#long live the crackships

[christeareads]

"Why would you ship _____?"

WHY.TF.NOT?!?!?!

Honestly, the acotar fandom confuses me so much cause I honestly believe more than half of these people haven't been in fandom ever before. Shipping has nothing to do with canon and it doesn't have to make sense to YOU. Let people ship tamlain, let them ship gwyn with tarquin WHAT'S YOUR ISSUE? How does it affect you?! Like ok you can say that you don't like it etc but is it EVER that serious?! No

Shipping is the fandom equivalent of making your dolls kiss. DON'T TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO WITH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS!

Look at the Harry Potter fandom. Draco was a little b*tch to Hermione in canon and look at that, they're super popular and one of the biggest fanfics EVER POSTED ONLINE is based on this ship that doesn't make sense in canon for some. AND THAT'S OK

Block the tags, don't interact and ffs don't ban people for creating something that YOU don't like.

Anyways, Tamberon SUPERMACY

[sniperct]

KITTY SIGHTING

Also lets see, we've got Bobby, Piotr, Sooraya, Exodus, Ilyanna, Alex, and Emma, with fucking Wanda and Pietro offworld what the fuck

Also I can't read Angel's status but it looks like he's deceased and considering the end credits scene...

Dust is the biggest surprise here IMO but she was always one of my favorite of the New X-men and in hindsight maybe not super surprising...

[und-dann-war-es-fast-gut]

Wer hätte denn damit rechnen können, dass Limon vor Nolin ihr erstes „ich liebe dich“ bekommen? 😅

[undergoing-mitosis]

describe to me your favourite ship as badly as possible.

i will then try to guess, based on my absolutely shoddy very limited knowledge of fandoms and popular ships. or anyone else can reblog and guess too

let's confuse everyone who doesn't go here!!

[fluffle-writes]

I wanna. Pick them up in my mouth and shake 'em around like a dog obliterating a squeaky toy

[rottenresponse]

More TNTduo and also crack ship shit because.. I'm cringe.. And I'm very tired of school sjbibsbus

[svtskneecaps]

BROTHER WHAT DO YOU FUCKING MEAN RTGAME WAS IN A FUCKING MCC WITH TECHNOBLADE I THOUGHT HE WAS A FUNNY HAHA VARIETY STREAMER WHO DID MINECRAFT COMMUNITY BUILD STREAMS I WAS ALREADY BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS SEEING HIS ASS IN AN MCC WITH FUCKING JAMES MARIOTT AND JACK MANIFOLD SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A PERSONA 5 VOD NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME HIS ASS PLAYED THE FUCKING THIRD EVER MCC ON THE SAME TEAM AS FUCKING TECHNOBLADE WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOW IS HE EVERYWHERE I DON'T UNDERSTAND

[toastybugguy]

Can I hear your marliver headcannons 👀

SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET TO THIS HJFJGS. I will get to the kase ones soon I hope….. here’s my silly marlivers [cups them in my hands]

My most frequent sexuality hcs for them are demiromantic graysexual Oliver + queer aceflux Marcus

Oliver fell for Marcus’ voice first (again. this is an agenda.)

Marcus absolutely still uses it against him

Marcus loves Oliver’s eyes, hc obtained through osmosis, ty 🛐

Both Marcus and Oliver had complicated feelings when they start liking the other.

Oliver was still trying to figure out what his orientation even was, since he’d never liked many people or liked them very quickly. After he’d gotten to know Marcus well and his feelings started being more serious, he sometimes felt confused to the point of being almost overwhelmed when near Marcus.

Marcus had his reservations because he’d invalidated himself so much he didn’t know if he was even capable of showing Oliver the love he deserved. He worried that being an android meant he couldn’t be with Oliver, either because he felt it would make Oliver reject him or because he thought it meant he shouldn’t feel the way that he does.

