Pairing Meme Thingie
I SHOULD BE IN BED. :D Instead, have the results of my pairing meme.
A note: if you like any pairing I've listed here as not liking, I still love you. ♥ I hope you still love me. ._.
Harry Potter
Six pairings I like:
1. Ron/Hermione (yes, still)
2. Fleur/Bill
3. Severus/Lily
4. Sirius/Remus
5. Mrs. and Mr. Weasely ♥
6. Sirius/James (I'm going to hell for this one~)
Three ships I've abandoned:
7. Harry/Draco
8. Hermione/Ginny
9. Harry/Cho
Three ships I've never liked:
10. Harry/Ginny
11. Harry/Hermione
12. Harry/Snape
Two ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Harry/Luna
14. Dumbledore/Grindelwald
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
Funny you should ask. Entirely because of their fans. When I started reading "Harry Potter", I was still into Digimon, and the fans of Harry/Hermione reminded me entirely too much of the unbearable fans of Taichi/Sora. I put the lot of them all in the same barrel, where too many of them only seemed to like the 'ship because it was "canon," and they were all extremely proud of that, until it was finally proved to not be canon. (I remember reading an LJ post after the sixth book, and the aftermath of so many angry, bitter Harry/Hermione fans "jumping 'ship," so to speak; the author said something like, "For the love of god, you're AUTHORS. Here are fifteen first sentences to fics that would solve all your problems." ♥ I liked the one where Tonks was dancing about, happily engaged, and Ginny fell from a tenth story window above her, head first, and the impact killed them both.)
This said: there's nothing wrong with the 'ship itself. Harry doesn't see her that way, by his own admission, but all that means is that you should put more WORK into it. (And not just cheap rationalizations, like one line saying "He couldn't believe he'd ever thought of her as a sister." REAL work, spanning chapters, or taking place when they're thirty, or something~.) If you love the pairing enough, you can make it work. The movies have you at a good start, they keep putting in scenes that seem Harry/Hermioneish to me.
Boy I hope they're not all that long. D:
2.) Who do you know that ships #13?
kay_willow, and the rest of her ilk~. The most recent movie just made them seem kind of adorable, and going back over some scenes in the books... It's an easy pairing to like, I think. Especially if you don't have any other strong contenders for him in mind. ;)
3.) What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Obviously it has to take place in the past, because, well, dead. Wait, no. Put Snape in the scene with Harry, where Voldemort's wand started regurgitating pale shadows of past spells, or in front of the Mirror of Erised, or something else similar, where he could interact with a pale, ghostly shadow of her, and that would be angsty and gorgeous, I think.
We don't know much about the HP afterlife, but a reunion scene there would also be nice. He could tell her all the things he did, and how he managed, despite himself, to keep her boy safe.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
I will admit I like the bit in Book Six, where it seems like they're finally going to Get It, right before Ginny ruins everything by making fun of Ron for having never kissed anyone. I liked that scene a lot. (I also liked the bit with the screaming match over her going to the dance with Viktor, and Hermione's parting shot of "Next time, ask me first, and not as a last resort!" and how Ron stammers and stutters and claims she missed the point completely, and Harry's reflection that he thinks she got it better than Ron did.)
Otherwise, honestly, Rowling didn't give us a lot to go on. Ron was never very aware of his feelings for Hermione, so he didn't ever confess them to Harry, and mainly what we see is two children struggling with feelings for one another and being too stubborn (or too thick) to relate them like grownups. We see a lot of Ron being terribly jealous, which is cute, but not a Moment For the Pairing. (I don't blame Rowling for any of this, because after all, it's all Harry's point of view. He can't reflect on things he isn't feeling or being told about.)
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
I feel like I should make a fandom secret for this one, everyone I know will lynch me. D: B, but. I thought their interaction in Harry's Pensieve flashbacks were adorable, and I would love to read decent fic about their school days. I'm not enough "in" the HP fandom to have ever gone looking for it, though. D:
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Heh. This was never a huge 'ship, but I liked it the idea of it right up until Book Six, where Ginny had her Bitch From Hell makeover complete with complimentary Mary Sue pedicure. When Ginny sabotaged Hermione and Ron's budding relationship, only to immediately turn around and play sympathetic best friend for Hermione, I was struck by what a snake Rowling had unintentionally (I assume!) made her into. I mean, she is several times presented as Hermione's best female friend (because obviously Hermione isn't allowed to have friends among girls we don't know), so you would think that she would have noticed Hermione's Thing for Ron, but never once does she act like she gives a damn, and to goad Ron to the point of totally-white-and-shocked-pain, see the consequences, and pretend they were nothing to do with her?!
God, no. I don't even want to think of them as friends anymore. I hope Hermione finds someone better.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
Probably #2, in spite of myself. Why couldn't Tonks have done as well? We barely saw the two of them, but they were adorable.
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Why can't I do both. D: D:
I mean, Harry/Ginny is more technically obnoxious, because it's canon, so if I ever write HP I'm going to have to work around it somehow or make Ginny into a totally different person. (Shouldn't be hard; Rowling did it.) But Harry/Snape is the most horrifyingly prevalent thing ever. a;sdlsdf;ldf
Let's strike the Harry/Snape. I won't have to read any more books, so I'll never see Harry/Ginny again, but Harry/Snape will live forever. Like a zombie.
9.) What interest you about #14?
CanonWell, I wanted to read more about their friendship even before Rowling outed Dumbledore, but now even more so. (I read a fandom secret that someone spent the whole book thinking of Grindelwald as Shinji from Bleach, and, well, ME TOO. Bowl cut, blond, constant smile full of teeth, slightly evil? Oh yes.) The implication really seems to make it that they might have been lovers; it explains everything, including the odd nature of the friendship that other people Harry talked to seemed confused by. (i.e., so deep, so abrupt, so in spite of Grindelwald's evil and Dumbledore's good.) I'm. really really curious. I would love to read about it.
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
I'm not sure, actually. I know that I toyed with the idea of it early on, because I was convinced that Draco would go through a Redemption arc, and because I thought we would get one of those scenarios that are always awesome on TV -- hero and villain come together against a common threat, despite differences, but the friction between their personalities absolutely remains, and hilarity (and often great character development and some slasihness) ensue.
But Draco did have his redemption arc in Book Seven, starting in Book Six, and nothing came of it except a bit of pitiful whimpering in that scene in the bathrooms. They give each other a sort of icy regard in the epilogue, but who liked ANYTHING about the epilogue, seriously.
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the series?
