I’m coining (well, probably someone on the internet has done this, but I’ve never seen it) the term SoulTPs because lbr I cannot commit to ONE OTP, which it’s technically supposed to be. I’m inspired today by Meg (Cuddlebuggery). These are the ships I will go down with. The ships that I will want to punch you for dissing. The ships where, if you don’t ship it, I will secretly (or not so secretly) think you’re wrong, even though I’m totally aware that shipping is objective and no one’s wrong (except for you if you don’t ship these). Watch what you say because THESE SHIPS ARE MY HEART. They’re not just beloved of my heart; they helped make it what it is.

I’m going to follow along with the format Meg used in her “The I Will I Fight You Over This OTP List” post. You should definitely read that post as well because Meg is the best and has great taste in ships.

1. Han x Leia Star Wars

My parents raised me watching all of their favorite movies, among which were the original Star Wars movies on the old (though not at the time) VHS tapes. I grew up watching these movies, and, though some of my opinions have changed over time (like the fact that when I was wee I thought Luke was the hot one and then later I was like omg child self wut), I’ve always consistently loved the Han and Leia relationship.

If you look at all the ships that I ship, my favorite tropes are evident from the beginning. Do I ship banter and hate to love because that’s just what I’m into or because my foundational ships were like this? Han and Leia have such epic chemistry. For some reason, I’ve always been very into couples who fight constantly but also want to make out a lot. This occasionally led me to have some weird crushes growing up, but we’ll not go into that.

You’ll have to allow my shippy heart to accept The Force Awakens as the new canon while also ignoring some of what it did with Han and Leia. Despite the fact that I can logically admit that maybe they don’t have the firmest foundation, my heart will always believe in them and a happier relationship for them. I can’t be objective about this ship because it’s been with me since before I really understood what romance even was.

2. Beatrice x Benedick
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Now, this may seem a weird ship for a child to be obsessed with, but my parents really loved the Much Ado About Nothing movie with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. I loved the movie too and, continuing my tradition of crushing on the wrong guys, I was super into Claudio as a wee one. Even then, though, I knew that Claudio and Hero were not the ship-worthy ones.

Again, I’ve spent my life watching this movie and reading the play, and Beatrice and Benedick will always have an argumentative, special spot in my heart. The banter is oh so good with these two. Sure, it probably shouldn’t get my shippy heart palpitating when it seems like the couple may actually hate each other, but that just makes it so much sweeter when they finally admit the truth: that their fighting is misdirected love. It took me a depressingly long time to realize that Shakespeare was also all about Benedick and Beatrice, but hey it’s hard to look deeply at something I’ve loved for so long.

3. Anne x Gilbert Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Finally, we move into my days of being a young reader. I first fell in love with those other ships as a kid watching movies. Here, though, I actually read the book. I don’t remember precisely how old I was when I read Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea for the first time, but I have this distinct memory of being at my grandparents’ house and flipping to the end to make damn sure that Anne and Gilbert were going to get together because I didn’t want any part of it if they didn’t.

It’s hilarious because I wasn’t the unashamed, romance-obsessed person I am now yet. In fact, I was young enough that I probably still thought boys had cooties and wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about all of that business. But, from early on, I was just CONVINCED that Anne and Gilbert had to kiss and that I was going to fucking revolt if they did not. Revolt meaning throw the book at the wall but whatever.

This ship is a perfect ship (if I ignore the books of them as an old married couple that I’ve never managed to get through), though a turbulent one at times. I chose a ship in Unearthly immediately when Tucker called the heroine “carrots.” That one word will forever translate to SHIP SHIP SHIP. I love Gilbert and Anne so much because they do the whole awkward “you’re cute so I’m going to pick on you” thing and overcome it with time and just feelings.

4. Ron x Hermione Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

For the most part, I’m a very open-minded HP shipper. I’ll read fics about most combinations (though shit does get so weird that I’m out, but unless it’s super gross I’m probably fairly okay with it). However, I’ve been on the Ron/Hermione ship from the beginning. I can’t remember if I shipped it in book one, but I was definitely on board in book two; I can’t say for sure because I read those two back to back when I first found Harry Potter.

My favorite HP fan fic I’ve ever read is Harry/Hermione and my favorite ship to search for was always Draco/Hermione, but my actual canon ship which I love fiercely is Ron/Hermione. They just get me, from when I was 11 to my reread last year. The canon ships work for me, but Ron/Hermione was the one that really really got to my heart. And, honestly, I really see zero foundation for anything else in the actual books.

Yeah, Ron’s an idiot about a lot of things, most especially feelings and girls. Hermione’s a genius. They’re opposites in a lot of ways. And their crush that neither of them will really act on causes so much teen angst. Don’t care. Love every moment of it. I especially love when Harry figures it out and is kind of side-eyeing it like oh shit this is gonna be bad, but then eventually he’s so sick of it he starts shipping it just so they’ll stop sniping. IMO, the drama and angst and constant fighting is pretty much entirely over the fact that they won’t admit their feelings for one another because they have some serious pride stuff going on. Just because Hermione’s brilliant doesn’t necessarily mean she wants her boyfriend to be on her level; I think she likes being the one to call the shots, which is part of why she’s drawn to Ron.