They’re each other’s first kiss <3

Oliver’s pining songs are Everytime We Touch by Cascada and Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen and I’m so not sorry for that. He puts that shit on loop and just stares at the ceiling for three hours

The team sometimes forgets that Oliver has super strength until they see him constantly picking up his extremely heavy android boyfriend like a sack of potatoes

Almost always have a point of contact going on. Hand around the waist, arm over the shoulder, brushing elbows, etc. Marcus does a lot of it by sneaking up behind Oliver, he thinks it’s funny cause Oliver is so skittish (Oliver lets him off the hook bc he gets consolation kisses 🫶)

Occasionally Oliver says stuff under his breath that he knows only Marcus will hear (sometimes it’s whatever Oliver thinks will make him look all embarrassed, cause he thinks it’s cute and funny)

Neither Marcus nor Oliver know what to do about being complimented at first. They didn’t often hear that kind of thing directed towards them, so when one of them compliments the other they get very shy and quiet about it

Oliver especially likes doing it because Marcus is usually very collected and level-headed around Oliver and complimenting him is one of the few things that breaks that

Secretly though, Marcus was a big disgusting sap when pining over Oliver. Sighing dreamily, kicking his legs, the works. Leo had to endure it and he absolutely could not STAND it </3

THERE’s probably more but this is my silly list 4 now. ough. marliver my beloved 💕💖💕💖💖💓💘

[janearts]

I know that, realistically, Astarion doesn't necessarily totally fill Roisia's quota for life partner, but their chemistry is SO good. Like, I can't imagine her with anyone else, tbh.

Aww that's so sweet! It always warms my heart when people care enough to have a preference with who my characters are romantically tied to, whether it's canon or crackship. Have a sweet moment between them as a treat. uwu

I also wanna say that I know Roisia puts a lot of stock in her List, but that doesn't mean you have to. I am not a therapist, so I do not know what an actual therapist might say, but I could see a fantasy Baldurian therapist saying something to Roisia along the lines of: "this list is a wonderful thing, but it is not the be-all-end-all to a life well lived and, in this case, it might have served its purpose to help you exert control over your life after experiencing a situation [romantic rejection] and a bodily reaction [heartbreak] that made you feel out of control".

If Roisia was more introspective, she might realise that she doesn't truly need the List and that the List might instead be holding her back from developing meaningful connections with people who do not perfectly meet her criteria. Because the reality is that Roisia may never meet someone who is perfect on paper or, even if she were to find her perfect person on paper, she may discover that what sounds good on paper doesn't necessarily translate into a desirable long-term romantic partner. All that is to say that it may be a good thing that Astarion doesn't fulfil Roisia's quota for a life partner AND that you still perceive them to have good chemistry together regardless.

[lucky-luffy]

I did the One Piece shipping showcase! Additional explanations and thoughts below:

First ship - Zoro/Luffy (OPLA) I started shipping about three episodes into the live action and it just grew and grew. Their dynamic in OPLA was great and still really special to me! Ship I didn't like at first - Sanji/Nami I'm still often surprised by how cute I find them at times, though I'm not sure I would say I officially "ship" them. Still the only thing I could really think of to put here. Ship I don't like anymore - Luffy/Koby Cute Koby/Lu fan art was one of the things that made me want to try OPLA to begin with but the "ship" didn't last long for me as it was quickly replaced by Zoro/Luffy. I still think Koby and Luffy are cute together, though. Popular ship I don't like - Zoro/Sanji I've just never been into this dynamic. Have seen some great fan art though. Favorite rarepair - Vivi/Nami I think NamiVivi counts as a rarepair? They're super cute!! Ship I don't like - Luffy/Nami Just like with ZS, they aren't for me. Ship I want to be canon the most - Sanji/Pudding Technically I don't want any ships to be canon, or if I did I would say a slash ship like ZoLu, but I wanted to put one that actually stands a chance, and this was all I could come up with. I did think their story in WCI was surprisingly sweet, but they both need to do a bit more growing before they can be good together.