No, not hardly. And it's not like I abandoned it, really, so much as that Rowling did. (I don't really like the way she did it, either. There are plenty of ways of having a crush not turn out well without the grief over your last boyfriend's untimely DEMISE. I'm still tremendously disappointed that it didn't turn out Cho was being controlled via forbidden curses to gain a lever with Harry. The way she kept sort of losing track of their conversation seemed so indicative of it, but alas, only indicative of grief.)
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
I don't know~. I love music, but I'm so uninformed on bands. Ideally it would be fast and poppy and bubbly, but with a gentle sort of earthy realism to it. (Maybe something Vanessa Carlton. X3)
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
I~ honestly don't know. XD I like the first six, I like lots of others that didn't make the list. I should read some FIC. :D Then I would know properly. XD
14. Which do you dislike the most?
Harry/Ginny, since Harry/Snape no longer exists! :D
15. If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Snape/Lily and Harry/Luna. Because it would be hilarious. I don't know what Lily is doing there. Maybe Snape made a Lilybot ala Buffy. Harry can be horrified.
16. Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
I'm pretty sure they have. XD Probably it was even described. I mean, unless Fleur wanted to be really chaste before the wedding night.
17. Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Hahahahaha no. Happy endings are where neither of you winds up dead.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
....a pretty doujinshi. X3 And some serious, thoughtful fic.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer--#2 or #6?
XD WELL, 2 is already canon, but 6 would probably retroactively prevent the series from existing. :D
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
Their marriage ends tragically because she can't believe he really wanted to name one of their kids "Albus Severus Potter".
Because he will never suddenly wake up and realize what a superficial, selfish, show-stealing little bitch she is. XD
Kingdom Hearts
(The only Disney/FF pairings I'm listing here are ones I like SPECIFICALLY or ESPECIALLY in the game.)
Six pairings I like:
1. Axel/Roxas
2. Leon/Aerith
3. Roxas/Hayner
4. Sora/Namine
5. Marluxia/Larxene
6. Kairi/Namine
Three 'ships I've abandoned:
7. Sora/Riku (sort of!)
8. Roxas/Olette
9. Axel/Larxene
Three 'ships I've never liked:
10. Sora/Kairi/Riku
11. Kairi/Riku
12. Axel/Demyx(/Roxas)
Two 'ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Sora/Kairi
14. Kairi/Olette
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
These questions are so CONFRONTATIONAL. XD I don't dislike Kairi/Riku tremendously, I've just never... seen it. The assumption of its existence is part of what I don't like about Sora/Kairi/Riku. This is one of those pairings I wish more thought and effort was typically put into. It could be cute, but it isn't canon. The assumption of canon hurts so many pairings. :\ Because then no one actually tries to make it interesting or convincing in fic.
2.) Who do you know who 'ships #13?
voodoobob, and coincidentally she's the reason for the new interest. Previously I would have put this under "never liked". XD
I've always thought that the sign of a good, strong character voice was that the character would be interested in pairings you yourself weren't, so, having had both a Sora and a Kairi who really wanted to fluff at each other helps everything a lot. ♥
And I want to say right now that, despite comments later on in this meme, I'm fully open to RPing all three of them having a similar effect on my feelings towards the threesome. XD
3.) What would your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Alternate universe. Something where the Twilight Town friends are REAL. D: Maybe something urban~.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
Clock tower, Twilight Town, ice cream ringing any bells? I love the idea that they used to go up there all the time, and... awww.
Although, the funny thing is, all of the canon scenes we keep being prevented with for them is almost spoiling the pairing for me a tiny bit. I'm happy for THEM, but every scene gives me less and less wiggle room on writing. XD There's more to love, but less to ship. :(
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
Boy, um. I don't know. Probably about since Namine came to Kairi's rescue when she was kidnapped by Saix. I'm one of many people who never played CoM on the Gameboy Advance (though I've played it since, as "Chain of Memories: Re:Chained"), so while I think I already knew that Namine was Kairi's Nobody, I hadn't yet been exposed to the horrible, horrible pain that was her life in the year before KH2. Thus, wanting her to be with a sweet, fluffy girl forever and ever hadn't yet quite occurred to me.
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Canon. I liked this fleetingly at the very, very beginning, when I was more or less assuming that everything in Roxas's Twilight Town was genuine. Since then I've decided that Hayner/Olette is the most likely of the "real" TT pairings, although Pence/Olette is kind of adorable too.
Anyway, I didn't have anything especially against the pairing until I learned that some people think of it as absolutely canon. (See: their fanlisting as a couple, where some fangirl rambles on for pages about why Roxas/Namine isn't real and why Roxas/Olette is vastly superior and also Nomura's INTENTION from the start, you ignorant peeps. D: )
Badfic doesn't usually ruin a ship for me -- but bad fans can ruin it very, very quickly.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
Hmmmmm. This is a hard one. :( I love them both. (Blame kay_willow, once I wouldn't even have known to look for Leon/Aerith.)
I guess I'll put Leon/Aerith on top, though, because Sora/Namine is sometimes written by delusional people, and Leon/Aerith makes some FF7 fans very, very angry. Heh. D:
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
If I could make a 'ship RETROACTIVELY nonexistent, it would probably be SoRiKai, because as innocuous as it is itself, I honestly feel like the popularity of that 'ship started off a whole mess of "I like two pairings which WOULD be mutually exclusive, but instead of writing them individually and so having to make a choice, I'll just WRITE EVERYONE TOGETHER. OT3/4/5/6/10/24!" (Plus, SoRiKai tends to focus heavily on Kairi as the center, when I think Sora is the more obvious and natural center; if the three of them threesomed, it would be love for Sora that bound Riku and Kairi together, not love for Kairi that bound Sora and Riku together.)
I'm sorry. :\ 99% of threesomes strike me as lazy writing. You have a complicated relationship, and usually you just turn it into generic fluff.
But Axel/Demyx is similarly absolutely everywhere, so it gets an honorable mention.
9.) What interests you about #14?
This is as close to a crack pairing as I get. They're both spunky girls with an edge but no more than that of "tomboy" -- both girls whose only best friends are male. I imagine they'd have a lot to giggle about, comparing notes on their boys, and even though they only had that one scene of sitting next to one another on the couch, the idea has always kind of quietly appealed to me. ♥
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
These ones are really really hard for me. I wouldn't say I really stopped liking it, but... I know it lost some of its appeal for me when the fics for it started being so repetitive. It seemed like everything was either a.) rehashing of canon, b.) Sora+Riku = fluffybunnies and sometimes porn, or c.) Sora+Riku = a bunch of common problems in teenage gay literature that assume way too much about the similarities between Destiny Islands and us. The c there is particularly annoying because I'm pretty much tired of coming out stories even when they take place in America and parents heavily influenced by Christianity et all make sense.
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill the series?
