dontstophernow

Csethiro Ceredin/Maia Drazhar - Csethiro is finally the no-nonsense guide to the Court Maia needs. He doesn't want to be everyone's duty, and she would like to choose her duties. By the end of canon, they're falling for each other, and I would love to see them realize they are fully actually in love. Also, although I don't love to read about pregnancy and babies, I do think they'll be good parents, and I would be interested to see them further along into raising the next generation (or two?) of Drazhada.

But THEN, in ToD:
Okay, so why didn't they get married as soon as TGE indicated? Was it for political reasons, or personal? Have they gotten not just politically and platonically closer, but have they fallen in love, and what does that look like for Maia who doesn't quite believe anyone could love him? Csethiro actively wants to be useful to Maia and he's welcoming that! Just what it seemed they'd want, but the confirmation is so sweet! OMG, what does Csethiro think of the trial and the dragons? Is she anxious about the ramifications of what Maia decided, and how is she doing her part to support Maia politically and personally?

Thara Celehar/Hanu Olgarezh - I mean, I think I fell for Hanu when Thara started to look for his flame-eyed captain in the crowd. I just loved them quietly coming to something much closer than the simple guarding that began it. I love that Hanu wants to be around interesting things happening, and that Thara just follows where his calling leads him, and that Hanu wants to see what interesting places Thara's calling leads them BOTH. I love how much Hanu values Thara and Thara's calling. I love how INCREDIBLY patient Hanu was clearly being throughout ToD to not come on too strong and scare Thara away (Winternight!) and that Thara just wanted to have the intimacy of thou-ing Hanu but didn't seem like he could really handle it until almost the end. I just loved seeing Thara come alive in this way as we really hadn't seen him do until he met Hanu. I would love to see them have any other kind of adventure! Maybe in another city or out at the Anmur'theileian where Thara can see where Hanu spent so much of his life? Or, they could be unambiguously together and in love and hot for each other!

Mediums
Medium Opt-In: Art - Comics & Medium Opt-In: Art - Drawn - Comics - All of the characters I've nominated seem like they would make excellent subjects for comics since they're so expressive in their own ways (maybe not Hanu so much?) and I'd love to see any version of those expressions in a comic. A first kiss for either of these couples would be lovely, or if they have to deal with Csoru, that would be hilarious.

Medium Opt-In: Illustrated Text (Art & Writing) - Dating App/Dating Site Profile - I think every single one of these characters would be totally different on the apps. Maia would be too earnest in his answers and not know how to take his selfie. Csethiro would be way too intense with SO MANY demands of her potential partners. Thara's profile is barely filled out, but gives away so much of himself anyway, and most of his pictures are of cats that don't belong to him. Hanu's is full of thirst trap photos and none of his face, but he's also filled out enough that you get the feel for his chill and kind personality.

Medium Opt-In: Writing - In-Universe RPF - They're all well known (again, maybe not Hanu so much?) and I can definitely see the Ethuverazeise RPFers being VERY into the unknown emperor/the prickly empress or the controversial Witness for the Dead/His part-goblin bodyguard. It feels like a great opportunity to do worldbuilding about who the general public thinks they are in private. What are their public personas and why do people ship them? Does everyone in her set think Csethiro is going to secretly control Maia's reign? Are the newspapers getting really into making things up about the torrid love affair between Thara and his guard? There are so many ways it could go for ALL of them!

Jack/Eleanor - Listen, I just think it would be both very funny and incredibly romantic to see this love square complete. Like, they were clearly compatible with the spouses they shared between them, and wouldn't that be an amazing way for them each to find some happiness again? She can comfort his tortured soul and he can help her with all the parenting, and they can kiss about how weird and hot the whole situation is.

Jemis/Roald - I love Roald putting on his act. I love Jemis being annoyed at that act and being so determined it must be a lie. I love their canonical only-one-bed and how much Jemis notices Roald's legs and how much Roald flirts with Jemis. Whenever Jemis figures out he likes Roald, how is he going to react?! What did he think when Jemis showed up in the forest after being gone for almost a week? I love loved Mr Dart clocking Roald's pining in SotBS, and I could totally see him getting involved in making Jemis see what's in front of him. (Although I do see many of the G&D relationships as QPRs, I would like Jemis/Roald to Not be in a group relationship with any additional friends.)

Solo Jack - I am so curious about what Jack cannot say about the Loessi Prison. How does he know the Lord of Purple and Gold is there? What did they do to him magically to bind him that way? Who else is held there? How did he escape after the Fall?

