when Arthur doesn't listen to one of them, he'll listen to the other one. And sometimes, he really does need them both to tag-team him. Plus, this is how I like Merlin with Arthur best---when Merlin's got Gwen there for the emotional support that he needs; plus, she gives that to Arthur as well. Merlin and Gwen's relationship is more platonic than anything, but I don't think their love is any less deep than either Merlin/Arthur or Arthur/Gwen. If Gwen wants to be with Arthur, she kind of has to accept the fact that a gigantic piece of him belongs to Merlin (who is, after all, 'his other half'). And I honestly think she would; that she and Merlin could totally share Arthur, because they clearly care for each other deeply as well. It's just all kinds of beautiful, and it's how I like both Gwen and Merlin best with Arthur, really. (And then we can throw Gwaine, Lancelot (when he's alive), and good!Morgana in here as well to have a true party, eh? :D)

Tristan/Isolde:

Lack of true character development aside, I can't help but love the equal partners thing that they've got going on. Like, these two have a thoroughly well-balanced, equal partnership (which really, is amazing, when you consider the fact that this is technically taking place back in the Dark Ages). Neither one is truly dominant over the other. They listen to each other, and actually have honest, open communication, which is kind of a true rarity in fiction. They had a relationship that felt the most real out of any in this show, and I'm sad that, with Isolde's death, we won't be seeing it anymore in season 5.

Lancelot/Merlin:

Heavens above, these two are practically canon boyfriends. I swear, I will be forever kind of stunned at what Lancelot's character arc ended up being, given that, for a major player in the Arthurian legends, he showed up in all of SEVEN GODDAMN EPISODES out of 52. But when he showed up again, I immediately remembered why I missed him so much, which is because, unlike any other character in the entire series, Lancelot supports Merlin. Seriously, this is what Lancelot is the absolute best at doing. He is one of the few people that Merlin could be completely comfortable with, because he was one of the only ones who knew about Merlin's magic (and like almost everyone else who has known about Merlin's magic---Will, Freya, Balinor, not to mention various enemies---he ended up dead. In fact, I think the only people who are left are Hunith, Gaius, Gilli, Alator, the dragons, and the Druids (which I suppose includes Mordred). Hmm). Consequently, Lancelot's one of the only ones who actually acknowledges all that Merlin does, and is someone that Merlin can share things with, doesn't have to keep secrets from, and, moreso than Gaius can, who can truly help Merlin in the thick of a crisis. And while you can say that, yes, Lancelot sacrificed himself for the greater good, for Arthur, for Gwen, and all of that---but mostly, I think Lancelot did it for Merlin. Because if all Lancelot cared about was Gwen or Arthur or any of that, then he would have let Merlin go through with his plan. But he didn't. So, I argue that that sacrifice was totally for Merlin's sake. And then, when Morgana summoned back Lancelot's shade, Merlin was acting more like he's gotten his boyfriend back than just his friend, and he just looks absolutely crushed when he realizes that it's not truly Lancelot. Not to mention the fact that he gives Lancelot a funeral ceremony that is exactly like Freya's, who is Merlin's only canon love interest. There's just this undercurrent to their relationship, and it's so tender and fucking beautiful, and I adore it. Mostly, I think I would categorize this ship as bromance, but...yeah, I love them, in any form that comes my way. Lancelot, you will be sorely missed.

Arthur/Mithian:

I really wish that they had pursued this plotline for longer than just that one episode, because Mithian is thoroughly kickass and awesome; really, she is FAR more awesome than Arthur deserved, being at the height of his awkwardness as he was. Yeah, I know Arthur was busy with some well-justified angst regarding Gwen, since so far as he knew, she'd cheated on him with Lancelot the day before their wedding, but....dude, Arthur, Mithian is the kind of gal that you only get once in a lifetime. In some ways, I think Mithian's...kind of perfect for Arthur? I mean, seriously, the fact that she clearly respects Merlin as much as she does, and the fact that, really, being a noble as she is, she goes long out of her way to be nice to Merlin, who by all rights should be beneath her notice. But no, she totally recognizes just how much Arthur cares about Merlin, and is straight up honest with Merlin about wanting a chance to be friends. Mithian calls Arthur out on being a dick to Merlin, and the way she handled Arthur having his foot stuck in his mouth the entire time (aided by Merlin) was completely amazing. If Gwen hadn't come back, or if this was a universe in which she didn't exist...I think Arthur could have come to love Mithian (or he damn well should have). I have nothing against Gwen or anything, but....ARGH, Arthur, whhhhhhyyyyyy, how could you have let someone like Mithian walk out of your life?! In any case, I firmly believe that Mithian deserves happiness, and am thoroughly sad that, as of now, she doesn't appear in any fanfics. Mithian rocks hardcore.