Favorite crackship - Sanji/Luffy If this even counts as one? Tbh I really am not a crackship person, I don't ship any characters who haven't at least met and shared something a little special. Current OTP - Zoro/Luffy You know it's ZoLu baby!!!!

[jackseverywhere]

Wanna know one of my hc for Johnny Fiama that is also kinda crack ship ?

I thought about that months ago lol I think it came up because at that time Johnny and Lips were my beloveds and it would be fun to show that at some point they tried to have something but it was so catastrophic that they didn’t go past the two dates.

Around 2005 Johnny wanted to formally come out to the media as Bi. So walking around some bars he met Lips, playing solo on stage, y´ know, because in those years he was apart from the band. Johnny asked him for a duet, bought him drinks and offered to accompany him to his apartment, holding hands.

And seem idyllic… but it was only in theory! Despite having many things in common, Johnny and Lips didn’t have any chemistry. Mainly because Johnny was more focused on attracting some paparazzi than on his date. And on Lips' part because he agree to accompany the man because, deep inside, his calm voice and bearing of Frank Sinatra slightly reminded him of Zoot, finding that in fact, they are nothing alike.

To Johnny’s fortune, a paparazzi saw them just as they left the bar, making sure to squeeze Lips' hand, a little too hard and smile at the camera. Now, Lips doesn't mind being seen holding hands with Johnny Fiama, let alone with a man, but someone putting a camera with a flash straight in his face, naturally.

Well, if the date was so terrible, why did they go out again? Easy, once Johnny got the exclusive he wanted, he went back to being the flirty man we know, so Lips decided to give them another chance.

Somehow the second date was worse! They met in Johnny’s apartment and every topic they decided to talk about just made their differences more obvious for the worse, making everything uncomfortable. Stuff like:

They said goodbye that day, with the silent promise of never seeing each other again. Although I find it funny to think that Johnny actually refers to Lips as his ex, even though they only had two dates. Because Lips is a beauty and it’s always cool to have such an attractive ex.

But they met again 16 years later, during the filming of The Muppets Haunted Mansion.

Both were surprised to see the other on the set, as they never actually knew that the two were part of The Muppets; Lips, because during the time he was away from the band he decided not to know anything about The Muppets and Johnny…simply because he is distracted.

So Johnny decided to say hi to Lips, friendly:

But hey, some things changed at Lips… he came back with the band!

And yes, The Electric Mayhem and Johnny Fiama already knew each other, they worked together on several Muppet projects. Even so, Johnny never knew that Lips was part of the band.

During the breaks both talked a lot about many things, so Johnny found out that Lips already had a relationship with someone in the band, getting a ¨yes¨ to each member when he ask who it was. Their conversation flowed great this time, even Johnny was somewhat disappointed that Lips already had a relationship (or so he thought, he didn’t quite understand).

But Lips and the band invited him to hang out with them, even after the recording. Lips and Johnny agreed to call themselves ex´s to the media, only to generate gossip.

...And Sal? Hahahaha WELL! Sal was there all the time and always knew Johnny’s intentions. Sal looked after him in the distance always, he wasn’t going to let Johnny walk alone at night on unknown streets! also Johnny and Sal live together, he could hear through the walls that awkward date. Although he is the first to mock the fleeting infatuation of his best friend, he accompany him during the duel, even buy him ice cream.

And that is all! I thought about this months ago and the memory came to me because someone asked about hc of Johnny, a post that I plan to do later, but I wanted to expand on this silly point separately. Thanks if you read so far, you just read a long crackship fanfiction xd

[luxurydumpsterfire]

Hazbin Hotel ships I like!!! 1¡!!¡(In no particular order) (Includes non-canon ships) (This is just for fun and is not meant to offend anyone!) (Okay, I'm going to stfu now).

Let's go!

Radiodust!

These two live in my head rent free,all day,every day,24/7,365.

And most of the time they're kissing.

Anyways.