Lawl, no. Why would it? Larxene/Axel is one of those pairings that seemed cool for about ten minutes of fandom time, until I realized that liking it meant I had to be crazy, and also that I had to hate Axel/Roxas fans. Being one, it was just problematic.
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
"Hanky Panky," from Madonna's "I'm Breathless" album. It's a sort-of soundtrack for the Dick Tracy movie she was in, and mwahaha.
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
Heeee. Still Axel/Roxas. Although they're a little harder to WRITE creatively for, they're still so damned cute.
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
Oh, boy, thaaaaat's a toughie. Axel/Demyx, I think -- especially if Roxas has been thrown in there, too. There are a lot of Axel pairings out there that essentially ignore who Axel was, and Axel/Larxene is tied for this, the way it's usually written; I'm sorry, but Axel was very very clear -- he didn't like ANYONE in the ENTIRE Organization EXCEPT FOR Roxas. That's what "He was the only one I really liked" means. And in the case of Larxene, he got her killed.
Axel/Demyx fans pretty much get by on the assumption that Axel was somehow a sweet, playful guy, who liked to play pranks on his fellow Organization members and would therefore have enjoyed Demyx's company; and as much as people babble on about how Axel/Roxas fans ignore the "vastly cooler" person he was in Chain of Memories, making him into a fluffy bunny, this kind of ignoring is much worse.
Axel was a lying, manipulative bastard who did not so much as blink while killing his fellows -- except for Roxas. He may have acted the part of the clown sometimes, but it was always to a purpose. Playing pranks on Organization members and having sex with Demyx != a purpose. Sorry.
15.) If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Sora/Riku and Sora/Kairi. The boy is clueless, and he accidentally double-schedules himself, planning to see different movies with each of them on the same night. Situation is doubly awkward because both Riku and Kairi was sort of thinking of the night out as a date, and both are a little embarrassed to see how wrong they were.
....I'm mean. D:
16.) Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
No. Sadly. Aerith just does all the talking for her emotionally-clumsy would-be husband and makes him horrible experimental food to eat.
17.) Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
God no. Sora chooses his old memories over the new ones of hers, and never remembers to thank her at all except for in a very brief, added cut scene with Riku while they're fighting Xemnas. And Namine was so quietly, beautifully crushed by his decision.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
Ngh. ♥
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer -- #2 or #6?
Well, gee. I would love more scenes with Leon/Aerith, but Kairi/Namine being canon...... It seems like it would be painful, in the long run, trying to have a relationship like that with someone you could never hold or touch. :(
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
They fall into each other's arms shortly after returning home, high on relief from having survived and saved the multiverse yet again. Things are wonderful and perfect for a while. Then they start being human beings again. Riku and Sora opt to go off to find the King and leave Kairi at home, which frustrates her to no end because dammit, she thought they were OVER that; they have a huge fight, and at the end of it she acquiesces and hugs Riku goodbye but kisses Sora, which makes them all feel a little awkward because it was instinctive; Riku realizes he's looking forward to having Sora all to himself while they're on the road, and that is an unpleasant feeling; after they leave, Kairi starts to wonder and feel distressed about whether or not they will continue kissing and so forth when she isn't there...
And it all just self-destructs, leaving friendships somewhat strained for years.
You've got to admit, it would be kind of interesting to watch.
Bleach
Six pairings I like:
1. Aizen/Gin
2. Gin/Rangiku
3. Ichigo/Renji/Rukia (despite myself, and all that is sane)
4. Ichigo/Orihime
5. Aizen/Gin/Tousen
6. Urahara/Yoruichi
Three 'ships I've abandoned:
7. Renji/Ichigo
8. Ichigo/Rukia
9. Ishida/Orihime (caveats to follow)
Three 'ships I've never liked:
10. Delusion!shipping (AKA: Aizen/Hinamori, Gin/Kira)
11. Stockholm!shipping (AKA: Ulquiorra/Orihime, Grimmjow/Orihime, etc.)
12. Nnoitra/fangirls
Two 'ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Ichigo/Tatsuki
14. Kyouraku/Ukitake and/or Kyouraku/Nanao
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
God. Because Orihime isn't a stupid whore, and the arrancar are extremely creepy. All of them. If you want to make Nnoitra rape her, okay, go ahead -- he's a rapist, it's what he'd do, and despite the unseemly nature of that, it's practically canon that he'd like to. ("Pet-sama" and her "training" indeed.) But there shouldn't be willing
sex with these people. The fact that there are communities dedicated to these pairings, that people want to see them happen outside of degradation porn, is extremely confusing to me.
Yeah, okay, Grimmjow seems like maybe he might be coming over to our side, but so far I think Grimmjow/Ichigo is just as likely. (And no, that is not an invitation. :( )
I might be writing an Aizen/Orihime, but Aizen can have anyone he wants
2.) Who do you know who 'ships #13?
haku~ I wrote some in my current drabble challenge for her, and it was pretty. I can totally see it, although part of me is still undecided on whether I think Tatsuki's relationship with him or her relationship with Orihime is stronger...
Anyway, hee, would write again. Ttly.
3.) What would your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Anything not involving a lot of beer, because I've seen that setup several times and it always makes me roll my eyes.
The reason why I like couple #3 is that I think Ichigo's interaction with Renji is identical to his interaction with Rukia, after the Soul Society arc -- except that he never forgets Renji knows how to fight. Ichigo in the center of a threesome with the two of them would be deeply confused the entire time, and once I read a fic where Rukia drew up some of her retarded diagrams for him and it was hilarious.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
Mmmmm, purr. I like both of the little hinty segments we've gotten in Hueco Mundo, but my favorite is probably the bit right after Szayel Aporro's "apology" -- Aizen has just had one of his frankly sexy smug moments, piercing right through Szayel Aporro's humble words to see the plotting-against-you beneath, and Gin observes with noticeable bemusement that Aizen seems almost like he's happy, even though they've got invaders coming right for him and some of his men have already been killed.
There are a couple of great panels here, Aizen's so-rare surprise at Gin's observation, Gin's slightly-odd smile when he asks, "Am I wrong?," Aizen's admitting that he does feel something like that, and then -- and then -- asking Gin, "Do you think that's strange, Gin?"
And Gin says, "Not a bit. Strangely enough, I feel exactly the same way." ♥♥♥
It is a little thing, but they are both human there, and neither one of them is anything like human with anyone else.
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
Since before Yoruichi turned out to be an amazingly hot chick? Urahara/hiscat = OTP forever~
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
I'm so boring and predictable: again I've gotta say "canon". This, like Roxas/Olette, was something I just assumed would happen, and at first I liked it better than Ichigo/Orihime, which had never occurred to me. (I watched the anime long before picking up the manga, and the manga makes a much, much bigger and more obvious thing out of her crush.) I didn't think it could be done well, and it seemed random to me, and I liked Orihime better with Tatsuki.