5. Lizzy and Darcy Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Considering how much this ship has meant to me, I was really shocked that it came this low down chronologically on my list of SoulTPs, but I think I was around 12 or 13 when I first read Pride and Prejudice. My mom gave me a copy and apparently I had nothing better to do so I decided to read it; this is shocking to me because I was a little shit but whatever.

I will never forget how intensely into Pride and Prejudice I was that first read through. I knew nothing about it, hard as that is for me to now believe. I remember my life being utterly ruined at the proposal and letter. Like, I was seriously a hot mess. I’m sure I was blubbering and making sounds at the book because I cared SO MUCH.

Though I hate for my favorite Austen to be the most popular Austen, I can’t really help it because Darcy and Lizzy are utter perfection. Seriously, I have a thing for hate to love and misunderstandings and I always will. Both of them form an immediate negative opinion and eventually have it changed by circumstances. They’re both changed by the experience of falling for one another, not fixed by love but becoming better, more thoughtful people because they’ve found out how wrong they can be about people.

By the end, Darcy’s learning how to loosen up, how to take a joke, and dear lord are those sweet, light moments earned. SAY ANYTHING AGAINST THIS SHIP AND I SHALL SMITE YOU WITH MY PARASOL.

6. Froi x Quintana and Basically Every Ship in The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta

Gorgeous fan art by w0ven

I’m not going to tackle the ships one by one because there are a whole bunch and they’re all completely on point. This series was made for shippers. Bless Marchetta and her ability to completely destroy my heart and then rebuild it three times larger.

The ship where I sometimes feel like I’m going to need to fight people is Froi and Quintana. On the one hand, I get it. There are issues, spoilery tragic issues, and I get why people might not be comfortable sailing on good ship Frontana. Quoi? Whatever.

However, it’s precisely all the tragic spoilers, and I do mean all, that make Froi and Quintana work. Without Froi’s backstory, he wouldn’t be able to empathize with where she’s coming from the way that he does. He understands in a way he couldn’t have without his life having gone the way that it did. Plus, it’s not like Froi will ever forgive himself; he’s always working so hard to be a better person, and he’s going to spend so much of himself trying to deserve Quintana and help her reach a healthier mental state. Quintana would never have gone for a Froi who didn’t have a dark past either, because she would have felt so unbelievably dirty next to someone pure and innocent. It’s how fucked up they both are by life that makes them work so well together and who put this damn branch in my eye goddammit.

7. Khalid x Shahrzad The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

"Hate is not the right word for such a man." #TheWrathandtheDawn #ReneeAhdieh @helenyoonillustration @penguinteen #bookstagram #booknerdigans #IReadYA #NoFilterNeeded

A photo posted by @reneeahdieh on Jun 5, 2015 at 8:55am PDT

It’s probably tempting fate to put an unfinished series on here, but my feelings about this couple are anything but mild. I know that some dear friends did not like this ship at all because of the basic premise that requires Khalid to have murdered a bunch of women because REASONS. And, like, okay objectively this is a totally reasonable reason to not ship them.

But I AM NOT REASONABLE AND HOW CAN YOU NOT BECAUSE DEAR GOD THE BANTER AND THE SEXY AND HOW DARE YOU. The chemistry in this series is off the charts and nope nope nope do not argue with me about this ship I cannot control myself.

8. Meg x Simon The Others series by Anne Bishop

Not sure if this is actually for The Others but super cute and available for sale here by artist kickingshoes

This freaking ship torture series of pain and perfection. It’s such a waiting game and it’s a good thing because Meg is almost like a child (though she’s not) because of how she was brought up. She’s learning about the world in general, so it’s not really the time to launch into a sexy relationship with a wolf shifter. BUT ALSO IT IS THE PERFECT TIME and they are so fucking cute I cannot handle it. This ship needs to sail soon for my damn sanity.

9. Ignifex x Nyx Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Gorgeous fanart by slaymate on tumblr

Listen, it’s very clear that I have a type when it comes to ship. And my type maybe walks the line of completely fucked up. I’m aware of that but I also give zero fucks because the ships are such bantery/sexy perfection. Do. Not. Care. Do not try to talk to me about how Ignifex is a monster because I will say YES HE IS AND NYX LIKES HIM THAT WAY BECAUSE SHE CAN LET OUT HER INNER MONSTER OKAY.

This is one of the sexiest shippiest books ever and yes it’s a somewhat unhealthy ship but did you not hear me I don’t care at all.

10. Pynch The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

GAH I hope this happens. Art by AlexMCopeman on DeviantArt.

I have nothing good to say about people who don’t ship this. I’m down for those who are in an OT3 or OT5 ship for TLC, but if you try to separate these boys I will fight you okay? I was actually spoiled about this ship before I started, and so I was watching for hints of it and man it is so there and so perfect. I also admit to wishing Ronan had a fling with Kavinsky but Pynch all the way actual ship-wise.

If they do not end up together and happy, I will burn the world to the ground okay. I can sacrifice Gansey if I must but these two must be okay. They kinda sorta don’t fit into my usual mold of ships but whatever. I just love when people don’t understand their feelings at all and have trouble expressing them, which is probably the one thing that ties all of these ships together.

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Okay, I definitely have more than this, but I’m cutting myself off because 1) I’m an emotional mess right now and 2) I’ve spent a bunch of time on this already. Tell me about some of your SoulTPs (unless they conflict with mine because I really don’t want to have a knock-down drag out fight about why Lizzy and Darcy are perfection, but I will).

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