We know that they both lived in the same decade and have similar tastes in music and cuisine,which is already a great start! I also love the idea of Alastor adoring everything about Angel EXCEPT for the sex. Cause let's be real,Angel needs that. He deserves a complete and total gentleman who would never lay a finger on him; Especially after tolerating abuse from you-know-who, cough,cough,fuckyouValentino,COUGH.

Also,the tropes??? Good old fashioned lover boy x Killer Queen? Mafia x Serial killer? Hello???

10/10, Literally one of my favs.

2. Chaggie!

My babies!

Okay, I admit these two are very cute. Since neither of these two age normally, Charlie's a hellborn and Vaggie's a fallen angel,it means they'll get to grow old together! :)

I love the opposites attract trope and these two are no exception!

I would definitely like for them to get more screen time in the second season 2,since they didn't get much in the first one,but other then that, they're perfect!

3. Nifty x Baxter

(Do these two have a ship name? Idk?)

Baxter hasn't even come on to the show yet but I can already tell these two are going to be Chaos gremlins,in their own,lovable,concerning ways 😌

4. Lucililith

I don't believe for a SECOND these two aren't in love,even if just a little bit.

Yes,yes,yes,I know they're divorced. AND? THEY CAN STILL GET BACK TOGETHER! THEY'RE IN THEIR DIVORCE ERA, GUYS.

I think it's mostly the fanart that got me hooked,lol. And the fact that I would love to have them as my parents, honestly.

5. CasinoBomb

(No photo for this one,sorry 🥲)

I...I don't know,man,@zaebeecee 's posts about them altered my brain chemistry and...I DON'T KNOW WTF HAPPENED,IDK

I just saw one of their posts and the more I thought about it,the more I liked it

Something about them just clicks,you know? It's one of those ships that makes no sense but also a lot of sense.

Also,if you don't know what characters I'm talking about, it's Husk x Cherri bomb.

5. Radiorose

He doesn't mind her touching him 😢

They're so cute,omg 😭

Look at them!!! 💗💗💗

Although I mostly prefer them as besties, I also like the idea of them being together. You can tell he's a lot more comfortable with her then anyone else in the show and I love that ☺️

6. Radiohusk

(Art belongs to @vadoodlevee and it will be taken down if I am asked to).

Ah yes,the two loser old men in love. GIVE THEM TO ME.

They've known each other for years and are sick and tired of each others bs. They know what the other like's and dislike's because they're begrudgingly stuck together. They actually can't stand each other.

I'M SOLD!

And no, I'm not glorifing the slave x master thing. I've shipped these two HARD since the pilot,so calm down.

Alright, let's get more into the crackships/rarepairs. Not counting Casinobomb cause we know those two have actually met before,lol.

Feel free to give your own personal take on these(as long as they're not hateful)!

7. Caramel Apple!

Apart from me just really liking their ship name,I feel like these two would be a really cute couple. Like,she would take him out to one of her parties when he's feeling down and would comfort him about his relationship with Charlie and with Lilith.

And Lucifer wouldn't be afraid to tell her when it's a good time to tone it down.

I also feel like she would be very polite to Charlie and Vaggie.

And I like the idea of them baking together ❤️

8. Angelic Ballet!

A little hesitant on this one.

So, realistically,these two would probably hate each other. Sera was the one who approved the exterminations,resulting in the death of billions of sinners, which puts Carmila and her daughters in danger. So that's not really a great way to start a relationship...

However, I think in any other circumstances,I think these two would be a nice couple.

They both just want to protect the people they love and are willing to go to extreme measures to do just that. It could be Sera realizing not all sinners are absolute monsters,and some were just people who made mistakes in life. Kinda of like Vaggie realizing the hellborn weren't terrible upon meeting Charlie.

