coprime

Canon: Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Pairing: Varrick/Zhu Li Moon
Canon Level: Married

Hah, I didn't even know I shipped Varrick and Zhu Li until Varrick asked her to do the thing forever and my reaction was "Yessss!" It snuck up on me! Much like Varrick's redemption arc in general. But, aww, Varrick does appreciate Zhu Li and everything she is to him. And they make a nigh-unbeatable team when they're on the same page.

Suggested reading:
Oblivious by DoubleL27
Another Train by JuliaJekyll
5 Times Varrick Kissed Zhu Li and the 1 Time She Kissed Him by bisexualnikiforov

Canon: Homestuck
Pairing: John Egbert/Dave Strider
Canon level: Friends

Aww, teenagers in love. John is such a doofus, but a good-hearted one who just wants his friends to be happy, that it's hard not to be drawn in. And while John doesn't quite see through Dave's cook kid facade to his squishy underbelly, he also isn't intimidated or put off by said facade and is pretty good at discombobulating Dave with his earnest playfulness. So the end result of Dave and John together is pretty hilarious to read while also being awkward and sweet.

Suggested reading:
Gotcha! by Miko
Marvelous Things by JumpingJackFlash
Lessons in Smooth Motherfuckology by Cephied_Variable
Unavoidable Misunderstandings by Anonymous

Canon: Wreck-It Ralph
Pairing: Tamora Calhoun/Fix-It Felix
Canon Level: Married

Aww, Felix and Calhoun. Disney does not have to do a lot of work to get me to ship something, I must admit, but these two really are sweet together. Felix looks at Calhoun like she's amazing, and Felix is so upbeat and positive that Calhoun can't help but melt her tough exterior just a little bit for him, which probably makes him amazing in her eyes. They do a good job of balancing each other, despite being so different from each other.

Suggested reading:
The Dynamite Gal by TheColorBlue
For the Future by kawree
Tattoos by 9r7g5h
Meet Yourself Coming From the Other Direction by mtgat

Canon: Pointsman series
Pairing: Philip Eslingen/Nicolas Rathe
Canon Level: Essentially Married

I've only read book two in the series, Point of Dreams, but it was such a delightful read that I'm willing to wholeheartedly recommend the entire series. The world building's fun, but mostly Nico and Philip are just plain enjoyable. They have different lives, but they're both smart and want to have this thing between them work despite the fact that it makes other aspects of their lives difficult. They care for each other, and I find a lot of joy in the way they express that.

Suggested reading:
Caution to the Winds (Throw It, Throw It) by theblueescapist
Cherry Without Any Stone by Sineala
Better Hemispheres by kindkit

Canon: The Book of Life
Pairing: Joaquín Mondragón/María Posada/Manolo Sánchez
Canon Level: Two Are Married And The Third Is A Good Friend

Joaquín, María, and Manolo are another clear case where the answer to the love triangle should be an OT3. They're all good friends, and it makes me sad that the movie ends with Manolo and María marrying and Joaquín all alone. Yes, he still has his friends, but his love for María seemed just as genuine as Manolo's to me and now he has to watch his best friend marry the woman he loves, who is also his other best friend. The three of them seem like they have so much fun together that I can't imagine any of them would be able to stand them not being on equal footings for long.

Suggested reading:
I'm Gonna Make This Place Your Home by purplebutterflies
Human Nature by Giroshane
Mustache by Truth

Canon: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Evan Lorne/Parrish
Canon Level: They've Talked To Each Other

Fandom took about two minutes of onscreen interaction between these two and ran with it, creating a relatively popular pairing. And I am absolutely willing to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed SGA fandom's overactive imagination in this case. Lorne is a generally likable minor character; he's the guy in the background competently getting stuff done without a lot of fanfare and with a sense of humor. And the two minutes of interaction managed to include banter, excited geeking out, some interested questions about the source of geeking out, and mild protectiveness. Ramp up the interest and protectiveness, and you've basically got all the elements you need for a decent, cute romance fic.

Suggested reading:
Day In, Day Out by ana_grrl
Decussate by casspeach (archive-locked)
Androdioecious by wickedwords

Canon: Firefly
Pairing: Wash Washburne/Zoe Washburne
Canon Level: Married

Some Wash/Zoe came across my Pinboard network today, so I read it and was thoroughly charmed because Wash and Zoe will always charm me. (Unless it is post-Serenity, but I read that a lot less often.) Wash/Zoe is probably the closest I come to an actual OTP that aligns with how most of fandom uses that term. Like, at least 85% of Firefly is them-centric. (The remaining 15% is mostly gen and crossovers with a smidgen for other pairings that look intriguing.) And they're one of the very few pairings where I am incapable of reading about them with anyone else. They're just so perfect for each other! Sweet and silly and incredibly in love. Zoe is almost a different person with Wash, able to open herself up and unafraid to show him her softer side because Wash isn't afraid of her strength, nor does he feel the need to go around posturing or challenging her. It's all very cute and romantic, the way they interact with each other.

Suggested reading:
Good Luck Charms by Nary
Cold Feet by musefool
Changing by Scrunchy
The First Step by llaras
Simply Perfectest by voleuse

Canon: DC Comics
Pairing: Booster Gold/Ted Kord
Canon Level: Best Friends

Booster and Ted are fantastic together. Best friends who bicker while getting into or out of situations that can often be described as hijinks. They're the pair who argue over every little thing, but they still play off each other and work together like a well-oiled machine, causing wacky chaos in their wake. There is a fic where Booster and Ted essentially double dog dare themselves into having sex, and only with these two does that seem like a perfectly plausible way for them to have a first time, which I feel also pretty neatly sums up why I like them.

Suggested reading:
Accidental Sex and Stranded by silver_apples
In the Dark by doctorv
Hard for the Money by poisonivory

Canon: Nero Wolfe
Pairing: Fritz Brenner/Saul Panzer
Canon Level: They Know Each Other and Have No Ill Will Towards Each Other

As much as I love Archie/Wolfe, I will stand by my belief that Saul and Fritz are perfect for each even if I am standing all by my lonesome. Both Fritz and Saul are on the periphery of Archie's stories, an essential piece but never the focus. I think that suits them well because neither would want the spotlight if offered. They're not flashy like Archie or dramatic like Wolfe; they're both masters at their skill sets, but they prefer to get on with things without calling attention to themselves. They're wonderfully suited for each other because their way of approaching their lives is so very similar, for all that cooking and detecting are two very different skill sets. Fritz is already used to the detective lifestyle and the danger inherent in it, so that wouldn't be as much of a deterrent as it might be for others. They already respect each other, and I just feel like they have to have some sort of relationship that we never get to see because the stories are told by Archie and Archie isn't involved in whatever is between them. But they've been in the same social circle for too long for me to not believe that they understand each other and are friends.

Suggested reading:
New Cuisine by Parhelion

Canon: Hikaru no Go
Pairing: Touya Akira/Waya Yoshitaka
Canon Level: They Have Mutual Friends In Common

So the thing about Waya and Touya is that it's easy to see why they don't get along. Touya comes across as stuck-up to Waya, and Waya's far to loud for Touya. But they also have Hikaru in common, and if they are able to bond over anything, it will certainly be Hikaru and his weird, weird ways. And if they can bond over one thing, maybe they can see eye-to-eye on other things too. I think if they got to a point where their different personalities didn't rub each other the wrong way (through long proximity via Hikaru or just the magic of growing up some), then they'd enjoy arguing back and forth and sharpening their wits against each other.

Suggested reading:
Childish by jedusaur
Unexpected Developments by Jain
Waya's Move by ravenna_c_tan