But then came the arrancar arc, and Orihime's tears, and Rangiku's comforting, and suddenly I saw a pairing that didn't even have to be requited to be wonderful, because it was so genuine and so human. I still don't know if I think they'll end up married, or anything, but I like it better than Ichigo/Rukia, especially after noticing scenes like the "tag-team" thumping she and Renji give Ichigo in Hueco Mundo and thinking -- they'd have to be a threesome before a pairing, and I don't know if THAT would ever happen.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
I~ likes my tragedy. I would love to hear more about Gin/Rangiku, and I love writing it, in an awful, painful sort of way; casual sex that she knows better than to allow and self-hatred for not being able to just throw her away that he will NEVER let her see = ftw.
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Delusion!shipping, absolutely. The funny thing is that I will read both of these pairings eagerly, but wtf FLUFF? NO. Aizen ran Hinamori through, he doesn't give a damn about her, and Gin didn't even bother to say goodbye to Kira; neither one of them is harboring a desperate wish to have brought their discarded toys along to Hueco Mundo. And Aizen didn't even want to dirty his own hands with Hinamori's blood -- something a lot of fans seem to forget is that he wanted to let Kira or Gin or Hitsugaya (accidentally) kill her; he took it upon himself only as a last resort, after all other attempts had failed.
This isn't to say that they weren't personally invested in their lieutenants. (Although with Gin, I rather think that he is the sort of predator where his prey has to be in motion; the instant Kira is out of his sight, he forgets about him completely, and would just as soon torment Rukia, or Renji <--both canonical, although the latter is from a Bleach DS game.) It's just that neither of them was making wedding plans with the kids. And if fandom would only accept that, and stick to the horror, I would gobble these pairings up like candy.
9.) What interests you about #14?
incandescens's fic. It isn't that they didn't have some awesome interaction in the series, but her fic started me thinking about all three characters again, and she writes Kyouraku's relationship with Nanao in a way that lets me accept genuine romantic interest there, whereas before I was seeing something a little too comical to be romantic -- you know?
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
When it started flooding every comm I ever look at. :( I feel so weird. I have never been in this position before, have always resented people who made comments like this, but those two are men. (And maybe also straight, but let's say they aren't -- they're STILL men.) Why is Ichigo such a little girl in every slash pairing ever? Bleh.
Bleach fandom, an important announcement -- the following boys could be considered pretty:
a.) Yumichika;
b.) Byakuya;
c.) Ishida;
d.) Szayel Aporro, and yeah, his dead brother.
(Hitsugaya may well make this list when he's considerably older. Some filler characters, like Ashido, also make this list, and I suppose Shuuhei, whom I personally find somewhat too intimidating in appearance to be pretty. ;)
We also have some beautiful men:
a.) Aizen
b.) Ryuuken (Ishida's dad)
The other guys in this series are, by and large, good-looking in different ways but not pretty. (And, I love Gin, but he's down here, too. The guy has some kind of charisma, but he put most of his points into "creepy as hell".)
Anyway, the point of this long, long babble was: stop telling me how pretty Ichigo is. Especially don't tell me he's delicate. :(
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill the series?
You know, I'm trying, and I really can't think of a time when my "waning interest" in a pairing has ever killed a series. For the pairings I really love, I generally only lose interest because something even more awesome has supplanted it, so it's hard to be too depressed. ;)
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
I don't think I've ever heard a song mindfucky enough.
I almost wish I'd put Gin/Rangiku here, though, because for once I totally have a song for one of these couples -- "Faith in Love" by Devil Doll. *purr*
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
Hee. Aizen/Gin. If I hated my friends, I'd harass all of them constantly to write more of it. Finding an awesome fic for them by incandescens was what sparked my interest in all of her fic, because my immediate reaction was "asdkl;sfs;s more????"
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
I~ think~.... maybe #12. Nnoitra fangirls honestly make me a little nervous, because they all seem to think his psychotic rapist ways are A++++ and the hottest thing ever. ;_;
15.) If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Aizen/Hinamori and Gin/Kira. Aizen should invite Hinamori to his estate (presuming noble family here, and so the existence of an estate), and Gin should drag Kira along. Then Gin and Kira can hang out in a corner of the room, conveniently invisible, while Aizen strings Hinamori along a little more and maybe smexes her up some, which in other contexts I don't approve of.
Ooooh, the paaaain. And they wouldn't even gag Kira while they did it, because they'd know he'd be too miserable to make a sound. Gin would enjoy it, Aizen would likely enjoy most of it, Hinamori would be confused and kind of ashamed because I imagine that, although enormously flattered and pleased by his interest, she would find a tryst with a subordinate to essentially ruin her squeaky-clean image of him, and then -- then Aizen would ask her quite politely not to tell anyone, not to let on, and he would seem quite sincere and concerned about it, and Hinamori would die a little inside every day after.
.....have I mentioned how mean I am?
16.) Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
Very possibly? But not on screen, no.
17.) Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Not yet, and~ I don't know. The way Rangiku talks about them reminds us that they're only fifteen, and that even if they start dating and do so happily, marriage isn't necessarily the end result.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
I'm not sure. I already plan on writing fic for them, but I don't know if I would say I "ship" them now. Ask me again after I've written the fic, and we'll see. X3 Writing tends to increase my pleasure in a pairing. It is the ribbed condom of fandom.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer -- #2 or #6?
Definitely Urahara/Yoruichi. I... kind of love Gin/Rangiku for the tragedy, and if he lets himself feel properly for her, I'm pretty sure it's only going to get him killed. Not that that wouldn't be a spectacular way to go out, mind, as long as it isn't also accompanied by a super-cheesy "I have discovered True Love, and I must now kill you, Aizen, to save the one I loveeeeee" scene. But I can't say I'm rooting for anything that would get Gin killed. ;) Resigned as I am to the extreme likelihood of it happening, I won't be cheerleading. X3
Meanwhile, Urahara/Yoruichi is 1300.67% pure awesome, and they should have sex on screen.
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
Well, first of all, can I hurt the fans instead of the 'ships? D: Because what I'd really like to see is Aizen and Gin share a glass of wine, make out a little, and then kill their former lieutenants prettily. It'd make me squeal happily, and maaaaybe cause the delusion!shippers to rethink their ideas a little.
Sigh. It wouldn't work. Everyone would just scream "fan service!!" and start talking about how Kubo Tite had "sold out" to the "hoards" of "yaoi fangirls."
A note: if you like any pairing I've listed here as not liking, I still love you. ♥ I hope you still love me. ._.