Also, they're both very elegant ladies who need another refined woman to treat them right 😌🏳️‍🌈

[linka-from-captain-planet]

I have been in my mind palace, building my pretend Florrick-Ulder Buddy Cop dollhouse and filling it with my favorite things: drama, female background characters and crackships thereof, and elaborate Mad Libs stories cobbled together from vaguely-defined Lore. Also, a special guest star: Helia, the halfling werewolf character scrapped early in development

Brain dump below

as usual, Lore Mistakes are just part of the AU so I'm not worried about it

The first question is of course "when could it have been possible for Florrick and Ulder to Buddy Cop Adventure together?" Placing Ulder at about 55 years old as of 1492, if I wanted him to be about 20 during the adventure (a few years of "adult" life under his belt, but a Fist grunt still, yearning for a role model), that would take me back to 1457.

Florrick's age is less important to nail down, but according to my headcanon placing her around 125 years old in 1492, she'd be around 90 in 1457. I'm still workshopping exactly what I think her life course was in Baldur's Gate - my firm headcanon is that she was born and raised in the Forest of Tethir, and left as a young adult to pursue travel and magical education, but when exactly she ended up in the Gate and what exactly she was up between then and ~1480 is TBD. Regardless, by 1457, she's long since completed a wizardry apprenticeship, and having attained the rank of Flaming Fist Manip, she has young Ulder under her command.

Landing the timing in 1457 is convenient, because upon googling the historical events of Baldur's Gate, I found that there was as significant event around 1450: the attempted coup by Duke Valarken, in which he was supported by a group of lycanthropes in his attempt to overthrow the Council of Four and become sole leader of Baldur's Gate. Following this, the Parliament of Peers was formed and the office of Grand Duke, created. Certainly, the ensuing decade or so was a time of great turmoil as the dust settled - the perfect time for the dynamic duo and a friendship of a lifetime to form.

That timing and event is also convenient, because what other female background character am I in love with, whom I also lightly ship with my beloved Florrick?

Dalyria - according to her journal, once the Physician General to the Parliament. When exactly she was turned and enslaved by Cazador is unknown, but it must have been sometime after 1450 for her title to even exist. Which means she could certainly have "gone missing" in, say, 1457, and, say, leave a lover reeling and desperate for closure...

This setup is great because it gives Florrick and Ulder something to be buddy-cop about: a high-profile missing persons case, with perhaps more of a heart than Florrick wants to share with this kid, and a dynamic formative event for the young Ravengard.

With limited clues to go off of, the streets teeming with the big and little fishes of the city snapping up whatever scraps of power they can find, etc etc etc, obviously Florrick and Ulder would need companions in this quest.

So, who else could have been a) alive and b) active and c) potentially helpful and/or suspicious in Baldur's Gate in 1457?

Obviously Jaheira is always around for whatever bullshit is assailing the city she has, perhaps, only recently settled in permanently to take over an old family home and, perhaps, raise some orphans. Certainly, she'd answer the call to help her old uh *cough* friend Florrick in her time of need. Could the Bhaalists be back at it, aiming to pick off the parliament one by one? Not on Jaheira's watch!! At about 110 years old, Jaheira is also probably in her MILF prime at this point (before ascending to her GILF prime in BG3). Not relevant, just FYI.

On the 'suspicious' front, we have Araj Oblodra, eccentric apothecary of the Lower City. Living in exile since her House was cast into the Clawrift in 1358 (an event she was alive, but not present, for), perhaps Araj is unduly invested in finding the vampire coven physician general, and her alchemical skills as well as proficiency as a rogue are too compelling to pass on, sketchy as she is. I didn't get much farther than that, but she's sexy and I love her, so she gets to be a main character.

In my mind, the ideal "party size" would be 5, so who else? There are a few other options - Volo is certainly around somewhere and definitely not minding his business, Elminster must be lurking as usual, Abdel Adrian probably cares about this, etc - but I just didn't want any more elves or wizards. But wait, did I say lycanthropes were behind the failed coup?