Solo Roald - When I say I love Roald putting on his act, I mean that I love that he seems so clearly to be putting on a mask in every facet of his life up until he arrives in Jemis's room in LiaM and then we are in on the masks. I just love when someone makes their own identity so fluid, they don't have to wear an actual mask to wear a mask. Roald has all the identity porn of being a superhero, and I love that about him. I'd love to see really anything you could tell me about what he gets up to, any time. Also, I could really ship him with just about anyone, so please do make him be ridiculous with anyone you like!

Medium Prompts
Medium Opt-In: Art - Comics & Medium Opt-In: Art - Drawn - Comics - I'd be so into you bringing the expressiveness of these characters to life in a comic. Maybe Jack gets the girls confused and we can see him trying is making Eleanor realize she likes him. Jemis realizing he recognizes Roald's thighs no matter what he's wearing. Maybe a scene in the Green Dragon?
Medium Opt-In: Art - Pin-up Poster of Character - Roald would make an IDEAL subject for pin-up posters. Thighs! That "oopsie" look! But also, consider Jack! Beefy muscles and noble poses. I could also see Eleanor with her embroidery or Jemis in the bookshop.
Medium Opt-In: Illustrated Text (Art & Writing) - Dating App/Dating Site Profile - These characters would all be SO DIFFERENT on a dating site! Jemis would answer every question in way too much detail. Roald's would be full of thirst trap photos but somehow all his answers end up being in code. Eleanor would talk more about her girls and just generally be very sweet and earnest. Jack would have one blurry photo of his face and clearly not understand how to fill out any question, and would add haiku into every field even if it didn't make any sense.
Medium Opt-In: Illustrated Text (Art & Writing) - In-Universe Bureaucratic Paperwork - Paperwork for coming back from the dead? For anyone that might apply to? Maybe something to do with Jemis's inheritance?
Medium Opt-In: Instructions - Solo Journaling TTRPG rules - I'd love something about specifically Jack or Roald for this. Something about Jack in the Loessi Prison or on the galley or putting Arguty back to rights. Something about Roald balancing his personas with his true self. If you have any other ideas for the ships, I am very interested in that, too!
Medium Opt-In: Writing - In-Universe RPF - I mean, there's already in-universe RPF for Jack. I'm curious about what Jack Lindsary's fans are writing about the Greenwings. Or, is the Hunter folk-famous enough people are writing about him? Maybe someone in Ragnor Bella also has the idea that Jack/Eleanor is a compelling narrative?

Freder/Josaphat/Maria - Freder is just so passionate about everything in his world. He comes to Josaphat when his worldview is irreparably changed, and Josaphat tries his best to help Freder, although he himself is then dismissed. Despite their class differences, there is such a deep affection for each other. And, when Freder falls in love with Maria, I can't see that love as exclusive when Josaphat and Freder are so close. Freder has so much love to give, and so much energy, I'd love to see how Josaphat and Maria temper the fire of Freder's passions and direct them to fixing the world in both an ideological way (Maria) and practical (Josaphat).

Eldo/Tully/Gaudy/Zaoul - They're the next generation of secretaries making Zunidh into a better world! Kip told Gaudy to take care of each other, and like, what if Gaudy REALLY took that to heart? How do each of their cultures handle romantic gestures, or the shapes of romantic/partnered relationships and what does the clash of their cultures look like between them all? I just love these 4 and I would love anything that shows them having more feelings for each other while also doing the incredibly hard work of the bureaucracy.

Ato/Féonie - In everyone throughout the Nine Worlds wandering in and out of legend, I really love the quiet sweet love story of Ato and Feonie! They just want to spend time together. She likes his friends! Buru Tovo clocked it, and ships it, too! What did Feonie tell Ludvic about how to court her that Ato took notes about? They're just falling in love and everyone around them knows it including HR, but probably not Kip. They had some time in Gorjo City while she was learning, and I'm certain Ludvic got lost at least some of that time.

Fitzroy/Kip - I love these two figuring out their entire thing, especially how careful they are with their feelings, and how that ends up getting in their way so much. They're the most competent people in most rooms and an absolute disaster in their personal lives and interactions, and I just eat it up! I like them together falling into and out of legend and finding they're always each other's soft place to land. I especially like them just casually kind-of marrying each other many times without it ever being called that.