Harry Potter
Six pairings I like:
1. Ron/Hermione (yes, still)
2. Fleur/Bill
3. Severus/Lily
4. Sirius/Remus
5. Mrs. and Mr. Weasely ♥
6. Sirius/James (I'm going to hell for this one~)
Three ships I've abandoned:
7. Harry/Draco
8. Hermione/Ginny
9. Harry/Cho
Three ships I've never liked:
10. Harry/Ginny
11. Harry/Hermione
12. Harry/Snape
Two ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Harry/Luna
14. Dumbledore/Grindelwald
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
Funny you should ask. Entirely because of their fans. When I started reading "Harry Potter", I was still into Digimon, and the fans of Harry/Hermione reminded me entirely too much of the unbearable fans of Taichi/Sora. I put the lot of them all in the same barrel, where too many of them only seemed to like the 'ship because it was "canon," and they were all extremely proud of that, until it was finally proved to not be canon. (I remember reading an LJ post after the sixth book, and the aftermath of so many angry, bitter Harry/Hermione fans "jumping 'ship," so to speak; the author said something like, "For the love of god, you're AUTHORS. Here are fifteen first sentences to fics that would solve all your problems." ♥ I liked the one where Tonks was dancing about, happily engaged, and Ginny fell from a tenth story window above her, head first, and the impact killed them both.)
This said: there's nothing wrong with the 'ship itself. Harry doesn't see her that way, by his own admission, but all that means is that you should put more WORK into it. (And not just cheap rationalizations, like one line saying "He couldn't believe he'd ever thought of her as a sister." REAL work, spanning chapters, or taking place when they're thirty, or something~.) If you love the pairing enough, you can make it work. The movies have you at a good start, they keep putting in scenes that seem Harry/Hermioneish to me.
Boy I hope they're not all that long. D:
2.) Who do you know that ships #13?
kay_willow, and the rest of her ilk~. The most recent movie just made them seem kind of adorable, and going back over some scenes in the books... It's an easy pairing to like, I think. Especially if you don't have any other strong contenders for him in mind. ;)
3.) What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Obviously it has to take place in the past, because, well, dead. Wait, no. Put Snape in the scene with Harry, where Voldemort's wand started regurgitating pale shadows of past spells, or in front of the Mirror of Erised, or something else similar, where he could interact with a pale, ghostly shadow of her, and that would be angsty and gorgeous, I think.
We don't know much about the HP afterlife, but a reunion scene there would also be nice. He could tell her all the things he did, and how he managed, despite himself, to keep her boy safe.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
I will admit I like the bit in Book Six, where it seems like they're finally going to Get It, right before Ginny ruins everything by making fun of Ron for having never kissed anyone. I liked that scene a lot. (I also liked the bit with the screaming match over her going to the dance with Viktor, and Hermione's parting shot of "Next time, ask me first, and not as a last resort!" and how Ron stammers and stutters and claims she missed the point completely, and Harry's reflection that he thinks she got it better than Ron did.)
Otherwise, honestly, Rowling didn't give us a lot to go on. Ron was never very aware of his feelings for Hermione, so he didn't ever confess them to Harry, and mainly what we see is two children struggling with feelings for one another and being too stubborn (or too thick) to relate them like grownups. We see a lot of Ron being terribly jealous, which is cute, but not a Moment For the Pairing. (I don't blame Rowling for any of this, because after all, it's all Harry's point of view. He can't reflect on things he isn't feeling or being told about.)
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
I feel like I should make a fandom secret for this one, everyone I know will lynch me. D: B, but. I thought their interaction in Harry's Pensieve flashbacks were adorable, and I would love to read decent fic about their school days. I'm not enough "in" the HP fandom to have ever gone looking for it, though. D:
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Heh. This was never a huge 'ship, but I liked it the idea of it right up until Book Six, where Ginny had her Bitch From Hell makeover complete with complimentary Mary Sue pedicure. When Ginny sabotaged Hermione and Ron's budding relationship, only to immediately turn around and play sympathetic best friend for Hermione, I was struck by what a snake Rowling had unintentionally (I assume!) made her into. I mean, she is several times presented as Hermione's best female friend (because obviously Hermione isn't allowed to have friends among girls we don't know), so you would think that she would have noticed Hermione's Thing for Ron, but never once does she act like she gives a damn, and to goad Ron to the point of totally-white-and-shocked-pain, see the consequences, and pretend they were nothing to do with her?!
God, no. I don't even want to think of them as friends anymore. I hope Hermione finds someone better.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
Probably #2, in spite of myself. Why couldn't Tonks have done as well? We barely saw the two of them, but they were adorable.
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Why can't I do both. D: D:
I mean, Harry/Ginny is more technically obnoxious, because it's canon, so if I ever write HP I'm going to have to work around it somehow or make Ginny into a totally different person. (Shouldn't be hard; Rowling did it.) But Harry/Snape is the most horrifyingly prevalent thing ever. a;sdlsdf;ldf
Let's strike the Harry/Snape. I won't have to read any more books, so I'll never see Harry/Ginny again, but Harry/Snape will live forever. Like a zombie.
9.) What interest you about #14?
CanonWell, I wanted to read more about their friendship even before Rowling outed Dumbledore, but now even more so. (I read a fandom secret that someone spent the whole book thinking of Grindelwald as Shinji from Bleach, and, well, ME TOO. Bowl cut, blond, constant smile full of teeth, slightly evil? Oh yes.) The implication really seems to make it that they might have been lovers; it explains everything, including the odd nature of the friendship that other people Harry talked to seemed confused by. (i.e., so deep, so abrupt, so in spite of Grindelwald's evil and Dumbledore's good.) I'm. really really curious. I would love to read about it.
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
I'm not sure, actually. I know that I toyed with the idea of it early on, because I was convinced that Draco would go through a Redemption arc, and because I thought we would get one of those scenarios that are always awesome on TV -- hero and villain come together against a common threat, despite differences, but the friction between their personalities absolutely remains, and hilarity (and often great character development and some slasihness) ensue.
But Draco did have his redemption arc in Book Seven, starting in Book Six, and nothing came of it except a bit of pitiful whimpering in that scene in the bathrooms. They give each other a sort of icy regard in the epilogue, but who liked ANYTHING about the epilogue, seriously.
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the series?
No, not hardly. And it's not like I abandoned it, really, so much as that Rowling did. (I don't really like the way she did it, either. There are plenty of ways of having a crush not turn out well without the grief over your last boyfriend's untimely DEMISE. I'm still tremendously disappointed that it didn't turn out Cho was being controlled via forbidden curses to gain a lever with Harry. The way she kept sort of losing track of their conversation seemed so indicative of it, but alas, only indicative of grief.)