You know who's a werewolf? Helia, the halfling bard orgin/companion scrapped early on in development. Listening to her datamined dialogue, she seems to have been a scrappy, no-nonsense kind of gal and an older lady in 1492, so a young woman in 1457. Pending more research on the context of werewolves/lycanthropes in the Forgotten Realms world, but perhaps she's been wrongly imprisoned since the failed coup. Perhaps, suspecting a second attempt by the same group could be behind the attack on the parliament, she's busted out of prison by a pair of enterprising young Fists, promising a chance to earn her freedom.

This will probably just remain a Concept, so I don't want to get myself bogged down in Plot, but there's really only one conclusion:

In the end, the investigators are thwarted by Cazador Szarr, who is too wealthy and powerful to convince the Parliament and Council to take on. The case of the missing Physician General is closed - ruled a suicide, likely, based on bunk evidence - and a broken-hearted Florrick and disheartened Ulder have no consolation except the friendship they've forged, and a promise to one another:

That, even if it takes half a century, they will work together to see Baldur's Gate to a more just future.

[arkiwii]

Oh! iirc you mentioned liking Eyja/Ifrit as a ship so... 2 and 4 for them?

YIPPEE Eyjafrit!! the barbecue gang!

2. Why I do or don't ship them.

in this essay I will

alright so, you may know that I am, in fact, rarely into crackships. but what's fun about Eyjafrit is that it might be the number one ship for both characters! I guess it mostly started as a joke and because they seem roughly the same age, barbecue and fire, you know the thing. so far they've interacted like once in canon, and it's in Ifrit's operator record;

it's not much but it's yuri. there's also the implication that they seem to know each other or be close, because Ifrit doesn't know the names of Mint or Beeswax, instead calling them "black ears" or "sand girl",

but she knows Eyjafjalla, which is probably one of the hardest names to remember!! and for Ifrit, to remember a name this hard to spell, it means a lot

BUT outside of these little interactions, the reason why I really love them together is because I think they would help each other to shine as a characters

Ifrit is shown as a really dynamic girl, but most of all, as a caring and careful person. Adele pretty much counts as disabled at this point, her ears and eyes getting gradually worse. the idea that Ifrit, who is usually mistaken as impulsive, would be ready to help out and take care of Adele, is extremely cute to me. it would also show how much she had grown up, and how the way Silence and Saria took care of her when she was herself weak influenced her. we also know she takes courses at the medical department, she really wants to help others! and her little silly side would definitely be great to help bring a smile on Adele's face and give her a break from studying and work

on Eyjafjalla's side, the concept of family is equally really important, and that she lost her parents had changed who she is and forced her to "grow up" too fast. I like the idea that having Ifrit would be like a new family to her, especially that I'm sure that Silence and Saria would love to know her (and since Eyjafjalla is a research herself, I'm a hundred percent sure they'd go along!). it can be a really nice family substitute, and help Adele to take less on herself and focus on her happiness

the last dramatic point I really like is how both have really bad case of Oripathy, meaning they probably won't live long. that they decide to spend these last years together, knowing their fate, gives a really sad dimension, but also comfort

also please please look at this fanart it's everything to me

4. How many other characters would see the chimestry of the couple before themselves do.

ooh boy I'm sure that if Silence saw them being close she'd tear up proudly and absolutely support this. Saria would not really notice anything, but Silence got this and would probably tell her that she thinks their precious daughter might have got a crush. on Eyjafjalla's side, she doesn't seem very close to anyone in particular at Rhodes Island, but maybe Earthspirit would notice something!

[iolaussharpe-24]

I have a new crackship.

I watched Ex Machina for the first time recently and this bugged me so much that I started trying to rationalize it immediately.

Stereotypical Barbie and Nathan Bateman.

No; the dancing isn't the only reason.

I've got a whole thing in my head, but I am WAY too underqualified to write anything.

But like, what would the interaction between these two be? I don't imagine they'd get along right away, even I'm not that delusional, but I think they'd get along really really great after a bit.