Rhodin/Ludvic/Conju - They're just there in the background being hypercompetent, serving HR so perfectly, they're barely noticeable. And, the three of them work so well together, I'd love to think that a situationship grows roots over a thousand years. What do Ludvic and Conju think of Rhodin's conspiracy theories? How do Ludvic and Rhodin get Conju to take himself a little less seriously? When does Ludvic share his poetry with Conju and Rhodin? And, do these three do anything to push HR toward Kip? Feel free to add canonical additional partners to this group (Rhodin's hookups and Conju's boyfriends), or throw Kip/HR into the mix once they've settled into the Gorjo house!

Tor & Cora - I love that she's so oblivious and he's so charmed by that. I'd love if she could give him a hug someday and sit on his lap to tell him important things about the Vangavaye-ve since he'll be spending more time there now.

Kip & Gaudy - What about their relationship made Gaudy want to follow Kip to Solaara? How do they get along in the in-between scenes in canon? What does their correspondence look like after ATFOTS when Gaudy is still in the capital and working?

Zaoul & Eldo & Gaudy - I love them as coworkers and friends with such wildly different backstories! How do they find ways to work together that fit their home cultures and meld those pieces that work with pieces of the existing bureaucracy?

Tovo & Kip - I would love to see more of any age of their relationship. I think Tovo figuring out Kip/Fitzroy's fanoa relationship and poking Kip about it is ripe for more attention. I really love Tovo, just poking everything until resolves itself, and Kip needs a bit more poking.

Tovo & Tanea - They only know each other for a little bit, but I loved all the scenes from Portrait with them! Maybe she could write to him from Solaara?

Eritanyr/Tovo - CANONICALLY BAD IN BED, YOU SAY? Oh, please tell me all the details of Tovo being better at sex than the emperor he went to check out. I am so into hot as fuck Tovo and idiot prince Eritanyr.

Jack/Eleanor - Listen, I just think it would be both very funny and incredibly romantic to see this love square complete. Like, they were clearly compatible with the spouses they shared between them, and wouldn't that be an amazing way for them each to find some happiness again? She can comfort his tortured soul and he can help her with all the parenting, and they can kiss about how weird and hot the whole situation is.

Jemis/Roald - I love Roald putting on his act. I love Jemis being annoyed at that act and being so determined it must be a lie. I love their canonical only-one-bed and how much Jemis notices Roald's legs and how much Roald flirts with Jemis. Whenever Jemis figures out he likes Roald, how is he going to react?! What did he think when Jemis showed up in the forest after being gone for almost a week? I love loved Mr Dart clocking Roald's pining in SotBS, and I could totally see him getting involved in making Jemis see what's in front of him. (Although I do see many of the G&D relationships as QPRs, I would like Jemis/Roald to Not be in a group relationship with any additional friends.)

Jack and Jemis - The morning they just wander into town together in Plum Duff was one of my favorite moments in all of G&D. I love them finding how to have the relationship that was stolen from them all those years. Every moment of their interactions is so good. Every phase of their relationship we see in G&D is really interesting. I do prefer Jack to be actually around, and am less interested in their relationship pre-Whiskeyjack or Pre-Fall. How does Jack manage to actually explain what happened to him after the Gate of Morning? How often do they play Poacher? Does Jack ever tell Jemis what Olive and Mr Buchance said to him from the Lady's garden?

Hope & Mrs Etaris - I really love a woman who just wants to hyperfocus on her one thing. I want to see Hope finding more of the special stones in the barony! And, Mrs. Etaris going with her, or helping her find people who can tell her more about the stones she's already found! (Jemis or Hal can be around if needed, but I'm most interested in Hope and Mrs. Etaris.) What's up with that fuck-off big stone at the top of that peak!?! Are there others? What cool stones point up to the others? How does it go with Hope's name and the lawyers?

Solo Jack - I am so curious about what Jack cannot say about the Loessi Prison. How does he know the Lord of Purple and Gold is there? What did they do to him magically to bind him that way? Who else is held there? How did he escape after the Fall?

Solo Roald - When I say I love Roald putting on his act, I mean that I love that he seems so clearly to be putting on a mask in every facet of his life up until he arrives in Jemis's room in LiaM and then we are in on the masks. I just love when someone makes their own identity so fluid, they don't have to wear an actual mask to wear a mask. Roald has all the identity porn of being a superhero, and I love that about him. I'd love to see really anything you could tell me about what he gets up to, any time. Also, I could really ship him with just about anyone, so please do make him be ridiculous with anyone you like!