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
I don't know~. I love music, but I'm so uninformed on bands. Ideally it would be fast and poppy and bubbly, but with a gentle sort of earthy realism to it. (Maybe something Vanessa Carlton. X3)
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
I~ honestly don't know. XD I like the first six, I like lots of others that didn't make the list. I should read some FIC. :D Then I would know properly. XD
14. Which do you dislike the most?
Harry/Ginny, since Harry/Snape no longer exists! :D
15. If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Snape/Lily and Harry/Luna. Because it would be hilarious. I don't know what Lily is doing there. Maybe Snape made a Lilybot ala Buffy. Harry can be horrified.
16. Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
I'm pretty sure they have. XD Probably it was even described. I mean, unless Fleur wanted to be really chaste before the wedding night.
17. Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Hahahahaha no. Happy endings are where neither of you winds up dead.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
....a pretty doujinshi. X3 And some serious, thoughtful fic.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer--#2 or #6?
XD WELL, 2 is already canon, but 6 would probably retroactively prevent the series from existing. :D
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
Their marriage ends tragically because she can't believe he really wanted to name one of their kids "Albus Severus Potter".
Because he will never suddenly wake up and realize what a superficial, selfish, show-stealing little bitch she is. XD
Kingdom Hearts
(The only Disney/FF pairings I'm listing here are ones I like SPECIFICALLY or ESPECIALLY in the game.)
Six pairings I like:
1. Axel/Roxas
2. Leon/Aerith
3. Roxas/Hayner
4. Sora/Namine
5. Marluxia/Larxene
6. Kairi/Namine
Three 'ships I've abandoned:
7. Sora/Riku (sort of!)
8. Roxas/Olette
9. Axel/Larxene
Three 'ships I've never liked:
10. Sora/Kairi/Riku
11. Kairi/Riku
12. Axel/Demyx(/Roxas)
Two 'ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Sora/Kairi
14. Kairi/Olette
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
These questions are so CONFRONTATIONAL. XD I don't dislike Kairi/Riku tremendously, I've just never... seen it. The assumption of its existence is part of what I don't like about Sora/Kairi/Riku. This is one of those pairings I wish more thought and effort was typically put into. It could be cute, but it isn't canon. The assumption of canon hurts so many pairings. :\ Because then no one actually tries to make it interesting or convincing in fic.
2.) Who do you know who 'ships #13?
voodoobob, and coincidentally she's the reason for the new interest. Previously I would have put this under "never liked". XD
I've always thought that the sign of a good, strong character voice was that the character would be interested in pairings you yourself weren't, so, having had both a Sora and a Kairi who really wanted to fluff at each other helps everything a lot. ♥
And I want to say right now that, despite comments later on in this meme, I'm fully open to RPing all three of them having a similar effect on my feelings towards the threesome. XD
3.) What would your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Alternate universe. Something where the Twilight Town friends are REAL. D: Maybe something urban~.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
Clock tower, Twilight Town, ice cream ringing any bells? I love the idea that they used to go up there all the time, and... awww.
Although, the funny thing is, all of the canon scenes we keep being prevented with for them is almost spoiling the pairing for me a tiny bit. I'm happy for THEM, but every scene gives me less and less wiggle room on writing. XD There's more to love, but less to ship. :(
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
Boy, um. I don't know. Probably about since Namine came to Kairi's rescue when she was kidnapped by Saix. I'm one of many people who never played CoM on the Gameboy Advance (though I've played it since, as "Chain of Memories: Re:Chained"), so while I think I already knew that Namine was Kairi's Nobody, I hadn't yet been exposed to the horrible, horrible pain that was her life in the year before KH2. Thus, wanting her to be with a sweet, fluffy girl forever and ever hadn't yet quite occurred to me.
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Canon. I liked this fleetingly at the very, very beginning, when I was more or less assuming that everything in Roxas's Twilight Town was genuine. Since then I've decided that Hayner/Olette is the most likely of the "real" TT pairings, although Pence/Olette is kind of adorable too.
Anyway, I didn't have anything especially against the pairing until I learned that some people think of it as absolutely canon. (See: their fanlisting as a couple, where some fangirl rambles on for pages about why Roxas/Namine isn't real and why Roxas/Olette is vastly superior and also Nomura's INTENTION from the start, you ignorant peeps. D: )
Badfic doesn't usually ruin a ship for me -- but bad fans can ruin it very, very quickly.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
Hmmmmm. This is a hard one. :( I love them both. (Blame kay_willow, once I wouldn't even have known to look for Leon/Aerith.)
I guess I'll put Leon/Aerith on top, though, because Sora/Namine is sometimes written by delusional people, and Leon/Aerith makes some FF7 fans very, very angry. Heh. D:
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
If I could make a 'ship RETROACTIVELY nonexistent, it would probably be SoRiKai, because as innocuous as it is itself, I honestly feel like the popularity of that 'ship started off a whole mess of "I like two pairings which WOULD be mutually exclusive, but instead of writing them individually and so having to make a choice, I'll just WRITE EVERYONE TOGETHER. OT3/4/5/6/10/24!" (Plus, SoRiKai tends to focus heavily on Kairi as the center, when I think Sora is the more obvious and natural center; if the three of them threesomed, it would be love for Sora that bound Riku and Kairi together, not love for Kairi that bound Sora and Riku together.)
I'm sorry. :\ 99% of threesomes strike me as lazy writing. You have a complicated relationship, and usually you just turn it into generic fluff.
But Axel/Demyx is similarly absolutely everywhere, so it gets an honorable mention.
9.) What interests you about #14?
This is as close to a crack pairing as I get. They're both spunky girls with an edge but no more than that of "tomboy" -- both girls whose only best friends are male. I imagine they'd have a lot to giggle about, comparing notes on their boys, and even though they only had that one scene of sitting next to one another on the couch, the idea has always kind of quietly appealed to me. ♥
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
These ones are really really hard for me. I wouldn't say I really stopped liking it, but... I know it lost some of its appeal for me when the fics for it started being so repetitive. It seemed like everything was either a.) rehashing of canon, b.) Sora+Riku = fluffybunnies and sometimes porn, or c.) Sora+Riku = a bunch of common problems in teenage gay literature that assume way too much about the similarities between Destiny Islands and us. The c there is particularly annoying because I'm pretty much tired of coming out stories even when they take place in America and parents heavily influenced by Christianity et all make sense.
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill the series?
Lawl, no. Why would it? Larxene/Axel is one of those pairings that seemed cool for about ten minutes of fandom time, until I realized that liking it meant I had to be crazy, and also that I had to hate Axel/Roxas fans. Being one, it was just problematic.