Also, I think Nathan's brain would short circut the moment he realizes that she's literally a living Barbie doll. Because: A) either something he somehow doesn't understand is going on or she's a successful AI like what he was trying to build, meaning that someone else beat him to it. Neither of which computes for him. And B) which is that this girl is way too hot to not have all the private bits. Remember, "Sexuality is fun" and he can't believe that she has none. Literally and physically.

Doesn't mean they can't be cute together though. Barbie's asexual, but that doesn't mean she has to be aromantic.

Plus, just because you might not think someone is your type doesn't mean they can't be right for you. Imagine the conversations that two people like Barbie and Nathan would have together. Imagine the existential crisis they'd both have listening to and debating with one another.

I put way too much thought into this and I'm trying not to write it all here because I don't want this to be long and I want everyone else who sees this to have fun too. So please, share my insanity and give it some thought. Imagine the situations. Let me know what you come up with.

[nordickies]

Welcome back! I missed your art a lot. I was scrolling through your posts and saw one post where you said that you have an unpopular dynamic for SuFin. If your dynamic for SuFin is based on their history together, I might have the same unpopular dynamic as you too.

I'm not a fan of the fanon SuFin that is perfectly wholesome and "the ideal relationship" because it ignores how history would have affected their relationship, and also has the uncomfortable implication that Finland enjoyed being under Swedish rule. I think that in the modern day, Finland would still struggle with feeling insecure and too competitive with Sweden. Sweden would be quite oblivious to Finland's feelings and offend him without realizing it. But that's my Swedish perspective on their relationship. What are your thoughts about their dynamic?

Thank you! Happy to see you as well! And yes, you're pretty close to how I view them! This is going to be a long one, so my answer will be under the cut <3

As a disclaimer; I will not judge or shame anyone for enjoying SuFin as the perfect domestic husbands with a dog and kids. Heal that inner child desperately clinging to happy fictional families, hehe. Besides, unless you ship a totally random crackship in this show, every single relationship is going to be flawed based on historical context. And at the end of the day, SuFin isn't even the worst case of this issue, so you can ship them without worrying about being "problematic" (whatever that word means nowadays). I'm just saying this because some people like to claim that SuFin is so inherently toxic, and I strongly disagree with that! There is no right or wrong way to enjoy these characters, and you can apply as much or as little historical context to the characters as you like. Have fun with them!

To me, ignoring all the historical context behind Finland's and Sweden's relationship would be impossible, though. We're talking about 600-700 years of living together and the additional 200+ years as separate countries. And I love overthinking things. Whether or not you like SuFin as a ship, you can't exactly ignore their shared past. I see the Nordics as a found family above all else. I really don't ship them with each other (but I don't judge those who do). Sweden and Finland are just kind of tricky because of the way the canon portrays their relationship. It's impossible to see it as purely brotherly. But I don't vibe with them being lovey-dovey husbands either. Best friends, sure, but then again, Finland and Sweden would have a different dynamic than Sweden has with Norway and Denmark. Or the dynamic Finland has with Estonia.

The way I see it is that they used to grow up as one, meaning that they both acted as the personification of the same land. Sweden was just in charge of the West, and Finland was in charge of the East. They both had similar responsibilities, jobs they were expected to do, and the people they were expected to obey. They really did everything together. And they were everything to each other because sometimes it felt like it was them against the rest of the world. And honestly, I don't see Finland as a subordinate to Sweden during those times. He was just extremely passive and ignored most of the time. But Finland's interests usually aligned with Sweden's, and he had complete trust in his ability to run things for both of them. But as time went on, his ability to trust was put to the test many times, which ultimately would cause problems in their relationship.

