I love slash. This is a thing y'all know about me. But I was reading
this post about [warning: sweeping generalization] fandom's general dismissal - if not outright dislike - of female characters, and it got me thinking about how and why I ship. The thing is, there are female characters that I love and het couples that I ship, but I usually don't feel the need to write about them. Among other reasons, with my het ships, I'm usually happy enough with what the source material gives me. Of course, with het couples, it is far more likely that mainstream source material will give me a romance than it is with my m/m ships.
I am much, much more particular about shipping het than slash. I don't mean just liking a pairing; I mean the full on, 'God, I love this couple,' daydreaming about their lives together kind of shipping. I have slash pairings that I ship all to hell who have never even met in canon or who have, at best, a few minutes of subtext to support them. With het ships, I appear to need a lot more. I need character development and relationship development, and I need to love, love, love both characters in the pairing.
Zoe/Wash, Firefly and Serenity
Wash and Zoe. Zoe and Wash. They're hot, they're awesome, they're funny. They argue and joke and have sex and take pride in one another. There is so much to love about this couple. I adore the fact that they're married (and have been for a while) and still have so much zing and warmth in their relationship - because that happens often in real life, but rarely on television.
Amy/Perry, The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye
This book owns my heart, seriously. My husband tracked down a copy with the color illustrations and gave it to me last Christmas. BEST PRESENT EVER! Amy is a delight on her own, and she and Perry are such a perfect fit that I grin all the way through their friendship and courtship. And I tear up when he sees her acorn cup necklace at the end. Every single time I read it. Such a lovely story and a wonderful pairing. *sighs happily*
Theodora/Ran, The Ivory Series by Doris Egan
Theodora of Pyrene is the kind of heroine I can identify with. She's bookish and funny and out of her depth almost all the time. And while Ran is stunningly gorgeous, rich, intelligent, and talented, the thing that makes him most attractive is the way he loves Theodora. They have a very well written relationship; despite the fact that these books are sci-fi/fantasy adventures, Theo and Ran's relationship is more realistic than most I've seen in non-genre books.
Amy/Rory, Doctor Who
When this season started, Rory worried me. I was afraid he was going to be another Mickey, shoved aside, and that I would have to start hating Amy (whom I adore) because of it. But no! Rory is fantastic and important and Amy loves him, and I cheer! I especially like that being a couple doesn't change who they are. Amy doesn't magically settle down and become someone staid and not her just because she's in love. Also, "the boy who waited"? Kills me.
Cassie/Nick, Push
This is the only one of these pairings that I've written fic for, and not so surprisingly, it's also the only non-canon pairing on this list. The age thing is a problem, but Nick and Cassie have so much chemistry and care that I ship them despite it. (Though I do age Cassie up in my head and fic.) The us-against-the-world aspect helps to cement this as an interesting pairing in a world for which I enjoy imagining stories.
Willow/Oz, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The fact that it ended and that Willow is into girls doesn't change that fact that this is the best kind of high school romance. Sweetness and awkwardness and negotiating new ground together. All while fighting evil. :D I am crazy attracted to Oz, but his lovely devotion to Willow makes him (and them as a couple) so much hotter.
Anne Elliot/Frederick Wentworth, Persuasion by Jane Austen
This is possibly my favorite romance novel ever. There's so much history between Anne and Wentworth, and though it's very rarely spoken of aloud, they're both conspicuously aware of it. It creates a very believable chemistry between them, and makes the ending entirely satisfying. Because of that history and chemistry, I believe in Anne/Wentworth, despite the fact that they spend so little time actually interacting with each other.
Leia Organa/Han Solo, Star Wars Trilogy
I get kind of weirded out when people don't like Leia/Han. How is that possible? They have passion and snark, and they rely on each other, and it's all so great. They fight with and for one another, and despite her rank and his ego, they're incredibly well matched. Plus, it may be a cliche now, but the "I love you" "I know" thing? Still makes me go affectionately googly eyed.
Alanna/George, The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce
The first Lady Knight in over a century and the King of Thieves. They kind of kick ass. And by 'kind of,' I mean 'totally.' One thing about this relationship that makes me happy is, it doesn't invalidate Alanna's previous loves. She loved Jonathan, she loved Liam, she loves George. George is really and truly okay with Alanna's strength and fighting prowess, and Alanna is accepting of George's crookedness. Their social standings may be vastly different, but they share a sense of nobility that makes them a great fit.
Amanda King/Lee Stetson, Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Between this show and Tron, my childhood crush on Bruce Boxleitner was pretty epic, but he's not the only reason I ship Amanda/Lee. I'm a sucker for capers, and even more so when a normal character gets pulled into spying shenanigans. And Amanda is such a nice normal character. Also, it might be an odd thing to note, but the fact that Amanda has an amicable relationship with her ex-husband makes me more hopeful about her future with Lee. There are some problematic gender role issues on this show, but recognizing that now doesn't overpower my long-term love of this pairing.