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
"Hanky Panky," from Madonna's "I'm Breathless" album. It's a sort-of soundtrack for the Dick Tracy movie she was in, and mwahaha.
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
Heeee. Still Axel/Roxas. Although they're a little harder to WRITE creatively for, they're still so damned cute.
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
Oh, boy, thaaaaat's a toughie. Axel/Demyx, I think -- especially if Roxas has been thrown in there, too. There are a lot of Axel pairings out there that essentially ignore who Axel was, and Axel/Larxene is tied for this, the way it's usually written; I'm sorry, but Axel was very very clear -- he didn't like ANYONE in the ENTIRE Organization EXCEPT FOR Roxas. That's what "He was the only one I really liked" means. And in the case of Larxene, he got her killed.
Axel/Demyx fans pretty much get by on the assumption that Axel was somehow a sweet, playful guy, who liked to play pranks on his fellow Organization members and would therefore have enjoyed Demyx's company; and as much as people babble on about how Axel/Roxas fans ignore the "vastly cooler" person he was in Chain of Memories, making him into a fluffy bunny, this kind of ignoring is much worse.
Axel was a lying, manipulative bastard who did not so much as blink while killing his fellows -- except for Roxas. He may have acted the part of the clown sometimes, but it was always to a purpose. Playing pranks on Organization members and having sex with Demyx != a purpose. Sorry.
15.) If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Sora/Riku and Sora/Kairi. The boy is clueless, and he accidentally double-schedules himself, planning to see different movies with each of them on the same night. Situation is doubly awkward because both Riku and Kairi was sort of thinking of the night out as a date, and both are a little embarrassed to see how wrong they were.
....I'm mean. D:
16.) Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
No. Sadly. Aerith just does all the talking for her emotionally-clumsy would-be husband and makes him horrible experimental food to eat.
17.) Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
God no. Sora chooses his old memories over the new ones of hers, and never remembers to thank her at all except for in a very brief, added cut scene with Riku while they're fighting Xemnas. And Namine was so quietly, beautifully crushed by his decision.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
Ngh. ♥
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer -- #2 or #6?
Well, gee. I would love more scenes with Leon/Aerith, but Kairi/Namine being canon...... It seems like it would be painful, in the long run, trying to have a relationship like that with someone you could never hold or touch. :(
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
They fall into each other's arms shortly after returning home, high on relief from having survived and saved the multiverse yet again. Things are wonderful and perfect for a while. Then they start being human beings again. Riku and Sora opt to go off to find the King and leave Kairi at home, which frustrates her to no end because dammit, she thought they were OVER that; they have a huge fight, and at the end of it she acquiesces and hugs Riku goodbye but kisses Sora, which makes them all feel a little awkward because it was instinctive; Riku realizes he's looking forward to having Sora all to himself while they're on the road, and that is an unpleasant feeling; after they leave, Kairi starts to wonder and feel distressed about whether or not they will continue kissing and so forth when she isn't there...
And it all just self-destructs, leaving friendships somewhat strained for years.
You've got to admit, it would be kind of interesting to watch.
Bleach
Six pairings I like:
1. Aizen/Gin
2. Gin/Rangiku
3. Ichigo/Renji/Rukia (despite myself, and all that is sane)
4. Ichigo/Orihime
5. Aizen/Gin/Tousen
6. Urahara/Yoruichi
Three 'ships I've abandoned:
7. Renji/Ichigo
8. Ichigo/Rukia
9. Ishida/Orihime (caveats to follow)
Three 'ships I've never liked:
10. Delusion!shipping (AKA: Aizen/Hinamori, Gin/Kira)
11. Stockholm!shipping (AKA: Ulquiorra/Orihime, Grimmjow/Orihime, etc.)
12. Nnoitra/fangirls
Two 'ships that have piqued my interest:
13. Ichigo/Tatsuki
14. Kyouraku/Ukitake and/or Kyouraku/Nanao
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much?
God. Because Orihime isn't a stupid whore, and the arrancar are extremely creepy. All of them. If you want to make Nnoitra rape her, okay, go ahead -- he's a rapist, it's what he'd do, and despite the unseemly nature of that, it's practically canon that he'd like to. ("Pet-sama" and her "training" indeed.) But there shouldn't be willing
sex with these people. The fact that there are communities dedicated to these pairings, that people want to see them happen outside of degradation porn, is extremely confusing to me.
Yeah, okay, Grimmjow seems like maybe he might be coming over to our side, but so far I think Grimmjow/Ichigo is just as likely. (And no, that is not an invitation. :( )
I might be writing an Aizen/Orihime, but Aizen can have anyone he wants
2.) Who do you know who 'ships #13?
haku~ I wrote some in my current drabble challenge for her, and it was pretty. I can totally see it, although part of me is still undecided on whether I think Tatsuki's relationship with him or her relationship with Orihime is stronger...
Anyway, hee, would write again. Ttly.
3.) What would your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Anything not involving a lot of beer, because I've seen that setup several times and it always makes me roll my eyes.
The reason why I like couple #3 is that I think Ichigo's interaction with Renji is identical to his interaction with Rukia, after the Soul Society arc -- except that he never forgets Renji knows how to fight. Ichigo in the center of a threesome with the two of them would be deeply confused the entire time, and once I read a fic where Rukia drew up some of her retarded diagrams for him and it was hilarious.
4.) What is your favorite moment for #1?
Mmmmm, purr. I like both of the little hinty segments we've gotten in Hueco Mundo, but my favorite is probably the bit right after Szayel Aporro's "apology" -- Aizen has just had one of his frankly sexy smug moments, piercing right through Szayel Aporro's humble words to see the plotting-against-you beneath, and Gin observes with noticeable bemusement that Aizen seems almost like he's happy, even though they've got invaders coming right for him and some of his men have already been killed.
There are a couple of great panels here, Aizen's so-rare surprise at Gin's observation, Gin's slightly-odd smile when he asks, "Am I wrong?," Aizen's admitting that he does feel something like that, and then -- and then -- asking Gin, "Do you think that's strange, Gin?"
And Gin says, "Not a bit. Strangely enough, I feel exactly the same way." ♥♥♥
It is a little thing, but they are both human there, and neither one of them is anything like human with anyone else.
5.) How long have you been following couple #6?
Since before Yoruichi turned out to be an amazingly hot chick? Urahara/hiscat = OTP forever~
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
I'm so boring and predictable: again I've gotta say "canon". This, like Roxas/Olette, was something I just assumed would happen, and at first I liked it better than Ichigo/Orihime, which had never occurred to me. (I watched the anime long before picking up the manga, and the manga makes a much, much bigger and more obvious thing out of her crush.) I didn't think it could be done well, and it seemed random to me, and I liked Orihime better with Tatsuki.