Eventually, they were separated by forces outside their control, and they had to figure out who they were without one another. And it must have been a traumatic situation for both of them. Until then, they didn't have to think about such things; they had always been together. But while Sweden lost his best friend/partner, Finland lost his entire identity. Obviously, as time went on, they both went in very different directions, which made them grow apart quite drastically. It definitely wasn't easy, and the pain caused by that situation made them even butt heads a few times. Ultimately, they made peace with it and could be friends again. Actually, they really needed that separation because otherwise, they would have never evolved as individuals. And their break made their relationship healthier and more equal. It just came with growing pains.

And yes, I agree with what you said. Because Finland has always had the shorter end of the stick, he feels a bit jealous. In his eyes, Sweden always got it so much easier. Also, figuring out his own identity was way harder for him once they got separated. He depended on Sweden a lot more. Fin did truly feel let down by him in the end, which made his relationship with Sweden for the following decades even saltier. For most of his life, he was seen as Sweden's eastern sidekick, so he sometimes tries to desperately create some distance between Swe and himself. He wants to be seen as his own person, and show his capabilities, which manifests in him being extremely stubborn. Ironically, he constantly compares himself to Sweden because that's how he measures his success. If Sweden can do this thing, he should too. And that's why Finland will get very passionate about any chance to be better than Sweden at something. In his eyes, it's the only way to measure his worth.

Sweden, on the other hand, can be oblivious to Finland's need to have his own thing. He doesn't get what's the issue since they used to be inseparable for so long. It's not malicious, but just a bit ignorant. He doesn't have similar experiences, so he doesn't really know how to relate to what Fin is going through. In some cases, Sweden can act annoying in Finland's eyes, being a bit patronizing or not understanding Finland's feelings. One moment, they might be fine, joking around - but then the next, Finland requires some time alone. It's confusing, but Sweden tries to understand it. He has learned that it's just better to give him his space and definitely don't try to solve Fin's problems. Swe has to kind of know his place with that one, even if it can be frustrating. Occasionally, he finds Finland's competitiveness and excitement over small wins a bit ridiculous, but he plays along. At the end of the day, Sweden understands why Finland has such mixed feelings about him. And he knows that in the past, he could have done way better, and he has lots of regrets about it.

It's definitely Finland who has the problems and insecurities in their relationship. Like, even if you think about the canon (which is rich coming from me), Finland is always clarifying that he's not affiliated with Sweden in a romantic sense while simultaneously defending everything Sweden does, telling everyone that they have misunderstood his sensitive persona. And Sweden silently suffers on the side, not wanting to push his boundaries or make Finland uncomfortable. 

But I don't want to make it seem like they don't get along - they absolutely do! Maybe being ridiculously close at times, communicating almost telepathically at this point. Not to mention their vast cooperation in work-related settings. So, whether or not Finland wants to create some distance - he can't. He always finds himself glued to Sweden's side, looking for warmth. And no matter how much Finland's competitiveness tires Sweden, he can't help but admire the persistence. Maybe they're one of the things they both actually deep down like about each other; who knows. There are no hard feelings between these two, though sometimes, the old pain and confusion might pop up in unexpected situations. But in the end, they always work through it.

I think that Finland does legitimately love Sweden, but due to their shared history, he gets uncomfortable with how others might view their relationship. It would be fine if it were literally anyone else than Sweden he had these feelings for. I can see them having some kind of romantic relationship, but it would be very private and a topic they don't like publically discussing. That doesn't mean they're the best at hiding it, though.

Anyway, that's how I view it. I have to say, I do like SuFin as a ship nowadays. It's cute! And a source of endless possibilities. I just don't like reducing Finland and Sweden to "the married couple," especially when my blog is about all of the Nordics. There is so much more to discuss about these two, so many sides people rarely explore. That's why I like to focus on their lives and personalities outside of their romantic relationship. It could also be because I'm not a passionate shipper overall. Or because it's hard to find non-SuFin content out there. But, even with that said, exploring SuFin from time to time is fine. Discussing headcanons for them is fine! They're allowed to exist as a ship in this blog. But I don't want it to be the only thing they're defined by. Let them have a life outside of each other! <3