Uther/Ygraine/Nimueh:

I know what you're probably thinking....wtf is this, am I right? Well...this would never have occured to me, except because of this AMAZING fanfic that I read. So, to dissect this then...If there's one thing that cannot be denied about Uther, it's that he clearly loved his wife, dearly. I mean, anyone with even the tiniest grasp on his character can see that. And the guilt and grief that he felt over her death is what drove Uther into creating the Great Purge; as such, you can tell that he's never really been able to get over her death. Another fact: Uther and Nimueh very clearly had a History, even beyond the whole bargain-that-resulted-in-Arthur thing, not to mention chemistry. So, here's the way that this played out, and that I loved: Uther and Ygraine were, obviously, married. Nimueh came to Camelot, perhaps got a place at Court, because of her considerable powers. Ygraine took Nimueh as a lover, and unabashedly let Uther know this. Uther and Nimueh eventually developed a kind of strange bond, but it works because Nimueh wouldn't be afraid to call Uther out on his bullshit, but Ygraine's the glue that binds them all together, and with her death, everything falls apart. See, I believed Nimueh, when she told Uther that she didn't know that Ygraine would be the one to die for Arthur to live; an interesting theory I've heard is that Nimueh didn't realize that Ygraine's body was truly, physically unable to give birth to a baby, and so by forcing it to do so, Ygraine's body basically tore itself apart, and thus she was the one to die. At any rate, thanks to that one story, I can never unsee this, and I just think that this is a highly fascinating grouping.


O U R A N   H I G H  S C H O O L   H O S T   C L U B

Tamaki/Kyouya:

Obviously, and as Tamaki himself lampshaded in, like, episode 3, Tamaki and Haruhi are destined to get together, and in the manga I know they've fully ascended into Official Coupledom. I know that the show, therefore, is centered around them and Tamaki's cluelessness in his feelings towards Haruhi, and how Haruhi gets acquainted with Tamaki's many layers, and how apart from being a dumbass he's actually quite insightful, and it's all very cute, otherwise I wouldn't watch the show, etc, etc. However. I am also fairly convinced that Kyouya is gay and is, at the very least, suffering from unrequited love for Tamaki. I just...the writer in me has decided that, in my opinion, it's thematically appropriate for Kyouya's character, and the episode that flashes back to how Kyouya and Tamaki first met, it reads to be as being like a "coming out" story for Kyouya, when he learns how to paint outside that portrait of his (and to paint a rainbow rose at that). No one has ever gotten under Kyouya's skin like Tamaki has, and no one else has ever full on embraced Kyouya for who he is, and to show him that it's okay. As for Tamaki...Kyouya is his rock, and truly is the 'Mommy' to his 'Daddy'. Kyouya is the one who Tamaki always comes back to for comfort, is the steady ground for him to stand on. Tamaki is also the only one who ever really touches Kyouya on frequent basis; there seems to be a boundary that no one but Tamaki can cross. Kyouya is the one who executes Tamaki's protection from the shadows, is the calming force that Tamaki needs, while Tamaki is the light and color in Kyouya's life. Tamaki/Haruhi is canon, yes, and they certainly care for each other, and I like Haruhi, don't get me wrong, but...what Tamaki has with Haruhi just doesn't strike me as the forever, soulful kind of love that Tamaki would/could have with Kyouya. Ultimately, though, I don't think Kyouya would initiate any kind of overtures of that nature with Tamaki, and would be selfless and trust Haruhi enough to where he would just want Tamaki to be happy. And I think that no matter where Tamaki goes, he'll always have his Shadow King at his back, because really, what would Tamaki ever do without Kyouya?

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Fancypants/Filthy Rich:

As I heard someone once say, money and business make good bedfellows. But seriously, Fancypants is one of my very favorite characters from the show, and despite his daughter being a brat, I completely fell in love with Filthy Rich in the one episode he appears in (because, surprise surprise, me being a sucker for a good daddy struck again XD). So, why the hell not put them together? Plus, if I ever get the chance, I think an interesting relationship could be developed between the two of them. Maybe Filthy Rich expands his business out to Canterlot, maybe Fancypants comes out to Ponyville for some 'charmingly rustic' living for a while, maybe there's a long distance relationship that I can see them making it work. Any way that you want to have it happen, I think these are just two guys who would fit really well together. They're both laid back in their own ways, but at the same time, both possess somewhat dominating personalities, and I can't see Filthy Rich being a 'yes man' to Fancypants. Also, perhaps being put into something of a fatherly role to Diamond Tiara would be a good experience for both Fancypants and Diamond Tiara; he'd be introduced to one of the most meaningful and substantial relationships that he's been missing out on, and she'd get to see that being a true high-society pony doesn't entitle you to being a jerk. All in all, these two could go far together, in my opinion.