But then came the arrancar arc, and Orihime's tears, and Rangiku's comforting, and suddenly I saw a pairing that didn't even have to be requited to be wonderful, because it was so genuine and so human. I still don't know if I think they'll end up married, or anything, but I like it better than Ichigo/Rukia, especially after noticing scenes like the "tag-team" thumping she and Renji give Ichigo in Hueco Mundo and thinking -- they'd have to be a threesome before a pairing, and I don't know if THAT would ever happen.
7.) Which 'ship do you prefer -- #2 or #4?
I~ likes my tragedy. I would love to hear more about Gin/Rangiku, and I love writing it, in an awful, painful sort of way; casual sex that she knows better than to allow and self-hatred for not being able to just throw her away that he will NEVER let her see = ftw.
8.) You have the power to make one 'ship nonexistent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Delusion!shipping, absolutely. The funny thing is that I will read both of these pairings eagerly, but wtf FLUFF? NO. Aizen ran Hinamori through, he doesn't give a damn about her, and Gin didn't even bother to say goodbye to Kira; neither one of them is harboring a desperate wish to have brought their discarded toys along to Hueco Mundo. And Aizen didn't even want to dirty his own hands with Hinamori's blood -- something a lot of fans seem to forget is that he wanted to let Kira or Gin or Hitsugaya (accidentally) kill her; he took it upon himself only as a last resort, after all other attempts had failed.
This isn't to say that they weren't personally invested in their lieutenants. (Although with Gin, I rather think that he is the sort of predator where his prey has to be in motion; the instant Kira is out of his sight, he forgets about him completely, and would just as soon torment Rukia, or Renji <--both canonical, although the latter is from a Bleach DS game.) It's just that neither of them was making wedding plans with the kids. And if fandom would only accept that, and stick to the horror, I would gobble these pairings up like candy.
9.) What interests you about #14?
incandescens's fic. It isn't that they didn't have some awesome interaction in the series, but her fic started me thinking about all three characters again, and she writes Kyouraku's relationship with Nanao in a way that lets me accept genuine romantic interest there, whereas before I was seeing something a little too comical to be romantic -- you know?
10.) When did you stop liking #7?
When it started flooding every comm I ever look at. :( I feel so weird. I have never been in this position before, have always resented people who made comments like this, but those two are men. (And maybe also straight, but let's say they aren't -- they're STILL men.) Why is Ichigo such a little girl in every slash pairing ever? Bleh.
Bleach fandom, an important announcement -- the following boys could be considered pretty:
a.) Yumichika;
b.) Byakuya;
c.) Ishida;
d.) Szayel Aporro, and yeah, his dead brother.
(Hitsugaya may well make this list when he's considerably older. Some filler characters, like Ashido, also make this list, and I suppose Shuuhei, whom I personally find somewhat too intimidating in appearance to be pretty. ;)
We also have some beautiful men:
a.) Aizen
b.) Ryuuken (Ishida's dad)
The other guys in this series are, by and large, good-looking in different ways but not pretty. (And, I love Gin, but he's down here, too. The guy has some kind of charisma, but he put most of his points into "creepy as hell".)
Anyway, the point of this long, long babble was: stop telling me how pretty Ichigo is. Especially don't tell me he's delicate. :(
11.) Did your waning interest in #9 kill the series?
You know, I'm trying, and I really can't think of a time when my "waning interest" in a pairing has ever killed a series. For the pairings I really love, I generally only lose interest because something even more awesome has supplanted it, so it's hard to be too depressed. ;)
12.) What's a song that reminds you of #5?
I don't think I've ever heard a song mindfucky enough.
I almost wish I'd put Gin/Rangiku here, though, because for once I totally have a song for one of these couples -- "Faith in Love" by Devil Doll. *purr*
13.) Which of these 'ships do you love the most right now?
Hee. Aizen/Gin. If I hated my friends, I'd harass all of them constantly to write more of it. Finding an awesome fic for them by incandescens was what sparked my interest in all of her fic, because my immediate reaction was "asdkl;sfs;s more????"
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
I~ think~.... maybe #12. Nnoitra fangirls honestly make me a little nervous, because they all seem to think his psychotic rapist ways are A++++ and the hottest thing ever. ;_;
15.) If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
Aizen/Hinamori and Gin/Kira. Aizen should invite Hinamori to his estate (presuming noble family here, and so the existence of an estate), and Gin should drag Kira along. Then Gin and Kira can hang out in a corner of the room, conveniently invisible, while Aizen strings Hinamori along a little more and maybe smexes her up some, which in other contexts I don't approve of.
Ooooh, the paaaain. And they wouldn't even gag Kira while they did it, because they'd know he'd be too miserable to make a sound. Gin would enjoy it, Aizen would likely enjoy most of it, Hinamori would be confused and kind of ashamed because I imagine that, although enormously flattered and pleased by his interest, she would find a tryst with a subordinate to essentially ruin her squeaky-clean image of him, and then -- then Aizen would ask her quite politely not to tell anyone, not to let on, and he would seem quite sincere and concerned about it, and Hinamori would die a little inside every day after.
.....have I mentioned how mean I am?
16.) Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
Very possibly? But not on screen, no.
17.) Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Not yet, and~ I don't know. The way Rangiku talks about them reminds us that they're only fifteen, and that even if they start dating and do so happily, marriage isn't necessarily the end result.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14?
I'm not sure. I already plan on writing fic for them, but I don't know if I would say I "ship" them now. Ask me again after I've written the fic, and we'll see. X3 Writing tends to increase my pleasure in a pairing. It is the ribbed condom of fandom.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer -- #2 or #6?
Definitely Urahara/Yoruichi. I... kind of love Gin/Rangiku for the tragedy, and if he lets himself feel properly for her, I'm pretty sure it's only going to get him killed. Not that that wouldn't be a spectacular way to go out, mind, as long as it isn't also accompanied by a super-cheesy "I have discovered True Love, and I must now kill you, Aizen, to save the one I loveeeeee" scene. But I can't say I'm rooting for anything that would get Gin killed. ;) Resigned as I am to the extreme likelihood of it happening, I won't be cheerleading. X3
Meanwhile, Urahara/Yoruichi is 1300.67% pure awesome, and they should have sex on screen.
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
Well, first of all, can I hurt the fans instead of the 'ships? D: Because what I'd really like to see is Aizen and Gin share a glass of wine, make out a little, and then kill their former lieutenants prettily. It'd make me squeal happily, and maaaaybe cause the delusion!shippers to rethink their ideas a little.
Sigh. It wouldn't work. Everyone would just scream "fan service!!" and start talking about how Kubo Tite had "sold out" to the "hoards" of "yaoi fangirls."